If you do lead up the TC 95... Try it at 3/9, worked amazingly well for me (crazy heavy balls as a result).I'm closer and closer to leading my TC95 up to match my leaded up Yonex frames. Still need some time, but I have gotten used to the high SW and I'd like to see how the Angell does with it as well.
There is no substituting for weight. A 70% swing yields some of the most consistently heavy balls I have hit. I can only imagine what the TC95 would do. I'm at 355 static, 365 SW, 4 pts HL on the Yonxes and I now have 3 because they are like $65 brand new if you can find them. One of the best frames out there, and at that price it's a no brainer for me.
Playing guys with bad footwork who stab at balls and get points is a problem no more. Now when they do that, the ball usually flies long.
Main thing is you need active feet to wield these frames. The upper body strength is not as important, but you can't be weak.
@skeeter , I thought of a really good exercise I do that helps with footwork a lot - Jumping rope. It's perfect. I did a cossfit workout that goes like this - 50-40-30-20-10 - jump rope, than situps. So 50 jump rope and then 50 situps, then down to 40..etc. Shoot for 12 minutes or less to complete it.
You are supposed to do double unders on the jump rope, but you can just do singles and double the amount (so 100 to start). Singles are more than fine, and they are awesome for the calves. Plus they get you in the habit of having active feet. All the best players are always lightly jumping and moving their feet. It makes a huge difference. We have all seen the many rec vids of flat footed guys just standing there and waiting on balls. Can't do that if you want to really be good at tennis.
It really helps in matches because it is so easy to tighten up and not move your feet. Then you wonder why you are missing shots. Took me a while to figure that one out myself.
Anyway - jump rope.
I like it. Can do it at home and at low cost; no expensive trainers needed. Excellent idea.I'm closer and closer to leading my TC95 up to match my leaded up Yonex frames. Still need some time, but I have gotten used to the high SW and I'd like to see how the Angell does with it as well.
There is no substituting for weight. A 70% swing yields some of the most consistently heavy balls I have hit. I can only imagine what the TC95 would do. I'm at 355 static, 365 SW, 4 pts HL on the Yonxes and I now have 3 because they are like $65 brand new if you can find them. One of the best frames out there, and at that price it's a no brainer for me.
Playing guys with bad footwork who stab at balls and get points is a problem no more. Now when they do that, the ball usually flies long.
Main thing is you need active feet to wield these frames. The upper body strength is not as important, but you can't be weak.
@skeeter , I thought of a really good exercise I do that helps with footwork a lot - Jumping rope. It's perfect. I did a cossfit workout that goes like this - 50-40-30-20-10 - jump rope, than situps. So 50 jump rope and then 50 situps, then down to 40..etc. Shoot for 12 minutes or less to complete it.
You are supposed to do double unders on the jump rope, but you can just do singles and double the amount (so 100 to start). Singles are more than fine, and they are awesome for the calves. Plus they get you in the habit of having active feet. All the best players are always lightly jumping and moving their feet. It makes a huge difference. We have all seen the many rec vids of flat footed guys just standing there and waiting on balls. Can't do that if you want to really be good at tennis.
It really helps in matches because it is so easy to tighten up and not move your feet. Then you wonder why you are missing shots. Took me a while to figure that one out myself.
Anyway - jump rope.
I'm closer and closer to leading my TC95 up to match my leaded up Yonex frames. Still need some time, but I have gotten used to the high SW and I'd like to see how the Angell does with it as well.
There is no substituting for weight. A 70% swing yields some of the most consistently heavy balls I have hit. I can only imagine what the TC95 would do. I'm at 355 static, 365 SW, 4 pts HL on the Yonxes and I now have 3 because they are like $65 brand new if you can find them. One of the best frames out there, and at that price it's a no brainer for me.
Playing guys with bad footwork who stab at balls and get points is a problem no more. Now when they do that, the ball usually flies long.
Main thing is you need active feet to wield these frames. The upper body strength is not as important, but you can't be weak.
@skeeter , I thought of a really good exercise I do that helps with footwork a lot - Jumping rope. It's perfect. I did a cossfit workout that goes like this - 50-40-30-20-10 - jump rope, than situps. So 50 jump rope and then 50 situps, then down to 40..etc. Shoot for 12 minutes or less to complete it.
You are supposed to do double unders on the jump rope, but you can just do singles and double the amount (so 100 to start). Singles are more than fine, and they are awesome for the calves. Plus they get you in the habit of having active feet. All the best players are always lightly jumping and moving their feet. It makes a huge difference. We have all seen the many rec vids of flat footed guys just standing there and waiting on balls. Can't do that if you want to really be good at tennis.
It really helps in matches because it is so easy to tighten up and not move your feet. Then you wonder why you are missing shots. Took me a while to figure that one out myself.
Anyway - jump rope.
For those in here who don't mind an edged poly, Solinco Hyper G 16L is a really solid string. Only hit with it once so far but loving everything about it except for the neon green color. Wish it came in something more neutral, but performance wise it's feeling like a softer Tour Bite with really nice feel and control thus far.
I like stiffer poly at lower tension. Soft poly plays okay for the first 2h but then it drops off a cliff and becomes really unpredictable mush (Cyclone is the most notable example of this followed by BHBR). For a while I was using either max power rough or alu power strung between 19 and 20kg, and the max power rough kept playability for quite some time. I was impressed by it.
I'm back to gut mains right now though. I have a few sets left and if I'm not hitting very much, thats what I like to use because it keeps playability for so long.
^I'm the same. I love crisp feeling stringbeds but unfortunately crisp often means stiff and something that's worse for the arm. That's why I'm trying to find a happy medium. I hope my warm feelings for Hyper G so far continue on the more I play with it. It has a pocketing to it that I really love so far.
I have never played with an APDO, but I have a friend who has played with them and he says they were just fantastic frames... Nadal still seems to think so. And interestingly enough, Nadal requests his racquets strung bottom up, according to a friend of mine who has strung Nadal's frames at wimbledon and elsewhere.Hnefi I've read some of your other posts and I think we're on the same page in terms of strings and racquets. Currently stringing full bed of max power 18 gauge at low tension or hybriding with gut mains at higher tension. Had a long fling with the 315 and dabbled with everything under the sun before/after that and currently with aeropro drive plus originals. Something about the 315 will always keep me coming back, but I play better tennis with the aeropro. I'm starting to like (tolerate) the stiffer frame with low tension poly or gut mains. I also string this frame from throat to tip *gasp* which I think results in a softer stringbed near the tip which helps with comfort on off center hits since I tend to hit high in stringbed.
Can you compare the normal max power 18 with the rough version? Thanks.
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im not saying your observations are wrong, but i will say that i have noticed a phenomenon where a racquet plays the way i expect it to. if im expecting to play confidently with the racquet that day, thats what happens. if im not sure and i bring another one or two for backup ... i end up doing better with the backups. this is one of the roots of holism, i believe. which fits nicely in this thread, actually ...More testing again today.
After playing so well on Sunday with the Babolat Pure Drive Tour - I thought I'd give it another try,though today on a different hard court....this time the courts surface was old and very smooth - meaning it was playing lightning fast with the ball staying extra low.
Probably the worst set I've played of tennis in the last 5 years.
With the ball staying so low I found I needed to lift the ball much more and the Babolat PDT was having none of it.
The crazy stiff,hollow feel was magnified today.
In the second set I swapped to my PK Q Tour 325g - and played just way,way better!
To me the Babolat PDT works better on a higher bouncing ball like on a clay court or on a newly layed hard court where the surface will provide plenty of grip resulting in a higher bounce.
Going to keep the Babolat PDT in my bag as most of the tournament venues are played on slower,high bouncing hard courts.
On my club court - that has likely not been resurfaced in probably 20 years at best the Redondo MP and the PK Q Tour 325g seem to work best.
I have never played with an APDO, but I have a friend who has played with them and he says they were just fantastic frames... Nadal still seems to think so. And interestingly enough, Nadal requests his racquets strung bottom up, according to a friend of mine who has strung Nadal's frames at wimbledon and elsewhere.
I used max power rough in the 16 gauge since that's all my stringer had - and only used the normal max power as a cross for gut mains, so my comparison is pretty limited there. However I have played a good share of alu power and I think max power plays rough plays very similar. Alu power plays a bit more lively and overall I like it better, but the totally dead feel of max power is also addictive because I can really hit out with high swing speeds and keep the ball in. I have not been a fan of shaped poly but the texture of max power rough didn't seem to throw off the feel of the stringbed like an aggressively shaped poly does for me. Try out one set of each and see what you think. I've honestly never really been able to see any extra spin or impact from either shaped or textured poly, so I'm just going back to standard round stuff in the crosses if I'm using gut in the mains, or full bed alu power if I'm playing a lot and breaking the gut fast. Another thing you could try is Tour Bite 1.20mm, if you're into that sort of string. It's the only shaped poly I've really enjoyed using.
More testing again today.
After playing so well on Sunday with the Babolat Pure Drive Tour - I thought I'd give it another try,though today on a different hard court....this time the courts surface was old and very smooth - meaning it was playing lightning fast with the ball staying extra low.
Probably the worst set I've played of tennis in the last 5 years.
With the ball staying so low I found I needed to lift the ball much more and the Babolat PDT was having none of it.
The crazy stiff,hollow feel was magnified today.
In the second set I swapped to my PK Q Tour 325g - and played just way,way better!
To me the Babolat PDT works better on a higher bouncing ball like on a clay court or on a newly layed hard court where the surface will provide plenty of grip resulting in a higher bounce.
Going to keep the Babolat PDT in my bag as most of the tournament venues are played on slower,high bouncing hard courts.
On my club court - that has likely not been resurfaced in probably 20 years at best the Redondo MP and the PK Q Tour 325g seem to work best.
Yea, that was my problem with my experiment with a Yonex DR 100 and years before, with a VCore 100S. The launch angle made me play too moonballish.
The Yonex VCore Xi 98 is a 16x20 string pattern which is just open enough for easy topspin, but closed enough for me to control my flat shots... A good compromise. Right now, I have a leather grip on mine and about 6 grams of lead at 12. Strings are YY PTP.
Gonna experiment with a leather grip and lead on a Tour G 310, since they're so cheap now, and a Duel G 310 before I make a decision for the fall.
I think for me it is that line drive trajectory and undeniable improvement on the backhand side. When I added lead to the 98 it became a complete beast. I found I had a tendency against bigger hitters to rush my swing and swing too hard, probably just anticipating the kick off the bounce. That paid off a lot, but it was tiring and not really something I could sustain over a match without making errors. The XI98 is not that bulky so it takes all the extra lead just fine. As a result I can swing 3/4s almost the entire time now when I take high kickers off the ground, the racquet just plows through the ball.
This is probably the heaviest weight I have played at, yet it is starting to feel light. Usually after a few weeks of high SW I revert back, but so far this is not the case.
Hyper G
Querrey seems to like it still. Amazed that he's stringing the 18 gauge (I think) in such an open pattern in the new pure aero.
I thought Querrey plays with an AeroStorm with a Pure Aero paintjob?
I think you're right. Post #16 in this thread seems to confirm it: http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/querrey-strings.567413/He may have changed recently? Though pretty sure his stick at Wimbledon this year was a pure aero with the new open string pattern.
Hello PP,
How is xi98 coming along?.I have got one with Hyper G with lead at 12 and some in the handle but didn't like the first hit with these specs.(340sw,around 340 weight).I have just added some more lead at 12 and now its at 364sw ,352grms and 33.2cm balance.Hoping to hit once we get some break from rain.But racquet seems to swing okay even at 360 plus SW.
May be I need to try the Yonex Poly Tour Pro as it is more softer and more power compared to Hyper G but Hyper G might be good at high SW for control and spin.
have you tried the yonex poly tour spin? not sure if it's worth the extra price over vtorque, but very similar string. i really like it in the G310.Not sure if the Black Zone is for me. I think it is more for flat hitters as it has no launch to it like V-Torque. That is what I love about the Vtorque. Even though it's a bit uneven, it's just a really easy string to hit with until breakage.
RSLyon is next and then I'm probably done. I have never enjoyed trying out a lot of different strings.
PP; I recall at one point you were digging the Ai98. How would you compare that one to the Xi98? Obviously, the Ai is much more flexy than the Xi, and has a 16x19 pattern versus the 16x20 of the Xi; but beyond that, would be interested in your thoughts in terms of power, control, volleying, etc. I hit more of a semi-flat ball most times, though will hit a heavy topspin on occasion; but it's not my go-to shot. Understanding that strings, tension, and technique are critical, does either, in your opinion, lend itself to more driving, flattish shots than the other? Power on serves? All-courter, 4.5, tweak with lead here and there, but not big times (prefer 11.7 - 12 oz). Thanks.It's cool to see Xi98 users come out of the woodwork. IMO, a GOAT frame if you want something to add lead to. If not, there are better alternatives out there.
Awesome; thanks, man. Two more questions: TW dinged the Xi in the touch/feel category. I always take their ratings with a grain of salt, but have you noticed a huge difference between the Xi and Ai in this category? Maybe weighting it up increased the feel and touch somewhat on the Xi. And has the big difference in flex between the two been that noticeable to you? Sounds like the Xi may play "plusher" than the RA rating indicates.You could really go either way. I prefer the xi98, but they both hit very driving balls. The xi98 creates more spin, so if you hit flat, the ball drops in a little easier. With the AI98, I really had to wipe harder across the ball to get it to drop in. The ai has a 16x19 pattern, but it has 8 mains in the throat, so it's not as open in the middle as the xi98.
If you are not a lead tweaker, the ai98 is already weighted up, so you can pick up and play. I added some lead at 12 to mine when I had it.
They are both similar frames in that they have no weaknesses. You can volley easily with either. Serve goes to the Xi98 for me though. The Xi just hits a very big ball, but of course, you would need to lead it up.
I don't think the Xi lacks feel at all. I've hit both racquets with stiff full poly (Luxilon ALU) and the Ai is definitely the more muted and dead feeling of the two. The whole face of the racquet feels pretty much the same. Some of that is the flex difference but the beam and overall construction probably contributes to it.Awesome; thanks, man. Two more questions: TW dinged the Xi in the touch/feel category. I always take their ratings with a grain of salt, but have you noticed a huge difference between the Xi and Ai in this category? Maybe weighting it up increased the feel and touch somewhat on the Xi. And has the big difference in flex between the two been that noticeable to you? Sounds like the Xi may play "plusher" than the RA rating indicates.
cool. i like the stanman theme.I don't think the Xi lacks feel at all. I've hit both racquets with stiff full poly (Luxilon ALU) and the Ai is definitely the more muted and dead feeling of the two. The whole face of the racquet feels pretty much the same. Some of that is the flex difference but the beam and overall construction probably contributes to it.
Overall I vastly prefer the Xi after it gets lead to increase the plow. I've played with very different spec frames, from 285g unstrung to 350g unstrung and the weight does wonders for the overall amount of shock you feel on impact.
My Xi98s at unstrung specs 330g, 30.5cm, 295-8SW.
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Awesome; thanks, man. Two more questions: TW dinged the Xi in the touch/feel category. I always take their ratings with a grain of salt, but have you noticed a huge difference between the Xi and Ai in this category? Maybe weighting it up increased the feel and touch somewhat on the Xi. And has the big difference in flex between the two been that noticeable to you? Sounds like the Xi may play "plusher" than the RA rating indicates.
Not sure if the Black Zone is for me. I think it is more for flat hitters as it has no launch to it like V-Torque. That is what I love about the Vtorque. Even though it's a bit uneven, it's just a really easy string to hit with until breakage.
RSLyon is next and then I'm probably done. I have never enjoyed trying out a lot of different strings.
mikeler is somewhat of a personal hero bc he plays 4.5 tennis with a low SW 300 g rac with a wide-open patternBlasphemy! I don't like switching frames. Different strokes for different folks. Glad to see this thread revived because I still enjoy reading about other frames.
mikeler is somewhat of a personal hero bc he plays 4.5 tennis with a low SW 300 g rac with a wide-open pattern
mikeler is somewhat of a personal hero bc he plays 4.5 tennis with a low SW 300 g rac with a wide-open pattern
Yeah Hnefi nailed it. The XI does play plusher than it's rating or I would not really like it. The ai is soft, yet hollow feeling. It's an odd combo, but I liked it a lot. I just prefer the more direct feel of the xi. For it's current price, the XI is the best racquet on the market IMO. I mean, to get a frame that yonex sends it's lower ranked pros for under $100 a pop is a steal.
Yes, mine are heavily customized. Finest calfskin leather, silicone in the handle, replacement buttcaps with a little bit of extra flare added, and lead all around the hoop (mainly at 3/9). In this really depolarized setup the racquets are incredibly stable at impact and literally zero vibrations or adverse feel. Playing the stock Xi98 demo with whatever dead poly was in it, I remember there was some of that tinny and vibrating APD feel outside of the sweet spot, however my customization totally solved that. Possibly also could have been what @Power Player posted about the grommets "settling", although I've never thought too much about that myself.Thanks, you guys. Really good to know as feel, and a sense of "crisp plushness", is important to me. Have a demo on the way so look forward to trying it out. And, yes, price is tough to beat! Hnefi, is that a leather grip you slapped onto the Xi?
Yonex makes really unique racquets and I enjoy them. Another great Yonex frame to try if you can get your hands on one is the Vcore Tour 310 from a few years ago. A good friend of mine uses those stock, even though he is really knowledgeable about racquet tech, and they play very nicely. For the light weight and smaller SW, you can hit a big ball.Wait... you can play 4.5 tennis with a 300g racket???
All kidding aside, I'm very tempted by the discounted Yonex frames right now, mainly the Tour F and Tour G.
PP,Yeah Hnefi nailed it. The XI does play plusher than it's rating or I would not really like it. The ai is soft, yet hollow feeling. It's an odd combo, but I liked it a lot. I just prefer the more direct feel of the xi. For it's current price, the XI is the best racquet on the market IMO. I mean, to get a frame that yonex sends it's lower ranked pros for under $100 a pop is a steal.
PP,
I know you used to hit with the Rdis 200 (I actually bought a couple based on your reviews a few years back-great stick!)...how would you compare the XI to the RDIS? Thanks!
P.S.
Your 'Noles should be good this year. You think they'll take Clemson? Can't wait for tomorrow and Sunday...wall to wall great college football.