OK, time to chime in here and get you squared away. I researched all your previous posts, and combined with the discussion here, I think I've got a pretty good idea on the best fit for you.
Profile:
- Physical: 46-yo male, decently fit, shoulder injury/surgery history
- Level: 4.0-ish level (from what I'm seeing on the videos anyways)
- Mechanics: medium-length strokes, coordination and kinetic chain usage consummate with a 4.0-ish level
- Technique: Extreme eastern FH, OHBH
- Play Style: First-strike, baseline-centric all-courter (wants to end the point ASAP)
- Past Racquets: Heavier, more head-light, smaller-headed, thinner-beamed, boxy control frames (K90, 97P, etc.)
Goals:
- Close enough to past frames to not have to retool his entire game
- More forgiveness in general, including help while scrambling
- Easier ability to convert defense/neutral to precision offense
- High enough static and recoil weight for adequate shot tolerance when more stationary
- Better on more types of surfaces (clay, etc)
- Comfortable enough to not exacerbate his shoulder/arm issues
Best Specs:
I would look at a modern "pleener" (player/tweener cross-over frame) with the largest head size, most open pattern and firmest flex that is still maneuverable, precise and comfortable enough, specifically conforming to:
- Head Size: nothing <=97" (at your level, not enough routine upsides), only more forgiving 98's/99's, otherwise more balanced 100-102"
- Weight: 295-305g with minimal to moderate customization, or 310-315g with zero to minimal customization
- Beam: Hybrid-box, better for flatter striking, constant-width or close to it (for predictable response), >=22mm but <24mm at the mid-point (best power/control balance)
- Pattern: As open as is still precise enough, so probably semi-dense 16-mains, or open/accommodating 18-mains; very true/consistent string bed, minimal/zero hot-spots
- Swing Weight: mid-upper 320's SW strung to no more than 330-ish SW, for best balance of enough ease-of-maneuverability with enough plow/power
- Flex/Feel: as firm and direct as you can get away with, perhaps low-mid 60's RA and up to 140's Hz handle vibration
- Other: connected handle-to-hoop feel without an excessively flexy neck or fluttery hoop
All of that considered, here's what I would look at:
- Babolat Strike 98 16x19 (I think the 18x20 will be too demanding a string bed) - With handle weight, could be a winner. I'd only order via matching service, though, for the bottom end in swing weight.
- Babolat Strike 100 16x19 (I think you'd find the 16x20 too flexy/floppy, too high in RW and low in MGR/i ie. too slow/loopy) - With handle weight and controlled poly, this could be a winner.
- Dunlop CX 400 Tour - Along side the Strike 100, probably the highest power-to-weight ratio you'll want in a frame, but this is probably the most worthy "upper bounds test" of anything out there.
- Head Extreme Pro - Nice all-around performance. Will probably need light customization (heavier grip, perhaps a tiny bit of lead at 10 & 2 or 9 & 3 + 12), and very crisp strings to get enough feel. Worth a try though.
- Head Boom Pro - Definitely worth a try. Nice and solid on contact. Though the feel will be muted and a bit vague, so the absolute most crisp strings are a must, but if you can get over that, it could be a winner.
- Head Gravity MP (spec'd up) - I don't think you're going to find the Pro/Tour 18x20 + big tear-drop combo to provide enough definition or lift. And the MP might not either, but at least you'll get some easier lift/spin.
- Head Radical MP - I know there are those who are going to say Pro, but IMHO it's too low on power-to-weight. And even the MP might be. But possibly worth a try. Not outstanding at anything, but a great all-rounder.
- Prince ATS Tour 98 - Other than the 100P, this is probably the best choice for you from Prince. Just need to get one via matching service, because there are so many over-spec samples out there.
- Prince ATS Tour 100P - Like a Speed Pro but a better design for all-court/attacking. Lifts/spins/pops more like a 16-main, but with 18x20 level consistency and composition. Especially good at lower tension.
- Solinco WhiteOut 18x20 - Definitely worth a revisit. Going to need to be setup towards 330SW to hit as big a ball as you probably want, but if you can handle the SW, definitely worth another look.
- Tecnifibre TF40 16m (prob 315 over the 305, with a little tip weight) - On the fence here, as it's probably lower power-to-weight and ease-of-playability (esp. on clay) than you should really look at, but worth a try.
- Tecnifibre TFight 98's - IGA is a "can-I-control-it" like an EZ98, but more open. ISO 300 is questionable stock + finicky w/ customization. ISO 315 is clubby. ISO 305, despite the fanboy-ism, requires a 4.5+ IMHO.
- Wilson RF01 300g - Going to need a fair amount of customizing (handle weight, plus lead at 10 & 2), and low tension with shock-absorbing strings. Even so, may still not be forgiving enough. Still probably worth a try.
- Wilson Blade 100 v9 - Swap to a more heavy base grip, like a Gamma Hi-Tech, plus over-grip, and should be good. It does have at least a bit of that Blade -type balance, though, which may or may not agree with you.
- Wilson Pro Staff X - Almost ready-to-play in stock form. Slap on an over grip, maybe some very light hoop lead, and good to go. May feel a bit too sluggish overall, but definitely worth a try.
- Yonex EZone 98 - The main exercise with the EZ98 is learning to control it (as you've found out). Feel is meh and it can still behave a bit kludgy/clunky, but people win with it, so it could be worth more of your time.
- Yonex Percept 100 (maybe 100D) - Start with the 100, only go to the 100D if you absolutely feel the extra precision and 5g really adds that much to your game.
Of all of those in the list, I'd probably start with a revisit of the WhiteOut 18x20, to give yourself a baseline on what is, IMHO, the lowest-powered frame you should look at. Then, I would go right into testing your upper-bounds on power-to-weight, OHBH maneuverability and control-ability, with some mix of the Strike 100 16x19, CX 400 Tour and/or Percept 100 (not the D, at least not at first). If you like the head size but need to ramp down the power and/or increase the precision, then I'd look at the Tour 100P (which they do make in Carbon Gray now for Europe), Blade 100, PS X or P100D. If you don't like the head size and think that for whatever reason a sub-100" is where you want to stay, then I'd look at the ATS Tour 98, which I think will give you Strike 98 -level attacking capability, but with a more familiar feel and more versatility, presuming it's on-spec at 290-295sw unstrung (so as much as it stinks, you'd have to buy one, and do so via matching service – trust me on that one; you don't want one that's 300+SW unstrung, as many of them are). Other than the ATS 98, the Heads are decent, fairly disconnected in feel but play well enough, and for how flat you hit and want to play first-strike, potentially the Boom more so than the Extreme or GMP. The RF01 will be more raw and potentially attacking-capable, but it's not a very forgiving frame. And lastly the EZ98. Fairly numb, a bit kludgy and easily wild if you don't put extra emphasis on managing face angle and/or enough swipe, but, as I said and as you know, people win with it, so, yeah. The "easy" button, that you just have to learn to control (and stomach the mediocre feel).
Hope some/most of that helps. Any questions, feel free.
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