Why are so many players going for "larger" rackets?
- Thread starter フェデラー
- Start date
Maybe the K93 is just garbage. Djokovic switched to a 100sq inch head, and Tsonga threw his K93's away after hitting with the Babolat aeropro drive, but Wilson has him on a short leash until the end of the year so he couldn't beg babolat to sign him. He fought valiantly against the powerful wilson giants, but couldn't prevail. He submitted to their will and used the wilson version of the Babolat aeropro drive...the Wilson [K]obra Tour....
DNShade
Hall of Fame
No PJ. It's the real kobra (or at least a version of it - totally different frame shape etc. than the hyper or whatever he was using before.)
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BreakPoint
Bionic Poster
Djokovic never used a K-Blade Tour so he never used a 93. He's always used a 97/98. His Wilson frame was a clone of his old Head frame. Now he's back with Head.
I also doubt Tsonga has changed headsizes. Maybe he changed frames but it's possible the headsize is the same.
Darth_Timmaayyy!!
Banned
As is the case in general. The racquet head sizes get bigger, as the talent starts to get lower..
DNShade
Hall of Fame
It's possible but I doubt it. Looks like he's using the full sized version (not that you could tell the difference between 98 and 100 - but then again neither would Jo - but it's not any smaller).
Word was he started hitting around with APD or some other Bab stick and really liked the way he hit with it - so Wilson got him to move to the kobra. Since the Bab sticks were probably 100sq it seems to figure his kobra would be the same. Who knows if it's a custom layup or whatnot - but it's probably the same mold at the very least if not just a stock/customized version.
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BreakPoint
Bionic Poster
It's possible, but who knows? Wilson makes a lot of custom frames for a lot of pros. There's not much difference between 98 and 100 anyway.
DNShade
Hall of Fame
Exactly. He11 it could be a APD with a PJ for all we know...
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Yeah man, thats why Agassi won grand slams with a 107 and Nadal and co win with a 100.
Racquet head size selection is far less about talent and far more about the style of hitting each player uses.
Correct. There are a lot of old school type serve and volley guys around here who naturally always favor heavy smaller headed sticks.
BreakPoint
Bionic Poster
But Federer has more talent than Agassi and Nadal combined. That's why he has more Grand Slams than Agassi and Nadal combined.
fewer miss hits. ball is coming faster these days...easier to miss hit because of this, especially w. a smaller headed frame
iowaviking11
Rookie
I think that tsonga's racquet has the same throat shape as kobra or apd
BigServer1
Legend
Thank you. I love how everyone is blaming Djokovic's lack of results on his racquet switch when in reality he's been using the same frame for the last few years...
ace0001a
Semi-Pro
I totally agree with that. If I recall that someone who coached Agassi (maybe Brad Gilbert) said that he was arguably the cleanest striker in the game possibly ever and could probably play fine with a 85 square-inch sized racquet and that he grew up playing with small wood racquets. He developed his liking for Oversize when he was at the Bollettieri academy in Florida where they had a Prince sponsorship and he naturally chose the popular Prince Grahite OS at the time. Having followed and played tennis myself for over 20 years and talking to many fellow tennis enthusiasts and coaches, I find that racquet selection is more about personal preferences than anything else. Like what is often said about cars or fighter planes, "it's not the bucket, but the guy in the bucket" that is most important. With that said, part of why racquet heads are bigger these days is because young players use what's available to them and racquet manufacturers pushing newer technology and design.
But Federer has more talent than Agassi and Nadal combined. That's why he has more Grand Slams than Agassi and Nadal combined.
That's a fair arguement as you can certainly say the numbers speak for themselves. But to say Agassi or Nadal is so much less talented than R-Fed (I like to call him that, it's kind of like K-Fed) is grossly inaccurate in my opinion. To me, a great tennis player (even someone who is considered the greatest) is a combination of physical talent, mental toughness, game intelligence, intangibles and luck. It's simply that R-Fed has been the best at putting all those things together the most consistently. I mean, I honestly believe Agassi could've been in the double digits for Grandslams too had he not had his mental lapses during his career...as for Nadal, as long as he can remain healthy I think he will always be a thorn in R-Fed's back and a contender for years to come.
Lastly, I don't care for elitist attitudes of people who prefer smaller racquet head sizes thinking that those who use larger ones are less talented. Offering an opinion that you don't care for something is one thing, but to be insulting about it is another. I say that people be more level headed here with their opinions while respecting others...take the high road when you don't have the same point of view and agree to disagree. That's my 2-cents on this topic. PeaceOut!
ace0001a
Semi-Pro
Can't edit and/or add to previous posts, so here's something else to toss into my 2-cents...
Just saw part 1 of Tennis Channel's interview with John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors and the topic was brought up of the difference in the game between their era and the game the way it is now and how much equipment technology has impacted it: McEnroe pretty much eluded that technology in equipment inevitably improves over time and head size was simply a part of that, but that ultimately what or who makes things happen is the substance/character of and within the player.
Just saw part 1 of Tennis Channel's interview with John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors and the topic was brought up of the difference in the game between their era and the game the way it is now and how much equipment technology has impacted it: McEnroe pretty much eluded that technology in equipment inevitably improves over time and head size was simply a part of that, but that ultimately what or who makes things happen is the substance/character of and within the player.
フェデラー
Hall of Fame
i heard it was slightly different. Im just wondering why so many people are going with larger heads.
Conquistador
Banned
More Power, lighter frames equal a bigger forehand and a bigger backhand. Look at Fernando Gonzalez using that 100 sq inch Babolat Storm racquet. Hes hitting flatter and with more pace. Bigger is better, more power today is better than more kontrol..
ace0001a
Semi-Pro
Hehe, true dat! Oh and nice jab at Wilson's "K" with "kontrol". I guess it's all relative these days...the game is more about power now and larger racquet heads are just one of the variables to it.
I've never understood why people think smaller head sizes are harder to use. I'm using a 105 lately and find that keeping the ball in the court on groundstrokes and especially volleys requires me to be much cleaner with my technique. With smaller headsizes it seems much easier to keep the ball in the court. Also harder to serve effectively with larger head sizes. About the only time smaller racquets are harder to use is very quick reaction shots like returns.
I don't think many top pros use 105 sq I think most of them reside in the 95-100 range these days
Tennis Dunce
Semi-Pro
Agassi made a mistake choosing to go OS route. He had a chance to be the GOAT if he would have chosen a racquet with an 85-90 si hoop. Think about how deadly he was with that butterfly net...now magnify times a thousand the potential he wasted by not opting to use a real racquet. Its a shame really...he was born to play tennis...and born to play tennis with an 85...yet played with some girly sized racquet.
Who really knows how he'd have played? Agassi played since childhood with the oversize stick, (POG, Donnay OS, Head Radical OS) he developed his game on it, just like Sampras grew up on the Jack Kramer 85, then the 6.0 85, they both stuck with what they were comfortable with. I don't think Agassi would have won more slams with a midsize.
Tennis Dunce
Semi-Pro
^^Agassi's first impressions of striking a tennis ball and properly aligning his footwork, was with a wood frame...like 65 si. His keen hand/eye coordination and eyesight were tailor-made for an 85.
THESEXPISTOL
Hall of Fame
It's 98''. Stop saying things you don't know!
THESEXPISTOL
Hall of Fame
i guess people dont understand that its most likely better to string low with a smaller racket. Clearly its worked for fed
It worked for Nadal and Agassi the other way around too...
Again. Is the player that matters.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
LOL..your username is dead on.
I recently got an OS frame (agassi donnay)and it is really great for picking the ball up on the rise and a 2 handed backhand. It is definitley a "real racquet".
Of course Nadal and Woz use the same stick..Nadal must be a girl too.
Kirko
Hall of Fame
true >>>
Agassi once said he doubted if he could have made on the tour without the oversize frame. sure he could have made the cut on tour, but its about confidence and thats it. there are so many people here who write stupid stuff like tennis dunce. its kinda embarassing.
Agassi once said he doubted if he could have made on the tour without the oversize frame. sure he could have made the cut on tour, but its about confidence and thats it. there are so many people here who write stupid stuff like tennis dunce. its kinda embarassing.
But they're actually not. The large majority of the pros on tour (with a few notable exceptions) are using frames between 95 and 100 square inches. Tsonga never actually used the 93, it was a 95, and many companies' frames vary enough that one company's 98 (say Head's) is another's 95. There is no appreciable trend in players switching to either smaller or larger frames.
Gonzo is using the same racquet as ever: the Pure Control (old version). It's a 98, as it always has been, and as such is right in the middle of the range that most pros are using today. The Control and Storm series are all from the same mold, and they're all 98's. There is no 100 sq inch Storm racquet. If he's hitting flatter, it's because he feels like hitting flatter, not due to any racquet change.
And this is based on what?
Conquistador
Banned
Lighter and larger equals more pace. More pace equals bigger groudstrokes. Its that simple. Something lightweight and forgiving is everything the way the pros hit with pace. Take Nadal for example...he uses a 100 sq inch frame-he often shanks balls as well--theres no way he could ever use a 90 inch racquet ever. Everything is equal in racquets --the smaller the head the more kontrol and less forgiveness--the larger the head--the more power and forgiveness--thats why 100 square inch frames are the best things ever made--they are the middle ground of the racquet world--kontrol and power. best of both worlds.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
It matters how you swing though. You don't need a 100 if you use flatter eastern strokes. And frankly, it is an advantage to be able to have that much control. I like 100s and OS's because I use a lot of spin and a western grip. If I did not, I would be using a 90-95 honestly.
I think that is right on. Nadals head speed, grip, and angle of his stroke would create a major challenge for him with a 90.
I don't think that's accurate. Ever since the move away from traditional wood racquets in the 80's there have been a fairly wide variety of head sizes available. There have been a variety of mids, mid-pluses and oversized frames (and even super-oversized) pretty much constantly since, although the popularity of various frames sizes has varied. In fact, if anything, there is now less variety available, since the largest majority of frames sold are between 95 and 100 square inches. Frames smaller than that and larger than that were more common and more readily available 10 years ago, but many manufacturers have narrowed their offerings in head size (and length) in recent years to reduce the number of SKUs they have to produce, in an effort to keep manufacturing costs down.
Conquistador
Banned
Power is EVERYTHING today. Long gone are the days of chip and charge and serve and volley. Todays game is about ball speed and velocity. The game has changed a lot--surely only elite ballstrikers like Federer can get away with a 90 sq inch racquet. I read somewhere i think nick bolitterri said that if you arent pro you should be playing with an oversize racquet. I agree. I play with a 100 sq inch frame--and i often mishit..Imagine a poor ballstiker with good kontrol using a small frame --the man cant compete the way the big racquets are sending the ball back. That player would simply get outhit. Ball speeds are coming too fast for an average pro to be using something small.
Conquistador
Banned
I agree. But bigger means more power. The faster the ball speed from the opposing player means a slower reaction time. Slower reaction time means shorter strokes--thats when the bigger frame kicks in.
volleynets
Hall of Fame
Garbage post. Tsonga never used a 93. It was a pj of a K blade on a 95 frame. Djoko never used a 93 either. If you believed that than I won't bother to explain anything else.
