tour slam tennis racket

Wilson Tour Slam – Tennis Racquet Review

Wilson is one of the most popular tennis racquet brands today, and the Tour Slam is one of their most popular racquets for adult beginners.

With a low price tag, it’s one of the best value tennis racquets on the market. As a beginner racquet, it comes pre-strung (you can find a Wilson Tour Slam Adult Strung Tennis Racket on Amazon), and ready for you to play.

In our review of the best Wilson tennis racquets , the Tour Slam was our top pick for best beginner racquet. Let’s take a look at why this racquet is so popular, and if its a good fit for you.

Wilson Tour Slam

• Easy to generate lots of power
• Large, forgiving sweetspot and oversized head (112 sq. in.) makes it easier to connect with the ball
• Stop Shock Pads reduce racket vibration for greater comfort and control
• Pre-strung and ready to use
• Some players find it a little too heavy

The Wilson Tour Slam is a good all-around beginner racquet. It features a durable Volcanic technology aluminum frame which adds stability. And it comes with Wilson’s Stop Shock pads, which absorb shock to give you more comfort and control.

Here are a few things to look for when choosing an adult beginner tennis racquet.

Head Size – You generally want a larger head size. Most intermediate and advanced racquets come with head sizes around 98 or 100 sq. in. A larger head size also means a larger “sweetspot,” which is the center of your stringbed where you want to hit shots for maximum accuracy.

The Wilson Tour Slam’s oversized 112 sq. in. head makes it a great option for beginners.

Weight – Beginners usually want a lighter racquet, since it is easier to swing and easier on the arm.

The Tour Slam is a lightweight racquet, but still may be heavy for some. You might consider checking out the Tour Slam Lite , if you’re looking for an even lighter racquet.

Pre-Strung – Most of the time, beginner tennis racquets will come pre-strung and ready to use. But if you start looking into racquets for intermediate and advanced players, they will sometimes come unstrung. More advanced players often want to string the racquet themselves.

As a beginner, chances are you want a racquet that has been strung for you, so you don’t have to deal with the hassle. So making sure the racquet is ‘strung’ or ‘pre-strung’ is something to look out for when buying a beginner racquet.

The Wilson Tour Slam comes pre-strung, so you’re good to go there.

Price – Beginner racquets don’t need to break the bank. If you’re looking for a racquet for casual, recreational, or infrequent play, you can find plenty of quality options for under $50 or so. There’s really no need to spend much more than that unless you are more of an intermediate player, or looking to get serious about improving your tennis skills.

The Tour Slam is an inexpensive racquet, and falls right within the range of cheap beginner racquets.

Grip Size – Most racquets come with a range of grip sizes. Having the right grip size for your hand will make playing more comfortable, and allow you a full range of motion with your arm. Here some information on finding your grip size.

If you don’t have a racquet to measure your grip size, you can use a ruler. With your hand open and fingers extended, measure from the bottom lateral crease of your palm and measure to the tip of your ring finger.

That number is the grip size you’ll want to go with.

Alternatives to the Wilson Tour Slam

Here are a few alternatives to the Wilson Tour Slam, for those looking for an inexpensive adult beginner tennis racquet.

If you’re looking for a beginner racquet for kids , the Tour Slam Junior is one of our top picks.

Wilson Federer

• Roger Federer branded
• Tons of easy power
• Lightweight, but a bit heavier than the Tour Slam

Tour Slam Lite

• Lightweight and maneuverable
• Stop shock sleeves offer improved comfort

Summary & Recommendations

You really can’t go wrong with any of Wilson’s cheap beginner tennis racquets, and the Wilson Tour Slam is one of the best. Roger Federer fans might opt for the Wilson Federer , but either way, you’ll be getting a good beginner racquet at a great value.

Have fun out there!

Post last updated on May 27, 2020

One thought on “ Wilson Tour Slam – Tennis Racquet Review ”

I was asked to restring a Wilson Tour Slam tennis racquet, however no reviews state what tension these come pre-strung at. There is no info tension recommendations on the frame. What would be a recommended tension for synthetic gut? My initial guess these are pre-strung at 55 to 60 pounds.

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• Best Tennis Rackets For Beginners:

Wilson Tour Slam Review: The Best Tennis Racket for Recreational Players?

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by  Sophia Williams

September 17, 2023

Hey there, tennis lovers! If you’ve been on a seemingly endless quest for the perfect tennis racket, you might want to stick around. We’ve been putting the WILSON Tour Slam Tennis Racket through its paces, and let me tell you, it’s a revelation. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and let’s dive into this racket that could very well be your next court companion.

Why Listen to Me?

You’re probably thinking, “Who’s Sophia Williams, and why should I trust her?” Excellent question! I’m a former college tennis champ turned coach. I’ve spent countless hours on the court, both as a player and a mentor. I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to tennis rackets. So, you can be sure that if I’m recommending a racket, it’s passed some rigorous tests.

A Comprehensive Look at the WILSON Tour Slam

Alright, let’s get down to business. The WILSON Tour Slam is not just another racket; it’s one of our top 10 tennis rackets for beginners , and it’s a meticulously engineered piece of equipment that aims to take your game to new heights.

It’s incredibly lightweight, which is a godsend for those marathon matches. The 113-square-inch head size is generous, giving you a larger sweet spot that’s forgiving even when your swing isn’t spot-on.

V-Matrix Technology

First up, let’s delve deeper into V-Matrix Technology. This isn’t just some fancy term; it’s a feature that genuinely makes a difference. It enlarges the sweet spot, giving you a bit more leeway for those not-so-perfect shots. This is a game-changer, especially for beginners or those still perfecting their swing. The larger sweet spot means you can still make those awe-inspiring shots even if you miss the ball’s center.

AirLite Alloy Construction

Next, let’s talk about the AirLite Alloy construction. This is where engineering meets practicality. The frame is lightweight yet incredibly durable, capable of withstanding intense play. The alloy construction ensures that the racket is not just feather-light but also sturdy. This gives you the freedom to go for those power shots without a second thought about the racket’s durability.

Power Bridge

The Power Bridge is another feature worth mentioning. It allows for longer mainstrings, optimizing the rebound speed. This translates into more power and control—a dream combo for any tennis player. The Power Bridge is like the cherry on top that makes this racket a must-have.

Stop Shock Sleeves

Another feature that caught our attention is the Stop Shock Sleeves. These are strategically placed at the 3 & 9 positions on the racket to reduce string vibrations. This results in a more comfortable playing experience, especially during extended matches. Less vibration means less fatigue, and that’s always a win in my book!

Pre-Strung Convenience

Let’s not overlook the fact that this racket comes pre-strung. For anyone who’s ever struggled with stringing a racket, you know this is a significant time-saver. It means you can get onto the court and start playing almost immediately.

Pros and Cons

• V-Matrix Technology for an enhanced sweet spot.
• AirLite Alloy construction for durability.
• Power Bridge for optimized rebound speed.
• Stop Shock Sleeves for reduced vibration.
• Comes pre-strung for convenience.
• May be too large for younger players.
• Might not offer the power level desired by advanced players.

Customer Reviews

We went through customer reviews, and the general sentiment is overwhelmingly positive. Users love the weight and feel of the racket. It’s beginner-friendly, making it a hit among those new to the sport. However, some advanced players felt it could offer a bit more power.

Conclusion: The Final Say

So, here we are, at the end of this in-depth review. The WILSON Tour Slam Adult Recreational Tennis Racket is a fantastic choice for anyone looking to elevate their game.

Its blend of innovative technology and user-friendly features make it a top pick for players at all skill levels.

So what are you waiting for? Head over to Amazon and grab your WILSON Tour Slam now !

I hope this expanded review gives you the comprehensive insight you’re looking for. Now, go out there and ace your game!

About the author 

Sophia Williams

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Universal Tennis Insights

WILSON Tour Slam Tennis Racket Review

Discover the perfect tennis racket to enhance your game with the WILSON Tour Slam Tennis Racket. These rackets feature V-Matrix Technology, creating a larger sweet spot for increased power, while the AirLite Alloy construction ensures a lightweight frame with power and durability. The Power Bridge design allows for longer mainstrings, optimizing rebound speed, while the Stop Shock Sleeves reduce string vibrations for improved feel. With an oversize head that generates impressive power and added forgiveness, along with being pre-strung, these rackets are ready to elevate your performance on the court.

Table of Contents

Why Consider This Product?

If you’re looking for a high-quality tennis racket that combines power, durability, and comfort, the WILSON Tour Slam Tennis Racket is worth considering. This racket has been designed with the recreational player in mind, providing a great balance of performance and affordability. With numerous features and benefits, it’s no wonder that this racket is a popular choice among tennis enthusiasts.

One reason to consider this product is its V-Matrix Technology, which creates a larger sweet spot on the racket. This increased sweet spot allows for improved power and accuracy, making it easier to hit your shots and dominate on the court. Scientific research and evidence have shown that a larger sweet spot leads to more successful shots and better overall performance.

Another feature of this racket is its AirLite Alloy construction, which combines lightweight materials with power and durability. This means that you can swing the racket with ease, without sacrificing any power or control. The lightweight frame also helps to reduce fatigue during long matches, allowing you to maintain your performance level for longer periods of time.

The Power Bridge technology in this racket allows for longer mainstrings, optimizing rebound speed. This means that the ball will come off the racket with more speed and power, giving you an advantage over your opponents. Moreover, the Stop Shock Sleeves reduce string vibrations at the 3 and 9 o’clock positions, improving feel and comfort while playing. These features work together to enhance your overall playing experience and make every shot count.

As a bonus, the oversized head on this racket generates impressive power and forgiveness, thanks to its enlarged sweet spot. This means that even if you don’t hit the ball perfectly in the center of the strings, you’ll still get a decent shot. This forgiveness is especially valuable for recreational players who are still refining their technique.

Features and Benefits

Lightweight and durable.

The AirLite Alloy construction of the Wilson Tour Slam racket creates a lightweight frame without sacrificing power and durability. This allows for easy maneuverability on the court while ensuring that the racket can withstand the demands of the game.

Increased Power and Accuracy

The V-Matrix Technology utilized in this racket creates a larger sweet spot, resulting in improved power and accuracy. You’ll experience a noticeable difference in the power of your shots and enjoy a higher level of precision when aiming for specific areas on the court.

Enhanced Feel and Comfort

The Stop Shock Sleeves effectively reduce string vibrations at the 3 and 9 o’clock positions, resulting in improved feel and comfort during play. This reduces the risk of discomfort or injury caused by excessive vibrations and increases the overall enjoyment of the game.

Impressive Power and Forgiveness

The oversized head of the Wilson Tour Slam racket generates impressive power and forgiveness, even on off-center hits. This feature is particularly beneficial for recreational players who may not have perfected their technique yet, allowing them to hit more controlled shots with ease.

Product Quality

Wilson is a reputable brand in the tennis world , known for producing high-quality products. The Tour Slam racket is no exception, as it is designed with precision and attention to detail. The materials used in its construction are durable and long-lasting, ensuring that the racket can withstand the demands of intense gameplay. The craftsmanship and engineering behind this racket guarantee its quality and reliability.

What It’s Used For

Enhancing recreational gameplay.

The Wilson Tour Slam racket is specifically designed for adult recreational players. It is perfect for those looking to improve their performance on the court and enjoy a more satisfying playing experience. Whether you’re playing with friends for fun or participating in a casual tournament, this racket is a great choice for recreational players of all skill levels.

Developing Technique and Skill

Recreational players who are still honing their technique and skill can benefit greatly from this racket. Its power and forgiveness allow for easier shot execution, even if the player hasn’t mastered perfect form. As a player progresses and refines their technique, this racket will continue to support their growth and improvement.

Casual Competitions and Tournaments

If you enjoy participating in casual competitions or tournaments, the Wilson Tour Slam racket can give you an edge over your opponents. With its combination of power, accuracy, and comfort, this racket will help you perform at your best and increase your chances of success on the court.

Fitness and Exercise

Tennis is a fantastic sport for staying fit and active. The Wilson Tour Slam racket provides the tools necessary for a rewarding workout, allowing you to work on your agility, coordination, and cardiovascular health. With regular use, this racket can contribute to a healthier and more active lifestyle.

Product Specifications

Who needs this.

The Wilson Tour Slam racket is ideal for adult recreational tennis players who are looking to enhance their game. Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate player, this racket will provide you with the performance and comfort needed to enjoy the sport to the fullest. It is suitable for players of all ages and skill levels who want to improve their technique and elevate their gameplay.

Pros and Cons

• Larger sweet spot for increased power and accuracy.
• Lightweight and durable construction.
• Enhanced feel and comfort due to string vibration reduction.
• Impressive power and forgiveness on off-center hits.
• Suitable for recreational players of all skill levels.
• May not meet the needs of professional or advanced players seeking maximum control and precision.
• Limited color options (only available in Blue/Black).

FAQ’s

• Is the Wilson Tour Slam racket suitable for beginners? Absolutely! This racket is designed with the recreational player in mind, making it a great choice for beginners who are looking to improve their game.
• Can I change the grip size of the racket? Yes, you can customize the grip size of the Wilson Tour Slam racket according to your preference. It offers a versatile grip size range of 3 to 4 3/8.
• Is the Wilson Tour Slam racket pre-strung? Yes, this racket comes pre-strung, saving you the time and effort of having to string it yourself .
• Can I use this racket for competitive play? While the Wilson Tour Slam racket is primarily designed for recreational players, it can certainly be used in casual competitions and tournaments. However, for professional or advanced level play, a racket with more specific features may be more suitable.

What Customers Are Saying

Customers who have purchased and used the Wilson Tour Slam racket are generally impressed with its performance and value for money. Many have praised the racket’s power and forgiveness, noting that it has helped improve their shots and overall game. The lightweight construction and comfortable grip have also been appreciated, as they contribute to a more enjoyable playing experience. Overall, customers have found the racket to be a reliable and effective choice for recreational tennis.

Overall Value

Considering its features, quality, and affordable price, the WILSON Tour Slam Tennis Racket offers exceptional value for money. Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate player, this racket delivers the performance and comfort needed to enhance your gameplay and enjoy the sport to its fullest. With its superior power, accuracy, and durability, it’s a wise investment for any adult recreational player.

Tips and Tricks For Best Results

• Take advantage of the racket’s larger sweet spot by aiming for the center of the strings when hitting the ball.
• Practice your technique and footwork to maximize the racket’s power and accuracy.
• Maintain the racket’s performance by regularly inspecting the strings for wear and tear and restringing when necessary.
• Experiment with different string tensions to find the one that suits your playing style and preferences.
• Keep the racket clean and free from excessive moisture to ensure its longevity and performance.

Final Thoughts

Product summary.

The WILSON Tour Slam Tennis Racket is specifically designed to enhance the gameplay of recreational tennis players. With its V-Matrix Technology, AirLite Alloy construction, and Power Bridge technology, this racket provides exceptional power, accuracy, and comfort on the court. Its oversized head and enlarged sweet spot offer forgiveness even on off-center hits, making it ideal for players who are still developing their technique . Overall, the Wilson Tour Slam racket delivers outstanding performance and value for those looking to improve their game.

Final Recommendation

If you’re an adult recreational tennis player seeking a high-quality racket that combines power, accuracy, and comfort, the WILSON Tour Slam Tennis Racket is an excellent choice. Its features and benefits, combined with its reputable brand and positive customer feedback, make it a trustworthy investment. Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate player, this racket will undoubtedly enhance your game and provide countless hours of enjoyment on the tennis court.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

I’m tennistakes.com, the author behind TennisTakes.com, your ultimate destination for all things tennis. With a passion for the sport and a desire to share my love for the game, I provide universal tennis insights for fans, players, and enthusiasts alike. From historic rallies to player spotlights, gear reviews, championship updates, technique tutorials, off-court diaries, trivia, and more, I cover every aspect of tennis. Engage with our thriving community, dive into iconic tennis destinations, and explore the rich history and trends of tennis fashion. Join me on this exciting journey where tennis takes center stage – it’s more than just a game, it’s a passion!

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Wilson Tour Slam Adult Recreational Tennis Racket Review

Introducing the Wilson Tour Slam Adult Recreational Tennis Racket, a must-have for avid tennis enthusiasts looking to enhance their game. With its Grip Size 3 of 4 3/8″, this blue and black V-Matrix Technology masterpiece creates a larger sweet spot for increased power. The AirLite Alloy construction makes for a lightweight yet durable frame, providing you with the perfect combination of power and longevity. The Power Bridge feature enables longer mainstrings, optimizing rebound speed and ensuring your shots pack a punch. Stop Shock Sleeves are strategically placed at 3 & 9 to reduce string vibrations, resulting in improved feel during every swing. Plus, the oversize head generates impressive power and added forgiveness, thanks to an enlarged sweet spot. Worried about stringing? Fear not, as the Wilson Tour Slam comes pre-strung, ready to transform your tennis experience. Get ready to conquer the court with this exceptional tennis racket.

Table of Contents

Why Consider This Product?

If you’re an adult recreational tennis player looking for a racket that perfectly balances power, durability, and control, then the WILSON Tour Slam Adult Recreational Tennis Rackets should be at the top of your list. With its impressive features and benefits, this racket is designed to enhance your game and take it to the next level.

Not only does the WILSON Tour Slam utilize V-Matrix Technology to create a larger sweet spot, but it also incorporates AirLite Alloy construction, making it lightweight and powerful. These features combine to give you increased power and control on the court, improving your overall performance.

Features and Benefits

Increased sweet spot.

By utilizing V-Matrix Technology, the WILSON Tour Slam creates a larger sweet spot on the strings. This means that even off-center hits will have more power and precision. Say goodbye to missed shots and hello to increased consistency in your game.

Lightweight and Durable

Thanks to the AirLite Alloy construction, this racket is both lightweight and durable. You won’t feel weighed down during long matches, allowing you to maintain your agility and speed. Additionally, the durability of the racket ensures that it will withstand the demands of regular play.

Optimized Rebound Speed

With the Power Bridge feature, the WILSON Tour Slam allows for longer mainstrings, optimizing your rebound speed and increasing the power behind your shots. This feature gives you the advantage of a quicker response time, allowing you to dominate the court.

Enhanced Feel and Comfort

The Stop Shock Sleeves on the WILSON Tour Slam are specially designed to reduce string vibrations at 3 and 9 o’clock. This reduction in vibrations leads to improved feel and comfort during play, giving you better control over your shots. Say goodbye to arm discomfort and hello to a more enjoyable playing experience.

Product Quality

When it comes to the quality of the WILSON Tour Slam Adult Recreational Tennis Rackets , Wilson, a trusted name in the tennis industry, ensures that you’re getting a top-notch product. Wilson is known for its commitment to craftsmanship, and this racket is no exception. Designed with precision and attention to detail, the WILSON Tour Slam meets the highest standards of quality.

What It’s Used For

Elevate your recreational game.

The WILSON Tour Slam is specifically designed for adult recreational players. Whether you play for fun, exercise, or competition, this racket will elevate your game to new heights. Experience improved power, control, and accuracy on every shot and surprise yourself with your newfound skills.

Perfect for All Skill Levels

No matter if you’re a beginner or an experienced player, the WILSON Tour Slam is suited for all skill levels. Its forgiving oversized head and enlarged sweet spot make it easier to connect with the ball, providing added power and accuracy. You’ll feel confident and in control no matter your level of expertise.

Versatile on Any Court Surface

The WILSON Tour Slam is a versatile racket that performs exceptionally well on any type of court surface. Whether you’re playing on clay, grass, or hard courts, this racket will adapt to your playing style, giving you the advantage you need to outperform your opponents.

Ideal for Doubles or Singles Play

Whether you prefer doubles or singles play, the WILSON Tour Slam is the perfect racket for both game formats. Its powerful and forgiving design makes it easier to hit winners from the baseline while providing the control needed for precise shots at the net. No matter your preferred playing style, this racket has got you covered.

Product Specifications

Who needs this.

The WILSON Tour Slam Adult Recreational Tennis Rackets are perfect for adult tennis players who want to elevate their game. Whether you’re a recreational player, a weekend warrior, or someone looking to improve their skills, these rackets are designed specifically for you. No matter your skill level or playing style, the WILSON Tour Slam will enhance your performance on the court.

Pros and Cons

• Larger sweet spot for increased power
• Lightweight and durable for improved agility
• Optimized rebound speed for quicker response
• Reduced string vibrations for enhanced comfort
• Forgiving oversized head for added forgiveness
• May not suit players with very specific playing preferences
• Grip size may not accommodate all hand sizes

Q: Is this racket suitable for professional players?

A: The WILSON Tour Slam is designed for adult recreational players. While it can certainly be used by professionals, it is specifically tailored to enhance the game of recreational players.

Q: Can I change the grip size of the racket?

A: The WILSON Tour Slam comes with a grip size of 3 – 4 3/8″. Unfortunately, the grip size is not adjustable, but it should accommodate the majority of players comfortably.

Q: Does the racket come with a cover?

A: The WILSON Tour Slam does not come with a cover. However, it is recommended to purchase a separate cover to protect the racket when not in use.

What Customers Are Saying

“Since switching to the WILSON Tour Slam , my game has improved significantly. The larger sweet spot and reduced vibrations have made a huge difference in my power and control on the court. I highly recommend this racket to any recreational player looking to up their game.” – John D.

“Being a beginner, I was looking for a racket that would help me improve as I learn the game. The WILSON Tour Slam has been the perfect fit for me. It’s forgiving and easy to handle, giving me the confidence to continue playing and improving.” – Sarah T.

Overall Value

The WILSON Tour Slam Adult Recreational Tennis Rackets offer exceptional value for adult tennis players. With its impressive features, top-quality craftsmanship, and affordable price, this racket is a wise investment for recreational players looking to take their game to the next level. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to enhance your skills, the WILSON Tour Slam is your ticket to improved power, control, and enjoyment on the court.

Tips and Tricks For Best Results

To get the most out of your WILSON Tour Slam , here are a few tips and tricks for best results:

• Take advantage of the larger sweet spot by practicing hitting the ball slightly off-center. This will help you maximize power and precision in your shots.
• Experiment with different string tensions to find the optimal feel for your playing style. Some players prefer a looser string tension for added power, while others prefer a tighter tension for better control.
• Invest in a vibration dampener to further reduce string vibrations and enhance comfort during play.
• Regularly check the tension of your strings and restring as needed to maintain optimal performance.
• Practice proper grip technique to ensure a comfortable and secure hold on the racket.

Final Thoughts

Product summary.

The WILSON Tour Slam Adult Recreational Tennis Rackets are the perfect choice for adult tennis players seeking a well-balanced racket that offers power, control, and durability. With its V-Matrix Technology, AirLite Alloy construction, Power Bridge, and Stop Shock Sleeves, this racket delivers on all fronts.

Final Recommendation

If you’re an adult recreational tennis player looking to improve your game, we highly recommend the WILSON Tour Slam . Its impressive features, top-notch quality, and reasonable price make it an excellent investment for players of all skill levels. Elevate your game, dominate the court, and enjoy every moment of your tennis journey with the WILSON Tour Slam Adult Recreational Tennis Rackets .

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Wilson Tour Slam Adult Strung Tennis Racket

If you’re a beginner, The Wilson Tour Slam racquet is a great option for you. Not only it’s suitable for beginners but will last you a long time as your skills improve. This racquet is an excellent choice for beginners, as it is for intermediate skill level players. It’s adaptable, which means you won’t have to replace it with another one so soon and it also is very affordable coming in at under $100 .

Because it’s suitable for many different skill levels, many people were skeptical about it. However, many have also decided to give it a chance and were surprised by the quality.

Regardless whether you’re new to the game, or you’ve been around for a while, you’ve probably heard of Wilson and the quality of their products. The Tour Slam racquet is what you’ll need to start off. It’s dependable, and long-lasting, featuring specifications that deliver superior performance.

OUR TOP PICK

• Wilson Tour Slam Adult Recreational Tennis Racket - Grip Size 2 - 4 1/4", Pink/Grey
• Volcanic Frame Technology provides enhanced power and stability
• Power Strings feature longer strings for explosive power
• AirLite Alloy construction creates lightweight frame with power and durability
• Stop Shock Pads reduce racket vibrations for improved feel

Specifications and features, as well as your skill level, decide which racket is the best for you. Still, in this case, you can enjoy this racquet and its quality regardless of whether you’re a beginner or a bit advanced player.

It’s always good to have versatility, especially because this means that the racquet will last you a long time. It’s not a rare case to hear tennis players recommend this model as one of the best tennis racquets that they’ve tried. Continue reading if you want to know about the specifications and features that make this racquet as popular.

Features and specifications:

The Tour Slam is a synthetic racquet that feels light and sturdy at the same time. One of the best features it has is the Stop Shock Pads that help deliver the quality of performance. These pads are stabilizers that reduce vibration when the ball and the head make contact. Also, they give you control. This feature is what customers love the most about this racquet because it gives them both control and power.

Its construction is aluminum, while the frame is built with the Volcanic Frame Technology. It adds to the control and power abilities, but also gives support to beginners. The Power Strings bring more power, and the Stop Shock Pads reduce vibration. This combination allows you to have both in a single racket . The racquet is 27.5 inches long and comes pre-strung.

Its head size is 122 inches sq., and it weighs 10.3 ounces. The weight may be too much for kids or seniors, but it’s overall a good weight. The string pattern is 16×19 with 3 points head light balance.

Customers have said that the overall feel is comfortable, and light. The racquet has a sweet spot delivered by the V-Matrix technology and providing a solid hit. Beginners especially said that it helps them achieve a powerful swing without too much effort.

Another specification that people spoke about is the head that’s tightly strung. This is perfect for everyone who loves more control of the ball when they play. Sarah said: “I love all the power I can get when I play, which is exactly what I get with the Tour Slam.”

Besides, the grip on the handle is large enough even for people with bigger hands. People with smaller hands may not like that as much, but the majority didn’t speak of this as it’s a problem. It’s not hard to get used to that, and it gives you better control.

The Tour Slam is durable and long-lasting. It’s tough, so you can be sure it will endure many bumps and accidental scrapes. This detail is important because racquets often go through a lot, especially if you use them for a long time. The Tour Slam can take those bumps and will last you for a while longer than you hoped.

Overall, it’s ideal if you want a stable racquet to use for recreation, or to improve the quality of your backhand. Even if you’re not a beginner, but would like to add some more power to your game, you’ll find this racket ideal for that. It’s going to last you until you reach a far more advanced level of play, so you can be sure you won’t have to get another racquet in any near future.

The good: ​

• Provides more power and control
• Large sweet spot
• Long lasting and durable
• Suitable for beginner and intermediate skill level

• The handle grip may be too big for some people
• It’s considered a bit heavy for some people

Final verdict:

If you’re looking for power and control, this is the right racquet for you. Some of the best tennis racquets on the market aren’t as versatile as The Tour Slam. Also, if you’re a beginner, you won’t have to buy another racquet once your skills improve. The racquet will last you throughout the intermediate level until you become an advanced player.

The combination of its features and specifications is what brings all the quality and longevity. Everyone loves a racquet that’s going to show well and take all the bumps and scratches along the way. The Wilson Tour Slam is ideal for beginners and people who want a good racquet to use for recreational purposes. Also, it also works for people with a bit more experience who wants to improve their backhand and the overall quality of their game.

Its size, sweet spot, and the fact that it comes pre-strung are widely appreciated by tennis players all over the world. You’ll often hear instructors and trainers recommend it to beginners.It’s not quite as good for kids, but its weight is ideal for the most adults. The weight combined with its 3 points head light strung balance delivers control that’s always needed.

We recommend this racquet as it’s one of the best tennis racquets on the market that’s ideal for beginners and everyone else who wants to play with more power. Consider your personal preference and what you’re looking for in a tennis racket before you make your final decision. However, our advice is to give it a try because more things are speaking to its favor than just the familiar brand name that is Wilson .

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Wilson Tour Slam Tennis Racket Review

If you are a beginner or just opting for tennis as a recreation game, then you might consider a perfect gear for yourself. One of the things you need is high quality and durable racket. What if I tell you Wilson Tour Slam Tennis Racket Review has all the features you be looking for in a perfect racket?

The racket comes fitted with a massive sweet spot, very light, and it is suitable for beginners and helps improve your skills just in case you will take tennis more severe as you adapt to the game. It suits the best starters and intermediate level players.

Table of Contents

Wilson Tour Slam Tennis Racket Overview

When the manufacturer launched this racket, many individuals hesitated because they didn’t know what to expect from it. However, as they gave it a chance, they were surprised by the racket’s excellent quality. Well, I started with the quality because it is one prominent feature that is overlooked before purchasing any equipment.

Regardless of your skills in this game, this racket is all rounded and serves you well. It features a synthetic design that is lightweight and sturdy compared to its predecessors. This means that you expect not to strain your wrist when playing. You as well get to play for an extended period due to its comfort being.

The Wilson Tour Slam is fitted with shock pads that mainly reduce the vibration significantly every time you strike the ball. That is not their only function, and they give you full control and power to dig great your skills.

It has aluminum construction whose frame features volcanic technology. This is another specification that adds to the overall power and performance. The technology also gives the player who is the beginner, in our case, extreme support when swinging. Thinking of the combination of stop shock pads and power string technology leaves nothing but perfect results.

The Wilson Tour Slam Tennis Racket comes pre-strung, and it is just 27.5 inches long. The essential part of any racket is its head combustion. For this racket, the head is a large sweet one whose size is 122 square inches.

It is essential to know that the racket is made purposely for beginner adults. We’re emphasizing this because you may feel that it might be useful for a junior kid; however, its weight, 10.3 ounces, might be too much for a child.

From the customers’ reviews, they are quite impressed with the feel and the comfort they derive from this racket. Due to incorporating the V-Matrix technology, the racket provides you with solid hits when serving or striking the tennis ball.

This tour slam version is highly durable and can endure most of the accidental scrapes and bumps that a player is likely to encounter when playing. Who doesn’t love a product that can serve them for extended periods? Therefore, it is an excellent racket, to begin with, to train, improve backhand quality, or explore your potential in this game.

Top Features of Wilson Tour Slam Tennis Racket

As much as other features contribute to this racket’s perfection, some significant features make it the best choice than rackets from other brands. Here are some of the features worth mentioning.

Volcanic Frame Technology

As a beginner, this feature comes in handy for you. It gives you extreme power and stability to handle the ball with ease. With the stop shock pads that minimize the vibrations, you don’t need to put intense energy when striking that ball.

Open String Pattern

You may think that this is a standard feature, but the string pattern used matters a lot for this racket 16×19 inches of open string pattern. Furthermore, a pre-strung racket is lesser expensive as compared to a premium racket.

Headlight Equalization

Are your skills weak when it comes to supporting substantial edges? Then this feature will come in handy for you. Since the equalization uses the stop stun sleeves, it gives you more solace. Because it is lightweight, it adds vitality and provides extreme support when striking.

Large sweet spot

The sole purpose of this feature is to enhance the power delivered by the racket when making hits. The spot gives you enough power because you don’t even need to use more energy when playing the game.

Reduced vibrations

This goes hand in hand with the product weight. Stop shock reduce not only the vibration but also adds more comfort and fewer strains.

Potential Drawbacks

We wouldn’t say it is all perfect, and it has a few traits that draw it back. One of the significant disadvantages is its big handle. The grip appears to be so meaningful to some people. Well, those with more giant hands may find it convenient, but people with small hands tend to strain hence can’t play for extended periods.

It might be viewed as a lighter racket, but some people may find it too overwhelming, which hinders their marginal skill realization.

The Wilson Tour Slam Tennis Racket offers extensive versatility for its cost. It is a full package of the right product with such unique features and promising deeds. Beginner rackets may be for infrequent play, recreation, or cost lesser.

Wilson Tour Slam Tennis Racket is an excellent product for those looking for a combination of power and control. The best thing about this racket is that you’ll not need to purchase another racket once you up to your skills. This is because it can push you through the intermediate level till you become a professional player. It might be perceived as a recreational racket, but it might also help you realize your potential and love for tennis.

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Does ‘Challengers’ Serve an Ace or a Fault? A Tennis-Specific Breakdown.

‘Challengers’ may center on a steamy love triangle, but fundamentally, it’s a tennis movie. And just how authentic is the depiction of tennis? We have thoughts.

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When Challengers hit theaters on Friday, a bizarre prophecy was fulfilled: the female lead of a Spider-Man movie went on to pick up a tennis racket. This trend (divine calling?) started with the original Mary Jane, Kirsten Dunst, who followed up Spider-Man 2 with the rom-com Wimbledon (it’s set at Wimbledon) in 2004. Then, after playing Gwen Stacy in two Amazing Spider-Man movies, Emma Stone starred as the legendary Billie Jean King in the 2017 biopic Battle of the Sexes . Now, Zendaya has completed the trifecta: After appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man films as MJ, she’s moved on to Challengers .

Why these Spidey-adjacent actresses are compelled to star in tennis films is beyond my understanding; I’ll leave that to the esteemed journalists of The Daily Bugle . Instead, I feel more qualified to analyze Challengers on the merits of one essential quality: its depiction of tennis. My credentials? A lifelong obsession with playing and watching the sport ; losing to the cocreator of Billions , Brian Koppelman (classic all-American game: big serve, big forehand), in a brutal blow for The Ringer brand; restoring my honor by winning a low-level tennis tournament last summer. (As always, if you’re a 4.0/4.5 and based in New York, hit me up.)

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Obviously, there are other important elements to Challengers : the steamy love triangle between the film’s leads, the dynamic direction of Luca Guadagnino, the thumping score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. But considering how few movies are set in the world of professional tennis, it felt prudent to explore how well Challengers —arguably the most high-profile project to come out of this niche subgenre—captures the sport. Without further ado, let’s see whether Challengers serves up a winning formula.

Tennis Rivalries

While Challengers jumps between various points in time, the premise of the movie is fairly straightforward. Having grown up together at a tennis academy, Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) and Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) are best friends bursting onto the scene together, winning the U.S. Open’s junior doubles title the day before they’re set to play each other in the singles final. Later that day, Art and Patrick watch a juniors match featuring rising star Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), who impresses them with her ferocious game and jaw-dropping beauty. (As Patrick says, he’d “let her fuck me with a racket,” which is, if nothing else, a memorable image.) When the boys invite Tashi to their motel room after a party, they engage in a three-way makeout session before she throws down the gauntlet: whoever wins the singles championship can have her number.

Over time, Art and Patrick’s battle over Tashi’s affections leads to a falling-out between them. (As for Tashi, she never gets to follow her dreams on the pro tour after suffering a career-ending knee injury.) Fast-forward to the film’s present-day timeline, and Art and Patrick are nearing the end of their careers. Art is a six-time Grand Slam champion—winning the Australian Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon two times each—hoping to secure the career Grand Slam (capturing all four majors) with a U.S. Open title before calling it quits. At this point, Art and Tashi are married and have a young daughter; Tashi also serves (pun intended) as his coach. Patrick, meanwhile, is a journeyman who never lived up to his full potential. As fate would have it, both men find themselves in the final of a Challengers event—the tennis equivalent of Triple-A baseball, which Art is using as a low-stakes tune-up before the U.S. Open—with years of bad blood ready to spill onto the court. All the while, Tashi watches with intrigue.

I’ll say this for Challengers : it understands that tennis rivalries are like nothing else in sport. The hostility between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, or Manchester United and Liverpool, are more about the respective cities; the players on these teams change over time, and in some cases, switch sides . With tennis, however, it’s a much more personal dynamic—and the conditions of the sport can often lead to drama. The best players tend to find themselves on opposite ends of a draw, so whenever they do meet up, it’s typically in the late stages of a tournament. One of the most iconic rivalries in women’s tennis, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, added up to 80 matches—60 of which were finals. (Incredibly, both players also have the same number of Grand Slam singles titles: 18 apiece.)

But there’s a crucial distinction between a rivalry based on mutual respect— Evert and Navratilova ; Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal —and athletes with a shared animosity. For instance, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi would be the first to admit that they don’t have the friendliest relationship: in a mic’d up charity doubles match, Agassi made some quips about his rival’s reputation as a bad tipper before Sampras aimed a powerful serve at him . And while their careers didn’t have much overlap, Margaret Court believes that Navratilova is a bad role model for the sport because she’s gay. Navratilova, in turn, has labeled Court a “racist and a homophobe” while campaigning to have Australia’s Margaret Court Arena renamed . It doesn’t get much more personal than that. (Team Navratilova, always.)

But in the spirit of Challengers , what about players having bad blood because of an overlapping dating history? That’s a tougher nut to crack. The closest controversy among current players was ignited by Nick Kyrgios, who, when playing a match against Stan Wawrinka in 2015, said that his friend, Thanasi Kokkinakis, “banged your girlfriend,” referring to WTA player Donna Vekic. But while there are notable relationships on the pro tour , for the most part, they don’t lead to any theatrics on the court. (Which isn’t to say that players don’t get heated over their opponents’ antics .) If Challengers is guilty of embellishing the kind of interpersonal drama you’d see from the sport’s top players, well, that just makes for entertaining cinema.

Umpire Antagonism

Like any sport, there is an inherent friction in tennis between the athletes and the people enforcing the rules. Sometimes, it can get ugly. In fact, Challengers screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes was inspired by one such incident : the 2018 U.S. Open women’s final, which pitted Serena Williams against Naomi Osaka. During the match, Williams received a warning by chair umpire Carlos Ramos for getting coaching from the player’s box, a violation of the rules, followed by a point penalty for racket abuse and a game penalty for calling him a “thief.” The drama between Williams and Ramos overshadowed the rest of the match , which Osaka ended up winning. While Williams wasn’t entirely faultness with her behavior—she once threatened a line judge by reportedly saying she’d shove a tennis ball down her throat —it’s never a good look when an umpire draws as much attention as the players in a Grand Slam final.

As Kuritzkes explained, he was particularly fascinated by the strange predicament Williams found herself in: not being able to communicate with someone in the stands supporting you. Of course, that rule has since been changed , and it doesn’t play a factor in the movie. Instead, a lot of the on-court tension in Challengers is derived from the shared history between Art, Patrick, and Tashi, and how much is left unsaid in the heat of battle. As a result, the umpire doesn’t play the role of a chaos agent in the film: he’s merely enforcing the rules, which, in this case, means both players receiving warnings for unsportsmanlike conduct and racket abuse.

Suffice it to say, such emotional outbursts from players are true to life. Last year, Mikael Ymer was disqualified from a match for repeatedly smashing his racket against the umpire’s chair. (In a completely unrelated turn of events, Ymer was later handed an 18-month doping suspension and chose to retire from the sport.) At the 2012 Australian Open, Marcos Baghdatis had a memorable meltdown during a changeover in which he proceeded to destroy four rackets in quick succession.

As the Netflix docuseries Break Point repeatedly underlined, tennis is a psychological battle as much as a physical one, and when things aren’t going to plan, players can unravel quickly. Throw a controversial umpire into the mix, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for drama . In the case of Challengers , however, the umpire is an impartial figure doling out punishments as he sees fit, and that’s for the best: Art and Patrick’s mutual disdain adds more than enough fuel to the fire.

The Battle of the Backhands

The actual tennis on display isn’t the focal point of Challengers , but Guadagnino does find some creative ways to convey the action, following rallies from the perspective of the ball, the players, the rackets, and even from underneath the court. But nifty camerawork aside, it’s not always easy to get a grasp on the characters’ respective playing styles. Pre-injury Tashi has the most fleshed-out tennis profile, someone who dominates from the baseline with powerful groundstrokes not unlike the Williams sisters. It’s a different story with Art and Patrick: We know that Art is a Grand Slam champion, and that Patrick, while talented, has an unorthodox service motion. But it’s hard to distinguish between their styles of play, with one notable exception: the backhands.

Patrick has a two-handed backhand, while Art employs a one-hander. Perhaps Challengers didn’t put too much thought into the backhands, other than how it differentiates the players in the middle of a point, but it’s nice to get some one-hander representation on-screen. You see, the one-handed backhand appears to be heading toward extinction : While it’s the more aesthetically pleasing shot, you have to get on top of the ball to generate good pace; otherwise, it’s easier to exploit than a two-hander. Even Federer, who possessed an elegant one-hander that inspired a whole generation of players, has taught his children a two-handed backhand . One day, the one-hander could go the way of wooden rackets: a relic from another time.

Thankfully, the one-hander hasn’t been eliminated entirely. As of this writing, there are two players in the ATP top 10 who employ it : Stefanos Tsitsipas and Grigor Dimitrov. (Incidentally, Dimitrov’s nickname is “Baby Fed.”) Again, I don’t believe Challengers was making a grand statement about preserving the beauty of the one-handed backhand, but I appreciate its inclusion all the same. When a one-handed backhand hits, it hits .

Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood

Around the midway point of Challengers ’ chronology, Art and Tashi reunite during the Cincinnati Open. It’s a pivotal moment in the film: After years of being close friends while she dated Patrick in her youth, Art and Tashi’s relationship turns romantic. But what might surprise viewers is where, exactly, Art and Tashi lock lips: an Applebee’s parking lot. In fact, there were a few chuckles during my screening when the scene played out: for such a glamorous, globe-trotting sport, Applebee’s seemed like the last place you’d find star athletes sharing a meal and making out.

But here’s the thing: When in Cincinnati, tennis players go buck wild for Applebee’s. As The New York Times reported in 2014 , the Applebee’s in nearby Mason, Ohio, became a staple for men and women alike competing in the tournament—if only because there are so few options in suburban Cincinnati. But really, who among us can resist the allure of an Irresist-A-Bowl? (Another amusing detail from the piece: This Applebee’s would stock up on Perrier during the week of the tournament, which is the only time customers ask for it.)

Tragically, the Applebee’s location has since closed down , leaving players who compete at the Cincinnati Open scrambling to find another place for a post-match meal. (Is there a TGI Fridays nearby, at least?) As a result, Challengers featuring the Cincinnati Applebee’s isn’t just a niche Easter egg for tennis fanatics—it’s a tribute to a bygone era of athletes from across the globe eatin’ good in the neighborhood.

Tennis as a Relationship

On the night that Art, Patrick, and Tashi meet for the first time, they have an interesting discussion about what, exactly, tennis is. Tashi describes it as a relationship between two people that has the ability to take players to a kind of elevated state, pointing to an epic rally she had with her opponent earlier in the day that ended with her triumphantly shouting “COME ON!” amid thunderous applause. “We went somewhere beautiful together,” she says.

This is one of the most interesting ideas Challengers explores as it relates to the sport. We might not be able to get into the headspace of a player in the midst of a rally, but you know something special just happened the moment you see it. There’s an entire compilation of Roger Federer smiling after jaw-dropping points , win or lose, and I’ll never forget when Dimitrov let out a gladiatorial roar after prevailing in a grueling rally against Andy Murray. To paraphrase Tashi, when Federer and Lleyton Hewitt had one of the greatest rallies of my lifetime in the 2005 Indian Wells final, they went somewhere beautiful together.

It’s only fitting, then, that Challengers culminates with tennis as a form of catharsis. At the start of a deciding third-set tiebreak, Art and Patrick have a punishing rally that feels like it carries the weight of their entire relationship—the highs, the lows, and everything in between—as Tashi watches. The actual point construction might not be that accurate to professional tennis, but the emotions certainly are: both players pushing themselves to their physical limits before they can’t help but crack a smile. By the time the point ends, with Tashi screaming “COME ON!” from the stands, Challengers cements itself as not just a compelling drama about relationships, but a great tennis movie. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to hit the courts.

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Jannik Sinner: an interview with the tennis world’s new star

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Raphael Abraham . Photography by Antoni Ciufo. Styling by Isabelle Kountoure

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

The last time an Italian man won a Grand Slam tennis tournament, ABBA were in the charts, The Omen was in cinemas and Jimmy Carter was on the campaign trail. That 48-year barren period came to an end in January when Jannik Sinner lifted the Australian Open trophy, leaving vanquished finalist Daniil Medvedev in his wake. What was most impressive was the manner in which the 22-year-old from South Tyrol did it: not just the thundercrack topspin forehands and backhands that are his trademark, but the cool mental fortitude and unwavering confidence that underpinned them. Despite having trailed in the final by two sets to love, Sinner never looked like a man with defeat on his mind.

“Being calm is, for me as a player, really important, because you can see things a little bit better and a little bit faster,” he tells me when we meet in the picturesque and tranquil surroundings of the Monte-Carlo Country Club . Standing 6ft 2in, he is more physically imposing in person than on screen, but his tangle of curly red hair is just as vibrant. “If you get frustrated, it’s like when you drive a car fast and you don’t see well what’s outside.”

He orders a macchiato “but decaf please”. Nothing about Sinner is caffeinated, his amiably laidback presence in person mirroring his composure on court. He is a resident of Monaco, traditionally a place of playboys and boy racers, but is very clearly not of their ilk. He is a lover of Formula One racing but has no garage in Monaco and only keeps one car: an Audi. He has a longtime girlfriend, model and influencer Maria Braccini, but keeps his personal life resolutely out of the limelight.

Having patiently endured a three-hour photo shoot, he now wears a slate-grey rain mac that matches the sky outside, but his disposition could not be sunnier. He has good reason to be cheerful. When we meet, he has just won the Rotterdam Open after having won the Australian Open. Both wins have taken his career earnings on the tour to nearly $20m, not counting his external sponsorship deals – Nike recently gave him a 10-year $158mn contract. At the time of writing, his ranking is number two. His 19-match unbeaten streak only came to an end last month when he was beaten by his friend and arch-rival Carlos Alcaraz at Indian Wells in California; after that, he took the title at the Miami Open. 

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Together, the pair are the brightest stars in the current firmament. With the Big Four gradually exiting the picture (Novak Djokovic, whom Sinner beat in the semi-finals in Australia, is still world number one, but Roger Federer has retired and Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray have both said they are likely to bow out this year), tennis has been looking for new figureheads. Many believe Sinner has the game to be one the sport’s next great leaders – Boris Becker for one . The three-time Wimbledon champion has known Sinner for several years. “Maybe it’s something to do with the red hair and the very white skin but, you know… we feel for each other,” he says over the phone. 

“I think the sky’s the limit,” Becker continues of Sinner’s potential. “He and Carlos Alcaraz look like they’re better than the rest for various reasons. Who’s going to win five majors? Who knows – so many things can happen on the way to heaven. But I don’t see any reason for Jannik to stop winning.”

Sinner was born in Innichen in South Tyrol, five miles from the border with Austria. His father was a cook, his mother a waitress, and he has an older brother, Mark. “I come from a really normal family,” he says. His first language is German. In his post-win speech in Melbourne, he thanked the usual roll-call of his training team, staff and sponsors, but paid particular heartfelt tribute to his parents, saying he wished all children “could have parents like mine”.

“I went to a couple of tournaments when I was younger – 16 or 17 – and I lost,” he explains. “And afterwards I called my parents and I wanted to explain what happened. And they said, ‘Yeah, OK, but we have to talk later because we have to work now, OK?’” The heads of helicopter parents everywhere may spin at such an offhand reaction to defeat, but for the young Sinner it was just what he needed to hear. “At that point, I understood that obviously results matter, but what really matters is trying to work hard, waking up and going to work and doing it with a smile. My parents always came home and smiled. So that’s what they gave me: a really positive mindset with a really good work ethic.”

The Sinners’ less obsessive approach is reflected in Jannik’s tennis origin story. Rather than putting all his balls in one basket, he was encouraged to practise several sports, excelling at football and skiing, particularly the latter, and winning an Italian giant slalom championship at the age of eight. “I was really good at skiing, not that good at tennis,” he admits. But as he approached his teens there came a change of direction.

“When I was 12 or 13, I was in a race, and it was the first downhill race. You go there and you have to jump 30 or 40 metres, and when you’re a kid it’s scary – for me it was. So I said: maybe I am too scared to go on skiing. I chose to play tennis because, for me, it’s a healthy competition.” And then a flash of the ruthless competitor. “You don’t have contact with your opponent, but you can still hurt him.” 

Djokovic, whose game style is often compared to Sinner’s, was also a promising skier in his youth, and one of the traits the players share is an impeccable balance in their lateral movement. He admits that skiing maybe laid the foundation for this, “but what helped me more was the mental part. When you ski and you make one mistake, you cannot win the race. If you fall, you’re out of competition.”

The relentless grind of the tennis tour is legendary. The season is punishingly long, the off-season pitifully short, often amounting to only a few weeks in December. Last Christmas, Sinner was able to steal away for a skiing trip to Austria – but only for two days. Nevertheless, he speaks of the time in almost hallowed terms. “These days are really important for me because it gives me a feeling of when I was young. I go to the slopes, ski a little bit, have fun with my friends. In my mind, it’s like being back in the old days, and that’s really, really good for me – these are maybe the most special days that I can have.”

Nowadays, Sinner isn’t trying to set any downhill records – the risk of injury too great. Tennis players’ bodies are precious. “I am more in the gym than the tennis court right now,” he admits. During the 2000s and 2010s, players acquired great muscle mass but also more injuries. More recently, they have become leaner again, many of them long and lithe like Sinner. “Every body is different,” he points out. “Me, for example, I have to be strong and stable. And I think that’s one of the reasons why I made this extra step [of winning a Grand Slam], because physically I’ve grown. When I was 20, I still didn’t have the body of a 20-year-old – and you have to accept that…”

“You need to be stronger, but it’s endurance strength,” adds Becker. “Tennis is not a 100m race, I’d say it’s an 800m to 1,500m race, sometimes even longer. And you have to be strong enough to come back the next day, and the next day…” He has been impressed by Sinner’s mentality and work ethic. “Most teenagers or twentysomethings have a lot of flies in their head. First it’s the girlfriend, then it’s the car, then – you name it. But Jannik was always very determined with this quiet confidence of, ‘I know what I have to do. I have one goal and one goal only and that is to become the best tennis player that Jannik Sinner can be.’”

Tennis thrives on rivalries, and the Sinner-Alcaraz one is arguably the hottest show in tennis, inspiring the highly tweetable portmanteau “Sincaraz”. Alcaraz is two years younger, but the two have already met eight times, winning four matches apiece. Even Sinner is a fan.

“It’s really nice to see when someone young achieves something great. I think that’s what the sport needs. We have a really good relationship off the court and on the court. We give everything we have and we also try to entertain the crowd – maybe him more, because he has spectacular shotmaking. I really enjoy watching him play.”

Sinner is already a superstar in Italy, and his renown is rapidly spreading. But he wears it lightly. “If I go to the store and people ask for pictures, I accept it,” he says. “It’s nice, especially when someone young comes up to me, because I also was young and sometimes too shy to ask for a picture.”

“Jannik is simply incredible,” says Sabato de Sarno, creative director of Gucci, which signed Sinner as a brand ambassador in 2022, having already heeded his potential (he made a stir at last year’s Wimbledon sporting a special Gucci duffel bag, which required the strict All England Club’s approval). “He is a champion not only for his talent but also for the attitude, discipline and kindness he shows every day. Watching him on the court in the past few months, match after match, has been truly inspiring. As a creative, I am proud that he represents me and my fashion.”

And what of enjoying the spoils? Tennis celebrations these days can be impossibly ascetic – gone are the days of players partying hard after a big win. Djokovic famously indulged after his near-six hour 2012 Australian Open final victory by treating himself to a single square of chocolate. There are rumours that Sinner marked Italy’s 2023 Davis Cup win over Australia with something even more restrained. Did he really celebrate by eating an apple?

“No,” he laughs. “A hamburger. I have this thing that when we have a good week we always eat a hamburger.” He has now racked up tournament wins in numerous world cities. So, which has the best burgers? “Honestly, the one in Australia was really good. In America there are some good places too – in Cincinnati, Firebirds has a really good hamburger.” Hold on, I point out, he hasn’t yet won the Cincinnati Open. Busted. The mask has finally slipped, the dark side of Sinner revealed. “Yeah, but it’s my birthday during Cincinnati,” he smiles.

In the next few months, Sinner will be hoping to taste the burgers of Paris and Wimbledon. His appetite for success is only growing. “For sure there is now more motivation. I’m in a different position than I was one year ago, because in my mind I know that I can do certain things. I always believed, but it is different when you know that you can do it.” His mouth widens into a broad grin. “It’s exciting.” 

Grooming, Alexander Soltermann at Home. Digital operator, Martin Varret at Imagin. Stylist’s assistant, Lucía Bustillo. Production, Emma Reeve. Special thanks to the Monte-Carlo Country Club

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International Edition

Zendaya continues to serve with her " Challengers " press tour looks.

This week the actress has been in NYC, and one of her latest looks has come in the form of white wide leg trousers and a collared, sleeveless top.

Zendaya was later photographed the same day wearing a sleek white custom hooded dress from Alaïa. She completed the look with stacked Bulgari bracelets and white pumps.

Earlier in the week, the she was spotted at "Good Morning America" studios a custom Erdem dress in green and white with yellow floral prints. The look was paired with white pumps. Her ensemble also included a white tulle peaking underneath.

She left the studio in a totally different look, incorporating a tennis ball-green skirt suit pinned with a sparkling arrow-shaped brooch.

Zendaya's "GMA" looks were totally different from another casual look she was spotted wearing in NYC earlier that morning. She was photographed wearing a long gray trench coat, black pants, and a T-shirt that read "I TOLD YA."

The "I TOLD YA" top, designed by "Challengers" costume designer Jonathan Anderson, is also worn by Zendaya's "Challengers" character Tashi Donaldson. The look was inspired by the late John F. Kennedy Jr., who was previously spotted wearing a T-shirt with the same phrase as the one in the '90s.

Just days before her NYC press run, the actress stepped out in a pink custom dress from French designer Jacquemus for a recent press outing for the upcoming film in Los Angeles.

She was styled by her longtime stylist, friend, and frequent fashion collaborator, Law Roach.

MORE: Zendaya's latest fashion moment is a tribute to Venus and Serena Williams: 'An ode to the greats'

She posed with her "Challengers" co-stars Mike Faist and Josh O'Connor, as well as the film's director Luca Guadagnino, at the press event.

Days before, the superstar actress stepped out in a grey blazer look while appearing on " Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

While the actress has been wearing mostly tennis-inspired looks, for the film's LA premiere earlier that week, she donned a stylish mix of sheer lace meets ballgown.

Her look for the premiere was a black and pink Vera Wang gown that included an alluring bodice-style top along with a voluminous skirt. She paired the gown with Bulgari stud earrings, a ballerina bun, and soft sweeps of pink blush and lipstick.

Following the Los Angeles premiere, Zendaya was back in her tenniscore style as she wore a neon green halter dress from Celia Kritharioti that had a tennis ball attached at the center.

Just a few days before, she wore a crisp white vintage Ralph Lauren dress that was originally worn by Cindy Crawford on the runway in the early '90s.

She wore a similar look from a day earlier in Monaco that was created by On and a recreation of one of iconic tennis star Althea Gibson's past looks, according to Roach .

Zendaya was photographed during a photocall in Monaco wearing a very tennis-y look that incorporated a white cable knit collared sweater, a tailored maxi skirt, and satin pumps from Brunello Cucinelli's fall/winter ready-to-wear collection.

During the London premiere of the "Challengers" last week, the actress wore a white halter dress with a pleated skirt, which included a high slit.

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The gown, which was custom-made by designer Thom Browne, had silhouettes of tennis rackets printed all over the dress and a netting material on the skirt, as well as a red and dark blue stripe across the bottom of the skirt.

MORE: Zendaya glows in green at 'Challengers' Australia premiere

Zendaya completed the elevated athletic look with a white bow in her hair, diamond earrings, a diamond bracelet, and a red lip.

Also, during a photocall in Rome earlier last week, the " Challengers " star was photographed wearing a dazzling metallic mini dress from Loewe that included a deep-V plunging neckline.

While the dress was a total score, it was the actress' custom white pumps that included tennis ball heels that were really a hit.

Along with her head-turning ensemble, Zendaya paired the look with several bangles and stud earrings. She wore her hair in a half-up half-down flipped-out style.

"Tennis but make it FASHION," said the actress' longtime stylist Law Roach alongside a post showing off her look.

The former Disney star's look is a nod to her "Challengers" character Tashi — a former tennis prodigy turned coach.

According to an official synopsis, the film, slated to release on April 26, centers around Zendaya's character Tashi, who is working to train her husband (Faist), a tennis champion on a losing streak, when they face off against his former best friend — who also happens to be Tashi's ex-boyfriend.

In March, Zendaya wore another look that paid tribute to her character while attending an Australian premiere of the upcoming movie. She was photographed wearing a shimmering green Loewe dress that included a deep-V neckline, thigh-high slit, and a silhouette of a person holding a tennis racket. The look was designed by Jonathan Anderson, Loewe's creative director.

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Mutua Madrid Open: Carlos Alcaraz's hopes of hat-trick of titles in Spanish capital ended by Andrey Rublev

Carlos Alcaraz follows fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal out of the Madrid Open after suffering a shock defeat at the hands of Andrey Rublev; you can watch over 80 tournaments a year, including the US Open, exclusively live on Sky Sports Tennis

Wednesday 1 May 2024 20:01, UK

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Carlos Alcaraz saw his hopes of a hat-trick of titles at the Madrid Open ended in stunning fashion by Andrey Rublev on Wednesday.

Rublev earned the biggest win of his career on clay by defeating Alcaraz 4-6 6-3 6-2 under the roof of Manolo Santana Stadium.

The seventh seed struck 30 winners and frequently stepped inside the baseline to rush the Spaniard, who was below-par following his fourth-round battle against Jan-Lennard Struff.

How Andrey Rublev dethroned Carlos Alcaraz at the Madrid Open

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"I can't believe that I was able to stay calm throughout the match. I didn't say a word and even I'm impressed by that," 10-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist Rublev told Sky Sports Tennis .

"I want to believe that I have been working on this because if not then I'm stupid. After so many years, to not improve on this would mean that something is wrong with my head. I just thought to myself to keep trying, keep fighting, keep believing in yourself.

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"I just wanted to go for it and thought maybe I will have more break points and in the end, I was able to return well and break him. It gave me confidence and go for it and little by little I was able to do it.

"The atmosphere was crazy and it was nice to play here."

Shirt swaps in... tennis? Has Nadal's beaten opponent started a trend?

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Fantastic performance ✨ @AndreyRublev97 | @atptour | #MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/ypexH8zTvI — #MMOPEN (@MutuaMadridOpen) May 1, 2024

Backed by a partisan home crowd, which included former Spain international footballers David Villa and Raul and Real Madrid star Luka Modric, the 20-year-old began well.

But underdog Rublev swung the momentum by breaking serve in the second game of the second set before dominating the remainder of the contest to set up a semi-final with either American Taylor Fritz or Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo .

Alcaraz, who missed clay-court events in Monte-Carlo and Barcelona due to a right arm injury, follows fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal, a four-time winner of the competition, out of the tournament in a disappointing 24 hours for home fans.

Will Alcaraz be fit to play in Rome?

Speaking after his defeat Alcaraz said plans to play in Rome to continue his preparation for the French Open later this month, despite problems with his right forearm.

"I'm going to work to be close to 100 per cent or in a good way to play Rome, but I'm going to decide these days. But I think I'll be OK," he said.

"I have to work hard if I want to go to Rome with good feelings, without pain, without thinking about my forearm, but it's going to be a slow process, I guess. I have to be patient in that way."

'A stunning win for Rublev'

"I thought Carlos Alcaraz would take it up a level but credit to Rublev, he played full power tennis," former player Colin Fleming said.

"I'm not sure everything is quite right with Alcaraz yet but I don't want to take anything away from Rublev, that was an incredible win.

"It can take a match, a set or a shot to start feeling it again. It's easy to panic and think you won't win a match but one moment can turn things around.

"Credit to Rublev and his team, they've kept believing and have turned things around."

The end of Alcaraz's 14-match winning streak in Madrid! Take a bow, Carlitos 👏 pic.twitter.com/11PCGCY8Bn — Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 1, 2024

'Biggest win of Rublev's career'

"A match like today you have to hand it to Rublev. I said at the start he would have to play the match of his life. It's the biggest win of his career, especially with the crowd all rooting for his opponent," said Great Britain's Billie Jean King Cup captain, Anne Keothavong.

"I'd love to know how he got back into the zone and managed to block out the noise.

"From the second set onwards he got better and better and I'm sure he'll be absolutely chuffed about that.

"Rublev's head never dropped. He was striking the ball well, reading Alcaraz well and it may not have been the best for him but I'm sure he's got his eyes on he French Open and hopefully he'll peak for that."

Hard hitting 🥊 A slow start followed by two sets of crunching forehands helped @AndreyRublev97 get through to the Semi Finals @MutuaMadridOpen 🎾🔥 #ShotQuality is calculated in real-time by analysing each shot's speed, spin, depth, width, and the impact it has on the… pic.twitter.com/zpweputMUl — Tennis Insights (@tennis_insights) May 1, 2024

Tale of the Tape

Rybakina survives Putintseva scare to reach semi-finals

Fourth seed Elena Rybakina rallied from a set down to beat fellow Kazakhstani Yulia Putintseva 4-6 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 in a two-hour and 48-minute battle.

The 50th-ranked Putintseva looked on course to cause an upset as she put on a near-flawless display to take the opening set in 45 minutes, but Rybakina managed to regain her composure and saved two match points at 5-2 down in the final set.

"It was really tough. I knew it wouldn't be easy. I was hoping I'd start better... it wasn't easy always coming back," Rybakina said.

"At 2-5, I already left the emotions and frustration and just kept playing. The momentum shifted. Yulia started to get a bit more angry and some mistakes helped me. I just kept on playing.

"I'm really happy."

Up next for Rybakina is world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka or 17-year-old Russian sensation Mirra Andreeva, who face off later.

Sinner withdraws due to hip injury

Very sad to have to withdraw from my next match here in Madrid. My hip has been bothering me this week and has slowly been getting more painful. Taking the advice from the doctors we decided it’s best to not play further and make it worse. pic.twitter.com/QJX9WVA4Np — Jannik Sinner (@janniksin) May 1, 2024

Jannik Sinner pulled out of the tournament with a right-hip injury meaning he won't take to the court on Thursday to play his quarter-final match against Felix Auger-Aliassime.

The Australian Open champion took to social media to make a statement, which read: "Very sad to have to withdraw from my next match here in Madrid.

"My hip has been bothering me this week and has slowly been getting more painful. Taking the advice from the doctors we decided it's best to not play further and make it worse."

Canadian Auger-Aliassime receives an automatic bye to the semi-finals.

What's coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?

In the run-up to the second Grand Slam of 2024 - the French Open at Roland Garros from May 26 - you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the clay-court season.

• Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome (ATP and WTA Masters 1000) - May 7-19
• Geneva Open (ATP 250) - May 20-26
• Lyon Open (ATP 250) - May 20-26
• Internationaux de Strasbourg (WTA 500 with Emma Raducanu in action) - May 20-26
• Morocco Open (WTA 250) - May 20-26

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Non-Sky subscribers can stream live matches with a NOW Sports Day and Month Membership , via Sky Sports Tennis , Sky Sports Arena , and Sky Sports Mix channels.

For further access, fans will also be able to follow their favourite players and gain deeper insights from both Tours via Sky Sports News , the Sky Sports app, on SkySports.com and via Sky Sports social channels.

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Tennis Briefing: Kasatkina ‘assurances’ on Saudi Arabia, Alcaraz defies injury

Welcome to the Monday Tennis Briefing, where The Athletic  will explain the story behind the stories from the last week on court.

This week, the coveted Masters 1000 in Madrid ran its first week and the stories on court were matched by the drama off it, as t he Grand Slams and tennis tours continue their beauty pageant for the future of the sport .

If you’d like more tennis coverage, please click here .

Can ‘assurances’ on player safety in Saudi Arabia ever be enough?

Daria Kasatkina, the highest ranked openly gay player in women’s tennis, was asked Sunday how she felt about the WTA opting to hold its Tour Finals for the next three years in Saudi Arabia, a country, where homosexuality is a crime that can be punished by death.

Only the top eight players qualify for the Tour Finals. Kasatkina is currently world No 11.

“Look, if I qualify, it means that I’m top eight in the world,” Kasatkina said after advancing to the round of 16 in Madrid. “It’s great news for me.”

Then she took a deep breath. “We see that the Saudis, now they are very into the sport. They want to develop the sport, and as long as it gives the opportunity to the people there and the young kids and the women, too, you know, we see that sport  and specifically tennis, it’s actually so close so that they can watch it. They can play, they can participate in this, I think it’s great.”

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Asked how she thinks the environment would be for gay players and those in same sex relationships as she is, and whether she has received assurances about being able to perhaps, share a room with a partner, Ksatkina once more paused pensively.“I’ve been given assurances that I’m going to be fine,” she said.

Does it matter if Aryna Sabalenka wants to watch men’s tennis?

Sabalenka caused a bit of a stir last week when she told a Spanish media outlet that she doesn’t watch much women’s tennis and prefers the men’s game, saying it was more interesting. That wasn’t the kind of buzz the women’s tour is looking for from its top players.

Sabalenka clarified those comments after winning her first match in Madrid, explaining that sitting down to watch her opponents isn’t how she prefers to spend her free time.

“I play against all of them, and I just want to change the picture, and because I watch lots of women’s tennis before I go to the match, I watch my opponents, I watch lots of women’s tennis,” she said. “It’s not like I don’t like it or I try to offend what I do. I was trying to say that because I’m playing there and it’s too much for me, I’m trying to watch men’s tennis. It’s more fun than watching probably my future opponents in the tournament.”

A perfectly understandable explanation. Tennis, and watching it, is work for the top players in the world, men and women. Baseball players don’t watch much baseball in their free time.

(Full disclosure, this can be true for tennis writers, as well.)

It’s a sensitive topic around the tour, especially because it wasn’t long ago that Amelie Mauresmo, the French Open tournament director and a former world No 1, described men’s tennis as more appealing to justify her decision to let men dominate the tournament’s nightly featured match.

Women have enough of a problem with men degrading their sport. Fairly or unfairly — probably the latter — that forces them to be extra careful when talking about their favorite versions of the sport. No one gets on Daniil Medvedev or any other male player when they fess up to not watching their sport unless they are in the middle of a tournament.

Listening to women: The slow rise of female tennis coaches

Has an arm injury actually helped Carlos Alcaraz?

Few things worry the tennis world more than the health and wellbeing of Carlos Alcaraz. His magical play and dynamic style have captivated tennis fans and the rest of the sports-consuming public. He is one of those players who comes along not so often and transcends the game, providing an opportunity for tennis to break through the morass.

He also gets hurt a lot, and has missed some medium-sized chunks of his early seasons as a professional that have cost him a chance to play in important tournaments — the ATP Tour Finals in 2022 and the Australian Open in 2023 top that list.

Carlos Alcaraz is making magic again. Watch out.

So it was a little alarming when Alcaraz pulled out of Monte Carlo and Barcelona this month with an injury to his forearm. Competing in Madrid was touch-and-go until his final practice the day before his first match, which he played wearing a sleeve. His performance, a near-flawless 6-2, 6-1 win over Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan, eased a lot of worries, but it also showcased another side of Alcaraz, who said he never went for broke on his cannon forehand to protect his arm.

“I hit it softer than I used to, but it helped me stay relaxed,” he said. “I think more.”

The data (below) shows that Alcaraz is hitting it softer (a three-mile-per-hour difference might not seem like much, but over 78 feet, it’s a lot) and with “less quality,” but he’s still winning.

Far be it for anyone to criticize the play of a two-time Grand Slam champion at 20 years old, but if there has been a weak spot for Alcaraz, it’s his tendency to sometimes play shots rather than points — especially when under pressure — and put together a highlight reel rather than simply win by playing solid, unspectacular tennis. If there is a silver lining to this latest injury, it could be that it forces Alcaraz to become a more restrained but more effective player, still with plenty of highlights to boot.

Two bagels for you Coco, you go Coco!

Coco Gauff has done many impressive things in her tennis career, but the so-called ‘double-bagels’ are generally not her thing. She’s come close before, most recently last year in the WTA Finals against a hobbled Ons Jabeur. With Gauff, though, there’s usually a time in every match when the forehand gets wobbly or the serve goes on the skids.

Then came Madrid, and an opening-round match against Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands. Fifty-one minutes and a 51-18 point differential later, and Gauff had her first double-bagel. In her second match, against Dayana Yastremska, Gauff sprinted to a 4-0 lead and looked like she might get three in a row, but settled for a 6-4, 6-1. Breadsticks are good fuel, too.

Gauff is as good an athlete as there is in the game and can play all night if she needs to, but every player likes to be as clinical as she can be wherever possible. If Gauff can figure out how to do that, especially in the early rounds of tournaments, the rest of the field better watch out.

Is the Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup crossover a good idea?

Legend of the sport Billie Jean King has long wanted a “Tennis World Cup ” — and now she’s got it… sort of.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) this week announced changes to the schedule and format of the annual event, creating a week of cross-over between the BJK Cup and the men’s equivalent, the Davis Cup, with the second semi-final and final of the women’s tournament overlapping the first two days of the men’s tournament in late November this year.

The women’s tournament has also moved to emulate the knock-out structure of its counterpart, replacing a round-robin finals with a straight shoot-out between eight of the final twelve teams. The four seeded nations — who, on current form, would be the Czech Republic and Australia, alongside 2023 winners and runners-up Canada and Italy — will receive a bye straight to the quarter-finals.

Rune and Navone have Madrid on strings

If Medvedev’s destiny is in his strings , then Holger Rune’s might be missing a weave.

During his unnecessarily up-and-down victory over rising Argentinian Mariano Navone, he came over to the umpire at 5-3 in his favor (although, a few minutes previously, it was 5-1).

“The tournament is trying to cheat me,” he said. “They missed a string on my racket.” He then pushed away a camera before repeating his complaint. It looked more like a cross-string had been mis-weaved, rather than missing an entire line.

Rune had been 5-6, 15-30 down on Navone’s serve in the second set, on the verge of exiting the tournament, before Navone tightened up to hit two yomping double faults and a backhand error that barely landed in the tramlines to give up a tiebreak. Rune surged away with it, and the next six games to go 5-1, but the racket incident destabilised him completely and he ended up needing five match points before prevailing 6-4 in a final service game that swung like a pendulum.

Stringing Navone along, perhaps.

Shots (fired) of the week

Alexander Bublik will do Alexander Bublik things whenever he wants. Roberto Carballes Baena isn’t a fan.

Lo que hace aquí Carballes Baena 🇪🇸 es para que le metan una buena sanción y no pueda pisar un torneo un buen tiempo. Se pica porque Bublik hace el tonto ( lo hace siempre ) y a continuación busca darle un pelotazo con su saque dos veces seguidas. Vergonzoso es poco pic.twitter.com/B7VAFtMekW — Miguel_cmm (@Miguelcmm1) April 28, 2024

Recommended reading:

• Challengers: Zendaya and her tennis boys teach us a lesson about the sport
• The story of the most chaotic tennis match of the year
• More prize money, less tennis, equal pay: Grand Slams launch premium tour offensive

📅 Coming up

🎾  ATP: 

📍Madrid, Mutua Madrid Open (1000) second week, ft. Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal, Daniil Medvedev. 📺 UK: Sky Sports; US: Tennis Channel 💻 Tennis TV

📍Madrid, Mutua Madrid Open (1000) second week, ft. Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff. 📺 UK: Sky Sports; US: Tennis Channel 💻 Tennis TV

Tell us what you noticed this week in the comments as the tours continue.

(Top photos: Clive Brunskill/Julian Finney/Getty Images)

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• Greco-roman wrestling
• Water sports
• Artistic Swimming
• Finswimming
• Waterskiing
• Other individual sports
• Armwrestling
• Artistic Cycling
• Artistic roller skating
• Basque pelota
• Bodybuilding
• Boules Lyonnaise
• Dance Sports
• Inline Skating
• Modern Pentathlon
• Orienteering
• Other Billiard Sports
• Powerlifting
• Sand Yachting
• Shooting sports
• Skateboarding
• Sport Climbing
• Weightlifting
• Results of a team
• Meeting between 2 teams

Field hockey - Men's European clubs ranking

Exclusively on The-Sports.org

This classification is inspired by UEFA coefficients and allows to rank the European championships by basing itself on the results of the last 5 seasons of the field hockey European Cups : Men's Euro Hockey League.

Latest update: 2022-02-21

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