Category Archives: Learning
Accuracy Index…what is it?
For a few years, Racquet Quest has been using an “accuracy index” to clarify and understand how the string bed stiffness at a given location can affect where the ball goes. You may say that is the players skill working…or not!
However, players take heart, we know how the string bed accuracy can and will put the ball where you didn’t intend for it to go!
Our Accuracy Index is predicated on racquet support effectiveness and main and cross string junctions matching the “target tensions”. The natural ratio of the racquet is the basis for the target tensions. The “natural ratio” of a racquet is the difference in main string tension and cross string tension in a freshly strung racquet. For example; the main string tension is 50 and the cross string tension is 38 the “natural ratio” is 76%.
https://racquetquest.tennis/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Vega_16x19_accuracy_.pdf
Our Standard Stringing Process
After seeing “After the String is Strung” some of you wanted to see a “While the String is Being Strung” video. I have several videos of the stringing process but I use them for my own review and to see if there is anything that can be done better.
So, the video(s) will not be “professional” videos and are intended for fun and maybe some understanding of what we do.
Grab a coffee, or something, and enjoy 24 minutes of stringing fun!
Brittany Tagliareni…a Winner!
In all the years I have been involved in tennis racquets I have worked with players of all levels, from top-ranked to no ranking at all! The one thing that remains constant is that every player received the same attention to a goal.
Typically that goal is to win!
As I reflect on the high points of this journey there are a few players that really stand out. One of those players is Brittany Tagliareni.
- Brittany is one of the best tennis players in the world.
- Brittany has won many awards and accolades from the tennis community and press.
- Brittany is Autistic.
Here is the deal. Every day I talk to players about the most minuscule of performance specifications…one (1) gram here, one gram there, one (1) pound here, and so on.
Brittany is different.
Brittany is very busy and wants to get to her next function whether it is taking care of dogs or tennis! She really doens’t want to talk to me about tennis racquets!
So, to really understand what needs to be done her mother, Catherine, communicates for Brittany.
Brittany plays with a Yonex SV100 racquet strung with Ashaway Monogut ZX at 46 pounds.
She travels with three (3) matched racquets. This is where it gets interesting and one of the reasons I wanted to write this post.
Brittany needed some extra encouragement to hold the racquet with the proper grip (she is left-handed) to generate the amount of spin her coach wanted her to have. Just telling Brittany how to hold the racquet was not consistently working so we re-shaped the grip to offer some tactile “encouragement”.
The grip has been changed to have different “feelings” for each bevel of the grip shape. So one side is exaggerated for a certain length on the grip and other sides were accentuated shape wise.
The grip re-shaping had to be done in a laminated way because it works, is expedient, and minimizes costs associated with major grip modifications.
Now when Brittany holds the racquet she can feel exactly where it needs to be.
Brittany goes to Washington, and beyond!
See what Brittany has accomplished.
Brittany is incredibly busy so it is difficult to keep up with all of her travels. Most recently she was in Dubai!
Keep it Up!
I am talking about our String Frequency Calculator tool. As of right now, as far as I know, WordPress does not support “interactive” spreadsheets, so our calculator is far, far, away running on One Drive!
Each time you enter user information it goes to the “cloud” and the calculation is made, then returned to racqeutquest.com, and you. It seems like a long way around but for now, that is what we have.
Here is how you can help. One Drive puts the application to “sleep” if the spreadsheet is not “active” for a short period. Then it has to be “jump started” which causes the blank display you may see. The fix is to keep it active! So every five (5) minutes or so do a calculation!
We think the information is fun and meaningful so please continue to use the Stringing Frequency Calculator!
Racquet Quest, LLC
