Demo Suggestions?

T

triplefault2

New User
Hey all,

Noticed a deluge of first time posters asking for racquet advice, so decided theres no time like the present to post my own plea for help. :)

I've been playing for a year now with my original racquet, a Liquidmetal 2. I'm finding the stick a bit too powerful and unstable for my current level and competition, since I'm hitting alot of balls long and the racquet tends to twist in my hand more often. Looking for a racquet around 11.5 oz., open string pattern, and I have a budget of about 120 per racquet.
As to my playing style, I use a full western forehand, an eastern 1HBH, and orthodox grips for serving+volleying(which i don't do very often). My current game is almost strictly baseline, but I want a good volleying stick, since i'll be playing alot of doubles next year. I'm 6'2, 15, and have no injuries to speak of.

I was considering the Mfil 200+ and a Donnay Pro Int'l to demo. Any other suggestions/comments would be appreciated.
 
D

don_nguyen11490

Rookie
1. Donnay Pro
2. Donnay Pro Oversize
3. Dunlop MFIL 300
4. Babolat AeroPro Control (Although it might be slightly expensive)

You seem like the kind of guy that's into details though, so my reasoning is below.

I always look at demoing as an opportunity to find something you didn't know you liked. I used to play a topspin baseline game until I found how hitting flat worked awesome for me.

That said, trying rackets that are entirely different from each other helps you zero in a lot more on what you like rather than trying rackets that play virtually identical to each other.

There's (to me at least) 4 different kind of rackets.

1. The "scalpel" -11.8oz+, 93 or lower square inch head, low powered and demanding racket for those with uncontrollable swings. Excellent for serving and volleying, but not as great at baseline (although it can be).

2. The midplus - Usually 10-11oz, 95-100 square inch head that has decent power and control. Its the "jack of all trades" racket, in that it can pretty much do everything you want it to, but doesn't exactly specialize. Most people use this kind of racket.

3. The oversize - Usually less than 11oz, 100+ square inch head that has a lot of power. Its for people that don't swing very fast or already have a lot of control. These can add a ridiculous amount of speed and pace, but little control. Almost exclusively made for baseline, but some people can still volley with it.

4. The "Babolat" - Usually 11+oz, ultra stiff, 98+ square inch headsize. These rackets can help you baseline, volley, serve well. Some people can't use them, others can use them effectively. Its defined the modern game of tennis of high speed serving, high topspin baseline game. The tradeoff is that they can absolutely kill your elbow.

There's no such thing as the "best" category though, just whichever fits you best. I tried to pick the best overall value from each category for you (for money and playability). Once you find whatever category you like from these we can discuss extra details like string, string pattern, stiffness and "feel," all of which can be equally important to fitting your game.
 
B

BkK_b0y14

Semi-Pro
um...off the top of my head: ntour, npro open, prince tt warrior mp, o3 tour mp, tour nxg mp, and mfil 300.

if you havent yet, check the liquidation section..
 
F

fuzz nation

G.O.A.T.
Hard to say what will work or not work considering that you are growing into a bigger game and need an appropriate racquet - I coach at the high school level and your size/age probably put you in that position of evolving your game to fit your more substantial physical dimensions, right?

It may take you a while to get comfortable with a different stick, but it sounds like you know what sort of performance you need to a pretty good degree. In terms of stability, you can probably sample racquets right up to around 12 oz. as long as they're rather headlight. The balance will help with maneuvering and moderate flex will help to give you a racquet that's not too lively, but not so dead that you can't pop a volley or a serve nicely.

The Donnay is a really plush hitter with great feel and control, though you'd be smart to get a demo with it. I routinely go to net and I've found that I get a more "penetrating" hit on the ball with other racquets (I'm used to playing with frames that are up near 13 oz; they're super stable for me). No experience with the Dunlop that you mentioned, but something like the Tecnifibre TFight 320 (or even 335) could be a good option for you to try. It's not rare to see them for sale here in the classified section and you might be able to stock up on "gently used" ones if you have a good experience with a demo.

Also thinking that the Prince O3 Tour (100 sq. inch) is worth a look and they're available at a lower price these days. The Volkl DNX 9 is another frame that may work for you, but again, they're pricey and you might need to go the 2nd hand route. I'm a fan of the Prince NXG mp - it's a "12 ouncer" that's easy to handle, affordable, and can deliver some power, but its strongest suits are spin and control.
 
T

triplefault2

New User
Thanks for all the suggestions.

Question for anyone who might have been in the same situation as me: how much difference does the loss of power make when switching from an oversize light racquet to a mid-plus/ mid racquet? Did it make head speed much harder to generate?
 
Tennisguy777

Tennisguy777

Professional
I have the same problem with Head racquets, they want to come out of my hand: Dunlop Aerogel 300 is great with about 10-14 grams of lead tape you can have it at 11.5 oz . Definitely give it a try, it'll improve your strokes.
 
T

triplefault2

New User
Tennisguy777 said:
I have the same problem with Head racquets, they want to come out of my hand: Dunlop Aerogel 300 is great with about 10-14 grams of lead tape you can have it at 11.5 oz . Definitely give it a try, it'll improve your strokes.
Click to expand...

Well, its not the grip so much as the fact that its 10 ozs. I'll definitely try a Dunlop 300.
 
P

pmerk34

Legend
don_nguyen11490 said:
1. Donnay Pro
2. Donnay Pro Oversize
3. Dunlop MFIL 300
4. Babolat AeroPro Control (Although it might be slightly expensive)

You seem like the kind of guy that's into details though, so my reasoning is below.

I always look at demoing as an opportunity to find something you didn't know you liked. I used to play a topspin baseline game until I found how hitting flat worked awesome for me.

That said, trying rackets that are entirely different from each other helps you zero in a lot more on what you like rather than trying rackets that play virtually identical to each other.

There's (to me at least) 4 different kind of rackets.

1. The "scalpel" -11.8oz+, 93 or lower square inch head, low powered and demanding racket for those with uncontrollable swings. Excellent for serving and volleying, but not as great at baseline (although it can be).

2. The midplus - Usually 10-11oz, 95-100 square inch head that has decent power and control. Its the "jack of all trades" racket, in that it can pretty much do everything you want it to, but doesn't exactly specialize. Most people use this kind of racket.

3. The oversize - Usually less than 11oz, 100+ square inch head that has a lot of power. Its for people that don't swing very fast or already have a lot of control. These can add a ridiculous amount of speed and pace, but little control. Almost exclusively made for baseline, but some people can still volley with it.

4. The "Babolat" - Usually 11+oz, ultra stiff, 98+ square inch headsize. These rackets can help you baseline, volley, serve well. Some people can't use them, others can use them effectively. Its defined the modern game of tennis of high speed serving, high topspin baseline game. The tradeoff is that they can absolutely kill your elbow.

There's no such thing as the "best" category though, just whichever fits you best. I tried to pick the best overall value from each category for you (for money and playability). Once you find whatever category you like from these we can discuss extra details like string, string pattern, stiffness and "feel," all of which can be equally important to fitting your game.
Click to expand...
Very well said, Bravo. Babolat has been instrumental in forging the modern pro men's game and you summed it up perfectly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

I
Serve n Volley!
Replies
41
Views
3K
louis netman
louis netman
R
Demo List
Replies
10
Views
531
cejacobs
C
C
demo suggestions
Replies
0
Views
385
csb
C
clutch21
Demo suggestions
Replies
4
Views
614
clutch21
clutch21
R
Racquet Transition-Suggestions Welcome
Replies
15
Views
927
royfrombigd
R
Top