Denis Shapovalov to Yonex

Dartagnan64 said:
LOL. He jumped to Yonex because they offered him the most money. Any really good player can play with any racket once they get dialled in so 90% of them go where the most sponsorship money comes from. You only have a few years to make money in the game so you maximize profits. It's totally naive to suggest he switched over to Yonex from Wilson for performance reasons.

Wilson is laying out big money for established stars like Fed and Williams, they likely are waiting for the next big time player to sponsor. Yonex is grabbing next gen small country players hoping to hit it big if they become something like maybe Osaka.

I can tell you that a ton of Canadian juniors are using Yonex frames these days so going young is helping them in that market. Still see the old vets at the club with Wilson, Head and Babolat. But the kids are following the kids on tour.

And really assuming 2 Sq In of frame size makes a bit of difference is really out there as far as a thought process goes. Pros have competed with 107 sq in rackets going against 85 sq in rackets and neither had an advantage. 98-100 isn't the Golden Ratio or anything like that. It's a compromise.
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I think Agassi, Seles, Sabatini, Chang and Serena would not have much success with small headed 85 racquets. lol
 
Yeah, sure, Thiem won because his racquet is an inch bigger than Fed's one, cool story.
I'll buy a couple of Big Bubba and I'll domain the ATP tour, then.
Or wait, better than that, try it yourself and prove your marvelous theory.
 
Tour_G said:
Yeah, sure, Thiem won because his racquet is an inch bigger than Fed's one, cool story.
I'll buy a couple of Big Bubba and I'll domain the ATP tour, then.
Or wait, better than that, try it yourself and prove your marvelous theory.
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Why extrapolate to the nth degree?

I've never suggested the largest hoop sizes available are best for Pro Players. I opined that Shapo. will probably produce better results moving to a 97, 98 or even 100 than he is getting with a 95.

If 95s are so good why doesn't every player on the Pro Tour (Male or Female) use a 95?

Afaik, the only player who has DOMINATED the ATP Tour over the last 10 years with a 95 is Novak. Certainly not Rafa, nor Roger.

If one Square Inch doesn't make ANY difference, why bother to produce different products in the first place?

No probs, keep thinking they way you are thinking. Fortunately many don't think that way. If they did, we would all still be living in caves throwing sticks at each other.
 
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Wonder what a racquet face has to do with progress....
Anyway, you are asking why everybody isn't using 95 sq inch racquets, well, for the same reason that not everybody is using 100 sq inch.
Everyone has different preferences, that's it.
You have facts against your theory, however, you keep insisting.
But, I have to give you one, I remember the glory days of Dimitrov when he went from a 93 to a 97 and won all of those Grand Slams, such a memories..... Oh, wait [emoji848]
 
Karma Tennis said:
If 95s are so good why doesn't every player on the Pro Tour (Male or Female) use a 95?
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Such a simple yet complex question. Almost all tour players are going to come out of junior programmes where it is very common for kids to start with tweener rackets and once they get used to that feel they tend to stick with it. Not a lot of 95 inch tweeners.

Babolat gets them addicted young. They are the tobacco company of racket manufacturers. Come for the easy spin and power and stay for the tennis elbow later.
 
There should be mandatory labeling on the throat: "WARNING: THE SURGEON GENERAL HAS DETERMINED THAT THIS PRODUCT IS HAZARDOUS TO THE HEALTH OF YOUR ELBOW."
 
jmacdaununder2 said:
There should be mandatory labeling on the throat: "WARNING: THE SURGEON GENERAL HAS DETERMINED THAT THIS PRODUCT IS HAZARDOUS TO THE HEALTH OF YOUR ELBOW."
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... HOWEVER IF YOU FIND AFTER SEVERAL YEARS THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR ELBOW YOU WILL PROCEED TO WIN AT LEAST ELEVEN SINGLES TITLES AT ROLAND GARROS !!!
 
On a real note, Shapo should switch from the 1.30mm PT Strike to the 1.25mm PT Strike. Pretty much the same thing in terms of feel and control but a bit more spin.
 
As with several other companies, it would be great if we could actually buy the lower ra - pro stock - racquets Babolat apparently supplies to their sponsored players. (You don't need to point out that Nadal apparently uses a modified version of something similar - if not the same as - a model that was available retail quite some time ago.) My great auntie chain smoked and lived over 100 years; obviously everyone who desires a long life should follow her example.
 
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Haven't you heard @jmacdaununder2? It's very easy to procure a lower RA Babolat racquet.

1/ Purchase Babolat racquet of your choice from TW, TWE, or TO.
2/ String racquet with stiff poly at 40kgs tension.
3/ Repeat step 2 200 times before first hit.
4/ Voila! .... Babolat racquet of your choice with 50 RA.
 
Karma Tennis said:
OK, so Shapovalov is the exception to the rule then :rolleyes:
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Shapo came from that small group of juniors idolizing Fed and the 1HBH using Wilson Prostaffs. He was never seduced to the Nadal dark side of Babolat. But then Yonex offered more money than Wilson and what Yonex is closest to the Prostaff? The VCORE 95 or 98. Guess he liked the 95 better than the 98.
 
If Shapo prefers a 95 he prefers 95. Just because he can theoretically benefit from a 98 or 100 square inch doesn't by any means be the case because: He used a 95 for several years and also transitioned from the six one 95. 2, a racquet change could put him off balance from a mental stand point.

There are several players that switch frames and even to different companies/head sizes but have chosen to revert back to what they're comfortable with. I don't know why you're trying to argue with every single comment but it's getting stale.

Racquet head size (especially when saying a 95 inch user should go to a 97/98 because it's 2 inches bigger) is one of the smallest influences on a touring levels results. How you can expect a professional player to increase 3 square inches and expect that to be the reason why the player didn't have any grandslam success is a joke

Honestly dude, take a break from the thread.

Racquet companies work with their sponsored athletes to create what the player wants. Not what the company thinks the player wants, the player is the one that picks what they want at the end of the day. Do you genuinely think a player leaving their 95 inch which they've played with/what they're comfortable with going to stop them from spraying balls and losing?

If you seriously think that, then all i can say is YIKES
 
anfield said:
Wawrinka does pretty well with a 95 (Yonex), then Murray, Cilic, Delpo, and isn't Djokers frame a 95 as well? I'm sure I'm missing some others, but these are all the recent major winners with a 95. And you can throw in Anderson as a finalist.
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I thought about the same point! Djoker uses a 95. Some more: Nishikori, Agut & Kohlschreiber. If so many in the tour are using 95 sq.in, the theory of "bigger head size is better" does not sound right. I.e., if all the players mentioned in that list including Shapo, plus Dimitrov, Verdasco, switch to a 100 sq.in, will they win more matches? I don't think so.

The 95 to 100 seems to be the ideal range. There are many outliers (Agassi, Serena, Samprass etc), but for the modern Tennis, anything in between 93 (Dimitrov) and 104 (Serena) should work IMO!
 
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Watching Shapo and Tsitsipas in 1080p atm.

Shapo. looks like he is using a 98 now. The hoop looks huge next to his body .. and he has bulked up quite a bit. And when he places the tennis ball against the frame during the beginning of his service motion, the string bed makes the tennis ball look smaller than it does against the SV95 which I am very very familiar with.

Denis is serving and hitting a lot more consistently over the past few weeks.

So with the 98, Denis is CERTAINLY MAJOR WORTHY! I'm so pleased to see the way his game is developing now. He needs the firepower to compete with guys like Tsitsipas, FAA, Tiafoe, Zverev, Coric etc.
 
Karma Tennis said:
Watching Shapo and Tsitsipas in 1080p atm.

Shapo. looks like he is using a 98 now. The hoop looks huge next to his body .. and he has bulked up quite a bit. And when he places the tennis ball against the frame during the beginning of his service motion, the string bed makes the tennis ball look smaller than it does against the SV95 which I am very very familiar with.

Denis is serving and hitting a lot more consistently over the past few weeks.

So with the 98, Denis is CERTAINLY MAJOR WORTHY! I'm so pleased to see the way his game is developing now. He needs the firepower to compete with guys like Tsitsipas, FAA, Tiafoe, Zverev, Coric etc.
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He hasn't changed racket, so sorry to disappoint you. You must be riling that he's doing so well with his 95!
 
paulie-japan said:
He hasn't changed racket, so sorry to disappoint you. You must be riling that he's doing so well with his 95!
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We can all believe what we want to believe :)

If he is producing these performances with a 95 then more power to him. But until someone actually produces evidence of the exact specs then we will never know.

Although ... I watched his match with Tsitsipas today. At the end, Tennis TV threw up the stats of the match as the always do. Denis's RPS spin rates were well down on Stephanos's. So perhaps he is using a 95 like you all say. Pity !
 
When federer was using a 90 sq/inch racquet he had the second highest RPM stats on the tour. Head size has nothing to do with RPM. Stefanos swingpath is very wide, (straight-arm forehand, and long arms) so although you might feel his racquet speed is low as the racquet follows a very wide circle, it is actually very high. That's, to me, the reason why his RPM are so high despite 18x20 pattern and 1,30 4G.
 
Fair enough. The Tennis TV stats indicate the AVERAGE spin rates on both sides. Would be much more interesting to see the range, or the highest RPS achieved.

And there's no doubt that stroke technique is the major factor in spin generation.
 
Lol. He's still using a 95.

So cringe the way someone would act because they think shapo is using a 98 inch headsize

Last time I checked a 97+ inch headsize isn't what wins grandslams but maybe i'll have to check the list again. Didn't know it was an official rule
 
TforTommy said:
Lol. He's still using a 95.

So cringe the way someone would act because they think shapo is using a 98 inch headsize

Last time I checked a 97+ inch headsize isn't what wins grandslams but maybe i'll have to check the list again. Didn't know it was an official rule
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@TforTommy, cut the passive agressive drivel.

If you are certain he is using a 95 ... please show us an accurate photo of his racquet and his detailed specs.

Otherwise, everything you and I say is just conjecture. One thing for sure he is not using a VCore SV95 or VCore 95

As for your comment regarding 97+s not winning Majors. Have you ever heard of Rafael Nadal? Don't you know that Roger won his last two Majors with a 97?

As for guys like Cilic, del Potro, Djokovic, Wawrinka, given the influence of Sampras and the younger Federer, it is little suprise that they would have gravitated to smaller head sizes from the start.
 
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paulie-japan said:
I would like to see some real specs up on here! No stringers from Miami or Indian Wells here!!
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Me too.

And I would also like to pick up this discussion in 15 years time and see what proportion of the Majors and Masters 1000s have been won by players using 97 and 97+ hoop sized racquets compared to 95s and lower.
 
Last 15 years majors and master 1000 have been won mostly by : Djoko (95sq inch) Nadal (100sqinch) Murray (95sq inch) and Federer (90sq inch for the most, and only a few with 97).

From that perspective, your theory is, as always, wrong.
 
McEncock said:
Last 15 years majors and master 1000 have been won mostly by : Djoko (95sq inch) Nadal (100sqinch) Murray (95sq inch) and Federer (90sq inch for the most, and only a few with 97).

From that perspective, your theory is, as always, wrong.
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Do you actually read the posts? (I said NEXT 15 years!)

Six of the last Nine MAJOR Tournaments have been won by players using a 97 or a 100. The other 3 were won by Novak who could probably win with a 110 sq inch frying pan.

Yap on all you like about the distant PAST. (And I will remind you of a certain Andre Agassi!) I am talking about the FUTURE !!!

https://www.controlthet.com/product_images/uploaded_images/murray-radical.jpg

Similar discussion about Backhands a few years back. Oh .. the SHBH is DEAD. Novak has ensured the DHBH will dominate the future of tennis. Tell that to all the younger guys using SHBHs.
 
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Karma Tennis said:
@TforTommy, cut the passive agressive drivel.

If you are certain he is using a 95 ... please show us an accurate photo of his racquet and his detailed specs.

Otherwise, everything you and I say is just conjecture. One thing for sure he is not using a VCore SV95 or VCore 95

As for your comment regarding 97+s not winning Majors. Have you ever heard of Rafael Nadal? Don't you know that Roger won his last two Majors with a 97?

As for guys like Cilic, del Potro, Djokovic, Wawrinka, given the influence of Sampras and the younger Federer, it is little suprise that they would have gravitated to smaller head sizes from the start.
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We can count the crosses, is it 16x19 or 16x20?
https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/shapovalov?family=editorial&phrase=shapovalov&sort=newest#license
I see 20 here:
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/...rates-after-winning-the-news-photo/1137874125
 
I acknowledge Shap's prob playing the SV 95 or a custom version, but fwiw the VCore 95 has a more generous sweet zone than other 95s I've tried.
Ime, the VCore 95 generates more power than the VCore 98 and VCore Pro 97.

Again ime, the racket most similar to the VCore 95, is the Six.One 95 - and that's Wilson second biggest sledgehammer, only second to the RF97A.

It could very well be that Shap should change to a bigger head sized Yonex to leverage his spin game, but the 95 sq in frame still rule for flat power tennis, and epic touch.
 
Karma Tennis said:
Watching Shapo and Tsitsipas in 1080p atm.

Shapo. looks like he is using a 98 now. The hoop looks huge next to his body .. and he has bulked up quite a bit. And when he places the tennis ball against the frame during the beginning of his service motion, the string bed makes the tennis ball look smaller than it does against the SV95 which I am very very familiar with.

Denis is serving and hitting a lot more consistently over the past few weeks.

So with the 98, Denis is CERTAINLY MAJOR WORTHY! I'm so pleased to see the way his game is developing now. He needs the firepower to compete with guys like Tsitsipas, FAA, Tiafoe, Zverev, Coric etc.
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He's still using the VCORE SV95 just now with a paintjob of the current line
 
He really struggled against Federer today. Both his Serve and his BH were really "Off". Just couldn't deal with Federer's power of shot.
 
Karma Tennis said:
He really struggled against Federer today. Both his Serve and his BH were really "Off". Just couldn't deal with Federer's power of shot.
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That is one thing I will agree to about Shapo..when his timing is even slightly off, he struggles...he needs to start "winning ugly" as Brad Gilbert would put it. But when he is on, he can be unbeatable. He is still one of my favourite NextGens all the same
 
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