New Donnay Racquets Listed on TW

Chris, why didnt you go for the "real" International paintjob, it's so much nicer IMHO ;)


Shot at 2007-08-04
 
ericsson said:
I just had a better look at the pro one listed on TW, what i don't understand is why they call it the pro one international?? it's actually the LIMITED edition!!! but on the inside of the frame the one listed on TW says "International" while mine says Supermidsize, very strange. The actual "international" came out in 1996.

TW can you shed some light here :confused: ??

below you see both of my editions, one is the limited (1994) that TW posted and the other one is the actual International.(1996)


Shot with E3200 at 2007-08-04
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From what I have gathered reading from TW is TW took the cosmetics of the Pro One Super Mid Limited and put it on the International.

I remember the International coming out in the fall of 1992. The original cosmetic was silver and green. Henri Leconte played with it.

Here is a photo of the first cosmetic of the Pro One International.
c20104998c.jpg
 
So, the mystery frame finally showed up.:)

TW shouldn't have listened to the passing comments about the stiffness & fiberglass from those who're never gonna even consider trying this kind of frame (pro one international), who probably like to bang with babolats... Wouldn't 50% of fiberglass or low 50 flex nicer? At least it offers sth that other frames don't and would be more appreciated by its target players....
 
The spec looks exactly what I always prefer: Flexy beam, less than 20mm thickness, 16x18 pattern, 11-12oz, bumperless. Most important, INEXPENSIVE! Must demo if available.
 
TW Staff said:
We noticed that, too and had these made with a longer handle.

Yes, these are the racquets resulting from our previous post in this forum. The feedback we got from you guys was very influential in the final design and spec of the Pro One International. If you were involved in that thread, you may now add "racquet designer" to your resume.

The Pro One Oversize is very similar to original spec, with just a tad more gap in the string spacing and the addition of a bumper. We used an actual "Agassi" Donnay Pro One OS racquet that came in a shipment of vintage racquets to finalize the spec and design of the Pro One OS. (BTW, it appears Andre may have also experimented with a midplus version as there was one of those included in the shipment and it has some miles on it).

Both racquets have been custom made for us so we were able to work closely with the development of the sticks and looked and hit with several versions before they were finalized.

We will have demos available in both headsizes soon.

For orders of two or more racquets, we have lowered the price to $89.99 per racquet. We feel that as these are player's sticks, most advanced players will want more than one. It's nice to be able to offer players a good deal on some great player's racquets and to make it very affordable to have enough sticks in the bag for tournament play.

LMK if you have any other questions. This has been a fun and exciting project for us and we hope you enjoy the racquets.

Chris, TW.
Click to expand...


TW, Chris,
Is it possible that you might have a couple of the pro-ones from a previous iteration before final production that are stiifer than the current offering? Just checking...thanks
 
I really like the layup of the frame, but I would probably be more likely to bite if there was an option of a more dense string pattern. What was Agassi's string pattern at the time he used the Donnay?
I am also more of a fan of the blue/yellow version. I have a Formula Pro of that paint scheme.
Of course, I will probably have to purchase it anyway. Now I just need the full Nike outfit to go with it. Any chance on getting a special run of the denim/neon nike outfits?
 
Do they have pallet handles like Volkl/Head or standard, yellow PU foam molded handles? What grip shape are the stock handles like? Prince?
 
Chris mentioned in another thread that they resemble the Dunlop grip the most. I've never used Dunlop so now I have to figure out what the Dunlop grip is like. I use a 3/8 in some racquets and 1/2 in others.
 
I've decided to go ahead and order the International. Should be interesting to hit with. I've never used any of the older Donnay frames.
 
LafayetteHitter said:
Chris mentioned in another thread that they resemble the Dunlop grip the most. I've never used Dunlop so now I have to figure out what the Dunlop grip is like. I use a 3/8 in some racquets and 1/2 in others.
Click to expand...


To me it feels like a compramise between a Head and a Wilson, not as spread out as a Head (if you get what a mean) Large 1st, 3rd,5th and 7th bevel with quite dull 2nd, 4th,6th and 8th. I hope you understand what I mean.

EDIT: Give me 5 mins, I'm sure my Vantage has a Dunlop grip so I'll photo it with a Wilson and Head.

Sorry If it's blurry snapped quickly on my phone.

Shot at 2007-08-04
 
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i wonder if they are going to review it. if so, it would prob get a 97 overall score or something

must be nice sticks
 
i have a feeling its going to hit a lot like the Estusa Power Beam Pro without the funky head shape that wreaked havoc on my serve
 
Oh yea, actually the mention of your Vantage helped me remember there is an illustration of the various handle shapes on the Vantage racquet selection guide.
 
Hi Chris (or anyone who's hit with a Donnay),

How does this frame flex?...I know the spec comes out to 58 but where does it flex exactly (head or throat)?

Thanks!
 
Oooooh I like! The Pro One International looks very similar to a Redondo Mid... except with an open string pattern.

Is this racquet bumperless? It's hard to tell.
How is the quality control of Donnays.
 
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How much does TW charge for racket matching? I.e. Cherry picking your stock so that if I order three of these, I know they'll each weigh the same. Does this racket matching charge, include making sure that not only the weight is the same but also the balance? Or is it just the weight you check for? Thanks for any clarification into this process.
 
I am used to dense string pattern (18x20) midplus racquets but I recently grew close to my head radical LE agassi (18x19). Is the DOnnay Pro One OS similar to the radical LE in anyway? Would the Pro One OS pattern 16x19 be too spinny..?
 
HOLT SH*T!!!! YES YES YES (think Meg Ryan in "When Harry met Sally')

But WHY IN THE WORLD DID YOU NOT MAKE THE MID IN THE ORANGE!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

I WANT A MID IN ORANGE PLEASE, PLEASE PRETTY PLEASE, ID BUY 3 IMMEDIATELY AND ANOTHER 3 LATER ON.

ORANGE
ORANGE
ORANGE


COME ON PEOPLE JOIN ME HERE!.
 
I think a lot of people here do not like orange paintjobs and prefer the paintjob that TW chose for the MP. I know I do.
 
I think the Current paint is Boring, Im not trying to seem vain, but if you are playing with the Bright orange it will definately get noticed. To bad I dont play with and over size or id get that in a heartbeat!
If would be just like back in the day! Hell yeah, Just need some of those Retroed Nike Air Tech Challenge's and I'll be ready to rock!!!
But Heck even in the currenty paint scheme, donnay had some better color selections I feel.
 
For those of you wth Donnay expereince, where is the flex?

I have a love/hate relationship with flexy rackets depending on where they flex.
 
bluetrain4 said:
For those of you wth Donnay expereince, where is the flex?

I have a love/hate relationship with flexy rackets depending on where they flex.
Click to expand...


this is a tough question, it's certainly not a noodle stick despite the low flex, when you play it feels firmer but soft at the same time. flex is just perfect!

about the bumper, it's bumperless but you can click the bumper on the head due the holes inside the grommets as shown on one of my pics here in this thread. it's a detachable bumper. i dont know if TW will stock up the bumpers.
 
anirut said:
Here's my take:

...

Buy the racket one grip size smaller. Slap a leather on the synthetic grip, add another overgrip to that, and you'll have a around 10 pts HL stick that will be around 370 grams with a SW of around 330+ from the added mass.
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A synthetic grip + a leather grip + an overgrip. What about the bevels?
 
anirut said:
Here's my take:

Looking closely at the shape of the 95, combined with the specs ... this is one hell of an "ultimate" racket. I dare say.

The elongated head shape will make serving easy and precise. The racket mass + the open pattern will give that "omph" to counter the low flex. The 6 pts HL may seem a bit head-heavy, but, for "the-very-serious players", we use leather.

Buy the racket one grip size smaller. Slap a leather on the synthetic grip, add another overgrip to that, and you'll have a around 10 pts HL stick that will be around 370 grams with a SW of around 330+ from the added mass.

A near 370 gram, close to 10 pts HL, 330+ SW, 58 flex, box beam ... that's almost my Dunlop Revelation Tour 90! But this time it's open pattern in a 95 head!

String it up at 60 with a 17 gauge and you have a perfect control & spin monster that will suit the all-court player who's not afraid of the weight.

That's my take. I'm going to get one (or two) for sure.
Click to expand...

Agree and will add that the string pattern spin potential with the additional flex from the fiberglass should make this a very fun stick to have !
 
What do you all think of the 58 flex rating?

For my taste it is still a bit low, although I have played with flexible(low 60's) frames I have moved on to the stiffer side of rackets(k95).

I'm a huge fan of thin beamed rackets though, the majority of my previous rackets were 20 mm straight beams, so that aspect of the specs as well as the weight and balance are appealing
 
Brilliant specs...

...great job, TW.

Now if I can read up on a post by somebody who takes the MP for a real-life test-drive, I'll be happy to place an order for 2 of these. Will get both re-gripped with Babolat Leather Grip for a more bottom-heavy balance and I'll be good.

TW: How about a detailed review on this frame? Let there be no bias creep in your review, please.

Cheers,
jaykay.
 
Chauvalito said:
What do you all think of the 58 flex rating?

For my taste it is still a bit low, although I have played with flexible(low 60's) frames I have moved on to the stiffer side of rackets(k95).

I'm a huge fan of thin beamed rackets though, the majority of my previous rackets were 20 mm straight beams, so that aspect of the specs as well as the weight and balance are appealing
Click to expand...

If you want stiffer one, maybe try P.S. 6.0 95?
I think the flex is a little stiffer than I would like to see because it's not different from other "flexible" current racquets such as those from fishers & pro kennex.
 
I found an interesting article about the sale of Donnay back in December 1996.
http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=29066
Tuesday 3 December 1996, 8:02 GMT Tuesday 3 December 1996
BUSINESS
Donnay

Tuesday 3 December 1996
BRITISH ENTREPRENEUR BUYS CONTINENTAL TENNIS LEGEND DONNAY


Brussels, December 3, 1996 - British entrepreneur Stephen Nardelli has been speaking of his plans for the future of Donnay, the well-known sports racquet manufacturers he has just acquired from the government of Belgium's Walloon region for Belgian Francs 125 million - approximately Pounds sterling 2.5 million.

At a meeting with the Belgian media today, together with the Prime Minister of the Walloon region, Robert Collignon, Mr Nardelli confirmed that the acquisition will mean Donnay's headquarters will remain in Couvin, the company's home for more than 60 years. Future developments include a proposed pnds 20 million distribution centre in the area creating around 150 new jobs.

Donnay is a tennis legend, making court history in the 1970s when Bjorn Borg won 62 titles with a Donnay racquet. During the 1970's and 1980's the company was one of the world's leading producers, manufacturing up to 10,000 racquets a day. Recent famous names who have wielded the brand include Andre Agassi who won the Wimbledon title in 1992 with a Donnay Racquet.

Mr Nardelli said: "Donnay has always been a brand associated with excellence and we want to build on the brand's undiminished reputation for high quality and innovation. Our objective is to re-establish Donnay as a world-leading racquet brand associated with top-quality players.

"We have already established strong associations with a number of leading retail chains throughout Europe including the progressive and fast-growing Sports Division organisation in the UK, the dynamic Dutch retailer, Aiktie Sport and Sports Soccer, a major UK retail outlet.

"These partnerships, and a projected turnover for 1997 of pnds 200 million for CDS Holdings group of associated companies, will give us considerable leverage in the market place."

Advantage International, one of the world's leading event marketing and athlete management agencies, has been retained to run a worldwide public relations campaign.

Robert Collignon, the Walloon Prime Minister said that he was very happy with the agreement between the Walloon region and CDS Holdings.

"Donnay International is one of the finest companies in the Walloon Region and it has maintained a strong and positive identity over the years. It was very important for the Walloon Government to choose a partner able to develop this reputation. I believe that in CDS Holdings and Stephen Nardelli, we have found an excellent partner.

"CDS Holdings are acquiring a company not only with real commercial value but with skilled and knowledgeable employees who are committed to the future development of the company, in the region and worldwide."

He continued, "This agreement illustrates the firm determination of my government to open up the Walloon region to Europe and the rest of the world and reflects the warm welcome we will extend to any company looking to do the same."

Robert Robert, General Manager of Donnay International said: "Donnay is a strong brand worldwide with a reputation for quality and leading-edge technology. As early as 1984 the company was producing extra long racquets, now being heralded as a new innovation. New investment in the company is very welcome because it will allow us to become much more aggressive in the market-place."

Mr Nardelli commented, "We are committed to the future prosperity of Donnay International and we are working very closely with the government of the Walloon region to achieve all our objectives
 
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Great article, hopefully this means more Donnay's are coming to our shores...

and making it eben more difficult for people like me to stick to one racket :)
 
2.5 million pounds for the company!! What is that, about 5 million dollars, and that includes headquarters?? Not much value given to this company, it would seem. A friend of mine paid nearly that much for his house. One wonders why the company has such trivial market value.
 
The article was from December 1996, about the sale and turn around plans of the then new owners. I know shortly after the sale Donnay it disappeared in the U.S. and in Europe became the brand of then U.K. based Sports Soccer outlet. As far as I know Donnay is only sold in Donnay International sporting good stores in Europe. Here is a Donnay outlet website http://www.donnay.nu

I don't know what this means for Donnay with TW having these racquets made for them. I do know I am glad to see Donnay racquets again and look forward to demoing them to see if they play how I remember them.
 
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ollinger said:
2.5 million pounds for the company!! What is that, about 5 million dollars, and that includes headquarters?? Not much value given to this company, it would seem. A friend of mine paid nearly that much for his house. One wonders why the company has such trivial market value.
Click to expand...

You have to remember that is 1996 money and Donnay probably had a lot of debt that the then new owners inherited along with liabilities.
 
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vsbabolat said:
The article was from December 1996, about the sale and turn around plans of the then new owners. I know shortly after the sale Donnay it disappeared in the U.S. and in Europe became the brand of then U.K. based Sports Soccer outlet. As far as I know Donnay is only sold in Donnay International sporting good stores in Europe. Here is a Donnay outlet website http://www.donnay.nu

I don't know what this means for Donnay with TW having these racquets made for them. I do know I am glad to see Donnay racquets again and look forward to demoing them to see if they play how I remember them.
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is that the main donnay site? seems kind of...old
do they have like, an international site thats newer and in english?
 
I have and Original Mid plus, and am getting some more in both the "international" and the "limited" It plays like if head made a prostaff 95, if that makes sense
 
No it's an outlet site, nothing to do with donnay company actually cos it doesnt exist no more. I posted that article a long time ago, sad but true, since it went to england it went downhill, damn where is the time...

the factory in Belgium (Couvin) still exist but it's empty and desolate.
 
ericsson said:
No it's an outlet site, nothing to do with donnay company actually cos it doesnt exist no more. I posted that article a long time ago, sad but true, since it went to england it went downhill, damn where is the time...

the factory in Belgium (Couvin) still exist but it's empty and desolate.
Click to expand...

That is really sad to hear that about the old factory. Do you happen to know who the owner is of the old factory or the land the factory is sitting on in Couvin?
 
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