New Frame

Liam Grennon

Liam Grennon

Professional
Hello All,
This will hopefully be my last post in a while, as I hope to find and purchase 3 of the same frames for the rest of my season.
My Game :
I play with mostly UTR 10's, in practice and tournaments. I play D1 Highschool tennis.
I hit with a strong semi-western forehand and am fast enough to get around my backhand. My backhand is solid enough to redirect pace and is fairly reliable.
My problem right now is that I switch frames as I switch styles of play. I enjoy serving and volleying, as well as playing a more transitional game, and a baseline game. Which leaves me just doing everything, and I feel like I need to make a desition in order to continue to progress.
Past Frames And Opinions One Them:
Babolat Pure Aero: Played for a while with this frame, but I really couldn't get a great feel for it. I added lead tape to the frame at the throat and at 3&9. I didn't like it on my serve, but I like it on the forehand. I felt like I couldn't serve and volley well with it either.
Yonex Dual G 330: Second time coming to this frame, I liked everything about it besides the serve, and sometimes it was hard to pronate on my forehand.
Wilson Ultra Tour: I liked this frame enough but something just wasn't there for me, not enough pop, but I still didn't feel like I could snipe shots off with extream precision.
Head Prestige XT MP: Again I liked this frame a lot, but I couldn't stand the hallow feel.

Frames I am looking at right now:
Yonex DR 98 - I have access to this frame, and I love it off the ground, but I worry about it on the serve and on the volley.
Prince Phantom 93p: Heard nothing but good things, and the serve and volley would be great but I don't know how it'll do on the groundstrokes.

Let me know your recommendations, any frames I should be looking at or your thoughts on the ones I have mentioned.

I'd be happy to respond to any questions as well.
 
Hmgraphite1

Hmgraphite1

Hall of Fame
Liam Grennon said:
Hello All,
This will hopefully be my last post in a while, as I hope to find and purchase 3 of the same frames for the rest of my season.
My Game :
I play with mostly UTR 10's, in practice and tournaments. I play D1 Highschool tennis.
I hit with a strong semi-western forehand and am fast enough to get around my backhand. My backhand is solid enough to redirect pace and is fairly reliable.
My problem right now is that I switch frames as I switch styles of play. I enjoy serving and volleying, as well as playing a more transitional game, and a baseline game. Which leaves me just doing everything, and I feel like I need to make a desition in order to continue to progress.
Past Frames And Opinions One Them:
Babolat Pure Aero: Played for a while with this frame, but I really couldn't get a great feel for it. I added lead tape to the frame at the throat and at 3&9. I didn't like it on my serve, but I like it on the forehand. I felt like I couldn't serve and volley well with it either.
Yonex Dual G 330: Second time coming to this frame, I liked everything about it besides the serve, and sometimes it was hard to pronate on my forehand.
Wilson Ultra Tour: I liked this frame enough but something just wasn't there for me, not enough pop, but I still didn't feel like I could snipe shots off with extream precision.
Head Prestige XT MP: Again I liked this frame a lot, but I couldn't stand the hallow feel.

Frames I am looking at right now:
Yonex DR 98 - I have access to this frame, and I love it off the ground, but I worry about it on the serve and on the volley.
Prince Phantom 93p: Heard nothing but good things, and the serve and volley would be great but I don't know how it'll do on the groundstrokes.

Let me know your recommendations, any frames I should be looking at or your thoughts on the ones I have mentioned.

I'd be happy to respond to any questions as well.
Click to expand...
I think/ agree the prestige xt has a more hallowed feel.

But the vcore pro 97 330 is real nice and a little more powerful.
 
CopolyX

CopolyX

Hall of Fame
Hey man, hope all is great..
Have you tried any Angells...??

TC97, TC95 or K7...
For me, the TC97's stop my frame jumping they are still my go to..
Yes, I still mess around with other frames...

Also make sure when testing you are using the same string (~tension), you want to be a close as you can...
or you are pissin in the wind...lol
good luck
NH rocks!
 
graycrait

graycrait

Legend
I look and ask all the young college players coming to our university about rackets and string.

If you have had good instruction and are fit with lots of experience equipment probably doesn't matter. Seems that RA 67+ 16x19 6+pts HL will work. About 50lbs full poly if you are 16+ plus yrs. It seems better to work on shot selection, court position and aggressive precise execution than "worrying" about equipment. Calming the mind, balance and "fiercensess" / never capitulate might be more important than anything. Oh yeah: Fitness, Fitness, Fitness...!
 
styksnstryngs

styksnstryngs

Professional
What's D1 high school tennis? What part of the world/country? (I'm assuming America but I've never heard of D1 high school)
 
beltsman

beltsman

G.O.A.T.
Liam Grennon said:
Hello All,
This will hopefully be my last post in a while, as I hope to find and purchase 3 of the same frames for the rest of my season.
My Game :
I play with mostly UTR 10's, in practice and tournaments. I play D1 Highschool tennis.
I hit with a strong semi-western forehand and am fast enough to get around my backhand. My backhand is solid enough to redirect pace and is fairly reliable.
My problem right now is that I switch frames as I switch styles of play. I enjoy serving and volleying, as well as playing a more transitional game, and a baseline game. Which leaves me just doing everything, and I feel like I need to make a desition in order to continue to progress.
Past Frames And Opinions One Them:
Babolat Pure Aero: Played for a while with this frame, but I really couldn't get a great feel for it. I added lead tape to the frame at the throat and at 3&9. I didn't like it on my serve, but I like it on the forehand. I felt like I couldn't serve and volley well with it either.
Yonex Dual G 330: Second time coming to this frame, I liked everything about it besides the serve, and sometimes it was hard to pronate on my forehand.
Wilson Ultra Tour: I liked this frame enough but something just wasn't there for me, not enough pop, but I still didn't feel like I could snipe shots off with extream precision.
Head Prestige XT MP: Again I liked this frame a lot, but I couldn't stand the hallow feel.

Frames I am looking at right now:
Yonex DR 98 - I have access to this frame, and I love it off the ground, but I worry about it on the serve and on the volley.
Prince Phantom 93p: Heard nothing but good things, and the serve and volley would be great but I don't know how it'll do on the groundstrokes.

Let me know your recommendations, any frames I should be looking at or your thoughts on the ones I have mentioned.

I'd be happy to respond to any questions as well.
Click to expand...

Pure Strike 98?
 
Anton

Anton

Legend
Liam Grennon said:
Frames I am looking at right now:
Yonex DR 98 - I have access to this frame, and I love it off the ground, but I worry about it on the serve and on the volley.
Prince Phantom 93p: Heard nothing but good things, and the serve and volley would be great but I don't know how it'll do on the groundstrokes.

Let me know your recommendations, any frames I should be looking at or your thoughts on the ones I have mentioned.

I'd be happy to respond to any questions as well.
Click to expand...

Both great choices, I think you'll be happy either way you go, especially if you have adaptive play style.

But you'd have to try both to make up your mind on which is better for you as they are also fairly different.
 
S

stephenclown

Professional
I wouldn't add weight to a pure aero at 3 and 9, that frames twist weight is already very high! I would only add to 12 if any but probably more at the top of the handle - silicone maybe. The feel is kind of trash on this frame though. I would suggest for you to try an older version though, not the same issues.

I would suggest looking at Angells - probably the TC95 or K7. Depends on your frame size preference and which string pattern you prefer as well. I like the tc95 a lot but still looking to buy the 93P for that smooth 18x20 feel with low RA.

Given your age I would suggest demoing all frames before committing as you probably don't have a spec locked in yet or the funds to burn endlessly on hit and miss purchases. Pick the one that feels most natural or gives you an advantage for what you want to work on the most.
 
n8dawg6

n8dawg6

Legend
dude, i can tell you that literally all of the players at our local challengers tournament are playing .... pure drives and pure aeros. the exceptions are radicals, a couple pure strikes, and a smattering of DR100/98s. always taken back by the touch and finesse they have with these so called tweener frames.
 
R

rogerroger917

Hall of Fame
If you are 6ft 2 tall or over. Play a pure drive tour.
If you are under 6 ft. tall. Play pure aero tour.

These rackets are like cheating. Full poly 50lbs.

Thank us later. Forget the rest.
 
R

rogerroger917

Hall of Fame
Hmgraphite1 said:
Why no shortey for pdtour?
Click to expand...
I feel the puredrive serves much better for a taller player. The ball comes off the racket different. Using my son as the test bed. He gets free rackets from babolat and we try the new ones as they come out. He played Aeros for longest time. But when he reached 6 ft 1 (now he is 6 ft3) his serve was much heavier with the puredrive. Ground strokes similar. We've settled on the pure drive tour 2015 and skipped the new blue puredrive. The pure aero doesn't serve as well for him now as well. And he gets much better directional control on ground strokes with pdtour 2015 than the current pdtour blue.
 
Hmgraphite1

Hmgraphite1

Hall of Fame
It does have a tighter pattern. I was going to try pure aero vs tour. Have the 2015 pure drive tour. Super powerful.
 
S

Steve Huff

G.O.A.T.
If I was going to playtest 4 rackets, these would be them: Wilson Ultra 100 CV Black, a Technifiber TFight 315 DC LTD 16x19, a Yonex VCore 97 (330) and finally, the Pro Kennex ki 5 320. All great rackets. One will surely have the characteristics you need.
 
Liam Grennon

Liam Grennon

Professional
rogerroger917 said:
If you are 6ft 2 tall or over. Play a pure drive tour.
If you are under 6 ft. tall. Play pure aero tour.

These rackets are like cheating. Full poly 50lbs.

Thank us later. Forget the rest.
Click to expand...
I would rather not using Babolat frames.... Just never liked the feel nor the control offered, and I hate hitting serves and volley's with them.
 
Liam Grennon

Liam Grennon

Professional
graycrait said:
I look and ask all the young college players coming to our university about rackets and string.

If you have had good instruction and are fit with lots of experience equipment probably doesn't matter. Seems that RA 67+ 16x19 6+pts HL will work. About 50lbs full poly if you are 16+ plus yrs. It seems better to work on shot selection, court position and aggressive precise execution than "worrying" about equipment. Calming the mind, balance and "fiercensess" / never capitulate might be more important than anything. Oh yeah: Fitness, Fitness, Fitness...!
Click to expand...
I would tend to agree, and just pick a frame and just use it... That's what I am looking too do. To use a frame for the rest of the Season....
 
mscream

mscream

Professional
If you like the DR98, then the VCore Pro 97 330 would be a great racquet to test. In my opinion, a great balance between the feel of a "player's racquet" and access to power and spin. Especially if you like the Yonex feel and dislike the hollow Babolats, this one is a must test. :D
 
SpinToWin

SpinToWin

Talk Tennis Guru
Liam Grennon said:
That's fair...
What frame would you recommend per the playstyles I had mentioned dabbling in before.
Click to expand...
Hm, tough ask.

Pure baseline - 100 square inch frames, at least 98. Which one will depend on your type of baseline play (aggressive with a flatter trajectory, ripping shots with spin, more of a counterpuncher who needs feel, etc.?). I personally really like to recommend my current frame, the PK Ki Q+5X in this area. Clobbers all balls yet has good control on full swings, making it ideal for an aggressive baseline game. Alternatively the 7G if you’re afraid of the ~340 swingweight of the 5X. But you really have to specify what shot you want to play as a baseliner.

Transition:
95-98 frames in my opinion. 100 square inch frames have a tendency to feel a bit clunky if you regularly venture forward imo. Again, it really depends on the exact way you want to do it. I can think of many frames in this category, such as the Six.One 95, Burn 95, Blade 98, Prestige Pro/MP, etc. Which one is more likely to work depends on the kinds of shots you want to play.

S&V:
Two styles:
1) dominating power serve and put away (extreme version is Sam Groth, with Feli Lopes as a much more aesthetically pleasing alternative). This will be easiest with a powerful frame to emphasise the serve and give you easy put away power at the net. Generally thicker and stiffer beams, maybe even plus length. So something like the Pure Drive Tour Plus or so.

2) placement and touch. There certainly are touch frames which can hammer serves (especially the PS 85 and the PC 600), but they tend to have a small head (high sweetspot and speediness gives heavy serve) and are unrealistic as legitimate serve and volley frames nowadays, as you have too little room to work with IMO, which is crucial with the current ease of hitting passing shots. I think you’ll find that frames of this category will overlap with some of the second - such as the Prestige, Six.One, etc.
 
ByakuFubuki

ByakuFubuki

Semi-Pro
SpinToWin said:
I'd decide on a playstyle first.
Click to expand...
What's so bad about All-Rounders???
Liam Grennon said:
I would rather not using Babolat frames.... Just never liked the feel nor the control offered, and I hate hitting serves and volley's with them.
Click to expand...
Oh, no - If my Super Babolat works for ME, than YOU have to stick with that as well. If something works for me, it works for EVERYONE, period. You're wasting time and money with every hit you take without using a Pure Drive Tour+ with RPM Blast 1.25 @48lbs, I'm telling ya.

No, seriously, I can't give you much of an advice, as I've been playing with the same (discontinued) racquet since Summer 2014, but do demo the Phantom 93, if you're interested in it. It's a bit out of your usual specs range, so you just can't buy one (let alone three) based on reviews and recommendations, and if you already set your eyes on it, you will probably keep wondering how it plays, if you buy something else without trying it first. Then, since you said you have easy access to the DR98, I would give that frame another chance (maybe focusing on Serve&Volley, if that's the area you find weakest for that frame). If afterwards you're still not satisfied with either frame (but do try to be as open as you can toward them, because racquets need their time to get dialed in), I'd try to select a specs range based on what you like/dislike about them and demo a couple of frames in that range. If you're unsure, you could help yourself with SpinToWin's suggestions above. I do agree with them as a general rule, but in my experience, on-court results may take the opposite direction compared to your theoretical approach. For example, I used to play with a racquet that should fall somewhere in between his "Transition" and "Serve&Volley#2" typologies and to be an All-Courter especially inclined to Serve & Volley; then I switched to something more on the "Serve&Volley#2" type to further improve my attacking game and ended up being having more of a baseline game meant to set up for closing the point at net (given, messing up my under-the-net footwork kind of forced me to do that more so than the gear switch).

That said, sticking with one racquet for a season or more comes from your head rather than from the racquet itself. Once you find something you can play acceptable Tennis with and/or which you think you can develop your Tennis in the right direction with, it should be you deciding to stop looking for a sacred graal (hint: it doesn't exist) and focus on your own development while sticking with it, in my humble opinion. Racquets differ from each other, sure, but as long as you're not too far off, you can play more or less any kind of Tennis with any kind of Racquet (still just my opinion, of course).
 
ByakuFubuki

ByakuFubuki

Semi-Pro
SpinToWin said:
There is no such thing as an "all rounder" thus construed. You have a general game plan and a type of shot you play on the regular. A frame can help you grow into that direction/fit in with your game plan.
Click to expand...
I was just messing with you a little ;)

But yes, in general I agree. For myself, I prefer to be well-rounded and able to adapt to my opponent's game rather than focusing on a single strategy and be strong at that, but even so, I need a "core playing style" to fall back on when what I need the most is consistency or for the seemingly endless situations when focusing on myself is better than focusing on my opponent. Besides, I can't just give off games for free between the start of the match and the time when I've come up with a specific strategy (if I can at all).
 
SpinToWin

SpinToWin

Talk Tennis Guru
ByakuFubuki said:
I was just messing with you a little ;)

But yes, in general I agree. For myself, I prefer to be well-rounded and able to adapt to my opponent's game rather than focusing on a single strategy and be strong at that, but even so, I need a "core playing style" to fall back on when what I need the most is consistency or for the seemingly endless situations when focusing on myself is better than focusing on my opponent. Besides, I can't just give off games for free between the start of the match and the time when I've come up with a specific strategy (if I can at all).
Click to expand...
Should've read beyond the direct reply to me and I would've noticed lol - my fault
 
Hmgraphite1

Hmgraphite1

Hall of Fame
SpinToWin said:
There is no such thing as an "all rounder" thus construed. You have a general game plan and a type of shot you play on the regular. A frame can help you grow into that direction/fit in with your game plan.
Click to expand...
I have a T5000 , it is a good all arounder.:D
Don't use it though.
I think I may have selected a racquet that forces my game to be opposite to my strengths. In the end, I hope it will bring me to a higher apex
 
Last edited:
Traffic

Traffic

Hall of Fame
graycrait said:
I look and ask all the young college players coming to our university about rackets and string.

If you have had good instruction and are fit with lots of experience equipment probably doesn't matter. Seems that RA 67+ 16x19 6+pts HL will work. About 50lbs full poly if you are 16+ plus yrs. It seems better to work on shot selection, court position and aggressive precise execution than "worrying" about equipment. Calming the mind, balance and "fiercensess" / never capitulate might be more important than anything. Oh yeah: Fitness, Fitness, Fitness...!
Click to expand...
This.
My son plays with a Pure Strike 98 and he had a tough time transition from a tweener to it because of the weight. But as he got used to it, he's playing great and really gelling with the racquet.

If you have good technique and fitness, then I think any flagship frame from a reputable manufacturer will do. And only you can decide. Plus, do you like the looks of the frame. Sorry to say, but this seems to be very important to be truly happy with it.

My son wanted more control as he's been working on a lot of touch shots. His FH died when he switched to this racquet, but he's built that back up. It really boosted his BH. His 1st serves suffered but his 2nd serves came alive. But again, after he got used to it, his 1st serves gained in power. So don't necessarily judge a racquet by how you play with it the first time you pick it up. But work with your coach or hitting partner to see how the racquet will help you move into the style of play you are after as your game is still improving rapidly.
 
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