Players whose racquets don't match their play style (on paper)

[Oldbaby]

Rec guys might need some help with spin to go from 500rpm to 800rpm. The pros who hit with high spin maybe want a racquet that gives them a bit more control as they hit >3000 rpm anyway. Similarly a pro who hits flatter likely has laser-like precision already and maybe wants a little more spin help or extra juice on his shots. Plus you can tune a racquet‘s performance tremendously by stringing it differently with different strings, gauges and tensions. The reviews which claim particular racquets are suitable only for particular styles of play are a bit overblown anyway.

That one makes more sense than we now tend to recognise, the original brief for the pure drive was for a frame anyone could use to sell to the biggest market in tennis which is doubles, i've never seen what theirs actually were though. So by design the PD was for doubles players.

These are alternate rationales for racquet selection: against the type of player indicated by the marketing for a racquet

Racquet gives you something your technique and play style do not

Of course this really works against the typical racquet review assumptions. Racquet reviews are really kind of nonsense anyway wrt pro players. Those guys reviewing the racquets are totally different creatures from pro players.

Even upper D1 players talk about racquets in fairly different ways than the typical racquet review (or these forums).

 

[Guttersnipe]

I would have loved to see Rafa do an Andy Murray (but the opposite way)

Rafa with a thinner beam at the final stage of his career would have spiced things up.
(I know he was tinkering with the weight and balance at the end, but giving him a whole new mould would have been very cool (this time like the RF01 but again in the opposite direction)

He was hitting so shallow without the mega spin it was easy pickings.

 

[ChrisJR3264]

I want to see djokovic with a custom Ezone 98 18x19.
Would that match his play? No.
Would it be hilarious to see Murray have influence on him to take down sinner for more power? Absolutely.

 

[The Aceserver]

I want to see djokovic with a custom Ezone 98 18x19.
Would that match his play? No.
Would it be hilarious to see Murray have influence on him to take down sinner for more power? Absolutely.

Murray played even more passively after he switched to the EZONE100. He definitely wouldn’t be able to sell Djokovic on the Yonex allowing him to play more aggressively and with more power.

 

[Shroud]

Federer playing with an RF97a. Everyone knows no one should be using that racquet in the modern era. Imagine if he used a yonex or puredrive. Then he could finally hit with some spin and hit a good bh.

 

[ChrisJR3264]

Murray played even more passively after he switched to the EZONE100. He definitely wouldn’t be able to sell Djokovic on the Yonex allowing him to play more aggressively and with more power.

It was a joke.

 

[The Aceserver]

It was a joke.

I get it. I’m just saying that it will be a tough sell for Murray. He can’t say, “Just look at my results!”

 

[jxs653]

Cressy S&V every point with a Babolat Aero.

S&V is possible with any racket as long as you spec it to be fairly headlight with decent static weight. You don't need a thin beamed prestige or phantom 93P to play S&V

Thanks for the unnecessary explanation

I don't think it was unnecessary explanation because many people think stiff, hollow, no-feel babolat racquets are no good for volley, even though you are not one of them.

 

[jxs653]

Dustin Brown and Pure Drive, probably

I think of Radwanska using a Pure Drive (Lite?). Not sure what was under the PJ, but I can't think of a worse "touch" frame.

Stefan Edberg would have been a supreme volleyer even if he’d used Pure Drive if he had played with it from his childhood.

In fact, I don’t buy at all racquets can be classified by play style.

 

[aaron_h27]

I don't think it was unnecessary explanation because many people think stiff, hollow, no-feel babolat racquets are no good for volley, even though you are not one of them.

Thank you!

 

[travlerajm]

I think of Radwanska using a Pure Drive (Lite?). Not sure what was under the PJ, but I can't think of a worse "touch" frame.

At 400sw. Didn’t match her petit build.

 

[Oldbaby]

How about Rybakina hitting pretty flat with a VCore?

 

[ChrisJR3264]

How about Rybakina hitting pretty flat with a VCore?

Hitting flat is about technique not equipment.
Equipment can help with more spin. But proper stroke needs to be applied.

 

[langley]

I want to see djokovic with a custom Ezone 98 18x19.
Would that match his play? No.
Would it be hilarious to see Murray have influence on him to take down sinner for more power? Absolutely.

i know you’re joking but didn’t madison keys switch from an h19? you never know (that it wouldn’t improve djoker’s game)…

I kind of like the idea that keys got used to her new racquet so quickly. I wonder if it’s because it was such a large change she had to forget her old muscle memory entirely where as just modifying the same racquet or using a very similar racquet would just a slight modification in muscle memory.

 

[ChrisJR3264]

i know you’re joking but didn’t madison keys switch from an h19? you never know (that it wouldn’t improve djoker’s game)…

I kind of like the idea that keys got used to her new racquet so quickly. I wonder if it’s because it was such a large change she had to forget her old muscle memory entirely where as just modifying the same racquet or using a very similar racquet would just a slight modification in muscle memory.

They did a custom 18x20 for shapo.
A custom 18x19 for Djoko would be sweet.

 

[Oldbaby]

Hitting flat is about technique not equipment.
Equipment can help with more spin. But proper stroke needs to be applied.

I mean, of course...

But isn't the whole premise of much of the discussion above (if not the thread from the start) play style contrasted with racquet either as designed or as marketed?

Her play style is based on her (serves and returns, yes but also her) aggressive flat hitting

VCore is marketed as a spin racquet. There's this "aero trench"! and "aero fins"! and silicone grommets!

 

[McGradey]

Lleyton Hewitt: used a mid while being the best grinder and topspin lobber on tour. You could logically expect him to use a midplus or even a POG, like Nalbandian.
Safin being a two-handed baseline brute with the Prestige Classic.
Gasquet's racquet also looks kind of uncanny given his vintage looking strokes.