Dwell Time

A term that is used to describe the length of time a ball stays in contact with the rubber during a stroke. Shorter dwell times are thought to be better for producing speed, whilst longer dwell times are said to be better for producing spin.

The hardness of the blade, thickness and hardness of the topsheet and sponge, and the tackiness of the topsheet are all considered to affect the dwell time for a particular racket.