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Caring for your racquet in a tropical climate
Caribbean heat, humidity and salt take a toll on a racquet. What to do and, above all, what not to bother with.
A racquet in Puerto Rico ages differently from one in a temperate climate. Heat, humidity and the salty coastal breeze work against it all year.
The car trunk is the worst enemy
A closed car in the Ponce sun easily passes 60 degrees Celsius. At those temperatures string dumps tension, grip adhesives soften and the frame's resins suffer.
If you change only one habit after reading this, make it this one: the racquet does not live in the car.
Humidity and the grip
- In this humidity a grip saturates within half an hour. Carry spare overgrips and change them often.
- A slippery grip makes you squeeze the handle harder, and over-gripping is one of the most common causes of tennis elbow.
- Dry the handle when you finish instead of storing it wet inside the bag.
Salt, if you play near the water
Salt air attacks metal parts and accessory screws. Wiping the racquet down with a dry cloth afterward is enough; nothing special is needed.
A thermal bag actually helps
Tennis bags with a thermal compartment are not marketing fluff in this climate: they keep the racquet at a reasonable temperature while you wait for a court in the sun.
What you do not need
You do not need to store the racquet in a refrigerator, loosen the strings between matches, or treat the frame with anything. Almost all racquet care comes down to keeping it out of the sun and keeping the grip dry.