New Donnay X-Series - My Thoughts
- Thread starter Kal-El 34
- Start date
I just played 2 matches yesterday (1 double and 1 singles)with the Silver Lite Ext. I usually like heavier rackets, but I have been wondedring if I am holding onto an old me, so I am trying some lighter rackets. The SLE was very impressive; my serve was huge, both flat and spin. I used the 10g butcap and 1- 1 oz slide on each side. This is an extremely solid racket, and I can't believe I like it so much. I only criticism was the stock hybrid at 58. I will restring will co-poly at about 52lbs.
Mike
Mike
GoodSamaritan
Rookie
Do you know how powerful the Donnay poly that comes wth the kit is Suppawat? It's the metallic colored and sort of thick one probably 1.25+
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Yeah that was to Ryushen . Seriously what is your issue? We just want to talk donnay racquets here and like them all. If you are a little kid, then I apologize, just thought you were older and more mature.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Yeah the stick hybrid is pretty blah...
Murray_fan1
Professional
I just got 5 prototype strings, and one of them is quite interesting. It's a triangular shaped poly string in charcoal color. The edges are pretty sharp. I just strung it on Silver Lite, and will playtest within these 2 days.
Suppawat,
Are these strings made by Solinco?
Nadal = Borg
Banned
PP.....
Don't get me wrong. I don't have an issue at all. I love talking about the sticks. I'm the first one to admit my faults.....maybe I did get over excited about the dual cores as you have pointed out but you are no saint either. Sorta the pot calling the kettle black?
Instead of calling me "weird" why don't you just agree that I had a point an I was justified in falling in love with dual cores the same as you have?
So let's agree to agree! The dual cores are amazing and we are on the same team!! LOL.
Fair enough?
Nadal = Borg
Banned
Roman says that they are basically the same exact strings as Luxilon ALU.....
Which males sense because Roman designed the sticks and he LOVES ALU.
AlpineAce
Banned
Sorry bro they are not, they arent the worst poly but they are certainly not alu, I mean Sure id use it for free, but I've been using solinco, I just tried a hybrid of Revolution/outlast and Barbwire/TourB
Nadal = Borg
Banned
I believe you. I'm just the messenger bro.
I have no clue what they are like. I've never tried them.
AlpineAce
Banned
Today is the day! Finally get to hit the new plat 99.
Bounced a few balls off the house yesterday just to see how it felt. Didn't last long because my jack russell kept stealing the ball. Little dude would catch the ball on the fly off the wall in his mouth. He'd be a good net man!
Can't tell too much just hitting some soft groundies off a house in the grass, but no way is flex in the 70s. My pdrgt is in the 70s and it is way stiffer. But the plat, although not as still, feels more substantial and solid.
Anyway, I'll give my first impressions after my match today. I'm playing someone I usually beat, so if I lose it must be the racket's fault!
yeah, I have no clue where they come up with the flex numbers, they seem to be way off, I'd say its around 62.
LawnChairGeneral
Rookie
jlan - how far over your target spec was the silver? Was it close or way off?
I too am interested in the silver (if TW ever gets it in...), but am concerned about it getting too heavy after customization.
tennisfarmer
Banned
Can anyone answer my questions:
1) Are the dual cores better than the xenecores?
2) The dual cores promote comfort yet they are stiff racquets,why?
3) Also the dual cores seem to have a more round head shape, is this true?
1) Are the dual cores better than the xenecores?
2) The dual cores promote comfort yet they are stiff racquets,why?
3) Also the dual cores seem to have a more round head shape, is this true?
jlan
Rookie
My Silver weighed 311g unstrung when I got it. After stringing it weighed 328g. Adding an overgrip made it 332g.
I always use a leather grip with an overgrip on top so I replaced the stock synthetic grip, which weighed 12g, for an old TW leather grip I had around which was 22g.
After all that, the racquet weighed 342g, which is 22g heavier than what I would prefer.
In stock form, the Silver already plays great. But, if you want to do some modifications, you can probably estimate off my numbers to what yours may end up like.
1) It's all a matter of preference. Demo the X-Series now and then again when TW gets the X-Duals.
2) As noted on their website, Donnay states the stiffness ratings are done on the raw frame. After stringing it feels closer to the mid 60s.
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Well . . . where to begin. I guess my first impression isn't as glowing as I'd hoped. But at the same time I think it went better than expected. Confused? Me too.
Played someone I am familiar with and have good matches with. Won in three sets, going 6-0 in third. So that must be pretty good considering I never used this racket before. Plat 99, btw.
But it wasn't a life altering experience. I think it may be the strings. I strung up turbo twist at 52. Felt almost mushy. I think I need something crisper. I think my biggest complaint thus far would be that when I went to really put some power into a shot, it didn't seem to be there.
Serves: good directional control, nice spin. When I went big and flat it went in, but it didn't feel heavy or as powerful as it should have been given the swing I put on the ball.
Volleys: very good. Great touch on touch shots, good pop on put aways.
Backhand slice was good. Sometimes it floated, but I knifed a bunch today that just skipped off the ground. Hit some real nice down the line topspin backhands, too. Those seemed to have good pop.
Forehand gave good topspin and control, but again when I had an open court and went to put a bit extra on it, it didn't feel like it was there. I did fly a few too. More than with my K90, less than with my pdrgt.
The lack of oomph, I think, may be because the racket feels so light. If I didn't weigh it, there is no way I would believe the racket weighed 12.3 ounces and there is no way it is 70 flex. Absolutely no way. It does swing very fast, so I'm sure there will be an adjustment period.
I'm thinking it was the strings. I think I need a crisper string, strung more loosely. PP, this is where you say B5e at 50 lbs. You may be right on this one. I think BHBR may work well too because it is powerful and spinny and crisper (to me at least) that turbotwist.
The Plat 99 was also very comfortable, and even though our match lasted 2 hours and 15 minutes, I was not tired from swinging it all, unlike the k90.
So, given what seems to be a string issue, I guess I should be pretty impressed with the bottom line, which is the racket allowed me to play good enough to beat a good player the very first time I used the racket. I thinking new strings, and maybe a leather grip will solidify the feel a bit. I'd prefer not to start adding weight though because it will climb fast.
Joe
Played someone I am familiar with and have good matches with. Won in three sets, going 6-0 in third. So that must be pretty good considering I never used this racket before. Plat 99, btw.
But it wasn't a life altering experience. I think it may be the strings. I strung up turbo twist at 52. Felt almost mushy. I think I need something crisper. I think my biggest complaint thus far would be that when I went to really put some power into a shot, it didn't seem to be there.
Serves: good directional control, nice spin. When I went big and flat it went in, but it didn't feel heavy or as powerful as it should have been given the swing I put on the ball.
Volleys: very good. Great touch on touch shots, good pop on put aways.
Backhand slice was good. Sometimes it floated, but I knifed a bunch today that just skipped off the ground. Hit some real nice down the line topspin backhands, too. Those seemed to have good pop.
Forehand gave good topspin and control, but again when I had an open court and went to put a bit extra on it, it didn't feel like it was there. I did fly a few too. More than with my K90, less than with my pdrgt.
The lack of oomph, I think, may be because the racket feels so light. If I didn't weigh it, there is no way I would believe the racket weighed 12.3 ounces and there is no way it is 70 flex. Absolutely no way. It does swing very fast, so I'm sure there will be an adjustment period.
I'm thinking it was the strings. I think I need a crisper string, strung more loosely. PP, this is where you say B5e at 50 lbs. You may be right on this one. I think BHBR may work well too because it is powerful and spinny and crisper (to me at least) that turbotwist.
The Plat 99 was also very comfortable, and even though our match lasted 2 hours and 15 minutes, I was not tired from swinging it all, unlike the k90.
So, given what seems to be a string issue, I guess I should be pretty impressed with the bottom line, which is the racket allowed me to play good enough to beat a good player the very first time I used the racket. I thinking new strings, and maybe a leather grip will solidify the feel a bit. I'd prefer not to start adding weight though because it will climb fast.
Joe
tennisfarmer
Banned
Also on the donnay website it shows that donnay dual core racquets are for medium strokes compare to long strokes for xenecore, no to mention xenecore is more expensive, 250 for xenecore and 200 for dual core
http://www.donnayusa.com/selector.php
http://www.donnayusa.com/selector.php
Power Player
Bionic Poster
I felt the same way with Tourbite in it..just didnt work for me. Turboo twist is supposed to be strung higher as well..so you probably had too much power like I did with Solinco. You want a nice pocketing string or hybrid setup. I think the Black Magic or B5e is ideal personally.
Also think the flex is lower than 65 as well..but I get a lot of power with this racquet..probably ideal for me..as too much more and I'd be where I was with using the Pure storm Tour.
Also think the flex is lower than 65 as well..but I get a lot of power with this racquet..probably ideal for me..as too much more and I'd be where I was with using the Pure storm Tour.
jlan
Rookie
I never follow those "stroke recommendations". If you know what specs you like then those recommendations don't even matter.
The X-Duals are discounted right now as an intro offer. They'll probably go back to $250 when this promo period ends. The X-Series are $198 each here at TW and you can demo them, so why not get them here?
bad_call
Legend
thanks for the selector url. looks like the site suggests gold 94...thought that before using the selector.
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tennisfarmer
Banned
Discounted right now as an intro offer, that makes sense, I can't demo though because I live in Canada
Discounted right now as an intro offer, that makes sense, I can't demo though because I live in Canada
They have a 14 day money back guarantee on the dual cores. That could be one way to demo.
LawnChairGeneral
Rookie
Wow! Donnay advertises the silver as 11.1oz strung, so I would expect it to arrive somewhere around 298g....not 311g! Looks like the string alone put you over your 320g limit. Most have said that the heavier racquets feel lighter than they actually are due to the HL balance and thin beam (faster swing). I hope this will offset the extra mass that I will eventually add to the silver. Now I just need a demo to see for myself. Thanks for sharing jlan.
Kal-El, where is your silver review??
LawnChairGeneral
Rookie
That selector is [obviously] biased toward the x-duals. None of the combinations that I have tried ever resulted in an x-series recommendation, only x-duals. Since the advertised specs are somewhat inaccurate, it's worth demoing as many of the x-sticks that you can before making a decision.
jlan
Rookie
No problem
Yeah, I was pretty surprised at the difference in weight from advertised specs when I got it. I'll probably call and request for the lowest weighted frame when I order the Silver Lite.The thin beams really do cut through the air very fast, which is why I think they swing lighter than what their weights would indicate. How much weight do you think you'll be adding?
GoodSamaritan
Rookie
All the Dual Core hype is because of it's new release and promotion. They're good racquets but not huge improvements over the X-Series, just different. They've done something good here but I'm sticking to my prestige
joeellis
Rookie
I'm not sure if you prefer poly string, but I have found that a good multi filament works great in my DC Gold. It gives the racquet a crisper feel and better feedback, plus it will offer more pop. It is also more comfy and will save your arm.
Another thing that may have caused your feel and low power is the tight string pattern. Typically a tight pattern offers better control and less pop. Some feel is normally lost as well. Because of the tight pattern, if you are a string breaker, this should help a multi or natural gut last longer, because the strings don't move around as much.
I don't know if you've tried any of the original racquets, but they do typically offer more feel than the Dual Cores. To me the Blue's were the stiffest and closest to the feel of the Dual Core's. They are all very good sticks, but unfortunatly you may have to try several before you find what fits your needs best. They are all different.
Nadal = Borg
Banned
1- I'm my opinion absolutely . The dual core is just better.
2- I don't know but yet its true. It's weird.....it's not like anything I have tried before. It seems they found a way to get rid of all the vibrations....so even though it's stiff you dont feel it. It's different than any other racquet....there's no way to truly describe it.....you just have to try it and you will see.
3- no.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
I'm hoping TW stocks these frames soon because they seem to be pretty good at giving the real stiffness. They said the Blacks were 59, and I can see that. DC Plat feels like 64 to me..basically same as a newer prestige.
I noticed when I bounced the ball off the strings between points it was vibrating it a lot. I think the ends of the knots were touching the frame causing it, because that was new. I only hear vibrations when bounce the ball off of the top of the racquet, and when I hit I dont feel any ever.
The Prestige Mid would let me know if I missed the sweet spot all over the frame, the Donnays are much more kind. When you rip a perfectly clean ball with them, it feels as good as any stick.
I noticed when I bounced the ball off the strings between points it was vibrating it a lot. I think the ends of the knots were touching the frame causing it, because that was new. I only hear vibrations when bounce the ball off of the top of the racquet, and when I hit I dont feel any ever.
The Prestige Mid would let me know if I missed the sweet spot all over the frame, the Donnays are much more kind. When you rip a perfectly clean ball with them, it feels as good as any stick.
PP-
Have you tried black magic in your plat yet?
I'm going to pull the turbotwist because it won't get crisper. I have sets of typhoon, black code, b5e, and black magic. I'm thinking of going typhoon first at around 50-52 lbs. I think ideally I want something I can string around 50.
Upon further review I wonder if a touch of lead at the tip or 10 & 2 would help increase the plow a bit without losing that fast swing. Would adding leather increase stability/plowthrough? I know it would make the racket even more headlight but would that decrease or increase stability?
Have you tried black magic in your plat yet?
I'm going to pull the turbotwist because it won't get crisper. I have sets of typhoon, black code, b5e, and black magic. I'm thinking of going typhoon first at around 50-52 lbs. I think ideally I want something I can string around 50.
Upon further review I wonder if a touch of lead at the tip or 10 & 2 would help increase the plow a bit without losing that fast swing. Would adding leather increase stability/plowthrough? I know it would make the racket even more headlight but would that decrease or increase stability?
Power Player
Bionic Poster
IMO, I don't really need any more plow so far. That is something I was missing a little in the Black, but the consistency of the frame was so nice I did not mind that much. The plow for me is awesome in the DC, but it did not really dial in until I got the right strings. The B5e just gives you the pocketing you need in this frame.
Since it basically is a Donnay version of the Prestige, I think any pocketing poly like BM is going to give you the feel you are missing with the stiffer polys. But when you are putting 12.2 ozs of racqeut on a ball with good racquet speed, you are going to get some serious plow. The SW is real healthy at 325 as well, so for me I doubt I will ever add any lead.
I have some Black Magic and also some Black Mamba (Black Magic style string). I am going to try the Mamba next and see how it compares, then the Black Magic. These are all very similar stings, so I will pick my favorite and buy a reel.
Since it basically is a Donnay version of the Prestige, I think any pocketing poly like BM is going to give you the feel you are missing with the stiffer polys. But when you are putting 12.2 ozs of racqeut on a ball with good racquet speed, you are going to get some serious plow. The SW is real healthy at 325 as well, so for me I doubt I will ever add any lead.
I have some Black Magic and also some Black Mamba (Black Magic style string). I am going to try the Mamba next and see how it compares, then the Black Magic. These are all very similar stings, so I will pick my favorite and buy a reel.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
1. Define better for you. The DC's have a more classic feel, and have the characteristics a lot of people are missing from the PC600, and the pro molds out there. The X series is more classic Donnay feel..very flexy, but more power than the old Donnays. The DCs have more power than the X series.
2. The DCs are not very stiff. We all guess they are in the mid 60s so far. The reason they promote comfort is because the Xenecore is a solid mass that kills the vibrations from the racquet.
3. I think the head shape is the same on both. It is your standard common pro mold head shape - very similar to the Head PTs, the Dunlop 300T, the Tfight 335. Just an ideal headshape that works for flat or spin hitters.
tlm
G.O.A.T.
I was getting the same vibrating sound when i hit at the end of the racket, makes it sound like it is cracked or something. I found out what it was, the butt cap is where the noise is coming from. Try taking your butt cap off then bang on the strings by the top of the hoop and see if that fixes it.
It worked for me i put one of the other butt caps on and there was no noise. I put the original back on and the noise was back. I was getting mad because i wanted to use the 5 gram butt cap but it kept making noise. So i cut a thin strip of electrical tape put it around the edge on the butt cap where it seals then put the butt cap in and this worked no more noise.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
You were right. I just did it..wow..so weird. I wonder if that affected the feel of the stick today and wasn't paying attention. I pulled off the buttcap and the racquet immediately felt awesome again. Now it is back on, and so far so good. I thought my strings were dying today, But it may have been just the loose buttcap.
tlm
G.O.A.T.
Ya it does not effect the play of the racket, but it sure sounds like crap. I couldn't believe the noise was coming from the butt cap, i would have sworn it was coming out of the frame at the top of the hoop.
LawnChairGeneral
Rookie
No problem
The thin beams really do cut through the air very fast, which is why I think they swing lighter than what their weights would indicate. How much weight do you think you'll be adding?
Ideally I'd like to get to 11.3....11.5 max. I was hoping to use the heavy butt cap (or other weight) in the handle to increase HL balance. But if strings and an overgrip alone hit the limit then I may have to start with the silver lite and build up. This is a shame because the silver is my favorite cosmetic....silver lite is my least favorite. Hopefully the silver you received was abnormal?? Interested to see the TW spec sheet for these frames.
On the other hand, maybe a light swinging 11.5+ racquet will be just fine for me. Won't know til it's in my hand.
jlan
Rookie
You should call and ask for them to pick out the lightest Silver they have in stock or at least one closest to the listed specs, which is what I'll do for the Silver Lite.
My modded Silver at 12oz already felt incredibly light and easy to swing, but I know with a lower static weight and tuned to my specs, I can whip the racquet around even faster.
tlm
G.O.A.T.
I have found with a lot of rackets that what the manufacturer says their racket weighs and what the racket actually weigh are 2 different things.
suppawat
Semi-Pro
I agree with you and I don't believe racquet manufacturers can do exact weight according to spec. Fischer used to claim zero tolerance but I don't think it makes much difference in racquet playability. To be fair to consumers, manufacturers should do something like Yonex and Donnay. Yonex clearly states "average weight" (can be less or more) while Donnay has "start weight" (can be more) printed on the throat. In addition, Donnay uses barcode to identify the actual weight, balance, and stiffness of each racquet. I found the Donnay barcode system very reliable. Earlier in April, I got asked by users who questioned about Donnay racquet weight. So I bought a digital scale to weigh everything in my bag. Let's look at this.
The start weight of X-Black 99 is 320g and the barcode states 325g
The actual weight is 328g (including 3g of plastic wrap on the handle)
The weight of customization kit is also accurate - 3g/piece exactly.
Each pallet piece also has actual weight printed on. This makes me believe in Donnay racquet weight QC even more.
You can see more stuffs from dampener to shoes I weighed here http://thaimisc.pukpik.com/freewebboard/php/vreply.php?user=thaitennis&topic=14655&page=1
tlm
G.O.A.T.
I agree with you and I don't believe racquet manufacturers can do exact weight according to spec. Fischer used to claim zero tolerance but I don't think it makes much difference in racquet playability. To be fair to consumers, manufacturers should do something like Yonex and Donnay. Yonex clearly states "average weight" (can be less or more) while Donnay has "start weight" (can be more) printed on the throat. In addition, Donnay uses barcode to identify the actual weight, balance, and stiffness of each racquet. I found the Donnay barcode system very reliable. Earlier in April, I got asked by users who questioned about Donnay racquet weight. So I bought a digital scale to weigh everything in my bag. Let's look at this.
The start weight of X-Black 99 is 320g and the barcode states 325g
The actual weight is 328g (including 3g of plastic wrap on the handle)
The weight of customization kit is also accurate - 3g/piece exactly.
Each pallet piece also has actual weight printed on. This makes me believe in Donnay racquet weight QC even more.
You can see more stuffs from dampener to shoes I weighed here http://thaimisc.pukpik.com/freewebboard/php/vreply.php?user=thaitennis&topic=14655&page=1
Ya there is nothing like having your own scale so you really know what your racket weighs. I did use fisher rackets a few years ago and they were right on the money. I have noticed that the rackets are always heavier than what is listed, i have never had one lighter.
MesQueUnClub
Rookie
Is there a place you can enter your barcode and see the specs?
SlowButSure
New User
I had 3 silvers when I was trying them. They were 303, 303 and 301 barcode, true weight, unstrung.
They are listed as 300, so that's pretty much right on.
Strings are going to be 16-20g in a 99 with 16x19, an OG is typically 6g and most dampners are 2-3g.
So if you get one that is close to stock, you can figure on it weighing about 324g (11.42oz) before you modify it at all.
The ones I had had a significantly higher swingweight than they list, which for me was nice as I wanted it higher, and it meant I didn't have to add as much lead. I'm not sure what to make of that, as all 3 had essentailly identical swingweights, all higher than spec.
Bottom line is if 11.5 is the heaviest you want to go, just adding an OG and a dampner to an on-spec silver will pretty much get you there. If you want room to modify it, you're pretty much going to have to go with the silver-lite.
I've been through a lot of Donnay's in my trials, I think I've played with almost 20 now. I've found the variability in specs to be similar to other companies, the one difference being they actually print the specs on the racquet. Like other racquets, you can figure on a 5% variability, but with Donnay, if you have a particular spec you want, you can at least ask for racquets that are close to it.
Just as an example, I've been playing with 3 Blacks for several months now. I asked for similar specs, but apparently wasn't specific enough... The barcodes (which matched actual specs) are:
325305
325310
325315
So the weights were identical, but the balance varied by a full cm. The (strung) swingweights followed the pattern, being 326, 333, and 341 respectively. It was pretty easy to modify/match them, but if one didn't check and just assumed they were identical because you asked, you'd have racquets that played very differently.
I think in general people don't appreciate how much racquet specs can vary from published numbers. This is very evident in the TWU measurements. TWU always tests a single racquet, and the one they happen to test can be a lot different than the norm, resulting in test numbers very different that what you are likely to get if you buy one. It would be nice if TWU made an effort to get a test stick that was close to the published stats, or at least the average TW takes for the description page, but I digress...
JGads
G.O.A.T.
And anyone who can do a comparison between the Platinum 94 and 99, let me know. Trying to figure out which to try. I'm historically more of a smaller-frame, Prestige kind of guy in taste, but I have a two-handed backhand and hit with a lot of spin, which generally veers toward a bigger stick.
Cut out my turbotwist in the plat 99. Restrung it with typhoon (blue) at 50 lbs. I almost hope I don't like it. That was the worst stringing experience of my life. The typhoon twisted and twisted so much, it took forever to do the crosses because it kept kinking to ridiculous proportions. Awful.
Am I doing something wrong stringing? When I tie off the mains it seems as though their is another main coming from that hole that makes it difficult to push the string through to tie off. It is hard to explain, but if you have strung one of these you will know what I mean (unless I am doing something wrong).
Am I doing something wrong stringing? When I tie off the mains it seems as though their is another main coming from that hole that makes it difficult to push the string through to tie off. It is hard to explain, but if you have strung one of these you will know what I mean (unless I am doing something wrong).
Power Player
Bionic Poster
I use 17 gauge so it makes it a little easier. The grommets should be wider there though, so I hve not had a problem personally. It is basically the same as a Prestige stringing pattern so I am used to it.
TLM I think the reason the buttcap vibrates the whole racquet is because it is a 1 piece stick. I could be wrong about that though, but that could be it. Good call..I never would have thought it was the buttcap, and I hope resitting mine fixed the problem. It was really weird suddenly having the stick vibrate like mad, and I could not figure it out. It feels super plush and nice again thankfully.
TLM I think the reason the buttcap vibrates the whole racquet is because it is a 1 piece stick. I could be wrong about that though, but that could be it. Good call..I never would have thought it was the buttcap, and I hope resitting mine fixed the problem. It was really weird suddenly having the stick vibrate like mad, and I could not figure it out. It feels super plush and nice again thankfully.
neverstopplaying
Professional
I just got my 99s today but was also thinking about the 94s. I'm sure some will have great things to say, but I chose the 99s regardless, for a larger head size.
Still didn't try them yet due to a sore wrist AND miserable rainy weather. I usually like polys but strung up one with full multi to help with the wrist pain. haven't tried this setup in years.
neverstopplaying
Professional
I experience the same thing with Typhoon in another racquet - royal PITA.
As for stringing, I can't see how you can miss as "main tie off" is written at 9T. I didn't have any problems and found it quite easy to get all the strings through, for an 18x20, except I started the mains with the 1st loop in the bottom instead of the top. My bad - didn't read the grommet right.
I didn't miss it, just it is partially blocked by another main string, which makes feeding it through tough.
Also, I cut my 40foot set of typhoon in half to string the racket, but needed to use my starting clamp to bridge the string to my gripper because it was too short in the mains. just a pain all around.
suppawat
Semi-Pro
Unlike other merchandise barcode, Donnay barcode doesn't require a reader. It is a 12-digit number that identifies the weight, balance, stiffness, and lot number of the racquet.
