Diary of a Racketaholic

PED said:

Blake is playing Nalby in your neck of the woods tonight, DC.

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Unfortunately, I'm on vacation right now and far from DC..... try and make it to NY for the open... shall see.

JGads said:

Klem, I agree: the practice sessions are gold. One of the very best parts of attending pro tourneys. One funny moment: Blake was practicing overheads, pelting them, pelting them, and then out of nowhere he hits one right at his coach standing off to the side by the netpost, obviously on purpose, Blake grinning. "Lucky for you I hit it right into the racquet for you," he said (he'd it it right off the racquet the coach was holding)

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Yeah... that's the stuff I'm talkin' about.... much more enjoyable than actual match play (as a spectator)... you get to peak into their routines and watch them in a more relaxed and natural environment.

Power Player said:

That's the only thing with the Extreme Pro..the SW is lower than optimal for getting The Roddick.

I am going to guess the SW is around 343ish....still going to be better than stock, but could weigh a little more than you want.
.

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Sw is around 340 stock, so with 6g at 12, plus handle weight it should be near 360, no?

I went out to play with it today and in true extreme fashion the strings exploded after 5 minutes of hitting. Experiment postponed till thursday. Felt good for those five min though.

Played two hours with the 260.2 at 13 oz and lots of lead all over the place. For a 13 oz frame, it felt incredibly underpowered. The upside is that you could put the ball on a dime. It would take quite some time to get used to something like this.

At the moment, I'm more inclined to do some work on the 238.4 XL until the other 260.2 arrives.

The 260.2 reminded me a lot of the PK Redondo.

Dual Pro debut postponed. Played with the Ace from start to finish tonight. Was a 6-3, 6-1 win but the guy was good enough (games were close) to make me nervous about switching up.

I did get to the court an hour early for some serves and basket groundies. Dual Pro feels very good. Some nice pop on serve, too. Nothing particularly overwhelming thus far but of course I need the match play/rally time with it to know. I think I'll be throwing tour bite into the frame, though, to get my favorite string in there, so it'll probably be a couple days before I hit with it against someone for real. Full lux (or whatever they put in there) felt pretty decent (not mushy like other Donnay setups of the past) but not as lively as TB.

started a match with the 88 last night but the same problems arose.......heavy wet weather conditions....serve fine, volleys fine, bh fine, fh.....turd, I think its the stiffness.....I remember now thats why I ditched it a couple of years ago. Won first set 6-4 changed to my bc20 won second set 6-0, everything remained the same except for my fh which improved considerably!!

Keep us posted on that magic wand gads. I bet it is a flatter hitter's fantasy stick.

The Roddick has been delivering still. I have been experimenting with a more western grip, I think I am going to stick to semi western, but the amount of spin I can get on the ball with this setup is ridiculous. I think what makes it so lethal is how hard I can hit the ball combined with the action on it now.

I think if you play regularly high SW is not a problem..I had a 4 day break and I was a little slow on the timing for a while before I dialed it right back in and was loving the setup again. Definitely hitting the hardest and most consistent I ever have..without pain, vibration and getting incredible feel. The touch shots are also there as well, which is key. Gotta have both.

Okay fellas,

I'm outta here for a while (off to the land of Rafa and all that.) But before leaving, there's enough time to send my TGKPP to Mark from these boards to recap and recustomise... I say now, if this doesn't work I'll be selling it a little later, just a lot of hassle these TGKs for someone as 'technically challenged' as me - LOL.

When I return, I look forward to renewing my on/off relationship with the APD (kind of reminds me of an old girlfriend that you know is bad for you, but, hell, she sure knows how to please :twisted: ), hitting with that TGK, and, er, success in ignoring that nagging voice in my head that's been telling me for several weeks to get my hands on an Exo Tour open pattern ASAP (please go away!)

Have a great holiday/vacation to those of you who are getting away for a break.

Adios amigos!

R

BTW, I heartily look forward to reading about what frames you've all switched to in 2 weeks time!

movdqa said:

Played two hours with the 260.2 at 13 oz and lots of lead all over the place. For a 13 oz frame, it felt incredibly underpowered. The upside is that you could put the ball on a dime. It would take quite some time to get used to something like this.

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That's surprising, I always assumed the 260 would be full of feel and powerful as well. I guess 1 out of 2 ain't bad. It shows just how much native power Berdych has.

> That's surprising, I always assumed the 260 would be full of feel and
> powerful as well. I guess 1 out of 2 ain't bad. It shows just how much
> native power Berdych has.

I think that a good amount of the feel is lost due to the high mass. There is feel but I've always found it to decrease as you add mass (lead, silicone, nails) to the frame.

The frame has power but not in the way that I'm used to. With the KPS or 238.4s, there's an abundance of power to play a topspin game. You can generate pace with the 260.2 but I found it took a lot more effort to hit moderate topspin. Shots that were easy with the 238.4 felt impossible with the 260.2. If you look at Berdych's game, it isn't a heavy topspin game. It's mostly flat. He doesn't take big cuts at the ball - in many cases he blocks the ball back. It doesn't look like he's hitting hard but in one of the YouTube videos, McEnroe makes the comment that he isn't a big hitter but the ball comes back at you very fast. Berdych seems to be a precision player to me and the 260.2 seems to match his game well.

It's interesting to see the contrast between the Head guys (Murray, Sodeling, Berdych, Djokovich) using soft frames vs Federer and Nadal using stiffer (and stock) frames. If the PT57A is softer than the 260.2, then I don't think that I'd be interested in the PT57A. That said, I'm sure that I could get the 260.2 to work - I'd just have to work harder than I do with the 238.4. I did get a wonderful workout last night - I was putting more effort into my serve and moving better with better footwork.

BTW, my arm definitely noticed the softer feel of the 260.2 There might be a long-term advantage to using softer frames. It has me wondering about frames with RA 60 and 61 now.

BTw, I did a comparison of head size..Dunlop Mfil vs PK 7G. The 7g is definitely not a 95, but it could very well be a 98. I actually like that size a lot, but I figured for anyone curious, the 7g does not appear to be a full 100 size.

Fed Kennedy said:

Sw is around 340 stock, so with 6g at 12, plus handle weight it should be near 360, no?

I went out to play with it today and in true extreme fashion the strings exploded after 5 minutes of hitting. Experiment postponed till thursday. Felt good for those five min though.

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My bad, I thought the stock SW was 321 for some reason.

If it is 340, then you have yourself a beast stick and are now going to be playing in god mode.

movdqa said:

If you look at Berdych's game, it isn't a heavy topspin game. It's mostly flat. He doesn't take big cuts at the ball - in many cases he blocks the ball back. It doesn't look like he's hitting hard but in one of the YouTube videos, McEnroe makes the comment that he isn't a big hitter but the ball comes back at you very fast. Berdych seems to be a precision player to me and the 260.2 seems to match his game well.

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Good points, at the Legg Mason last year, I stood about five feet from Berdych as he practiced. It's similar to how Gads described Del Po. He's like a giant piston, he doesn't seem to be trying hard but the ball EXPLODES off of his stick, very flat.

I def think there's a benefit from using a softer frame (says the guy who uses an apdgt...lol) I enjoyed the yt radical pro and the prestige pro.

I have some arm issues from time to time with the Bab but nothing serious. A dampener really helps but I hate playing with one: I'm hooked on the aural feedback and the extra feel of the strings.

I'll likely demo the IG rad pro when it comes out but TBH, it would take too much adjustment stroke wise to go back to the Prestige Pro. It took me forever to dial in my
strokes with the apd.

One more point, I saw suppawat's feedback on the 260 the other day and it appears to have a funky flex pattern: a flexy throat and a stiffish hoop. Similar to his old Dunlops. I used the MGMP for a while and the flexy throat drove me crazy and sent me back the mgpp, I couldn't hit my IO forehand with that throat.

Just watched part of a Tomic-Djokovic match at Wimbledon. He's also known to be using the 260.2 and his game has many similarities to Berdych's. Both can hit very flat, hard and precision groundies.

Anyone know what Tomic's setup is?

movdqa said:

Just watched part of a Tomic-Djokovic match at Wimbledon. He's also known to be using the 260.2 and his game has many similarities to Berdych's. Both can hit very flat, hard and precision groundies.

Anyone know what Tomic's setup is?

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IIRC, he might be gut/alu. There's a thread around here somewhere. I've got crap coverage where I am ATM or I'd find it for you.

I was hoping he would be in DC this weekend but he seems to have vanished from the draw.

This 7G is just a beast against the pushers. Something is up with me...maybe just better technique, but the mods on this thing have really helped me hit those tougher easy sitters that I used to overswing on with lighter sticks.

Without a doubt this is the heaviest and most consistent I have hit with any racquet. Very very PSTG eqsque, but the Roddick Setup gives it much more beef.

I am hoping Ryu comes back soon and tries this mod on the Donnay Plat and if Gads gets really wild and crazy he could try it on The Blake.

Other thing is that I won tonight with down the line approach shots and droppers. So after driving the guy back on his feet for 40 minutes I just started drop shotting him with touch and approaching DTL with skidding slice.

Serves are still softer for me just due to slowly warming up the wrist still, but I uncorked a few "loose armed" big bombs anyway. A pure pleasure.

Never realized how key a really flared butt end was to my game..It just assists me so much on serve and groundies. I hold the racquet much more gently knowing it won't slip out of my hand on a humid night.

^^
Good stuff, man. Looks like you're living up to your name with the new setup. Gonna have to try the PP setup at some point for sure, but probably not until after this one playoff season wraps up (hopefully another week from now).

Just hitting serves and off-the-ground groundies with the bucket yesterday, I felt a pretty immediate want to throw some weight on the Blake (just going to call it that, because it's fun), and put 3g of lead at 12 and the heaviest buttcap and it felt better. Dropped it off at the stringer today for the Tour Bite treatment, getting it back tomorrow. I may move that lead to 3 and 9 for my first hit, not sure. Will report back my first impressions when I get a practice session in, tomorrow night if I'm lucky.

You may want to put more lead at 12 to be honest. It will re balance the racquet for you to around 6pts if you add 4-5 grams more.

I think Blake's is leaded up to 367. What a sicko.

PP,

Finally put the BC30 I had sitting against the wall up in the FS/T section. Guess what it got me? A clue: amongst the Ace and the Blake, a taller brother will soon join the JGads SuperSix Bag of Insanity.

And so it goes...

My man..can't wait to see your comparisons between these godsticks.

JGads said:

PP,

Finally put the BC30 I had sitting against the wall up in the FS/T section. Guess what it got me? A clue: amongst the Ace and the Blake, a taller brother will soon join the JGads SuperSix Bag of Insanity.

And so it goes...

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What taller brother??

Power Player said:

This 7G is just a beast against the pushers.

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PP, have you ever hit with the Ki 5 PSE? I am demoing it right now against the 7G and it is a BEAST! Makes the 7G feel pretty wimpy by comparison. Used it in a doubles match last night and I was blowing shots right past the net man, who couldn't even get a bead on the ball. Serious plow through with this racquet.

My guess is that the modded 7G has a higher swingweight and lower static weight than the Ki5 PSE.

Avadia said:

PP, have you ever hit with the Ki 5 PSE? I am demoing it right now against the 7G and it is a BEAST! Makes the 7G feel pretty wimpy by comparison. Used it in a doubles match last night and I was blowing shots right past the net man, who couldn't even get a bead on the ball. Serious plow through with this racquet.

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Yeah I bet. Honestly that thing is super heavy, I just love the fact that ProKennex even makes something that beastly.

If you lead up the 7G even with 4grams at 12, you will get a lot of the same beef at a lighter weight.

Meaghan said:

What taller brother??

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The 7G.

So this is what's now eating hay in my GROAT barn:

2 Ace Mids (match sticks until further notice)
"The Blake" (Dual Pro)
BC20
Platinum 94
Coming soon: PK 7G

I know what the venerable BC20 and Plat 94 can do, so they'll be staying in the background for the next few weeks as I get to know The Blake, the 7G and continue to hit with the Ace. Looks like I've got a late hit in the cards for tonight; will give the freshly strung Blake a whirl and report back later.

Dual Pro first impression kind of inconclusive. Only had about 40 minutes of hitting time and wanted to leave about 15 of those for the Ace, since I don't want my arm to forget about it since I'm still in the midsts of some important league play (semi possibly tomorrow or Saturday).

Had the 10g cap in, and 3g at 3, 9 and 12, though I had to take the lead at 12 off after about 15 minutes because it was coming off (stringer messed it up). I have no idea what the swingweight was with that lead (anyone? 11.5-318 stock strung weight-swingweight before lead and +10g buttcap).

Anyway, take these thoughts for what they're worth (very little) with such a small window of time and an obvious adjustment period, but:

Stick feels good but kind of neutral. Neither stiff nor soft. Very comfy on the arm, that's for sure. Felt no vibrations whatsoever.

Groundies were good. Nothing really overwhelmed me -- I didn't hit my first forehand and go, "Holy cow, no wonder Blake hits with this! This is it!" But there also wasn't anything negative at all. I did feel that the stick was more easily maneuverable than my Ace, which was a plus and minus -- I could change direction VERY easily, but at the same time some shots felt a little 'looser' than they do with my Ace, control wise, but a lot of that has to do with me being used to the Ace.

So, that's all I have for now. Really not much to say because it was such a quick hit. Have to play sets with this thing to figure it out and properly review, and also need to figure out the lead situation. Thinking of putting some more of the silver stuff at 12.

I'm gonna have to try this out sometime PP. Should be fun on a PST, hahaha. Like a brick.

But I recently also got reels of MCS and BHBR. I bit the flavor of the month and I actually liked it this time... Anyone here try it out? The two hybrid together sweetly.

pyrokid said:

I'm gonna have to try this out sometime PP. Should be fun on a PST, hahaha. Like a brick.

But I recently also got reels of MCS and BHBR. I bit the flavor of the month and I actually liked it this time... Anyone here try it out? The two hybrid together sweetly.

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Don't go there again. If memory serves (and I usually have a good memory) you already tried the "stupidly high mass and sw" stuff before your radical playing days...and realized you played better tennis with stock radicals.
You now have a much more solid racquet than the stock radicals...so...what's the point of making it a baseball bat ?

Well it won't hurt him to try, but I think it will be tougher on the PST...maybe..who knows. Just polarize it maybe 2-4 grams on each end to start.

That being said it is a mod that really depends on how much you play tennis. I know that even 4 grams of lead at 12 on the 7G makes it incredibly solid for me.

It is trial and error. Playing heavy hitters is tougher and playing pushers is easier since you have more time.

I'm still fiddling with it, but I like the results a lot for consistency and heaviness of shot. I could play the 7g at stock weight just fine as well so it is worth trying.

To be honest, the PSTGT+ at stock weight could be a complete beast.

I have really fallen in love with +length..it is a beautiful thing.

The experience in playing with a brick this week was interesting. I'm trying to decide if it would be interesting to go back to a flat game from a topspin game. It would probably be easier on my arm.

If you want high mass and sw, the KPS or Ki5 PSE would be a good way to go. The Ki5 PSE does a lot of nice stuff but my feeling is: what's the point? when you can get the SW in a much lighter package. It is a wonderful arm recovery frame.

PP, I rue the day I crossed your path on TT (shakes fist!)

Long story short: got to hit with a 7G, mind was blown, heart was broken

My Prestiges feel like noodles now, weak, mushy noodles.

I might have to take them out to dinner, in a very public place, and "have that talk".

I feel like eating a tub of ice cream right now.

I'm done with trying new raquets. I started playing late February and am on my 4th different model. The BLX Pro Open is in my bag and is staying there. Well, at least until new models hit the racks in January. Of course it is pretty cool to come home to find a TW box on my porch. Crap-I have a problem.

LOL Segento..as a consolation -the 7g with a poly main and syn gut cross will provide the Prestige like feel for you, so you won't miss it.

The game of tennis will probably get a bit easier for you as well if you do make the switcheroo.

Power Player said:

LOL Segento..as a consolation -the 7g with a poly main and syn gut cross will provide the Prestige like feel for you, so you won't miss it.

The game of tennis will probably get a bit easier for you as well if you do make the switcheroo.

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I strung it "for a friend" with B5E mains and OG crosses. It was so crispy and delicious like my prestiges, but with some massive huevos to boot.

Yeah man it really is a special racquet. Saves your arm but plays better than about any stick I have used as well.

Meh, I'll forget the lead actually. The racquet it playing beautifully as-is. I don't really need any extra weight of shot, especially if it comes at a comes at a compromise to consistency...

A change to an absolutely brilliant new coach who tweaked all of my stroked tremendously also showed me that I play my absolute best tennis when I sit back at the baseline and hit deep heavy forehands side to side. Usually they miss before giving up a short one, but if they do then it's just one more shot to the corner to finish it off. Hitting winners off of a great shot feels great, but I'm starting to realize that it feels even better to hit them off of a rally ball the other person is just too tired to get. This works MUCH better if I don't miss... haha. And so I've been focusing a lot on consistency lately, and it's been paying off big time. We had a hot local tournament this last weekend and I made one kid puke and another retire. The main thing I remember from adding weight is that my consistency dropped off... That would make other people not tired.

He also taught me to serve. I just thought you all might like to know this. I have basically played the last 5 years with the worst serve in the world, and completely relied on my ground game. Now I can make a tennis ball go faster than like 60 mph. It feels like magic.

I also have a feeling that a lot of you would love MCS as a cross string if you tried it out. Agreeing with PP on this one. And big hitter blue rough is a successful flavor of the month string. I like it a lot.

Yeah I agree. The higher SW actually has made my stroke more consistent and I do the same thing more..move the player around.

But I need to find my string blend now. I really like the hybrid with BHBR and MCS, even strung at 48.... But I have a feeling that that's a terrible tension for a multi. Especially with a powerful poly. I'm trying to find out how the balls didn't all sail to Narnia on me...

If I'm gonna try hybrids, I need someone to teach me how to not do stupid things like string them at 48 pounds. But I might actally use them, just because I previously thought the loss of spin would be too much, but after today I don't know.

pyrokid said:

But I need to find my string blend now. I really like the hybrid with BHBR and MCS, even strung at 48.... But I have a feeling that that's a terrible tension for a multi. Especially with a powerful poly. I'm trying to find out how the balls didn't all sail to Narnia on me...

If I'm gonna try hybrids, I need someone to teach me how to not do stupid things like string them at 48 pounds. But I might actally use them, just because I previously thought the loss of spin would be too much, but after today I don't know.

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If MCS is soft, as I assume it is, you can string up to 5 lbs higher. If your poly's at 48, I'd string my multi at 52, even 53.

Donnay XP Dual Demo

Still need to hit some more with the XP dual. It has a very unique feel. As others have posted when you pick it up it feels head heavy but not when playing with it, Racket is marked RA 68. Donnay says there are demos from them with a RA 68 they were letting players try. In addition the racket is strung with poly mains and syn crosses. How in the world am I supposed to demo this racket with these specs knowing the one purchased would be 10 points lower RA? Also, I had my run with Poly trying over 15 setups of every kind you can imagine winding up with natural gut mains, Lux Ace crosses and tennis elbow. At my level 3.5-4.0 it is not a good way to test a racket. If I feel I might like it I might restring it with syn strings. If I still think I want it I would then get a 59 RA for additional testing. This is to much hassle for a test but I have to find out if it is a keeper for my game.

Currently testing it against the following that I think fit my game;

Becker Delta Core Sporster (This one might not make it as I feel I have to work it)
Dunlop 4 G 300
Volkl Pwr Bridge 8 315
Pro Kennix Destiny Advance (I really like this so far)

Next set of Demos coming as I rate the above out or in;

Volkl Pwr Bridge 9
Donnay x silver
Head youtek IG Instinct
Becker delta core london

My current setup is the Vantage Bastcore. Love it but need about 1 oz lighter. On my last demos it tied with the Becker London but I felt the Bastcore was more maneuverable so I bought them.

Any comments about my choices are appreciated.

My review of the 7G

The 7Gento review:

My buddy went on holiday, so I convinced him to loan me his 7G while out of town, after all, I did string it for him gratis, albeit, and for some mysterious reason to my exact preferences :twisted:

Setup:

WC B5E mains, OGM 16 croses @ 54/56


First impressions (45 minutes), light hitting:

Felt good pretty much immediately. Handle shape is Wilsonesque, a tad smaller, and I was comfortable from the get go.

Some minor adjustments needed to accommodate to XL size. Feel was ok, felt a little boardy, but I chalk this up to playing with OGM instead of my usual NXT. Groundies were hard, flatter than expected, and heavy. Both FH and BH felt good, FH needs to be struck a bit further from the body, fantastic on low pickups and half volleys. Very stable and easy to counter power with more power.

Overall, I knew right away that I needed to spend more time with this thing. If felt good and hit very well, but something told me that this could easily go from good to great. Oh, one more thing, this stick is LOUD!. Gun shot loud.......................Awesome.


Proper review - 3 sessions (5+hours), 3 different opponents:

Ok, let's get the similarities and differences out of the way first. The 7G is special for several reasons, but the one that really stands out is how manageable the 330+ SW is for me. I usually struggle with anything over 325, I play mostly on clay and long grueling rallies against human backboards are a way of life. As such, too high a SW really drains me and my shots will get shorter the longer the rally goes.

For this reason, the PPro has been a real champion. It's extremely maneuverable, relatively light and the lowish SW (I did have to add 4+ grams at 12') is not a real liability because I can usually outmaneuver my opponents and hit into the open court. Problem with this style is that you have to be consistent, which I am, and fit, which I am ............... sort of .

All this to say that for all it's positives, what the PPro really lacks are cojones, or what I like to call F@#K YOU POWER, or FYP for short . You guys know what I'm talking about, it's the ability to just end a point at will, whether in control or not, to just lean into a ball and watch it sail past a bewildered opponent while you stare him down, giving him a mental #$@# you.

And this, my friends, is where the 7G shines. The 7G oozes FYP but in a maneuverable and so far arm friendly package. The 7G is that elusive, almost mythical mix of 6.1 heaviness and Prestige whipyness.


Groundstrokes:

So how exactly does it play? Well, as stated earlier, the gourndies are hard and heavy. My usual rally shot is a bit flatter than with my PPro, the string bed is a bit tighter, but I can still crank up the spin if needed. The one hander really shines with the 7G; it's heavier and somehow more consistent, especially down the line. FH is especially good high to low, it's great at crushing that above shoulder ball that's so bothersome on clay.

Slice is heavy and precise, especially dtl, and I've been getting wicked cross court skiders.


Volleys:

Phenomenal. I usually only go to the net to shake hands, but this stick makes me feel like Edberg. This is due to the HL balance. This was a sore spot with my PPro. I always felt the PPro would be so much better with a more HL balance of ~8-10pts as opposed to the stock 5-6. Droppers are ok, but I can punch some nice ones and really just get to more passing shots (XL really helps here).


Serves / Overheads:

It hits big, but the TW is higher than the Prestiges and as such it's a bit harder to get over the ball. This is still a bit fuzzy though because it always takes me a good while to groove with a racquet on serve.

Overheads and serves to a lesser extent are the only areas where the XL size really requires some time to get used to. On overheads especially, the frame can feel slow, and it's imperative to hit further in front, it's harder to rely on a quick wrist snap when not in optimal position.


Feel / Touch:

I know this is very string dependent, but I can't say I enjoy the feel of this racquet. It feels a bit like I'm detached from the ball honestly. I like a plush, almost mushy string bed and obviously going down in tension and using NXT as a cross will get me closer to that. But even so, this is not a soft racquet and I can't really feel the ball dwell in the string bed and it's not nearly as responsive as the Prestiges.

Also, the SS is very big and I'm used to smaller head sizes. As a result, and combined with the general feel of the racquet, it's hard exactly to guage when you've made optimal contact with the ball. That being said, you can't argue with results, and some balls that felt off or even mishit still land where you wanted them to.

Touch is also lacking compared to the Prestige. Mostly, I can't really feel the ball dig into the string bed, so little droppers from the forecourt tend to float on me or hit the tape. 7G has really made me realize how dependent I've become on those little droppers from the forecourt. I don't really use drop shots from the backcourt, unless it's a defensive shot when pulled out wide, but if I get a short reply, I love to use a deft little dropper to either corner. The 7G isn't really good at those, the 7G just wants to crush balls all day.


Overall / Final thoughts:

The 7G is a real bummer for me. I just sold off most of my collection and in the last 2 months purchased 2 PPros and 4 sets of grommets for them because I was convinced the buck ended with the YTK's. Then, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, PP has to go and be all convincing about the 7G, like that dude from Thank You For Smoking, and now here I am contemplating a switcheroo.

I'm still only about 80% sold on the 7G though. If I could sum it up it would be really simple: Fantastic performance in an ok feeling stick. That being said, the FYP and the booming crack that comes off the racquet when you crush a forehand is so addictive and effective that the feel and touch element is easy to overlook.

Oh, and it's ugly! The graphics look like something a comity of shoulder pad wearing bureaucrats came up with in the late 90's: That's right, that's KINETIC in italic mofo's, we have the technology!

Anyhow fellow holics, that was my humble review of the 7G, and now I leave you with a portrait of PP exalting the GROAT qualities of the 7G:

Dude awesome review. Pretty goaty.

I really enjoy the feel of the 7G a lot though, I guess that would be the only difference, but you did describe it as plush and I would do the same, so this is obviously a taste thing. It is a quite loud stick which is very satisfying.

I also agree on the wrist snaps..etc..it is a little tricky to get down on serve. That being said the stick is my personal GROAT since it bangs all day and is good on the arm.

Have to say I am sticking my drop shots with this thing quite well, but here is my setup - Black Magic Mains and Genesis Blizzard (syn gut) crosses at 58#s. This racquet likes higher tensions so you if you restring with multi do not be scurred to dial it up to 60#s. The droppers will come..I actually have gotten lethal with them since I do not believe the 7G has many weaknesses and you will see what i mean if you decide to demo it more.

As I am getting my game back slowly, I only have one item in question and it really has not that much about this racquet as it is my style of play. Am I needing to go back to my old school heavy spin game a little? That is my biggest question to myself.

I had a set against a 4.0 pushmaster and using the 7G just pushed him around the court with angles. But I noticed my net trajectory was a little low. Also noticed my best weapon was a SW gripped heavy forehand to his backhand and I just hoared that out the whole match. The 7G does fine with this, but I am still struggling a little to figure out my game..what is best for me in terms of winning matches.

The only reason I say this is because I can't really think of any other stick I even want to try except 1. The same stick that I never lost a match with (standard length), but is a potential risk on the wrist..that of course is the weapon of choice of PED, the APDC+.

I already know it won't feel as good or be as kind to my joints, but I still wonder the best setup for me ..a neutral pattern or an open one. So I am going to keep playing sets and sets with the 7G and seeing how it goes.

It's a wonderful stick. (yes very plain PJ, I find black strings makes it look FAR better believe it or not).

I gotta figure out what style is going to bother people the most..I have had so many complain about the heavy spin I send at them. I used to overspin with a western grip, but now I am a SW guy and I wonder if the trajectory should go up a little. The wrist will have the ultimate say in all of this regardless.

You could try polarizing it to see if it tames the stiffness.

movdqa said:

You could try polarizing it to see if it tames the stiffness.

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If I find a cheapo score on one, ill put 2-4 grams of lead at 12 for sure. Probably just 2, which should up the SW to around 345.

For the record, I dropped my absurd Roddick setup for a bit while I work out my serves..wrists don't seem to like high SWs all the time..I currently have the same setup as the sergeant.

Lead at 12..any bit.. seems to help make a racquet feel more solid.

The 7G at 360 SW was godlike and unfair. Even in the 340s it clubs the ball without mercy.

PED has used his APDC+ with a rather similar setup to my 7Gs and has stuck it out for a looong time it appears. Impressive stuff imo.

"FYP." Definitely one of the best descriptions included in a review in a long, long time. And those who have experienced it before (say, in a K88 playtest or something) know exactly what you mean. Brilliant.

I actually just returned from the stringer with my 7G and have my once-a-week hit session against the goaty 5.0-5.5er. Not sure what I'll be swinging but the Ace, Dual Pro and 7G will be in the bag and I'll be heading out beforehand with the basket to work on some serves and such with the different sticks. That and some meditation will lead me to choose my weapon.

The bag contents alone should win you that match. It is like you are showing up with an arsenal of weaponry.

The 7G will take a little adjustment..it is XL..you just need to space out a little wider, but keep it in mind.

XL is so so nice on 2hbhand & serve though.

Be sure to read joeldali's post on the K88.

Unfortunately, he's always proven himself superior to my bag, no matter its many and ever-changing contents. Closest I ever got was a 5-7 loss in a third set that at one point I led 4-0 (with the Ace a few weeks back). Great guy, though, and always plenty more fun to lose to him than to beat a pusher or something, because it's a fun slugfest. My kind of tennis.

Speaking of which, the other day I saw this guy hitting at my apartment court who had ridiculous game. I asked when he was done if he gave lessons, and he said no, he just likes to hit around. And his buddy - get this - tells me he's a former pro player (guy's like 45 now; not sure how 'pro' pro means, but still hits magnificently). Anyway, hit with him for about 10 minutes and he wants to hit with me again. Stoked, because it'll be like getting free lessons. (in 10 mins he already gave me a tip on my forehand that immediately paid dividends).

Anyway, time to load up the bag of tricks...

^^^^

Gad's your story reminded me of something I witnessed this am. Got up real early for an 8 am session. I like to sneak in a hit before work sometimes.

Anyway, I'm at the courts with my buddy when this older man steps on to the court next to ours armed with nothing but his racquet, a plastic bag full of balls and a bushy white beard. By older I mean 55-60, kaki safari shorts and a plain white t.......oh, and a bushy white beard to match his thick ivory head of hair with the friendliest demeanor.

Anyway, I didn't think much of it and just kept playing. A couple of minutes later, in the middle of a rally, I hear a loud cracking noise, I look over and the old dude is just blitzing serves. I played college (albeit unsuccessfully), play at the Tennis Canada facility in the winters where the top juniors practice and have seen the likes of Karlovic live. And I'm telling you, this gentleman (picture Hemingway) was crushing the ball.

I'm talking text book form too; leg bend, core rotation, flawless toss, and a cruise missile of a serve with spin to boot.

Anyhow, just thought I'd share. The visual juxtaposition of age and power was just so fascinating and almost hypnotic, especially when considering the youth obsessed culture of tennis......... After all, a 30 year old Federer is the elder statesman of our sport.

Can't be sure about his age, the beard might age him, but at most I'm off some 5 years. Still, it was impressive and quite unexpected. After 35-40 minutes, he picked up his balls, put them in the plastic bag and walked off.

movdqa said:

Be sure to read joeldali's post on the K88.

Click to expand...

Instant classic. The poor inanimate carbon rod took quite the beating.

I am curious if any of you guys have compared the 7G to the Ionic Ki 5X? The specs are virtually identical, and I am wondering if the Ionic is just the 7G in a different pj or if they actually have a different feel. I hit some more with the 7G today and was appreciating its qualities a little more than when I hit with it last week. I still like the heavier power I get from the Ki 5 PSE, but I am beginning to appreciate the ease and control of the 7G. Unfortunately, the demos went back to TW today so that is all I get to hit with it.