JackB1's 11oz Racquet Corner

[mike841]

my point was that power isn't really needed or even that important at the 4.0 level to win.

Power is needed at every level of the game, even at 4.0. Why do you think these guys are playing with 100sq" wide beam power type racquets? Take 50% of the power away from one of the players below and that will be the player that loses.

 

[LaZeR]

Big Guy constantly Foot Faults starting at 00:22

 

[BillKid]

Power is needed at every level of the game, even at 4.0. Why do you think these guys are playing with 100sq" wide beam power type racquets? Take 50% of the power away from one of the players below and that will be the player that loses.

Power is much less important than consistancy
In my experience, if you can play consistant on both sides with a little bit of depth and topspin, you will be rapudly higher than 4.0. No need to hit winners or very powerful shots. Passed the 4.5-5.0 level, playing this way might not be enough unless you are very good at it, or spanish, or both.

 

[mike841]

Power is much less important than consistancy

Yeah, that's called be a pusher....

 

[BillKid]

Yeah, that's called be a pusher....

You don't have to be a pusher. Being a pusher is not a good thing.
Most often pushers focus on avoiding unforced errors at all cost, which precludes technical improvement in many of them.
A good player will focus on consistantly hitting with proper technique and achieving a high % of success at any shot. That does not mean he cannot develop an offensive game. Percentage tennis is the core of the game (you may want to read https://www.nytimes.com/1974/06/09/archives/about-percentage-tennis.html).
Not only priorizing consistancy over power is more rewarding but it also helps to improve in the long run.
Whatever your playstyle (serve-volley, baseliner), it is better to hit at 90% rather than 120% and missing a lot.
That said, it is true that if your goal is to be a 4.0 player, it may be easier to achieve it by developing a pusher rather than a SV playstyle. Sad but true. Of course, it is sad also to see the 4.0 level as the ultimate goal in tennis.

 

[mike841]

You don't have to be a pusher. Being a pusher is not a good thing.
Most often pushers focus on avoiding unforced errors at all cost, which precludes technical improvement in many of them.
A good player will focus on consistantly hitting with proper technique and achieving a high % of success at any shot. That does not mean he cannot develop an offensive game. Percentage tennis is the core of the game (you may want to read https://www.nytimes.com/1974/06/09/archives/about-percentage-tennis.html).
Not only priorizing consistancy over power is more rewarding but it also helps to improve in the long run.
Whatever your playstyle (serve-volley, baseliner), it is better to hit at 90% rather than 120% and missing a lot.
That said, it is true that if your goal is to be a 4.0 player, it may be easier to achieve it by developing a pusher rather than a SV playstyle. Sad but true. Of course, it is sad also to see the 4.0 level as the ultimate goal in tennis.

Jeez. Practically anyone half decent can reach 4.0. You don't need any special style or technique.

 

[JackB1]

Hey gang, I’m back at it and thought I would resurrect this thread. What’s everyone’s favorite 11oz tweener these days? I’ve been away from tennis for about 3 years and miss all my favorites from the past. Been using the Graphene XT Speed MP and Instinct MP and like them both. They are VERY similar. Missing my old Yonex Ezone AI98 and Organix V1 Pro. Also the Textreme 100P. Also can’t believe how expensive some frames are nowadays.

 

[tlm]

I would suggest trying the new Yonex Vcore 98 Light. I demoed a bunch of different Yonex rackets and settled on this model. It’s actually a touch under 11 ounces but I added a little lead and now they both weigh 11 ounces strung and 6 points head light. These are very nice rackets great feel, spin and control.

 

[JOSHL]

I’m digging the Clash 100(but now it’s weighted up to 11.75oz). The Prince TT100 290g is also pretty good.

 

[tlm]

I’m digging the Clash 100(but now it’s weighted up to 11.75oz). The Prince TT100 290g is also pretty good.

I was using the Clash 100 Light for the last year and it is a nice racket, its a very flexible and comfortable frame.

 

[SVP]

Hey gang, I’m back at it and thought I would resurrect this thread. What’s everyone’s favorite 11oz tweeter these days? I’ve been away from tennis for about 3 years and miss all my favorites from the past. Been using the Graphene XT Speed MP and Instinct MP and like them both. They are VERY similar. Missing my old Yonex Ezone AI98 and Organix V1 Pro. Also the Textreme 100P. Also can’t believe how expensive some frames are nowadays.

Glad to see you and your positivity back.

 

[A_Instead]

Jack.. there is a bunch of good ones nowadays.. yonex ezone 100, vcore 100
Head 360+ speed , radical, extreme
Wilson Clash 100,
Pure Aero

 

[JackB1]

The Vcore 98 looks very interesting. Like the low stiffness rating.

 

[A_Instead]

The VCore 98 is very nice..if you wanna explore 305 grams.. try it and the Pure strike 98 gen 3...
Email me for detailed info..

 

[bertrevert]

The current Head Speed 360+ MP has become more head heavy to increase SW.

So it is 318g strung which is over the magic 11oz (312g). But not by much.

Think the upside of this is additional plushness. Downside might be slower responsiveness.

(I play prev version which was lighter SW.)

 

[n8dawg6]

The Vcore 98 looks very interesting. Like the low stiffness rating.

try the 100

 

[JackB1]

Found a Head Graphene XT Radical MP for $99 at a local shop today and decided to grab it. Should be a good fit for my game. We'll see. Gotta get it strung up first.

 

[bertrevert]

Not a real popular iteration. Tinny, hollow, hard on the elbow?

 

[etd]

The new Dunlop CX400 Tour is worth a demo

 

[JackB1]

Not a real popular iteration. Tinny, hollow, hard on the elbow?

Really? It's got 63 stiffness rating, so it can't be hard on the elbow?? But we'll see. I'll report back after I've had a chance to try it out some.

 

[JackB1]

The new Dunlop CX400 Tour is worth a demo

Specs look good, but I've been gravitating lately toward more closed pattern racquets that allow me to hit a flatter ball without it flying out. I wish Dunlop made a more modern version of the old Aerogel 4D 300 Tour (before the biomemetic)
with the 18x20 pattern. That was a fabulous racquet!

 

[etd]

The 16X19 string pattern is pretty tight on the CX400 Tour. This racquet actually works well for flat shots.

I liked the CX400 Tour more than the CX200.

 

[JackB1]

The 16X19 string pattern is pretty tight on the CX400 Tour. This racquet actually works well for flat shots.

I liked the CX400 Tour more than the CX200.

don’t they also make a 18x20 cx400?

 

[bigdaddy]

The 16X19 string pattern is pretty tight on the CX400 Tour. This racquet actually works well for flat shots.

I liked the CX400 Tour more than the CX200.

Good power?

 

[etd]

don’t they also make a 18x20 cx400?

In the Dunlop CX line, the only 18X20 is the CX 200 Tour with the Leather Grip which is the Kevin Anderson endorsed racquet.

The rest of the CX line (200 models and 400 models) is 16X19.

 

[etd]

Good power?

Good, but not great power. It is a good all-around tweener. Check out the reviews from the Tennis Magazine website, Tennis Nerd, and Tennis Warehouse.

Dunlop has other lines that offer more power and spin.

 

[JackB1]

So last night I got to try out the Speed Pro 360+ model and the gravity pro. Really liked the speed pro. Swing weight is nice without being too much for me and the 18x20 pattern it’s great for keeping slices low. Got surprisingly good pop on my serve and had enough power overall.

About the Gravity Pro... didn’t like it as much. Didn’t have enough power for me but I can see it for someone who likes an extreme control frame. Also the feel was a bit strange, like a vague disconnected feel. Also not crazy about the round hoop shape.

 

[BillKid]

So last night I got to try out the Speed Pro 360+ model and the gravity pro. Really liked the speed pro. Swing weight is nice without being too much for me and the 18x20 pattern it’s great for keeping slices low. Got surprisingly good pop on my serve and had enough power overall.

About the Gravity Pro... didn’t like it as much. Didn’t have enough power for me but I can see it for someone who likes an extreme control frame. Also the feel was a bit strange, like a vague disconnected feel. Also not crazy about the round hoop shape.

What happened to this thread? It was a great one. I'm betting safely that there are a lot of good posters who have things to share on the subject over the past year!
Bumping up!

 

[JackB1]

Update - I've been using a Head Gravity Tour recently which is great for touch/feel shots and also for backhand slice...but I feel like I could use some more free power so I am now testing the 360+ Head Speed MP and the latest VCore 100.

 

[bertrevert]

Got a good one for you for a bit of free pwr -> Head Auxetic MP

 

[JOSHL]

Got a good one for you for a bit of free pwr -> Head Auxetic MP

Which one? Speed/Extreme/Prestige/other?

 

[JackB1]

The Head Boom MP looks interesting. The specs look perfect to me.....295 grams is a tad lighter than my usual 300 gram racquets but that can be easily fixed with some lead tape. I'm not sure why Head came out with this model since its almost identical to the Instinct, but maybe they will phase out the Instinct since it doesn't appear to be a top selling frame. I have to say, Head really has ALL the bases covered with all their racquet lines now. They really have done a great job providing a racquet for any level/style of player.

 

[bertrevert]

Which one? Speed/Extreme/Prestige/other?

Yr absolutely right - Extreme, a v interesting find... light, solid, powerful, but good touch.

Elongated oval head is very different from when I last tried Extremes which was when they were lollipop round.

 

[BillKid]

Good to see this thread back
One of my favorite in the past

 

[SVP]

Good to see this thread back
One of my favorite in the past

And good to see JackB1 back too. An OG.

 

[JackB1]

And good to see JackB1 back too. An OG.

Thanks SVP!

 

[JackB1]

Soooooooo......for the first time ever, I have a little golfers elbow. Not sure how it happened but last week in practice I was purposely playing aggressive and hitting everything hard (especially forehands) and the inside elbow felt a little sore. Then I played again a couple days later and it got very painful. I've been using the Gravity Tour with full bed of Head Velocity MLT, so that combo shouldn't be the cause, right? That racquet is only 3 pts headlight, so a more headlite racquet may help. I will take a few days to rest and ice it and hopefully I will be able to play my league match this weekend. Was thinking of demoing the Wilson Clash.....very flexible and very head light. Any recommendations would be great. Sad thing is I just ordered a Speed MP (last years) and a Boom MP, both of which are more stiff than my current Gravity Tour.

 

[DustinW]

I've been fighting golfer's elbow for 7+ years and I still can't pin it to anything specific. I mostly have it under control now, and I found the most success with stretching and exercises opposed to changing equipment. I will say though, heavy + stiff is the worst for me, and heavy (or high swingweight) is more of a factor than stiffness. Flexible rackets can also be troublesome since I'm putting in more effort on every shot. And as long as I don't use a super stiff poly or a high tension, strings don't seem to matter. One last note... changing rackets frequently also seems to aggravate it.

Good luck!

 

[JackB1]

I've been fighting golfer's elbow for 7+ years and I still can't pin it to anything specific. I mostly have it under control now, and I found the most success with stretching and exercises opposed to changing equipment. I will say though, heavy + stiff is the worst for me, and heavy (or high swingweight) is more of a factor than stiffness. Flexible rackets can also be troublesome since I'm putting in more effort on every shot. And as long as I don't use a super stiff poly or a high tension, strings don't seem to matter. One last note... changing rackets frequently also seems to aggravate it.

Good luck!

Do I need to wait for pain to go away before doing stretching exercises?

 

[DustinW]

Do I need to wait for pain to go away before doing stretching exercises?

No, as long as you keep it light and don't have too much pain while doing exercises.

 

[JackB1]

No, as long as you keep it light and don't have too much pain while doing exercises.

OK. Been doing the GE specific exercise with the green flexbar. That thing cured my TE many years ago. Hopefully it does the trick again.

 

[bertrevert]

I just ordered a Speed MP (last years) ... more stiff than my current Gravity Tour.

Yr gonna find that quite stiff indeed and more HH (or at least more SW) than you might like (or at least more than GT) , it's a funny one alright.

 

[JackB1]

Yr gonna find that quite stiff indeed and more HH (or at least more SW) than you might like (or at least more than GT) , it's a funny one alright.

Yes unfortunately I ordered it before the GE issue reared its ugly head. It's going right back to TW. Gonna move to the Clash 100....either the 100 or the 100 Pro.

 

[JackB1]

Has anyone tried the Clash 100 with a multi or a multi hybrid?