MEN'S VS WOMEN'S RACQUETS, IS THERE A DIFFERENCE? {1999}

By Vince Chiarelli, PTR, MRT and Owner of String Along With Vince in Largo

More often than you might think, customers will make statements like; "I don't want that racquet. It's a woman's racquet." Back in the days when most racquets were wood, companies would work with their contract players to make a frame that suited them. Once accomplished, they would release that model for production. In those days you saw many racquets with pros names: Pancho Gonzalez, Billy Jean King, Chris Evert, etc. were among the most notable. At that time, although there was no real reason that a person of the opposite sex couldn't successfully use a particular frame, most people made a choice from what was available within their own gender.

This has hung on in the genetic memory, but in most cases is no longer based on fact. Probably the best example of this inappropriate bias is Yonex racquets. Many top women professionals in the last 20 years, such as Martina Navratolova and Monica Seles, have played with Yonex frames, but few men had signed with the company until recently. Now, even though a number of well known male players (including Malivai Washington, Sergi Bruguera, Marcelo Rios and Richard Krajicek) have played, or are currently playing with Yonex models, I still see men tend to shy away from these excellent racquets, I believe, based on this totally unfounded stigma.

Today, as a general rule, racquet makers design frames based more on what they believe will sell and the professional must choose from their current line. The frames the pro receives are often beefed up in some way to suit the player, and are not "off the wall" production models. The result is now a customer is more likely to ask what model, for example, does Pete Sampras play with, rather than asking for a Pete Sampras model.

There have been recent attempts to create a model specific to women. Weed racquets released the "Lady Zone"; Wilson made a "Steffi Graf" frame and Spalding came out with a frame designed to target sales to women. None of these have, in my opinion, been successful.

Are there differences in men and women's racquets? I don't think so, but you'll have to judge for yourself. I believe that a safer and saner way to choose your racquet is based on your specific needs. There are as many men that are slightly built, as there are women who have strong, powerful strokes. The most important, and generally the least considered criteria is grip size. Stroke style and power potential are also critical. It can be difficult to determine what is best for you, so seek out the help of a qualified racquet technician.

Copyright 1999 (Previously published in THE LATEST RACQUET - July/Aug., 1999)