Potential racquet change from a Prestige

R

RocketF2

New User
Hi guys,

Sorry for my first post being a question like this, I spent quite a bit of time reading up on the forum before posting, but the problem was, most of the answers I saw for racquet recommendations pointed towards the frame that I potentially want to move away from.

Current:
Currently, I am using a Youtek Prestige MP with about 8 inches of lead at 6 o'clock (2g). I experimented with lead at 3 and 9 but I didn't feel as noticeable a difference over stock.

I've dabbled with a Wilson BLX 6.1 95 16x18 as well, and while I like the spin I get from this and the plow through, the racquet head just feels a tad small (though I believe from reading around here that Head 98's are very similar to WIlson 95s, and I can confirm that with the frames too).

Why I'm looking to switch:
My strokes have always been top spin oriented and as a result I hit a fairly heavy ball. I can do so with my 18x20 Prestige MP; the desired ball production is not the issue. The issue however is that, like most players, I play a variety of balls and I find that when I'm playing a softer (push type) ball, while I can put them away, I "waste" a lot of energy doing so.

When I'm playing a faster paced/heavier etc. ball, I've begun to find that since I have started to focus on movement rather than purely strokes now, that the sweetspot of the Prestige has become small for my game and ability. Sometimes, my ball still goes off the same way I want in the other court but its not as clean of a hit as I want.

What I'm looking for:
I'm looking for a little bit more free power and sweetspot size.

I'd like the weight to be similar (+/- 12-12.5oz) but I don't mind having to lead up to achieve the desired weight.

Do you guys think the lead at the top is making my sweetspot smaller? Or any racquets you guys can recommend?

I love the Prestige but I've never liked their grip shape and length. So if I have to switch, I'd even try to avoid Head if I can.

A racquet I've been curious about is the Yonex VCore 97 330g, specs look in line and many say that due to the isometric head, the sweetspot feels larger, is this true?

Also, I've only demo'd Babolats once a very long time ago (and I did not have my strokes developed at the time). Any advice on how they would fit with someone who used a Prestige for so long? For Power the PDR looks interesting, and I've always been curious on how the APD plays...

About me: I'm a 4.5 offensive baseliner that is slowly moving all court, who also plays a lot of doubles as well.
 
H

hyperion99

Semi-Pro
RocketF2 said:
Hi guys,

Sorry for my first post being a question like this, I spent quite a bit of time reading up on the forum before posting, but the problem was, most of the answers I saw for racquet recommendations pointed towards the frame that I potentially want to move away from.

Current:
Currently, I am using a Youtek Prestige MP with about 8 inches of lead at 6 o'clock (2g). I experimented with lead at 3 and 9 but I didn't feel as noticeable a difference over stock.

I've dabbled with a Wilson BLX 6.1 95 16x18 as well, and while I like the spin I get from this and the plow through, the racquet head just feels a tad small (though I believe from reading around here that Head 98's are very similar to WIlson 95s, and I can confirm that with the frames too).

Why I'm looking to switch:
My strokes have always been top spin oriented and as a result I hit a fairly heavy ball. I can do so with my 18x20 Prestige MP; the desired ball production is not the issue. The issue however is that, like most players, I play a variety of balls and I find that when I'm playing a softer (push type) ball, while I can put them away, I "waste" a lot of energy doing so.

When I'm playing a faster paced/heavier etc. ball, I've begun to find that since I have started to focus on movement rather than purely strokes now, that the sweetspot of the Prestige has become small for my game and ability. Sometimes, my ball still goes off the same way I want in the other court but its not as clean of a hit as I want.

What I'm looking for:
I'm looking for a little bit more free power and sweetspot size.

I'd like the weight to be similar (+/- 12-12.5oz) but I don't mind having to lead up to achieve the desired weight.

Do you guys think the lead at the top is making my sweetspot smaller? Or any racquets you guys can recommend?

I love the Prestige but I've never liked their grip shape and length. So if I have to switch, I'd even try to avoid Head if I can.

A racquet I've been curious about is the Yonex VCore 97 330g, specs look in line and many say that due to the isometric head, the sweetspot feels larger, is this true?

Also, I've only demo'd Babolats once a very long time ago (and I did not have my strokes developed at the time). Any advice on how they would fit with someone who used a Prestige for so long? For Power the PDR looks interesting, and I've always been curious on how the APD plays...

About me: I'm a 4.5 offensive baseliner that is slowly moving all court, who also plays a lot of doubles as well.
Click to expand...

If you are looking for more of a power racket(easier to get power on the stroke) you could try the Babolat Aero Pro Drive GT or the extended version.
They have more power and spin options.
It has a soft feel to it when you are hitting the ball.
I used to use it before.

But for me I liked the control on the prestige better.
But I have more power than most guys so I need a more of a control based racket.

Hope this helps.
 
C

corners

Legend
RocketF2 said:
Hi guys,

Sorry for my first post being a question like this, I spent quite a bit of time reading up on the forum before posting, but the problem was, most of the answers I saw for racquet recommendations pointed towards the frame that I potentially want to move away from.

Current:
Currently, I am using a Youtek Prestige MP with about 8 inches of lead at 6 o'clock (2g). I experimented with lead at 3 and 9 but I didn't feel as noticeable a difference over stock.

I've dabbled with a Wilson BLX 6.1 95 16x18 as well, and while I like the spin I get from this and the plow through, the racquet head just feels a tad small (though I believe from reading around here that Head 98's are very similar to WIlson 95s, and I can confirm that with the frames too).

Why I'm looking to switch:
My strokes have always been top spin oriented and as a result I hit a fairly heavy ball. I can do so with my 18x20 Prestige MP; the desired ball production is not the issue. The issue however is that, like most players, I play a variety of balls and I find that when I'm playing a softer (push type) ball, while I can put them away, I "waste" a lot of energy doing so.
Click to expand...

This is a technique issue and not a racquet issue. If you want an explanation let me know.

When I'm playing a faster paced/heavier etc. ball, I've begun to find that since I have started to focus on movement rather than purely strokes now, that the sweetspot of the Prestige has become small for my game and ability. Sometimes, my ball still goes off the same way I want in the other court but its not as clean of a hit as I want.

What I'm looking for:
I'm looking for a little bit more free power and sweetspot size.

I'd like the weight to be similar (+/- 12-12.5oz) but I don't mind having to lead up to achieve the desired weight.

Do you guys think the lead at the top is making my sweetspot smaller? Or any racquets you guys can recommend?

I love the Prestige but I've never liked their grip shape and length. So if I have to switch, I'd even try to avoid Head if I can.

A racquet I've been curious about is the Yonex VCore 97 330g, specs look in line and many say that due to the isometric head, the sweetspot feels larger, is this true?

Also, I've only demo'd Babolats once a very long time ago (and I did not have my strokes developed at the time). Any advice on how they would fit with someone who used a Prestige for so long? For Power the PDR looks interesting, and I've always been curious on how the APD plays...

About me: I'm a 4.5 offensive baseliner that is slowly moving all court, who also plays a lot of doubles as well.
Click to expand...

You're not going to get an appreciable power boost from a racquet in the same spec range. The Babolats and Babolat clones, while having reputations of great power, do not have that power. It's in everyone's heads. If you need some extra pop you'd do better to look at strings. Now if you were to go down in weight or swingweight you might find something that you can swing faster. Swinging faster is the only way to get significantly more power out of racquets. But if you want to stay around the same specs as the Prestige MP all you're going to get is more foregiveness with a larger headsize and maybe a bit more spin with an open pattern. Oh, and with that open pattern you can get a higher rebound angle, which will make your ball land deeper in the court, a result most people mistake for "power!" However, with the open pattern you will also lose a little control, which might lead you to reach for the copoly strings to get a little more spin to regain some control. Now you've got a lower-powered setup than the Prestige you started with, but you've got more spin and can swing faster without hitting long. But you might, in the end, yearn for the sweet, plush feel of the Prestige. To avoid that tragic ending you should probably only choose a racquet that feels close to as good as the Prestige. Since feel is to a large degree determined by flex and vibration frequency, I would look at midplus sticks that have similar specs in those categories. So,

Yonex Rdis 200 (62 flex, 335 grams, 7HL balance, 326 swingweight, very forgiving 98 square inch with 16x19 pattern. Soft but with good "pop") Also cheap as hell right now on TW.

Volkl C10 Pro (63 flex, 345 grams, 8HL balance, 325 swingweight. TW's Chris recently swithched from Prestige MP to this stick. Legendary stick in terms of feel and comfort. Chris gave it an 85 score for "power", which is about what he gave the Pure Drive Roddick.) Reasonably priced, awesome 2012 cosmetic.

Boris Becker Melbourne (64 flex, 335 grams, 7HL, 315 swingweight. An 18x20 update of the C10 Pro. Highly regarded on this board. Can be found very cheap as it was just discontinued.)

Pacific XForce Pro. Basically the same specs as the Melbourne. Also popular here. If you wait a month you can probably get 2 for 1 as it will be replaced with another racquet that looks all but identical.

Dunlop 4D 300 Tour. A classic from two product cycles back. Has an excellent reputation and can be had for a song.

All of these would do for you, I think. Demo, demo, demo, especially if you're moving from something that works for you already and are just looking for a little help in some small aspect. All are discontinued and discounted, or are about to be. I've been hanging around this forum long enough to know that there is ZERO reason to buy this year's model from any brand. Get last year's model and get two new frames to put in your bag for the price of one. Done, back to playing tennis.

If you do want to try something that is "Modern", which basically means a stiffer, crisper, hollower feel, often mistaken for "powerful," you could try the new Dunlop F3.0 Tour, the stick that replaced the stick that replaced the 4D 300 Tour above. It's supposed to be awesome, and more powerful than it's prececessors. I don't believe it, but you might.
 
pshulam

pshulam

Hall of Fame
corners said:
This is a technique issue and not a racquet issue. If you want an explanation let me know.



You're not going to get an appreciable power boost from a racquet in the same spec range. The Babolats and Babolat clones, while having reputations of great power, do not have that power. It's in everyone's heads. If you need some extra pop you'd do better to look at strings. Now if you were to go down in weight or swingweight you might find something that you can swing faster. Swinging faster is the only way to get significantly more power out of racquets. But if you want to stay around the same specs as the Prestige MP all you're going to get is more foregiveness with a larger headsize and maybe a bit more spin with an open pattern. Oh, and with that open pattern you can get a higher rebound angle, which will make your ball land deeper in the court, a result most people mistake for "power!" However, with the open pattern you will also lose a little control, which might lead you to reach for the copoly strings to get a little more spin to regain some control. Now you've got a lower-powered setup than the Prestige you started with, but you've got more spin and can swing faster without hitting long. But you might, in the end, yearn for the sweet, plush feel of the Prestige. To avoid that tragic ending you should probably only choose a racquet that feels close to as good as the Prestige. Since feel is to a large degree determined by flex and vibration frequency, I would look at midplus sticks that have similar specs in those categories. So,

Yonex Rdis 200 (62 flex, 335 grams, 7HL balance, 326 swingweight, very forgiving 98 square inch with 16x19 pattern. Soft but with good "pop") Also cheap as hell right now on TW.

Volkl C10 Pro (63 flex, 345 grams, 8HL balance, 325 swingweight. TW's Chris recently swithched from Prestige MP to this stick. Legendary stick in terms of feel and comfort. Chris gave it an 85 score for "power", which is about what he gave the Pure Drive Roddick.) Reasonably priced, awesome 2012 cosmetic.

Boris Becker Melbourne (64 flex, 335 grams, 7HL, 315 swingweight. An 18x20 update of the C10 Pro. Highly regarded on this board. Can be found very cheap as it was just discontinued.)

Pacific XForce Pro. Basically the same specs as the Melbourne. Also popular here. If you wait a month you can probably get 2 for 1 as it will be replaced with another racquet that looks all but identical.

Dunlop 4D 300 Tour. A classic from two product cycles back. Has an excellent reputation and can be had for a song.

All of these would do for you, I think. Demo, demo, demo, especially if you're moving from something that works for you already and are just looking for a little help in some small aspect. All are discontinued and discounted, or are about to be. I've been hanging around this forum long enough to know that there is ZERO reason to buy this year's model from any brand. Get last year's model and get two new frames to put in your bag for the price of one. Done, back to playing tennis.

If you do want to try something that is "Modern", which basically means a stiffer, crisper, hollower feel, often mistaken for "powerful," you could try the new Dunlop F3.0 Tour, the stick that replaced the stick that replaced the 4D 300 Tour above. It's supposed to be awesome, and more powerful than it's prececessors. I don't believe it, but you might.
Click to expand...

Among all the posts so far, yours is the best. Improving technique is the best advice. A lot of players, me included, are always searching for a "better" racquet in hopes for better results.
 
themitchmann

themitchmann

Hall of Fame
The Prince Exo3 Rebel 95 fits the bill if you want something similar to the Prestige, but with more power from the stringbed.

The 2012 version is a bit more flexible, but the 2009 version is a good choice as well.
 
C

Circa 1762

Rookie
I know you'd rather move away from Head, but I'd also recommend at least demoing the IG Prestige Pro. My current stick is the Youtek Prestige MP, but I'm about to switch to the IG PP for the exact reasons you're looking to switch - more power and bigger sweetspot (slightly bigger, at least). Other benefits are marginally better spin and more stability. For reference, I'm also a 4.5 baseliner.
 
Lilguy1456

Lilguy1456

Semi-Pro
corners said:
It's a nice racquet but the narrow, 95 square-inch headsize and 18x20 will offer the OP no improvements in foregiveness or pop than the Prestige he's using now.
Click to expand...

Yeah...you might be right. Prestiges feel a bit heavier to me for some reason. A bit more of a player's feel...and even though the Ltd has a similar spec, it still feels a bit more modern with its whippiness....but yes, very similar spec
 
C

corners

Legend
pshulam said:
Among all the posts so far, yours is the best. Improving technique is the best advice. A lot of players, me included, are always searching for a "better" racquet in hopes for better results.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the problem is that there is always a better racquet out there! ;)
 
hrstrat57

hrstrat57

Hall of Fame
YT Prestige MP with 4 ' of lead centered at 3/9 and swop the rubber stock grip for leather (I like Bablolat) transforms the stock frame completely.

I don't see how a large amount of lead at 6 accomplishes anything.

The lead at 3/9 opens up the sweetspot gives more plow and I felt softened the feel a bit too....they hit easy and big and serve brilliantly too, very solid at net as well. A no excuse stick modified as I describe.....any mistakes I make can't be blamed on the racket.

Mine are strung at 57# with Intellitour....

I suggest you give my set up a whirl before giving up on the frame
 
djdannyj25

djdannyj25

Rookie
I think the Wilson 6.1 95 in a 16x18 string pattern would be a pretty good choice! The heft of a prestige, with more pop. Still has great control and feel too!
 
DustinW

DustinW

Professional
Most people here will tell you to stay away from the PDR because it is too stiff or too powerful... but I don't agree with either of those statements and it sounds exactly like what you need. It still has the heft that you are used to, but it gives you that free power and spin that you are looking for. I'm a 4.5, and I made the switch from more player frames (6.1 95, Pure Storm Tour, Head Youtek Speed, etc) to the PDR, and it's been great.
 
R

RocketF2

New User
Wow just been a few hours and so many replies.

Thank you so much to everyone. I'll definitely note some of the frames such as the Volkl C10, PDR, APDGT, PST, and also, to re-modify my Prestige. :)

To Corners (not singling him out, just because he had a very long thoughtful post that I want to at least follow up on), thanks for the very long post. Explanations were clear, I liked your "most likely scenario" after a racquet switch, as well as the list of racquets.

And I definitely agree with you on the technique. Technique can always be improved. It was actually just me asking my coach the question actually that started this; while I could hit the ball nicely other wise, during certain tiring/endurance drills, I was hitting a few off center, and I offered the question if a racquet with a larger sweetspot would help me. He said I was hitting the ball fine and there was no reason to NEED to switch, BUT that a larger sweetspot might give me more confidence and allow me to continue to focus on my movement and mental side more.

I do agree though corners, that I might just be yearning for an open pattern.

Will try the modified Prestige, Demo Demo Demo, and then.. "back to tennis".

So far, I have the APDGT, PDRGT as a demo and a Vcore 97. Just had to try the Yonex too because it looks so close and similar to a Prestige MP but with a slight open pattern.

Thanks again guys.
 
C

corners

Legend
RocketF2 said:
Wow just been a few hours and so many replies.

Thank you so much to everyone. I'll definitely note some of the frames such as the Volkl C10, PDR, APDGT, PST, and also, to re-modify my Prestige. :)

To Corners (not singling him out, just because he had a very long thoughtful post that I want to at least follow up on), thanks for the very long post. Explanations were clear, I liked your "most likely scenario" after a racquet switch, as well as the list of racquets.

And I definitely agree with you on the technique. Technique can always be improved. It was actually just me asking my coach the question actually that started this; while I could hit the ball nicely other wise, during certain tiring/endurance drills, I was hitting a few off center, and I offered the question if a racquet with a larger sweetspot would help me. He said I was hitting the ball fine and there was no reason to NEED to switch, BUT that a larger sweetspot might give me more confidence and allow me to continue to focus on my movement and mental side more.

I do agree though corners, that I might just be yearning for an open pattern.

Will try the modified Prestige, Demo Demo Demo, and then.. "back to tennis".

So far, I have the APDGT, PDRGT as a demo and a Vcore 97. Just had to try the Yonex too because it looks so close and similar to a Prestige MP but with a slight open pattern.

Thanks again guys.
Click to expand...

Good luck Rocket. I like Yonex quite a lot myself. I haven't hit the Vcore 97 but there is the recently rereleased RdTi 80, now discontinued again, that has the same headshape as the V97 but with a 62 flex that's much more similar to your Prestige.

Here's what TW's Chris had to say about it: http://blog.tenniswarehouse.com/racquets/rediscovering-the-yonex-rd-ti-80/

BTW, I agree with the poster above about lead at 6. Adding mass at this location will change the feel of the swing, and the feel of impact, but will do almost nothing to what the racquet does to the ball. If you try the APDGT you'll probably notice that has much less mass in the handle than you're used to. You might like this, as light handles seem to allow faster swingspeeds for some people, but if you want to bring it closer to what you're used to, tape a quarter to the top of the grip. Not kidding. If you like it like that you can always use lead tape to make the mod more permanent later.
 
R

RocketF2

New User
corners said:
Good luck Rocket. I like Yonex quite a lot myself. I haven't hit the Vcore 97 but there is the recently rereleased RdTi 80, now discontinued again, that has the same headshape as the V97 but with a 62 flex that's much more similar to your Prestige.

Here's what TW's Chris had to say about it: http://blog.tenniswarehouse.com/racquets/rediscovering-the-yonex-rd-ti-80/

BTW, I agree with the poster above about lead at 6. Adding mass at this location will change the feel of the swing, and the feel of impact, but will do almost nothing to what the racquet does to the ball. If you try the APDGT you'll probably notice that has much less mass in the handle than you're used to. You might like this, as light handles seem to allow faster swingspeeds for some people, but if you want to bring it closer to what you're used to, tape a quarter to the top of the grip. Not kidding. If you like it like that you can always use lead tape to make the mod more permanent later.
Click to expand...

I guess the Prestige used to feel off before the swing if that was my preferred location; thats the only logical explanation. Perhaps with the Prestige if I choose to stay with it I could lead up 3 and 9 as well to see the effect it has to the ball. I guess when i was leading, I was paying more attention to how the swing felt instead of the results of the ball.

With regards to the quarter, I guess thats only for the APDGT? The PDR doesn't suffer from the light grip?

Holding the APDGT and air swinging does seem lighter than I'm used to, but to be honest, not as light as I expected it to be (light handle is probably the reason).
 
Relinquis

Relinquis

Hall of Fame
I don't know what strings you use, but have you thought of just dropping your string tension by 5+ lbs? Wouldn't that give you some easier power?

Or using a softer string like a multi-filament or natural gut for more power? Or a hybrid?
 
Mateo

Mateo

Rookie
I had same issue with my prestige history (played with PT630, YT PMP...), and believe me I have tried every model and make to change from prestige to something more playable. I wanted to have at least the feel of prestige but with little more power and maneuverability, so I have tried wilson's, babs, prince, and none of the was on the spot, nice sticks but not so good. (except babolat, they are out of my zone, not for me.)
So I found Radical (in my case Youtek MP or IG) with some lead, nothing too much, I got same or nearly the same control, more maneuverability, more power to my shots, and most important it has that Head feel that I am just to from my junior days. I always say that Radical is Prestige for players that have played great game in junior days, and now days when the body speed and the body condition is nowhere near 18 y olds, the Rad is best choice.
This is my opinion, so if you want you can give a try.
 
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