travlerajm
G.O.A.T.
This is a serious question.
It applies both to rec level tennis and to the pro game.
I am currently living far away from home, but still luckily playing tennis.
Last week, when my trusty kevlar/nylon stringjob frayed down to its last threads, I was forced due to limited string selection to restring my only racquet (my slightly shortened, leaded-up 18x20 G9) with 15g syn gut. I had it strung up nice and tight at 65 lbs.
This syn gut stringjob of course locked up after the first 15 minutes of hitting. It noticeable limited my apply topspin to my serve.
But interestingly, the serve is the only shot where I found myself missing the spin. Every other shot was better with the completely locked-up stringjob. Defensive lobs had more precise depth control than I’ve ever had. And groundstrokes also had remarkable depth control, even though my spin level was less than usual. Touch and confidence on volleys was better than ever.
I spent last weekend playing tennis against a 25-year-old former tournament player who was ranked in the 1100’s a couple of years ago. Using my syn gut stringjob, surprisingly I was able to be very competitive with him. I even had a set point in one our matches (but blew it). When I tried hitting with his racquet, it became clear that he was playing at a disadvantage. His Blade was strung with low tension full poly. It could spin the ball great, but the launch angle was so high in comparison to my locked syn gut that I had to really focus to control my shots. I honestly think his stringjob was holding him back. I should not have been able to hang on clay with someone who grew up training on clay at world class tennis academies in Europe, but I was clearly at an equipment advantage in baseline rallies due to my old school stringjob.
Then yesterday I was able to get my hands on some poly. I had my syn gut job replaced with full poly at mid tension. In my warm-up, my fresh poly could spin the bejeezus out of the ball, but I felt I was really struggling the tame the high launch angle. Luckily I had purchased a second frame last week (a 27.25” Juice Pro) and had it strung up tight at 65 lbs with 15g syn gut. I put away the fresh poly string frame and used my Juice. I played great. And with the extended length, I didn’t even miss the spin on the serve. The stringbed felt perfect and controlled. I felt like Sampras when I wanted to serve big. I and felt like Nalbandian with great control on my 2hb. Volleys were on point. I think I am going to have to cut out the poly and try something else ( maybe much tighter? Maybe poly/syn gut hybrid?).
Then this morning I was watching YouTube of old matches, and noticing that pro players’ returns and volleys in the 90s and early 2000’s look so much crisper and more confident than they did in the late 2000’s and especially better than they do now. It sure looks to my eyes that the level of the pro game has regressed due to the obsession with using more spin, at the cost of worse control.
It applies both to rec level tennis and to the pro game.
I am currently living far away from home, but still luckily playing tennis.
Last week, when my trusty kevlar/nylon stringjob frayed down to its last threads, I was forced due to limited string selection to restring my only racquet (my slightly shortened, leaded-up 18x20 G9) with 15g syn gut. I had it strung up nice and tight at 65 lbs.
This syn gut stringjob of course locked up after the first 15 minutes of hitting. It noticeable limited my apply topspin to my serve.
But interestingly, the serve is the only shot where I found myself missing the spin. Every other shot was better with the completely locked-up stringjob. Defensive lobs had more precise depth control than I’ve ever had. And groundstrokes also had remarkable depth control, even though my spin level was less than usual. Touch and confidence on volleys was better than ever.
I spent last weekend playing tennis against a 25-year-old former tournament player who was ranked in the 1100’s a couple of years ago. Using my syn gut stringjob, surprisingly I was able to be very competitive with him. I even had a set point in one our matches (but blew it). When I tried hitting with his racquet, it became clear that he was playing at a disadvantage. His Blade was strung with low tension full poly. It could spin the ball great, but the launch angle was so high in comparison to my locked syn gut that I had to really focus to control my shots. I honestly think his stringjob was holding him back. I should not have been able to hang on clay with someone who grew up training on clay at world class tennis academies in Europe, but I was clearly at an equipment advantage in baseline rallies due to my old school stringjob.
Then yesterday I was able to get my hands on some poly. I had my syn gut job replaced with full poly at mid tension. In my warm-up, my fresh poly could spin the bejeezus out of the ball, but I felt I was really struggling the tame the high launch angle. Luckily I had purchased a second frame last week (a 27.25” Juice Pro) and had it strung up tight at 65 lbs with 15g syn gut. I put away the fresh poly string frame and used my Juice. I played great. And with the extended length, I didn’t even miss the spin on the serve. The stringbed felt perfect and controlled. I felt like Sampras when I wanted to serve big. I and felt like Nalbandian with great control on my 2hb. Volleys were on point. I think I am going to have to cut out the poly and try something else ( maybe much tighter? Maybe poly/syn gut hybrid?).
Then this morning I was watching YouTube of old matches, and noticing that pro players’ returns and volleys in the 90s and early 2000’s look so much crisper and more confident than they did in the late 2000’s and especially better than they do now. It sure looks to my eyes that the level of the pro game has regressed due to the obsession with using more spin, at the cost of worse control.