WHAT'S REALLY IN THAT RACQUET COVER? {2002}
By Vince Chiarelli, PTR, MRT and Owner of String Along With Vince in Largo
Racquet manufacturers are beginning to feel the economic crunch. This is not a new thing, but it has finally gotten to the point where the consumer will be able to recognize it. The first clue is that many frames no longer come with a vibration damper (the little rubber thing that goes on the strings to deaden the sound when you hit the ball).
What will be most noticeable is manufacturers shipping racquets without covers. We received our Wilson 6.1 ProStaffs (the new model) without covers. Wilson's explanation is that most people buy racquet bags and don't use the covers. You can, if you so choose, purchase the cover for $12 to $15, but it will probably require a special order. I can't see retailers stocking covers for all the different frames. Volkl is shipping all their models, including the most expensive ones with--for want of a better word--a sack with a drawstring at the top. Actually, this is not a bad idea for those who use the cover AND put the racquet in a tennis bag, since it will be less bulky and still afford protection from the frames rubbing against each other.
Frankly, I think the full cover is the worst thing manufacturers have come up with in my lifetime. After playing, when the grip is sweaty, putting the racquet in a cover makes it take forever to dry out even if the cover has a mesh section at the bottom. The result is bacteria and other life forms in a damp dark environment. Let's say you play once a week. You put your racquet in the cover and there it sits until the following week. It is possible the grip will still be damp when you take it out again.
Do this a few times and you have something you wouldn't want to touch with a ten-foot pole. I get racquets in the shop that stink so badly I have to cover the handles in plastic wrap just so I can string them. I encourage owners of these frames to let me replace the grip, but sometimes they don't want to. Personally, I'd be afraid to take it out of the case. You may find a new species of plant or animal growing on it.
If you HAVE to put your racquet in a full cover, may I suggest you wait until it is completely dry before doing so. This will retard the bacteria and thus allow your grip to last longer.
My solution would be for manufacturers to begin using the covers that only go to the top of the grip. They will protect the frames without cooking the handles in some new blend of primordial soup.
Copyright 2002 (Previously published in FLORIDA TENNIS - Dec., 2001)
By Vince Chiarelli, USPTR, MRT, Owner of String Along With Vince
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