Was that a Kneissl or an Estusa or a Slazenger?I was wondering if anyone knows the series of racquets Jimmy C used . There was the obvious Wilson T2000 from the mid 70s to late 80s I think . What did he use before? Then he had that ghastly yellow mid size looking thing at the US Open.
Never saw him with a woody .. Although you would imagine he must have used one somewhere in the early daysWas that a Kneissl or an Estusa or a Slazenger?
(P.S. Are there photos of Connors using a woody?)
There was mention somewhere that I saw ages ago that the PS 85 was designed with him in mind but yes he didnt like it
There was mention somewhere that I saw ages ago that the PS 85 was designed with him in mind but yes he didnt like it
here is what i remember:
1) t2000
2) wilson prostaff mid ('84-85)
3) back to t2000
4) slazenger panther pro ceramic (86-88?)
5) slazenger phantom (89-90?)
6) estusa (91-93?)
7) mono (95 -- til now)
i think i heard the estusa racquet he used at 91 us open was actually a paint job slazenger phantom but im not sure..)
I bet Wilson was marketing this racquet in the 70s just because of his name recognition. I doubt he ever used it.
not sure, if that´s the actual model that he used.
he also tried the Wilson Pro Staff 85 but didn´t like it
Slazenger logo on the strings.
Agreed on the woody with his name on it. I've got a similar one and the same story no doubt .I bet Wilson was marketing this racquet in the 70s just because of his name recognition. I doubt he ever used it.
Yes, he did try and play with Pro Staff for a few months in the 80s, but immediately went back to his T2000.
here is what i remember:
1) t2000
2) wilson prostaff mid ('84-85)
3) back to t2000
4) slazenger panther pro ceramic (86-88?)
5) slazenger phantom (89-90?)
6) estusa (91-93?)
7) mono (95 -- til now)
i think i heard the estusa racquet he used at 91 us open was actually a paint job slazenger phantom but im not sure..)
I bet Wilson was marketing this racquet in the 70s just because of his name recognition. I doubt he ever used it.
Yes, he did try and play with Pro Staff for a few months in the 80s, but immediately went back to his T2000.
JC also played with an experimental sort of t2000-esque - graphite midsize frame that was different than the ps85.
He's playing with it here and they talk about it around 14 min.
I believe that is the prototype for the PS 85....
And just as the PS was released he used a prototype that was never put into regular production. Painted to look exactly like the PS85 but it had an almost completely round hoop and pretty flexible.
I strung a few during those mixed double matches with Evert in the early 80s.
No. It's a much different prototype with a totally round head - much smaller and more like a graphite T2000 actually and quite flexible. Was around the time they were coming up with the PS 85 but this wasn't it at all.
From a similar thread:
Well, the mixed dubs video is from 1983, well before the PS came out. I suppose it could be a prototype that never made it to prime time....or they just moved on from that one to the PS. Evert was the smart one; she switched and stuck with it. She played very well w/the PS from '84 onwards...a few GS titles along the way.
Actually the PS 85 officially came out in 1984 but JC was testing it well before then along with this other prototype as well. And in 84 after getting destroyed by Mac in the Wimbledon final with the T2000 Connors went with the PS 85 at the US Open and others so...
If my memory is right, in early '85 he lost a couple of matches that probably rattled his confidence in the PS. One was the Masters SF vs. Lendl, after being ahead in the final set. Then, he played an awful final in Florida against Christo Van Rensburg, pretty much a nobody. I didn't think it was the racquet, just Connors being off that day. I watched that one. He was misfiring all over. By the time of the French Open he was back to the T2000; he reached the semis there and again at Wimby, losing both--badly. US too, but he got hurt prior to his SF, so hard to say if the racquet would've made a difference. I think he went thru all of '86 w/the t2000...and had a lousy year, before going over to the white Slazenger Panther Pro Ceramic...which seemed like a good choice for him. It was a pretty heavy racquet, for a composite...not my cup of tea.