Have You Got the Right Racquet for a Fast Serve?
by: Dave Winship @ On The Line

I'm often asked if a certain type of racket would produce a faster serve. To be honest, I usually pull a face and try to steer the conversation to technique and biomechanics, but the fact is - the racket can make a difference!

The tip of the racket moves faster than the rest of the frame. So, if you hit the ball quite high on the string bed, i.e. closer to the tip than the centre of the strings, you should get more pace on your serve.

Some racket manufacturers recognise this and they produce rackets with an elongated sweet spot which extends up towards the tip.

There are some other things you might want to consider. Michael Chang got more pop on his serve when he switched to a longbody racket. A longer racket gives you more reach and more power. You could also try getting a restring with a lower tension or add lead strips to the head of your racket to give it more mass (make sure you apply them evenly on both sides of the racket).

Bear in mind that none of these solutions will give you more control and they may affect other aspects of your game! Before you go for a radical solution, I suggest you work with a coach to optimise the biomechanics of your serve and, at the very least, reach up for a high contact. Oh well, there I go again!

Regards.

Dave Winship