Diary of a Racketaholic

[shaysrebelII]

Why do racquets suddenly look so tantalizing?!

I resolved myself months ago to wait to use my last TW gift card for the release of the BLX Blade Tour, but now I'm rethinking that. Why? Because so many great racquets are available for so cheap! For instance, if I were to order the BLXBT, I would be spending $200 plus a few bucks on strings, plus a few bucks on sales tax. Or, on TW right now (not 2 months down the road) I could get a PSL non-GT and a LM Rad MP, strings and all, for under $200!

Curse you temptation!

 

[getsby]

Well, I've only had 3 sessions with this frame, still, for me it's a bit lacking in that desired oomph also (hence why the APD still has my attention.) However, I'm guessing that lowering tension, string experimentation, and lead tape usage, etc, would all have a big impact here. And if I were to ultimately fail to feel happy with it in this regard, I think my next step would be to properly look at the Extreme Pro (I recently got the MG version), er, that's presuming the APD wasn't quite doing it enough also... "Deep sigh"... as I 've said so often before: "so little time, so many frames."


R.

I'm not looking for cheap ways. If I do not like the racket, I buy a new one. All the experiments with lead tape and change the strings did not affect my feelings on the racket :-|

 

[Ross K]

travler,

Have you tried the Warrior yet? It's now quite cheap, so I picked one up, and it seems to deliver the best of all worlds. A player's frame with a little extra stiffness from the 23mm beam, and extremely uniform ball response over the entire stringbed relative to other frames.

Never played with one, though I know it has a good rep and can imagine it's got a lot of qualities.


PED, others,

The feel is similar to the YT Prestige Pro that Ross speaks about, the frame feels like it "wraps" around the ball. very nice stick.

Yes, all personal of course, but for me the YT PP has wonderful feel and superb balance and way of swinging... it does indeed seem like the hoop somehow wraps around and encases the ball... and btw, this isn't quite the same thing as with a C10 or a Rad Tour TT, where the sensation is more that the ball has sunk (rather deeply) into the string bed; with it's higher RA and firmer, crispier feel, this isn't what's happening here. Moreover, it appears to be something more to do with the YT PP frame build. Anyhow, I think this is an exceptional racket. Shall be interesting to see how I now fare playing a few matches with the APD. For the record, I've narrowly lost both my last two with the YT PP.


R.

 

[OldButGame]

Why do racquets suddenly look so tantalizing?!

I resolved myself months ago to wait to use my last TW gift card for the release of the BLX Blade Tour, but now I'm rethinking that. Why? Because so many great racquets are available for so cheap! For instance, if I were to order the BLXBT, I would be spending $200 plus a few bucks on strings, plus a few bucks on sales tax. Or, on TW right now (not 2 months down the road) I could get a PSL non-GT and a LM Rad MP, strings and all, for under $200!

Curse you temptation!

I think i've resigned myself to the fact that i'm always gonna be chasing those tantalizing sticks that have dropped in price,.....have great specs(to me),....and are raved about in these forums,....*sigh*......My fate is to buy,.....and buy,.....and buy,.....:roll:

By the way,....Those would be 2 GREAT sticks in my opinion,....the LM radical,....and the PSL(nonGT),.....i spent a lotta this past summer with those 2 sticks,....lovin 'em both!!!!!

 

[shaysrebelII]

I think i've resigned myself to the fact that i'm always gonna be chasing those tantalizing sticks that have dropped in price,.....have great specs(to me),....and are raved about in these forums,....*sigh*......My fate is to buy,.....and buy,.....and buy,.....:roll:

By the way,....Those would be 2 GREAT sticks in my opinion,....the LM radical,....and the PSL(nonGT),.....i spent a lotta this past summer with those 2 sticks,....lovin 'em both!!!!!

Glad somebody sees my point of view! Did you play both the LM Rad and PSL in stock form?

 

[OldButGame]

Glad somebody sees my point of view! Did you play both the LM Rad and PSL in stock form?

Yeah,..i did play them in stock form,...but i had headguard tape,...and overwrap,......otherwise stock,....and loved 'em like that!!!!!!

 

[Fed Kennedy]

Played so much tennis last week, wow. 50 year old men, hs players, everything in between. Heavy top, all continental, junkballers, whew. So much fun.
I'm in the proverbial racholic tweener existentialist wormhole. To tween or not to tween? Big sw or low sw? It's hard to decide.

 

[shaysrebelII]

Yeah,..i did play them in stock form,...but i had headguard tape,...and overwrap,......otherwise stock,....and loved 'em like that!!!!!!

Sounds like a dream. I would probably slap a leather grip on the Rad, but other than that I'd have basically the same setup as you.

Anyways, I'm probably gonna have to use my backup KBT in my tennis class tomorrow (don't even get me started on Sports Authority's service when it comes to re-strings) so I'm sure in place of my happy-go-lucky attitude, I'll come back to this thread fuming about Wilson's poor QC. Sorry in advance, fellow racquetaholics!

 

[getsby]

and we, the total price increase on the court, and 2500 rubles ($ 84) per hour. can only drink and tie with tennis: (

 

[Power Player]

Played so much tennis last week, wow. 50 year old men, hs players, everything in between. Heavy top, all continental, junkballers, whew. So much fun.
I'm in the proverbial racholic tweener existentialist wormhole. To tween or not to tween? Big sw or low sw? It's hard to decide.

What do you think of the Wilson 95? I ask because it seems like after you demo that racquet it opens your eyes to what you like. I personally think the opposite of a lot of posters here after going through my demo stage. Instead of getting the heaviest stick you can handle, I say get the stiffest you can handle. It is just where racquets are going. If you get a stiff frame, you get a lot of free power that you can still control. It allows you to go lighter and therefore be on time against heavy hitters.

The Wilson 95 is fairly heavy. So if you like stiffness and power, but are a little late with it, then you can simply look for a lighter stick with the same stiffness. If you hate the stiffness and the power, then you are looking in the classic players stick category.

The beauty of the stiffer racquets is that you can go under 12 ozs, and not have to have a huge swingweight to still crush shots. The bad part is that you need to have your technique dialed and have a solid arm to avoid injury.

 

[PED]

^^Wilson 95 is a great stick but after an hour or so in the heat, that 350g weight and big SW can get a bit tiring. It produces an effortless massive ball but I in longer matches, I found a similar issue as i had with my Rad Pro and I would start to get a touch late.

My son uses it and loves it but I want something that swings a little lighter.

 

[Power Player]

Yeah, the Wilson 95 is almost an unfair advantage type of racquet IF you can handle it over the duration of a match. I saw a lot of K95s when I watched open Tournies last year.

For me the 320 is a great option since it is lighter and still produces a heavy ball.

 

[PED]

PP, nice call again on the Hexonic. I really really like that stuff. I'll go up on the tension next time but it's spot on for my game.

 

[Power Player]

Yep same here..and it's also really cheap which is awesome. I am buying more myself and will also A/B it against some big hitter blue.

Glad you like it!

 

[whomad15]

You can look at racquets as much cheaper than most other collecting hobbies (some of the racquets at least).
I've started trying to gather up all the versions of the POG just so I can see what they hit like. I figure it's much cheaper to get ten $10-50 racquets than to buy a single guitar that is worth $2k

 

[Fed Kennedy]

I agree the wilson 6.1 series is the best line of pure player frames on the market.
I was trying to approximate that level of performance with the extreme: stiff, open, stable.
There's really nothing quite as rock solid as a 6.1 though...serious tennis jock racquets.
PP your stiffness rationale is interesting, I am gravitating towards stiff frames these days, I love the blunt force trauma they put on the ball.
I ordered some hexonic as well today, wanna see how it compares to my gold standard hyperion 17.

 

[PED]

Yep same here..and it's also really cheap which is awesome. I am buying more myself and will also A/B it against some big hitter blue.

Glad you like it!

I've also got some big hitter rough to try as well. Haven't played with it before either.

 

[shaysrebelII]

I agree the wilson 6.1 series is the best line of pure player frames on the market.
I was trying to approximate that level of performance with the extreme: stiff, open, stable.
There's really nothing quite as rock solid as a 6.1 though...serious tennis jock racquets.
PP your stiffness rationale is interesting, I am gravitating towards stiff frames these days, I love the blunt force trauma they put on the ball.
I ordered some hexonic as well today, wanna see how it compares to my gold standard hyperion 17.

Very well said. When I have my "A" game, I'd still rather have my n95's in my hand than any other racquet. It's got deadly looks and produces even deadlier shots. I miss them like crazy, but my housemates would kill me if I cluttered our place with every single one of my racquets.

 

[Power Player]

Fed, The Hexonic is really perfect in a stiff frame. It gives you back that feel that you lose when you don't have a flexy racquet. I think you will like it a lot.

PED, BHBR is a great string. Really awesome stuff. It does not have the feel of the Hexonic and is a little lower powered. I would say it feels more thin while the hexonic feels thick, if that makes any sense.

 

[ivo]

Have you tried the Warrior yet? It's now quite cheap, so I picked one up, and it seems to deliver the best of all worlds. A player's frame with a little extra stiffness from the 23mm beam, and extremely uniform ball response over the entire stringbed relative to other frames.

Are you trying your customized Warrior also without silicone located in double bridge? (because you have said that weight at middle part of the racquet isn't very good.

If so, how is it?

Thanks.

 

[travlerajm]

Are you trying your customized Warrior also without silicone located in double bridge? (because you have said that weight at middle part of the racquet isn't very good.

If so, how is it?

Thanks.

I haven't tried that yet, but I have considered it. My only concern is that the thin bridge that remains might not be very strong or stiff without the silicone slab to support it, so might either be prone to breaking or make for a mushier feel.

The silicone slab probably weighs about 4-5g, which could certainly be used more effectively elsewhere.

 

[ivo]

If I remember well, there were some members here, which lost this silicone and used racquet without it.

Maybe silicone could be replaced with some lighter material (cork, PVC or PU hard foam, etc..)

Or maybe just small piece of support material right in the middle of the bridge could be enough for sufficient support of the bridge's walls.

 

[Ross K]

Morning everyone,

Not much to report as I've had a trapped nerve in my left arm, which has killed off any tennis for about a week. Plus loads going on in other areas (ie, work)... anyhow...

Very interesting to hear all this love (above) for the N95... it's one of my favourite ever rackets... and the one frame I haven't tried (and am afraid to now given how I've kind of settled on the YTPP and/or APD), is the BLX 95 (open pattern)... what do you reckon guys? Should I dare to?

Hope you're all hittin' lots and having fun (said through gritted teeth - LOL!)...

R.

 

[getsby]

K95 I like much more. subjective, but on balance my N95 and blx95 little more in the head

 

[Power Player]

Ross, if I was you I would stay lighter since it seems you are headed in that direction. The BLX95 is a fairly heavy stick and more geared for open level players who play all the time and don't switch racquets. One guy I know who really used it a lot had 8 of them and never even considered a racquet change.

 

[ryushen21]

Morning everyone,

Not much to report as I've had a trapped nerve in my left arm, which has killed off any tennis for about a week. Plus loads going on in other areas (ie, work)... anyhow...

Very interesting to hear all this love (above) for the N95... it's one of my favourite ever rackets... and the one frame I haven't tried (and am afraid to now given how I've kind of settled on the YTPP and/or APD), is the BLX 95 (open pattern)... what do you reckon guys? Should I dare to?

Hope you're all hittin' lots and having fun (said through gritted teeth - LOL!)...

R.

I would stay away from the BLX if I were you. To me, there was just something special about the N95 that has failed to be duplicated since. At the outset it just seemed like a rather typical player spec frame. Nothing to make it really stand out from the others. But when you got on court it had some kind of hidden element or magic that just made it an amazing frame.

I remember playtesting it and it feeling softer than its rated stiffness and producing some amazing groundies every time. If I had been able to snag a few more n95 18x20s, who knows......

But I hated the kFactor version because I may as well just have shot nails into my arm and the few times I've hit with the BLX it has just seemed of and unnatural to me.

 

[Power Player]

The 325 aggravated my wrist last night a little. I really found my threshold for weight before I risk reaggraviting my injury. The good news is that the 320 has not caused any huge problem. I am thinking about trading my 325 for a Yonex rdis 200. I figure if I hurt my wrist, having 1 yonex in the bag would be better on me. It specs out almost exactly the same as the tfight 320. Anybody here hit with one?

 

[gslefeb]

320 like the blx95 except weight?

would the 320 play like the blx95 - except less weight?

The few post prior suggest staying away from the blx95 due to the weight, what frame plays like the 95 (stability, power, firmness); but has a little lower SW?

 

[Power Player]

would the 320 play like the blx95 - except less weight?

Yes, it does in my experience. I like it better all around to be honest.

 

[ryushen21]

The 325 aggravated my wrist last night a little. I really found my threshold for weight before I risk reaggraviting my injury. The good news is that the 320 has not caused any huge problem. I am thinking about trading my 325 for a Yonex rdis 200. I figure if I hurt my wrist, having 1 yonex in the bag would be better on me. It specs out almost exactly the same as the tfight 320. Anybody here hit with one?

Why not just trade the 325 for a 320?

 

[Power Player]

I may. It would be nice to have a flexier option to try just in case I have to go that route.

 

[Murray_fan1]

The 325 aggravated my wrist last night a little. I really found my threshold for weight before I risk reaggraviting my injury. The good news is that the 320 has not caused any huge problem. I am thinking about trading my 325 for a Yonex rdis 200. I figure if I hurt my wrist, having 1 yonex in the bag would be better on me. It specs out almost exactly the same as the tfight 320. Anybody here hit with one?

Yes I played the RDiS 200 for a little bit. Specs may be similiar other than the obvious difference in flex but plays very different. When I bought one for an extended play test I expected to fall in love with this racquet similar specs to the RDiS 100 MP but considerably less stiff. At the time I had a sore shoulder and to my surprise it felt more harsh the stiffer 100. Racquet feels quite hollow to me. If you want something less harsh but with similar performance in a Yonex I would suggest you try out the RQiS 100 95 XL. Solid stick with a decent amount of power and less stiff than the Tfight.

 

[Power Player]

How was the power level on the 200?

 

[Murray_fan1]

There is a decent amount of power to be had with this stick but nowhere near as penetrating as the Tfight IMO. I tried many times to like that stick but just could not find my groove with it and I am a huge fan of Yonex racquets. I would rate it behind the RDiS 100 MP and the RQiS 100 95 XL

 

[Power Player]

Cool. I will probably just try out some softer polys like the polystar energy to have on days when the wrist is a little sore. good news is the 320 has not given me an issue.

 

[ryushen21]

No updates Ross?? Have you fallen into the no tennis void?

 

[Dave M]

I believe life's gotten in the way of our racquetaholic leader playing either tennis or online so we'll have to cope without him for now!

 

[shaysrebelII]

Alrighty guys, time for a rundown of my tennis experience for the last five days or so.

Rainy weather. That is all.

Argh!

 

[0d1n]

Alrighty guys, time for a rundown of my tennis experience for the last five days or so.

Rainy weather. That is all.

Argh!

Same here :neutral:. Hope to get a few hits tomorrow though...(fingers crossed).

 

[Ross K]

Hit, ry, Hal, Fed, Hiro, PP, Dave, others,

Well, after a long lay off, I was back on court yesterday, where I managed to produce a performance so remarkably realistic (really - think Actor's Studio, method acting here) of an aging, injured, jet lagged rec hacker with a hangover, why, er, it was quite uncanny... :lol:


Fed - interested to hear how it's panned out with the Extreme Pro ('pan' being the operative word with that bloody EP hoop design! :wink: )...

Hit - how the heck's it going man?... I seem to recall you were besieged by incoming rackets and battling with a multiple number of frames!... drop us a line buddy, we're worried :roll: ...

ry - Still convinced you're in possession of the holy grail with the Pres mid?...

PED - I see from your sig that the PDRGT+ was a short-lived affair?... too harsh feeling, I'm willing to bet...


As for my session yesterday, starting where I left off some weeks back, I played the YT PP and the APD (split over about a set and a half), and a handful of games with a 4D200AG Tour (it's a frame that has interested me for a very long time, though I was almost certain it would be too hefty.)

But on yesterday's ragged and ropey showing, the YT PP wasn't quite as good for me as I thought it was prior to my break, and when I went to the APD, I started to dominate again (just a bit more oomph, though the lack of feel with the Bab is acute, and I'm suspecting a head size just between the APD and the YT PP might be my ideal choice.)... All however must be taken with every due consideration that I hadn't played in a long time, and indeed was playing woefully, and that my middle-names are 'operator' and 'error' .

Re the Dunlop AG4D Tour, imo it's an a old-style 'hammer' of a racket... serve returns are AMAZING, and you can just nail serves and groundies... for a more all court game than I possess, for those who hit fairly flat, and for those who can actually move such a heavy frame (mega SW here) over 3 sets etc, this is a fairly unique, slightly old-fashioned style racket (like the much older Dunlops a la the Black Max) which ppl really should check out, in my view...

I confess I found myself thinking later yesterday about the standard size PST (some might remember I recently was checking out the PSTGT+, which I really liked in a lot of respects, especially feel, but which I found was a bit sluggish and tank-like, as opposed to my present preference for more whippy, very fast swinging rackets)... also reckon time for me to restring the old Extreme Pro I have and give it a proper play-test... and gdoran's posts elsewhere about how the PT630 has better spin than the YTPP is making me want to test this theory. Anyhow, absolutely great to get back playing.


So how we all doing?... Everybody - post up your thoughts on what you're hitting with!


R.

 

[shaysrebelII]

Good to hear from you Ross! Over the past couple weeks, I've been trying (unsuccessfully) to get back into a rhythm with my trusty n95. I think unless I'm really dialed in, swinging and moving well, the weight is just a bit much for me.

I'm home for the weekend, which gives me the chance to use all the frames that won't fit in my closet-sized apartment. I took this opportunity yesterday to get reacquainted with my AG100, and I'm happy I did. I forgot about how wonderfully it serves - good direction, pace, and spin, almost whenever I wanted. Groundstrokes took a bit of getting used to, and volleys, although decent, were far from stellar, but I enjoyed the hit nonetheless, and I felt more comfortable with each additional shot. Even though it's a 90 sq. inch headsize, its sweetspot is on par with the KBT, which I use more than any other racquet. When I wasn't hitting consistently with the AG100, I felt it was because of:

a) the string pattern difference, going from an 18x20 to a 16x19, and

b) the manufacturer. Nothing against Dunlop, I've just always had this weird affinity with Wilson, and this is evident when the KBT is in my hand.

With any luck, I'll be able to hit more with the AG100, and report back. It's certainly no surprise that frame has such an extensive following on this forum; it's an absolute monster when in the right hands.

Thanks for tuning in, Racketaholics!

 

[Ross K]

Good to hear from you Ross! Over the past couple weeks, I've been trying (unsuccessfully) to get back into a rhythm with my trusty n95. I think unless I'm really dialed in, swinging and moving well, the weight is just a bit much for me.

I'm home for the weekend, which gives me the chance to use all the frames that won't fit in my closet-sized apartment. I took this opportunity yesterday to get reacquainted with my AG100, and I'm happy I did. I forgot about how wonderfully it serves - good direction, pace, and spin, almost whenever I wanted. Groundstrokes took a bit of getting used to, and volleys, although decent, were far from stellar, but I enjoyed the hit nonetheless, and I felt more comfortable with each additional shot. Even though it's a 90 sq. inch headsize, its sweetspot is on par with the KBT, which I use more than any other racquet. When I wasn't hitting consistently with the AG100, I felt it was because of:

a) the string pattern difference, going from an 18x20 to a 16x19, and

b) the manufacturer. Nothing against Dunlop, I've just always had this weird affinity with Wilson, and this is evident when the KBT is in my hand.

With any luck, I'll be able to hit more with the AG100, and report back. It's certainly no surprise that frame has such an extensive following on this forum; it's an absolute monster when in the right hands.

Thanks for tuning in, Racketaholics!

Hey shays,

Good to hear from you too... so it hasn't been working out with the N95 lately? Have you hit with the BLX 95 by any chance? Just wonder how they compare in your view. You may know I'm a past user of N95 (open pattern ultimately) frame - a frame that for me had that priceless 'x factor' about it... something about the kabooming power that could be accessed and the major head-light balance... the last times I played it I'd begun to find it, like all the 6.1's of my acquaintance, a bit too harsh, and that balance just wasn't working for me anymore and I wanted less of an all court and more of a b-liner frame... when I was on my 'A game' however, that frame really was quite lethal.

RE the AG100, it's another frame I've dallied with in the past, and, yes, I agree you with you, it's an exceptional serving frame... one of the best serve frames I've ever had the fortune to wield. For me, it lacked in feel, quality build, smooth way of swinging, etc, compared to the Prestige mid, and it was also not as forgiving and b-liner friendly as I personally require (and, no, I'm not an advanced level player :wink: )...

Keep us updated anyhow.

ATB,

R.

 

[Xenakis]

I prefer the BLX95 18x20 to the K. Thought the K was a bit tinny or more harsh in comparison though there wasn't much in it (prefer the paint job on the BLX too, I quite like the white and red K style but only in matte like it is on the K90). The BLX just felt right for some reason.

Oh I've tried the N95 too but only an open pattern, preferred the BLX still but hard to compare given the string pattern difference.

Supposed to have a flex of 67 I think but it doesn't feel like that and I play with a full bed of fairly stiff poly (at a fairly low tension though, mid 40s).

Not had any arm problems or anything and I've used them a lot (I have two). My racquet search is now over (for the time being). Never thought I'd end up with a Wilson, especially a BLX but there you have it.

 

[ryushen21]

PM=Grail

Hey Ross,

I would have to answer your question with a triumphant and resounding HELL YEAH!!!

There just isn't a single thing that the Prestige mid doesn't do well. It swings easy (understatement of the century), serves absolute nukes, blasts groundies like a cannon, volleys like a scalpel. It's so stable and so precise and its the kind of frame that the more you put into it the more it puts out. And that is just one of the few reasons that I love it.

At present, my only plans with the prestige mid are a) acquire another YT mid b) matched weight/balance/SW c) install Finest Calfskin grips. I'm also keeping my eyes open for for a few good condition PC600s but people are entirely too proud of them to sell them at a reasonable price.

I've also taken up a role on the boards as a defender of the Prestige Mid against those who speak ill of it in any way imaginable.

Interestingly though, I'm doing the Prince playtest for TW. Curious to see what shows up for me.

 

[Ross K]

X,

Congrats on settling down.:wink:


ry - noble defender of the Prestige Mid against those who speak ill of it in any way imaginable ,

'Hell yeah' sounds great to me!


Fed,

If you're reading this (and presuming you're still actually using the EP), what would be 3 strings would you highly recommend for the EP? And do you still advocate going no lower than 60 lbs? I was thinking of something like Tour Bite, or Weisscannon S/String or Signum Pro Hyperion at about 55 ilbs (I usually go low 50's)... thanks.


R.

 

[Fed Kennedy]

ross, good to see you back!

i got sidetracked by the tw wilson playtest (blx blade 98) but I'm happy to be back in the groove.

i have to run out to play some tennis: long and short of it is

Hyperion at 60 is my go to setup. No real faults here. This is my favorite string.

Tour bite is good. I would string it a little lower. But I like hyperion better. I am not that into texture strings.

I never tried the weisscannon.

I tried a bunch of other polys and even a gut hybrid but hyperion was best. i usually string low 50s in other frames but I have no issues at 60 in the wide open extreme pattern. I went as low as 55 but 60 was better. Hyperion has a lot of power.

I will write more later, gotta run

FEd k

 

[OldButGame]

^^^ Thats nice to hear, since i was planning on trying a couple sets of Hyperion,...and FYI, I've used Silverstring, (@48lbs, 17g), and it was VERY nice,..very comfortable,good control,good power, no faults that i could find...hard to tell how much was the stick(LM Radical) or how much was the string though-altogether tho a good setup.

 

[PED]

PED - I see from your sig that the PDRGT+ was a short-lived affair?... too harsh feeling, I'm willing to bet...
R.

Spot on my friend The pdr was giving me some shoulder pain and I didn't want to go down that road. It was easy enough since I still had my apd pluses. Actually one of them cracked at the throat but Bab was great about it and just gave me a new one this week.

The other thing is that I like the balance better on the the modded apd's as opposed to the pdrs. The pdr is just more sluggish vs my apds. The principal would be the same for a regular pd but I'm sticking with the apds. Nice and soft (relatively)

Good to have you back

 

[Power Player]

I'm still super happy with my TFight 320. It really is the best all around balance of power and control that I have used. I think the more you stay with a racquet, the better you get and the more you learn about your strokes. If you have 2-3 sticks and you get better using one when you put down another, then some of this is mental.

Another thing that is key is that while certain racquets will fit your game better, they will not make you hit better backhands or forehand or serves. At the end of the day, you have to sit down and assess why your game is off.

I have been hitting lollipops on my backhand a lot lately..well placed, but not a lot of pace and I was missing my down the line 2 hander, which is my secret weapon..if I have that going, it is very tough to predict where I will place the ball.

Anyway, I realized it was my footwork..I was not loading off the outside foot properly, and was instead thinking about my upper body. Once I figured that out yesterday, I was back to hitting my 2 hander with a lot of pace and placement.

These are things you simply will not figure out until having the same racquet for months. Just how it is.

Ross, from reading your stuff, you seem to always lean towards the APD. I would stick with that racquet as long as possible, because that is a great one, and there is no need to go back to the past and spend way too much money on the PT630s. Experiment with strings because they change the feel signficantly and can give you that magical feeling without changing frames.

 

[Ross K]

PP, everyone,

Sage advice ^^^, as ever. And re your comment that perhaps I'd be better off going with the APD, actually the evidence is starting to mount...

Getting back in the groove now with another session this morning. For the 1st set I had the YTPP in hand. My over-riding impressions...

Despite a long list of things I really like about it (mentioned previously), I'm a bit lacking as re b-line authority and, er, oomph... I generally found I was a bit inconsistent and I couldn't always quite figure out what was happening with the frame... ultimately, I'm beginning to think the YTPP is maybe just a bit out of my league... and besides ("Drum roll"), you know, I'm not sure it's quite in the same class as the Prestige mids, PT630, Rad Tours, etc ("He says only semi-ironically" :wink: ). That said, I intend to string it lower soon (about 50 lbs), replace the RPM Blast with Sonic Pro or something else, and maybe tinker with mods (Is that 2gs of lead @ 12 really helping me?... Is that leather grip so neccessary?)... btw, I lost the 1st set 6-3 (which is very similar to Friday when I again lost a set with this racket)...

Second set with the APD... over-riding impressions...despite a long list of things i really DON'T like about it , my natural b-liner game comes much more into its own with this racket... big spin and lots of depth and power... with this, I was no longer slightly ragged chasing the game, but rather I was taking the game to my opponent in an aggressive, dominant fashion... btw, I won the 2nd set on a tie-break. :wink:

On a true racketaholic closing note, I'm also thinking and wondering more and more how my restrung Extreme Pro might compare with the APD... I'm slightly thinking about the TF Vo2 320... and I'm also wondering just why a slightly easier to use, open pattern, real quality build, PT630-type frame seems to be beyond the scope of modern tennis racket engineers/designers.:evil:

R.