Direct Sports Racket Sports Index

Tennis

Racquet selector

The Direct Sports tennis racquet selector is an interactive tool that allows you to short list a selection of tennis racquets based upon information that you enter such as: weight, beam width, swing length, price, manufacturer from Head, Yonex, Wilson, Prince, Babolat, Slazenger, Dunlop etc. The tennis racquet selector requires some spreadsheet capabilities to be installed onto your computer (e.g. Microsoft excel)

Tennis Zone

Tennis Zone features general information web pages relating to tennis products & services that direct sports offer and to provide useful information on a range of tennis topics. If there is anything else you would like to see in this section of the site please e-mail us at tenniszone@directsports-eshop.com. To order tennis goods and view the full range of our tennis products please use the e-shop

Tennis technology glossary

Air Handle - PRINCE

Racket handle features two air-filled suspension legs that move independently to reduce shock by 25%.

Air+ Handle - PRINCE
Racket handle features four air filled quadrants which move independently to provide 50% more shock absorption and unique grip ventilation.

ChipSystem - HEAD
An electronically dampened racket. Powered by racket vibration, a micro chip integrated into the racket handle electronically creates a cancelling counter-vibration which eliminates 50% of vibrations immediately on ball impact. Residual vibration is then eliminated twice as fast as conventional rackets.

Direct Contact MORE Performance Technology - PRINCE
"MORE" racket frames are manufactured in two halves and have built in string channels which do not require grommets, as a result full string-to-frame contact is achieved giving greater control.

Foamcore Technology - SLAZENGER
The entire inner core of the racket frame is filled with a high grade expandable polyurethane foam which absorbs vibration and reduces impact shock.

Hot Melt - DUNLOP
A manufacturing process which produces a high level of Graphite consistency and uniformity. A unique, heat-reactive, thermoplastic liquid is used to produce a molten Graphite skin that is layered over the racket frame. When cooled, this cures to produce exceptionally strong and stiff fibres. The resultant frame is extremely strong and durable.

Intellifibers Intelligence - HEAD
Made from piezoelectric material, Intellifibers are integrated into the racket throat they transform the mechanical energy from ball impact into an electrical response which stiffens the racket shaft and provides resistance against racket bending.

Intellifibers IntelligenceX - HEAD
Made from piezoelectric material, Intellifibers are integrated into the throat and head of the racket they transform the mechanical energy from ball impact into an electrical response which stiffens the shaft and frame and provides resistance against racket bending.

IPS - Integrated Power Weight System - YONEX
Extra weight inserted into the racket head at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions to reduce torque and increase frame stability on off-centre shots.

Isometric Square Head Shape - YONEX
The "square-shaped" head has more main and cross strings of the same length in the string bed than a conventional racket which enlarges the effective hitting area (sweetspot).

Metal Hybrid IPS - YONEX
Metal Hybrid is a material 10 times heavier than Graphite and 4 times heavier than Titanium which is inserted into the racket head at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions to reduce torque and increase face stability.

Muscle Power - YONEX
Arched grommet system which brings the string and frame into close contact. Strings are seated on rounded corners rather than the sharp angles of a conventional frame which lessens stress on the strings and protects against loss of tension.

PowerLock MORE Performance Technology - PRINCE
"MORE" racket frames are manufactured in two halves with built in string channels, this eliminates the need to drill through the racket frame to make string holes thereby maintaining 100% frame fibre integrity for a more structurally rigid racket .

PowerZone - HEAD
Enlarged sweetspot created by unique cone-shaped grommets.

Shockless Grommet - YONEX
Shock absorbing grommets placed at the sides and the bottom of the frame reduce shock by 11%

Step Technology - SLAZENGER
By narrowing the cross-section of the frame in two key areas of the racket head the central cross strings are lengthened this enhances the trampoline effect from the strings resulting in a much larger sweetspot.

Super Cushion Grip - YONEX
Soft leather surface with cushioned underside layer to reduce unwanted vibrations.

Titanium Mesh - YONEX
Titanium Mesh is stronger and harder than Graphite and is used to produce a stronger frame without increasing the overall weight.

Trinity Braiding - SLAZENGER
A premium braided graphite layer wrapped around the frame at three key support points in the racket's bridge and throat to provide enhanced torsional stability.

Triple Threat - PRINCE
Titanium, Copper and Carbon are incorporated into the racket head at the 10 & 2 o'clock positions and at the bottom of the racket handle. By focusing weight in these three locations racket stability is maintained during all shots; both on-and-off-centre.

Triple Threat with Tungsten - PRINCE
Tungsten, a strong dense material, Titanium, Copper and Carbon are incorporated into the racket head at the 10 & 2 o'clock positions and at the bottom of the racket handle. By focusing weight in these three locations racket stability is maintained during all shots; both on-and-off-centre.

Ultimum Ti - YONEX
A super strong Nickle-Titanium alloy which is incorporated into the shaft of the racket providing a "snap-back" action on ball impact for greater power transfer.

V-Con Vibration Control Shaft - YONEX
Three layers of hard and soft material are incorporated into the racket shaft; graphite, ceramic alloy and an innovative new elastic, to keep impact vibration within the "comfort zone" of between 150 - 170Hz for minimum shock.

Manufacturer Guide

Direct Sports is a specialist Racquet Sports company which provides not only a wide range of products but also a service which is designed to ensure that our customers are provided with the most suitable products for their game.

Due to our 14 day return programme and demonstration service it is important that we get it right when supplying tennis goods, particularly from our racquet selection. Although we stock a wide range of brands the links below detailed in our manufacturers guide provide the very best performance in modern tennis racquet design.

Head Yonex Wilson Prince

HEAD Intelligence

Intelligence is the name given to the system of active racquet stiffening and vibration dampening by the use of piezoelectric material which Head calls Intellifibres.
Intellifibres which are positioned into the throat (and also the head on some racquet models), transform the mechanical energy from the ball impact into electrical energy that actively stiffens the racquet for increased power and also absorbs mechanical vibration, giving much increased comfort.

Working Principle:
Piezoelectric materials convert mechanical stress or strain into proportinate electrical energy. Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be transformed from one state to another. As the piezoelectric material that is intergrated into the titanium/graphite composite is subjected to mechanical load or strain, an electrical charge is generated.
Any device that generates electrical energy offers an opposing force to the actual force that it is subjected to. A good every day example of this is a car alternator. If you switch the full beam on whilst the engine is at idle you can here the engine revs drop slightly. This is because the alternator has become much more difficult to turn as it offers a resistance now that it is required to produce electrical energy. The piezoelectric material works in the same way and offers a mechanical resistance to the racquet distorting at the throat area as the ball strikes the strings.

Game Benefits:
The obvious game benefit is the extra power created by the stiffening of the racquet throat area upon ball impact. There are however comfort and control benefits also. Because a proportion of the mechanical energy is being transformed into electrical energy, there is less residual mechanical shock and vibration throughout the racquet frame.
Another benefit that the intellifibers allow that cannot be achieved by simply mechanically strengthening the racquet is that the flex offered by the intellifibre frame varies depending on the level of mechanical energy offered by the balls momentum. This allows the benefit of flex for slow control shots and active stiffening of the frame for powerful ground strokes.

Head Tennis Liquidmetal racquets

Head, the global leader in tennis technology, revolutionizes the game once more with a new material never before used in modern Racquet design.

Utilising Liquid Metal technology, developed by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) a new level of power is brought to the game.

Power & Energy is built right into the racquet's frame. Liquid Metal material; is placed into four strategic areas of the head together with Intelligence intellifibres in the throat of the shaft.

The unique Liquid Metal structure does not deform on energy impact, resulting in ultimate energy return.

No other material utilises all the energy that is applied to it. No energy is lost on ball impact due to it's liquid atomic structure

NoShox Dampening System within the racquet handle has incredible shock absorbing properties thanks to a unique memory foam material incorpoarted within the handle.

Andre Agassi's Racquet of Choice

Head Liquid Metal Radical

Head's Total Sweetspot Construction (TSC) includes an innovative corrugated structure which enhances surface rigidity for optimum stifness under pressure.

Badminton

Racquet selector

The badminton racquet selector is an interactive tool that allows you to short list a selection of badminton racquets based upon information that you enter such as: flex, balance, manufacturer from Yonex, Wilson, Prince, Babolat, Slazenger, Karakal, Fleet, Yehlex etc. All the measurements made are by ourselves in order to give a consistent comparison for measurements such as flex etc.
The badminton racquet selector requires some spreadsheet capabilities to be installed onto your computer (e.g. Microsoft excel)

Yonex Armortec Series

The armortec 700 series unleashes a new level in smash power & speed. gforce Ti; a new advanced alloy of titanium with twice as much specific gravity as high modulus graphite is inserted into the top half of the frame rather than overlayed as titanium mesh was.

The rackcet is light at 81 gms but the weight that it does have is all at the top so it is noticeably head heavy. We strung the racket in ashaway MicroPower the day it arrived and tested it that night at our local club. Yonex designed this racket to deliver more power than had previously been available and anyone buying this racket for smash power & a really solid feel on impact will not be dissapointed. Due to it`s head heavy set up it does not surpass the MP99 for being the best racket to combine both power and manoeuvrability, but it is the most powerfull racket in the world that money can buy. If you are a singles player or a doubles smash player this is the racket for you.

Most the rackets we receive are factory strung at less than 20Lbs and we do not see the point in spending money on a top of the range racket and playing with the packaging string. We recommend Ashaway Micro power, Micro Legend or Yonex BG68Ti in the top Yonex rackets as they play much better than the standard stringing supplied.

The improvement is so great that we will be offering the 700 to customers in either Micro Power, Micro legend or Yonex BG68Ti strung at their personal tensions at a very low cost, providing you with a much better performing racket at a very competitive price.

Yonex Carbonex 20 Muscle Power

The new Yonex Carbonex 20, now with a muscle power frame is back. Favourite amongst many top pros, the box section frame creates a solid feel on shuttle impact. Now with added muscle power rounded archways we found the racket to provide excellent power on overhead shots. We measured the balance point at 293 mm. Approx 1 cm shorter than the MP99 this racket felt very manoeuvrable and represents an ideal choice for players who prefer the traditional classic frame shape. For all but the very outer edge strings, the vertical string bed is actually longer than the isometric range. We strung it at 24 Lbs in Yonex BG-68 Ti and were very impressed with the results.

For further details or to order please see full spec in the E-shop.

Carlton

the Airblade Tour. This is a real players racquet with great manoeuvrability and power to match. full details in the e-shop