Bigmctennis
Rookie
I know Shelton used to play with the Vcore Pro 97 HD but it seems the last couple challengers he is playing with an ezone 98? Tried to zoom in on the string pattern and looks to be an 16x19, not a paint job over his old sticks.
Ben Shelton Racket Change?
- Thread starter Bigmctennis
- Start date
iceman_dl6
Professional
From what I heard, yes you are correct! I believe it is the 2022 version, but I’m not 100% sure.
ChrisJR3264
Hall of Fame
I feel like moving from 18x20 to a 16x19 is a bit of an adjustment
Ezone is a very tight 16x19 though...
Flying_Axe
Rookie
Torps
Semi-Pro
went from 97D to EZ98.. very little adjustment. I measured the stringbed at the center with digital calipers on both and they're a mm apart.
ChrisJR3264
Hall of Fame
97 D? I thought it was an HD?
Torps
Semi-Pro
it was, but they're both 18x20.. he prob had to adjust more to the crap feel of the ezone compared to the buttery HD
ChrisJR3264
Hall of Fame
I’m hearing the 2022 Ezone is much much better than the last two versions. Someone did tell me it’s close to the DR. I hated the 2020 Ezone.
Purestriker
Legend
Has a lot more control than the 2020 version. Does everything well. That is why I made the jump.
innoVAShaun
G.O.A.T.
BerryTennis
New User
stock version?
Bigmctennis
Rookie
From the looks of it. It makes sense why pros are switching to yonex though, seems like their frames are stiffer than the specs suggest which would allow pros to play with them with little to no tinkering. A lot of other brands they have to added a bunch of lead tape to get the stiffness right?
I could also be totally wrong, that’s just my speculation after playing with yonex sticks
Lazuras_Long
Rookie
Are you confusing stiffness and swing weight?
henrytennisadelaide
Semi-Pro
I think your understanding of lead tape and its affect on stiffness may be off.
Bigmctennis
Rookie
I could be confused by how lead tape works but according to the internet adding lead tape on a lighter frame helps add stability and stiffness to a frame if applied at 3&9 which is where I see most pro players add the weight. I think what I’m meaning is it plays way more stable, not stiffer then.
What my theory was is that the racket itself feels and plays more stable than it’s listed as, which then doesn’t require you to bump the swingweight in order to play against a bigger ball
henrytennisadelaide
Semi-Pro
Yes, stability is impacted by lead tape (i.e. the frame won't be pushed around as much by the ball because there is more weight behind it). Stiffness, on the other hand, is largely impacted by the layup and composition of the frame.
innoVAShaun
G.O.A.T.
Practicing with Rafa and looks to be wearing his colorful NB shoes:
Bigmctennis
Rookie
I hit with an ezone that had 6 ish grams on it yesterday which probably isn’t close. Felt amazing but my wrist and elbow felt stiff 3 rallies in. Had arm problems with the previous ezone tour too which is a bummer
Torps
Semi-Pro
I’m curious as well.. I played the 97D all year then tried the EZ98 looking for a bit more free power and haven’t looked back. I added a leather grip and am at about 335gm strung. This is partly because I’m in between a G2 and G3 for Yonex. So like an EZ tour but balance around 31cm. Still have the stability I loved with the 97D, especially counterpunching, but there’s access to much more free power on junk balls from opponents.
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bobeeto
Hall of Fame
I’m a 345 vcore 95 guy, but my ezone 98 comes in the next couple days with a leather grip already on it, I’m stoked
henrytennisadelaide
Semi-Pro
He was stringing it up at 62lbs today
bobeeto
Hall of Fame
Yep
Power Player
Bionic Poster
He's awesome. To me after hitting with the EZ98, it would be a bit of adjustment from the VC97 to the Ez98 simply because the EZ98 has a lot more pop to it. I think it may take me a few weeks to really dial it in, but I am not Ben Shelton either..lol.
Wonder how his is set up, or if he is just using the tour.
Wonder how his is set up, or if he is just using the tour.
bobeeto
Hall of Fame
m
My guess is there’s some weight up on it, but the paint job doesn’t say tour - just 98
chrischris
G.O.A.T.
Ben really launches the racket into the ball.. Nice to see him doing well.. A real raw talent with work ethics and determination. Go Ben!
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Fucsovic uses his EZ98 bone stock apparently so you never know. I put less than 2 grams total of lead at 10 and 2 just to get the SW a little higher but I suspect this frame doesn't need much more than that for me. I'd be interested if anyone figures out his specs, not to copy them but just because this frame has a lot of free power even in stock form. It kind of breaks the rules of SW and Stiffness = power, but Yonex has been doing this for a while now. I suspect it is why so many pros are using them.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
It was awesome. Shelton has a massive serve that got him out of jams and helped him hold down the stretch. His fh was ridiculous as well.
And, a few have lead tape at 3 and 9 o'clock. Djoko has lots of lead down the sides, Osaka and Sampras used lead down the side and Verdasco used lead at 3 and 9 o'clock at times during his career. Murray, Nadal, Federer, Djoko, Sampras, Agassi, Osaka, Venus, Serena, Kuznetsova, Brian brothers are a few that used lead and higher swing weights. Seems more common now to put it under the bumper but adding lead at 3 and 9 o'clock is good too. Adding lead to the head of the frame adds power, stability and comfort. My personal opinion is most stock rackets are a little low in swing weight and could benefit from a little lead tape.
Shaolin
Talk Tennis Guru
Its bad enough that lefties have a huge advantage that they didn't have to work for, why congratulate him for it?
That said I do like Shelton, exciting player with a big game. Hope he makes the SF.
Wheelz
Hall of Fame
Someone posted here owning a Fuscovic ezone and it was something like 352g. I’ll try to find it.
edit found it.
Tommy Paul to Yonex
Surely Yonex cannot be paying him that much money. I mean how many people out there are gonna buy a blade or a Yonex simply because Tommy is using one. 5, 10, 20? He must truly think it will help his game and maybe it will. I like his game and his demeanour. Probably more money than Wilson...
tt.tennis-warehouse.com
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Someone posted here owning a Fuscovic ezone and it was something like 352g. I’ll try to find it.
edit found it.
Tommy Paul to Yonex
Surely Yonex cannot be paying him that much money. I mean how many people out there are gonna buy a blade or a Yonex simply because Tommy is using one. 5, 10, 20? He must truly think it will help his game and maybe it will. I like his game and his demeanour. Probably more money than Wilson...
Oh nice, so Yonex sets it up for him then. That makes total sense.
Any idea when he switched to PTR? I know he was playing with the fire in the past and in college at ncaa championship he won iirc
Bigmctennis
Rookie
I think right before the Australian Open. He switched frames during challengers this summer and had a yellow string in his ezone for a couple months right when he switched over which I'm assuming was PTP?
bobeeto
Hall of Fame
Since playing the ezone, he tried both PTP and PTR, so i think earliest was late November, but probably testing off season
Bigmctennis
Rookie
How did the ez98 feel? Any arm or wrist issues?
bobeeto
Hall of Fame
Nah, feels great. Need to dial in string but for my taste it’s money. Not as plush as my 95s, but equally soft on the arm.
