Why You May Want To Consider Switching Your Racquets!

The same can be said about Novak Djokovic, who recently began his 10th consecutive year playing with a Head frame in triumphant style, winning his seventh Australian Open and 15th Grand Slam title. Before this decade of dominance, Djokovic swung a Wilson, which he used to win his first major title at the 2008 Australian Open.

A year later, the Serbian set off to defend his title in Melbourne with a Head racquet, after signing a lucrative endorsement deal with the American company.

“It was a very important decision for me,” the 21-year-old Djokovic said. “As I said before the tournament, it takes time mentally to make this switch.”

It would be nearly three years before Djokovic won another Grand Slam title. While some health issues held him back during that stretch, it’s also nearly unprecedented for a player to immediately claim the game’s grandest prizes as they adjust to a new frame.

So, why do the pros switch?

In professional tennis, players operate as independent contractors. If an advantageous opportunity arises through endorsement deals at what they consider the right moment in their careers, the likelihood of making a stick switch increases.

Such was the case in 1989, when Andre Agassi agreed on a five-year, multimillion-dollar deal with Donnay, the Belgian brand that equipped Bjorn Borg as he won 11 Grand Slam titles. Struggling with the new frame at first, the young American was rumored to have painted over his Prince Graphite racquets as he tried to maintain his place among the game’s top tier.

The next year saw Agassi reach the first two Grand Slam finals of his career. In 1992, the Las Vegas native won his first Grand Slam title, at Wimbledon, which Borg won five consecutive times.

With one of the more enviable endorsement portfolios in sports, Agassi was lured away by Head a year later, and won seven more majors during a Hall of Fame career.

Whenever there’s change, there’s a measure of risk involved. But aside from the lure of riches, the opportunity for a bigger payoff in the long run is also a factor players consider.