Hybrid Tour vs. nBlade vs. MG Radical vs. Pure Control vs. Pure Drive

shojun25

Professional
I am helping a friend get a new racquet because he has advanced greatly for the past 8 months. He tried a lot of different racquets (from high school tennis season), and I have sum up and averaged all the racquets' stats that he liked into 5 choices. He wants more control than power, but he is mainly looking for the best feel. I want him to try heavier, more headlight racquets.

Prince O3 Hybrid Tour
Wilson nBlade MP
Head MicroGEL Radical [Pro]
Babolat Pure Control [Plus]
Babolat Pure Drive [standard or team]

Pros and Cons of the racquets above? Please focus your opinions in feel, comfort, maneuverability, and stability.

If you want, you can add other racquets you believe will be helpful for his tennis progression.

Thanks in advance.
 

dacrymn

Professional
Hybrid Tour: Can't Say anything honestly. Sorry.

MG RAD Pro: Pretty decent. The sweetspot may be smallish, but it feels nice when you hit it. Spin is also very accessible, but you do go through strings faster. Lots of power and spin. Almost strictly a baseline racket.

BPC: eh, didn't like it too much. The feel wasn't stiff, but i just didn't like it. Didn't have anything that really stood out, in my opinion. Decent for serving, however, but that's only because it's plus.

BPD: WAY underrated here. The power isn't that bad, and control is not lacking too much. In fact, you should use the fact that it does have a power rating on the high side to swing smoother and aim your shots with less arm. excellent for spin, but then again you do have to be in position. With something like this, if you're in position, you can hit a pretty nasty shot. If you're out of position, however, the power will be tapped out, and the shot will fly.

nBlade: My favorite out of these, because it has excellent control, the perfect amount of power, and it feels oh so nice. That's the biggest thing. With a full synthetic gut string job, it just feels so soft and crisp at the same time--sorry, but that's the only way i know how to explain it.
 

shojun25

Professional
Thanks dacrymn.

And yes, all (or most) of the racquets are baseliner's racquets because that is his favorite play style, a defensive/tactical baseliner.

Tribal, do you know the difference between Pure Storm and Pure Control? If you do, can you enlighten me?
 

Oleg

New User
I tried all frames except Head MG. One word of caution when looking at standard lenght vs. a longer frame, they are very different. I think first off your friend needs to decide on the frame length.

If he is using a standard lenght frame currently he should stay with that for now.

From the frames you mention I do like nBlade and Pure Control (standard length) but neither of them will have a superior feel.

High school tennis in general is about consistency and patience. I can recommend the following frames mainly for their feel and control.


Wilson PS60 95 or 85
Prince Graphite Original mp or os
Head Radical Agassi OS
Donnay Pro One mp
 

tennis939

Rookie
nblade is also my favorite. due to its nice feeling of flex and control.
good spin from a tight patter blah blah blah don't feel like writing an essay right now

prince o tour...is um..i tried it.i hated it. felt to broady? i don't know. everytime i swung that thing it felt so awkward. and im capable of playing with 12.5 oz racquet with no problems. btw, awful feel too.

yep
 

dacrymn

Professional
I tried all frames except Head MG. One word of caution when looking at standard lenght vs. a longer frame, they are very different. I think first off your friend needs to decide on the frame length.

If he is using a standard lenght frame currently he should stay with that for now.

From the frames you mention I do like nBlade and Pure Control (standard length) but neither of them will have a superior feel.

High school tennis in general is about consistency and patience. I can recommend the following frames mainly for their feel and control.


Wilson PS60 95 or 85
Prince Graphite Original mp or os
Head Radical Agassi OS
Donnay Pro One mp

well, not compared to these four, but the nBlade's feel is already far superior to most rackets out there now.
 
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