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.