Calling the Fischer Experts for help

[McEnroe]

I am thinking of buying one of the following rackets, please advise:

Fischer Pro Classic 98 (yellow/black/white):
Material: Ceramic/Graphite
String Pattern: 16 x 18
Weight is not specified on the site
Beam Width: 22 mm

Fischer Pro Number One (330 g)
Material: Fiber Glass/Graphite/AireCarbon
String Pattern: 16 x 20
Weight: 330 grams
Beam Width: 22 mm

Currently I am playing with the Volkl Tour Mid-VE and sometimes alternate with the Fisher Pro Extreme FT (325g).

The reason I am contemplating buying the Fishers are to maximize my newly acquired kick serve (fun to see the opponent struggling with the high balls and put away the easy volleys).

Compared to the VE-Mid the Pro Extreme feels very light, much better quick serve (hence the wanted change) but my ground strokes are much loopier and the drop shots inconsistent - might be because of the extended length or equilibrium.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Ross K]

I am thinking of buying one of the following rackets, please advise:

Fischer Pro Classic 98 (yellow/black/white):
Material: Ceramic/Graphite
String Pattern: 16 x 18
Weight is not specified on the site
Beam Width: 22 mm

Fischer Pro Number One (330 g)
Material: Fiber Glass/Graphite/AireCarbon
String Pattern: 16 x 20
Weight: 330 grams
Beam Width: 22 mm

Currently I am playing with the Volkl Tour Mid-VE and sometimes alternate with the Fisher Pro Extreme FT (325g).

The reason I am contemplating buying the Fishers are to maximize my newly acquired kick serve (fun to see the opponent struggling with the high balls and put away the easy volleys).

Compared to the VE-Mid the Pro Extreme feels very light, much better quick serve (hence the wanted change) but my ground strokes are much loopier and the drop shots inconsistent - might be because of the extended length or equilibrium.

Thanks for the input.

Check out 'The Fischer Faction' thread/club ('racquets' section) and read up on it and/or post there. Also, just search 'Fischer' or 'Fischer Pro number 1' or whatever (again, in 'racquets' section.) And FYI... my experience has been it's not that easy to get the lineage, history, as well as performance info on the earlier Fischers (certainly not compared to other makes.) There seems to be a lot of confusion regarding cosmetics and names of particular models, etc. Plus also, as you'll discover if you read 'The Fischer Faction', the 330g Pro No. 1 (red/black version) is VERY highly regarded indeed (as in 'WARNING! YOU ARE NOW ENTERING POSSIBLE 'HOLY GRAIL TERRITORY!'...) Matter of fact, McEnroe, I badly want to get my hands on one of these. :!:

 

[retrowagen]

The Pro Classic 98 will probably be the more effective tool for hitting kick serves - the string pattern is a bit more open, and it is not a tapered beam frame, hence a bit thinner (and thus slightly less likely to interfere with balls hit near the outer perimeter of the face, as in the oblique brush-up on the ball a kicker requires).

The Pro Classic 98 is a really good all-round midplus frame that can do it all, plus with excellent ball feel and control. The Pro #1 might offer a mite more power, all things being equal, but the "no frills" PC98 will probably take you further down the road as a complete player in the long run.

(I've used Fischers on and off since 1991 at Div III college level and 5.0+ NTRP level; I tend to favor the Head midsize products of years past and play mostly with them - the 18x20 pattern, manoeuverability, thin beam, and flex suits me better)