When to switch to a professional racket
The rackets recommended for an advanced level of play respond to increasingly precise and specific needs, but require a very high level of preparation and knowledge to be exploited to their full potential. As your level of play rises, there will come a time when a high-end racquet becomes the only way for your technical skills to truly blossom.
It is therefore necessary to examine the possibility of proceeding with a professional 'shovel' on two different levels: the athletic and technical capacity of not suffering the transition to a more complex tool, and the ability to identify a racket whose characteristics are in accordance with one's own style of play.
How do you recognize a professional racket?
There are various parameters that help to identify an advanced level racket.
Rackets of this level tend to have increasingly unique and specific characteristics. In this category, more diamond and teardrop rackets are starting to appear, with balances towards the head of the racket or towards the handle depending on the styles. Furthermore, elements such as the surface of the plate or the heart of the racket often feature specific technologies depending on the brand or model.
Finally, professional rackets are manufactured with the highest quality materials. This makes them extremely resistant to time and impacts.
Balancing
The balance of the racket depends on the intended style of play.
Blades predisposed to an attacking game tend to be biased towards the head of the racket, as opposed to control blades, which are often balanced centrally or towards the handle.
Also, top tier paddles are usually heavier.
Form
Like the balance, the shape of the racket is shaped according to the style of play.
Among the advanced blades appear many drop and diamond models, the two most suitable shapes for an offensive game. There are of course also numerous round models for control vanes, as well as some hybrid shapes.
Consistency
Among the advanced level rackets, we find a great variety of internal and external hardness. With the improvement of the quality of the materials, it is possible to encounter textures obtained with different balances. For example, overall harder racquets that have a softer inside and an extremely hard face or vice versa. You can also find different combinations of carbon fiber and glass fiber layers for the platter, and various types of internal rubbers.
specific technologies
As anticipated, in this range of rackets you can find a multitude of structural elements created specifically for a given model.
Examples include unique technologies at the heart of nearly every racquet that depend on a need to absorb more vibration rather than lighten the weight felt during a stroke.
Other examples may be the drilling, the size of the handle, and especially the texture of the surface of the cymbal.
