Purchasing new equipment
Just because your old racquet is reaching retirement age doesn’t mean you no longer like it. In fact, if you are playing with an “ancient” racquet it’s probably because you really like it. The challenge is in finding a new racquet that plays at least as well as your old racquet.
The first step is to measure your existing racquet. I check the weight, balance, swingweight, length, and headsize. Then, I compare these measurements against the measurements for new racquets. (Here’s an example.) Except in rare cases, I should be able to find one or more new racquets that are in the same “universe” as your current racquet.
From there, all you have to do is sign up for Tennis Warehouse’s racquet demo program, and see which suits you best.
I regret to say that due to the high number of requests I’ve received over the years from stupid and sometimes rude time-leeches from around the world, I now perform this service for players here in the high desert only. If you need answers to your tennis questions and you don’t live close by, please contact a USRSA stringer in your area.