About the Wilson Hyper Hammer XP Tennis Racket

The Wilson Hyper Hammer XP tennis racket is a semi-hollow Hyper Carbon frame designed by Wilson. Though the construction and general shape of the frame is similar to the Wilson Hammer frames used by many pros (including Pete Sampras and Roger Federer), the lightweight Hyper Carbon construction of the frame makes it generally most appealing for amateur and intermediate level players.

  1. History

    • The Wilson Hyper Hammer is part of a long lineage of Hammer frames designed by the Wilson Sporting Goods company. Called the Hyper Hammer as a reference to the style of balance the frame favors, weight is taken out of the handle of the frame and proportioned to remain in the head of the frame. This sort of weight distribution makes the frame head-heavy, much in the way that a hammer is balanced.

    Construction and Weight

    • The Hyper Hammer XP is constructed out of a lightweight carbon fiber called Hyper Carbon (also as a connection to the frame's name). Weighing only 9.9 ounces (generally on the lighter side, as tennis rackets go), the Hyper Hammer's lightweight construction makes it ideal for tennis players who use shorter, more abbreviated swings, as opposed to those who swing with fuller swings. Most professional tennis players use fuller swings, not making this frame ideal for professionals (though there are exceptions; Serena Williams, for example).

    Frame Balance

    • The head-heavy, hammer-style balance of the Wilson Hyper Hammer XP additionally contributes its particular appeal to tennis players with short, abbreviated swings. With the majority of the racket's weight in the frame's head, the Hyper Hammer allows the player to swing with less force while still achieving a decent amount of speed on her shot. Serena Williams particularly exemplifies this quality of the Hyper Hammer, using an abbreviated swing while still maintaining a reputation as one of the hardest hitters in the women's game.

    Head Size

    • The Wilson Hyper Hammer XP has an extra large head size at 115 square inches. Referred to by Wilson as "Super Oversized," the large head size of the frame contributes to the racket's head-heavy balance. The oversized head of the frame also gives the user more square inches to make contact with the ball, making it easier to make contact from the baseline using groundstrokes and particularly at the net.

    Technology

    • In addition to the Hyper Carbon construction and innovative hammer-style balance of the frame, the Wilson Hyper Hammer XP also employs "Power Holes Technology," which refers to the unique type of grommets used in the frame's construction. Grommets are the holes of the frame where the strings pass through. The Power Holes Technology is designed to create more responsiveness with the frame's strings, particularly benefiting off-center hits.

    Disadvantages

    • As with any frame, the technology used to create this racket also has some inherent disadvantages. Because of the racket's light weight and head-heavy balance, the frame is difficult to control with full swings. Additionally, because of the frame's extra large head, it is inaccurate from the baseline when used with flattened out groundstrokes (as opposed to groundstrokes with top spin). With so many disadvantages, it is clear that the racket you choose is largely based your swing.