Prince tennis racquets are available in Canada again.Prince fans in Canada have had a hard time finding Prince ™ tennis racquets over the past five years.
This is because Prince’s US parent company has recently passed through multiple bankruptcies and several unsuccessful distribution agreements.
The good news is that this situation appears to have stabilized. Prince now has a reliable distributor in Canada who is able to supply us with a partial range of Prince tennis products.
Not all Prince products available in the US are available in Canada, but Racquet Network has agreed to carry a range of shoes and tennis racquets as well as a small number of bags and accessories.
These products are available on our website and in our store. Canadian customers with questions about Prince tennis racquets can email questions to our experts at orders@racquetnetwork.com.
Prince Tennis Racquets
For a full list of racquets in this category, please check out our ONLINE RACQUET SELECTOR. You can sort by sport, gender, brand, size, weight, balance and more.
WILSON PRO STAFF RF 97 AUTO TENNIS RACQUETOver the weekend, we received an email from Ashok in Calgary asking if it makes sense for him to buy an elite tennis racquet like the Wilson Prostaff RF97.
In the body of this rather long email, Ashok explains that he is a beginner now but that he is taking lessons and expects to be at the elite level in three to four years. He doesn’t want to buy one racquet now to use as a beginner, a second racquet later to use as an intermediate and a third racquet after that when he expects to be an elite player.
We get variations on this question almost every week during outdoor tennis season. It is one of many “save money” strategies that beginners — especially men — propose to justify spending top dollar to buy a high-end racquet while they are still learning the basic strokes.
On the surface, it seems to make some sense. Buy an elite frame now. String it for a beginner while you are a beginner. String it for an intermediate when you get to that level and then string it for the elite level once you get there.
Of course we can do this — or something like it. We often have players come in who have taken 10 years off from tennis and are just getting back into the game. So we string their racquet at low tension with a very soft string in order to avoid causing injuries while they get back into shape. Then as they improve over several months or the next couple of seasons, we adjust their string bed accordingly. Each time they come in, the string gets firm and the tension gets tighter.
In most of these cases, the racquet the player brings in for customization is an elite level frame. So in a sense, we are doing the very thing that Ashok is asking about.
There is one difference, though, and it is a pretty major difference. In this case, we are talking about a player who has elite-level strokes. They are rusty elite-level strokes, of course. A decade of inactivity will do that to a player. But a rusty elite player is nothing like a beginner.
Beginners really do need softer and larger frames than elite players and, unfortunately, the Wilson Prostaff RF 97 is neither soft nor large. So can we string it in a way that makes it softer or larger? No, we can’t. Sorry.
What we can do though is advise Ashok not to overspend on a beginner racquet. In fact, we can help him pick out a durable intermediate level frame that will carry him through his beginner and intermediate stages of development. Then, when he is genuinely ready for an elite level frame, we can help him with that, too.
While we can appreciate the “save money” strategy that Ashok it trying to adopt in this situation, we feel it is important to remind him that materials and technologies are changing all of the time. We can also advise him that it may take a little longer to get to the elite level than he imagines. So his best overall strategy is to buy the racquet he needs now and to wait and see what will be available to him when he gets to the elite level at a future point in time.
The final piece of good advice that we can give Ashok now is that nobody knows what kind of elite level player he may be when he gets there. Will he be aggressive? Will he be defensive? Or will he be a mixed player? Will he wins his points on his ground strokes or his serves? Since nobody can answer these questions right now, it makes no sense to buy an elite frame now just to save money later because it may very well turn out to be wrong frame for Future Elite-Level Ashok.
Use the Head Line on your palm to measure your optimal grip size.Take a look at the palm of your left hand. If you look closely, you will see three major and distinct lines.
The lower line (palm readers call this your LIFE LINE) starts at the base of your hand where your thumb connects to your wrist. Follow this line and you will see that it curves around the base of your thumb and ends up near the base of your index finger.
There is also an upper line (palm readers call this your HEART LINE) that starts below your pinkie finger and runs across your palm to the base of your index finger.
Between these two is a middle line that starts between your index finger and thumb and then heads across your palm before vanishing about three-quarters of the way across. Palm readers call this your HEAD LINE. This is the line that is used for measuring tennis grip size.
Using a ruler, measure the distance between the tip of your middle finger and the HEAD LINE immediately below your middle finger. That is your grip size. When choosing a tennis racquet, this is the optimal size.
A grip significantly larger than this will make if difficult to generate power on your serve. A grip smaller than this may lead to tennis elbow.
Remember that a slightly smaller grip can be made to fit by adding an additional layer of grip or overgrip on the racquet handle. However, a grip size cannot be made smaller.
So if you must purchase a racquet that is not the perfect size, choose one that is up to a quarter inch smaller than optimal so that you can build the grip up to your optimal size.
Babolat Aeropro Drive GT Tennis RacquetIn tight economic times like these, everybody wants to save money where they can. Buying used tennis racquets, instead of new tennis racquets, is one way to do that.
But you have to be careful if you want to go this route. Saving money is one possibility, but getting ripped off is another. So here are some things to consider when shopping for a used racquet.
E-Bay
It is certainly possible to get a good used tennis racquet on E-Bay and other websites. However it is also possible to buy cheap knock-offs and once-broken-now-repaired frames.
Buyer beware. I won’t buy a racquet unless I can check the entire frame for tell-tale swelling, bulging or other signs of repair. I also need to examine every sticker or label on the racquet in order to prove to myself that it is not a knock off.
Used Goods Stores
While it is possible to hold a racquet in your hands and examine it carefully in a used sporting goods store, it is not always possible to determine how old the racquet is. As a result, I have seen more than one intermediate player show up to play with a “new” racquet that is, in fact, ten years old.
It is advisable, therefore, to stop at a new racquet store and have a good long look at what is on the shelf this year before going to the used racquet store to buy last year’s model. Do this and you will increase your chances of spotting really old frames when you get to the used racquet store.
Hand-me-downs
Buying used racquets from friends and other players in your network can be tricky. Generally, you should pay no more than $40 for the frame, $40 for the string and $10 for the grip. In other words, a quality used racquet shouldn’t cost more than $90.
If the frame is a mid-range frame (not a high-end frame), deduct at least $20. If the strings have more than 50 games on them, deduct $20. If the grip needs to be replaced, deduct another $10.
Slightly Used Demos
Pros and sponsored players often get their racquets for free. Occasionally, they will play with them a few times and then put them away for good. In most cases, they will play with them until the manufacturer’s rep gives them another new model.
Since pros, sponsored players and other frequent players treat their racquets with respect, you are not buying junk. In most cases, you are buying slightly-used, high-end racquets that are in near-pristine condition.
Check for wear on the grip and marks on the strings. If it’s a factory grip with very little wear and the strings are relatively clean with very little yellow fuzz, you will know that the racquet hasn’t been used very much.
Price Ranges
New, low-end tennis racquets are pre-strung and are priced in the $30 to $60 range.
New mid-range tennis racquets are usually pre-strung and are priced in the $60 to $120 range.
New high-end tennis racquets cost more than $120 and come unstrung. Stringing costs another $25 to $50, depending on the type of string you like.
Beginners, especially men, often assume that paying more for a racquet will automatically make them better tennis players. Unfortunately, this is not true. In fact, spending too much may do more harm to a beginner’s game than spending less.
Smart beginners start with racquets that are designed specifically for beginners. Then, when they are ready, they replace their beginner racquet with a new racquet designed for intermediate players.
Length
Look for a 27″ racquet, which is the standard length for adults. The best total weight for beginners is 10-12 ounces.
Avoid shorter racquets (under 27″) designed for juniors. Avoid heavier racquets (over 12 ounces) designed for experts and lighter racquets (under 10 ounces) designed for seniors and exceptionally small adults.
Size
Look for a large racquet head (over 105 square inches) for more power and a larger, more forgiving sweet spot. Many recreational players will stick with a larger head all their lives.
Avoid small racquet heads which give greater control at the expense of power and which also tend to magnify mistakes. Small headed racquets are designed for expert players who are able to hit the ball within inches of their target more than 90 per cent of the time.
Balance
Look for a head-heavy racquet for more stability and less stress on your wrist and elbow. This will add more power to your strokes and help cover up your mishits.
Avoid head light racquets until you are good enough to hit the ball exactly in the sweet spot on every stroke.
Composition
Look for an aluminum frame. These frames are stiff enough for beginners.
Avoid graphite frames unless you are prepared to spend more than beginners need to spend.
Price
Prices for beginner racquets are typically under $30.00. Graphite racquets begin at about $70 and run to nearly $300.00. You can occasionally find graphite racquets in the clearance bin for half price.
If you find one that is the right length, weight, head size and balance for about $30,00, then it is a smart buy for a beginner. Otherwise, don’t bother.
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