Played a set with the T3000

[michael_1265]

I found a decent user T3000 at the Goodwill, and I decided to give it a try.

Me: Lower-end 3.5, all-court game. My "regular" stick is the Microgel Extreme Pro.

Opponent: Middle of the road 3.0 baseliner.

For the record, it's typically 6-0, 6-1 with us.

The racquet: Feels heavy. It has a leather grip that is two sizes too small for me, so that is a factor. Strings may be old, but they're not terrible.

The serve: Can't hit it really spinny, but it is easy to drop a nice flat one in. Very controllable, but not quite the "pop" that I am used to.

Volleys: Very nice, with pinpoint control and less penetration than I am accustomed to

Groundstrokes: A mixed bag. When I commit and step in, it is as good or better than my regular racquet. My 2HBH is fantastic with this stick! When I am on the run or can't set up, though, the T3000 falls flat. You have to commit to generating power with this thing, or you get nothing, unlike my Microgel, which does not penalize laziness.

Result: I lost 6-4. With a correct size grip, new strings, and a bit more time to get acclimated, I think my performance would be a lot better.

An experience like this makes me realize that the bulk of technology improvements in the last 40 years have provided benefit to those who don't hit the ball firmly. For me, at 6'4" and 240, it is less of an issue, and sometimes even a benefit.

Oh, and my arm hurts now.

[max]

I think your comment about skill is right: if you've played the game long enough, you can hit the ball at the sweetspot.

[coachrick]

The arm pain is likely 50% grip size/50% racket .
The game is so different when using a small, heavy, less stable racket like the T3 as compared to the lightweight rocket launchers of the past 20 years. I don't think 'newer' players(regardless of age) can grasp this unless they do what you did....take an oldie out for a run. The game required so much more just to propel the ball the length of the court; now, as my brother used to say..."If you can touch the ball, you should be able to get it back". This certainly was NOT the case with wood or practically any 'conventional'-sized racket. If you don't hit darned near the center of a T3000(for example), the racket will twist, the elbow will suffer and the ball will flutter like a wounded bird. It really is/was a different game with the equipment available prior to the late '70s.

[michael_1265]

Originally Posted by coachrick

The arm pain is likely 50% grip size/50% racket .
The game is so different when using a small, heavy, less stable racket like the T3 as compared to the lightweight rocket launchers of the past 20 years. I don't think 'newer' players(regardless of age) can grasp this unless they do what you did....take an oldie out for a run. The game required so much more just to propel the ball the length of the court; now, as my brother used to say..."If you can touch the ball, you should be able to get it back". This certainly was NOT the case with wood or practically any 'conventional'-sized racket. If you don't hit darned near the center of a T3000(for example), the racket will twist, the elbow will suffer and the ball will flutter like a wounded bird. It really is/was a different game with the equipment available prior to the late '70s.

Given the more limited nature of the doubles game, I think I could play a set of doubles with less of a racquet disparity than singles. I may give it a try this week.

[mctennis]

I hated this racquet even when it was new. It never appealed to me and I thought there were a lot better racquet choices even back then. I hope your arm is better.

[magnut]

I always played pretty well with the T2000 type frames. The only thing I really found anoying was the creecking handles. Other than that they played all right. You really need to let the hips and racket do the work with the T series racquets.

[Mick]

a few years back i got two brand new t3000 from the auction site. i brought them to the tennis shop and nobody there knew how to string them. they had to find some old timer to do the job

I took one of them to the tennis courts and a woman there asked me why i was using a badminton racquet to play tennis

[michael_1265]

Originally Posted by mctennis

I hated this racquet even when it was new. It never appealed to me and I thought there were a lot better racquet choices even back then. I hope your arm is better.

Yeah, my arm got better quickly. I kind of like the T series now. In their heyday, I thought they were ugly. Now they're kind of ugly industrial retro.

[michael_1265]

Originally Posted by Mick

a few years back i got two brand new t3000 from the auction site. i brought them to the tennis shop and nobody there knew how to string them. they had to find some old timer to do the job

I took one of them to the tennis courts and a woman there asked me why i was using a badminton racquet to play tennis

Somebody said that to me also. The 60-something sq inch head is just miniscule.

[jimanuel12]

Originally Posted by Mick

a few years back i got two brand new t3000 from the auction site. i brought them to the tennis shop and nobody there knew how to string them. they had to find some old timer to do the job

I took one of them to the tennis courts and a woman there asked me why i was using a badminton racquet to play tennis

you are not going to believe this:
i took my niece out a few weeks ago to hit some balls around.
the weather was finally decent and warm and we had a good time.
she is 16 now and getting better all the time - i know it is just a matter of time before she beats me - but not yet.
anyway - we were at the park and there are 6 courts there - they keep them in good shape.
i looked over at the court behind us and my niece asked me "are they using badminton rackets?".
i looked and sure enough - they were using badminton rackets - not the wilson T-2000 but real badminton rackets.
blew me away. but i guess they did not know any better.

[jimanuel12]

Originally Posted by mctennis

I hated this racquet even when it was new. It never appealed to me and I thought there were a lot better racquet choices even back then. I hope your arm is better.

you and me both. i had 3 of those things and i could not hit a bull in the butt with them. the sweet spot is so small but when you hit it right - man they were powerful for their day.

[magnut]

Originally Posted by jimanuel12

you are not going to believe this:
i took my niece out a few weeks ago to hit some balls around.
the weather was finally decent and warm and we had a good time.
she is 16 now and getting better all the time - i know it is just a matter of time before she beats me - but not yet.
anyway - we were at the park and there are 6 courts there - they keep them in good shape.
i looked over at the court behind us and my niece asked me "are they using badminton rackets?".
i looked and sure enough - they were using badminton rackets - not the wilson T-2000 but real badminton rackets.
blew me away. but i guess they did not know any better.

My elbow started hurting just from reading this.

Ouch.

[jimanuel12]

Originally Posted by magnut

My elbow started hurting just from reading this.

Ouch.

i know - i could not believe they did not break their badminton rackets. they must have had the tough ones.
they were not exactly 4.0 players either.

[Mick]

here is the picture of the t-3000s that i got. when i got them, they came in a box with dust from the 1970s. it appeared no one had touched them since then (look at the grip handles)

[MAX PLY]

^THAT is a nice find. Thanks for sharing.

[Frankc]

Coachrick,
Excellent post - well captured. The game has changed so much (better or worse, anyone's opinion is valid) with the rocket launchers of recent years... no doubt...

[LeeD]

Thought 3000 series had a bridge.
2000 didn't, was softer.
They hit great with short direct slower precise strokes.
For anything else, it's mishit city.
I thought they were too soft to serve fast...2000's. 3's came out the following year.

[Mick]

i took the t-3000 to the courts today and got destroyed 1-6
Honestly, that guy was a level better than me and would have beaten me regardless of whatever racquet i play with.

[LeeD]

Do you have precise short flat strokes?
Did you mishit a million second serves?
Did you forehands fly long constantly?

[Mick]

i played like john mcenroe trying to imitate chris evert
so very flat strokes. i lost because the other guy would hit deep balls to my backhand and then came in to knock off the volleys. i don't have a solution for that. he's a far better player than i am.