back to tennis after 20 years -- need advice

I'm about to start playing again after a cool 20 year layoff. Back then I used a Dunlop 200g, served and volleyed on 1st and 2nd serves, and my best shot -- besides my serve -- was my slice backhand. Believe it or not, I used a Continental grip for everything. In other words, I played like it was 1965. I would rate myself as a solid 5.0 at that time; I beat several players ranked in the the top 50 in Texas in summer tournaments, although to be fair that level of player could beat me pretty comfortably as long as they could return my serve. Most couldn't, however. A shoulder injury forced me out of the game just as the inside-out forehand crowd started to rear their (to me, anyway) ugly heads.

I'm in NYC and have decided that the lure of the National Tennis Center is too much to resist, so I'm at the very least going to play some mixed with my girlfriend this spring and summer. After extensive reading on these boards, I got a great closeout deal on a Volkl DNX 9, which will be something to bash around until I get enough game back to do some real testing. Here is what I think I want to try:

Fisher Pro No. 1 and Magnetic Tour
Volkl DNX 10, C10, Tour 10 Gen II

I like FLEXIBLE racquets and I hate Wilson and Yonex (no offense to those who like them, they are just not for me and will not be considered).

I've used the search function already; that's how I found these frames. If anyone would like to opine about these, or suggest others in the 100 sq. in. range, I would appreciate it.

Oh, and I've had great fun reading on this board, and not just in the racquets section. The game has changed completely since I last followed it.

sounds like u've done ur homework. that's always a good thing. hurry up and log some time with the DNX 9 and post how u like it.

Your story is similar to mine ... I came back to tennis after playing just 1 year in 27 years (after playing for high school and college teams). I tried many of the mid-plus sized and a few oversized racquets over the past 4 years. I didn't find a Wilson, Yonex, Prince or a Babolat, for that matter, that I liked. I found the Volkl's were best for my game as I rededicated myself to playing regularly.

My search led me to my two favorites the DNX 10mid and the Tour10 Gen2. Both of these racquets are great all-around sticks with good flex, power, spin, angles, volleys, and a variety of serves.

So, the only thing I can add to your search is be sure to try the DNX10mid as well as the DNX 10 that is on your list. The mid has a large sweet spot, feels very manueverable, has great control and excellent power. I was not as excited about the DNX10(MP) version of this racquet which IMO does not have the same feel or generous sweet spot.
Best of luck.

alkibiades said:

I like FLEXIBLE racquets and I hate Wilson and Yonex (no offense to those who like them, they are just not for me and will not be considered).

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Welcome back to the game!

I'm a bit confused though: You're not a kid (hey - a 20 year layoff indicates that! ), and yet you 'hate' certain racquets?

Wilson and Yonex make some very different frames now than they did in the 80s, and you seem to despise these brands somewhat bizarrely. I'm always of the belief 'I'll use whatever if I play best with it', a Wilson or a Yonex or a whatever-whatever. I certainly would never block off two of the biggest manufacturers in the world when searching for a new frame (something I'm about to do tomorrow as it happens!).

it's a pitty you hate wilson because the nblade 98 would most probably fit your bill. maybe you can give it a shot.

wilson and yonex

I won't play with a Wilson because that's my last name, and however silly or psycho it may be, I don't want my name on my racquet. I'm sure there are plenty of fellows named Fischer who feel the same way. I suppose I could do it if there were nothing else suitable; maybe I'll try to hit an nBlade.

Now, I think Yonex makes very high quality frames. It just drives me nuts that the head is a rectangle. I tried out an R-22 way back when, and I just hated the isometric head, I can't explain why. So, again, I suppose if I couldn't find anything else I liked then I might try one. But Volkl, Fischer, and Dunlop get first shot. Speaking of which, in my first post I also meant to list the Babolat Pure Storm and AeroGel 200 as sticks I might be interested in.

I would try out:

Dunlop Mfil 200
Dunlop Aerogel 200
Volkl Tour 10 Mid
Volkl DNX 10 mid
Volkl C10 Pro
Fischer M Pro Number 1 98
Wilson Nblade 98
Wilson K90/n90/k95/n95

You could also try some of the lighter players rackets like the nblade, mfil300, aerogel 300 and babolat pure storm/pure drive.

the flexpoint radical might be worth a shot too, and the liquidmetal radical is currently at a very low price. they don't play as touchy as the blade though.
i know the 200g although way back then i didn't play it myself. i've been away some 19 years and back now for 1.5yrs. the blade simply got me, but then of course i don't have any trouble with the name.

wonder what racquets Mrs. Sampras plays with.... probably a different brand from her husband's ^_^

how old are you?
DEFINITELY DEMO FIRST
If you like serve and volley the best serve and volley racquet out there is the Avery M3 Control Mid+ others to consider are Aerogel 200, Yonex RDS 002 Tour, Prince o3 Tour MS, Volkl DNX 10 MS

StunLock said:

wonder what racquets Mrs. Sampras plays with.... probably a different brand from her husband's ^_^

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A match made in Heaven. You could say Pete Sampras married his sponsor. Or not.

Looking at the way you described your game and style...you gotta try a Redondo 93 or 98.

Duzza said:

A match made in Heaven. You could say Pete Sampras married his sponsor. Or not.

Click to expand...

He must have become so sick of the jokes: "Ahh, so you get paid a million a year to play with a Wilson"

alkibiades said:

I'm about to start playing again after a cool 20 year layoff. Back then I used a Dunlop 200g, served and volleyed on 1st and 2nd serves, and my best shot -- besides my serve -- was my slice backhand. Believe it or not, I used a Continental grip for everything. In other words, I played like it was 1965. I would rate myself as a solid 5.0 at that time; I beat several players ranked in the the top 50 in Texas in summer tournaments, although to be fair that level of player could beat me pretty comfortably as long as they could return my serve. Most couldn't, however. A shoulder injury forced me out of the game just as the inside-out forehand crowd started to rear their (to me, anyway) ugly heads.

I'm in NYC and have decided that the lure of the National Tennis Center is too much to resist, so I'm at the very least going to play some mixed with my girlfriend this spring and summer. After extensive reading on these boards, I got a great closeout deal on a Volkl DNX 9, which will be something to bash around until I get enough game back to do some real testing. Here is what I think I want to try:

Fisher Pro No. 1 and Magnetic Tour
Volkl DNX 10, C10, Tour 10 Gen II

I like FLEXIBLE racquets and I hate Wilson and Yonex (no offense to those who like them, they are just not for me and will not be considered).

I've used the search function already; that's how I found these frames. If anyone would like to opine about these, or suggest others in the 100 sq. in. range, I would appreciate it.

Oh, and I've had great fun reading on this board, and not just in the racquets section. The game has changed completely since I last followed it.

Click to expand...

I have a similar experience than you, playing again for about two years now after 17.
I tried (bought most of them) at least 10 different racquets. I would recommend to you couple of racquets;

>Fischer's; I had a M Speed No 1 and actually playing a discontinued Pro tour FT both flexible racquets.
>You said that you don't like Yonex but the RDX 500 is a good prospect.
> I like also the iRadical OS (discontinued too)

I hope that helps, I'm still looking for the right racquet.

woah how old r u?

to all above

First of all, I appreciate everyone taking the time to give me advice. I'll try to address some of the posts above.

I'm 36. I played from age 14-17, that's 1984-1988. I played a little bit in 1989, but my shoulder was messed up and I didn't take it too seriously.

I like the sound of the Redondo, but I'm hesistant to get used to a racquet that may not be readily available. I just want to find something I like, buy five or six of them, and not think about it any more; I would also prefer something that will be available for the forseeable future, but it doesn't seem like it works like that anymore.

The flexpoint radical tour does indeed seem like it's worth checking out. And I would never have looked at the Avery, so thanks for the heads up on that.

Reluctantly, I suppose I should demo the RDS 002 Tour. I love orange, so that sort of makes up for the head shape .

I don't know why, but I'm drawn towards these Volkls and Fischers for some reason, maybe because when I played they were the mysterious, unavailable racquets used by European players.

alkibiades said:

First of all, I appreciate everyone taking the time to give me advice. I'll try to address some of the posts above.

I'm 36. I played from age 14-17, that's 1984-1988. I played a little bit in 1989, but my shoulder was messed up and I didn't take it too seriously.

I like the sound of the Redondo, but I'm hesistant to get used to a racquet that may not be readily available. I just want to find something I like, buy five or six of them, and not think about it any more; I would also prefer something that will be available for the forseeable future, but it doesn't seem like it works like that anymore.

The flexpoint radical tour does indeed seem like it's worth checking out. And I would never have looked at the Avery, so thanks for the heads up on that.

Reluctantly, I suppose I should demo the RDS 002 Tour. I love orange, so that sort of makes up for the head shape .

I don't know why, but I'm drawn towards these Volkls and Fischers for some reason, maybe because when I played they were the mysterious, unavailable racquets used by European players.

Click to expand...

The grip shapes on the Volkls and Fischers...especially the Fischers, will take some time to adjust to. The Fischer grip is literally a square. Volkl grip is not as difficult to get adjusted to.

alkibiades said:

Fisher Pro No. 1 and Magnetic Tour
Volkl DNX 10, C10, Tour 10 Gen II

I like FLEXIBLE racquets .

Click to expand...

I would be very surprised if one of these doesnt float your boat. 5 good choices if you wish for flexible and lower powered and comfortable and lots of ball feel. I too would recomend the DNX10Mid over the MP

Let us know when you play w. some other 5.0's and can comment on how you feel the game has changed and if you are changing your grips and using some more modern technique.

Lots of string improvements too, and you'll need to explore that too unless you are a gut guy.

While I'm not at your level (yet - HA!), I'm from your generation and I've been trying to track down a frame that I can relate to better than my old Wilson 6.1 Classics which are just more stiff than I want.

I definately think you're on the right track with the Volkls (I'm noodling with the C-10 w/ mixed results) and that Fischer M Speed 98 is definately worth a look. I actually liked it better than the DNX mid when we demoed. Never tried a PK Redondo, but you sound like you need a go with that one, too. Hopefully PK will put out another big batch of them.

My best recent success has come from the Prince NXG mid which took me the better part of a year to get friendly with. Really flexible, but nice and hefty without too large of a head. I'm hitting the biggest strokes of my life with it, my serves are really heavy, and the headlight balance with the extra weight make it really competent at net for me, too. I understand the mixed reviews it gets here because it takes a while to get grooved with and it flat doesn't work unless it's strung loosely, but despite its 92 headsize, I can find the sweetspot at least as easily as my 95-98 sq in frames. I can make only slightly more spin with the Flexpoint Radical Tour than with this NXG, but it's been a better overall performer for me. So there you go.

Hey, welcome back! Stay healthy and I'll hopefully see you at the Open in the summer.

Just take it easy, do stuff one by one

My vote to the DNX 10 Mid. It's a great racquet. The sweetspot is huge among any mid size racquet. And I personally love the Volkl feel.

Volkl Tour 10 Gen I is also great. I just got mine few days ago. I'm in love with it. I actually like it more than the DNX. But too bad it's hard to find now.

Good luck with the search!

update (long)

Okay, so I've played a few times -- not very well :shock: -- with my DNX 9, as well as a few others.

The DNX 9 is a good stick. Still, I am vaguely dissatisfied with it. It feels a little too pingy without a damper, and a little dead with one. Also, it seems a little stiffer than I would prefer. The ball tends to sail on me, although I think that is more a function of the strings. And I hate, hate, hate the grip shape.

So, I tried:

Redondo 98: A wonderful, wonderful racquet. The feel is muted yet responsive. Without a damper, there is a very slight ping, but it still sounds and feels good; with a damper, it is buttah!! I hit the ball 100% cleaner with this than with anything else, which I attribute to the extra heft. I learned to play on a nearly 13 oz. racquet, and I think 12 is going to be the minimum for me, unless I were to commit to a lot of practice time I don't really have. The Redondo is also beautiful, simple, and classy looking, and on general principle I love the fact that it doesn't have any kind of BS technology story. It is also 18 X 20; I wonder if that contributed to the sensation of control and familiar feel.

DNX 10 MP: I didn't hit this one very long, but it felt like a heavier DNX 9 to me. I didn't detect much more flex in the frame, it still felt too stiff.

Fischer M-Speed 105: This was the most cushioned and flexible feeling of the bunch. It reminded me the most of my old 200g feeling. No dampener needed. Unfortunately, while 100 sq. in. heads feel just fine to me, the extra size on this one pushed it over into "perceived oversize" territory. It also felt light. On spec, it's .3 oz. less than the Redondo; it certainly didn't feel that way to me. I shall need to try the 98. Oh, and the grip shape is horrible, but I believe that's changing on the new no-tolerance version.

Magnetic Tour: This one feels way, way stiffer than the specified 58. It felt at least as stiff as the DNX 9, probably stiffer. But even so, I liked the feel better, it's less pingy and especially nice with a dampener. It's the prettiest stick on the market right now, IMHO. I could play with the Magnetic Tour, but I wanted to love it and I didn't.

Pure Storm: This one was the surprise. Despite the fact that it's way too light for me, I hit it as well as anything, including the Redondo. The feel was not very responsive -- I couldn't tell as well where the ball had hit the strings -- but it was not unpleasant, in fact I sort of liked it. I seemed like the most forgiving of the bunch. All in all this is a racquet which I think could be strung and weighted to suit almost anybody. It does not shine in any one area, but it is highly competent in all. It was also the only racquet I tried which was strung with a hybrid setup; maybe that's why it gave me such good control, despite the light weight. I didn't hit with it that long, but for what it's worth, it didn't bother my arm.

So, the DNX 9 is on the way out. For you Volkl guys: is the C10 pro different enought in feel from the DNX 10 to warrant a try? I want to try that one, the new M-Speed when it comes out, the new Pure Storm/Pure Storm Tour/ Aero Storm, and maybe a Kneissl. If anyone read all the way through this, please chime in with your opinions.

alki - there is a lot of info on the c10 and tour II...just do a search. i'm contemplating checking out the c10 from the specs and feedback posted. i don't know if i could ever give up the t10v mid that i recently acquired. it's such a versatile racquet. however my curiousity is stirred reading about the c10. if available i would recommend the t10v mid. i think tw has a limited supply of them again.