Diary of a Racketaholic

[SupremeCourt]

@SupremeCourt - I know you've been recently flirting with the D98, but among all of your journeying, how has the Volkl V8 Pro been fairing? Obviously, there's a severe lack of feedback on Volkl frames (due to their virtually non-existent market presence), so if you could offer a mini review on it, I'd be eternally grateful. Cheers!

@Trip I regretfully sold the V8 pro—got an offer of more than I paid for it, and was annoyed at all the incongruent rackets I had lying around, so I jumped the gun and got rid of it. Partially the G2 felt small to begin with and once I put a leather grip on, it just felt too small, so I was never 100% comfortable with it. If I can snag at G3 for a good price I might it add it back into the arsenal.

Since I haven’t hit it in a little while take my thoughts with a grain of salt, but I am in the camp the racket is really underrated. Given your preference of 1 to 1 feel crisp rackets, the V8 pro is really in that camp imo….at least compared to most modern releases out there. It Has this nice crunchy feel at impact, and gives you exactly what you put in.

The string bed is consistent but gives you enough lift out of an 18x20. Not the easiest to pick up shots at your shoelaces and send them cross court, but I never found regular ground strokes dropping into the net. I probably got more top end power out of the V8 pro than the percept 100D/speed pro simply due to the fact I could swing the V8 faster. This was evident on serves. Flattening out was very satisfying. I could see the V8 pro as a good option from people looking at moving on from more old schools 95/97s. Lot’s of people seem to want to jump from an old 95 / 97 into a Pure aero / ezone for more forgiveness, but really the v8 pro is what a lot of people might be looking for. Older school feel, consistent across string bed, takes weight easily, has a more traditional hoop shape all in more forgiving package. After writing this I went back to that Reddit review of the v8 pro and I really think that person describes it better than I could. I’m happy to answer any further specific questions, my thoughts were probably rather vague but I’m trying to recall more specific comparisons but I’m sure they will come to me later on. I don’t see any harm in people trying the v8 pro…it’s so inexpensive to buy, and could end up being a unicorn for some.

Note: I played the racket very briefly stock, but it felt a bit anemic—right away threw on leather and a bit of weight at 12 and that’s when the racket shone.

 

[Trip]

@SupremeCourt - Massive thanks for all those details. On the grip size, would you say then the Volkl grip molds run slightly small to industry average? (I'm contemplating my usual Grip 4, but might go to Grip 5, which Volkl actually still makes, as I'd rather be on the large side and have to go with a thinner base grip, than the opposite). Thanks again!

 

[SupremeCourt]

@SupremeCourt - Massive thanks for all those details. On the grip size, would you say then the Volkl grip molds run slightly small to industry average? (I'm contemplating my usually Grip 4 or possibly a Grip 5, which Volkl actually still makes). Thanks again!

There are some 20 year old threads that seem to say they run smaller. Then others say runs a bit bigger. I personally found the grip ran smaller…for sure smaller than new Wilson, bab and yonex. I can interchange between G2/3 in Wilson head no problem. Yonex and bab I’m always G2 if that helps. It’s more of a rectangular shape (not quite as pronounced as tech, so may depend on your preference for that or tk82). As for strings I just did lynx tour fb or a hybrid with round cross, so I didn’t explore options a ton.

 

[Trip]

Got it, thanks again. Think I may gamble with a Grip 5, and if worse comes to worse, can always do a Kimony Techni Expert on it to downsize a bit, and get better bevel feel to boot.

 

[Vicious49]

It doesn’t have staying power. You’ll enjoy the control it offers for a few hits, and especially the more connected feel than the more muted Head frames like Boom and Extreme. But after a week you’ll be searching for something that gives you more power for free and less effort to maneuver and hit fun shots with a variety of styles. You’ll realize you wasted money on a cool demo but a bad long term option.

I should have listened. I decided to order one and it came in right at specs for static and SW. Can't recall balance but it was pretty HL. It felt good on the 1st hit but the more I hit with it, the more I realize that it's not as maneuverable as most frames. My C10 Pros which we more than the Rad Pro are more whippy and maneuverable. So off to the sales forum it is!

 

[Power Player]

Defython 100 should show up here in a few days but I’m thinking the 98 may be the money frame for me. No feel issues with it. I’m going to put the exact same strings in the 100 so I can really compare the differences. Will play both stock.

Also restringing the learner today as well. Once these frames are done I’ll probably pack the machine up and be paying for string jobs in the short future.

This tourna machine has been awesome. I was getting side money stringing for people in the area with it. I just enjoy stringing frames more, now that I have a better machine. It’s a perfect semi-pro level machine imo.

When I get back to Florida I’ll hang out with my friend who strings for Wilson and has strung the USO. Want to get some tips from him.

 

[Nollid]

Does anyone else in here purposefully not want to know the swing weight of their sticks? Static weight, balance, trial & error is all that I need. I have found going based of vibes and feels or empirical evidence is much more important. instead knowing the exact numerical measurement (that doesn’t help you win any points during a match)

My biggest gripe with SW is that every stick is built differently & comparing a blade and aero for example is truely comparable with apples and oranges. They are both still fruits but completely different.

It’s as if, every “tennis set up” is its own equation. Just because it worked for X, doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll work for Y.
(and that’s not even factoring in your own individual swing, along diametric differences with biological strengths & weaknesses, when comparing person A’s review to persons B’s experience…)

I like knowing the SW, especially for matching examples of the same racket. I have 3 Extreme Tours that I matched and I cannot tell the difference between them. I like that. To me it's just another data point like static weight and balance. I'm not married to a particular number for swing weight but I have an idea of what static weight, swing weight and balance I like. I do agree that it matters less when comparing different rackets. That being said I don't mess with twist weight or whatever that MGR/I stuff is.

 

[Vicious49]

I like knowing the SW, especially for matching examples of the same racket. I have 3 Extreme Tours that I matched and I cannot tell the difference between them. I like that. To me it's just another data point like static weight and balance. I'm not married to a particular number for swing weight but I have an idea of what static weight, swing weight and balance I like. I do agree that it matters less when comparing different rackets. That being said I don't mess with twist weight or whatever that MGR/I stuff is.

Pretty much my thoughts on this. I would like to add that it's a mental thing when you have 3 of the same stick. This way there is no 'favorite' as now the specs are the same.

 

[Power Player]

I like knowing the SW, especially for matching examples of the same racket. I have 3 Extreme Tours that I matched and I cannot tell the difference between them. I like that. To me it's just another data point like static weight and balance. I'm not married to a particular number for swing weight but I have an idea of what static weight, swing weight and balance I like. I do agree that it matters less when comparing different rackets. That being said I don't mess with twist weight or whatever that MGR/I stuff is.

I agree with this and also kind of like not knowing. That said, knowing the twistweight was a nice help for me. Twistweight is a legit spec, the mgri is much more debatable. Knowing the tw of a frame you like can really answer a lot of questions.

But now that I know all those things I have enjoyed walking away from it and not really knowing the details on my d98. So I can go more by feel because it’s informed feel, if you will.

But knowing how to setup a frame allowed me to make the learner play great with one setup attempt. But that is a pro stock frame that needs weight. With a retail frame I think it can be beneficial to not measure all the specs and just play it in stock form. Resist adding lead until you simply feel it must be done to continue with the racquet.

Kind of like music. Learn all the rules then just forget about them and play. Or something like that, haha.

 

[Ryebread]

Elevate looks nice in the sunlight. Didn't quite have the heft behind it I'd want. This one had a strung SW of 316 so I'd need to add weight to it. Either way, turned it over to the coach so the kids can hit with it as I knew it wasn't for me after a few games of hitting with it.

Two mains skipped, in a row.
Haven’t seen that before

Would you recommend reference tension? Higher or lower?

What didn’t you like about it?

 

[ryushen21]

I like knowing the SW, especially for matching examples of the same racket. I have 3 Extreme Tours that I matched and I cannot tell the difference between them. I like that. To me it's just another data point like static weight and balance. I'm not married to a particular number for swing weight but I have an idea of what static weight, swing weight and balance I like. I do agree that it matters less when comparing different rackets. That being said I don't mess with twist weight or whatever that MGR/I stuff is.

Absolutely agree. SW to me is the most important. I know by swinging a racquet if it's gonna work for me and can tell pretty quick if it's too beefy or too light.

 

[Nollid]

Pretty much my thoughts on this. I would like to add that it's a mental thing when you have 3 of the same stick. This way there is no 'favorite' as now the specs are the same.

Yep, totally agree. Kind of like a minimalist wardrobe in a way. Every black turtleneck is the same.

I agree with this and also kind of like not knowing. That said, knowing the twistweight was a nice help for me. Twistweight is a legit spec, the mgri is much more debatable. Knowing the tw of a frame you like can really answer a lot of questions.

But now that I know all those things I have enjoyed walking away from it and not really knowing the details on my d98. So I can go more by feel because it’s informed feel, if you will.

But knowing how to setup a frame allowed me to make the learner play great with one setup attempt. But that is a pro stock frame that needs weight. With a retail frame I think it can be beneficial to not measure all the specs and just play it in stock form. Resist adding lead until you simply feel it must be done to continue with the racquet.

Kind of like music. Learn all the rules then just forget about them and play. Or something like that, haha.

I feel you on this. It's nice to not have to go through a million iterations anymore when initially tweaking a frame.

Absolutely agree. SW to me is the most important. I know by swinging a racquet if it's gonna work for me and can tell pretty quick if it's too beefy or too light.

Yeah man, even without any measurements a racket just has a certain feel through the air. I don't think mods can totally change that.

PS Supposed to demo the D98 today. Damn it's been a while since I've tried something new. Last was the PA 98 play test.

 

[Vicious49]

Two mains skipped, in a row.
Haven’t seen that before

Would you recommend reference tension? Higher or lower?

What didn’t you like about it?

I think the previous Elevates may have had those weird skips as well. I strung it up at 47# and only hit with it for about 15-20 minutes before turning it over the next day to the actual owner of the frame. It's a bit soft or not powerful or however you want to describe it. Think like a TF40. I did measure the SW on this one and it was a bit low for me around 315 strung so that could have been part of it. Ideally I'd need to add some lead to the hoop and get an extended demo. But in those 20 minutes I could tell it wasn't going to contend with anything I'm currently using so no need to experiment further with it.

Absolutely agree. SW to me is the most important. I know by swinging a racquet if it's gonna work for me and can tell pretty quick if it's too beefy or too light.

Of the 3 AS305 that I have, the unstrung SW on one of them was just a few points higher with the balance also being a point or half point off as well. It was about as close as I could get 3 of these Mizuno frames. Normally I don't notice the difference but last night when I was exhausted I could tell I was struggling with the serve with that 1 frame. My timing was off just a tad with just that 1 frame. Even without knowing the measurements of the frames or labeling them, I could tell that was the 1 that was a bit more 'substantial' than the other 2.

 

[ryushen21]

Yeah man, even without any measurements a racket just has a certain feel through the air. I don't think mods can totally change that.

Absolutely. I think this is why I never really got along with the H22. The stock spec on the one I had was too light. Even leaded up, the swing never quite felt right for me. My BPs, on the other hand, are all within a few points of each other, and I can swap them out without issue.

 

[ryushen21]

Two mains skipped, in a row.
Haven’t seen that before

Would you recommend reference tension? Higher or lower?

What didn’t you like about it?

I've never understood why they do the pattern on the Elevate like that. It's been kinda screwy ever since it launched. I just thought they hated stringers.

 

[Nollid]

Picked up D98 demo done up by the shop owner for himself. Strung with a leather grip and overgrip it’s 348g. Feels like a tank in the best way, but I know it’s too heavy for me in this form. I would be late on everything if I had to play it this way. Wish I could try it without the extra weight from the leather. Other than that love the gloss and the grip feels bigger than Head L3.

 

[EggSalad]

I’m jumping in to the deep fryer mania. I have to see how this compares to my Blades.

 

[Power Player]

I’m jumping in to the deep fryer mania. I have to see how this compares to my Blades.

Great comparison frames. If you hit with some spin and want a more hl balance, I think you will enjoy it a lot.

Managed to find a reel in my stash of max power rough 2 with about 30% left in it. This will carry me through as my main hopefully until I can set up shop again.

The Wilson’s definitely pair well with alu style strings.

 

[Vicious49]

@SupremeCourt - Massive thanks for all those details. On the grip size, would you say then the Volkl grip molds run slightly small to industry average? (I'm contemplating my usual Grip 4, but might go to Grip 5, which Volkl actually still makes, as I'd rather be on the large side and have to go with a thinner base grip, than the opposite). Thanks again!

I use the c10 Pro in doubles and didnt notice a difference between it and most of my the L3 grips until recently. The L3 on them feels closer to the old Head L3s than the newer Radical Pro I just tried. Still, i dont think Id size up in Volkl.

I’m jumping in to the deep fryer mania. I have to see how this compares to my Blades.

Im being highly tempted as well. All the reviews Im seeing are comparing it favorably to the PA98. In all honesty, if it had a better name like Redline or Python I probably would have already pulled the trigger.

 

[EggSalad]

A lower powered, more controllable, more maneuverable 2026 PA98 would be right up my alley. Those are the three things I would have changed about the 2026 PA98.

 

[Trip]

The L3 on them feels closer to the old Head L3s than the newer Radical Pro I just tried.

Good to know. So, more like the TK-82 than the current TK-82S. If that's the case, then I might be able to get away with a Grip 4.

 

[Richard Pioline]

OK, I played some more. First time with a light wrist brace and it makes a huge difference for the level of discomfort I felt playing. I played with my buddy who hits 220km/h serves and plays serve and volley and chip and charge most of the time.
I tried playing lighter racquets, guys, I really tried. But I just cannot play with them. I need the weight to help me out. I have to grip soooo hard and I don't have the strength. Therefore I loaded up the True Karue with 8g to 3 and 9 and a leather grip. Also, I put a YY damp in there, which makes the racquet about 353g with PTP130.
Don't know the sw, but it was 325 before adding the 8g to the sides and the dampener. It felt much better on the wrist. I just need max plow and no vibes and twisting right now.
He wanted to play a match, and I said, OK, but really was a bit afraid of returning his serves.
At first I was super hesitant and went down 3:6 one break in the first. Ah, it was the first time hitting serves with this frame ever, too, so not ideal. But I only rolled them in anyway.
Second set, I was a bit more confident and we had to stop at 5:2. I didn't hit one dub, which is nice, got broken once, even though I couldn't serve.
I would say that my buddy is an LK8-10, but he never plays tourneys, only the team league matches, but beats LK10s very handily (1 and 2) most of the time.
Today my wrist really felt sore and I had to do some stretching to make it go back to normal.
But it was really a nice day out with not that much discomfort.
I must say that it is super sad, that in my club I just know these super high level players who just cannot take their foot off the gas pedal. They cannot play slower, they just can't. It is not great to hit with them in the position I am now. I wished I had some lower level guys, or just some players who can play a rhythmic ball and we can just rallye for a few minutes without missing or hitting winners all the time.
The weight and the brace definitely help me with my missing strength. I think I need to be a much stronger player to play with lighter racquets. Or it is just not in my DNA, I don't know.
But I really enjoyed the kind of "feel and touch" style I played yesterday. No power, just putting the ball in awkward places all the time and make him miss. When I had time, I could easily blast a winner with this racquet as well. I do like the True Karue!

 

[flyhome]

@Richard Pioline your SW should be around 340 now with 8gr 3/9 and the dampener

 

[Richard Pioline]

@Richard Pioline your SW should be around 340 now with 8gr 3/9 and the dampener

Thank you, that should be good. I really like a higher swing weight as I am just not a clean hitter.

 

[EggSalad]

I am just not a clean hitter.

If you’re not a clean hitter, I’m scared to know how someone would describe me

You videos of you standing on the baseline rocking one handed backhands is beautiful.

 

[Vicious49]

Good to know. So, more like the TK-82 than the current TK-82S. If that's the case, then I might be able to get away with a Grip 4.

I only know this comparison because I recently picked up that Youtek Radical MP. It made me pull out my LM Radical MP and also the 2023 Radical Pro I had. I immediately thought the Radical Pro grip was a bit bigger while the Youtek and LM were pretty similar to the Volkl C10 Pro grip.

 

[Ryebread]

I did measure the SW on this one and it was a bit low for me around 315 strung so that could have been part of it. Ideally I'd need to add some lead to the hoop and get an extended demo. But in those 20 minutes I could tell it wasn't going to contend with anything I'm currently using so no need to experiment further with it.

Got an Elevate V4 to check out
289.5 SW
should be around 320 strung and over gripped.
Prob needs weight.

Why are all of them so low!?

 

[Trip]

Got an Elevate V4 to check out

Insanely open 16x20. Not enough intersections on the ball for my liking. Suppose if you had swipe-y enough mechanics, it might be a better fit, but didn't work for me (and yes, I tried super thick strings to see if filling in the pattern a bit could help, and still no dice). Will be interested in your take.

 

[ryushen21]

I am just not a clean hitter.

You're punking us, right?

Insanely open 16x20. Not enough intersections on the ball for my liking. Suppose if you had swipe-y enough mechanics, it might be a better fit, but didn't work for me (and yes, I tried super thick strings to see if filling in the pattern a bit could help, and still no dice). Will be interested in your take.

Maybe this is part of why I've never gotten along with this frame. I feel like you and I have similar preferences in racquets and have been able to give each other good insights.

 

[dmtree]

First impression is it's pretty similar to the EP 2024, a little more feel and precision, less power and forgiveness. I think it lacks some plow compared to the 2024 and can use more lead at 12 than my usual setup.

Edit: I feel like I need to mention the paintjob. It's a mostly inoffensive, some might even call it pretty (!) glossy lime green. Nice improvement over the previous version.

The more I hit with the Hybor Extreme Pro, the more I feel that it's a pretty big update. The differences in the launch angle, feel, power, etc are much more noticeable than the differences between, say, the 360+ Extreme Tour and the 2024 Pro.

It plays like a big hitter racquet, solid, crisp, controlled and not very forgiving. In comparison, the 2024 plays like a tweener with its easy depth, ready to the rescue when the feet aren't moving as well as they should.

Not sure if I am a good enough player to get the most from this stick, but would like to try some different strings, maybe Tour Bite Soft to up the launch angle and add some power. The standout shot so far has been the backhand slice. Just pops right off, as though this is some bright colored new incarnation of the Prestige.

 

[Ryebread]

Insanely open 16x20. Not enough intersections on the ball for my liking. Suppose if you had swipe-y enough mechanics, it might be a better fit, but didn't work for me (and yes, I tried super thick strings to see if filling in the pattern a bit could help, and still no dice). Will be interested in your take.

Oh wow. That’s is surprising to hear, Trip. Thx.

I am still jamming with the Blade 100 Pro. It is also a fairly open 16x20, no? As you may recall, 15L is the only way to make it work for me.

No worries, just checking it out through the Diadem demo program.

 

[Trip]

I am still jamming with the Blade 100 Pro. It is also a fairly open 16x20, no? As you may recall, 15L is the only way to make it work for me.

The Elevate will make the BP100 look dense. One slight saving's grace is it's a 98, so you'll get a bit more unified behavior of the entire string bed mesh on contact. But the openness is still noticeable; we're talking 2016/2019 Aero 100 level open... maybe even a hair more? Still worth a hit just to have the experience, though!

 

[LordGulbis]

Insanely open 16x20. Not enough intersections on the ball for my liking. Suppose if you had swipe-y enough mechanics, it might be a better fit, but didn't work for me (and yes, I tried super thick strings to see if filling in the pattern a bit could help, and still no dice). Will be interested in your take.

A bit odd for a Blade competitor.

 

[Trip]

A bit odd for a Blade competitor.

That was my thinking while I had my E and E Tour v2's.

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

The Elevate is a pretty damn good CONTROL frame. I've had the V2 since early 2022 and bough the V3 as soon as it got out. Didn't keep the V3 for more than a Summer, because I just couldn't get that awful velvety/rubbery paint-finish off my head. Apart from that big "no no", the V3 played MUCH more stable than the V2 in stock form. The Kraibon and whatever they added in the layup just made the whole experience much better.

I really appreciate the fact that after keeping that (almost) same paint-finish on the Nova V3, they completely went glossy with the Axis and now with the new Elevate. In theory (they say so), Diadem has stiffen-it-up a notch to offer some more free Power. The last mains are much closer to the frame than in a Blade and this keeps the Power/Launchiness quite lower than my Blade V5 16x19.

The string pattern is indeed VERY open, but because of the fact that the last mains are very near the frame at 9 and 3, I never feel I get undpredictable depth.

The only way to find out is to try for yourselves. In my experience, Diadem's quality has been top-notch with both the Elevate V2 and V3 and the Nova V2 I have.

Guys, let's not forget that tennis balls have gotten much worse than 3 years ago. I open a new can of my go-to Wilson US Open balls: first 10 minutes the balls are very compact and very fast and within 15 minutes of groundstrokes hitting, their pace goes at least 40% down. It's almost playing a different sport after 30 minutes. Balls just lose too much air and balls from other brands fluff up faster to make things even worse.

 

[ChrisJR3264]

I’m still waiting for the Bublik cosmetic launch.
One racket I might buy without even trying.

 

[BenC]

took these two out of storage and strung them up as motivation to start hitting again after an injury break.

 

[Vicious49]

I gave in and ordered a Redline. I paid more to have a Redline than a Defyer. Not sure how many of those Wilson produced but I figure if this is the best frame Wilson has come out with in a long time, years from now the v1 may have a cult following and the ‘Redline’ version may be even more coveted.

 

[ryushen21]

Guys, let's not forget that tennis balls have gotten much worse than 3 years ago. I open a new can of my go-to Wilson US Open balls: first 10 minutes the balls are very compact and very fast and within 15 minutes of groundstrokes hitting, their pace goes at least 40% down. It's almost playing a different sport after 30 minutes. Balls just lose too much air and balls from other brands fluff up faster to make things even worse.

I'm about to start coughing up the cash for the Tecnifibre X-1 balls. Wilson is trash (and always has been IMHO). My once trusted Penn (Tour or Pro) have been getting icnreasingly worse. I just don't know what to do.

 

[Vicious49]

I'll be trying some Diadem balls next. My daughters coach has a deal with them so I asked next time he orders balls if he can order an extra case for me. Not sure how they'll stack up to the Wilson US Open balls but they should be cheaper than them while being better than the Costco Penn balls.

 

[ryushen21]

I'll be trying some Diadem balls next. My daughters coach has a deal with them so I asked next time he orders balls if he can order an extra case for me. Not sure how they'll stack up to the Wilson US Open balls but they should be cheaper than them while being better than the Costco Penn balls.

They aren't terrible, but they aren't great either. They discolor easily and the bounce hasn't always been consistent for me.

 

[gino]

Miss bantering with you guys. Been a lot going on in my world but just tapping in to say hope you are all well, physically and mentally. Hope the new or rediscovered graphite in your life is everything you are looking for. Cheers

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

I'm about to start coughing up the cash for the Tecnifibre X-1 balls. Wilson is trash (and always has been IMHO). My once trusted Penn (Tour or Pro) have been getting icnreasingly worse. I just don't know what to do.

They aren't terrible, but they aren't great either. They discolor easily and the bounce hasn't always been consistent for me.

2022-2024:

my go-to tennis balls were the Dunlop AO
the best were the Dunlop Fort Court (green can) and the Head Tour XT
the worst were the Wilson US Open Extra Duty

2024 and on the Dunlop AO balls felt worse than trash
Wilson US Open Extra Duty felt completely different than those I had used multiple times during 2022-2024

The Diadem Extra Duty balls that I used 2 cans felt very hard, but I haven't used them since 2024.

I've also heard that Tecnifibre X-1 are maybe the best all-around balls.

 

[ryushen21]

2022-2024:

my go-to tennis balls were the Dunlop AO
the best were the Dunlop Fort Court (green can) and the Head Tour XT
the worst were the Wilson US Open Extra Duty

2024 and on the Dunlop AO balls felt worse than trash
Wilson US Open Extra Duty felt completely different than those I had used multiple times during 2022-2024

The Diadem Extra Duty balls that I used 2 cans felt very hard, but I haven't used them since 2024.

I've also heard that Tecnifibre X-1 are maybe the best all-around balls.

The Diadem balls got really popular around here because Diadem was selling them to coaches and schools at a crazy discount. They are not good.

The Tecnifibres are the best I've used in a long time. But it's hard to justify the expense. The hard part for me is that as a coach, I can't buy the cheapest because I don't want to replace them every few weeks. So I have to find something that is going to hold up to 3+ hours a day for a decent amount of time.

 

[LordGulbis]

The Diadem balls got really popular around here because Diadem was selling them to coaches and schools at a crazy discount. They are not good.

The Tecnifibres are the best I've used in a long time. But it's hard to justify the expense. The hard part for me is that as a coach, I can't buy the cheapest because I don't want to replace them every few weeks. So I have to find something that is going to hold up to 3+ hours a day for a decent amount of time.

Tecnifibre are best quality and Kuikma are best value.

 

[konstantinos kalfountzos]

The Diadem balls got really popular around here because Diadem was selling them to coaches and schools at a crazy discount. They are not good.

The Tecnifibres are the best I've used in a long time. But it's hard to justify the expense. The hard part for me is that as a coach, I can't buy the cheapest because I don't want to replace them every few weeks. So I have to find something that is going to hold up to 3+ hours a day for a decent amount of time.

Τ...s Point used to offer very good in-house balls, but I think at some point two years ago, they stopped offering them on retail and only offer them to coaches.

 

[naturalexponent]

i like my yonex tour balls. they seem to turn a weird shade of green after some hitting though.

 

[EggSalad]

i like my yonex tour balls. they seem to turn a weird shade of green after some hitting though.

I got some of the Yonex Tour from a local shop and really liked them too. Tecnifibre Courts are also really good. I’ve got some Wilson Roland Garos balls which I think are just clay court US opens, but they seem fine. So many other balls are a complete roll of the dice.

 

[BPlain]

i like my yonex tour balls. they seem to turn a weird shade of green after some hitting though.

I switched over from us open to Yonex tour and have been pleased. I find Yonex tour balls get fluffy and are generally a bit softer but they last well.

 

[LordGulbis]

I switched over from us open to Yonex tour and have been pleased. I find Yonex tour balls get fluffy and are generally a bit softer but they last well.

Yonex Tour feel great but they don't last long sadly, they look really damaged after a single session..