How Equipment Enhanced Sam Stosur’s Game

Key Points

• Sam Stosur & Tennis Lab – Key Summary Points
  
• The Collaboration: Sam Stosur partnered with Tennis Lab early in their research to explore ways to improve her game through better equipment choices—specifically racket, string, and tension.
  
• Blinded Testing: Rackets were blacked out to eliminate brand bias. Testing was done on Tennis Lab’s Hawkeye Court to gather accurate performance data
  
• Game-Changing Results:
  Sam had used the same racket for 10+ years.
  One test racket gave her 10% more ball speed and 5–8% more spin.
  She felt the difference immediately—and the data backed it up.
• Why It Mattered:
  Her old racket was heavy with a small head size, making it harder to generate power.
• Refining the Choice:
  One racket had too much spin, causing shorter rally shots.
  A second racket offered similar power with less spin and better depth, which became her final choice.
• Long-Term Impact:
  She played the rest of her career with the new racket.
  Returned annually to Tennis Lab for minor tweaks to gain 1–2% extra performance.
• Quote Worth Remembering:
  “How have I played the last 10 years with this racket and not explored anything beyond that?” – Sam Stosur