Federer's RF 97 and Dimitrov's PS97s

[lidoazndiabloboi]

Is that a retail mold with prototype blacked out pj?

Yes, the prototype was the retail mold.

How did you convince him to give you his racquet?

Was it after the Zverev loss?

Actually, I've had his racket for a while now. Brought it with me to IW and got him to sign it after a practice session.

 

[Fxanimator1]

Yes, the prototype was the retail mold.



Actually, I've had his racket for a while now. Brought it with me to IW and got him to sign it after a practice session.

That's cool of him to sign that. Where did it come from? How many grams is it, and where's the balance point?

 

[ArcspacE]

Actually, I've had his racket for a while now. Brought it with me to IW and got him to sign it after a practice session.

How did you get it in the first place?

 

[Racer]

 

[SpinToWin]

I swear that one looks less flat again, particularly in the hoop. Is this a hybrid design with box beam throat and flat beam hoop?

 

[Racer]

I swear that one looks less flat again, particularly in the hoop. Is this a hybrid design with box beam throat and flat beam hoop?

Found those photos online - I will say the hoop does look like it has more rounded edges compared to retail...

 

[Mickael122]

I swear that one looks less flat again, particularly in the hoop. Is this a hybrid design with box beam throat and flat beam hoop?

I'd say it is the combination of light + angle.
I'm fed up about this. It's so frustrating knowing the box beam version of the new PS exist and I'll never play with it.

 

[dgoran]

Having held and swung his rackets at IW, I can officially confirm that it's different from the retail...

So now that we know this for sure where is @PeterFig ;-)

 

[Mickael122]

So now that we know this for sure where is @PeterFig ;-)

Haha to be fair, I'm pretty sure he had no idea, at least in the beginning. And from what I believe to understand, "carpe diem" was the retail mold so he's always been honest with us. But hey, @PeterFig, if you could convince Wilson to sell the other one, I'd be glad!

 

[BreakPoint]

Having held and swung his rackets at IW, I can officially confirm that it's different from the retail. I do appreciate him signing my racket though

Actually, I've had his racket for a while now. Brought it with me to IW and got him to sign it after a practice session.

OK, I think I'm a little confused. If you've had his racquet for a while, why did you wait until IW to hold and swing it?

 

[lidoazndiabloboi]

OK, I think I'm a little confused. If you've had his racquet for a while, why did you wait until IW to hold and swing it?

I was saying that I held and swung his painted racket at IW

His early black prototype version, is basically the same mold/spec as the retail painted racket.

 

[BreakPoint]

I was saying that I held and swung his painted racket at IW

His early black prototype version, is basically the same mold/spec as the retail painted racket.

So then both his painted ones at IW and the black prototype that you have both felt and swung the same, as far as you could tell?

BTW, the pic of the black prototype you posted doesn't appear to have a very boxy beam. Is that also the case with Dimitrov's painted frames at IW that you held in your hand?

 

[lidoazndiabloboi]

So then both his painted ones at IW and the black prototype that you have both felt and swung the same, as far as you could tell?

BTW, the pic of the black prototype you posted doesn't appear to have a very boxy beam. Is that also the case with Dimitrov's painted frames at IW that you held in your hand?

The black prototype was from early 2015, so it had the Carpe Diem in the throat. It's a flat beam.
The Dimitrov's 2016 frame is much more boxy, in the throat and in the hoop.

They have similar specs. From what I can recall, they did swing similar, but it's been a while so I cannot say 100% for sure. His current racket's RA is high 60s

 

[West Coast Ace]

I'm surprised that some of you are surprised.

Let's review: the 'source' was a free lance artist who did a design Wilson bought. Then they hired him - to paint designs, not consult on racket specs. I'm sure Wilson tennis has, or can easily find, players at all levels to try out their sticks - they don't need to call the graphics department. @Bobby Jr called him out and all he could muster was 'club player'.

@lidoazndiabloboi, thanks for the pictures.

 

[BreakPoint]

The black prototype was from early 2015, so it had the Carpe Diem in the throat. It's a flat beam.
The Dimitrov's 2016 frame is much more boxy, in the throat and in the hoop.

They have similar specs. From what I can recall, they did swing similar, but it's been a while so I cannot say 100% for sure. His current racket's RA is high 60s

OK, thanks. So which beam (2015 or 2016) would you say is closer to that of the retail PS 97S? If I recall correctly, the beam on the retail version is not as boxy as that of, say the PS 85/95/90.

I think once you've used a box beam for a while, it's hard to move away from it.

 

[Fxanimator1]

OK, thanks. So which beam (2015 or 2016) would you say is closer to that of the retail PS 97S? If I recall correctly, the beam on the retail version is not as boxy as that of, say the PS 85/95/90.

I think once you've used a box beam for a while, it's hard to move away from it.

You can say that again!
I bought the PS 97S so that I could try and stay current, given that no one is carrying the PS 95 (2014).
I added 20 Grams of Blue Stik into the handle, which made it about 4 pts head light, to try and get closer to the PS 95 balance.
I wound up like the slightly head heavier feel @ 4pts, but not the string pattern or lesser flex.
So after using the PS 97S for a while, I took the PS 95 and added 10 grams of lead at the top, under the grommets, and 5 grams into the handle to get a similar
balance of the PS 97S.
At this point I am using the PS 95(2014), but it has the weight of a PS90, and the balance of a PS 97S (with a balance adjustment). This setup has nice plow through on ground strokes and I really enjoy feeling the racket's flex when serving.
In a nut shell, I adjusted the PS 97S to feel more like a PS 95...and then turned right around and adjusted the PS 95 to feel like the PS 97S I just finished adjusting.

 

[sixone90]

OK, thanks. So which beam (2015 or 2016) would you say is closer to that of the retail PS 97S? If I recall correctly, the beam on the retail version is not as boxy as that of, say the PS 85/95/90.

I think once you've used a box beam for a while, it's hard to move away from it.

The 2015 prototype was the same mold as the retail racquet, the racquet GD is using now is more boxy

 

[boinz]

Just wondering, would GD be using the previous PS93 18x17 again- that mold was boxy.

 

[BreakPoint]

The 2015 prototype was the same mold as the retail racquet, the racquet GD is using now is more boxy

OK, thanks. Like I said, it's hard to switch away from box beam frames because they feel so good.

 

[ReopeningWed]

Okay thank you so much Wilson fan.

It doesn't look strange to me he's been trying various molds. IMO, but it might be the angle, the throat shape looks a bit more like the PS90's rather than PS97. If I may say.

It's REALLY strange to me that Wilson still sells a retail stick different than what he's using. I mean, the guy has had a frame developed for him, how hard is it to make it the retail mold?

Fortunately, the PS97S is a great stick but many were looking for a boxier frame than the current PS line. Seeing that it does exist and we can't buy it is REALLY FRUSTRATING.

My guess is that a Wilson higher up made the decision to sell one of the molds that Dimitrov was playing with early, when it seemed as if that was a keeper. Production lines start to rev up, and out of nowhere Dimitrov's team sends an email sends a message to the engineering department detailing what changes he wants made to the racket, including the box beam.

At this point, they've got 8,000 units produced early in production, their assembly lines are already working on the next batch, maybe the single production run has another 32,000 units to go.

Do they eat the loss on the 8,000 units, the raw materials, and the labor that's gone towards setting the molds just to put a slightly different racket on the market? Or do they just make a separate mold and use it for limited production runs and keep selling the racket that they had already decided on?

My guess is that this generation of prostaff rackets will be the retail flat beam that we're familiar with, and within two years when the next generation of Wilson rackets is released, they'll release the box beam version and call it an update.

 

[Backhanded Compliment]

My guess is that a Wilson higher up made the decision to sell one of the molds that Dimitrov was playing with early, when it seemed as if that was a keeper. Production lines start to rev up, and out of nowhere Dimitrov's team sends an email sends a message to the engineering department detailing what changes he wants made to the racket, including the box beam.

At this point, they've got 8,000 units produced early in production, their assembly lines are already working on the next batch, maybe the single production run has another 32,000 units to go.

Do they eat the loss on the 8,000 units, the raw materials, and the labor that's gone towards setting the molds just to put a slightly different racket on the market? Or do they just make a separate mold and use it for limited production runs and keep selling the racket that they had already decided on?

My guess is that this generation of prostaff rackets will be the retail flat beam that we're familiar with, and within two years when the next generation of Wilson rackets is released, they'll release the box beam version and call it an update.

my guess is that whatever is cheaper to produce will be what is sold.

 

[Bobby Jr]

my guess is that whatever is cheaper to produce will be what is sold.

This ^. Quoted for truth.