wasnt told, didnt ask.
I am surprised how small Sinner his grip actually is for him, it definetly doesnt pass the finger test: https://empresaytrabajo.coop/Jannik...-History-Advances-To-Vienna-Final-874392.html
Question for @dr325i: How much of a difference is the Graphene XT Speed MP vs Touch Speed MP (TGT301.4)? I know that both racquets have the same mold but are the differences small or does it almost play the same as Sinner’s racquet? I ask this because there is currently a discount on the Graphene XT Speed MP.
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FrankyRelax
Professional
Pretty sure the Dr is gone from the forums
Hawks9451
Professional
I don't like this, only liking to affirm I've come to a similar understanding.
bobeeto
Hall of Fame
Wait can someone remind me why he’s off the forum? I liked having the guy around
layup is different. XT is stifferQuestion for @dr325i: How much of a difference is the Graphene XT Speed MP vs Touch Speed MP (TGT301.4)? I know that both racquets have the same mold but are the differences small or does it almost play the same as Sinner’s racquet? I ask this because there is currently a discount on the Graphene XT Speed MP:
Buy HEAD Speed Graphene XT Speed MP (strung) online | Tennis Point UK
Speed Graphene XT Speed MP (strung) - £125.90 - HEAD - Speed - Tennis rackets - Tour racket - blue - 3rd Colour: white - Head size (cm²): 645 - Racket cover: No - String pattern: 16/19 - Profile (mm): 22 - Weight unstrung (g): 300 - ASP - Length (mm): 685 - Collection: HEAD Speed - Handle: false...www.tennis-point.co.uk
Is this a limited edition? I’ve never seen this color before on this racquet?
Casey 1988
Rookie
I think maybe they are for protection of the string ?
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cant tell you for sure because I have 3 touch speed mp but no xt speed mp. But I can imagine the different tecnology and stiffness makes the racket feel different, and also has some impact on energy return.
Alexh22
Professional
Overall you want to have the same mold and material before even talking about weight , balance , leather grip or sw.
Thanks to our head paintjob artists you gonna use some serious imagination to ensure the first two are in order.
As for material, if you ask again they would say they run out and ask you to buy the latest line.
Thanks to our head paintjob artists you gonna use some serious imagination to ensure the first two are in order.
As for material, if you ask again they would say they run out and ask you to buy the latest line.
he uses it instead of a dampener.
Casey 1988
Rookie
Makes sense and in some cases when a dampener/the system starts to wear out he has less worry about the thing flying off the racquet the way a traditional dampener does.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
No, power pads are not a dampener
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Casey 1988
Rookie
But these are so thin they can't really be for power.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
Power pads aren’t for power either.
Casey 1988
Rookie
I had believed those leather and synthetic leather pads were for string protection or string tension on bigger power pads, the same way those plastic parts were made on older and/or cheaper racquets but people say no on this theory I keep typing. If parts like this are just for show...then why make them at all? I get on some cheaper aluminum having the plastic power pads made for the racquet originally to keep the string from sliding in the plastic throat piece crack or be more stable on a solid plastic throat piece on the head as for some reason most models of Aluminum racquets are using a separate head throat piece.
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Hawks9451
Professional
Huh
They don't dampen the vibrations?
McEncock
Professional
No they don't I've used powerpads in the past only because it looked good haha
They do dampen the high frequencies as they are softer than the frame and attached to the strings. It is physics 101.
jmacdaununder2
Legend
I believe that there’s a minor increase in comfort with power pads installed.
Not coincidentally I’ve noticed that the tension drops very slightly, particularly the first time that they are strung in, presumably due to the initial compression of the pads - the racquet model that I used 12 of for 20 years has eight mains/four pads inside the throat, slightly amplifying any effects. There is also a slight increase in swing weight.
Having played with virtually identical racquets other than the inclusion of the pads back to back, it’s definitely possible to feel the difference at impact; it’s hard to tell if this is more attributable to the ‘extra’ factors listed above, or more due to the inherent sensation at impact being altered, albeit slightly.
Not coincidentally I’ve noticed that the tension drops very slightly, particularly the first time that they are strung in, presumably due to the initial compression of the pads - the racquet model that I used 12 of for 20 years has eight mains/four pads inside the throat, slightly amplifying any effects. There is also a slight increase in swing weight.
Having played with virtually identical racquets other than the inclusion of the pads back to back, it’s definitely possible to feel the difference at impact; it’s hard to tell if this is more attributable to the ‘extra’ factors listed above, or more due to the inherent sensation at impact being altered, albeit slightly.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
No, they don’t. Power pads were used on wood and early graphite rackets because the turn of the main strings would be right angle right and would protect the string from sheering. Modern grommets have have a “U” shape to them in the throat and really not needed. Although it became popular again with the use of Poly strings because a miss hit can cause the poly to sheer. I even remember some stringers putting power pads at the top of Yonex rackets because you had individual grommets and the isometric head shape you could get a break with gut on a miss hit at the top of the frame. I have played with and with out power pads and I have seen zero difference in feel or performance.
I think anytime you put a softer material in the string bed, it does impact feel. I played power pads years ago and it does feel slightly different and the string bed has a bit more rebound. The impact is small but there. How could a string tight against a hard plastic grommet play the same as a string against a much softer piece of leather play the same?
McEncock
Professional
that's the whole thing : power pads are not IN the stringbed, that's why it has no impact on playability/vibration whatsoever. I have, too, played with powerpads for years, stringing my racquets with and without them. They were thick leather ones, and it took absolutely 0 vibrations out.
I'd be happy to be wrong tho as I was looking for someting in between a dampener and a free stringbed, regarding vibrations.
jmacdaununder2
Legend
They don’t have to be ‘in’ the string bed, the 6 or 8 center main strings literally wrap around them.
As noted above, the relative softness of the pads in comparison with the frame, particularly when the pads are first installed & before repeated compression through use flattens them where the string impacts them (look at the pads before and after a restring runs it’s course, and tell me that no compression has occurred) is obviously going to produce a small, but discernible difference.
In addition, the now slightly longer mains will have slightly more resilience ceteris paribus.
This is basic physics, despite what the ‘flat earthers’ want to tell you.
As noted above, the relative softness of the pads in comparison with the frame, particularly when the pads are first installed & before repeated compression through use flattens them where the string impacts them (look at the pads before and after a restring runs it’s course, and tell me that no compression has occurred) is obviously going to produce a small, but discernible difference.
In addition, the now slightly longer mains will have slightly more resilience ceteris paribus.
This is basic physics, despite what the ‘flat earthers’ want to tell you.
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Lol, someone skipped their physics classes. The tension in the stringbed will always be applied to the power pads, thus they will dampen the vibrations.that's the whole thing : power pads are not IN the stringbed, that's why it has no impact on playability/vibration whatsoever. I have, too, played with powerpads for years, stringing my racquets with and without them. They were thick leather ones, and it took absolutely 0 vibrations out.
I'd be happy to be wrong tho as I was looking for someting in between a dampener and a free stringbed, regarding vibrations.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
I disagree with you. I have used powerpads and not in the same racket and there was no difference. I will agree to disagree with you and end it there.
Sinner doesn't use powerpads, or at least not the usual leather powerpads. Some 4-5 years ago there was an interview in I think "Il tennis Italiano" with a member of his initial Piatti team, who said it was only for feel, his secret, but if I remember correctly those pads are paper thin and wood based. I think he stated that natural materials feel better to us, probably because we evolved with them, don't remember the exact explanation
I would be curious to try them actually. Speed Touch MP with Hawk Touch has an OK feel, but not more than that
I would be curious to try them actually. Speed Touch MP with Hawk Touch has an OK feel, but not more than that
ichaseballs
Professional
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
No power pads
Yes, I agree. I used power pads back in the wood racguet days and continued to in my graphite racquets due to habit for many years. I stopped when a stringer forgot to put them in when I got some restrings and realized they don't do anything for modern racquets.
Back in the single-shafted wood racquet days the center main strings would take a hard bend to the outside of the frame, power pads would put a little less strain on those strings, nothing more.
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McEncock
Professional
That's not very kind
You might have done more physics than I did, but I worked as a stringer in a tennis shop ; did you?
Try put your dampener outside of the stringbed, like a powerpad ; you'll feel no dampening whatsoever. Because to dampen a stringbed's vibrations, the object has to be inside the stringbed to absorb the vibrations of it after impact, which is not the case with powerpads.
Basic physics
Hi,
I've just finished a session with both racquets. Setup identical, strung at 62lbs/28kg. They are very similar, easily interchangeable. There's a slight difference in feel, with XT being stiffer, crisper. I've been playing with the Touch version for a couple of years now, so obviously preferred it. I suspect it could be the other way around if I was used to the XT version. They both are maneuverable racquets with quite open string pattern and decent power that respond well to lead tape customization. I'd say go for it!
Which string did you string at 28kg, HT 1.30 or? And what's your tennis level pls
Alu Power 1.30mm. Estimated 5.0 NTRP rating.
d-quik
Hall of Fame
This is presumably an older racket though.
You can tell in the video below that his lead placement is different now.
Obviously, we can't tell whether it also means different specs but I've seen multiple people report 340 SW strung.
Jannik used to play with a sw of 340, it's lower since mid 2023. In a very recent video by TW, presenting the new Head 4in1 swingweight machine, it's clearly said that his unstrung specs are 304g and 301kgcm2, so approx 333kgcm2 when strung with Hawk Touch 1.30, even which overgrip he uses
His avg forehand speed used to be around 140-142km/h, now it's visibly lower, if he's having to grind and spin vs Medvedev then around 123, if he's blasting then around 132km/h
Easier control of the tip of the racquet is also pretty obvious, on low volleys and dropshots
Interesting he didn't go down in tension, still 28kg, and also that his returns didn't seem to suffer at all with lower swingweight
His avg forehand speed used to be around 140-142km/h, now it's visibly lower, if he's having to grind and spin vs Medvedev then around 123, if he's blasting then around 132km/h
Easier control of the tip of the racquet is also pretty obvious, on low volleys and dropshots
Interesting he didn't go down in tension, still 28kg, and also that his returns didn't seem to suffer at all with lower swingweight
Tennisist
Professional
Ltd is not a separate version. It is just a different color.
ACT
Rookie
Hawk Touch is notably a string that increases SW higher than the regular 30 pts, 1.25mm already increases SW by a noticeable amount, 1.30mm will be even higher - so would not be surprised if it's still 340 sw
Tennisist
Professional
I strongly suspect that trying to emulate his exact specs will yield you nothing ( unless you are exceptionally strong ). I am basing this on my own experience. Swinging 340sw racquet requires a lot of strength. And not in the arm — in the entire body. Sinner’s slim looks are very deceptive. You need to be an ox.
After lowering the Swighweight, I started making progress. But perfection was still too far away.
Long story short: everything finally clicked for me when I tried the Volkl V8 Pro with Sinner’s technique. So, do not go chasing Sinner’s specs. Try configurations that are much lighter. You may find your solution in unexpected places.
After lowering the Swighweight, I started making progress. But perfection was still too far away.
Long story short: everything finally clicked for me when I tried the Volkl V8 Pro with Sinner’s technique. So, do not go chasing Sinner’s specs. Try configurations that are much lighter. You may find your solution in unexpected places.
Don't know his reasoning specifically but the general trend on tour is to go lower in size.
It has to do with the fact that wrist movement in becoming more and more important and lower grip size should allow for more of it.
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