Diary of a Racketaholic

[PED]

Originally Posted by Fed Kennedy

The other one is at 365 grams with monaco esque lead. I really dig this for doubles. When leaded the gets very muted. Serve is huge and returns awesome.

That setup is Del Po like. I'll bet it punishes the ball.

BTW, saw the V9's in the flesh today. I wanted to them so bad: totally saw myself goating them on the dirt next weekend.

I had to pull my buttcap off of my Tec today to remove a grommet scrap: no silicone in there....surprised TBH

[PED]

Originally Posted by Power Player

Yes, this PD+ is the first I have owned where the XL feels like standard.

On your FH, are you gripping the stick the same way you would an std length?

I used to hang my palm almost off the buttcap, Fed style but after I used the XL for awhile, I started choking up a bit like Fish or Tsonga on groundies.

It gave me a better feel of the stick in hand and felt like I could really rip it.
Felt like there was more leverage, it doesn't work as well to do it with std length.

Speaking of FH's, Monoco seems to have a similar choked up grip to Tomic. Monoco's prep is high but he comes through more solidly whereas Tomic seems to slap at it.

[Fed Kennedy]

Originally Posted by PED

That setup is Del Po like. I'll bet it punishes the ball.

BTW, saw the V9's in the flesh today. I wanted to them so bad: totally saw myself goating them on the dirt next weekend.

I had to pull my buttcap off of my Tec today to remove a grommet scrap: no silicone in there....surprised TBH

Weird. No sili? Is it samurai or black pj? Wtf does tour prepared mean then....

Im gassed up for this nadal tsonga clash...

[Power Player]

Originally Posted by PED

On your FH, are you gripping the stick the same way you would an std length?

I used to hang my palm almost off the buttcap, Fed style but after I used the XL for awhile, I started choking up a bit like Fish or Tsonga on groundies.

It gave me a better feel of the stick in hand and felt like I could really rip it.
Felt like there was more leverage, it doesn't work as well to do it with std length.

Speaking of FH's, Monoco seems to have a similar choked up grip to Tomic. Monoco's prep is high but he comes through more solidly whereas Tomic seems to slap at it.

That's a great question..I'm doing both. It matters how I'm hitting..if I am hitting clean I hang the palm sometimes out of habit, but I love what you are saying because I actually have been working that in more and more..also choking up on the volleys as well.

The big key right now is having ideal timing on the uncoil. As long as I am pulling my left hand across with the right timing, I hit really big, gorgeous shots that are signature pure drive..line drives about 3 feet over the net that just drop right down inside the baseline and are loaded with spin. It is a similar ball to the one I hit with the prestige except heavier and harder. If my timing is off, I arm the ball more and the ball is more wrist and spinny. I can fix it though, and it usually just boils down to being tired.

The looser and relaxed my arm is, the cleaner and bigger I am hitting..I need to remember to choke up a little though. I have played 3 hours for 5 straight days now so I'm taking a break until Sunday...may slide in some hitting Friday, but I need to rest. My legs were slow tonight and it took extra concentration to turn my shoulders and prep very time, but I still had a real good time out there. Just hit pockets of inconsistency due to tired legs, but I stand by the revelation I posted last Friday..it has made my tennis so much better.

[Ross K]

Originally Posted by PED

That setup is Del Po like. I'll bet it punishes the ball.

BTW, saw the V9's in the flesh today. I wanted to them so bad: totally saw myself goating them on the dirt next weekend.

I had to pull my buttcap off of my Tec today to remove a grommet scrap: no silicone in there....surprised TBH

Eh?... And I thought TF frames now - such as the TF Speedflex 315 I was checking out last year and the TF 320s - all had silicone in the handle?... I mean, I could've sworn that the SF 315 had a nice dampened, vibes-resistant feel?...

[Ross K]

RHs,

Messed up my serve this morning trying to incorporate a foot step thingy. Won't be repeating that again. Chin to shoulder tip was pretty successful. A few others things though less so. Next time out I'm going to focus on one, two things MAX.

I played a right racketaholic today BTW. He played with 4 different frames. It was like players 4 different players. I couldn't stand it - LOL!

[ryushen21]

Serious GOAT session yesterday with the gut/poly setup. I really found the groove on the forehand side and was able to mix things up a lot. I have to admit, I was enjoying the crazy topspin shot but my favorite was the flatter but spinny forehand that looks like it's going long and falls just in. Too much fun. I also got my serve to click and was able to hit my spots on command.

I played a set with one our Varisty players. This kid has made some serious improvement and had a lot of variety in his game. Was able to take the set off of him 8-5. Looking forward to more hitting today.

[klementine79]

^ Ry... a little cheaper option in terms of gut = Gamma Professional 16g. Just strung this up for my bro in a hybrid with tourbite 16L on his Ps90. Feels and looks like gut, especially the newer type of vs gut which is a little stiffer than the old.

Neither X-1 or excel feel or look like this one.

Question is now, will it fray (like gut) or snap like certain multis?

First time I strung tourbite as well. This stuff is stiff and dangerous! It's sharp. I have a feeling it will eat through the GammaPro. Probably as stiff, if not stiffer than alu. I know it's slightly more comfortable than alu (play-wise), but man is this stuff dangerous.

[klementine79]

BTW- I wanted to ask those who string, like PP, what's a good syn.gut that performs somewhat like a poly?

I want to buy a reel. I was looking at Babolat syn.gut, forten sweet and Gosen og micro.

Anybody have experience with these?

[Power Player]

There is no syn gut that performs like a poly. If you want a cross, the best by far is Babo NVy.

If you want a full bed, the only option I have found is RIP Control, and that is a multi.

[klementine79]

^ PP? Have you tried the intellitour hybrid set? Looks intriguing. RIP feel and RIP control? Something like that.

Thanks for that. Will look into the Nvy.

[Power Player]

No, I have heard it is pretty good. I just love the RIP Control..there are so many strings, once you find something that works you just have to ride it out. I am playing so much better now.

[klementine79]

^ Good move. Consistency.

I know it impossible to find a syn.gut that performs like a poly but I'm looking for something to replace POSG. My wife swears by this string. She loves it. I think it's the crisp feeling she likes but this stuff moves and snaps like no other. Good thing it's so cheap. I want to get some mulit with a syn.gut cross for her, to keep that crisp feel. She hates polys, except for BB ace at low tension. Have 1/2 a set of gamma pro that I'll cross with POSG for her tonight but am looking at other options. The NVy could be that. I'll order some sets of syn.guts and test!

[Power Player]

Nvy blows in a full bed though..try Wilson Stamina in a full bed..I love that stuff.

[klementine79]

^ I'm looking into anything to hybrid with a multi.

She grew up playing with POSG (back then there weren't too many options), so it's familiarity with her. She plays with so much spin, especially off the back-hand, that POSG just isn't cutting it. It was fine in the PresMid but in the IG Instinct, it just moves and snaps way too often.

[klementine79]

Gotta log off now, at work

Just got transferred to a new department, last week, and there is a girl here of Polish decent that works in appropriations, just down the hall, who looks like Kirilenko... prrrrrrr..... Will try, at some point, to get some lunch with her and take a candid photo.

Good thing my uncle married a polish woman. I know a little polish. Made her smile by saying 'kiss me, black man' in Polish.

[SlapShot]

Yo, PP - I ordered a few sets of RIP 17 to try in the PSTGT. Haven't yet found a string setup that does everything well for long enough. The frame itself is perfect though - slap a leather on it, it's 355g strung with a dampener, and puts a good licking on the ball. At least when I'm playing enough to get good racquet head speed.

I see you're playing it at 58# - how is the feel at that tension? I've tried full poly at 54# (too dead), poly/multi at 54/58 (just right, but didn't play at peak form for long enough to justify the cost) and gut/poly at 59/54 (which was OK, but a little dead for my tastes).

I feel like I just need something a bit more crisp that has just enough pop, but puts a bite on the ball (hence my attraction to RIP). If RIP doesn't work, I'm going to take a shot with PSGD - that's my default "need a crisp string that has some pop" string.

[JGads]

Originally Posted by ryushen21

Serious GOAT session yesterday with the gut/poly setup. I really found the groove on the forehand side and was able to mix things up a lot. I have to admit, I was enjoying the crazy topspin shot but my favorite was the flatter but spinny forehand that looks like it's going long and falls just in. Too much fun. I also got my serve to click and was able to hit my spots on command.

I played a set with one our Varisty players. This kid has made some serious improvement and had a lot of variety in his game. Was able to take the set off of him 8-5. Looking forward to more hitting today.

Which gut are you goating? Bab Vs? Just curious. Was really tough for me to control gut the last couple times I tried it, just too much power after having gotten used to poly.

I second the recommendation of Babolat N Vy as a cross. I have yet to experience a stringbed I haven't liked that has had Vy as a cross.

Originally Posted by klementine79

Gotta log off now, at work

Just got transferred to a new department, last week, and there is a girl here of Polish decent that works in appropriations, just down the hall, who looks like Kirilenko... prrrrrrr..... Will try, at some point, to get some lunch with her and take a candid photo.

Good thing my uncle married a polish woman. I know a little polish. Made her smile by saying 'kiss me, black man' in Polish.

This kind of made my day.

[klementine79]

^ The work environment is a dangerous place. Especially if you're married.

--------------------------
How's the shoulder going Gads? Is it muscle fatigue..ie.. soreness.... or a sharp intermittent pain?

I noticed that the YouTek tec-stuff does work and irritated my wrists and shoulder when I was demo'ng. Just a thought. The IG is supposed to be softer though.

[PED]

Anyone on here hit with the IG Radical Midplus?

It looks like they've beefed it up by around 10g and it might be a better starting platform. TW review was good on and Carol and Jason seemed to really like it. Chris not so much