5263
09-20-2008, 07:50 PM
Well, I finally got my stick fresh strung with my new Big Ace and what an outing it was!
At first I had trouble deciding how I wanted to hybrid it. I have used BBO in crosses with a softer main and have enjoyed using that approach since last winter, but also have a stick with BG mains and soft crosses that has worked well lately as well. What to do?
With all the great comments about Big Ace, I finally just decided to go with a full job, no hybrid, so that I would really know how the poly felt with no concern about a hybrid companion string to muddy the waters.
Good Move.
Had a dubs match this morning and warmed up with the BA, very ready to run back to my BBO hybrid if things were not right. Wow, I just never even considered it. It felt great in the Warmup, near perfect. Crisp feel and control on all shots.
The best aspect was the range of the string. On the chips, volleys, and touch shots which I hit several today, it felt just as good as it did when ripping heavy TS or driving a flat hard serve return. Every shot was within inches of my intentions. Also I felt no arm discomfort with this full poly set up! I'd say it felt as good as any I've used for comfort and clearly the best for precision.
To say I was impressed is an big understatement. I only had about 2 UEs the whole match, in winningg 6-4, 6-4 against some hard hitting opponents. One was a 26yr old tennis instructor from Europe and his partner was a big powerful Russian player, also in his 20s. I ripped into one serve return where I felt the string give just a touch and missed the shot 3-4 inches long on an Insideout FH. I remember thinking that if I hit that hard more often, i would have to consider stringing 2-4 lbs tighter, but I rarely spank one like that.
Now the funny thing is that this has me thinking that I can really up the power in my game a notch or two more than I already have, due to the control and spin I'm getting now. I used to think it was me missing the shots when I missed going bigger, but this yr I've come to realize that often it was my string setup that was not up to the task. It was demanding me to change my shot too much to keep it in the court, but that was unnecessary i have learned.
Now my only question is how long it will last playing at this level. I strung it at 57 mains and 55 crosses in my 102 prestige, which is lower than my usual 59/57 hybrid tensions. Thought with full poly I could get away with it and it would be better on the arm. I'll give an update on the next 2-3 wks with it if there is any posted interest in the results.
At first I had trouble deciding how I wanted to hybrid it. I have used BBO in crosses with a softer main and have enjoyed using that approach since last winter, but also have a stick with BG mains and soft crosses that has worked well lately as well. What to do?
With all the great comments about Big Ace, I finally just decided to go with a full job, no hybrid, so that I would really know how the poly felt with no concern about a hybrid companion string to muddy the waters.
Good Move.
Had a dubs match this morning and warmed up with the BA, very ready to run back to my BBO hybrid if things were not right. Wow, I just never even considered it. It felt great in the Warmup, near perfect. Crisp feel and control on all shots.
The best aspect was the range of the string. On the chips, volleys, and touch shots which I hit several today, it felt just as good as it did when ripping heavy TS or driving a flat hard serve return. Every shot was within inches of my intentions. Also I felt no arm discomfort with this full poly set up! I'd say it felt as good as any I've used for comfort and clearly the best for precision.
To say I was impressed is an big understatement. I only had about 2 UEs the whole match, in winningg 6-4, 6-4 against some hard hitting opponents. One was a 26yr old tennis instructor from Europe and his partner was a big powerful Russian player, also in his 20s. I ripped into one serve return where I felt the string give just a touch and missed the shot 3-4 inches long on an Insideout FH. I remember thinking that if I hit that hard more often, i would have to consider stringing 2-4 lbs tighter, but I rarely spank one like that.
Now the funny thing is that this has me thinking that I can really up the power in my game a notch or two more than I already have, due to the control and spin I'm getting now. I used to think it was me missing the shots when I missed going bigger, but this yr I've come to realize that often it was my string setup that was not up to the task. It was demanding me to change my shot too much to keep it in the court, but that was unnecessary i have learned.
Now my only question is how long it will last playing at this level. I strung it at 57 mains and 55 crosses in my 102 prestige, which is lower than my usual 59/57 hybrid tensions. Thought with full poly I could get away with it and it would be better on the arm. I'll give an update on the next 2-3 wks with it if there is any posted interest in the results.