Getting Sharp with The Saber: Saddlebrook's Junior Players Test a Different Kind of Tennis Racquet

At first glance, The Saber doesn’t look like your average tennis racquet. That’s because it isn’t. With a 37 sq. inch head—tiny compared to the norm—it’s a training tool meant to challenge players. And challenge it does. “This is so hard,” one junior admitted while adjusting to the smaller head size. But once they got the hang of it, things started clicking: “There we go... really nice follow through.”

The idea behind The Saber is simple: improve timing, footwork, and precision by shrinking the margin for error. If you don’t make clean contact, you’ll know. “I was able to contact the center of the racquet better,” one kid said. “I was able to create, like, a cleaner swing, felt nicer overall.” And despite how different it looks, players don’t need to change their swing or grip—it’s designed to feel like a regular racquet in your hand.

Photo credit: Functional Tennis.

Made in the same factories as major-brand racquets, The Saber comes in a few different weights—300g, 265g, and a new lighter 240g version—and it's ready to hit right out of the bag. “Still really good,” one player said, warming up after a few hits. “It hits through the ball very well.” Once players got past the initial challenge, they found the feedback it gave them was super useful.

Spin came up a lot in the feedback. One player said, “A lot of spin,” while another noted, “I’m getting, like, more spin also, so yeah, it was really good.” One kid summed it up like this: “Hitting the sweet spot is too easy now.” In other words, the racquet forced them to focus, and it showed in their shots.

One of the big surprises was how natural it started to feel. “They feel that different, maybe just hitting the frame because it was like the first time, but I was still getting a lot of spin.” The Saber isn’t meant to replace your regular racquet, but to give you something sharp to warm up with or mix into your training. “It’s like so much easier to hit, like, in the sweet spot and be good to, like, warm up with.”

Photo credit: Functional Tennis.

That sweet spot became a kind of obsession. “So satisfying when you hit it right though,” one player said. Another mentioned, “I feel like I'm hitting the ball more accurately… we're concentrating.” The smaller head forces players to clean up their swings—and think more during practice. It’s not about hitting harder. It’s about hitting smarter.

There were plenty of funny and honest moments too. “How did you like the Saber? A lot,” one kid answered enthusiastically. Another added, “Before this, I was framing a lot. Now I’m not as much.” It’s a common takeaway: after a few hits, players start to adjust and the results speak for themselves.

So yeah, The Saber looks different. And it definitely plays different. But if you’re looking to tighten up your game or just try something new in training, it’s got something to offer. “It’s fun,” one kid said. And really, that says a lot.

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Written by Assistant Editor Alex Binstok. Top photo credit: Functional Tennis.