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I've been looking for the relation between moment of a tennis racket and its maneuverability. If I define maneuverability as the easiness to get in position for quick reaction strokes like volleys and returns, does low moment indicate high maneuverability? I seem to get the answer from this site http://www.racquetresearch.com/sevencri.htm but can anyone explain further? In a quick reaction stroke, I still need to move the racket, so what is the relation between moment and the effort I need to move the racket?

By the way, if my racket has balance point at 32cm away from the racket butt, and I hold the racket at 7cm away from racket butt (which would be the axis of rotation). If I add some weight to the racket head, is there any way I can reduce the racket moment so I can increase swing weigh without sacrificing much maneuverability?

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Easiness to get in position isn't well defined. – Manishearth♦ Apr 21 '12 at 16:32
Inertia=tendency of body to resist change in motion. Moment of inertia==tendency of body to resist change in rotational motion. And 'tendency to resist' is opposite of 'easiness'. – Manishearth♦ Apr 21 '12 at 16:35
So, this sentence in the link I posted: "a racquet with a high Moment is bad because it is hard to hold up and to position for volleys and returns, especially for juniors and ladies" is not accurate? because high moment of inertia, instead of Moment, is what make it hard to hold up and to position for volleys and returns? – Graham Hoang Apr 21 '12 at 18:17
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I found this article pretty useful: acs.psu.edu/drussell/bats/bat-moi.html – Graham Hoang Apr 21 '12 at 21:05
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I think in a full swing like topspin forehand, there will be rotation about a point near the racket butt after ball contact, and high swing weight give the racket more power potential. However, in a quick stroke like volley, "easiness to get in position" == easiness to quickly move the racket == low moment of inertia of the whole racket and the arms with the a point near shoulder being the axis of rotation. – Graham Hoang Apr 21 '12 at 21:11
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