Need more arm friendly racquet that hits like the latest RF Pro Staff...

[Mirdad]

I'm a little late here but fwiw I'm been playing with (and switching between) the TC97 16x19 (330/305 w5grams split between 6 and 9) and the RF97 for over a year now. I find it pretty easy to switch from one to the other. I string the TC97 below 55# with gut/poly (VS team/head hawk) and the RF97 closer to 60# with same. I feel like the RF plays best with a soft multi at 58# or so (like NXT power 17) but I go through that stuff in about 2 hours so I stick to gut/poly for about half the price on an annual basis.

IMO, the TC97 is softer on the arm whereas the RF is a bit more stable. But as I said, I find it easy to go back and forth as long as the RF is strung about 5-8# more.

I'm an overweight 41yr old 4.0-4.5 with bad knees playing mostly doubles these days. I play with a topspin FH and one handed backhand. My best shot (i'm told) is a high bouncing/kick second serve for which both racquets serve me well.

Hope this helps.

That RF is one heck of a stick but I've determined it's too heavy for my arthritic shoulder and a little too stiff. The TC97 16x19 has always intrigued me but after hitting with a TC100 RA70 I decided to order the TC100 63RA as I believe it will be a little more forgiving than the TC97 and a little more powerful too. With my shoulder problem I don't have the luxury of hitting all out on my flatter shots so I opted to go with the TC100 which is more of a topspin frame but can still hit flat but perhaps not full throttle like you can on the TC97. All that being said, I sure would love to try hitting with the TC97; might even be worth having each in my bag.

 

[Syfo-Dias]

I've heard the Yonex Duel G 330g is the closest thing to the RF97 right now. It's a little more flexible at 66RA and about 10g lighter. If you threw a leather grip on there it would probably be about the same weight and balance though.

 

[StringingIrvine]

@Mirdad
Have you thought about just buying lighter RF97s? You can order two new ones and ask TW to find you some within the lighter spec range. To reduce the weight even more you can swap out the leather for a synthetic material to shave off 8-10g.

 

[Mirdad]

@Mirdad
Have you thought about just buying lighter RF97s? You can order two new ones and ask TW to find you some within the lighter spec range. To reduce the weight even more you can swap out the leather for a synthetic material to shave off 8-10g.

I've thought about that but I do like the current h/l balance of the Fed racquet. Swapping a leather for a synthetic grip will make the head heavier........but maybe by not that much? It's worth a try.
Thanks

 

[KaiserW]

I've thought about that but I do like the current h/l balance of the Fed racquet. Swapping a leather for a synthetic grip will make the head heavier........but maybe by not that much? It's worth a try.
Thanks

I have a Skin Feel on it and my balance only changed a 1/2 point. Went from 9 to 8.5.

 

[Crocodile]

The RF Pro Staff (latest black version) is my dream racquet. In fact, it is my favorite racquet of all time (40 yrs+ of playing). I crush average second serves, block back (with short swing) bullet serves and hit great topspin from the baseline. Can still flatten out on shots when wanting to be more aggressive......all with decent accuracy. At the net, the racquet is super at providing stability and control. I also love the feeling of hitting my 2HB with the racquet versus many others I have tried. The problem I have with the racquet is I'm an aging 4.5 to 5.0 level player whose shoulder is very tired after about 40 minutes of play. I don't think it's so much the weight that is bothering me. The racquet feels very stiff at the net even though I have switched to Wilson NXT Power 17. Off center shots from the baseline also produce unwanted vibration, despite being pretty good at hitting within the sweet spot. The RF racquet has a flex rating of 68 which is probably too high for my shoulder. My guess is I need a more flexible racquet but I really like the stability and spin potential of the Fed racquet. I have a demo on order of the following racquets:
1)Volkl V-Sense Tour
2)Volkl C10 Pro (racquet seems to have great specs, but skeptical how it performs versus more modern racquets)
3)ProKennex Ki Q+ Tour 300
4)ProKennex Ki Q+Pro 310

So far I've demoed:
1) Wilson CV Blade 18X20: Not enough topspin, I've been spoiled by the RF open frame which allows me to hit more topspin. Also, denser string pattern racquets are in by themselves more stiff so I've ruled the 18X20 Blade out.
2) Wilson CV Blade 16X19: Too head heavy. I also prefer a lighter head balance. I tried weighting the handle but still the racquet did not produce the control I was used to using the RF racquet and felt too head heavy after weighting it down.
3)Tried some of the Babloat Aero's but they are too stiff and found I couldn't flatten out on my shots as well as the Fed racquet.
4) I have tried various 16x18 racquets such at the Prince Textreme Warrior and Wilson Blade. I found these racquets more arm friendly and great for tremendous topspin but they are not very accurate when trying to be more aggressive when flattening out on shots.

So, the perfect racquet would have the following characteristics:

1)Arm friendly
2)Very stable
3)Access to spin (prefer 16x19)
4)Can flatten out on shots with accuracy
5)Head light balance of at least 6 points; preferably 9 points HL. (I can always customize to achieve the HL balance I like but don't want the racquet to weigh much more than 12.3 ounces)


What do you think of my demos I have on order? Any ideas where I can locate this dream racquet?

Thanks in advance........

Definately C10 and PK Q plus tour 325. Maybe add Yonex Duel G 330 and a customised version of the new Dunlop and Prince Phantom.

 

[kpaulns]

Mirdad,
what happened to your Phantom ? Do not like it at the end? (I seem to be very similar to your 'case', and almost pulled a trigger on Phantoms)

 

[Mirdad]

Mirdad,
what happened to your Phantom ? Do not like it at the end? (I seem to be very similar to your 'case', and almost put a trigger on Phantoms)

I decided to keep the Phantom as it's so comfortable. However, I've had to add a little weight to make it more stable. It's now 12 ounces fully strung with dampener and over grip. My only real knock on the Phantom is that it does not have the explosive put away power as say the TC100 or the RF racquet, but that's to be expected. Also, the 16x18 string pattern launches some of my backhands long. It could be that I'm still getting used to the feel though. So basically, I'm keeping the Phantom but will switch to a more powerful racquet when my shoulder is feeling up to the challenge.

 

[kpaulns]

I decided to keep the Phantom as it's so comfortable. However, I've had to add a little weight to make it more stable. It's now 12 ounces fully strung with dampener and over grip. My only real knock on the Phantom is that it does not have the explosive put away power as say the TC100 or the RF racquet, but that's to be expected. Also, the 16x18 string pattern launches some of my backhands long. It could be that I'm still getting used to the feel though. So basically, I'm keeping the Phantom but will switch to a more powerful racquet when my shoulder is feeling up to the challenge.

im suffering from shoulder too. so your shoulder, wrist and elbow like Phantom ?
(I currently putting my ego aside. just want to be able to cont. to play). Did you by chance tested PKs vs Phantom, comfort/strain wise?

 

[KaiserW]

I decided to keep the Phantom as it's so comfortable. However, I've had to add a little weight to make it more stable. It's now 12 ounces fully strung with dampener and over grip. My only real knock on the Phantom is that it does not have the explosive put away power as say the TC100 or the RF racquet, but that's to be expected. Also, the 16x18 string pattern launches some of my backhands long. It could be that I'm still getting used to the feel though. So basically, I'm keeping the Phantom but will switch to a more powerful racquet when my shoulder is feeling up to the challenge.

Which spec TC100 did you go with? Last year I tried the TC100 Tour which is the 70 RA and 310 grams. I was not impressed as it did not have much plow thru.

I have heard the 63 RA version has a heavier swingweight though. To bad I can't demo.

 

[Mirdad]

Which spec TC100 did you go with? Last year I tried the TC100 Tour which is the 70 RA and 310 grams. I was not impressed as it did not have much plow thru.

I have heard the 63 RA version has a heavier swingweight though. To bad I can't demo.

I also demoed the same specified RA70 version that you tried. I also felt it lacked plow through but liked the action I got on the ball including the ability to flatten out on some winners without the normal fear you get from hitting with a 100sq " racquet. My thought process is that the 63RA will feel more comfortable and also supply the extra SW and stability that the 70RA lacked. I've got one on order 310/315 63RA; not sure when it's due, but I'll post my findings after I hit with it.

 

[Mirdad]

im suffering from shoulder too. so your shoulder, wrist and elbow like Phantom ?
(I currently putting my ego aside. just want to be able to cont. to play). Did you by chance tested PKs vs Phantom, comfort/strain wise?

I would say my entire arm liked the Phantom however my shoulder has a tendency to get a little tired as I had to add some weight to the Phantom in order to increase the stability that I felt was lacking a bit. I tried several PK's but did not care for them with the exception of the old PK ionic 315 which felt great. That being said, I was not crazy about the 16x20 string pattern. I don't know if it was the string pattern or just the fact that I could not get a consistent depth on my groundstrokes (I probably need more time to hit with it). I would definitely rank the Phantom as more arm friendly than the PKI's I tried. The Phantom is a useful racquet to have in your bag when your arm is sore or if you're playing dubs as you can hit wicked topspin angles. However, beware the launch angle will be higher than normal so I suppose a good poacher can take advantage of that in dubs. If I were to have to go ego vs ego with a 4.5 + players who just wanted to slug it out, I'd go with a different racquet than the Phantom.

 

[fuzz nation]

Ed, I also found the C10 to have too much power at times so it's even more important to find a spin friendly string. However, as I mentioned before poly strings are out of the question for me due to shoulder issues. I'm pretty sure the demo that I had was strung with a 16 or possibly even thicker gauge multi. I"m going to try a thinner gauge multi and slightly higher tension which that combo should produce more spin and hopefully not create any arm issues.

Finally checked back on this thread...

You're definitely not crazy - the C10 is not as much of a spin factory as a few other racquets out there. I can turn the ball with this frame, but only with a very deliberate angular swing to get the extra rpm's happening. The reason I added the O10 325g's to my bag was that they became the sort of yin-yang alternative to my C10's; a little less top end raw power, but all the spin I could want. I generally prefer my O10's for doubles, but every here and there the C10's seem more "right". With both of these frames handy, all my bases are covered.

When I first looked at the spec sheet for the RF 97 and then eventually tried it once or twice, all I could think was that Wilson revived the mighty 6.1 Classic with a mildly larger hoop. I LOVED that racquet back in my serve & volley days, but the softer C10 offered more comfort and baseline control that I wanted as I turned into more of an all court player. Not sure if I noted above, but I have a little weight added to the handles of my C10's to get a balance that's in the neighborhood of 10 pts. HL.

Since I string at home, I tried poly hybrids in my C10's curious to bump the spin potential. I had a go with both 1.25mm Volkl Cyclone and 1.20mm Isospeed Baseline in the mains crossed with 16 ga. syn. gut and tried tensioning the poly mains between 45 and 50 lbs. While the skinny poly was more comfortable than I expected, I didn't like the impression that my string bed response was diminished. My volleys and serves clearly seemed to have less zip compared with my typical full beds of 17 ga. syn. gut, so that was my deal breaker.

 

[Mirdad]

I would say my entire arm liked the Phantom however my shoulder has a tendency to get a little tired as I had to add some weight to the Phantom in order to increase the stability that I felt was lacking a bit. I tried several PK's but did not care for them with the exception of the old PK ionic 315 which felt great. That being said, I was not crazy about the 16x20 string pattern. I don't know if it was the string pattern or just the fact that I could not get a consistent depth on my groundstrokes (I probably need more time to hit with it). I would definitely rank the Phantom as more arm friendly than the PKI's I tried. The Phantom is a useful racquet to have in your bag when your arm is sore or if you're playing dubs as you can hit wicked topspin angles. However, beware the launch angle will be higher than normal so I suppose a good poacher can take advantage of that in dubs. If I were to have to go ego vs ego with a 4.5 + players who just wanted to slug it out, I'd go with a different racquet than the Phantom.

Last night, hit with the PK Ionic 315 and hit tons of winners. I think I'm starting to figure that racquet out. You can hit some really nice flat lasers with it and very comfy.

 

[CosmosMpower]

Has anyone played with the stock option of an Angell Tour Series TC97?
Here are the specs:
Unstrung Specifications

String Pattern – 16×19
Weight -320g / 11.4oz
Balance – 310mm / 10 pts HL
Stiffness – 63RA
Length – 27” / 685.8mm
Grip shape – B
Grip type – High Tack PU Grey

So the overall strung weight with dampener and over grip would be around 12 ounces but I'm not sure of the head light balance; probably reduce it to 7 points.

The Tour series is the same as custom just with a molded handle instead of a pallet system. If you like the RF97 I don't think the Tour will be heavy enough for you. It will be around 12 ounces strung but the RF97 is over 12 ounces unstrung. Also with the Tour since you can't take pallets off you can't easily add weight to the handle like the Custom series.

 

[Mirdad]

The Tour series is the same as custom just with a molded handle instead of a pallet system. If you like the RF97 I don't think the Tour will be heavy enough for you. It will be around 12 ounces strung but the RF97 is over 12 ounces unstrung. Also with the Tour since you can't take pallets off you can't easily add weight to the handle like the Custom series.

I hear ya Cosmos, but I'm purposely trying to go a lot lighter than the RF racquet because my shoulder gets tired/hurts from such a heavy frame. That's why I thought the Tour version of the TC97 would work.

 

[briancheng]

I agree that the Yonex Duel G is close to the RF97 and if you are experiencing arm issues, then the even softer prior version - the Yonex Tour G (the orange version) may be a good fit. However, these are still very heavy racquets that take a lot to swing through.

I've been hitting with the SV98+ recently and the stiffness and plowthrough at contact reminds me of the RF97, but in an easier to swing package. I played with the RF 97 for 8 months and developed increasingly bad elbow pain over time. Healed it using the plush DR98 and while I think I'll probably stick with the DR98 (or the plus version), I really loved the demo of the SV98+ - so much stability and plowthrough in an 11.5 ounce package. If you can get used to the slightly extended length, I think its actually a good substitute.

 

[CosmosMpower]

I hear ya Cosmos, but I'm purposely trying to go a lot lighter than the RF racquet because my shoulder gets tired/hurts from such a heavy frame. That's why I thought the Tour version of the TC97 would work.

Probably won't play anything like the RF97 but if you want a lighter racquet it definitely is. I'd get the 97 Custom. That way you can add and remove weight from the handle simply using 10 gram wheel balancing weights from a tire shop.

 

[stephenclown]

That RF is one heck of a stick but I've determined it's too heavy for my arthritic shoulder and a little too stiff. The TC97 16x19 has always intrigued me but after hitting with a TC100 RA70 I decided to order the TC100 63RA as I believe it will be a little more forgiving than the TC97 and a little more powerful too. With my shoulder problem I don't have the luxury of hitting all out on my flatter shots so I opted to go with the TC100 which is more of a topspin frame but can still hit flat but perhaps not full throttle like you can on the TC97. All that being said, I sure would love to try hitting with the TC97; might even be worth having each in my bag.

I own the red and black RF97 and the TC97 18x20 (chose pattern due to the feedback about PT57A likeness)

The RF97 can flat a ball like nothing else. It is actually ridiculous in this regard, obliterating something so powefully cross court with gut mains shouldn't be allowed In this regards the RF97 pulls ahead, but to reach that level of power you have to be swinging nearly out of your shoes, literally. The body work and kinetic chain to get the RF97 moving like this is impeded if anything along the machine is out, such as a shoulder injury unfortunately. It is such a demanding frame. Most people can't use it properly, myself included, for very long periods of time.

In comparison to the RF, I have been amazed at how close the 18x20 TC97 is even with full poly. The feel is unbelievable. It is softer, more plush, better response and better at the net even without the gut mains. This frame is a jack of all trades. Shoulder height forehands are as simple as with the RF97 in terms of stroke mechanics. It can crush the ball with proper body rotation, just not quite as much as the RF97. I will put some gut in the frame next to see if that opens up the power and how close it comes. Mine is a little lighter than my RF97, it goes through the air faster and has superb consistency.

Sorry I can't comment on the TC97 16x19. It should have slightly higher power/spin potential but not sure about the feel. It is most likely very similar but not quite as plush as the 18x20 and controlled. I have asked paul on facebook regarding what he feels the difference is between the two string patterns/layups

 

[Balaji_R]

The RF Pro Staff (latest black version) is my dream racquet. In fact, it is my favorite racquet of all time (40 yrs+ of playing). I crush average second serves, block back (with short swing) bullet serves and hit great topspin from the baseline. Can still flatten out on shots when wanting to be more aggressive......all with decent accuracy. At the net, the racquet is super at providing stability and control. I also love the feeling of hitting my 2HB with the racquet versus many others I have tried. The problem I have with the racquet is I'm an aging 4.5 to 5.0 level player whose shoulder is very tired after about 40 minutes of play. I don't think it's so much the weight that is bothering me. The racquet feels very stiff at the net even though I have switched to Wilson NXT Power 17. Off center shots from the baseline also produce unwanted vibration, despite being pretty good at hitting within the sweet spot. The RF racquet has a flex rating of 68 which is probably too high for my shoulder. My guess is I need a more flexible racquet but I really like the stability and spin potential of the Fed racquet. I have a demo on order of the following racquets:
1)Volkl V-Sense Tour
2)Volkl C10 Pro (racquet seems to have great specs, but skeptical how it performs versus more modern racquets)
3)ProKennex Ki Q+ Tour 300
4)ProKennex Ki Q+Pro 310

So far I've demoed:
1) Wilson CV Blade 18X20: Not enough topspin, I've been spoiled by the RF open frame which allows me to hit more topspin. Also, denser string pattern racquets are in by themselves more stiff so I've ruled the 18X20 Blade out.
2) Wilson CV Blade 16X19: Too head heavy. I also prefer a lighter head balance. I tried weighting the handle but still the racquet did not produce the control I was used to using the RF racquet and felt too head heavy after weighting it down.
3)Tried some of the Babloat Aero's but they are too stiff and found I couldn't flatten out on my shots as well as the Fed racquet.
4) I have tried various 16x18 racquets such at the Prince Textreme Warrior and Wilson Blade. I found these racquets more arm friendly and great for tremendous topspin but they are not very accurate when trying to be more aggressive when flattening out on shots.

So, the perfect racquet would have the following characteristics:

1)Arm friendly
2)Very stable
3)Access to spin (prefer 16x19)
4)Can flatten out on shots with accuracy
5)Head light balance of at least 6 points; preferably 9 points HL. (I can always customize to achieve the HL balance I like but don't want the racquet to weigh much more than 12.3 ounces)


What do you think of my demos I have on order? Any ideas where I can locate this dream racquet?

Thanks in advance........

How about Wilson six one team, Prokennex kinetic 320 or 315 ?

 

[Slicerman]

High static weight with high headlight balance is overrated.

Low static weight with high swing-weight and near even balance is better IMO.

 

[pastashop42]

Have you tried the Dunlop / Srixon CX 2.0?.. Either the 18x20 or the 16x19? I have recently, for a couple of hours, and was quite pleasantly surprised by both. On the 18x20 (Tour), with a size smaller grip plus an extra leather grip over it, Prince Premier 16G string at 55 lb I get a bit over 12.25 oz weight and fairly headlight balance. Hits very naturally for me, and I used to like PS 6.0/85 and the Becker Puma. Also surprising amount of spin out of the 18/20. I am very likely to now buy after a demo, and maybe string it up with ZX monogut to see what all the fuss is about.

(The 16x19 version is pretty nice also. Surprising amount of stability and feel in a sub-11 oz frame.)

 

[IowaGuy]

Thanks for your feedback. Before moving on from my RF I think I will tinker with strings and maybe remove the leather grip also.

On my RF97A, I cut off part of the grip and only use the grip about halfway up the handle (think Gasquet). Shaves off several grams.

 

[shamaho]

You're willing to change after you say you found your favourite racket on 40 years of playing ?? are you certified nuts ??

Hit the Gym for 3 to 4 weeks to strengthen your shoulders dude! and try lowering tensions, and hybriding with Gut.
Stay with what you like.

 

[mctennis]

On my RF97A, I cut off part of the grip and only use the grip about halfway up./QUOTE]
I tried using the RF97A and ended up having horrible arm and shoulder pain with it. I had others at my club complain of the same issue I had. Even one of the club pros had been using it and had arm issues and switched back to his older racquet. Pain whet away for him and I switched back to my old racquet. No more pain. I was so wanting to like that racquet.

 

[IowaGuy]

@mctennis - What strings and tension were you using on your RF97A, compared to your "old racket" ?

 

[mctennis]

@mctennis - What strings and tension were you using on your RF97A, compared to your "old racket" ?

I used about 6 different setups and tensions. Some looser and a few at my regular tensions. My normal string combination is gut mains and LaserFibre Vorso or gut mains and Ashaway Dynamite. Even the club pro was getting arms and wrist issues with his RF97A and he switched back to his old racquet. He could not afford to have a sore arm/wrist/shoulder as much as he hits.

 

[IowaGuy]

I used about 6 different setups and tensions. Some looser and a few at my regular tensions. My normal string combination is gut mains and LaserFibre Vorso or gut mains and Ashaway Dynamite. Even the club pro was getting arms and wrist issues with his RF97A and he switched back to his old racquet. He could not afford to have a sore arm/wrist/shoulder as much as he hits.

If I were an older club pro, I would definitely play full gut if hitting all the time.

I play about 8 hours/week, and gut/poly hybrid works well for my arm with the RF97A. I do feel like the frame is softening over time, which is nice!

 

[mctennis]

If I were an older club pro, I would definitely play full gut if hitting all the time.

I play about 8 hours/week, and gut/poly hybrid works well for my arm with the RF97A. I do feel like the frame is softening over time, which is nice!

I even tried the club pros racquet off and on before I pulled the trigger to buy one. Trouble was I only used it for about 15-20 minutes at a time. Then switching back with him to my regular racquet. His setup felt great. I had him duplicate his string setup at first. Got some GE type issues using it for a whole hour three times a week. I changed strings to my regular setup- gut mains and the such as crosses. Same issue even after not using it again until the GE stopped hurting. Started getting GE and some wrist and some sore shoulder issues. Put that racquet to the side and the issues went away. Picked it up again and the issues returned. Next thing I did was sell that racquet. I wanted to like it, I really did. It just did not love me in return.

 

[IowaGuy]

I even tried the club pros racquet off and on before I pulled the trigger to buy one. Trouble was I only used it for about 15-20 minutes at a time. Then switching back with him to my regular racquet. His setup felt great. I had him duplicate his string setup at first. Got some GE type issues using it for a whole hour three times a week. I changed strings to my regular setup- gut mains and the such as crosses. Same issue even after not using it again until the GE stopped hurting. Started getting GE and some wrist and some sore shoulder issues. Put that racquet to the side and the issues went away. Picked it up again and the issues returned. Next thing I did was sell that racquet. I wanted to like it, I really did. It just did not love me in return.

Definitely sounds like it's not the right racket for you!

 

[Imago]

I have asked paul on facebook regarding what he feels the difference is between the two string patterns/layups

What did he say?

 

[leejayh]

I'll throw one out there.

The Donnay Pro One Tri Core, 16x19. To me it is a lighter RF97, with the same sort of power and damped feel. Except it is much lighter than the RF. I have tried all types of ways to lower the weight of my RF97s and could never get them below 12.6 Oz. And that is with a balance change to 7.5 pts HL.

The P1 Tri Core is more head heavy than the other P1 models (no idea why) but you can get to the right feel and balance by adding weight at 3 and 9 plus weighting the handle. It will come to about 12.25 Oz, (Which some still might consider too heavy) but it is much lighter then the RF.

 

[mctennis]

Definitely sounds like it's not the right racket for you!

That is why I sold it, after numerous strings and tension combinations. I hated to sell it, I wanted to like it.

 

[stephenclown]

What did he say?

For the 16x19 and 18x20 TC97 there is no difference in layup, just slightly more graphite in the 2 and 10 position from memory because more strain on the frame in the position. Shouldnt change the overall feel of the hairpin, its just from the difference in pattern.

Just wish the 16x19 angell patterns were denser for more control. Just sold my TC95 because of this.

i probably should have kept the TC97 18x20 and wished the TC90 was 63RA. Prefer the 93P overall though so it ended up fine for me. Looking into Zus now, denser in the middle, more feel and control but for a price.. Just dont think I should keep looking since I found the 93P as its great... But I am a racquetaholic...

 

[Imago]

I'll throw one out there.

The Donnay Pro One Tri Core, 16x19. To me it is a lighter RF97, with the same sort of power and damped feel. Except it is much lighter than the RF. I have tried all types of ways to lower the weight of my RF97s and could never get them below 12.6 Oz. And that is with a balance change to 7.5 pts HL.

The P1 Tri Core is more head heavy than the other P1 models (no idea why) but you can get to the right feel and balance by adding weight at 3 and 9 plus weighting the handle. It will come to about 12.25 Oz, (Which some still might consider too heavy) but it is much lighter then the RF.

I've been instrumental in buying 2 Penta 97 - both 293 g unstrung. Today will try the third one - all new, coming from the Donnay central, or whatever is left of it. Still they are head-light. Perfect for customization and certainly 57RA - which may even come lower if polarizing the frame.

 

[leejayh]

The Penta 97 is a very nice racket. Flexible, with good power and feedback. But it does not feel like the RF97 (stiff) -- more like an old school players frame. True, they are head light (which is weird that the Tri-Core 97 is much less head light). Properly weighted, the Tri-Core 97 has that stiff power feel of the RF.

 

[jersey34tennis]

Try isospeed control at 17 with lower tension before switching sticks

 

[Sardines]

Boy this subject comes up very often!

Try the VCORE 98+ when it comes out. Similar swing weight but 20g less and quite plush (at least the non-plus version is).

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/replacing-the-rf97a-with-the-yonex-sv98.604597/

 

[ONgame]

I don't think switching to a lower RA helps shoulder.