What racquets to replace Wilson ProStaff 6.1 Classic?

[KristianAberg]

Hi,
I am new to this forum so have patience I have just started to play tennis again after almost 10 years without holding a racquet, and it is just so much fun! I still have my old Wilson ProStaff Classic 6.1 (110sqi) and although I like those racquets I am curious about testing some new ones since I figure that there should have been some improvement in the racquet business since I played 10 years ago. Here is where I need your help!

I am 32 years old and I am an aggressive baseline player, hitting with alot of topspinn. I really like to hit my shots and feel the need to hit full strokes (or whatever that's called in English). I don't play vollyes alot. I don't feel that I need a racquet with a lot of power since I am hitting pretty hard, but rather I need something stable and something with control.

This other day I was playing with my boss who has a bunch of newer racquets and I tried out a couple of his. Let me tell know what I likes and disliked with them to get you a better view of what I am looking for:

Babolat Pure Drive Cortex.
This racquet I didn't like at all but I think it was because of the lousy stock strings (some 16 gauge nylons, with a way to loose tension). It had power but no control och felt very springy and lacked feeling.

Babolat Aero Drive pro Cortex (the Nadal racquet). This was strung with Babolat Hurricane Pro and this racquet was very nice The 98sqi head felt large enough for me, being used to 110. It felt pretty stable, but I can't really say that I perceived the sweetspot as big as I had assumed. It is lighter than my ProStaffs (the Babolat is 300grams or so and my ProStaffs are around 340) which makes it feel easy to handle so to speak. It has a lot of power and here is where I feel that this might not be my kind of racquet: I hit hard shots with heavy spin, but this racquet made me feel like I was losing control of the shots. The string tension was pretty hard so I don't think it was because of lower string tension. If stringing it harder I feel like I might get a smaller sweetspot which I don't really like. To sum it up: A really nice racquet but nothing that I fell would be better for me than my ProStaffs.

So, do you guys have any tips for me regarding some new racquets? I havn't tried the WIlson K6.1 so I might do that, but at the same time I fell that since I havn't played for such a long time I might get racquets that are too hard to play (not forgiving enough) if I choose a fram with 95sqi or less? What I want is a stable racquet with a good combination of control and power. I hit hard so I don't need too much power, but rather a very solid racquet with a solid feel when hitting it.
Thanks for a really nice forum by the way!
/Kristian
Sweden

[Oleg]

The only real advancements in the racquet business in the last 10 years have been in the marketing area...

From the frames I tested and played with in the last 10 years I can recommend the following for you to demo:

Wilson N Code 6.1 95 (both string patterns)
Head Radical Agassi LE
Babolat Pure Control
Prince Original Graphite OS
Wilson PS 6.0 96 (a little too head light but lots of control)
Wilson NBlade (probably will need customizing due to light static weight)
Donnay Pro One Int. (lots of control but could be demanding)
Gamma G325 (lots of feel and control, a little too head light)
Volkl C10 Pro


All the best.

[Yonex.]

wilson 6.0 95

[Seifersquall1]

If you want a more demanding racquet with more control, get a Wilson K Factor KSix-One Tour 90 Racquet

[GoochMoney]

I made the switch to the Kfactor 6.1 95 (16x1 after about 10 years off. Before leaving I played with the ProStaff Classic 6.1 (95) which feels pretty similar...with the following upgrades:

* easier to swing -- better weighting?
* more control -- better weighting?
* heavier serves -- better weighting?

I have hit with the K90 and other 90" heads...they do feel sweet but late in the sets I found myself framing more balls than I wanted to. Good Luck!

[KristianAberg]

Originally Posted by Seifersquall1

If you want a more demanding racquet with more control, get a Wilson K Factor KSix-One Tour 90 Racquet

Well, I don't really want a more demanding racquet if that means harder to hit, smaller sweetspot etc.

[KristianAberg]

Originally Posted by Oleg

The only real advancements in the racquet business in the last 10 years have been in the marketing area...

Well, that sounds pretty bad

What I was hoping for was to find a racquet with a really solid feel (stable, not flimsy), with decent "forgiveness" on misshits (I went from ProStaff Original 85 to the 6.1 Classic 110 to get more forgiveness basically), a racquet that has good control when hitting hard from the baseline with heavy topspinn but maybe I will just have to stick with the old Wilsons that I have

Thanks for the advice on racquets; I will try to test some out at my local dealer.

[kinsella]

The Babolat Pure Storm Tour is the replacement for the Control. Just under 12 oz. You won't need polyester to back off the power on this racuqet. Like your Pro Staff, the power comes from good mechanics and the weight of the racquet.

[gerikoh]

wilson k-factor 6.1 90/95

[KristianAberg]

Originally Posted by kinsella

The Babolat Pure Storm Tour is the replacement for the Control. Just under 12 oz. You won't need polyester to back off the power on this racuqet. Like your Pro Staff, the power comes from good mechanics and the weight of the racquet.

Thanks for the info Have you a/b tested the Pure Storm and the Aero Pro Drive or the Pure Drive? What would you describe as the differences, and how do they feel when playing in comparison?

[KristianAberg]

Originally Posted by GoochMoney

I made the switch to the Kfactor 6.1 95 (16x1 after about 10 years off. Before leaving I played with the ProStaff Classic 6.1 (95) which feels pretty similar...with the following upgrades:

* easier to swing -- better weighting?
* more control -- better weighting?
* heavier serves -- better weighting?

I have hit with the K90 and other 90" heads...they do feel sweet but late in the sets I found myself framing more balls than I wanted to. Good Luck!

That sounds interesting! Did you try out more racquets than the K6.1 and if so, how would you compare other racquets to that one?

[VGP]

KristianAberg - with everyone recommending the Kfactor 6.1 95, I don't think the other posters picked up on the fact that you're using the PS Classic 6.1 Oversize.

One of my hitting partners has this racket and recently got two more of them to add to his one.....but that's beside the point.

You should take time to demo other frames since you've been away for some time.

Perhaps the Babolats you mentioned might serve your purpose. You might find them hollow feeling though. Your racket is stiff(er) with a larger head, but probably more on the heavy side compared to the current trends in frames. Find one that feels right to you and lead up if you feel the need.

[KristianAberg]

Originally Posted by VGP

KristianAberg - with everyone recommending the Kfactor 6.1 95, I don't think the other posters picked up on the fact that you're using the PS Classic 6.1 Oversize.

One of my hitting partners has this racket and recently got two more of them to add to his one.....but that's beside the point.

You should take time to demo other frames since you've been away for some time.

Perhaps the Babolats you mentioned might serve your purpose. You might find them hollow feeling though. Your racket is stiff(er) with a larger head, but probably more on the heavy side compared to the current trends in frames. Find one that feels right to you and lead up if you feel the need.

Thanks for your input! I like my Oversize Classics when it come to forgiveness. The larger sqi means a bigger sweetspot which I feel is good, especially since I have been away from the game for 10 years. That's why I wonder if the K6.1 95 really is the racquet for me, but I will of course demo it.

I definetely perceived the AeroPro Drive as hollow which felt really weird in comparison to my Wilsons. Also, since I hit hard with heavy topspinn, I thought the Babolat had too much pop and that is not really what I need...maybe I could string them with higher tension but that would make the sweetspot smaller so I just don't know.

Is the Wilson ProStaff 6.0 Classic really stiffer than the Babolat AeroPro Drive? I really perceived it as the oposite, especially when hitting close to the fram on the Babolat, but maybe that is because I have worn out the stiffness in my Wilsons

[TheRed]

Originally Posted by Yonex.

wilson 6.0 95

I love how people give recommendations having nothing to do with what the poster is saying. The guy uses an oversize, says he hasn't played in awhile, and plays from the baseline and people recommend he use an old, headlight and heavy racquet with a small sweetspot.

These recommendations are probably the worst racquet he can try, given his preferences. I like the Prince graphite and any of head's OS radicals.

[VGP]

Originally Posted by KristianAberg

Thanks for your input! I like my Oversize Classics when it come to forgiveness. The larger sqi means a bigger sweetspot which I feel is good, especially since I have been away from the game for 10 years. That's why I wonder if the K6.1 95 really is the racquet for me, but I will of course demo it.

I definetely perceived the AeroPro Drive as hollow which felt really weird in comparison to my Wilsons. Also, since I hit hard with heavy topspinn, I thought the Babolat had too much pop and that is not really what I need...maybe I could string them with higher tension but that would make the sweetspot smaller so I just don't know.

Is the Wilson ProStaff 6.0 Classic really stiffer than the Babolat AeroPro Drive? I really perceived it as the oposite, especially when hitting close to the fram on the Babolat, but maybe that is because I have worn out the stiffness in my Wilsons

You're welcome.

When I said stiff(er) I just meant stiffer in a general, overall sense. Comparing the APD, you're right. That frame would feel stiffer than your PSC OS, especially since your older rackets were made "slightly" more flexible, have larger hoops, and have seen some use.

They really don't make rackets the way they used to (take that either as a positive or a negative).

When buying a new frame there will be some adjustments. Have fun trying out some demos.......and most of all, have fun getting back into the game!

[Oleg]

Originally Posted by KristianAberg

I like my Oversize Classics when it come to forgiveness. The larger sqi means a bigger sweetspot which I feel is good, especially since I have been away from the game for 10 years.

You should try these 2 frames before making any final decisions:

Head Radical Agassi LE
Prince Original Graphite OS

All the best.

[KFwinds]

Originally Posted by Oleg

You should try these 2 frames before making any final decisions:

Head Radical Agassi LE
Prince Original Graphite OS

All the best.

Those are both excellent suggestions, as well as the Donnay Pro One OS.