Pete Sampras playing with a wood tennis racquet??!!

hyperwarrior · 11-21-2009, 12:01 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0_YyhKV0ig

Interesting...I'm wondering how well he'll do against the legend of the 70's playing like that.

David L · 11-21-2009, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hyperwarrior

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0_YyhKV0ig

Interesting...I'm wondering how well he'll do against the legend of the 70's playing like that.

I'm sure he'd still be a better player than all of them, even if there had been no developments in racket technology.

joe sch · 11-21-2009, 05:22 AM

Should be "Pete Sampras serving with a wood racket"

Good to see him hitting that same all time great serve with a woody. Im sure he could still hold most of his services. Too bad they did not show him hitting any groundies. Guess his serve was still so powerful with that woody that he did not even need to volley away any returns

Nice clips but a tease ... I want to see more. Whats the story ? Why was he serving with a woody ? Did he play any return games ?

BTW, if there was a woody tournament tomorrow, Id seed Pete #1, Roger #2, and Johnny Mac #3. The answer to the posters question on how Pete would play against the greats of the 70s with wood is pretty much the same as with his ps60, he would dominate. It would be great to see him play Laver. Im sure it would be a SV duel.

borg number one · 11-21-2009, 05:45 AM

Laver and Borg have already proven what THEY can do with a wood racket. Sampras and Federer have not though.

In the same way, Sampras and Federer have displayed skill with modern frames, but now envision Laver and Borg growing up hitting with new frames from a young age AND playing in their primes with them.

I think that mental exercise is quite illustrative.

leonidas1982 · 11-21-2009, 05:46 AM

I still find it odd that not a single clip of the Sampras - Agassi exhibition has been posted on youtube.

SourStraws · 11-21-2009, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe sch

Whats the story ? Why was he serving with a woody ? Did he play any return games ?

He was complaining about his racquet or something when a guy in the crowd said "Why dont you use mine?"...So Pete went up to him and said "Nah I got a better one" and pulled out the wood frame to play with. He played the game and held but then he switched back to his regular racquet for the rest of the match

S.S.

pshulam · 11-21-2009, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hyperwarrior

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0_YyhKV0ig

Interesting...I'm wondering how well he'll do against the legend of the 70's playing like that.

Thank you for sharing. It appears that he can really serve well with that racket .. amazing.

urban · 11-21-2009, 06:40 AM

It seems that he is serving a lot of doubles. I would assume, that he has to heavily reduce the pace of his second serve with wood, to stay in court. Also it shows on the second point, i think, that the forehand volley is a difficult stroke with wood. Sampras pops one simply into the net. With wood you have to guide your volley properly, play it with underspin, to get length. On the volley, the small wood rackets are much more unforgiving that the bigger graphite rackets. If you simply holds it in the way of the incoming ball, it will lifeless plop into the net.

helloworld · 11-21-2009, 08:05 AM

People don't realize how much heavier the ball today is compared to the 80s or 70s.

matchmaker · 11-21-2009, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by helloworld

People don't realize how much heavier the ball today is compared to the 80s or 70s.

Any factual proof on that?

quest01 · 11-21-2009, 08:09 AM

Thats funny that Sampras is playing with a wooden tennis racquet. If you think about the wooden racquet he's using is very similar to what he used during his playing days, the PS85. Both racquets have very similar characteristics.

bolo · 11-21-2009, 08:16 AM

thanks for the clip. An interesting experiment playing with wood against a modern racquet. Fun to watch.

bolo · 11-21-2009, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leonidas1982

I still find it odd that not a single clip of the Sampras - Agassi exhibition has been posted on youtube.

yes, those guys are powerful. I haven't searched hard but it would be interesting to know how powerful.

leonidas1982 · 11-21-2009, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bolo

yes, those guys are powerful. I haven't searched hard but it would be interesting to know how powerful.

I guess the "you" in youtube is no longer relevant -- not even a dodgy clip from a mobile phone has made it online.

joe sch · 11-21-2009, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SourStraws

He was complaining about his racquet or something when a guy in the crowd said "Why dont you use mine?"...So Pete went up to him and said "Nah I got a better one" and pulled out the wood frame to play with. He played the game and held but then he switched back to his regular racquet for the rest of the match

S.S.

Thats awesome and just proves how great the Sampras serve is. Pete did growup playing some woody tennis which some posters do not seem to realize. I dont think Federer played much wood but with his strokes, he would probaby not have much trouble getting use to a classic

joe sch · 11-21-2009, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by helloworld

People don't realize how much heavier the ball today is compared to the 80s or 70s.

Yes, todays game is about hitting extreme topspin and taking hugh low to high swings. The balls maybe "heavier" but bounce higher so that returners have more of a chance to run down and take another hugh return. Modern tennis is baseline blasting "heavy balls" with lighter stiffer rackets and poly string. I think Nadal was the most extreme and now the game is returning to flatter winners and more agressive allcourt play. Atleast on the hard courts.

bolo · 11-21-2009, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leonidas1982

I guess the "you" in youtube is no longer relevant -- not even a dodgy clip from a mobile phone has made it online.

lol.

At least the doubles clip with harrison and the indian kid made it on there.

thor's hammer · 11-22-2009, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leonidas1982

I still find it odd that not a single clip of the Sampras - Agassi exhibition has been posted on youtube.

I've been able to find a few. Here are a couple...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHRWQIz4tXs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-Oqf2pdqXU

Would be nice if Tennis Channel would show this exo sometime between London Year End and Aussie Open.

hoodjem · 11-22-2009, 06:26 AM

Looks like a Wilson Kramer Pro Staff 66 sq. in. I had one for years before switching to the PS 85 6.0 in the 80s.

They don't play all that dissimilar in terms of flex and feel, but the PS 85 does allow a lot more power and a lot less vibration.

And a lot better serving: watch how many service faults Sampras has.

borg number one · 11-22-2009, 06:35 AM

Thanks for the links Thor's Hammer. That court/facility looks very sharp and Sampras/Agassi look as if they are still hitting some very clean shots.

Hoodjem, that's excellent analysis of the differences in frames as you're speaking from PERSONAL experience.

11-21-2009, 05:45 AM	#4
borg number one Legend Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,043	Laver and Borg have already proven what THEY can do with a wood racket. Sampras and Federer have not though. In the same way, Sampras and Federer have displayed skill with modern frames, but now envision Laver and Borg growing up hitting with new frames from a young age AND playing in their primes with them. I think that mental exercise is quite illustrative. __________________ Borg never pointed to himself. He never even seemed to care if anyone read the advertisements. — Tom Callahan

11-22-2009, 06:26 AM	#19
hoodjem Legend Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Bierlandt Posts: 9,960	Looks like a Wilson Kramer Pro Staff 66 sq. in. I had one for years before switching to the PS 85 6.0 in the 80s. They don't play all that dissimilar in terms of flex and feel, but the PS 85 does allow a lot more power and a lot less vibration. And a lot better serving: watch how many service faults Sampras has. __________________ The smart man thinks he knows a lot; the wise man is aware that he knows little. Last edited by hoodjem : 11-22-2009 at 06:43 AM.

11-22-2009, 06:35 AM	#20
borg number one Legend Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,043	Thanks for the links Thor's Hammer. That court/facility looks very sharp and Sampras/Agassi look as if they are still hitting some very clean shots. Hoodjem, that's excellent analysis of the differences in frames as you're speaking from PERSONAL experience. __________________ Borg never pointed to himself. He never even seemed to care if anyone read the advertisements. — Tom Callahan

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode