Pure Drive Purist

One question I hear often is: I am a _____ UTR, is college tennis possible for me? The short answer is "yes." Honestly, college tennis is an option for anyone who has a tennis background. College tennis isn't just played at the Division I level, where many players are hoping to elevate their game and make a run at the pro tour. College tennis can be accessible and an option for anyone who has played tennis at a competitive level: tournaments, high school, etc. A few things to think about and consider when looking at college tennis: How does your level compare to college players? What academic goals do you have? What do college coaches look for in a recruit? What can I do to secure a spot on a roster? What is your financial picture for college expenses? How does your level compare to college players? Let's look at this in detail, using UTR as the standard metric of evaluation.  Women's College Tennis Top D1 players - 10.75 to 11.25   Low D1 players - 6.0 to 7.0    ...

  Know Your String - Co-Poly Monofilament This post is an extension of the original "Know Your Strings" post, focusing solely on co-poly monofilament (Poly). Overview Poly strings are gaining significant traction and popularity in the last two decades. Unlike other, softer string options, co-poly monofilament is a single strand of string, which will be a little stiffer in the racket. Poly will typically last longer in your racket than other string options and will usually have a slick outer coating to allow the string to slide at contact and snap back quickly, replicating the string movement of natural gut. Because of this string movement, players who hit with significant pace and spin will enhance more benefits from poly, and will not feel as drastic effects of its stiffness. Options Most string companies make several poly options. Overall, the differences are stiffness and longevity. Stiffer poly will produce a little more power and spin as the strings will snap back into p...

  Know Your String - Synthetic Gut This post is an extension of the original "Know Your Strings" post, focusing solely on synthetic (syn) gut. Overview Synthetic gut strings are a soft string that will provide good comfort and playability. Like multifilament strings, syn gut is made up of fibers bound together, but there are significantly fewer than the multifilament options. Typically, syn gut strings are comprised of one larger "core" fiber in the center, and smaller ones around the outside. Because of this, syn gut strings will stretch less than multifilament, resulting in a stiffer feel and quick tension loss. Synthetic gut is usually what comes in pre-strung rackets and is typically the least expensive string on the market. Options Most string companies make one synthetic gut option. Overall, most syn gut strings will play very similarly. Deciding among syn gut options mostly comes down to which brand you prefer , as most are less than $5.00 per set.  Stringing...