Modern racquet for 1hbh

[canta_Brian]

I’ve been trying a few frames recently. Still a few I want to test but on the following I am wondering what others think.

Head extreme tour
Yonex ezone 305

Both of these frames feel ok. But I notice that both, whilst being 20-25gms lighter in static weight than my current leaded up frame, feel head heavier. I find them good on my forehand, but on my 1hbh I think they feel a bit sluggish. I started to wonder if this sort of balance really only suits a 2hbh.

Also, is the a modern players frame that really suits a 1hbh, offers some pop on serve and is quick and solid at the net?

 

[hurworld]

VCore 95?

 

[gold325]

What is your current frame?

 

[Lorenn]

Both of these frames feel ok. But I notice that both, whilst being 20-25gms lighter in static weight than my current leaded up frame, feel head heavier. I find them good on my forehand, but on my 1hbh I think they feel a bit sluggish. I started to wonder if this sort of balance really only suits a 2hbh.

Also, is the a modern players frame that really suits a 1hbh, offers some pop on serve and is quick and solid at the net?

You could add weight to the handle. One handed backhand is exceptionally timing sensitive. Confidence is also another key factor. Any time you change racquets it requires quite a bit of adaptation. Really hard to compare without your current frame and why you are upgrading... The current Radical Pro, Radical Mp, Speed Mp, Prestige Midplus, Yonex Vcore 98(2021) were super easy on the backhand side(1 handed)...Currently I play with a Gravity Pro and find one hand backhand works well. I do need to burst a little more at the start but otherwise my normal swing.

 

[canta_Brian]

You could add weight to the handle. One handed backhand is exceptionally timing sensitive. Confidence is also another key factor. Any time you change racquets it requires quite a bit of adaptation. Really hard to compare without your current frame and why you are upgrading... The current Radical Pro, Radical Mp, Speed Mp, Prestige Midplus, Yonex Vcore 98(2021) were super easy on the backhand side(1 handed)...Currently I play with a Gravity Pro and find one hand backhand works well. I do need to burst a little more at the start but otherwise my normal swing.

im currently using a 1st gen graphene radical mp. I have lead in it to make it 330gms unstrung with approx 8 points head light. According to the tw swingweight tool it’s 342. Feels quicker than the racquets mentioned. I need something new as the frames I have are battered.

 

[flex]

Are there any specific objective criteria for a racquet to "be good" for the 1hbh? Not being snarky, actually curious.

 

[Yamin]

If it feels sluggish you need to tail weight it for a more headlight balance, or get stronger.

Are there any specific objective criteria for a racquet to "be good" for the 1hbh? Not being snarky, actually curious.

That's really most of what the "good for one handed" comes down to. Ease of use.

Some easier rackets for one handed backhand right now are the Vcore HD, Prestige Mid/MP, Clash 100/98, Vcore 95 etc.

 

[canta_Brian]

Are there any specific objective criteria for a racquet to "be good" for the 1hbh? Not being snarky, actually curious.

Well for me, I have found that the lighter but heady heavy balanced ones feel difficult to get the tip of the racquet round. I sort of thought they may be easier if you have a two hander and the weight at the tip might help to make up for the lack of whip that you get with a two hander? I can't hit a two hander so I don't really know!

 

[canta_Brian]

Maybe to answer your question better. Because the fulcrum is closer to the butt of the racquet on a 1hbh additional head weight is further from this and is therefore requires more power to move than when you use the 2nd hand further up the grip. That sounds sort of sensible from a levers point of view.

 

[gold325]

Are there any specific objective criteria for a racquet to "be good" for the 1hbh? Not being snarky, actually curious.

My opinion is that 1HBH an overall heavier and headlight racket work better to feel and control the swing and hit. Also there is no real wrist rolling and minimal forearm pronation as well... It is more a shoulder rotation/flexion/elevation event so the levers are different so a certain type or racket works better.... Probably

im currently using a 1st gen graphene radical mp. I have lead in it to make it 330gms unstrung with approx 8 points head light. According to the tw swingweight tool it’s 342. Feels quicker than the racquets mentioned. I need something new as the frames I have are battered.

I would buy a gently used or NOS frames of the one your like and stay with those. Changing racquets is more hard mentally on addition to small change in real life.

Or buy a new Radical and weight it up exactly the same as your old one. Atleast that will calm down the mind a little.

 

[Lorenn]

im currently using a 1st gen graphene radical mp. I have lead in it to make it 330gms unstrung with approx 8 points head light. According to the tw swingweight tool it’s 342. Feels quicker than the racquets mentioned. I need something new as the frames I have are battered.

so if you are not majorly retooling your game. I would look at the Radical Pro, Radical MP, Prestige Midplus. Second round I would look at Speed MP and Yonex Vcore lineup. then if you still need a little extra pop I would look at string options.

 

[Arak]

I find that light rackets don’t work well for me. I need a heavy headlight racket. What better than the RF97? My second favorite is the blade 18x20. It’s light with a less headlight balance, but somehow it works for me. One racket that is supposed to be good but doesn’t work for me is the PS97. The swing weight is just too low.

 

[AmericanTwist]

As heavy static weight as one can handle with a balance of around 10 points head light allows for maximum stability and whippiness to help finish the stroke. Flex is personal choice.

 

[canta_Brian]

If it feels sluggish you need to tail weight it for a more headlight balance, or get stronger.

There’s something in that. But I’m old and realistically I’m not going to spend hours in the gym.

Appreciate the frame suggestions btw.

 

[canta_Brian]

My opinion is that 1HBH an overall heavier and headlight racket work better to feel and control the swing and hit. Also there is no real wrist rolling and minimal forearm pronation as well... It is more a shoulder rotation/flexion/elevation event so the levers are different so a certain type or racket works better.... Probably



I would buy a gently used or NOS frames of the one your like and stay with those. Changing racquets is more hard mentally on addition to small change in real life.

Or buy a new Radical and weight it up exactly the same as your old one. Atleast that will calm down the mind a little.

I’m struggling to find the version I have in any better condition. And I believe it plays a fair bit different from the newer versions. Even the graphene xt which was the next version is not all that similar I believe.

 

[canta_Brian]

Also, a have a graphene prestige mp. Really nice in summer when I’m having a good day. A bit demanding for me some times. Currently demoing the yonex core pro 310 16/19. I would say it’s very similar to the prestige in that I think I would love it on a good day but need a bit more help some times.

 

[Yamin]

There’s something in that. But I’m old and realistically I’m not going to spend hours in the gym.

Appreciate the frame suggestions btw.

Ah yeah anything head light then. At least 5 pts. Blade 104v7 is good as well if you don't mind the head size

 

[canta_Brian]

Ah yeah anything head light then. At least 5 pts. Blade 104v7 is good as well if you don't mind the head size

I tried the Prince textreme tour 310 which is a 100 and found it hard to work out wher the ball was going.

 

[golden chicken]

You sound like me, I like a more polarized feeling racket for serves and forehands, but I prefer a more centralized feeling racket for 1HBH topspin. I don't have a good solution to offer you. I just gave in and said serve and forehand are more important, so I went with the setup that was better for them.

Maybe if you take a bit of the lead and redistribute it closer to the throat or top of the handle, you might find what you're looking for, but I've never myself tried it. You'd just have to experiment.

 

[mb3182]

I don't know if they can be classified as "modern" but have a look at Angell too: TC95, TC97 and K7 Lime. The K7 Lime works beautifully for my backhand. I also like the fact that Angell B grip is a bit more rectangular than Wilson and it's easier for me to find my backhand grip.
Otherwise H22 works also well for me.

 

[mark b.]

Yonex Vcore Pro 97 310.......................I've never hit better backhands.......but Volleys were not on par.

 

[Yamin]

Otherwise H22 works also well for me.

What balance do you play yours at? Have noticed it comes through very smoothly.

 

[mb3182]

What balance do you play yours at? Have noticed it comes through very smoothly.

Mine is 345g, 32cm balance.

 

[flex]

Got it, so 1 handers tend to go for more headlight, heavier weight racquet.
What about length? Generally speaking, and from my experience as a 2 hander, which is my best and favorite shot, an extra length (of half an inch) provides a very noticeable power (and confidence) in my 2hbh.

Is this true for the 1hbh as well?

 

[golden chicken]

Got it, so 1 handers tend to go for more headlight, heavier weight racquet.
What about length? Generally speaking, and from my experience as a 2 hander, which is my best and favorite shot, an extra length (of half an inch) provides a very noticeable power (and confidence) in my 2hbh.

Is this true for the 1hbh as well?

I was using a 27.5" racket when I began to transition from 2HBH to 1HBH. I'm now using 27" rackets. The one hander gives you a little more reach, and I found the 27.5" racket ever slightly too long at net, so for me going back down to a 27" racket was the best answer.

 

[canta_Brian]

Mine is 345g, 32cm balance.

Interesting. My radical is 343 strung and 32 cm balance.

 

[slipgrip93]

There's an updated recent version of the Wilson Six. One 95 at wilson pro labs. But the ones with 4 3/8" handles seem out of stock currently.

Pro Staff Six.One (18x20) v13 Tennis Racket

A favorite of advanced and professional players for the past two decades, the Pro Staff Six.One (18x20) carries a one-two punch of sleek design and intimidating performance to the court. Crafted for experienced players who hit the sweet spot with consiste

www.wilson.com

• Heavy static weight and head-light balance deliver appealing combination of stability and maneuverability

(a march 2021 review)

 

[canta_Brian]

There's an updated recent version of the Wilson Six. One 95 at wilson pro labs. But the ones with 4 3/8" handles seem out of stock currently.

Pro Staff Six.One (18x20) v13 Tennis Racket

A favorite of advanced and professional players for the past two decades, the Pro Staff Six.One (18x20) carries a one-two punch of sleek design and intimidating performance to the court. Crafted for experienced players who hit the sweet spot with consiste

www.wilson.com

(a march 2021 review)

I see it says the following in the description: “Crafted for experienced players who hit the sweet spot with consistency,” which may be an issue

 

[Lorenn]

I’m struggling to find the version I have in any better condition. And I believe it plays a fair bit different from the newer versions. Even the graphene xt which was the next version is not all that similar I believe.

Going to be difficult to find something that plays exactly like your current racquet. Head kinda went off in a different direction for a few models. I was tired of finding old frames so I switched from the Liquid Metal to Head Gravity Pro. Radical 360+ was not out yet, but it might've won. The MP version was insanely quick when it came to one handed backhand. The Pro version not far behind. Speed MP was a pleasant surprise for a 100. Gravity Mp was lacking pop, but the Gravity Pro had everything I was looking for...other then a little extra effort on backhand.

 

[dgoran]

Gravity pro is a good choice but for my game it needed to be more head light so if you add weight in the handle about 10-15 gr it will require less effort for one hander

Surprising contender could also be ezone 98 tour great for one hander due to inherent stability old play stock but wanted more head light because, again that's what I am accustomed to

 

[adso1973]

Hi,

Personally I found the VCORE 98 305 much natural on 1HBH compared to the Ezone 98 305, but this is a personal opinion. The VCORE PRO 97 310 also felt better but I'm not sure if this is what you may call modern as it is more all school players oriented, great racquet.

Other racquet I borrowed from a friend and felt great was the head extreme pro (100 sq 315).

Hope that helps.

 

[gold325]

 

[1990's Graphite]

Yeah he has been getting ideas from these forums for a while now. Just look at the threads here and new ones like the 1hbh themes ( there has been a few of late) and then he makes a video lol

 

[canta_Brian]

I’m currently demoing the Dunlop fx-500 tour. 6 points head light and seems to swing well. Worth trying I think. Need a bit more time yet though before I make the switch. Need a couple of sets.

 

[socallefty]

Just look around you at your club, nearby college or the pro tour of the variety of racquets that are used by players with 1HBHs. For the umpteenth time, there are no racquets that are suitable for one kind of shot - just players with good technique who play with racquets that are similar to what they liked growing up.

Players like the racquets that are similar to what they developed their game with because their swing is based on those specs - I think this correlates more than any playing style or technique preferring particular racquet types. If you look at the pro tour or college tennis or junior tournaments, you still see a wide variety of racquet specs and brands for those with 1HBHs. I don’t believe there is a particular racquet spec or model suited to baseliners, net players, 1HBHs, big servers etc. to the extent that some people believe on this board.

Many middle-aged guys like heavy racquets around 12 ozs because that’s what they learned the game with in their youth and many have linear swings that require a stable racquet. Younger guys grew up with tweeners between 10.5-11.5 ozs and prefer them especially with a bit more stiffness as they have whippy swings that need higher racquet head speed (RHS). They think a 12 oz racquet will fatigue them as it likely reduces their RHS. Super-seniors over 60 are the ones who start gravitating to lighter, stiffer, larger frames that are different than the racquet specs that they grew up with.

Look at the racquets you developed your game with primarily and there’s probably a good correlation with what specs you like today - if you are under sixty. Whether you have a 1HBH or 2HBH, you need a racquet that you can develop good racquet head speed (RHS) with to swing freely and so you need a swingweight that is in your sweet-hitting range. It could be a heavier racquet that is more headlight or a lighter racquet that is balanced more evenly. Posters here who have a 1HBH will just list racquets that they like and that doesn’t mean that you will like it. I have a 1HBH and love the Pure Strike Tour, but it’s because it is similar to all the 12 oz, SW330-335, thin beam, mid-sixties RA stiffness racquets I have always played with for decades. It is not because it is somehow magically suitable for 1HBHs - it plays great for my FH, volleys and serves also.

 

[abarth20]

You could add weight to the handle. One handed backhand is exceptionally timing sensitive. Confidence is also another key factor. Any time you change racquets it requires quite a bit of adaptation. Really hard to compare without your current frame and why you are upgrading... The current Radical Pro, Radical Mp, Speed Mp, Prestige Midplus, Yonex Vcore 98(2021) were super easy on the backhand side(1 handed)...Currently I play with a Gravity Pro and find one hand backhand works well. I do need to burst a little more at the start but otherwise my normal swing.

Not sure if the Speed Mp is great for the OHBH due to 328 swingweight..

 

[Lorenn]

Not sure if the Speed Mp is great for the OHBH due to 328 swingweight..

First off I find the Gravity Pro easy to swing. SW 332. Radical MP swingweight is 326 is 2 really that much of a difference? Yonex Vcore 98 clocks in at 325. I don't see swingweight as the only factor even if 2-3 was enough to make a huge difference. Talking 1% difference? Each person will have a different cutoff point.

Three main factors seem to influence my ability to swing well with a one handed backhand. Weight, Balance and Resistance. Radical MP is the easiest to swing. I had to slow down my swing. Radical Pro and Speed MP felt about the same. Both were easy and I had extra time. Gravity Pro requires just a little extra at the start.

 

[Lorenn]

Are there any specific objective criteria for a racquet to "be good" for the 1hbh? Not being snarky, actually curious.

One handed backhand requires tons of well timed body movement and relaxation. Most players who use a one handed backhand prefer racquets which are reasonably stable at volleys and can develop high racquet head speed. This allows them to swing with little fear as f=ma. You can actually have a great one handed backhand with a heavier racquet if you can get their soon enough and time it well.

 

[flex]

prefer racquets which are reasonably stable at volleys and can develop high racquet head speed.

But the comparison is against 2hbh. Why wouldn't a 2hbh player prefer a stable racquet that is good for volleys and high racquet head speed. For one sample data, as a 2hbh users I prefer that as well.

 

[Lorenn]

But the comparison is against 2hbh. Why wouldn't a 2hbh player prefer a stable racquet that is good for volleys and high racquet head speed. For one sample data, as a 2hbh users I prefer that as well.

Don't recall it being called a comparison. Question was what makes a racquet good for one handed backhand. Doesn''t mean it can't be good for the average two hander. Two handed backhanded players tend to like the large sweetspot of a larger head. They tend to use more of the mass side of the of F=ma. Try both swings and come to your own conclusion.

 

[ariwibowo]

Try Pro Staff 97 as it was built for attacking players: good serve, one handed backhand, and for volleying.

 

[mctennis]

Try the Yonex VCore Pro 97 HD. My OHBH feels great using this racquet. Better than any other more modern racquet I have tried.

 

[canta_Brian]

Try the Yonex VCore Pro 97 HD. My OHBH feels great using this racquet. Better than any other more modern racquet I have tried.

I haven’t tried the HD, but have tried the 16x19 310. I really liked the frame, but it felt like a “good day” frame. Like if I was on, this would emphasise that, but also that if I wasn’t quite there it would really show.

I guess I may be looking for the impossible. The racquet that helps a bit when I’m off but does take anything away when I’m on.

 

[Spin Diesel]

I‘m currently trying rackets to see if it helps me improve my not super consistent BH.
I currently play a phantom pro 100p and read that smaller headsizes are recommended more often.

So I ordered two demos - a vcore 95 and a phantom 93p. With the vcore I didn‘t notice any benefits on my backhand, while with the 93p I hit my best and most consistent backhands. It had some strange kind of maneuvrable sluggishness which actually worked great for me.

After testing I measured both rackets DIY. While the vcore came out pretty much on point, the 93p was way over spec. It measured 351g, 31,7 bal and 345 SW.
So now I‘m wondering what it is that makes this racket work so well for my backhand. One thing I guess is the launch angle, as I tend to overhit backhands more often than hitting the net. But it‘s also that my timing worked great with it.
I can‘t switch to this racket, cause it doesn‘t offer me enough spin on my regular rallying forehand. Though I noticed that I could hit some flat forehands like never before, which is nice as well.

So I‘m thinking of demoing a Radical next. I hope its denser 16x19 will give me a launch angle somewhere in between.

 

[BallBasher247]

I‘m currently trying rackets to see if it helps me improve my not super consistent BH.
I currently play a phantom pro 100p and read that smaller headsizes are recommended more often.

So I ordered two demos - a vcore 95 and a phantom 93p. With the vcore I didn‘t notice any benefits on my backhand, while with the 93p I hit my best and most consistent backhands. It had some strange kind of maneuvrable sluggishness which actually worked great for me.

After testing I measured both rackets DIY. While the vcore came out pretty much on point, the 93p was way over spec. It measured 351g, 31,7 bal and 345 SW.
So now I‘m wondering what it is that makes this racket work so well for my backhand. One thing I guess is the launch angle, as I tend to overhit backhands more often than hitting the net. But it‘s also that my timing worked great with it.
I can‘t switch to this racket, cause it doesn‘t offer me enough spin on my regular rallying forehand. Though I noticed that I could hit some flat forehands like never before, which is nice as well.

So I‘m thinking of demoing a Radical next. I hope its denser 16x19 will give me a launch angle somewhere in between.

Could be the balance and weight distribution that are working for you. For me, I like a strung balance of around 32cm and a more polarized weight distribution on that shot, and I've found that this seems to be a common thing with a lot of us 1HBH users.

Two of my favorite rackets on my BH are the Tecnifibre TF40 315 and my racket of choice, the Wilson Ultra Pro 16x19. The Ultra Pro plays beautifully when customized to your specs, and it's my favorite racket above 95 sq in on my BH. The dense 16x19 pattern gives a really nice launch angle too. The TF40 315 is nice out of the box; they run a little heavy, usually closer to 320g unstrung, but the balance makes them swing fast and the 18x20 pattern is open enough for decent spin. With about a gram of weight at the tip, that racket plays amazing too. Mine is 345g strung w/OG so a bit too heavy for me for long sessions/matches, but it's got nice control and a surprising amount of power and spin for what it is. I also liked the new Radical Pro a lot when I demoed it, but wasn't as comfortable on the topspin/drive 1HBH as with the UP or TF40, though I loved it on the slice.

A good demo pack to put together would be the TF40 315, the Phantom 97P and maybe the new Prestige MP since that one's buttery like your 100P. You can't demo the UP but once you use it, the feel is so nice you won't want to use anything else....

 

[Spin Diesel]

Could be the balance and weight distribution that are working for you. For me, I like a strung balance of around 32cm and a more polarized weight distribution on that shot, and I've found that this seems to be a common thing with a lot of us 1HBH users.

Two of my favorite rackets on my BH are the Tecnifibre TF40 315 and my racket of choice, the Wilson Ultra Pro 16x19. The Ultra Pro plays beautifully when customized to your specs, and it's my favorite racket above 95 sq in on my BH. The dense 16x19 pattern gives a really nice launch angle too. The TF40 315 is nice out of the box; they run a little heavy, usually closer to 320g unstrung, but the balance makes them swing fast and the 18x20 pattern is open enough for decent spin. With about a gram of weight at the tip, that racket plays amazing too. Mine is 345g strung w/OG so a bit too heavy for me for long sessions/matches, but it's got nice control and a surprising amount of power and spin for what it is. I also liked the new Radical Pro a lot when I demoed it, but wasn't as comfortable on the topspin/drive 1HBH as with the UP or TF40, though I loved it on the slice.

A good demo pack to put together would be the TF40 315, the Phantom 97P and maybe the new Prestige MP since that one's buttery like your 100P. You can't demo the UP but once you use it, the feel is so nice you won't want to use anything else....

Hey, thanks for your reply!
Coincidentally I already ordered a TF40 315 together with the radical pro. I actually was a bit skeptical, because people seem to only rave about the 305 but now I‘m really looking forward to it!

Regarding the ultra pro - a few years back I tested the ultra tour, so the 18x20 version and actually really liked it. Now that I‘m looking for a new frame, I was thinking about it but that Wilson Pro line thing puts me off a lot. If they offered better quality control with that line, I would actually be fine with that but the way it is, I‘d prefer to find another frame.

The prestige mp is on my radar as well. Heard a lot of good things about it. The 97p not so much because apart from being 97 sqin, it‘s even softer than my 100p and I‘m afraid I‘d loose too much power and spin with it. But I‘ll reconsider it, if I‘m not too happy about those other rackets.

 

[joohan]

Yeah he has been getting ideas from these forums for a while now. Just look at the threads here and new ones like the 1hbh themes ( there has been a few of late) and then he makes a video lol

Good for him. Not all people want to look through forum like this and might prefer video media. My hours could have been spent much better than here, too. Maybe creating similar content or actually getting better at my job.

 

[BallBasher247]

Hey, thanks for your reply!
Coincidentally I already ordered a TF40 315 together with the radical pro. I actually was a bit skeptical, because people seem to only rave about the 305 but now I‘m really looking forward to it!

Regarding the ultra pro - a few years back I tested the ultra tour, so the 18x20 version and actually really liked it. Now that I‘m looking for a new frame, I was thinking about it but that Wilson Pro line thing puts me off a lot. If they offered better quality control with that line, I would actually be fine with that but the way it is, I‘d prefer to find another frame.

The prestige mp is on my radar as well. Heard a lot of good things about it. The 97p not so much because apart from being 97 sqin, it‘s even softer than my 100p and I‘m afraid I‘d loose too much power and spin with it. But I‘ll reconsider it, if I‘m not too happy about those other rackets.

Yeah, the 305 is more popular and it's great too, it's just that the balance is too high for a lot of 1HBH players. More of a Blade style racket for attacking players with 2HBH's. Can add a leather grip on that one to get the balance down though, that seems to work for a lot of players too.

Wilson QC is comically bad, but since the UPs are so light, it's easy to adjust the specs and weight distribution to your taste. I have 2 UPs; one was 304g/31cm unstrung and the other was 300g/31.4cm unstrung, the latter being almost laughably light in the throat and upper handle/pallet region. They're matched to 337g/32cm strung with the same weight distribution and about a ~332-335 SW. Tinkering isn't for everyone so I get not wanting to be bothered, but man is that H19 feel sweet when you get the weight right.....

Haven't tried the Prestige MP myself yet, but heard great things about it. Seems to be a true classic. Kinda been staying away from it just because it's 320g unstrung and people still add lead to it. Should be perfect for you though since you've been gelling with heavy rackets. The string pattern and playability are similar to the TF40 315 but the power is lower and the feel is much plusher; the TF40 is more crisp and direct almost like a Pro Staff but more comfortable. Both will make you feel like you've got the ball on a yo-yo.

 

[Dartagnan64]

My question for the OP is "are you trying to build your game around your brilliant 1HBH?"
If not, then might I suggest you get a racket that's really good for serves, returns and FH's before you worry about whether it suits your BH all that well.

Since every stroke is slightly different, there is likely a perfect racket for each one of them but no perfect racket for all of them. I don't use the same golf club for putting that I would for pitching or driving.

So you have to decide what's the strength of your game and get the equipment that best suits your strengths while not overly compromising your weaknesses. No point in getting great 1HBH frame if you can't serve worth a darn with it.

On a personal level I did something like this for my 2HBH. I got the Blade 104 SW model and it was transformative for my 2HBH. The swingweight and extended length made for exceptional shots off that wing. But it was just too unwieldy for volleys and FH's which were a bigger part of my doubles game. So I eventually moved on.

 

[morten]

PD 2021 with leather grip is great for my one handed backhand...