Tommy Haas
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Has anyone checked the RA of their PP100 18x20 or asked TW to check before shipping? Is the flex pretty much spot on at 55RA or can vary by a few points like Wilsons?
Has anyone checked the RA of their PP100 18x20 or asked TW to check before shipping? Is the flex pretty much spot on at 55RA or can vary by a few points like Wilsons?
Sounds like a good plan to reduce launch angle on the PPP100P. Although might get pricey with gut string experimentation.I’m glad to know that it wasn’t just in my head that the Pro 100 excels at the net, and at doubles.
I don’t regret selling my 16 x 18 Pro 100, but as “doubles-y” as that stick was for me, hearing that the 18 x 20 is even more so gets my palms sweaty.
With advice from one of these threads (I’m in so many I get confused) I was able to change the characteristics of my 93P 18 x 20 by lowering the tension and lowering the crosses even more. Wow! I can volley again, and yep, launch angle is definitely higher (maybe too much) Now I’m really interested in exploring strings & stringing options.
So until I send for the PPP100 demo next week, I’m curious how to tweak my PPP100P to make it play more like that. With a shrink sleeve and a leather grip, it’s already 12.5 + oz, First step - reduce launch angle by increased tension differential in the crosses by 2 lbs?
But string choice? If it’s a Gut/poly hybrid, the mains would normally be ~5 lbs higher to start. Would increasing the crosses by 2 to a -3 differential decrease launch angle, or do the crosses have to be higher than the mains even with 2 different types of strings?
Am I making sense? Does Going from 50/45 to 50/47 work, or would it have to be 50/52?
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You, my friend, are in the rabbit hole..I’m glad to know that it wasn’t just in my head that the Pro 100 excels at the net, and at doubles.
I don’t regret selling my 16 x 18 Pro 100, but as “doubles-y” as that stick was for me, hearing that the 18 x 20 is even more so gets my palms sweaty.
With advice from one of these threads (I’m in so many I get confused) I was able to change the characteristics of my 93P 18 x 20 by lowering the tension and lowering the crosses even more. Wow! I can volley again, and yep, launch angle is definitely higher (maybe too much) Now I’m really interested in exploring strings & stringing options.
So until I send for the PPP100 demo next week, I’m curious how to tweak my PPP100P to make it play more like that. With a shrink sleeve and a leather grip, it’s already 12.5 + oz, First step - reduce launch angle by increased tension differential in the crosses by 2 lbs?
But string choice? If it’s a Gut/poly hybrid, the mains would normally be ~5 lbs higher to start. Would increasing the crosses by 2 to a -3 differential decrease launch angle, or do the crosses have to be higher than the mains even with 2 different types of strings?
Am I making sense? Does Going from 50/45 to 50/47 work, or would it have to be 50/52?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Would love to hear more comparison from 93P (18x20) owners.
That runs counter to the thought that baseliners prefer bigger head sized racquets.Bottom line, if i know I'm going to spend a lot of time in the forecourt, the 100 18x20 wins. If I know I'll be near the baseline most of the match I'd rather be hitting the 93P.
I have the 93P 18x20, my go to racquet at the time being. Just acquired the PP100 18x20 and 93P 14x18(limited use for far).Would love to hear more comparison from 93P (18x20) owners.
That runs counter to the thought that baseliners prefer bigger head sized racquets.
Good to hear about the better maneuverability of the PP100.
You forgot to compare the FH running squash-shot.
I think baseline grinders and defenders do prefer larger frames. In that case the Phantom Pro 100P 16x18 would be the frame of choice. For the all courter or aggressive baseliner, the 93P 18x20 and 14x18 would be my choice as they can dictate play far easier. Which is why I specified near the baseline. If i'm way behind the baseline, then I'm probably best off with my POG 107.
My FH running squash shot is a work in progress. It is mediocre with all frames and downright terrible with my POG107.
@Dartagnan64 What tensions are you using for your gut/Ghost Wire? I’m about to string up this combo and am not sure what tension to put the Ghost Wire at.
Hey that’s my collection too. Lol. Love looking down in my new Prince bag and seeing these sexy frames.I bit the bullet and bought the PP 100 18x20 without doing the demo. Got it back from the stringer just now as a matter of fact. Has RS Lyon at 45 lbs. I have Phantom 100 (ported) and couple of 93P 18x20 as well so will give my $0.02 once I try it tonight. The racquet looks incredibly sexy. These Phantoms I tell you, they look gorgeous.
Did you mean to say PP100 18x20 here or 16x18?
I have just received my 18x20 and it does swing lighter than it weighs , compared to other similar weighted rackets. 16x18 was very easy to swing and very spinny for my game, but it was fun. Now that i have 18x20 for more comfortable and controlled game (power is not an issue for me), and more comfy and control than my old TT100P , I am not sure when to use 16x18.. maybe not part of my bag anymore or when I want to play comfy and more spin game.
I didn’t ask to check my demo, but feel wise it seemed a little closer to 60. But my grain of salt- I think it was strung a little tighter, and texture me to me always feels a little stiffer than the ratings.
Look forward to your thoughts!I bit the bullet and bought the PP 100 18x20 without doing the demo. Got it back from the stringer just now as a matter of fact. Has RS Lyon at 45 lbs. I have Phantom 100 (ported) and couple of 93P 18x20 as well so will give my $0.02 once I try it tonight. The racquet looks incredibly sexy. These Phantoms I tell you, they look gorgeous.
That sucks if it feels closer to a 60RA frame because I'd like to try the PP100 18x20 with Velocity 17 which to my arm, feels stiff. My gold standard in terms of comfort strings is Xcel 17. I use the 93P 18x20 with Xcel 17 and have trouble keeping the ball after tension loss. I can't use anything stiffer because my arm won't like it. The 93P has a 61RA flex, so the 55RA of the 100P 18x20 looks really good to me. The 16x18 versions didn't interest me much because I don't like high launch angles.
That sucks if it feels closer to a 60RA frame because I'd like to try the PP100 18x20 with Velocity 17 which to my arm, feels stiff. My gold standard in terms of comfort strings is Xcel 17. I use the 93P 18x20 with Xcel 17 and have trouble keeping the ball after tension loss. I can't use anything stiffer because my arm won't like it. The 93P has a 61RA flex, so the 55RA of the 100P 18x20 looks really good to me. The 16x18 versions didn't interest me much because I don't like high launch angles.
That sucks if it feels closer to a 60RA frame because I'd like to try the PP100 18x20 with Velocity 17 which to my arm, feels stiff. My gold standard in terms of comfort strings is Xcel 17. I use the 93P 18x20 with Xcel 17 and have trouble keeping the ball after tension loss. I can't use anything stiffer because my arm won't like it. The 93P has a 61RA flex, so the 55RA of the 100P 18x20 looks really good to me. The 16x18 versions didn't interest me much because I don't like high launch angles.
Does anyone know if the paint jobs in the phantom line ever got fixed. I remember I bought 2 ported phantoms literally before they came out on TW, they scratched ugly as hell, white blemishes all over them from barely any play. Can someone attest to the PJs. I got some demos coming from TW, cant wait to try them again
Yes, they did get better. They were initially released at time for IW. Then there was a break of few months and got re-released (came back in stock) by July or August if I remember correctly. The newer release had much better PJ. The bad paint quality was a big concern for TW as everyone was complaining about it. They definitely fixed that.Does anyone know if the paint jobs in the phantom line ever got fixed. I remember I bought 2 ported phantoms literally before they came out on TW, they scratched ugly as hell, white blemishes all over them from barely any play. Can someone attest to the PJs. I got some demos coming from TW, cant wait to try them again
Bumper/protective tape at 3 and 9 closes the ports and completely changes the feel. I tried that and did not like that. For some reason I felt more disconnected and feel became vague. Ironically, the biggest qualm some purists have with ports is that they say they can not feel the ball and I thought it became the opposite once I blocked ports. The bumper tape does help for sure though in protecting scratches. Do you go all around from 9 to 3 covering the entire hoop or just 3 and 9 like you would use lead only covering a few ports?I had that same problem so I started using protection tape at 3 and 9. Do that on all my Phantoms so I don’t know if the PJ is better at all on the new ones. Better safe than sorry.
You can slice bumper tape in half lengthwise and not cover the ports, just put it on the edges. I do this by putting the uncut tape on the racquet then slice it in half with a very sharp knife. Take the piece I sliced off and use it on the other edge of the racquet. For a racquet with regular grommets you can restring without taking the tape off.Bumper/protective tape at 3 and 9 closes the ports and completely changes the feel. I tried that and did not like that. For some reason I felt more disconnected and feel became vague. Ironically, the biggest qualm some purists have with ports is that they say they can not feel the ball and I thought it became the opposite once I blocked ports. The bumper tape does help for sure though in protecting scratches. Do you go all around from 9 to 3 covering the entire hoop or just 3 and 9 like you would use lead only covering a few ports?
Bumper/protective tape at 3 and 9 closes the ports and completely changes the feel. I tried that and did not like that. For some reason I felt more disconnected and feel became vague. Ironically, the biggest qualm some purists have with ports is that they say they can not feel the ball and I thought it became the opposite once I blocked ports. The bumper tape does help for sure though in protecting scratches. Do you go all around from 9 to 3 covering the entire hoop or just 3 and 9 like you would use lead only covering a few ports?
I would much rather the paint just be good, rather than tape it. I will have demos of the phantom 100p, new phantom 18x20 100, 93p 14x18, and the yonex vcore 95. Hopefully I will find some good magic in one of these sticks. I have played with RF 97 for a while, and the new speed 360 pro. RF being too heavy for tournament play for me over 5 or 6 sets my shoulder cant serve anymore. The speed is fine, just doesn't whip forehands like I want. Lol idk I really want to like the box beam 100p. We shall see
I disagree w/ the PP100P being more stable than the 93P though....offcenter hits on the PP100P were more jarring...
Not sure "jarring" correlates with twist weight. To me forgiveness correlates with twist weight. How likely is an off centre hit to remain on line and with some semblance of energy transfer. Whereas stability correlates with static weight, twist weight and swing weight since racket recoil becomes a factor.
I think the 93P is more stable but less forgiving than the 100P if that makes sense.
Look forward to your thoughts on all of them!Got the demos in today.
Prince phantom pro 100p
Prince phantom 18x20 (320)
Prince phantom 93p 14x18
Yonex vcore 95 16x20
At first glance I really like the phantom 18x20. It looks and feels nice in the hand.It also came with 15L guage prince XC. Don't know how that's going to feel or why the heck TW put that in as the demo string. May restring it with some tier one firewire or some 17 guage outlast. I may prefer this racket with a prince calfskin undergrip, although the wieght is already at 346 strung with over grip. Anyone try a leather grip with the 18x20??
I also noticed how head light the 18x20 is compared to the 100p. The 100p doesn't look or feel as nice as the 18x20 to me, and it is really evenly balanced. At 334g strung, the 100p would definitely need a leather grip. The next stick at first sight i noticed is the yonex. Its thinner than the 98 version and looks like it may play well. The 93p feels amazing in the hand, but with how open the string pattern is, I would be afraid to put anything but 15g poly or kevlar in it. Looks like a string breaker. Anywho it's probably going to rain the next couple days, so I'm hoping to hit by Saturday, will give some feedback about the 18x20.
How about feel/touch shots like drops and lobs?Have played some more with the 18x20 Pro 100. Mens and mixed. Really is a tough choice between it and the 93P.
Serves: 93P
FH: 93P by a hair
2HBH: 100
BH Slice: Even
Volleys: 100
Overheads: 93P
Returns: 100
So is the advantage in serving worth the lesser ability on returns and volleys. That's a tough choice.
How about feel/touch shots like drops and lobs?
Of course its weird they haven't opened up the coffers to get someone like Osaka or Nishikori sponsored.
Prince needs to sponsor more juniors. That's how brand/racquet loyalty is built.
Prince can make great pro stock rackets if they want. Back in the ninetees produced some excellent frames without the need to be Very stiff and harsh, they are not inteted to produce heavy or pro stock frames because they dont have the budget to sponsorship or compeet the big brands, 93p is a great frame that shows the quality of Prince but how many can play with it? Beast is a great stick for Junior i believe and easier on the arm than most young guys useProblem is Prince makes rackets that better fit the 4.0-4.5 male adult rec player. Someone that can handle some weight, isn't as reliant on big loopy topspin and appreciates some flex in their frames.
Juniors all start out with light stiff tweeners to add easy power to their strokes while they are developing strength. Then as they grow stronger they just gravitate to stiffer poly to control it. They learn to play with this kind of racket and find it hard to move to more plush setups where the control comes from the frame the power is adjusted through the strings.
Prince does have a Beast lineup to start kids out on if they need a stiffer frame and maybe they need to push these sticks into junior clinics some more. But without a big name Pro using it, it's a hard sell. There is a reason uniqlo gave so much money to sponsor Federer. Cool kids want to play what the cool pros are using. That's why other than ubiquitous Babolats in the juniors I'm seeing a ton of VCORE Yonexes as Canadian kids want to be like Shapovalov.
Anybody can play with the 93p. I am proof of that.Prince can make great pro stock rackets if they want. Back in the ninetees produced some excellent frames without the need to be Very stiff and harsh, they are not inteted to produce heavy or pro stock frames because they dont have the budget to sponsorship or compeet the big brands, 93p is a great frame that shows the quality of Prince but how many can play with it? Beast is a great stick for Junior i believe and easier on the arm than most young guys use
Prince can make great pro stock rackets if they want. Back in the ninetees produced some excellent frames without the need to be Very stiff and harsh, they are not inteted to produce heavy or pro stock frames because they dont have the budget to sponsorship or compeet the big brands, 93p is a great frame that shows the quality of Prince but how many can play with it? Beast is a great stick for Junior i believe and easier on the arm than most young guys use
I’d guess the game was different enough in the 90s such that the Prince frames were still a viable choice for players on the tour, but as the game evolved perhaps they didn’t move with it?
Juniors all start out with light stiff tweeners to add easy power to their strokes while they are developing strength. Then as they grow stronger they just gravitate to stiffer poly to control it. They learn to play with this kind of racket and find it hard to move to more plush setups where the control comes from the frame the power is adjusted through the strings.
Prince does have a Beast lineup to start kids out on if they need a stiffer frame and maybe they need to push these sticks into junior clinics some more. But without a big name Pro using it, it's a hard sell.