The difference between Tsitsipas and Zverev

Posted on by Miha Flisek

Alexander Zverev seems to be breaking a lot of rackets lately and blaming it on the racket (remember the comments about the rackets at the Federer match at Hopman cup 2019). There might be something there, but probably not what you might think.

Now, what is the difference between Zverev and Tsitsipas?

To get straight to the point it’s their racket set ups. Zverev uses a more polarized racket with a lover MGR/I and Tsitsipas the exact opposite. These are the specs Zverev used some time ago and I think it’s safe to say he is still using about the same specs as nothing significantly changed in his game.

Alexander Zverev:

Mass: 343

Balance: 33

Swingweight: 360

Polarization: 0,43

MGR/I: 20,1

While I don’t know the exact specs of Stefanos Tsitsipas, there is enough evidence to me, that he uses a quite head light racket with most of the added mass in the handle(perhaps an older version of the Blade with a leather grip and more mass in the handle). His backhand stroke mechanics and especially the serve motion strongly suggest that. That would make his racket more depolarized and have a higher MGR/I rating.

Now let’s take a look at what MGR/I means for one’s game according to Impacting Tennis theory. Let’s see if we can connect the dots between the games of Zverev and Tsitsipas and these racket characteristics as described in the chapter MGR/I:

The weight, swingweight and balance all play a certain role, but when it comes to swing path, stroke mechanics and timing the ball, MGR/I is the most determinental.

High MGR/I

  1. Stroke mechanics feel like you are pushing the racket through the contact point instead of pulling it,
  2. Racket offers better depth control and feel for the ball,
  3. It is easier to hit the ball early and in front of the body.
  4. The balls penetrate the court more and don’t have a loopy trajectory, and if the mass is sufficient, the shots still have a lot of spin,
  5. Players with more »open« forehand grip (like eastern or even continental), can benefit more from a high MGR/I on the forehand side,
  6. It’s easier to time the ball well, especially in high-pressure situations.

Low MGR/I

  1. Stroke mechanics feel like you are pulling the racket through the contact point instead of pushing it,
  2. Racket offers better feel for curving around the ball instead of hitting through it (think Zverev forehand),
  3. It is harder to hit the ball early and in front of the body. 
  4. It’s easier to play »safe tennis« with just looping and spinning the ball, but harder to control direction and depth,
  5. In contrast to high MGR/I – harder to time the ball in high pressure situations.
The overall ceiling of the racket might be higher with a lower MGR/I, but that doesn’t really help you to win matches if you can’t execute. Always strive to be Antifragille (read this article on Antifragille).

Next time you think about customizing or buying a new racket keep in mind what kind of a game you want to have.