Novak Djokovic Lead Tape

[15-0]

Well former AUS pro Wayne Arthurs said that Djokovic had completly changed his setup (Weight, SW, Balance) to back to what he was using before could be incorrect but that what he said?

[Pioneer]

The specs we have from Greg Raven (360g, 32cm, 371 SW) suggest that most of the lead tape is added at 12 and in the handle so maybe he has actually completely changed his setup. The above specs are from 2009 so I'm guessing he changed his specs in 2009 along with his new racquet contract and now he's going back to what won him a grand slam title and a grand slam final

[LPShanet]

Originally Posted by Pioneer

The specs we have from Greg Raven (360g, 32cm, 371 SW) suggest that most of the lead tape is added at 12 and in the handle so maybe he has actually completely changed his setup. The above specs are from 2009 so I'm guessing he changed his specs in 2009 along with his new racquet contract and now he's going back to what won him a grand slam title and a grand slam final

How do you extrapolate lead placement at 12 and the handle from just three spec data points (especially without any idea what the starting specs are)?

[[d]ragon]

Originally Posted by LPShanet

How do you extrapolate lead placement at 12 and the handle from just three spec data points (especially without any idea what the starting specs are)?

Because the high swingweight can only come from adding a ton of lead at the 12 (lead at the 12 increases SW by the most). And then to achieve the 32 cm balance (approx. 8 points HL), most of the lead would have to be in the handle

Also, pictures of his "Speed Pro" from last year had no lead tap visible so the weight would have to be under the bumperguard and in the handle

[LPShanet]

Originally Posted by [d]ragon

Because the high swingweight can only come from adding a ton of lead at the 12 (lead at the 12 increases SW by the most). And then to achieve the 32 cm balance (approx. 8 points HL), most of the lead would have to be in the handle

Also, pictures of his "Speed Pro" from last year had no lead tap visible so the weight would have to be under the bumperguard and in the handle

What you say may be the case, but that's making a lot of assumptions that you can't necessarily make. Without knowing the specs of his starting frame (and whether or not he's using the same blank to start with) what you state is possible, but so are a large number of other possibilities. That high swingweight isn't so high that it couldn't also be achieved at 10 and 2 with a 32cm balance, depending on the specs of the blank started with. For example, my own frames were customized at one time to specs close to that (355g, 32cm balance, 365 sw) without any lead at 12...it was mostly and 3 and 9. Obviously, his lead last year (if it was in fact lead used for the weighting at that time) wasn't at 3 and 9, but could have been at 10 and 2, since the bumperguard did extend that far. And with his current pile of lead on the sides, there's no reason to think the overall specs have necessarily been completely revamped, although they may have. To make any real assumptions, you have to know more about the hairpin being used. Right now, all we know about it, as far as I know, is that it's a Radical mold, and that the layup seems to be very flexible.

[kimbahpnam]

Originally Posted by Djoker_69

wow. great pic, thats even longer than what i thought it was.

that's what she said

[PED]

Originally Posted by kimbahpnam

that's what she said

Well played

[Pioneer]

I reached this conclusion by trying to set up my racquet (which Djoker undoubtedly tested when he was with Wilson) to his specs. I did the calculations on a plane and don't have it anymore but if we assume AVERAGE specs for a pro stock Wilson would be 310g strung no overgrip, 305-ish SW and we know Djokovic's target specs and the fact that he uses L3 with leather and 2 overgrips and a dampener. So we slap 2 overgrips and a dampener on a gut/poly strung H19 and we get to about 322g. From there my guess is that djokovic adds silicone in the handle because most Head pros do. To get to a 371 SW he'd need to add almost 70 SW units, the easiest way being long strips at 12 which add APPROXIMATELY 3 units per gram and change the balance by 1mm (assuming the initial balance is 32cm). Let's assume he adds long strips at 12 with an overall weight of 20g, which would make his new specs 342g, 367-ish SW and 34cm balance, but here it's important to keep in mind that 2 full overgrips would bring the balance down by about 0.5cm, making the overall balance 33.5cm. Here Djoko would be concerned with counterbalancing so he'd slap about 20g (maybe more like 16-17g) in the handle. A gram in the buttcap would counterbalance a gram at 12 but since the 2 overgrips counterbalance 5 of the 20 grams at 12 o'clock he'd only need to add enough lead to the handle to counterbalance 15g. So if he adds about 16g with a center of mass an inch above the handle this would pretty much bring the balance back to 32cm. So now his specs would be ABOUT 358g, 367 SW and 32cm balance. If we account for a 2g dampener we'll be at 360, 370 SW and 32.1cm, which is pretty darn close to Djoko's target specs.



This is pure speculation so if anybody doesn't like don't go flaming at me like I popped by and said "Djokovic sets up his racquet THIS way"

Originally Posted by LPShanet

How do you extrapolate lead placement at 12 and the handle from just three spec data points (especially without any idea what the starting specs are)?

[PED]

Nice work Pioneer, the only correction I would add is that I think djo djo uses a 4 1/2 grip with 2 og's.

In the last month of changing the spec on my apd plus, I'm really surprised at how much of a difference it has made in using lead fishing weights tucked under the butt cap.

I used to use lead on the handle and to get the required amount, I would have to go a decent way up the handle. Having all the extra mass (15g in my case) right under the butt makes a huge difference in the way my stick swings. I've more under the bumper and you can really feel the "polarization" effect. I tried lead at 3/9 and it just didn't work for me but it seems to work for Novak

I was going to go the silicone route but this works so well i think I'll leave it be.

[Sinner]

[LPShanet]

Originally Posted by Pioneer

I reached this conclusion by trying to set up my racquet (which Djoker undoubtedly tested when he was with Wilson) to his specs. I did the calculations on a plane and don't have it anymore but if we assume AVERAGE specs for a pro stock Wilson would be 310g strung no overgrip, 305-ish SW and we know Djokovic's target specs and the fact that he uses L3 with leather and 2 overgrips and a dampener. So we slap 2 overgrips and a dampener on a gut/poly strung H19 and we get to about 322g. From there my guess is that djokovic adds silicone in the handle because most Head pros do. To get to a 371 SW he'd need to add almost 70 SW units, the easiest way being long strips at 12 which add APPROXIMATELY 3 units per gram and change the balance by 1mm (assuming the initial balance is 32cm). Let's assume he adds long strips at 12 with an overall weight of 20g, which would make his new specs 342g, 367-ish SW and 34cm balance, but here it's important to keep in mind that 2 full overgrips would bring the balance down by about 0.5cm, making the overall balance 33.5cm. Here Djoko would be concerned with counterbalancing so he'd slap about 20g (maybe more like 16-17g) in the handle. A gram in the buttcap would counterbalance a gram at 12 but since the 2 overgrips counterbalance 5 of the 20 grams at 12 o'clock he'd only need to add enough lead to the handle to counterbalance 15g. So if he adds about 16g with a center of mass an inch above the handle this would pretty much bring the balance back to 32cm. So now his specs would be ABOUT 358g, 367 SW and 32cm balance. If we account for a 2g dampener we'll be at 360, 370 SW and 32.1cm, which is pretty darn close to Djoko's target specs.



This is pure speculation so if anybody doesn't like don't go flaming at me like I popped by and said "Djokovic sets up his racquet THIS way"

Interesting and definitely possible. Has Ron or anyone from P1 ever weighed in on this? (no pun intended)

N.B.: Some of your numbers don't seem quite right, though, to my eyes. If we add 2 overgrips, a dampener and a hybrid string job to a 310g racquet, it will add much more than 12g to it. The strings along will be in the 15-20g range. Also, if the frame were 305 SW before strings, then it would have a notably higher SW after stringing, so you wouldn't need to add 70 sw points...more like 45-50 max. So many other options still seem possible.

[Pioneer]

What I meant is that it's 310g/305SW strung with gut/poly. Then add 2 Wilson Pros or whatever Djoker uses and this adds 10g, and a dampener +2g

Originally Posted by LPShanet

Interesting and definitely possible. Has Ron or anyone from P1 ever weighed in on this? (no pun intended)

N.B.: Some of your numbers don't seem quite right, though, to my eyes. If we add 2 overgrips, a dampener and a hybrid string job to a 310g racquet, it will add much more than 12g to it. The strings along will be in the 15-20g range. Also, if the frame were 305 SW before strings, then it would have a notably higher SW after stringing, so you wouldn't need to add 70 sw points...more like 45-50 max. So many other options still seem possible.

[LPShanet]

Originally Posted by Pioneer

What I meant is that it's 310g/305SW strung with gut/poly. Then add 2 Wilson Pros or whatever Djoker uses and this adds 10g, and a dampener +2g

Ah, gotcha. That makes more sense. My misunderstanding.

[Ross K]

Originally Posted by Pioneer

I reached this conclusion by trying to set up my racquet (which Djoker undoubtedly tested when he was with Wilson) to his specs. I did the calculations on a plane and don't have it anymore but if we assume AVERAGE specs for a pro stock Wilson would be 310g strung no overgrip, 305-ish SW and we know Djokovic's target specs and the fact that he uses L3 with leather and 2 overgrips and a dampener. So we slap 2 overgrips and a dampener on a gut/poly strung H19 and we get to about 322g. From there my guess is that djokovic adds silicone in the handle because most Head pros do. To get to a 371 SW he'd need to add almost 70 SW units, the easiest way being long strips at 12 which add APPROXIMATELY 3 units per gram and change the balance by 1mm (assuming the initial balance is 32cm). Let's assume he adds long strips at 12 with an overall weight of 20g, which would make his new specs 342g, 367-ish SW and 34cm balance, but here it's important to keep in mind that 2 full overgrips would bring the balance down by about 0.5cm, making the overall balance 33.5cm. Here Djoko would be concerned with counterbalancing so he'd slap about 20g (maybe more like 16-17g) in the handle. A gram in the buttcap would counterbalance a gram at 12 but since the 2 overgrips counterbalance 5 of the 20 grams at 12 o'clock he'd only need to add enough lead to the handle to counterbalance 15g. So if he adds about 16g with a center of mass an inch above the handle this would pretty much bring the balance back to 32cm. So now his specs would be ABOUT 358g, 367 SW and 32cm balance. If we account for a 2g dampener we'll be at 360, 370 SW and 32.1cm, which is pretty darn close to Djoko's target specs.



This is pure speculation so if anybody doesn't like don't go flaming at me like I popped by and said "Djokovic sets up his racquet THIS way"

Wow, great work there Pioneer!... fascinating stuff... 'respect' to you frame modification gurus!

[reesespiecestennis]

Does anyone know that new specs of djokovic's racquet?

Looks like he changed from a polarized setup, back to a depolarized. Do you think he still keeps lead underneath the bumperguard?

[Chris Rizutto]

Thanks for the photos. That is some strange lead placement.