LM Radical MP substitute
 

Hello,

I'm a 22 year old player. I would say I'm 4.5-5 NTRP. I beat 4.5 players pretty comfortably and put good fights against 5 level players, but I tend to lose close matches.

I've been playing with a LM Radical MP for a long time, but I'm starting to struggle.

Love the control and feel of the Rad, but I'm coming back into competition and I'm a little bit frustrated. I play in Spanish clay and people usually play heavy topspin baseline tennis. I've also noticed that people here don't use what you call 'players' racquets, they stick with the typical PD, Aeropros and all that stuff, even players at 5.5 level

I feel like despite all the effort I put into being agressive, I end losing games and matches by slight margin and keep getting 'outpushed'

I'm looking for a more spin friendly racquet, and maybe more power. Something between 315 and 325-330 gr strung and not above 330-335 SW. Some options I've been looking at

- IG Speed (MP or Pro)
- IG Radical MP (they say it has more power)
- IG Radical Pro
- BLX Blade 98
- Yonex Vcore Xi 98

Opinions are welcome

The rackets you chose are the ones I would recommend demoing. The blade 98 and radical mp have similar power and spin IMO, which are fairly close to the power of a APD in my experience. At your level, you really can't go wrong with anything.

Add the Pacific X-Force Pro to the list. Great feel and control yet very spin friendly with the 16x20 pattern. Whatever you do, ignore the pencil-neck geeks that claim this racquet is under-powered until you demo it and find out for yourself.

IG rad pro but you will miss 1820 I think or try pure drive with thicker gauge

I'd go with the blade 98, the G speed pro,or the F3.0 tour, and consider the Exo tour 18x20, should you find the first ones too stiff.

Thanks for the replies.

To be honest, I've been playing with Rads for so long that I don't even remember the feel of an open pattern. I know that when I demoed the PD before my tennis break I didn't like it, but my game was a bit different.

Also, I mention in my first post that I like the feel and control of the LM, but I better make some points there. I like my groundies with it, specially when I can step into the court and flatten it out, but I don't really get the hang of it in volleys and touch shots. It's just the opposite of what I felt when I was playing with the YT Radical

Looking at the specs of the Blade 98, I think it will be pretty similar to the LM Rad. What about the Speed 18x20? Do the 2 additional in. help? How would you compare it to the Rad?

I've read that it is more powerful than the Rad, but TW ways the opposite

Again, thanks to all

I would call the IG Speed 18x20 a very low powered racquet, and I felt the same as the TW playtesters when I tried it. You need to swing fast to make your power with it.

Not sure if you have experimented with the weight, but I think if our racket is stock then yes you need to make changes. With the heavy balls you are getting our racket should probably have a higher swing weight the the stock radical. I would add weight, and decide if you like the balance or if I want to made it more evenly balanced vs. head light and gravitate to more weight on the extremes.

If you must get a new racket, try the radical pro and see if the open pattern helps, but even then you will want to add weight IMO

If you are looking for more power and spin rule out 2- (almost the same) 3- (less power and spin) 4- (very similar raquet to a LM RAD MP) 5- You might get a tad more spin. 1- has more power but not much, and more spin.

If you want to feel a real difference you should try a Babolat ADP you will get way more power and spin but control will be an issue for a while. Or maybe the new Blade 98 but 16x19, you still have control and more power and spin than the LM rad MP.

I respectfully recommend you get past the "player's frame" misnomer. Nadal, Tsonga and Roddick are all "players" that have previously used and/or currently use Babs that are very close to their retail counterparts.

Frankly, I think you should just get an APD. Get the French Open editions if you feel the need to be different. Last year's model can be spec'd up to being very comfortable, powerful and stable - while not sacrificing any of its other qualities.

As to the other racquets on your list, I have not tried either the Wilson or the Yonex. I had the opportunity to spend some time with a pro stock IG Speed Pro and it was rubbish.

The IG Radical is a very nice racquet. My fiancee recently got a couple, and it's feel/performance to me is reminiscent of the PT57. That being said, it's still going to play more similarly to your LMR than to the APD. It might feel slightly flexier and/or more powerful, but the lineage is clear and you'll still likely have the exact same issues (perhaps more so due to the flex). For my money, though, I'd pick the APD if I was a modern type of player focused on clay.

maybe the prestige s???
nice racquet to play a little bit underated because of their big brothers but really is a nice racquet take a look at least

I've already experimented with it, and I seem to like it with some weight at 2 and 10 and counterbalance in handle. The racquets are asking for retirement though, they are pretty worn out.

Maybe you're right, but every time I play with a Babolat I keep getting the feel of playing with a baseball bat. I guess it's something you get used to. Clay tennis nowadays isn't too much about feel and nice points anyways

And what about the Graphene Pro? TW review is almost unreal :/ 89 out of 100 on groundstrokes

I hear what you are saying. My feelings toward the APD have been hot and cold for that very reason; often finding myself preferring some of my older Head frames (particularly the PT280/630). That being said, you CAN alter the feel of the APD to the point where it is almost negligible and therefore vastly less significant compared to the other benefits it offers. Now, once properly weighted and modified (namely in terms of filling the handle), it's the first frame I reach for.

I might do this with my pro open... Does it get rid of vibration?

OP, as someone mentioned before, the pacific XForce or XForce pro may be to your liking. The XForce needs some lead though to be stable like a rad

If you like the Head feel then I sure as heck wouldn't try to force yourself to playing any Babolat other than the pure storm.

Dunlop and Donnay may have options for you but the Head IG's do have great feel and that's me coming from a PT57a/PT 630.

Hey, Maro, not to belabor the obvious but have you tried the IG or Ytk Radical Pros? Would you agree that the the IG Rad Pro's are pretty darn close - particularly for the price - to the PT57As? Also, if you've had the experience, are the Youteks even closer? Greatly appreciate your thoughts on this.

The youteks had a bit of a shrill feeling, the IG's are more solid skin to the I Prestige, I Radical line.

I like the IG line much better.

Thanks, Maro - and my recollection of the PT57As, am I crazy for thinking that?

That's one thing I really disliked about the YT. The frame felt very hollow and low powered. I prefer a stiffer feeling (not getting to the level of the babs tho). Does the IG feel more like the LM?

I think I don't want to stick to the Rad anyway, at least not the MP. There can be subtle changes, but the essence of the racquet is the same. I think I will demo

- IG Rad Pro (16x19)
- IG Speed MP (18x20)
- Graphene Speed Pro
- Blade 98 2013

And maybe I squeeze an APD and let's see what I get

The IG does have a plush feel yes a little similar to the pt57a.