cough...cough,.....disagree..(cough,cough)..Thiem has a dominant forehand
Dominic Thiem Racquet Specs
- Thread starter danbrenner
- Start date
jmacdaununder2
Legend
Yes, I agree, he's forehand dominant
- if a player chooses to hit a forehand on a 50/50 ball, I think you can say they're forehand dominant. Murray used to step around forehands, as he's backhand dominant, and had to learn to step the other way and to develop/use the off forehand; Venus Williams virtually always chooses backhand, etc.etc. Watching Thiem, he usually chooses forehand.
- if a player chooses to hit a forehand on a 50/50 ball, I think you can say they're forehand dominant. Murray used to step around forehands, as he's backhand dominant, and had to learn to step the other way and to develop/use the off forehand; Venus Williams virtually always chooses backhand, etc.etc. Watching Thiem, he usually chooses forehand.Agree that players choose the wing based on their strength on a 50/50 ball.But we also see so many cases where folks like Wawrinka choosing forehand instead of his biggest backhand on balls we think are backhand wing.I guess it depends on how they feel on that day and also from which position they trying to make the shot depending on their previous shot and position on the court.Yes, I agree, he's forehand dominant
We can agree to disagree on Thiem's strong wing
jmacdaununder2
Legend
Yeah, I sure wouldn't mind having which ever is his weak side lol
Frans Bleker
Professional
Agree with you on the volley, however I think his backhand is good actually, for a backhand.
StringSnapper
Hall of Fame
Well well well, mr. Thiem doing well as of late. Reached the semi in french open after downing djokovic in straight sets, now nadal stands in his way.
YellowFedBetter
Hall of Fame
For him 18x20 probably hits a more penetrating shot which is good for his game as opposed to the more loopy ball a 16x19 hits. I believe even when he was with Head he used an dense pattern because it fits him. Having demoed his (2014) racquet I think it's a good frame despite a somewhat small sweet spot, and although I didn't purchase it can see where people would like it. I am eagerly anticipating demoing the 2017 PS 18x20 if I can ever get a chance.
danbrenner
Legend
It's not just him. Goffin, Djoko, monfils, keys, just about anyone using a blade , and most pros using a pure strike. They are all using 18x20. So there must be something to it. I just bought the 2014 ps 18x20 Simoly because of thiems dominance. I couldn't resist. But we must also use vs gut mains and poly cross in this case to open up strungbed.
lidoazndiabloboi
Hall of Fame
Since he can generate a whole lot of spin and power from his own technique, a control racket is more beneficial for him. I think a 16x19 racket would cause him to overhit.
A
Attila_the_gorilla
Guest
I think he uses 18*20 to give him less spin and more depth, because of his very deep court positioning. 16*19 would result in a lot of short balls.
TennisHound
Legend
It's still a mystery to me how he makes this racquet work so well.
zalive
Hall of Fame
Possibly, but it's not that 16x19 players cannot get a good depth with good penetration consistently. If nothing else, they can clear the net a bit higher and they'll have the depth.
IMO what 18x20 offers is the best predictability by least sensitivity to launch angle variation. It will generate bit less spin (not that much a difference when you have RHS like a pro), but because of better predictability it will be bit more forgiving as well. Thiem hits often with all his might and he doesn't lack spin least, when you hit like him additional predictability can make a difference between hitting in or long (because of launch angle errror+unpredictability).
jmacdaununder2
Legend
Yeah, I think you're right, it's about consistency; these top guys are so talented that they could adjust to a frying pan if they had to, but when you can hit the ball that sweetly that often, the fewer variables and more inherent control the better.
jmacdaununder2
Legend
I think in the video the stringer - presumably - states: 'Babolat gut...blah blah...RPM Blast'?
dgoran
Hall of Fame
No your eyes tricked you because he is using black vs gut
Crie
Rookie
Its all personal preference. Why does Fed use 16x19? Why does Berdych use 16x19? Its probably what they grew up with and what they liked at the beginning of their career. I'm going to guess that whatever racquet he used before the 18x20 PS(2014) was probably 18x20.
I've always played with a 16x19. I've tried an 18x20, but it was so long ago I can't even remember.
Point is when people switch what they are used to, it takes time to adjust. Pro tennis players have a limited life span, most of them want to focus as much time on the actual game itself rather than the gear.
I've always played with a 16x19. I've tried an 18x20, but it was so long ago I can't even remember.
Point is when people switch what they are used to, it takes time to adjust. Pro tennis players have a limited life span, most of them want to focus as much time on the actual game itself rather than the gear.
asifallasleep
Hall of Fame
Is his frame a paintjob of the old pure strike or is he using the current model frame?
moon shot
Hall of Fame
The head guard is one difference, his is a blacked out version of the old one. I think the string spacing changed so they arn't swappable.
There is also a difference in the way the base of the throat dips:
This photo is pretty good, I manipulated the color to make the bevels more obvious
There is also a difference in the way the base of the throat dips:
This photo is pretty good, I manipulated the color to make the bevels more obvious
jmacdaununder2
Legend
It would be interesting if - as Boris Becker did mid career in the mid eighties - he spread the fingers of his right hand slightly, so that his index finger would then be further up the racquet than his thumb, rather than the four fingers bunched together with the thumb on top - a legacy of his old two hander, no doubt. By doing so, while he might lose a bit of the explosive 'slap shot' effect when hitting flat, as with Becker it would then presumably allow him to follow through around and over the ball more completely when hitting with topspin. On a bad day - cf. vs Goffin @Aus Open - he can spank that thing meters long. (JM 2 cents.)
ZirkusAffe
Semi-Pro
What's Thiem going to do when TW runs out of the gen1 18x20 PS? @ $89 his racquets will be extinct. 
moon shot
Hall of Fame
Someone else mentioned it, I just found the pics.
moon shot
Hall of Fame
Maybe it is a 2 before grip mods
Dae18
Hall of Fame
He isn't using the Babolat syntec feel grip is he? I mean if he's still using a #2 grip it isn't bad but the way he hits the ball, I'm sure he grips it tight.
moon shot
Hall of Fame
Someone around here said he mods it to a head shape. Another poster said during a match in Australia his coach was regriping his tourna and the base grip was said to be stock.
Dae18
Hall of Fame
I see, yeah I read that he uses his Head pallet from his old Prestige on his PS.
brooker
Rookie
The head guard is one difference, his is a blacked out version of the old one. I think the string spacing changed so they arn't swappable.
There is also a difference in the way the base of the throat dips:
This photo is pretty good, I manipulated the color to make the bevels more obvious
Just wondering.... Is there any lead added to the handle to counter the balance given the substantial lead at 3-9 o'clock?
Lavs
Hall of Fame
His handle filled with silicone.. around 10g
dgoran
Hall of Fame
It's quite possible since his handle was custom handle they have to put back the lead bar of about 10gr that babolat puts in the handle so some customizers replace that with silicone some with epoxy and lead balls etc...
you don't have to do that since your handle already had that built in but if you were to switch out your handle to head style you have to put back the weight somehow
Prince Vegeta
Semi-Pro
Is Thiem
Is it the original pure strike or the new?
The head guard is one difference, his is a blacked out version of the old one. I think the string spacing changed so they arn't swappable.
There is also a difference in the way the base of the throat dips:
This photo is pretty good, I manipulated the color to make the bevels more obvious
Is it the original pure strike or the new?
moon shot
Hall of Fame
He uses the first generation.
Dae18
Hall of Fame
Just check out moon shot's awesome picture comparisons. The grommets are the 1stGen versions just blacked out.
Tour?
moon shot
Hall of Fame
Please read the thread, the tour weighs more than the reported spec.
Prince Vegeta
Semi-Pro
Is Thiem's racquet polorized or depol.? His spec would indicate pol, but his lead tape is at 3 & 9
jmacdaununder2
Legend
If that quote is referencing Thiem, in 2009 he would have turned 16 lol
moon shot
Hall of Fame
If if were unstrung that balance point and swingweight would be crazy.
danbrenner
Legend
no.. what tournament or where did u see the green strings?
His match today Vs rublev at the Vienna open
moon shot
Hall of Fame
There is another thread about this:
https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/thiem-with-new-string.602521/
Thanks
moon shot
Hall of Fame
I think it is rpm rough as others suggested, not confirmed yet though
danbrenner
Legend
its odd that strings that are indented like this one, should be called rough.. its actually the opposite of rough. there is less surface area than the smooth
