Hana Mandlikova using a Yonex R-32

[suwanee4712]

I have finally found a picture of Hana using what I believe to be an R-32 at Fed Cup in Prague, 1986. It's stenciled and everything. As far as I know it was the only time that she ever used that racquet and appeared to get some good pop on a clay court with it easily defeating Sabatini amongst others before losing to Martina.

I don't know if she intended to play on with this racquet or not, but by the US Open she was back to her trusty Wilson Ultra II. I just can't figure out why she would use such an important event to test a racquet and also have the racquet stencilled without an endorsement.

I've hit with several Yonex R series racquets like Martina's R-22. But I've never seen one of these up close, so I have no idea if it plays similarly to her old stick

http://www.ceskatelevize.cz/sport/tenis/fed-cup/291419-obrazem-cesky-ve-finale-sedmkrat-triumfovaly/

 

[PBODY99]

R_32 played a little stiffer than the R_22 for me back in the day.
Nice find.

 

[Sticklacer]

Great pic. I love seeing old pics like this with totally different frames being used compared to what we are used to seeing! Recently discovered a few pics of McEnroe (circa early 90's) using a Prince.

 

[suwanee4712]

R_32 played a little stiffer than the R_22 for me back in the day.
Nice find.

I guess that's not surprising considering how stiff the Wilson Ultra II played. Hana hit the ball well with it I thought. But I suppose she felt differently.

 

[suwanee4712]

Great pic. I love seeing old pics like this with totally different frames being used compared to what we are used to seeing! Recently discovered a few pics of McEnroe (circa early 90's) using a Prince.

I'd love to find a pic of Evert playing with the Wilson Sting in summer of 1983 at the Australian Indoor. She lost to Shriver and never picked it up again.

 

[I.M. Weasel]

One of the best racquets ever made - oval-shaped RX-32!
RX-37 was sweet too!
Nice pics!

 

[galain]

RX 32 is one of Yonex's best ever.

Hard to imagine Hana using it though - it was completely different to the Ultra 2 she used. The RX 37 would have been a closer fit.

 

[suwanee4712]

One of the best racquets ever made - oval-shaped RX-32!
RX-37 was sweet too!
Nice pics!

This question is also for galain and anyone else, were there any pros that used the 32 or the 37? I thought that Zivijinovic and Lindqvist might have, but I can't find any evidence of it.

 

[I.M. Weasel]

This question is also for galain and anyone else, were there any pros that used the 32 or the 37? I thought that Zivijinovic and Lindqvist might have, but I can't find any evidence of it.

Zivojinovic's doubles parner Andres Gomes used to play R-22. Zivojinovic used to play Prince and then Puma. I newer saw him playing Yonex.
I can't find any evidence either...

 

[suwanee4712]

Zivojinovic's doubles parner Andres Gomes used to play R-22. Zivojinovic used to play Prince and then Puma. I newer saw him playing Yonex.
I can't find any evidence either...

I remember Zivo wearing Puma but had forgotten he used their racquet too. Gomez was a favorite of mine and I can't recall him using anything other than the R-22 but I could be wrong. I found a neat Yonex ad featuring Gomez after he won the Italian Open. I think it was from 1984.