What Is Launch Angle in Tennis?
Juan
Launch angle is the angle at which the ball leaves your strings compared to the court.
A higher launch angle sends the ball on a looping path with more room over the net. A lower one sends it out flat and direct.
Four things in your setup affect launch angle: tension, gauge, shape, and pattern.
Use the interactive graph below to get a better idea of how these factors work.
Balanced launch
Most players have felt launch angle without having a word for it.
For example, you borrow a friend's racket, swing exactly the way you always swing, same effort and the same balls, and the ball comes off completely differently.
In this article we will explain why that happens and how you can change launch angle.
What Factors Affect Launch Angle?
Launch angle comes from your technique and your stringbed working together.
Within your technique, swing path and racket face angle are what affect the angle.
A low-to-high swing lifts the ball through contact and raises it. An open face at contact does the same, while a closed face keeps the ball driving forward instead of floating up.
Both are long-term projects to work on with a coach, which is why we are going to focus on the four stringbed factors in this article.
1. String tension
Lower tension raises launch angle, and higher tension flattens it out.
At lower tension the stringbed deflects further at impact, holds the ball a fraction longer, and releases it on a higher path. Raise the tension and the bed gets stiffer, gives back less, and the ball leaves closer to the angle your racket face was already pointing.
This is the easiest factor to adjust, because it costs nothing more than a different number on your next restring ticket.
2. String gauge
A thinner gauge raises launch angle, and a thicker gauge lowers it.
Thinner strings take up less room in the frame, so more space opens up between them. That extra spacing lets the strings bite further into the ball, and a ball that has been gripped harder leaves on a higher path.
Choose a thicker gauge and the spacing closes up, the bite drops off, and the trajectory comes down with it.
3. String shape
A shaped string raises launch angle, and a round one keeps the ball flatter.
The mechanism is the same as gauge, with the bite coming from the profile instead of the spacing. Edges catch the ball at contact and lift it, whereas a smooth round surface slides across it and does less of that lifting.
4. String pattern
An open pattern produces a higher launch angle than a closed pattern.
Wider spacing gives the main strings more room to move and snap back, which means a bigger angle. Tighter spacing restricts that movement and the ball comes off lower.
Pattern is the hardest factor to change because it involves buying a new racket, which is why the other three matter more day to day.
The easier way to affect launch angle is changing strings. You can find the best string for you using our String Finder tool below.
String Finder
< 2 minsSummary
Launch angle is the angle the ball leaves your stringbed at, and it comes from your technique and your setup working together.
Technique is one to work on over time, whereas your setup can change at your next restring. The four things to consider are: tension, gauge, shape and pattern.
Change one string factor at a time. They all have an affect, so take your tension down 2 lbs, play a few sets on it, and see where the ball is landing before you do anything else.
