Did Head invented prostocks?
Crocodile
G.O.A.T.
When you are referring to the SMU’s are you including differences in RA.
The reason why I ask is because there are pros playing with Aero molds but in a 64 RA - not the high numbers we get with the retail sticks.
Dunlop used to offer. A variety of variations on there 200 frames and Volkl had some very different C10’s floating around and even experimental frames. The V10 Catapult in certain forms was playing around with the specs.
Grafil Injection
Hall of Fame
Graf's 85 was an extreme pro-stock being neither available to the public nor probably any other pros. Edberg"s 6.1 was just a PSC95 paintjob on a PS85 6.0, which you could get in Europe retail briefly.
Anni.Angel
Semi-Pro
That's actually a good point.
I was thinking of SMU as frames that are only customized.
If RA is different, then we talk about a prostock, obviously.
I think it shows my limitation in understanding the depth of racquet-making.
But I am determined to learn.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
Manlikova used the Ultra 2 midsize with Ultra FPK paint job.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
I used to practice with a top junior in 1996 and 1997 that had Wilson Sponsorship that used the Wilson Pro Staff Classic 85. It was certainly available to other players.
Grafil Injection
Hall of Fame
I would love to know what the real layup specs of that racket was.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
I will also add that during the wood racket era there many many custom made wood rackets for many pros that played nothing like what you could buy.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
And pro stocks have been around since rackets companies have been sponsoring high level tennis players. Jack Kramer didn’t really use a Jack Kramer Autograph. He really used a Don Budge Autograph with the paint of the Jack Kramer Autograph.
Grafil Injection
Hall of Fame
Dunlop were very transparent here, with Laver and Hoad models available, and separately MaxPly Forts in Laver or Hoad spec if you specially request. This is what we need Wilson to do with a new lighter 330g RF97, that you have to specifically ask for a 340g model if you want.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
I have one of John McEnroe’s actual Pro Stock Maxply McEnroe and I can tell you it’s really a Maxply Fort with a Maxply McEnroe paint job.Dunlop were very transparent here, with Laver and Hoad models available, and separately MaxPly Forts in Laver or Hoad spec if you specially request. This is what we need Wilson to do with a new lighter 330g RF97, that you have to specifically ask for a 340g model if you want.
Grafil Injection
Hall of Fame
Nice. I suppose the 3mm thick beach shoulders rather than 1mm fibreglass would reveal it. What's the weight & balance, just out of interest?
Grafil Injection
Hall of Fame
Bringing back the Head Pro Team would be good. Seems like a nice halfway house.
HitMoreBHs
Professional
Cilic uses a Prestige. Berrettini uses an Extreme. Fritz uses a Radical. Zverev uses a Gravity. Sinner uses a Speed.
HitMoreBHs
Professional
Also:
Radical Trisys 260 MP (Bumblebee)
Radical Tour TwinTube 630 (Candycane)
Vamp Tour 630 (marketed for ladies in Europe)
There’s probably a few more racquets, that were less well known. HEAD didn’t seem to treat the TK57 mold as anything especially exclusive back in the day.
Automatix
Legend
Always two, there are. No more. No less. A mold and a layup.
Jokes aside, a mold is only the shape. While important the layup is essential, replace kevlar/twaron with fibreglass and see what happens.
Automatix
Legend
Keep in mind Hewitt, as it turned out, at the end of his career played with a racquet which was from a mold combining aspects of different retail models and even more so he supposedly tested numerous layups. What it shows you is that Yonex can go to great lengths for their players and that they have prostocks.
