I was fortunate enough to acquire 3 of Borna Coric's frames this week and had the chance to hit with them.
This is my first go around with a pro stock frame and I was blown away. The materials used, the paint job, the silicone in the handle, the look and feel, all just seem to be on a different level when compared to retail frames.
I know there has been a lot of discussion re the Ultra Tour being a H19. I think it's possible the UT is from the same mold, but the materials used in the H19 IMO are completely different. Could I get the same H19 feel if I added silicone to the UT and modded it exactly, i'd imagine it's possible but because the materials used in construction seem to be different I'm not so sure.
In terms of playability, my first impression is that the pros have a huge gear advantage. When acquired the frames were still matched to Borna's specs.
I added my strings (Volkl cyclone 19g at 40lbs.) which increased the HL balance slightly.
Final specs with strings, stock wilson pro stock synthetic grip, wilson overgrip and panda dampener.
static weight: 12.1 ounces
balance: 11pts HL
swing weight: 326
My main racquet for years has been the RF97. I've always played with and preferred 12.5+ frames. I'd sometimes struggle with the weight but the mass, plow, feel and stability always brought me back.
As we all know, the bonus of pro stock is that the frame can be customised to exactly match your desired specs. Unfortunately, unless you are a pro, finding the exact absolute best specs for your game is not an easy thing to achieve.
I don't know if pro stock frames are magic, but i've never had a frame feel so easy to play with. Borna's specs really worked for me. It felt like i had an unfair advantage. Everything was just so easy. Groundstrokes, Volleys, Serves, etc.
I do believe the integrity of pro stocks clearly add an advantage as well they should considering what's at stake for tennis professionals in terms of results and earnings.
My final specs of 12.1 ounces at 11pts hl is a difficult spec to arrive at unless you are starting with a pro stock. It would not have been possible to match with my RF97 or any other retail frame.
I'm aware that this is the reason many prefer Angell as you can completely customise your frame similar to pro stock. I've tried Angell frames in the past and felt they were nice but I wasn't blown away as many others have been.
The beam of the H19 is 21mm which is a hair thinner than my RF97 (21.5mm), and combined with the lighter static weight (12.1 vs 12.8) makes it loads easier to swing, and even tho the balance is similar to my RF, the H19 does not feel clubby at all.
The frame feels like a thinner beamed, more maneuverable, slightly softer RF97 with all the other benefits of plow, control and power. Additionally I was able to get more topspin with the H19.
At impact the ball sinks into the string bed slightly with a nice modest flex and is held momentarily similar to my RF97 but less harsh.
My racquet illness is finally cured. After hitting with this frame i'm not sure I can ever hit with anything else.