HANDLING: MORE THAN SHAPE, WEIGHT AND BALANCE

The values are transferred to the Testea Scale, specially created to view and compare all the rackets’s characteristics easily and clearly.

The first decision a manufacturer must make when designing a new racket is its geometry. 

The racket’s geometry is directly related to its handling so at this stage we are already defining an early characteristic of its match performance.

The three variables that are directly related to its geometry are:

SHAPE

WEIGHT

BALANCE

Manufacturers use these three variables to characterise their models as rackets for POWER, CONTROL or BALANCE.

Let’s see what happens when we estimate handling using only these variables.

Of all the rackets we worked with to calibrate the Testea Scales, we chose four with the same balance: 268 mm. 

These rackets have different weights and shapes and so it would be logical to suppose that as their balance value is the same, according to their weight and shape they would be listed in descending order of handling. 

However, according to the handling values obtained calculating the MI in TESTEA LAB, all four would be classified as below:

If they were compared and classified in descending order of handling, the result would be this:

Therefore, shape, weight and balance are three variables that are useful for an initial approximation of the handling we are looking to achieve, but this information must be treated with care because in certain circumstances it would be easy to make important mistakes. 

An example would be racket A: according to the parameters, it would appear to have been designed for average handling (approx. 7.50 on the Testea Scale), when in reality its test results are significantly lower (6.00 on the Testea Scale).

This is because the three variables do not take into account the true mass distribution of the racket along the length and breadth of its axes, which is in turn influenced by the design of the bridge, the distribution of the holes, etc. 

The only way of knowing that is by calculating the three moments of inertia.

Balance is a consequence of the distribution of the mass, but on its own, it is not a real measurement of it. In other words, two rackets with the same balance may have significantly different mass distribution and inertia and as a result, different handling characteristics.

A racket’s handling is a vital aspect of its match performance when deciding the degree of comfort a player will experience when using it. A player may reject a particular model of racket without really knowing why if its heft feels uncomfortable.

The only way to know the true handling of a racket l is by calculating the moments of inertia around its different axes.

For more information about this approach, contact us.