Cahill says Ljubicic is losing because of racquet switch

[Nellie]

I don't know if you heard this on the AO broadcast, but according to Darren Cahill, Ljubicic screwed himself by switching racquets (from Babolat Pure Drive to Head Extreme) after his most successful year. Supposedly, Ljubicic switched in exchange for a boatload of cash and a promise of a position after tennis, and his game has really suffered since the switch.

According to Cahill, no one in the top ten has switched in the last 3 years or more because you would never change given success.

[Duzza]

Obviously money was more important to Ljubicic. Sad, I know.

[Fedace]

Originally Posted by Nellie

I don't know if you heard this on the AO broadcast, but according to Darren Cahill, Ljubicic screwed himself by switching racquets (from Babolat Pure Drive to Head Extreme) after his most successful year. Supposedly, Ljubicic switched in exchange for a boatload of cash and a promise of a position after tennis, and his game has really suffered since the switch.

According to Cahill, no one in the top ten has switched in the last 3 years or more because you would never change given success.

Wait a minute here. I was told OVER and over in this forum that Ivan is using the paintjob and is still using the babolat NOT head extreme pro which i personally thought was a crappy racket myself.

[samster]

Originally Posted by Nellie

I don't know if you heard this on the AO broadcast, but according to Darren Cahill, Ljubicic screwed himself by switching racquets (from Babolat Pure Drive to Head Extreme) after his most successful year. Supposedly, Ljubicic switched in exchange for a boatload of cash and a promise of a position after tennis, and his game has really suffered since the switch.

According to Cahill, no one in the top ten has switched in the last 3 years or more because you would never change given success.

He can easily use a Head PJ of the Babolat Pure Drive to continue his success. Wait, is he not doing that already?

[BreakPoint]

Originally Posted by Nellie

I don't know if you heard this on the AO broadcast, but according to Darren Cahill, Ljubicic screwed himself by switching racquets (from Babolat Pure Drive to Head Extreme) after his most successful year. Supposedly, Ljubicic switched in exchange for a boatload of cash and a promise of a position after tennis, and his game has really suffered since the switch.

According to Cahill, no one in the top ten has switched in the last 3 years or more because you would never change given success.

Yes, I heard Cahill say this also.

Gives you a good idea of how many paintjobs are out there when the racquet manufacturers keep coming out with new racquets every year and the pros "appear" to switch racquets everytime a new model comes out.

[MEAC_ALLAMERICAN]

I completely agree with this, and have mentioned in some of my posts since I saw him crash out at the French Open last year. Money talks...

[darrinbaker00]

Tennis players are notorious creatures of habit, but they are even more notorious mercenaries. Take Andre Agassi, for instance. He had been with Nike for 20 years, but when they refused to meet his demands (a donation to his charitable foundation in addition to his salary), he switched to Adidas. Bjorn Borg had two simultaneous racquet deals when he played (Donnay and Bancroft, depending on what continent he was on at the time). There are exceptions, of course, but for the most part, the professional tennis player's main loyalty is to the almighty (insert currency here).

[tzinc]

So... I guess not every pro has a Paint Job.

Someone should tell this guy you don't really have to switch just get some paint. LOL!

[ionutzakis]

When I said last year that he made the worst possible choice by switching from the PD+ because he used all the power from it to serve aces and powerful second serves every one said I was crazy, because he doesn't need power. "He doesn't need power, he needs control", yeah right

[officerdibble]

Perhaps Roddick really does have the Cortex version of the PD - would that explain his poor performance at the AO?

[ThunderServe]

Roddick didn't perform badly, infact he played relativly well...Kolschriber just played unbelievable!!!

[Fedace]

Originally Posted by BreakPoint

Yes, I heard Cahill say this also.

Gives you a good idea of how many paintjobs are out there when the racquet manufacturers keep coming out with new racquets every year and the pros "appear" to switch racquets everytime a new model comes out.

OK so Did Cahill Call up the president of Head and ask him, Is Lubicic actually using your new extreme pro or just a Paint job ???

[ionutzakis]

He is playing badly because he does not play with PD+, clear as the sky.

Give him the pd+ and he'll win a GS, he was on the way on doing so last year

[martin]

Originally Posted by Fedace

OK so Did Cahill Call up the president of Head and ask him, Is Lubicic actually using your new extreme pro or just a Paint job ???

Exactly! and because most players are using a paintjob i want proof he actually switched to the real extreme pro. I believe he still uses his old PD+

[ionutzakis]

no, it's definetely not a 27.5 racquet! 27.25 at most

it's not the PD+!

[Nellie]

He is obviously using the Extreme and not a PD. You can tell because of the head shape (much rounder than the PD). It is likely modified to the extreme, but is not a PD.

[ionutzakis]

...hence the poor results. No PD+, no glory

[Gut Reaction]

Originally Posted by ionutzakis

...hence the poor results. No PD+, no glory

This is crap. Djokovic actually played with a Head racquet. Wilson came and offered him a boat load of cash. So Novak had Wilson make a racquet to the exact same specifications as the Head.

Why can't Ljubcic do the same? or for that matter why not do what everyone else does??? A paintjob?

[babolatking]

i heard this broadcast and i agree... why change something when it's work... and these posts are correct the
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[NoBadMojo]

I posted this earlier in another thread. I think it applies here.
<paste>
There is a total misconception on this forum about how many tour players get paid to play a brand. Not that many of them do. They get free racquets. Several Top 50's dont make a penny for swinging a certain brand of racquet. They get free frames....often they're just stock frames, and they send them off to Bosworth <for example> to have them customized and matched. Also many many pros pay for their strings and that is a big expense considering how many stringjobs many pros go through and the expensive hybrids they use.

Using Ljubicic as an example, here's a guy who was top 10 and not making anything from Babolat. Head threw a lot of money at him to play Head racquets, he took it, and his game is now in the toilet. this is why most players are reluctant to change and how chasing the bucks can backfire.