Pros who use 'Lite' rackets

[Power Player]

Originally Posted by jankustra

You will come to a point, where you find out there is no way to use less than 330 gram racket... if someone hit 200km/h serve you have to face it with a lot of mass... swingweight is not everything... hh frames are not easy to return serve...

Thats complete BS. I just played a guy yesterday who hits serves over 110 and my 326 gram racquet with a 2 pts hl balance was just fine.

[LeeD]

For sure, some mass is required, but the lowest amount would depend on the individual trying to return the fast serve.
Some players purely block the ball, and would need some SW and racketmass.
Some players like to swing, either topspin or slice, or sidespin, and those might be better off with less SW and mass.
As for 120 mph serves, lucky for most of us, it seldom goes IN and it is seldom seen by our peers. Just blocking it back high and deep almost neutralizes the big serve, so it's good enough for someone who depends on his big serve to win a point outright.
And we all know, a MISHIT return is often better than a solid ball, as the weirdo bounce and unaccountable depth and direction needs good footwork and ball recognition to handle.

[Power Player]

I could understand being on the pro tour, playing 6 hours a day and facing 120 mph bombs on the regular - yes, instead of 325, 345 would be more optimal.

But still there are guys like Chardy who use a stick at 330 with a 330ish SW.

I don't know - he seems pretty good.

[LeeD]

I was under the impression that lots of Div1 players use pretty light rackets by pro standards. Maybe not 10 oz 300 SW's, but certainly within PPlayer's parameters.
The game is evolving, and so is the equipement used to play it.

[Power Player]

Originally Posted by LeeD

I was under the impression that lots of Div1 players use pretty light rackets by pro standards. Maybe not 10 oz 300 SW's, but certainly within PPlayer's parameters.
The game is evolving, and so is the equipement used to play it.

Without a doubt.

Instead of 12.3, its 11.5.

[Timbo's hopeless slice]

ye, i have given away my silly 'player's sticks'

I play better with 11.5 oz and around 330 sw, simple as that.

and I play some pretty big hitters, lol.

as others have said, Felip Peliwo trains with Raonic using a stock Blade 98..

maybe he would lead it up if he had to face the heavy hitters of ALTA 4.0.. (falls off chair)

[LeeD]

And if a trained, fit, athletic 20 year old can wield a 11.5 oz racket, an old fart, injured, blind, and having lost at least 40% of my athletic skills might NEED a 10 oz racket just to swat at the ball.

[Timbo's hopeless slice]

Originally Posted by LeeD

And if a trained, fit, athletic 20 year old can wield a 11.5 oz racket, an old fart, injured, blind, and having lost at least 40% of my athletic skills might NEED a 10 oz racket just to swat at the ball.

LOL!

+ 10 west coast kite boarders..

[LeeD]

Funny ding....
Kiteboard here, aka Geoff, has never kiteboarded.
I, who claim surfer, tennis player, and windsurfer, have 6 kites, 3 kiteboards, but haven't used them since 2001.
BTW. I've been playing at the courts where Kiteboarder used to play, and sometimes hit with the partner he complains about all the time......
Of course, I'm in no shape to hit with him alone, but can hold my own if there is another guy on my side of the court.

[corners]

Originally Posted by Timbo's hopeless slice

ye, i have given away my silly 'player's sticks'

I play better with 11.5 oz and around 330 sw, simple as that.

and I play some pretty big hitters, lol.

as others have said, Felip Peliwo trains with Raonic using a stock Blade 98..

maybe he would lead it up if he had to face the heavy hitters of ALTA 4.0.. (falls off chair)

So you really did see the (green) light. (Saw a post in another thread and thought you were joking). So you've gone from a low-swingweight, headlight (heavy-handle) stick to a higher-swingweight, light-handled stick. Pretty much reversed your weight distribution. What have you gained with the X7 310? And have you lost anything?

I'm curious because I've always played with traditional player weighting, but am looking around....

[LeeD]

Problem here is lots of us copy what the pros do, but we don't face and hit 135 mph serves, 85 mph groundies, and run like the wind.
So should we use exactly what the pros use?
I hit 100mph serves, and 65 mph second serves. Mostly 60 mph forehands and slower sliced backhands.
And I don't face 135 mph serves.

[Venetian]

Originally Posted by jankustra

You will come to a point, where you find out there is no way to use less than 330 gram racket... if someone hit 200km/h serve you have to face it with a lot of mass... swingweight is not everything... hh frames are not easy to return serve...

Not true for someone who can't effectively use a 330 gram racquet. A lot of average to tall guys don't seem to fully grasp that racquet weight is relative to the weight/height of the individual swinging it. There are shorter/lighter pros and joes that use heavier racquets, but I think the norm is for most shorter people to use light sticks. At 5'5" and 135lbs, I just cannot effectively swing a racquet over 11oz. I can swing it, but not effectively enough to generate the kind of topspin needed to keep the ball in play. The racquet I use right now is 10.2oz and about 4pts headlight, and I have no trouble hanging with my buddy who's 6'5", 200+lbs, and played college tennis several years ago. In fact, a few years back I hit with a local D1 college kid who used a stock Wilson K-Surge. So a lighter stick can still be used at higher levels of play.

[Timbo's hopeless slice]

Originally Posted by corners

So you really did see the (green) light. (Saw a post in another thread and thought you were joking). So you've gone from a low-swingweight, headlight (heavy-handle) stick to a higher-swingweight, light-handled stick. Pretty much reversed your weight distribution. What have you gained with the X7 310? And have you lost anything?

I'm curious because I've always played with traditional player weighting, but am looking around....

I have gained power, basically..

I don't seem to have lost anything at this point.

The X-7 is still a little HL, static weight is about the same and the sw is only 327, so it's hardly a Hyper Hammer!

biggest advantage is on serve, but I can still really swing out on my ground strokes and the extra power is obvious..

I'm not having any control issues at all..

[Hi I'm Ray]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Funny ding....
Kiteboard here, aka Geoff, has never kiteboarded.
I, who claim surfer, tennis player, and windsurfer, have 6 kites, 3 kiteboards, but haven't used them since 2001.
BTW. I've been playing at the courts where Kiteboarder used to play, and sometimes hit with the partner he complains about all the time......
Of course, I'm in no shape to hit with him alone, but can hold my own if there is another guy on my side of the court.

What happened to kiteboard anyways? Haven't seen him around lately

Originally Posted by Timbo's hopeless slice

ye, i have given away my silly 'player's sticks'

I play better with 11.5 oz and around 330 sw, simple as that.

and I play some pretty big hitters, lol.

as others have said, Felip Peliwo trains with Raonic using a stock Blade 98..

maybe he would lead it up if he had to face the heavy hitters of ALTA 4.0.. (falls off chair)I have gained power, basically..

I don't seem to have lost anything at this point.

The X-7 is still a little HL, static weight is about the same and the sw is only 327, so it's hardly a Hyper Hammer!

biggest advantage is on serve, but I can still really swing out on my ground strokes and the extra power is obvious..

I'm not having any control issues at all..

One of my college teammates used a stock Hyper Hammer 5.2 or 5.3 or whatever -- the .# naming system was ridiculous. (We didn't have too many tweener choices back then)

[Boricua]

Originally Posted by Power Player

Yeah i have been forever..its crazy. But i have gotten leaner and dropped weight. Notice in third sets that my serve just gets harder and harder to execute.

Played in oppressive heat last week with a 329 strung up racquet and could serve big even while i felt wiped out..huge difference..the key is a more head heavy balance and a healthy swingweight. Dont think i could play with a light stick that is too head light

I also like rackets in the 11.3-11,5 weight, 320-330 swingweight and head heavy. But I like stiifer, thicker frame rackets that are arm friendly. Not many around with these characteristics at least in stock form. I will try Organix 7. 104 head size seems big but maybe it works all right.

[Boricua]

Originally Posted by Timbo's hopeless slice

I have gained power, basically..

I don't seem to have lost anything at this point.

The X-7 is still a little HL, static weight is about the same and the sw is only 327, so it's hardly a Hyper Hammer!

biggest advantage is on serve, but I can still really swing out on my ground strokes and the extra power is obvious..

I'm not having any control issues at all..

I am still getting the Organix 7 next week hopefully. But, yesterday at 3 am I woke up and for some strange reason the 104 head came to my mind and I had second thoughts about this racket.
So, do you find the Organix 7 maneuvarable and fast (not clunky)? I ask because I like to play singles and don't want to play with an oversize frying pan that I can''t handle. Pros like Serena and Venus seem to handle 104 head rackets well and I think Agassi played with an oversize Radical if memory serves me well. So, that's my reference point.
Also, does anybody know of any current or past pro that plays with rackets with more than a 100 head size?

[TennisCJC]

Originally Posted by Boricua

I am still getting the Organix 7 next week hopefully. But, yesterday at 3 am I woke up and for some strange reason the 104 head came to my mind and I had second thoughts about this racket.
So, do you find the Organix 7 maneuvarable and fast (not clunky)? I ask because I like to play singles and don't want to play with an oversize frying pan that I can''t handle. Pros like Serena and Venus seem to handle 104 head rackets well and I think Agassi played with an oversize Radical if memory serves me well. So, that's my reference point.
Also, does anybody know of any current or past pro that plays with rackets with more than a 100 head size?

Marion Bartolli plays with a racket that has a head the size of a beach ball and it is thick as a 2x4. Didn't Chang play the prince OS early in his career?

If you don't like the 104 o7, why don't you try the o8 300g model

[ART ART]

Originally Posted by Power Player

I could understand being on the pro tour, playing 6 hours a day and facing 120 mph bombs on the regular - yes, instead of 325, 345 would be more optimal.

But still there are guys like Chardy who use a stick at 330 with a 330ish SW.

I don't know - he seems pretty good.

How do you know his racket specs ?

[Power Player]

Originally Posted by ART ART

How do you know his racket specs ?

They have been posted in a few spots.

[Boricua]

Originally Posted by TennisCJC

Marion Bartolli plays with a racket that has a head the size of a beach ball and it is thick as a 2x4. Didn't Chang play the prince OS early in his career?

If you don't like the 104 o7, why don't you try the o8 300g model

I tried the 08 when it came out and it seemed too powerful. But I could give it a try again and vary string and tension. I like the specs and head size of the 08 alot but Chris Edwards says the 07 is more controlled and he prefers it much better so I went with the 07. We will see.