HEAD's Thomas Bischof talks about working with the best tennis players including Djokovic, Barty, Zverev and More!

[TW Staff]

Listen: https://www.tennis-warehouse.com/podcast/
Watch:

As the HEAD Tennis Director of Pro Players and Product Test Management, Thomas Bischof travels around the world helping some of the best players on tour get aligned perfectly with their gear. Listen in as he shares stories with us about signing Alex Zverev and more!

Thomas Bischof knows a thing or two about spotting talent on the tennis court. As the HEAD Tennis Director of Pro Players and Product Test Management, he travels around the world helping some of the best players on tour get aligned perfectly with their gear -- from racquets to strings and even playtesting new models. He shares with us stories from when he signed Alex Zverev at just 12 years old to new players to be on the lookout for. He even gives us a peek into who is the most dialed in with their gear and what playtesting a new racquet looks like at the pro level.

➤US: https://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Head/
➤EUR: https://www.tenniswarehouse-europe.com/Head/
➤AUS: https://www.tennisonly.com.au/Head/

Happy Hitting!

Continue reading...

 

[haqq777]

Listen: https://www.tennis-warehouse.com/podcast/
Watch:

As the HEAD Tennis Director of Pro Players and Product Test Management, Thomas Bischof travels around the world helping some of the best players on tour get aligned perfectly with their gear. Listen in as he shares stories with us about signing Alex Zverev and more!

Thomas Bischof knows a thing or two about spotting talent on the tennis court. As the HEAD Tennis Director of Pro Players and Product Test Management, he travels around the world helping some of the best players on tour get aligned perfectly with their gear -- from racquets to strings and even playtesting new models. He shares with us stories from when he signed Alex Zverev at just 12 years old to new players to be on the lookout for. He even gives us a peek into who is the most dialed in with their gear and what playtesting a new racquet looks like at the pro level.

➤US: https://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Head/
➤EUR: https://www.tenniswarehouse-europe.com/Head/
➤AUS: https://www.tennisonly.com.au/Head/

Happy Hitting!

Continue reading...

Why am I not surprised that Fernando Verdasco is one of the biggest geeks on Tour! Haha. Always trying and switching up.

Also a bit surprised to hear as he said that younger players are now going smaller head size and more denser pattern more and more. Very interesting.

Wonderful episode, Michelle! As a gear nerd, really loved it!

 

[dr325i]

Michelle is AWESOME and Thomas has a dream job indeed!

 

[hotasice]

very entertaining! I wonder if a guy like Safin had a slightly higher frame quota per year given his breaking and now we know his casual forgetting of frames at the check-in counter

 

[lim]

New radical mold in bound ??

 

[dr325i]

New radical mold in bound ??

Yep, 360+ in 2021

 

[smalahove]

very entertaining! I wonder if a guy like Safin had a slightly higher frame quota per year given his breaking and now we know his casual forgetting of frames at the check-in counter

According to Head, he broke 1055 rackets, which is what they engraved in a pair of skies they gave him.

Edit: it was a snowboard (and not skies)

6:55

 

[haqq777]

According to Head, he broke 1055 rackets, which is what they engraved in a pair of skies they gave him.

6:55

Around 37:10 in the TW OP video Thomas mentions the same things. He says Safin is a great snowboarder and they gave him a snow board after he finished his career and that board had all that info on it. And Safin couldn't believe it! Thought that was pretty funny.

 

[beltsman]

Great interview. The guy has a good voice too, I could listen to him for hours.

 

[Alexh22]

Hi TW and Head,
Maybe it is finally time to release the Djokovic actual PT346 Radical MP instead of continue with the speed paint job only racquet. I see this series of interviews are well done and clearly Head is try to make a comeback so is this Djokovic PT346 Radical on the agenda ever ever ? Nothing wrong with his PT346 radical except the fact it is never for sale. It is an amazing racquet just like the wilson H22. Also, I bought a Pro Tour 2.0 and very impressed with it. It shows me they have full capabilities to do the right thing, if they choose to.
look forward to the answers. Thanks again.

 

[dr325i]

Great interview. The guy has a good voice too, I could listen to him for hours.

Calming. All guys at KB are so relaxed and love what they do

And I also love Michelle’s energy!

 

[dr325i]

Hi TW and Head,
Maybe it is finally time to release the Djokovic actual PT346 Radical MP instead of continue with the speed paint job only racquet. I see this series of interviews are well done and clearly Head is try to make a comeback so is this Djokovic PT346 on the agenda ever ever ? Nothing wrong with his PT346 radical except it is never for sale. It is an amazing racquet just like the wilson H22. Also, I bought a Pro Tour 2.0 and very impressed with it. It shows me they have full capabilities to do the right thing, if they choose to.
look forward to the answers. Thanks again.

Was ANY PTxxx (layup) ever market released after 200x, after the mass production shifted to China? No. So, why do you expect the PT346.1 would be any different. As discussed, the PT2.0 has the TGK57.5 layup, not the PT57A2 layup. So, would you be ok if they release the TK346 mold with let’s say TGK346.x layup that can be scaled in China?

 

[Alexh22]

Was ANY PTxxx (layup) ever market released after 200x, after the mass production shifted to China? No. So, why do you expect the PT346.1 would be any different. As discussed, the PT2.0 has the TGK57.5 layup, not the PT57A2 layup. So, would you be ok if they release the TK346 mold with let’s say TGK346.x layup that can be scaled in China?

Yes. Side by side with my Mia 280, I am ok with the PT 2.0 so if they want to make a true Djokovic Tgk346 layup radical is good enough in my book. They can make it in China just like the PT2.0 I will happily pay for multiple at Retail preferably at TW. But I am also seeking for an answer as to is the Djokovic racquet ever going to happen ?
The answer is no while they pay to use luxury car in their ads. Zero care is given to the on going misrepresentation.

 

[dr325i]

Yes. Side by side with my Mia 280, I am ok with the PT 2.0 so if they want to make a true Djokovic Tgk346 layup radical is good enough in my book. They can make it in China just like the PT2.0 I will happily pay for multiple at Retail preferably at TW. But I am also seeking for an answer as to is the Djokovic racquet ever going to happen ?

Ok, fair enough.
However, just like the TGK57.5, the TGK346.x would be a different layup from the PT346 (we discussed the reasoning about 50 times). Just like The TK57A, the mold would match the TK346. The layup would most likely be similar to the TGK57.5, modern version of the classic, firmer.

With that said, you have the Ti Radical today that is almost identical mold to the PT113B/346 and the layup is kind of TGK57.5 if you stick it in the 22mm frame...

So, what are you after here, then?

 

[Alexh22]

Ok, fair enough.
However, just like the TGK57.5, the TGK346.x would be a different layup from the PT346 (we discussed the reasoning about 50 times). Just like The TK57A, the mold would match the TK346. The layup would most likely be similar to the TGK57.5, modern version of the classic, firmer.

With that said, you have the Ti Radical today that is almost identical mold to the PT113B/346 and the layup is kind of TGK57.5 if you stick it in the 22mm frame...

So, what are you after here, then?

Since NOS Ti Radicals are mostly dried out. In an ideal world, A TGK346 radical will be sufficient. A modern version of a 346 Radical but not the Speed because it is completely different. Once again I see nothing wrong with 346 Radical / H22 type racquets for today’s game. Many pros use them, Even Sampras used a PT 346 in exhibition. Who is going to cash out on this model first ? Head or Wilson ?

Can head make a 346 radical ? Absolutely they can ! But does head want to make it right for true Djokovic fans ? I don’t know.

Having my PTs in my bag I hope I can always comeback to buy honest products. See how yonex discontinued the 95 D and had Stan on the vcp97 ? They could have sold a LOT more racquets using Wawrinka but they failed. Don’t make the same mistake.

 

[Villain]

Since NOS Ti Radicals are mostly dried out. In an ideal world, A TGK346 radical will be sufficient. A modern version of a 346 Radical but not the Speed because it is completely different. Once again I see nothing wrong with 346 Radical / H22 type racquets for today’s game. Many pros use them, Even Sampras used a PT 346 in exhibition. Who is going to cash out on this model first ? Head or Wilson ?

Can head make a 346 radical ? Absolutely they can ! But does head want to make it right for true Djokovic fans ? I don’t know.

Having my PTs in my bag I hope I can always comeback to buy honest products. See how yonex discontinued the 95 D and had Stan on the vcp97 ? They could have sold a LOT more racquets using Wawrinka but they failed. Don’t make the same mistake.

Yonex was never going to sell the 95D forever. They sold it for two years just like every other racquet.

 

[dr325i]

Since NOS Ti Radicals are mostly dried out. In an ideal world, A TGK346 radical will be sufficient. A modern version of a 346 Radical but not the Speed because it is completely different. Once again I see nothing wrong with 346 Radical / H22 type racquets for today’s game. Many pros use them, Even Sampras used a PT 346 in exhibition. Who is going to cash out on this model first ? Head or Wilson ?

Can head make a 346 radical ? Absolutely they can ! But does head want to make it right for true Djokovic fans ? I don’t know.

Having my PTs in my bag I hope I can always comeback to buy honest products. See how yonex discontinued the 95 D and had Stan on the vcp97 ? They could have sold a LOT more racquets using Wawrinka but they failed. Don’t make the same mistake.

Again, I am not sure where you’re going with this. The Yonex example is irrelevant since 99% of Tennis population does not care what is under the PJ and are buying what they think their favorite player is using. Same is for Speed and Radical and Babolat and Wilson...and every other brand. That is how this and MANY other markets work. Yonex would sell roughly 300 more rackets had they kept the 95d mold because of 300 people on these boards would go wild for it.

Now, to me, it is all about the racket layup rather than the PJ. Surely, newer layups may fit me better than the originals - the PT2.0 is an example. And I like the PT57A layup better in the PT313 or PT334 than in the PT57A (TK57A mold).

First time I hear that Sampras used the PT346 but will check - curious to see something like that.

The TK346 mold obviously exists, great layups exist and are coming with the 360+ revisions. Radical (as Thomas mentioned) is coming with the new mold and layup. Maybe they can use that layup and stick it in the 346 mold. PT346 layup is unique. Flexes very uniquely and has a lot of mass in the head and high swingweight. Lightest SW I was able to get with them is about 336-340 strung (Removed all lead from the hoop with made it “weird”). Definitely advanced frame and in order to make it worthwhile, head would have to target lower

 

[vsbabolat]

never mind

 

[Alex78]

What do you mean dried out? Racquets do not dry out.

I think he meant to say no longer readily available (?)

 

[vsbabolat]

I think he meant to say no longer readily available (?)

Oh, I see them all the time

 

[pt630_belgium]

Just see this interview now.
Very nice person and fine to see how HEAD works with pro's etc.

 

[SinneGOAT]

Just see this interview now.
Very nice person and fine to see how HEAD works with pro's etc.

It’s funny I think this is one of two posts in this thread actually about the podcast. I loved it!