@vsbabolat - thx for the note. yeah, I thought that I had to be missing something. Would you mind to elaborate where is the fault in my line of thinking?
I'm not involved with any tennis racket brand or manufacturing, so take it for what you think it is worth
1. apparently over time the graphite / resin matrix develops cracks, so the racket that you purchased (theoretically) in 1995, by now should have developed cracks and therefore softened, which means that it will be "flexier", or given all else being equal, it will generate less pace / spin when hitting the ball
2. lucky you if you purchased some rackets in 1995 and kept them "pristine". The thing is, I for example can't go to a store, be it brick & mortar or online like TTW and order that frame.
So, when a pro player gets that racket, freshly produced in 2020 or 2021 it is unavailable to the public, but it is available to the pro player.
Isn't this a "pro stock" frame?
3. leaving the hyperbole aside.
While today you might still find the Pure Drive in 2018 paint job, in 1 or 2 years down the line you'll probably not be able to find them anymore.
At the same time, a pro player will still have access to the PD 2018. Is it a "pro stock" now?
4. Now let's take the #3 and develop it a notch further.
A pro player plays with a PD 2018 painted like PD 2020/ 2021.
Say I have seen how this pro player plays, fell in love with the style and want to purchase that frame.
Where can I go today, and purchase that PD 2018 in a PD 2020/ 2021 paintjob?
this is where for me that PD 2018 painted like PD 2020/ 2021 is not available, but it is available for a pro player.
"Pro Stock"?
5. Let's take the #4 and develop it a bit.
Say this pro player plays another 10 years with the same PD 2018 painted like PD 2020/ 2021.
If today I could still buy a new PD 2018, in the PD 2018 paintjob, where can I buy a "pristine" PD 2018 10 years down the line?
and where can I buy the PD 2018 10 years down the line in the paintjob that will be used by this player 10 years down the line?