the Wilson Ultra 2

[plasma]

[Bud]

Originally Posted by plasma

Very nice collection!

I have one of the originals with the metal PWS plates riveted to 3/9 o'clock (2nd from the left). It appears you have all 3 iterations.

Are these yours?

[joe sch]

The Ultra 2's are soo powerful, the ultra pws original is really the best stick for a player with classic tennis strokes. Check out the diffs between the 3 diff versions of the Ultra rackets. There were some other ultra models, but these are the 3 main variants:

http://www.woodtennis.com/sampras/ultra3racs.jpg
http://www.woodtennis.com/sampras/ultraThroats.jpg
http://www.woodtennis.com/sampras/ultraSides.jpg

[plasma]

yes, I remember watching Aaron Krickstein as a kid ballistically jump balls over opponents heads with the Ultra 2 standard!!!...one standard is unused, I hit with the other one in the rain today I love it so much! Wish I could find a st. vincent mid and the rare Ultra 2 mid with the ugly wide throat piece. Ulta 2 Mid was once top of the line (above the PS 85!). It has much more power than a prostaff with less trampoline. I found the St. Vincent PS amazing but felt tension and shock in my arm and body after playing. No such experience with the Ultra 2 mid as they are much stronger and absorb shock and dampen vibration much better... also better feel, control and dwell time in my opinoin ( I have played bumperless and bumpered sv at all tensions known to mankind, chinas, taiwans, everything but the Chicago)....like ps 85's the U2 mids can be used effectively in a modern game...unlike the ps 85 they can also hammer a nail into a wall!

[schu47]

Hey, plasma, is that my old Ultra 2 Standard you're taking out in the rain to hit? Don't get it wet! Watch out, or I'll take out that Secret 04 you sent me and play with it in the snow.

Just kidding. Glad you're enjoying it.

But I think you should use an old Yamaha YFG 30 and not the Ultra to hammer your nails.

[Kirko]

Originally Posted by plasma

yes, I remember watching Aaron Krickstein as a kid ballistically jump balls over opponents heads with the Ultra 2 standard!!!...one standard is unused, I hit with the other one in the rain today I love it so much! Wish I could find a st. vincent mid and the rare Ultra 2 mid with the ugly wide throat piece. Ulta 2 Mid was once top of the line (above the PS 85!). It has much more power than a prostaff with less trampoline. I found the St. Vincent PS amazing but felt tension and shock in my arm and body after playing. No such experience with the Ultra 2 mid as they are much stronger and absorb shock and dampen vibration much better... also better feel, control and dwell time in my opinoin ( I have played bumperless and bumpered sv at all tensions known to mankind, chinas, taiwans, everything but the Chicago)....like ps 85's the U2 mids can be used effectively in a modern game...unlike the ps 85 they can also hammer a nail into a wall!

the ultra II what a fantastic frame !!!! David Pate used it also.

[plasma]

Yes and also Hana Mandlinkova, form the 80's czech tennis revolution, ( not at liberty to discuss or reply to these accounts, pls don't ask): I know for an actual fact that they beat the crap out of their players so bad, intimidating them and slapping and beating them violently after loosing matches...no wonder they were so good!

talk about "made to win" sorry bad pun

[Kirko]

Originally Posted by plasma

Yes and also Hana Mandlinkova, form the 80's czech tennis revolution, ( not at liberty to discuss or reply to these accounts, pls don't ask): I know for an actual fact that they beat the crap out of their players so bad, intimidating them and slapping and beating them violently after loosing matches...no wonder they were so good!

talk about "made to win" sorry bad pun

that was a terrific frame !!!! Ken Rosewall used it also for a long time actually saw him play Mal Anderson in a seniors event ; Anderson used the Dunlop 200G.

[plasma]

what other later frames did Rosewall use?

[Kirko]

Originally Posted by plasma

what other later frames did Rosewall use?

he actually used the 1st generation ultra so did Pancho Gonzales. before the ultra he used a slazenger frame like the blue & white one Virginia has, but with black & white photographs of rosewall & margaret court on bthe sides of the shaft. has to be the nicest looking wood racket I ever saw. the pro where I lived in reno,nv used it also. it was made in australia. rosewall used the ultra standard then the ultra II for a very long time. rosewall also used a seamco racket which I heard played very well, but looked cheap kinda like the wislon world class he used for a while. I hade to get an ultra II when I saw him play Anderson. how clean he hit the ball like the sweetspot was the size of an ocean ; just a greasy small black "dot" in the center of the stringbed.

[plasma]

I miss those greasy dots, maybe a product of gut strings...???

[AndrewD]

Originally Posted by joe sch

The Ultra 2's are soo powerful, the ultra pws original is really the best stick for a player with classic tennis strokes.

I couldn't agree more. In my opinion it is the best racquet Wilson ever made and light years ahead of the PS 6.0 and PS 6.1

First time I saw an Ultra 'in the flesh' it was in the hands of a young American player who was part of US team that came out to Australia and competed in a number of McDonald's sponsored junior events. He had the Ultra, his partner had the POG OS and there I was, still swinging my Stellar Centre Court wood.

The kid with the Ultra - Ty Tucker: current coach of the Division 1 Ohio State Buckeyes men's tennis team
The kid with the POG OS - Andre Agassi: he did okay for himself as well.

[Kirko]

just thinking the ultra II had to be the best graphite racket I ever used ! what comes close for me now is the K-88 sampras racket, done along the lines of the ultra II "stout & powerful" for its headsize.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by Kirko

just thinking the ultra II had to be the best graphite racket I ever used ! what comes close for me now is the K-88 sampras racket, done along the lines of the ultra II "stout & powerful" for its headsize.

Thanks for this little tidbit.

I was wondering how the Ultra 2 compared to the current KPS88... as far as solidity and feel.

[plasma]

kudos to wilson for keeping the graphics old school, the 88 is undoubtedly a cosmetic tribute to the ultra 2 mid...

[Bud]

Originally Posted by plasma

I miss those greasy dots, maybe a product of gut strings...???

Gut strings, dampness and wear over time. I notice when I play on a damp court (from fog)... the ball picks up a ton of court dirt and transfers it to my gut strings.

[Colpo]

Originally Posted by plasma

yes, I remember watching Aaron Krickstein as a kid ballistically jump balls over opponents heads with the Ultra 2 standard!!!...one standard is unused, I hit with the other one in the rain today I love it so much! Wish I could find a st. vincent mid and the rare Ultra 2 mid with the ugly wide throat piece. Ulta 2 Mid was once top of the line (above the PS 85!). It has much more power than a prostaff with less trampoline. I found the St. Vincent PS amazing but felt tension and shock in my arm and body after playing. No such experience with the Ultra 2 mid as they are much stronger and absorb shock and dampen vibration much better... also better feel, control and dwell time in my opinoin ( I have played bumperless and bumpered sv at all tensions known to mankind, chinas, taiwans, everything but the Chicago)....like ps 85's the U2 mids can be used effectively in a modern game...unlike the ps 85 they can also hammer a nail into a wall!

Terrific quiver, plasma. I was a big, big Ultra 2 head back in the old days. The mid was the flagship, Wilson rolling it out to both Tennis and World Tennis magazines for their reviews. Both reviews gushed over the power and stiffness - the power assessment has probably changed relative to today's frames, but you won't find a stiffer bat. Definitely not a topspinner's frame IMO because not whippy or torquey, but great for baseline slapping, volleys, and serves. 4.5 or better, please!

Note that the ugly wide throatpiece model was not the mid but the 1st gen. largehead. The mid always looked the same, except for Wilson dropping the plastic throat collar in the late 1980s. The largehead became a one-piece with yellow accenting first, then a one-piece with the same orange accenting of the mid.

My favorite was the standard. Lots of bells and whistles for a 70 sq. inch frame! The Krickstein frame!

[Kirko]

I keep remembering guys who played it. Jim Pugh he later moved to the wilson profile mid.

[tandayu]

Originally Posted by Kirko

I keep remembering guys who played it. Jim Pugh he later moved to the wilson profile mid.

Claudia Kohde Kichle (german), Manuela Maleeva, plus as mentioned above Krickstein, Pate, Mandlikova.

Kathy JOrdan, Annabel Croft, Gigi Fernandez, Zina Garrison

[Kirko]

Originally Posted by tandayu

Claudia Kohde Kichle (german), Manuela Maleeva, plus as mentioned above Krickstein, Pate, Mandlikova.

she sure did !!!!!!!!!! you have good memory !