What do dampers do for the raquet?
360358
Vibration dampeners are basically used to quiet the noise a string makes after contact.  Often times players will hear a "ping" like sound and the dampeners reduce this noise.  The official rules of tennis state that a dampener must be placed outside the last cross or main strings.  This means you can place a dampener either on top or bottom of the racket.  I suppose you could also place it outside the mainstrings off to one-side of the racket but this would not help quiet the noise because the dampener would not be in contact with the "two main strings" which are the source of the noise and vibration when strinking the ball.  Dampeners don't really reduce the shock to the arm when hitting a ball but rather the small amount of vibration which gives the "ping" like sound.
1087941
Hey TennisChick. You'll find that each player has his/her own personal preference for their racquets. My favorite brand is Wilson because it feels a bit lighter and livlier to me. But I've also been impressed with Babolot and Head sticks. I don't like Prince racquets a lot because I can't "feel" the ball as well with them. But again, that's just my opinion. \n\nActually, I responded to this question a few weeks ago. I'll copy/paste my answer to that question here. \n\nRULE #1: Don't buy a racquet before comparing it with others. Most tennis clubs and racquet stores will have some sort of demo program that will let you try out a variety of racquets for a few days for just a couple of bucks. Often, they'll let you put this money towards your futures purchase. If you're having a hard time finding a store that will let you demo a racquet, then check out the website included in the sources.\n\nRacquets come with different stiffness, weighting, stringing patterns and lengths. All that adds up to a lot of different choices and a lot of different feels. If you're a beginner, then you probably don't need to shell out much money yet for a racquet, just find something that feels good in your hand and use it until you want to try something new.\n\nIf you have loopy strokes and have no trouble adding your own power to your shots, then you want a racquet that isn't as stiff, and that is head-light--usually termed a control racquet. However, most of the population will find these racquets ill-suited for their skill. With that in mind, I'll mark some rules of thumb below to help you sort out the differences:\n\n1) Stiffness. The stiffer a racquet is, the more power it produces. You mentioned that your racquet isn't controllable. If you mean that you have a hard time keeping the ball in the court, then it's probably because your racquet is too stiff for your style of play.\n\n2) Weight. Heavier racquets are usually less stiff, because they allow you to generate more momentum behind the ball (as an analogy, think of the difference between a hammer and a sledge hammer; if a racquet has more weight to it, it can pack more of a punch). Most players will want a stick that falls in the middle of the pack to the light side.\n\n3) Head-heavy or head-light? Head-heavy racquets are usually those that allow you to generate more momentum (see #2). Pros will play with HH, while recreational will play with HL, because it requires less effort to hit the ball.\n\n4) Stringing patterns. Some racquest have more open stringing patterns while others have more dense patterns. You can judge by looking at how close together the strings are across the racquet face. Different patterns have a different feel and make it easier to apply spin and also give a larger sweet spot. You may want to see if you can find a pattern that feels better with your game.\n\n5) Lengths. Manufacturers make racquets that are an inch and a half longer than normal. These racquets give you more whip to your serves. Some people find them unweildy. I don't like playing with a longer stick, but you may.\n\n6) Feel. Each manufacturer has its own feel. I am a Wilson fan, because I love the feel of the racquet. You feel every aspect of the contact. I don't like Prince's feel, because it feels heavier and more dead to me, but that's just my opinion. Babolat racquets have a similar feel to Wilson. Try a bunch of manufacturers and find one that you like.\n\nAgain, demo a bunch of racquets. Don't buy anything unless you're sure that you like it enough to buy three.\n\nI hope that helps.
821232
Idk? I use it because I get mine for free. I am a junior girl though. A lot of people would say it's a girls raquet though. I like it alot.
805891
i thought it was called a shuttlecock\n\nnvm thats the raquet
607636
The bridge is an impliment that allows the cue to rest in \n\nits groves so that the player can reach shots that are \n\nfurther away than his natural reach.
623194
I always use LePro tis on my cues...they are hard and may work for you.  They are inexpensive and you can get them from Meuller (on-line or catalog), or probably any good billiards store near you.
1146675
The fuzz slows down the ball in flight, keeps it from bouncing too high, and lets  the racket get a better "grip" on it. A perfectly smooth ball would travel so fast  and bounce so high that the game would be unplayable. Also, with a smooth  ball, it would be much more difficult for the player to control the direction of  the shots.
1124668
Raquet head with strings, raquet shaft and raquet grip
1085647
Hey It_girl, you're going to find that each person has their own preference for racquets. My preference is Wilson, but I admit that there are other brands that have good sticks as well (I also like Head and Babolot). That said, this is a question that is asked pretty frequently. Here's what I suggest:\n\nRULE #1: Don't buy a racquet before comparing it with others. Most tennis clubs and racquet stores will have some sort of demo program that will let you try out a variety of racquets for a few days for just a couple of bucks. Often, they'll let you put this money towards your futures purchase. If you're having a hard time finding a store that will let you demo a racquet, then check out the website included in the sources.\n\nRacquets come with different stiffness, weighting, stringing patterns and lengths. All that adds up to a lot of different choices and a lot of different feels. If you're a beginner, then you probably don't need to shell out much money yet for a racquet, just find something that feels good in your hand and use it until you want to try something new.\n\nIf you have loopy strokes and have no trouble adding your own power to your shots, then you want a racquet that isn't as stiff, and that is head-light--usually termed a control racquet. However, most of the population will find these racquets ill-suited for their skill. With that in mind, I'll mark some rules of thumb below to help you sort out the differences:\n\n1) Stiffness. The stiffer a racquet is, the more power it produces. You mentioned that your racquet isn't controllable. If you mean that you have a hard time keeping the ball in the court, then it's probably because your racquet is too stiff for your style of play.\n\n2) Weight. Heavier racquets are usually less stiff, because they allow you to generate more momentum behind the ball (as an analogy, think of the difference between a hammer and a sledge hammer; if a racquet has more weight to it, it can pack more of a punch). Most players will want a stick that falls in the middle of the pack to the light side.\n\n3) Head-heavy or head-light? Head-heavy racquets are usually those that allow you to generate more momentum (see #2). Pros will play with HH, while recreational will play with HL, because it requires less effort to hit the ball.\n\n4) Stringing patterns. Some racquest have more open stringing patterns while others have more dense patterns. You can judge by looking at how close together the strings are across the racquet face. Different patterns have a different feel and make it easier to apply spin and also give a larger sweet spot. You may want to see if you can find a pattern that feels better with your game.\n\n5) Lengths. Manufacturers make racquets that are an inch and a half longer than normal. These racquets give you more whip to your serves. Some people find them unweildy. I don't like playing with a longer stick, but you may.\n\n6) Feel. Each manufacturer has its own feel. I am a Wilson fan, because I love the feel of the racquet. You feel every aspect of the contact. I don't like Prince's feel, because it feels heavier and more dead to me, but that's just my opinion. Babolat racquets have a similar feel to Wilson. Try a bunch of manufacturers and find one that you like.\n\nAgain, demo a bunch of racquets (most sporting goods stores and tennis stores have a demo program; tennis warehouse has an online program that you may want to look into--I've included the link below). Don't buy anything unless you're sure that you like it enough to buy three.\n\nI hope that helps.
402767
In engineering terms pendulums are called mass dampers, usually either active mass dampers or passive/tuned mass dampers.  Check out the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute to start.
715716
You can spell racquet either way.  As for a good beginner frame, you are looking for an oversize.  They are lightweight and the oversize head helps you on off-center shots.  Oversize racquets range in price and you get what you pay for.  The more you spend, the more the racquet actually helps your shots (manufacturers spend more money to tweak the specs of a racquet to generate more control and power).  You should check out the Airflow 7, NothingButTennis has them.
825765
In Australia, I've heard the the Rebound Ace surface gets tackier the hotter it gets.  At the AO, they have the extreme heat policy where they will stop play and close the roof for play on the 2 main courts.\n\nBoth the clay courts at the French and the grass courts at Wimbledon will play faster if it is warmer and drier.  Particularly at Wimbledon, the surface will become brown earlier in the 2 week tourney, and you will see more strange bounces.\n\nAt the US open, I think the surface is similar to most public hardcourts in the US, and their conditions don't change very much with the weather, except that even a little bit of rain will make the courts slippery and dangerous.
392997
Try a Wilson nCode. They are probably the best rackets out there right now.\n(Just my opinion)\n\n:D
800663
From a personal level i would suggest a heavier racket overall. It will give you the power that new players seem to always want yet you wont kill you arm getting it. Instead you can focus more on placement.  With a lighter racket you need a faster, not necessarily stronger, swing. The absolute best thing to do would be to go to a tennis shop and try out the demos. It is the only way to try it. That is how i found my racket (babolat pure drive).\nDont listen to Lady, do not just pick a brand if you have any intention of continuing tennis past strictly recreational.
530825
They're professionals doing their job. You should be looking at their racquet hands, nowhere else!\n\nAnyway, what should they do about it?
312735
Try a damping circuit.
103046
I feel I can answer this question well because I've not only been a tennis player for the last 37 years, I'm also a Mechanical Engineer as well as a nationally certified  tennis instructor.\n\nThe connection of the racquet's shaft to the racquet's head affects the location of the sweet spot. And, it's always better to have the sweet spot located further from the direction of the grip because you gain greater leverage and, therefore, more power.\n\nSince the shaft has the tendency to move the sweet spot in the wrong direction (away from the head and closer to the grip), the racquet designers make the head oval, instead of circular, to overcome this tendency. Indeed, the elongation of the oval head returns the sweet spot to a position higher on the head thereby restoring power.