"Oh, and my game improved when I switched from a 95 to a 90, and has improved again after I switched from a 90 to an 85."
Sorry, but I believe that this is only true because you really want it to be, or the level of your opponents has lowered. It's ludicrous to suggest that going in that direction has improved your game. Maybe you are more comfortable using them, but you haven't improved with them. Do your opponents all play with wooden racquets, by chance? If so, I retract everything.
Also, you can not say that the Pure Drive and the Aero Pro have not had a resounding competitive effect on the game as a whole. Look at Schiavone.. Errani.. Radwanska, among many others. They're wee-folks. They would be nothing without their current racquets! They've actually all become quite something, with them.
And there's enough "impact" players using Speedport technology to validate its prevalence as a breakthrough design.
- Ferrer
- Isner
- Davydenko
- Bryans
- Ferrero
- Andujar
... for starters. Come now.
To be fair, some pros using Speedport tech use the grommet inserts to make them play more like traditional frames. Volkl had large/wide grommet tech years ago too - the V1 line has had wide grommet tech for at least a decade or more. All I can see it does is give you slightly longer string length at the ports. A person playing with a 95" head could get the same effect by playing with a 97".
Tweeners are popular but 18 of the top 25 ATP are using thin beam rackets and not wider/thicker and stiffer Babs/or similar.
We all like to believe racket tech is critical and will give us a magical advantage but pros are predominately playing with heavy and thin rackets that allow them to control the ball and provide the power.
I will concede that tweener rackets - as in wider and stiffer - are more predominate on the WTA. And, most male rec players are probably closer to WTA in size, strength, racket head speed, .. than ATP.
So, I think it is preference. I like 95-98" heads, thin, moderate flex and fairly heavy.
I do think Fed could play very well with a 95" prostaff setup just like his 90" and maybe increase the tension a bit. But, he is a big boy and knows what he wants.