Currently use an IG Prestige Pro. Play it stock, other than having replaced the leather grip with something lighter and tackier Weighs in at 340g with a dampener. Absolutely love it, Rolls Royce of a stick. However, every man and his dog has told me to get a more forgiving racquet, a lighter racquet, a racquet with a bigger head. Failing that, a Babolat APD.
To be fair, I did hit for about 6 hours over 3 session with an APD strung at 58ibs with Luxilon Big Bangers. I played like an absolute monster, could do pretty much anything I wanted. However, it all felt a bit wrong somehow, not that much like I thought tennis should have felt like. In fact, my arm felt a bit like a robots arm whilst hitting with it. And I know that particular set-up would destroy my arm over time.
Back to the Prestige for time being then.
More recently, I did 3, 3 hr sessions with the new Graphene Speed MP. Nice stick: very manoeuvrable, could swing it crazy-fast and hit some vicious topspin with it. But it lacked plowthrough and stability after the Prestige, and I felt like I was getting bullied by people who hit hard. Where the Prestige feels like you're onto the battlefield with a rocket launcher, the MP feels more like you're rocking up with a Kalashnikov instead. According the TW University, these racquets have more or less the same size sweetspot, but the Prestige is definitely more demanding to play with. I wanted to want the MP, to buy it and it be the holy grail for me. But, alas, back to the Prestige for the time being.
The more I read about the Graphene Speed Pro, though, the more I'm thinking this could be the perfect racquet for me, at least on paper anyway. Touch lighter, bigger head, seemingly huge sweetspot, I also prefer closed rather than open strings generally speaking. The swingweight is a concern in that it's a bit higher than the Prestige, which is not exactly a light racquet, but I guess I won't know until I try it. I think I read someone on this forum say the G-Pro is very similar to the Prestige, just a bit easier to use. That really excited me. Unfortunately It's more or less impossible to demo now e in my neck of the woods, but I should be getting my hands on one in abut two weeks.
Anyone got any thoughts on the differences or similarities between these sticks? I know the G-Pro got a great review at TW, but would be good to get some first hand thoughts as well.
To be fair, I did hit for about 6 hours over 3 session with an APD strung at 58ibs with Luxilon Big Bangers. I played like an absolute monster, could do pretty much anything I wanted. However, it all felt a bit wrong somehow, not that much like I thought tennis should have felt like. In fact, my arm felt a bit like a robots arm whilst hitting with it. And I know that particular set-up would destroy my arm over time.
Back to the Prestige for time being then.
More recently, I did 3, 3 hr sessions with the new Graphene Speed MP. Nice stick: very manoeuvrable, could swing it crazy-fast and hit some vicious topspin with it. But it lacked plowthrough and stability after the Prestige, and I felt like I was getting bullied by people who hit hard. Where the Prestige feels like you're onto the battlefield with a rocket launcher, the MP feels more like you're rocking up with a Kalashnikov instead. According the TW University, these racquets have more or less the same size sweetspot, but the Prestige is definitely more demanding to play with. I wanted to want the MP, to buy it and it be the holy grail for me. But, alas, back to the Prestige for the time being.
The more I read about the Graphene Speed Pro, though, the more I'm thinking this could be the perfect racquet for me, at least on paper anyway. Touch lighter, bigger head, seemingly huge sweetspot, I also prefer closed rather than open strings generally speaking. The swingweight is a concern in that it's a bit higher than the Prestige, which is not exactly a light racquet, but I guess I won't know until I try it. I think I read someone on this forum say the G-Pro is very similar to the Prestige, just a bit easier to use. That really excited me. Unfortunately It's more or less impossible to demo now e in my neck of the woods, but I should be getting my hands on one in abut two weeks.
Anyone got any thoughts on the differences or similarities between these sticks? I know the G-Pro got a great review at TW, but would be good to get some first hand thoughts as well.
