Diary of a Racketaholic

ryushen21

Legend
Re the Tornado bit...

I can see where you might not have liked it in the PPro retail. It does have that slightly stiffer RA and Tornado is a stiffer string. That's already a very crispy frame and adding that string might not have been the best move. I'm working through this whole lower tension adjustment but I have the feeling that upper 40s range is just about perfect for this string. In terms of performance and durability, it's one of the best that I have played with.

However, you mention the Hyperion. I recall when these strings first came out that people were talking about the Hyperion/Tornado hybrid and raving about it. I posted in the strings section asking about it but got no responses. I think that this could be the key for you as, IIRC, hyperion was slightly softer. So you get all the benefits of tornado with the softened hyperion feel.
 

TennisMD

Professional
I had a great week with some babs out here. Seriously considering going that route...The only thing is that my groundies are garbage. But my serves and volleys are super good. APD slice and approach is out of this world.

I tried the PDR standard and the APDGT (aka the Lovitz).
I like the APD better around the court but the PDR serving is sort of incredible. I could pop my first serve flat out wide with crazy consistency. Again though my groundies were just awful. I play a lot of doubles though so it's doesn't show as much.

I must contemplate this further.
toc_lovitz_121410.jpg
So Fed I think we have a similar game like the player power rkts and serve sets up the game, also playing more dubs now. So I know you were a Head Youtex Extreme Pro user, Your thoughts on this rkt vs the ones you just recently demoed ie. the PDR standard and AP and were both these the non GT versions.
 

el sergento

Hall of Fame
el sergento,

Re TGK specs query:

I've done some digging around because I've been a bit in the dark myself TBH.

Well, all I can really say is... and this is from other peoples experiences too... they are weighted from 249-253, with a balance around 379 mm, but thats the hair pin without lead and sillicone. I think its without the grommets and pallets too. A few others have affirmed they got theirs with the same specs as retail and yet it swings different, a slightly heavier SW. One thing I certainly agree on is the flex seems a bit softer on the TGK than retail PP - one TT member had his on an RDC machine and it said 63 RA (retail of course being in the 66 RA region.)

Re my TGK PP, I intend to remove the lead. Yesterday I ended up taking off all the lead on my retail PP @ 12 and I enjoyed spending a day with it really grooving and working my stroking my strokes. Two days ago, I got annihilated by an excellent player and among the lessons I took from my thrashing was I'm simply playing these frames with too much lead on the tip. So, I've had it with a static weight of 344g and a balance of 32.3cm (this does include overgrip and strung with poly) for months. My retail was at a very similar weight/balance minus a gram or 2 less @ 12. However, I think because the starting point for the frames are very different even though the static weight and swing weight are pretty similar, the weight distribution is a bit different. Furthermore, the silicone in the handle makes it feel different. More muted. The layup is different. The stringbed somehow feels/performs more uniformly. Etc. So, I don't know... could you say only the mould is the same?

Annnnyhow, as I said, I'm now looking at no lead on the retail PP and I intend to do similar with the TGK. I may add it back in future, but we'll see. I learnt this week that despite the additional 'hurt' you can get with lead @ 12, for me, it's simply not worth the extra weight. Trust me, against this 5 level player, I was made to feel every gram.:wink:

Sorry if some of that's that slightly confusing, el (I'm not a natural when it comes to specs geekery), and there does seem to be some conflicting opinions and indeed a general lack of definite checkable facts or data re these TGKs.

R

Ross, you're a real pal, thanks for digging up that info.

The TGK PP is the only frame that could reignite my R-holism. Just the thought of having so much freedom to experiment is intoxicating.

Regarding lead removal on the retail PP, I actually find that without the lead at the hoop that I'm hitting closer to the natural sweet spot of the racquet, closer to the center of the frame. As a result, despite the reduction in SW, I'm getting more power because the PP's dense string pattern causes some power drop towards the top of the hoop.

DSCF4240.JPG


Another reason to love NXT, you know exactly where you're hitting the ball.:)
 
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Murray_fan1

Professional
OK so the combination of my recent poor play with my current sticks and my curiosity have got the best of me once again. Gone are my PB 10 mid, Donnay X-Blue ( new home with JGads) and TFight 325 and in are Volkl Organix 10 295, Head Speed IG 315 16x19, Head Youtek Extreme IG MP, Prince EXO3 Tour 100 18x20.

My hope is that these new racquets are easier to wield when practice/regular play is not happening as much as I would like.


Reviews to follow!!
 

Fed Kennedy

Legend
So Fed I think we have a similar game like the player power rkts and serve sets up the game, also playing more dubs now. So I know you were a Head Youtex Extreme Pro user, Your thoughts on this rkt vs the ones you just recently demoed ie. the PDR standard and AP and were both these the non GT versions.

Hola MD, I've been a bit schizo lately and I think I know why...summers here and I'm getting to hit with so many good players but there's two radically different groups.

On one hand there's the 14-15 year old juniors that want to play singles...on the other there's a group of 4.5 dubs guys who are about ten years older than me (I'm 33).

So...when I play singles I'm the slowest guy out there hitting the biggest ball and when I play dubs I'm the fastest guy hitting the weakest ball.

The juniors love being fed topspin and they like to move laterally. I need my heavy wilson to smother their topspin and hit through them. The tweener is just useless and I end up in a footrace with a teenage jackrabbit.

The old guys hate being fed topspin and hate moving laterally. Love the tweeners for opening up the court with high bounces and mooning to their one handers...

As you can see I'm kind of torn...

Re: your yt extreme pro question: (BTW did you see ljubicic's returns against Murray??? He hit a 100 mph+ 1hbh block return winner...ssssick)

I've been trying the aero gt and the pdr gt standard. Neither one has the super solid feel of the yt extreme pro, but they are both more forgiving.
The extreme is comparable to the roddick, but I think the extreme vibrates less and is a little more demanding. The extreme is better for flattening out winners. The Roddick is easier to serve with. I was holding serve the other day with this frame in like 40 seconds flat. Makes the game so much easier.

As you probably know the extreme is an unreal rac on returns. Volleys also super crisp. What I like about the babs is they seem a little more aerodynamic, a little bit more manueverable. Small difference but it's there.

The gripshape. I hate the head gripshape. I tape mine up so it doesn't bother me, but then again I pick up a wilson and I feel like I'm shaking hands with God...The bab is much closer to wilson.

The grommets. The woofer thing is just weird. You gotta adjust. Extreme much more direct feeling on contact. But the woof I think is what is jet propelling these serves...

All of this brings me to the APDgt (jon lovitz signature model)...this one has a little more feel than the Roddick and was sublime in improvisational dubs situations. It's too light but just a little. Banging from the backcourt was an exercise in fluff balls. PED and Ross have some ideas how to mod it up. I think just a tad more beef would be nice. Maybe just a leather grip and a gram or two.

Strangely, I loved this rafa stick for S and V. It served almost as well as the roddick, but the approaches and volleys felt much better. I also hit the greatest shot of my life with this thing this week and I cant stop thinking about it...It was like a parallel to the net 1 hander cc that kicked straight into the side fence...woooo!

In summary, I think the Roddick is kind of a better serving but less feel/power/touch than the extreme. Also the Roddick is stiff in a way that kind of microwaves the arm.

The APDgt is secretly a great all court stick but it's weak in stock form...it needs a little weight but I'm not sure how to do it...could be an endless modding disaster, whereas the extreme is almost GOAT in stock form. Remember Ljubo grew up using PDs so these racs are pretty similar.
 

Devilito

Hall of Fame
The APDgt is secretly a great all court stick but it's weak in stock form...it needs a little weight but I'm not sure how to do it...could be an endless modding disaster, whereas the extreme is almost GOAT in stock form. Remember Ljubo grew up using PDs so these racs are pretty similar.

Get the APD or the Extreme they’re both good racquets. They both share a similar characteristic. They’re big, light and stiff. They play amazing with a low tension soft poly. This balances out the stiffness of the frame, helps ball pocketing and makes up for the lighter weight. Hits a nice heavy shot. On the other hand you have the option of leading it up, adding a leather grip and upping the tension on your strings. Either way you have versatility in both frames. Ljub used the PD then him and Youzhny both switched to the actual Extreme so you know they’re both solid frames and you can’t go wrong picking one or the other.
 

JGads

G.O.A.T.
Randoms:

Fed, pretty spot on with what I thought about the APD from trying it out way back. I always thought the serves were great, better than advertised. Also remember being able to drop shot with amazing precision, which surprised me as well. Btw, you were all over the PST GT and still talk about it in a goaty way -- what in particular made you not go with it yourself?

Oh, and small side note: that 100 mph return winner from Ljub was unbelievable. I was really sad that that match didn't end up going into a fifth set, because it would have been a dandy: Ljub's smarts/experience vs Murray's physicality.

On this end, two freshly strung Donnays are now ready to dance. You wanna see two gorgeous looking frames? Slap a black Wilson Pro Hybrid grip onto the Donnay Plat and put in a Tornado stringjob, yikes. Did the same grip switch with the Blue but strung it up with the BHBR MurrayFan kindly included in our trade.

Will put the Donnays up to a big task tomorrow night: hitting with a 5.0/maybe-even-5.5 guy. I'll probably get wiped off the court, but at least my frames will look good.
 

Ross K

Legend
Fed, others,

Re the Extreme frames...

Ivan-Ljubii-02.jpg


1.) Which exact Extreme version did/do Ljub ^ and Youz actually use?
2.) Which is the best iteration in your view or in general estimation? You know, MG, YT, IG, etc.

TIA,

R
 

Fed Kennedy

Legend
Good question Ross, I think he uses extreme tgk something something (prostock) with gut mains and poly crosses.

Did you see the ljubo/murray match. Lubo hit some of the biggest shots I have ever seen!

Of extremes I've played the YT was much better than the IG.

Gads...I like the pstgt very much, very nice touch and power from the frame. I might go back to it...it's perfect middle ground between PD and 6.1
 

ManuGinobili

Hall of Fame
Yeah, to be frank, may have liked the 7G more than the Ace 98, but it's been so long. To me the Ace Mid is still on the top level, though, as far as PK goes. But the 7G could easily be a frame I revisit someday, and if I ever got offered that or a 5G in a trade, I'd probably bite to experiment. The feel was fantastic.

But good news is, I've personally had no flare ups with elbow or anything else from playing with the Plat 94, so to me, at least so far, it seems like a safe stick in spite of some of those scary findings from some others.

I bough the BA98 in order to be able to keep playing with a ECU tendinitis-ed wrist... yes stupid of me to gamble ... but it totally worked! My wrist is almost 100% now, can play with 350g tgk or hit around with APD with no problem. This stick is serious heaven for your wrist. On top of that, prestige like control in a very swingable package.

However you can probably figure out the minus of a control stick with no heft... your game has to be based around precision because your shots will lose the bite and penetration. That's why I took a really close look at the 7g and would've bought one had it not been for an expired credit card LOL.
So just a little ramble for your consideration...
 

ManuGinobili

Hall of Fame
Tornado eh?... do post up your thoughts on this. I liked it a lot previously but was a bit underwhelmed when I tried it again in my Pres Pro last week. It was a tad stiffer than I recalled it being, though maybe that's the frame? I don't know, it was good, but, I don't know, unyielding somehow. Like a few woman I used to know:twisted:... Do post your views on this string though... and btw, I'm looking again at the similarish Hyperion in my PP as I really liked this string previously. Am I going to be underwhelmed again, I wonder?

R


FYI - Hyperion is a tad softer and has better tension maintenance, a bit more powerful and a bit less spinny per the words of Signum Pro
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
I bough the BA98 in order to be able to keep playing with a ECU tendinitis-ed wrist... yes stupid of me to gamble ... but it totally worked! My wrist is almost 100% now, can play with 350g tgk or hit around with APD with no problem. This stick is serious heaven for your wrist. On top of that, prestige like control in a very swingable package.

However you can probably figure out the minus of a control stick with no heft... your game has to be based around precision because your shots will lose the bite and penetration. That's why I took a really close look at the 7g and would've bought one had it not been for an expired credit card LOL.
So just a little ramble for your consideration...

Damn I am in the same boat as you with my wrist. Well I have De Quravains Tendinitis, but basically I keep looking at PK just in case the Donnay is not going to cut it for safety. I am going to try and hunt down a PK7g and possibly try the extended version to help my serve. All I hear is great things about it and that it saves your shoulder. My shoulder has been ok, but I did not know that is could prevent wrist injury as well...that is pretty impressive.
 

TennisMD

Professional
Hola MD, I've been a bit schizo lately and I think I know why...summers here and I'm getting to hit with so many good players but there's two radically different groups.

On one hand there's the 14-15 year old juniors that want to play singles...on the other there's a group of 4.5 dubs guys who are about ten years older than me (I'm 33).

So...when I play singles I'm the slowest guy out there hitting the biggest ball and when I play dubs I'm the fastest guy hitting the weakest ball.

The juniors love being fed topspin and they like to move laterally. I need my heavy wilson to smother their topspin and hit through them. The tweener is just useless and I end up in a footrace with a teenage jackrabbit.

The old guys hate being fed topspin and hate moving laterally. Love the tweeners for opening up the court with high bounces and mooning to their one handers...

As you can see I'm kind of torn...

Re: your yt extreme pro question: (BTW did you see ljubicic's returns against Murray??? He hit a 100 mph+ 1hbh block return winner...ssssick)

I've been trying the aero gt and the pdr gt standard. Neither one has the super solid feel of the yt extreme pro, but they are both more forgiving.
The extreme is comparable to the roddick, but I think the extreme vibrates less and is a little more demanding. The extreme is better for flattening out winners. The Roddick is easier to serve with. I was holding serve the other day with this frame in like 40 seconds flat. Makes the game so much easier.

As you probably know the extreme is an unreal rac on returns. Volleys also super crisp. What I like about the babs is they seem a little more aerodynamic, a little bit more manueverable. Small difference but it's there.

The gripshape. I hate the head gripshape. I tape mine up so it doesn't bother me, but then again I pick up a wilson and I feel like I'm shaking hands with God...The bab is much closer to wilson.

The grommets. The woofer thing is just weird. You gotta adjust. Extreme much more direct feeling on contact. But the woof I think is what is jet propelling these serves...

All of this brings me to the APDgt (jon lovitz signature model)...this one has a little more feel than the Roddick and was sublime in improvisational dubs situations. It's too light but just a little. Banging from the backcourt was an exercise in fluff balls. PED and Ross have some ideas how to mod it up. I think just a tad more beef would be nice. Maybe just a leather grip and a gram or two.

Strangely, I loved this rafa stick for S and V. It served almost as well as the roddick, but the approaches and volleys felt much better. I also hit the greatest shot of my life with this thing this week and I cant stop thinking about it...It was like a parallel to the net 1 hander cc that kicked straight into the side fence...woooo!

In summary, I think the Roddick is kind of a better serving but less feel/power/touch than the extreme. Also the Roddick is stiff in a way that kind of microwaves the arm.

The APDgt is secretly a great all court stick but it's weak in stock form...it needs a little weight but I'm not sure how to do it...could be an endless modding disaster, whereas the extreme is almost GOAT in stock form. Remember Ljubo grew up using PDs so these racs are pretty similar.

thanks for the detailed response. Currently playing real well withthe Youtex Extreme Pro not the IG and strung with the wison Hybrid Nat Gut and Lux and working out real well. Of interest the stringer got my request mixed up so instead of gut in the mains and lux in the crosses did the reverse, so I gave it a try and was quite suprised at how it played, going into my 3rd week with this set up and will see how it goes. Also have not been one to believe in new techno ( marketing gimmick) but the youtex I did feel on hard hit it stiffened and softer hit allowed for touch, last match employed this pound away shots, usually my game, mixing in the softer shot and could feel a dif in the rkt and was effective
Happy hitting
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Got a little groove on yesterday while the weather held off..my wrist has been flaring up a bit today even with the oral AIs I took :(. This was with a hybrid as well..sucks because I was goating pretty hard with the platinums. They felt good but unfortunately, the feel at impact is now something I have to pay close attention to. The extra stiffness that never phased me in the past is now at the forefront when I make contact with the ball.

But now I am at the point where I know I have to go full comfort stick or I may not be able to play tennis anymore (w/out having wrist surgery).

So now my friends I am going with the PK 7g sight unseen. I should have 1 in later in the week. I know it is very similar to the pstgt and is also XL..has excellent feel and most importantly saves your joints from tendinitis.

My logic is simple..if I can't play pain free with the PK, I am screwed..haha. But to keep my pledge of anti racquetholic stashing, I will move the platinums with a heavy heart. I will start with the brand new one and keep my original for the time being. As comfortable as the Donnays are..I doubt many will experience this issue I have..I have to take it to the next level of soft..and that leaves me with the legendary PK.
 

pyrokid

Hall of Fame
Wait wait wait... They PKs feel like PSTs? Oh god. Now you dunnit, haha.

Sucks about your wrist though. That happened to my friend a while back because he had weird form and used an APDC. He was able to get rid of it by basically saturating himself with glucosamine and anti-inflammatories and taping his wrist whenever he played. He has the problem chronically now, but he says he knows how to deal with it well enough.
So if you tape your wrist up well and compress it some in the right way that could give you a little relief. I don;t know if that would help any, but I don't think it could hurt.
 
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Power Player

Bionic Poster
yeah..the taping works well for stuff on the outside of your wrist, but mine is in the thumb and grip area on the inside. I still am using a wrist wrap though. It can definitely be chronic, so to deal with that I am going 100% comfort stick..good news for me is that the 7g by all accounts has a lot of groaty qualities. Good news for you is that if you ever encounter any issues with the pstgt, you should have a smooth transition over to the 7g since they are very similar... apparently the 7g serves bigtime though. I will post impressions of course.

Can't believe your friend still uses the apdc..that is one of the first sticks that started this tendinitis for me. If he went full on comfort, it would probably help him out a lot.
 

el sergento

Hall of Fame
So now my friends I am going with the PK 7g sight unseen. I should have 1 in later in the week. I know it is very similar to the pstgt and is also XL..has excellent feel and most importantly saves your joints from tendinitis.

Man, that sucks PP. But, I did a quick search on the 7g and that's still a 67RA stick. Don't see how that can be considered a super soft frame if it's still above 63.

As comfortable as the Donnays are..I doubt many will experience this issue I have..I have to take it to the next level of soft..and that leaves me with the legendary PK.

Actually, that's not true. I got a hell of a sore shoulder and hand from playing with the Plat 99 for only a couple of days. Like I said in another thread, it feels super comfy, but it's still stiff and jarring on misshits. There's a reason Donnay gave it a 70RA in stiffness, and there's a reason it hits such heavy bombs.

Anyway, sounds like you made up you mind, but maybe full gut or multi in the Plats could limit your pain.

Good luck.
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Well I hate multi with the passion of a thousand spanish soccer fans. And gut down here in the summer just won't cut it.

But yeah, the stiffness of the PK is not accurate. It is considered one of the most comfortable racquets possible. Basically PK actually makes racquet tech that works..the kinetic tech actually works and has saved the arms of many..I am hoping to add my name to the list.

I have always been curious about PK because they have made some great innovations. For example, the Pure Drive racquet is their mold. And the woofer grommets are their invention as well.

That being said, the Donnay is insanely groaty and this whole wrist business just bums me out.
 

Alzer

Rookie
DSCF4240.JPG


Another reason to love NXT, you know exactly where you're hitting the ball.:)

You're lucky to even get that much fraying on the NXT - I used its thickest form and as soon as one started to fray I had about an hour before it popped. NXT feel great but was going through then at an alarming rate, even the thick gauge.

Now using BHBR @ 58lbs, so far I love it!
 

JGads

G.O.A.T.
PP,

Sorry to hear about the wrist, man. I actually put up my PK Ace 98 up on the FS section last night, but the ad didn't take for some reason so I did something wrong. So if you feel like Acing as well, let me know, but you seem set on the 7G.

The 7G is definitely stiff in terms of 'feeling' crisp on the hit; that's part of what gives it some distinct pop on serve. But apparently, the beads in the frame do work. The Ace 98 feels softer in terms of feedback than the 7G, and the Ace Mid feels kind of between the two.

Shame you have to give up on the Platinum so soon, but you're being smart about it. Good luck to you.
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Thanks gads..yeah I really found my dream stick with the Platinum but I also knew if I went back to a PSTGT type racquet i'd probably be fine as well if it didnt work out with the Donnays.

I may try out the Ace down the road, but I have heard so many good things about the 7g, plus the extended length on this type of racquet is perfect for serves. Before I discovered the pstgt, I was super close to buying a PDR+.

I know I will miss the pop from the Platinum, so the 7g is the PK that makes sense..plus they are super cheap..always a bonus.

I like a crisp feel..but I hear the 7g is right up there in terms of pstgt type feel as well..that is very appealing to me.
 

JGads

G.O.A.T.
A question for my fellow 'holics:

Pushers. Moonballers.

What do you do, racquet wise? I know this should be technique-centric and the racquet should not matter, but I am a moron who, when faced with the dreaded, atrocious being known as the pusher (aka moonballer, dinker, that guy who just dinks it high and deep all day long, sapping any pace from the ball), I suddenly find that the heavier sticks that I prefer against the heavier hitters I usually face suddenly seem so cumbersome to me. Like I can't get the thing around quickly enough so as to generate the winner. Instead the stick becomes more log-like and I long for the lighter, tweenerish type stick. And then sometimes I end up falling down to his level, dinking it right back because suddenly it feels as if I've turned into a 5-year-old with a K90 in hand, and I end up in these conservative, mind-numbing long rallies against a guy I feel like I should instead be giving lessons to.

Anyone else run into this problem? It's by far the most frustrating thing about tennis for me. And curiously enough, it's against THESE guys that I think to myself that I may be wielding a too-heavy stick, and I definitely don't have that feeling when I'm hitting against the usual heavy hitters I play 90 percent of the time.

Advice?
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Yes...I hit the 70% power shot to each corner. That is one thing about the Donnay that is amazing. The consistency is just real high. So I don't worry too much about missing and just work the player to each side until I see an opening, hit a bigger shot, and then come to net to finish.
 

pyrokid

Hall of Fame
A question for my fellow 'holics:

Pushers. Moonballers.

Advice?

I played a stupendous number of these guys during season and I preferred a heavier setup. They gave me time to set up and use the extra weight with ease, and it was easier to volley with the added stability.
 
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el sergento

Hall of Fame
Re the pusher:

Racquet wise, I find the low power string setup and the whippyness of my PPro works wonders. I can hit out all day, even on no pace balls, and never worry about hitting out. What tends to happen against the pusher is that you get tentative and therefore drop your RHS. Being able to hit out, even if you're not getting winners, makes things easier.

Tactics wise, not much to do. Just buckle down, be prepared to hit those extra 2-3 balls after your initial attack and be prepared to finish at net.

For me, the most important part of my game when playing the pusher / grinder is the short game. You have to be extra smart on those short, nothing balls.
 

el sergento

Hall of Fame
You're lucky to even get that much fraying on the NXT - I used its thickest form and as soon as one started to fray I had about an hour before it popped. NXT feel great but was going through then at an alarming rate, even the thick gauge.

Now using BHBR @ 58lbs, so far I love it!

Well, I'm by no means a huge string breaker, but NXT has started lasting much longer as I've dropped the tension. Strung between 53-55, I get a solid 8 hours before they snap.

Now, if I'm playing sets consistently, and serving a lot instead of just rallying, I get between 4-6 hours.

NXT aint cheap, but I got my hands on some mini reels for $33. Those work out to $11 for a full set or $5.50 for a hybrid setup, which is what I do anyways.
 
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JGads

G.O.A.T.
Thanks for the Pusher tips, guys.

Played tonight against the opposite of that: a solid 5.0. Didn't help that my legs were absolutely cooked from an afternoon workout, but I managed to get 3, 2 and 3 games in each set. Had I had my legs (and subsequently, my serve), I feel like I'd have pushed him harder, but I couldn't buy a first serve.

Observations:
Donnay Plat with Tornado. Feel was fantastic, softer, good touch. But so much zip was lost from my serve from the other strings I've tried in it.

Donnay Blue 99 with Big Hitter Blue Rough: Hmm. Well, probably not for me. The softness of the frame doesn't match the fullness/crispness of the Plat, for me.

Didn't bring out the BC20s tonight, since they need to be restrung.

That's all for now.
 

Ross K

Legend
Hot weather, quick-swinging frames...

VERY hot and sunny here in London yesterday. Quite honestly I don't know how you diary posters you who live in such a climate play in it! Raging sun, no air, seeing while serving can be a nightmare, energy zapped within a 3 games, and then there's the distractions of the scantily clad females strolling about and sunning themselves just outside the courts (no wonder I couldn't hold my serve :roll: .)

Anyhow, the conditions seemed to enhance my current preoccupation, namely quick-swinging frames, or put the other way around - finding frames a bit slow and sluggish ATM. Getting my backside kicked horribly last week by a 5.0; what with my left knee which hasn't been right for a couple of years; there's my advancing age and general decrepitude :( ; and then the weather too... well, I'm suddenly finding frames seem a tad heftier and slower than I want.

As it's at the stringers, I didn't play with my YTPP which I'd stripped all the lead off and was grooving with at the close of last week. I tried to play with my TGK but it felt too hefty - it now needs the lead removed too and new caps put on. I ended up hitting with the APD and TF320, both of which I toiled with TBH.

Looking forward to getting back to my Pres Pros and just trying to get some fluency going and attuning to the frame. Hope I continue to 'click' with it though, as I know the way my brain is working right now, what's its thinking about at odd times during the day and night (no, not that :wink: )...

Super-quick swinging... 98-100" head-size... spinny... nice oomph... excellent from b-line but with good control and feel... fairly solid... not too stiff... highly maneuverable, swings fast and is easy to use... I want this!

R
 

klementine

Hall of Fame
^Ross... any medium weight, slightly head-heavy stick should match your liking.... I was impressed with the kblade stock awhile ago... so stable and quick.


I'm finally back state-side... after 2years... still haven't got used to the humidity... salad in a box... packaged meats... and cucumbers the size of 4x4's.... food is definately a problem for me now... can't find anything without high-fructose corn syrup.. :smile: so I've been living off carrots.. kashi cereal.. almond milk and yogurt for the past week... (might have to find another overseas contract ASAP)

Anyhoot... haven't found much time to play tennis on these fine and fast public courts here in the U.S. of A. ... been training with my 18y.o. brother-who is about to embark on pleb summer at the u.s. naval academy not too far from here- the family is still very proud of his acceptance into the academy... so what better way to spend quality time together.... the little man is a 'beast'... I used to be his motivation... but at 32y.o. now he is my exercise-muse.... after a week of training with him... I can safely say that if the navy/marines have 1,200 graduates a year like him... we should all sleep safe.

I'm the opposite of him... I can't wait to re-stock on tennis-gear... find another overseas contract... and get the hell out!!!

I just want a good espresso in the morning and good night life... without driving too much and sitting in traffic.... If I see one more starbucks or a 'Honk if you're horny' bumper sticker or ebonics mixed with profanity being spoken in public places with children around... I might just have to leave without that contract.
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Can't find a better thread to post this :) good luck with your wrist, don't OD on ibuprofen, and do light stretch exercises as often as you can!

Definitely. At first I was thinking..oh no, I'm using an OldMan's racquet, but then I realized in tennis years, after 30 you are an old man, so it's all good. :)
 

mark1

Semi-Pro
I am also a member of this prestigious club.

I have used so many rackets over the years I can't even begin to count them all. Most recently, ex03 tour, kblade tour, pslgt, k6.1.

I have made a small grip change to a more western grip and am now looking for something with a bit more pop. Currently trying to decide between donnay black 99, blue 99, platinum 99.

God help me and my wallet lol.
 

Ross K

Legend
I am also a member of this prestigious club.

I have used so many rackets over the years I can't even begin to count them all. Most recently, ex03 tour, kblade tour, pslgt, k6.1.

I have made a small grip change to a more western grip and am now looking for something with a bit more pop. Currently trying to decide between donnay black 99, blue 99, platinum 99.

God help me and my wallet lol.

Just curious Mark, what is it about the Exo Tour you aren't so keen on or whatever?

R
 

mark1

Semi-Pro
Just curious Mark, what is it about the Exo Tour you aren't so keen on or whatever?

R

Ross,

really three issues.

1) the serve is very weak with this racket. I have a hard time generating the pace I am accustomed to with smaller frames.

2) my shots tend to sit up a bit and don't have quite the weight I am looking for.

3) I have a difficult tim adapting to princes grip shape.

Otherwise, the frame does feel pretty good, and has some nice characteristics.
 

el sergento

Hall of Fame
I just want a good espresso in the morning and good night life... without driving too much and sitting in traffic.... If I see one more starbucks or a 'Honk if you're horny' bumper sticker or ebonics mixed with profanity being spoken in public places with children around... I might just have to leave without that contract.

Dude, you forgot to mention the world class tennis coverage on American TV. My favorite is ESPN and their state of the art split screen technology. Have you heard, that technology is awesome, it allows them to ruin more than one match at a time, we live in the age of wonder............:rolleyes:
 

Devilito

Hall of Fame
I am interested in how Devilito is making out with the PDs.

Hey PP, they’re great so far. Might work out for your wrist if done right. You can get away with the lighter weight of the PD in stock form if you string low. Like 40-42 lbs. The widebody and stiffness of the frame helps with stability and power and the low tension poly provides comfort. I doubt racquet stiffness is what’s causing your wrist problem. It’s probably your stroke, lack of proper warm-up and the torque you put on your wrist when hitting the ball. A lighter racquet might help take the pressure off. I also had issues with the inside of my palm near my thumb and wrist in general. What helped is to not grip the racquet tight when swinging. Have a relaxed swing and relaxed grip instead of gripping tight and trying to muscle the ball. You might wanna give these lighter weight tweeners another go with a low tension poly. And low is not 50s or high 40s. Seriously try like 40lbs with a low power poly that doesn’t move like Black Code. I’d imagine the Head Extreme would have similar characteristics. I also have elbow issues and so far I’m having no problems with the PD. Like I said, racquet stiffness is never what aggravates it for me. String set-up makes far more difference. And obviously your stroke.
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Yeah thats sounds awesome. I actually have learned more about the wrist situation I have. Basically, it is coming from repetitive motion and aggravated by certain impact. I was using a lot of torque on my wrist to generate spin, but that stopped a month before I had to stop playing completely. The doc said the main thing to do is to minimize shock at impact. Use a soft stick with soft strings basically. So that is when I started checking out PK sticks. I need the peace of mind that I can play tennis hw I want to play and not risk further damage. The PD is comfy with low tension poly, I am sure, but I hated the apdc at low tension (tried it). It was just not my thing. I also developed my first real pains from using the apdc. Not blaming the babolat sticks, but it is in my head enough for me to be very cautious.

The PK I am getting is extremely similar to the pure storm and PDR+, and that is awesome for me. I still say the pstgt is one of the best racquets you can get because the feel and grip is very Wilsony, but the power is very Babolat. Unfortunately, so is the stiffness, and I can't risk it. So I have to go PK so I can play my game and manage the tendinitis. It is the safest possible way for me to play at this moment in time.

Regardless, my playtest info could be good info for you guys who use the PDs and PSTGTs and Extremes, and down the road need something more flexy.
 

Devilito

Hall of Fame
Regardless, my playtest info could be good info for you guys who use the PDs and PSTGTs and Extremes, and down the road need something more flexy.

What’s funny is that the most elbow pain I ever had was with a super flexible fiberglass / graphite comp racquet that you could actually feel flex on every shot. This constant flex/snap back just killed my elbow. The least pain I’ve had is with a stiff racquet and soft strings. Go figure.
 

Murray_fan1

Professional
Ross,

really three issues.

1) the serve is very weak with this racket. I have a hard time generating the pace I am accustomed to with smaller frames.

2) my shots tend to sit up a bit and don't have quite the weight I am looking for.

3) I have a difficult tim adapting to princes grip shape.

Otherwise, the frame does feel pretty good, and has some nice characteristics.

I had the same feeling when first hitting with this stick. 6 inches of 1/2 tape at 12 o'clock makes a huge difference on both the serve and the weight of my shots with this stick.
 

Fed Kennedy

Legend
What do you guys think of the OS POG? I feel like if my tour 90 and extreme mated they would come up with this. Thin beam, big head, open pattern, solid weight, moderate stiff. I tried to demo this past week with the babs but the strings snapped in five mins...I had one a long time ago, before I discovered poly, but the new ones seem beefier, almost like the head radical pro.
 

Ross K

Legend
Diary,

Hitting with my retail YTPP today, freshly strung with Hyperion @ 52 lbs, all lead removed. The number one thing I'm looking for now in and in the near future is fluent easy swinging.

I might as well confess it: I've recently started to find all the rythym and fluency of an aging bloke who drinks too much on the weekends, whose body is slowly but surely giving up the ghost on him, and who's basic technique is prone to a myriad form of truly horrifying errors and malfunction.

Welcome to my world.

R
 

Ross K

Legend
Hey PP, they’re great so far. Might work out for your wrist if done right. You can get away with the lighter weight of the PD in stock form if you string low. Like 40-42 lbs. The widebody and stiffness of the frame helps with stability and power and the low tension poly provides comfort. I doubt racquet stiffness is what’s causing your wrist problem. It’s probably your stroke, lack of proper warm-up and the torque you put on your wrist when hitting the ball. A lighter racquet might help take the pressure off. I also had issues with the inside of my palm near my thumb and wrist in general. What helped is to not grip the racquet tight when swinging. Have a relaxed swing and relaxed grip instead of gripping tight and trying to muscle the ball. You might wanna give these lighter weight tweeners another go with a low tension poly. And low is not 50s or high 40s. Seriously try like 40lbs with a low power poly that doesn’t move like Black Code. I’d imagine the Head Extreme would have similar characteristics. I also have elbow issues and so far I’m having no problems with the PD. Like I said, racquet stiffness is never what aggravates it for me. String set-up makes far more difference. And obviously your stroke.

Hey Little Devil,

Great post mate.:wink:


R
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
What do you guys think of the OS POG? I feel like if my tour 90 and extreme mated they would come up with this. Thin beam, big head, open pattern, solid weight, moderate stiff. I tried to demo this past week with the babs but the strings snapped in five mins...I had one a long time ago, before I discovered poly, but the new ones seem beefier, almost like the head radical pro.

Like most sticks we loved as kids, it's not as great now.

One thing I have learned is that while classic racquets feel great and are easy to romanticize, they really are not going to make your life easier out there.

I hit with the newer POG, and it's not bad..but it's still not going to be like your extreme by any means. The extreme is laced with power. The stick I think you may dig is the dunlop 500..I don't know if you have tried it, but that racquet is one of the best feeling tweeners out there.
 

ryushen21

Legend
Thanks for the Pusher tips, guys.

Played tonight against the opposite of that: a solid 5.0. Didn't help that my legs were absolutely cooked from an afternoon workout, but I managed to get 3, 2 and 3 games in each set. Had I had my legs (and subsequently, my serve), I feel like I'd have pushed him harder, but I couldn't buy a first serve.

Observations:
Donnay Plat with Tornado. Feel was fantastic, softer, good touch. But so much zip was lost from my serve from the other strings I've tried in it.

Donnay Blue 99 with Big Hitter Blue Rough: Hmm. Well, probably not for me. The softness of the frame doesn't match the fullness/crispness of the Plat, for me.

Didn't bring out the BC20s tonight, since they need to be restrung.

That's all for now.

What tension did you end up going with on the tornado? I have not had any problems with pop on my serve. I did have to adjust my timing and get to where I could get my full motion and speed synced up with how the platinum swings.
 

Fed Kennedy

Legend
What do you bab experts make of the aerostorm tour? I had to give the apd and pdr back today...still kind of on the fence...looking for that elusive blend of tour 90 and extreme...
 

cheers

Rookie
What do you guys think of the OS POG? I feel like if my tour 90 and extreme mated they would come up with this. Thin beam, big head, open pattern, solid weight, moderate stiff. I tried to demo this past week with the babs but the strings snapped in five mins...I had one a long time ago, before I discovered poly, but the new ones seem beefier, almost like the head radical pro.

POG OS 4-stripe is what I switched to from TF320VO2 and PSTGT. I can't get away from how awesome they feel and how big of a ball I hit with them. I currently have Tour Bite 16 at 54 lbs and I really like full poly in them (stiffens up the noodle-ness). I said it before and I'll say it again, all racketaholics should try the POG OS at some point in their racqueteering. Plush like the PT630 for me, but more power/spin/forgiveness.

Also I played the ASTGT and the PSTGT side by side for a few months with the same string setup (typhoon). ASTGT is stiffer, gets more spin, and hits a bigger serve for me. But AST has that hollow, cheap/plasticky feel whereas the PSTGT feels pretty good (more plush and flexy). More of a spin racquet for me. PSTGT is more of a hit through the ball racquet.
 
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