Do new racquet releases still spark joy? & downturn economy

Guttersnipe

Rookie
The new Fed racquet does nothing for me, along 99% of all the other frames on the market...nothing really sticks out for me anymore.

The new VCore in sand/beige is dope looking but I don’t like how Yonex feel...

Prince with their cool frames (Twistpower ,Synergy & phantoms) have proved to be gimmicks (that work astonishing well) don’t seem to have much longevity or move the green line.

It’s hard to see a future that’s not just 98s-100s around 23mm.

With a looming recession (we’re arguably already in a quiet recession). Do you think companies will release less frames? Or stop innovating & focus on liquidating stock?
 

aus89

Hall of Fame
The new Fed racquet does nothing for me, along 99% of all the other frames on the market...nothing really sticks out for me anymore.

The new VCore in sand/beige is dope looking but I don’t like how Yonex feel...

Prince with their cool frames (Twistpower ,Synergy & phantoms) have proved to be gimmicks (that work astonishing well) don’t seem to have much longevity or move the green line.

It’s hard to see a future that’s not just 98s-100s around 23mm.

With a looming recession (we’re arguably already in a quiet recession). Do you think companies will release less frames? Or stop innovating & focus on liquidating stock?
more stuff with names like Federer attached with higher prices targeting the rich and wealthy collectors/luxury status symbol types who can still afford country clubs rather than "regular players", prices won't go down on regular frames - everything will indeed get homogenized around 98in, 22/23mm frames etc
 

ZeroandOne

Rookie
I like releases from Yonex and Babolat
They don't do it often but when they do it's usually noticeably different.
 

Guttersnipe

Rookie
I like releases from Yonex and Babolat
They don't do it often but when they do it's usually noticeably different.
Babolat releases are so drab! The only upside is with the longer cycle (before a new paint job) it retains it value for longer, if/when you want sell/trade to move onto something better or simply different.

They all look like kid toys...and indeed they feel and play like it IMO. Until babolat reinstates the “Pure Control” silo, I’ll be a staunch dyed in wool hater! I’ll admit the 30th anniversary Pure drive looks mad but that’s price tag and “striking feel” are pure yuck.

Yonex have aesthetic down pat! But love the smell of their own farts...for me they all lack in the feel department & when I used the VCP HD, I felt the ball could be lost on the stingbed...never felt that with any other 18x20, guess iso head shaped fames just don’t do it for me (also they don’t offer a traditional box beam....and neither does babolat)
 

Chairman3

Hall of Fame
I think the RF01 Pro is [kind of] unique with a more modern mold but classic higher static weight.

Otherwise, I tend to agree a bit. The racquets have become very homogenised. 305g, 32cm balance, 98, 16x19, or there abouts.

Sadly we aren't rewarding companies for taking chances. Ask Prince.

what could be a neat idea is for companies to offer some of their classic molds as custom orders. Kind of do it like Angell with preset spec options but in some of the most iconic molds, and obviously for a premium.
 

tjanev

Rookie
There hasn't been a technological improvement in racquets since they went from aluminum to graphite. Since then it's been the same old beam thickness changes, colour changes, and shift in weight, racquet head size, and stiffness. AND most importantly to the manufacturer the rise in prices $$$ rinse and repeat this for the last 20 years.
 

heavyD

Professional
The price point bothers me a bit. I'm not clear why these racquets have to cost more than a Blade or competitor frames. Seems to me like a cash grab and Wilson trying to challenge Head for most frames with all the redundancy in their lineups. At the end of the day all this will do is cannibalize sales as watching all the reviews it seems like it just bridges the gap between the RF97 and Blade 98 which means it's going to draw players of those frames so maybe Wilson knowing that decided to jack the price to make up for the cannibalization. I still think Head and Wilson should be cutting models not adding them but I'm sure in the short term this will be good for Wilson. Long term I'm not so sure.
 

jlouie

Rookie
I think the RF01 Pro is [kind of] unique with a more modern mold but classic higher static weight.

Otherwise, I tend to agree a bit. The racquets have become very homogenised. 305g, 32cm balance, 98, 16x19, or there abouts.

Sadly we aren't rewarding companies for taking chances. Ask Prince.

what could be a neat idea is for companies to offer some of their classic molds as custom orders. Kind of do it like Angell with preset spec options but in some of the most iconic molds, and obviously for a premium.
I like this idea, and I was just thinking about it the other day as well like a catalogue for BTO and classic frames. I'm sure many will balk at the price it would cost.

The price point bothers me a bit. I'm not clear why these racquets have to cost more than a Blade or competitor frames. Seems to me like a cash grab and Wilson trying to challenge Head for most frames with all the redundancy in their lineups. At the end of the day all this will do is cannibalize sales as watching all the reviews it seems like it just bridges the gap between the RF97 and Blade 98 which means it's going to draw players of those frames so maybe Wilson knowing that decided to jack the price to make up for the cannibalization. I still think Head and Wilson should be cutting models not adding them but I'm sure in the short term this will be good for Wilson. Long term I'm not so sure.
Fwiw, the price for the 300 is the same as the Pro Staff in the US, and it seems that they are charging you for the leather grip.
 

Roforot

Hall of Fame
I honestly don't know what sort of innovation takes place. Is there a scientist who wakes up at 7am and studies racket fragments under a microscope and constructs 3d models to study drag... I suspect the innovation is some marketing exec having martinis drawing up ideas on his napkin "Fritanium" or "Solder-fracked" "Hyper-sprung"

But, the one recent innovation seems to be w/Bolt racquets and their off-shoot Zeus? I don't know if it's good though. Tried to order a demo and they wouldn't answer their emails. Tencom reviewed it and it may be different, but not better as he didn't switch to it.
 
I honestly don't know what sort of innovation takes place. Is there a scientist who wakes up at 7am and studies racket fragments under a microscope and constructs 3d models to study drag... I suspect the innovation is some marketing exec having martinis drawing up ideas on his napkin "Fritanium" or "Solder-fracked" "Hyper-sprung"

But, the one recent innovation seems to be w/Bolt racquets and their off-shoot Zeus? I don't know if it's good though. Tried to order a demo and they wouldn't answer their emails. Tencom reviewed it and it may be different, but not better as he didn't switch to it.
Yonex does for sure. They aren't marketing driven. 2023 Vcore is an example, lots of changes, consumer desire be damned lol. Or maybe more people like it, who knows, but Yonex definitely innovates with each release.
 

Remioli

Rookie
Rackets have not straight up improved in 20 years.

And I feel like every variation of rackets has been made. Just about every combination of specs I can imagine. The only thing I would be interested in is if they brought back something like head heavy rackets.
 

gfwp

Rookie
The new Fed racquet does nothing for me, along 99% of all the other frames on the market...nothing really sticks out for me anymore.

The new VCore in sand/beige is dope looking but I don’t like how Yonex feel...

Prince with their cool frames (Twistpower ,Synergy & phantoms) have proved to be gimmicks (that work astonishing well) don’t seem to have much longevity or move the green line.

It’s hard to see a future that’s not just 98s-100s around 23mm.

With a looming recession (we’re arguably already in a quiet recession). Do you think companies will release less frames? Or stop innovating & focus on liquidating stock?
Companies will spare money removing the L5 size, mainly.
 

Alcawrath

Professional
To answer the OP I for sure get excited about new frame releases and line updates! I don't think I'd spend much time on ttw if I didn't
 

Seth

Legend
While several frames have been interesting, the only frames I’ve been truly excited about in the last few years were the Pro Tour 2.0, Prestige Classic 2.0, and Pro Labs 6.1, and Tecnifibre TF40.
 

socallefty

G.O.A.T.
The new Fed racquet does nothing for me, along 99% of all the other frames on the market.
Congratulations on your transformation from an equipment hobbyist (nerd?) into a tennis player. Tennis players keep using the same racquet model for years and when they can’t buy it anymore, they check out what’s available at that time and switch to a new racquet that is somewhat similar to their old one. Now you can get excited about the matches you win and not the next racquet that is being launched.
 

coocoobird

New User
Congratulations on your transformation from an equipment hobbyist (nerd?) into a tennis player. Tennis players keep using the same racquet model for years and when they can’t buy it anymore, they check out what’s available at that time and switch to a new racquet that is somewhat similar to their old one. Now you can get excited about the matches you win and not the next racquet that is being launched.
Not enough likes in the world for this statement!
 

Fed Kennedy

Legend
Congratulations on your transformation from an equipment hobbyist (nerd?) into a tennis player. Tennis players keep using the same racquet model for years and when they can’t buy it anymore, they check out what’s available at that time and switch to a new racquet that is somewhat similar to their old one. Now you can get excited about the matches you win and not the next racquet that is being launched.

C2-C9-ADDB-3-A6-E-4477-A086-F64990-ED3-B10.gif
 

Permitlady

Professional
You're out of the demographic. it's like boomers saying they're not into movies anymore and they don't know why. yep.
 

Fxanimator1

Hall of Fame
I honestly don't know what sort of innovation takes place. Is there a scientist who wakes up at 7am and studies racket fragments under a microscope and constructs 3d models to study drag... I suspect the innovation is some marketing exec having martinis drawing up ideas on his napkin "Fritanium" or "Solder-fracked" "Hyper-sprung"

But, the one recent innovation seems to be w/Bolt racquets and their off-shoot Zeus? I don't know if it's good though. Tried to order a demo and they wouldn't answer their emails. Tencom reviewed it and it may be different, but not better as he didn't switch to it.
I think Wilson in particular actually have been engineering different things into their racquets. If you look at the Clash, both 100 and 98, they have some very specific geometry in their beams and throats, etc. You can see them trying different things as they discover new stuff. New layups are common as they continue to experiment. Even this new Federer racquet has an interesting throat design.
Adding Federer’s name is certainly a huge boost for marketing, but I do think there are smart people actually experimenting on new, incremental improvements, sometimes not such great improvements.
Wilson also has a really robust marketing machine, so there’s no denying that.
Having said all of that, I am still using a Blade which is the same mould that it’s always been, but even that one feels slightly different for each new release.
 

TennisHound

Legend
The new Fed racquet does nothing for me, along 99% of all the other frames on the market...nothing really sticks out for me anymore.

The new VCore in sand/beige is dope looking but I don’t like how Yonex feel...

Prince with their cool frames (Twistpower ,Synergy & phantoms) have proved to be gimmicks (that work astonishing well) don’t seem to have much longevity or move the green line.

It’s hard to see a future that’s not just 98s-100s around 23mm.

With a looming recession (we’re arguably already in a quiet recession). Do you think companies will release less frames? Or stop innovating & focus on liquidating stock?
We’re always in a “looming” recession, but I don’t think it has a big effect on players getting excited for new frames coming out.

I think once players find a stick they like then they’re not as motivated about new sticks. Sure price has an impact, but not that much.
 

Crocodile

G.O.A.T.
Like every change in economic conditions becomes an opportunity for someone to cash in. There is a segment of society that creates its biggest wealth in a downturn;
How this relates to the tennis industry as a whole and the racquet technology remains to be seen. I believe that during this inflation period there was an opportunity for a new brand or existing brand to disrupt the market by offering cut price racquets. In Australia right now, Prince is very good value and the quality is very good.
Marketing wise I am a fan of tennis brands entering with collaborations with the fashion industry, the arts and designers to produce beautiful designs. Right now Pro Kennex and Volkl could do with some cosmetic beautification influence because their current designs and images are not cutting it despite making good frames. Volkl have lost their individuality they had 20 years ago, so much so that it’s the old C10 and V1 Classic that is holding things by a thread. The new Vostra 10 really should be spearheading the brand - but we will wait and see what happens there:
If people want to support new ideas and technology then start buying from companies that are trying to do something rather than buy the common garden variety brands otherwise there is no motivation for the common garden variety brands to make changes. If Babolat sales slumped in preference to say Dunlop, then Babolat would respond.
I also think that the era when racquets were made all over the world that there was more individuality and variety. Rossignol’s inverted throat and Snauwert Hi Tens frames from Belgium and PK Micro Ace from Taiwan made the industry interesting. Dunlops injection molding process in the 80’s was great and Wilson Profiie revolution offered new levels of power to players at the time. Now things are very corporatised with everything made in the same place,
 
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