Please help a non-racquetholic select a new racquet

[nomie]

Hi,

As someone that rarely switches racquets I need some advice from the more experienced racquetholics on this forum for some pointers. Some of my questions might seem a bit basic but I have only played with two racquets for my entire 36 year 'tennis career' so my racquet knowledge is a bit limited to say the least.

My background:
I played quite well (first team type of thing) at school with some generic Prince frames that weighed around 340g/12 ounces and had a SW of around 333.
Like many people I stopped playing after school for a good 15 years and started again some time after 30 as I discovered the aging body needs some more exercise and sunshine to keep the stress levels down.
We do not have individual rankings here in SA but I'm pretty much your average level club player in a slightly above average league team. I try and play an aggressive all-court game so performance both at the baseline and net is important to me.
For my 'second career' I bought a K90 based on the reviews. It has slightly more mass than my old Prince frame at 364g/12.8 ounces, but less SW at 324.

I'll break up my ignorance into some specific questions to keep it from being too vague:

1. I play great with the K90 when I am refreshed, had a proper rest and good meal. People playing with the lighter modern frames just cant keep up with the solid precision the K90 can unleash. But I find more and more these days that when I had a tough day, or have been playing a lot I start to get tired with the K90 and start to take short-cuts in my 'full' strokes . So before I become a fully fledged pusher I guess I need a lighter frame. So how light do I need to go? From this forum I gathered at my age (36) < 11.5 ounces (Say 11-11.5) is the weight to go for? Is this about right?

2. I find my volleys with the K90 is getting a worse and worse. I get absolutely no pop and struggle to put volleys away. I thought it was my technique but then I played with my friends 310SW much lighter racquet and I couldn't miss a volley and it had plenty pop. Can it be that even with 324 SW I just don't have enough muscle to accelerate the K90 for a nice fast volley punch? Or is there some other trick to volleying with a heavy racquet?

3. What makes for a maneuverable racquet? In some TW reviews they rank a 320g 310SW racquet badly but then rank a same weight 330SW racquet as very maneuverable? How can one determine from the specs what is a maneuverable racquet?

4. In our league we have to play both singles and doubles. Does that translate into a compromised racquet spec or are there lighter racquets that has stable power from the baseline and still great touch at the net?

5. From other comments on the forum and TW reviews I have gathered that I might need a frame in the 11.2-11.5 range with say 315-320 SW, 100in^2, low-medium power. Given that TW has stopped shipping 'major' brands internationally, I have narrowed it down to the following in alphabetical order:

a. Donnay formula 100. (How the heck do they get the tip of the racquet so powerful? Makes for a very consistent string-bed.)
b. Volkl V1 pro. (Very arm friendly and tons of feel.)
c. Yoney AI 100. (Good reviews, most powerful of the three.)

Does this list seem reasonable? Does any of the three stand out or are there any others I should add to the list?

Please note that none of these frames are actually available in SA so I can't demo. And the racquet will have to last me a good few years.

I appreciate any and all comments

 

[GaryB]

I haven't tried the Donnay but the both the Yonex and Volkl are great rackets. The Yonex in particular is super easy to use, comfortable and lots of controllable power and very manoeuvrable. I like this racket for doubles play and groundstrokes

 

[fuzz nation]

Interesting situation - the racquets you've been using are more toward the "old-school" end of the spectrum, but that's not necessarily a bad thing (I enjoy a little old-school flavor myself). The downward jump that you're looking to make with a new racquet in terms of weight sounds rather drastic to me though.

I've used 12.8 oz. frames in the past, including the old ProStaff 6.1 Classic, Yonex RD Ti-80, and an older Volkl C10 Pro. The extra heft and inherent stability is certainly nice, but a leaner alternative can seem much easier to live with from day to day. The racquets I use now are in the range of 12.2-12.4 oz. and these include newer versions of both the C10 and the 6.1 95. In my experience, only a half-ounce lower in weight can make a substantial difference.

These lighter alternatives I'm referring to have similar balance to their heavier cousins and this gets to your #3 item asking about maneuverability. As frames get heavier in their stock form, they also typically have more head-light (HL) balance. That allows for acceptable maneuverability in a frame with more weight. An 11.3 oz. Pure Drive with only a few points HL balance can actually feel more sluggish than a 12 oz. racquet with a lot of HL balance - maybe 8 or 9 pts. HL.

Racquets with similar swing weights can be very different, so I prefer to look at other specs. If I know a frame's static weight, balance, and flex rating, that usually gives me a good idea about whether or not it has potential for me.

If that K90 is becoming too much of a chore to use well, the 6.1 95 could be a good alternative with its mildly larger head and a little less weight with similar balance. Whenever I've tried to get along with lighter racquets, I've always eventually missed the stability and potential for power when my frame gets below perhaps 11.8 oz. That's why I'm so keen to caution you against switching to a much lighter option. It sounds like the K90 is just at the upper margin of what is useful for you.

 

[jaspert]

If you are seriously considering the Yonex Ezone Ai racquet, I would seriously consider Ai 98 instead the Ai 100. Coming from Wilson K90, the adjustment will be easier. It is more forgiving than 90" player stick but has better control than the bigger, lighter head heavy tweeners. Quite versatile , fast through the air, nice pop for serve, easy to flatten out my stroke or hit spin for me. No problem with volley too. I did add a bit of weight round the hoop for a bit more plow and make it more headlight by changing the thin Yonex grip with Wilson Shock Shield grip plus overgrip to match my preferred spec.

 

[nomie]

Thank you for all the advice and insight on the racquets.

If that K90 is becoming too much of a chore to use well, the 6.1 95 could be a good alternative with its mildly larger head and a little less weight with similar balance. Whenever I've tried to get along with lighter racquets, I've always eventually missed the stability and potential for power when my frame gets below perhaps 11.8 oz. That's why I'm so keen to caution you against switching to a much lighter option. It sounds like the K90 is just at the upper margin of what is useful for you.

Thank you for the personal insight.

I still immensely enjoy the K90 for singles. Its just on those bad days where I wish for something a bit more effortless and forgiving.

For doubles on the other hand I seem to struggle with the K90. Most notably on returns and volleys. It just doesn't feel light / maneuverable enough to make the quick adjustments necessary. Its like I have to commit to my shots with the K90. I tried my girlfriends 280g/310SW Volkl for doubles the other day and what a pleasure. It certainly opens up a lot of new options in terms of adjusting shots according to what the opponents do.

I will give the 6.1 95 some consideration. Might actually be able to find one of these for a demo.

 

[oble]

I don't think it's necessary to go down in static weight too much to the 11~11.5oz range, especially since you are used to fairly heavy sticks. I think what you are struggling with is a combination of lack of strength to accelerate the static weight of the K90 when you're tired, and the lack of maneuverability to get your racquet head behind balls for volleys due to the SW.

IMHO for volleying, some static weight is necessary to provide the stability for blocking/volleying against some heavy shots at the net, but it definitely sounds like you need something with lower SW in the 310~315 region for maneuverability so that you can get your racquet to the ball fast enough to hit solid volleys in doubles.

You seemed to have come to a pretty good conclusion as to what sort of racquet spec range you should be looking at, although I would say you should expand the weight range up to 12oz (similar to your old Prince racquets), but drop the SW range to 310-315, and also moderately head-light balance (3 to 6 points head-light). Head size can be 95-100 sq in. This range should give a good compromise between your singles and doubles games.

 

[kaiser]

I would concur with fuzz nation: don't go down in weight too drastically because you will miss it in the end... Slightly larger head with more help from your strings, perhaps a bit lower static weight but still a nice head light balance should help you out with volleys.

As to SW, I don't think it matters nearly as much for volleys as it does for groundstrokes. SW stands for the moment of inertia and measures the 'resistance' to movement of your racquet when swung in an arc. A punch volley involves a much more linear movement, you're not supposed to swing it at all, so static weight and balance are much more important than SW in that shot. Your current SW is by no means exaggerated and should be pretty manageable. I'm pretty sure that with your background if you drop SW much more, you'll miss it in your groundstrokes and you'll have to swing much faster to get the same shot speed. SW represents mass in the head, and mass in the head helps you win the collision with the ball...

A good racquet for you to try is the PS95, which is gaining more and more appreciation among the RH crowd here... Stock it has very low SW, so you can lead it up to your preference, and in terms of feel it will be close to your K90. And remember, you'll have bad days regardless of your racquet, and as you age they will not become less frequent...

 

[robbo1970]

I'm thinking possibly PS95 as well.

I don't think you really need to increase the head size too much, it sounds like you enjoy the precision and feel you get with the 90 and I think by jumping to a 98 or 100 you will lose the feel you like. I think you just need to try something a bit lighter that is more forgiving when youre not quite at peak fitness.

 

[JackB1]

You are used to a high static weight, 90" racquet, so I wouldn't make a huge jump to tweener just yet. Try something in the middle so it's not such a huge culture shock. Maybe a 95-98" racquet with a static weight around 11.5-12 oz and a sw of 325-335? Some good suggestions would be:

Donnay Pro One 97
Yonex Ezone AI 98
Babolat Pure Strike Tour
Volkl 10 Series

 

[Winners or Errors]

I just bought a pair of 6.1 95 16x18 racquets. So far, so good. I've found the increase in spin and power I expected to find, and no longer feel that I need to swing for the fences on rally balls like I do with the 4D100. The pattern in the center is tighter than at the edges, so I think you'll find control just fine.

TW matched them for me, and mine came in at 336g/12pts/SW296 unstrung. That's pretty much my ideal spec, and I'm finding that early on the racquet does what I expected. The other racquets in my rotation, because I am a racquetholic and like playing different racquets periodically, are the Dunlop 4D100 and Becker London Tour.

If you're looking for power, a little more mobility, and you don't mind a softer feel, you may look at the PB10 mid that's on sale now. I didn't go that way because I already have that with the Beckers.

 

[nomie]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I appreciate the insight. Sounds like I should first look at the 95 in^2 330-340g range before I go down in weight too drastically. I shall try get hold of a 6.1 95 or PS95 and let you know how it went.

 

[MisterP]

1. Static weight will not be as important as swingweight, but I would focus on that low to mid-11 range.

2. See #1. Also, maybe get a lesson from a pro to make sure your technique is good.

3. Look at the balance point. It should be head-light in addition to being both lighter and lower in swingweight than the K90.

4. I don't think so, but that's just my game. If you're not coming to the net as much in singles, you could certainly get away with a less maneuverable stick. But, personally I would try to find something that's a solid all-court stick.

5. I think your specs are OK, but I wouldn't limit it to 100 square inch racquets. 97-100 would be a good range. Plus, as I said before, you should look at something that's pretty head-light.

The only racquet you listed that I've hit with is the Yonex Ai 100. I thought it was overpowered and lacked control. I think the AeroPro Drive is a way better choice with those specs. But you won't know until you try.

My recs:

1. Babolat Pure Strike Tour
2. Yonex Ai 98
3. Head Radical Pro

 

[nomie]

1. Static weight will not be as important as swingweight, but I would focus on that low to mid-11 range.

2. See #1. Also, maybe get a lesson from a pro to make sure your technique is good.

3. Look at the balance point. It should be head-light in addition to being both lighter and lower in swingweight than the K90.

4. I don't think so, but that's just my game. If you're not coming to the net as much in singles, you could certainly get away with a less maneuverable stick. But, personally I would try to find something that's a solid all-court stick.

5. I think your specs are OK, but I wouldn't limit it to 100 square inch racquets. 97-100 would be a good range. Plus, as I said before, you should look at something that's pretty head-light.

The only racquet you listed that I've hit with is the Yonex Ai 100. I thought it was overpowered and lacked control. I think the AeroPro Drive is a way better choice with those specs. But you won't know until you try.

My recs:

1. Babolat Pure Strike Tour
2. Yonex Ai 98
3. Head Radical Pro

Thank you. Very insightful and good racquet suggestions!

From the new tennis warehouse professor article (http://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/learning_center/racquetweighting.php) it seems a SW of 300 is actually optimum for maximum power (minimum energy input / least fatigue). But I guess stability suffers a bit at SW this low.

 

[fuzz nation]

If you can play well sometimes with the K90, I'll bet you a nickel that a frame with a swing weight down at 300 or even in the neighborhood of 310-312 would feel MUCH less stable than you like. The good news I suppose is that there's gear out there for everyone. You'll learn plenty in your travels - always a good idea to keep some notes by the way, as you sample this and that.

As an avid Volkl player, I can't fault you for trying your girlfriend's racquet. The truth is in the demos, at least in my experience. Keep in mind as you try different gear that if something is a little on the light-and-unstable side of the street, that's really easy to adjust with only a little lead tape on the hoop.

Actually, if you've never tried it, you might like the maneuverability that you'll get if you add some weight to the handle of your K90. Although it will make the racquet heavier overall, the added weight will be under your hand and the extra head-light balance can certainly make the frame less cumbersome, especially around the net. Lead tape doesn't solve every player's problems, but a little tuning can often foster a much better fit.

Agree with JackB1's recommendation of the Volkl 10 Series options. My C10's are certainly easier to live with than some of my old hefty mids, but they also have enough old-school personality to make me happy in just about any setting. I also have their O10 325g, which could be worth a look. NOT heavy in its stock form, but I customized mine into a nice layout that's only slightly lighter than my C10's. In contrast with the Six.One 95, these frames have more flex. They're probably more arm-friendly, but also maybe a bit more mellow, too.

 

[Muppet]

2. I find my volleys with the K90 is getting a worse and worse. I get absolutely no pop and struggle to put volleys away. I thought it was my technique but then I played with my friends 310SW much lighter racquet and I couldn't miss a volley and it had plenty pop. Can it be that even with 324 SW I just don't have enough muscle to accelerate the K90 for a nice fast volley punch? Or is there some other trick to volleying with a heavy racquet?

My ability level is lower than yours, but I might be able to help with the volleying technique question.

When you switch to a lighter racquet, you can manuever it around easily to catch volleys. But hard incoming shots will not be returned with as much control. To use a heavy racquet for volleys, it's important to move your feet quickly and get into a position where you can step into the ball and get your body behind your racquet. This punch-step with a heavier racquet will cut down even very heavy shots and won't tire your arm out as fast.

 

[Sander001]

Your k90 could be dead. If you've played with that racquet for these years, it may have lost a ton of its stiffness. And so with it, its stability, power, and sweetspot.

Same thing happened to me as my Yonex 001 Mids died, I was slowly getting worse, didn't realize it could've been my racquet. Picked up a fresh midsize racquet to try and all the memories of my 001's when they were new, came back. And the k90 and Yonex 001 came out at very near the same time.

Not saying you shouldn't switch to new models, but definitely something to watch.

 

[nomie]

Hi. Thought it was about time for an update. Sorry for the long post!

I am currently waiting for the review of the PS97 to see if that is maybe the answer to my quest for an "easier to live with" "players" racquet.

In the meantime I've been reading some articles and reviews based on the information from this thread.

I've also managed to wrestle my coach's Prince Exo3 Warrior 100 from him to get a bit of an idea about the feel of the more 'modern' racquets. The Warrior is basically a 100", 25mm beam, 11oz, 320SW, 4pts head light, 64 flex, medium power stick.

Was a strange feeling to say the least.

The first thing that hit me is how huge the head seemed to be. It felt like I was trying to swing a frying pan around. Felt clunky and slow but that might have just been because I am not used to the drag of a bigger thick beamed racquet.

The other thing I noticed was the muted powerful response of the racquet. Not unpleasant, just different. What I didn't like though was how the feel seemed to change from the bottom to top half of the racquet. It was like playing with two racquets. The bottom half felt powerful and predictable. The top felt wild and unstable. Compared to that my K90 retains the feel across the string-bed. The amount of power on tap just changes a bit.

Which brings me to a couple of questions from my readings:

Fuzz Nation:
Racquets with similar swing weights can be very different, so I prefer to look at other specs. If I know a frame's static weight, balance, and flex rating, that usually gives me a good idea about whether or not it has potential for me.

oble:
drop the SW range to 310-315, and also moderately head-light balance (3 to 6 points head-light). ... This range should give a good compromise between your singles and doubles games.

The V1 pro is 1pt HL and the AI 98 5pts HL. What will this mean in terms of feel and weight distribution?

The reviews of both racquets state that they have great feel. They achieve it by different means though. The AI by being very flexible (63) while the V1 does it by being less headlight (weight distribution)?

Does the head-lightness of similar weight/SW racquets give an indication of how polarized a racquet is? I'm guessing the V1 is less polarized to be able to maintain the low SW while being only 1pt HL.

jaspert:
I would seriously consider Ai 98 instead the Ai 100.

JackB1:
Yonex Ezone AI 98

MisterP:
2. Yonex Ai 98

There seems to be a lot of love for this racquet! I might seriously consider this one. The only concern I have is with the low flex (63). This was done to tame the power and give it more feel I presume. But does this not make the tip of the racquet a bit dead negating some of the benefits of a bigger head-size? Also coming from stiffer racquets (K90 was 67, prince was stiffer), how does a more flexible stick like this change the feel and response form a racquet?

Btw I read a well-written and interesting review that opened my eyes to the "Modern players racquet" category. Seems I was mixing up racquets from different categories

The author bemoans the fact that his old small head-size and heavy racquets are not doing him any favors against the newer generation of players wielding big powerful racquets and ponders the question of whether there are compromises available.

The article can be found by searching for "Racquet Revisited: Yonex EZone Xi 98". The link is getting deleted.

A small extract:

Where the BLX Pro Staff 95 massages the ball, the Pure Drive pummels it. Where the BLX Pro Staff 95’s 18mm shaft will feel like the 1980s in your hand, the Pure Drive’s tapered 26mm shaft will make you feel like you’ve surrendered your dignity. Where the feel of the Pro Staff 95 is sublime, the power of the Pure Drive is intoxicating. Surely there’s a compromise.

Enter the Yonex Ezone Xi 98, which combines the familiar feel of the Pro Staff 95 with the power of the Pure Drive necessary for today’s game, all within a manageable package. Weighing in at 11.5 ounces strung, a swingweight (how heavy it feels when you hold/swing it) of 324, a stiffness rating of 65, and a 16 x 19 string pattern, it is a nice blend of old and new. The racquet is light compared to traditional players’ racquets, but its swingweight belies its weight and offers ample mass to win the collision between racquet and ball.

This led me to an article Andy wrote on his favorite modern players frames:

http://blog.tennis-warehouse.com/racquets/5-best-modern-players-racquets-andys-picks/

His favourites are:

- Wilson Blade 98 18×20: precision and exceptional responsiveness
- Yonex EZONE Ai 98: lively and spin-friendly, yet there’s enough control
- Head Graphene Speed Pro: tremendous control and surprising spin-potential
- Babolat Pure Control Tour: all about maneuverability, control and feel
- Volkl Organix V1 Pro: arm-friendly, stability

 

[Winners or Errors]

Frying pan. That's not a feel I want with my OHBH. I'd demo more if I were you. Your coaches racquet pretty much matches my brief foray into the 100 sq in club. Yuck.

 

[JackB1]

Nomie, you are asking lots of questions regarding "feel". These can only be answered by you. Feel is a very subjective thing.

The Warrior 100 is an O-Port racquet so that will feel very different to you if you've never played with one of those before.

If you are after a "easier to live with players racquet" you should also check out the Graphene Speed MP.

 

[KYHacker]

Well, I think part of the "frying pan" issue is related to beam width. If you are used to a thin beam, midsize then moving to a larger headsize and a much thicker beam will be very disconcerting.

My advice, look at a modern player or player-tweener frame. Be careful, though, as these will likely have a very different balance than what you are accustomed to. My experience has been that you should stick with a balance that you like and not deviate too far from it. If you like 10pts HL, then go down to 6-7pts HL so as to get a similar feel for maneuverability.

Buy a spare grip and some lead tape. Affix the lead tape to the center of the grip-- about 24" total or 6g. When you demo the player/tweener racquets that are only 1-2pts HL, swap out the grip.

Try the IG Prestige S. Have TW measure it for you before you buy it. Notice I said buy it not demo. If you use poly, then string at 48. If you use a multi, string at 52. Buy some lead tape. Use the racquet to modify sw to 325 (usually about 4g at Noon). Add 6g under the grip to counterbalance. I think you will find what you are looking for. Play with it for a month while tweeking the balance and sw. Keep notes. If you don't like, return it to TW for 75% of your purchase price. You will also have a good set of notes to help you with future demos.

 

[nomie]

Sorry that I disappeared for a while. Was year end at our company.

Thanks KYHacker. Great advice. Did not know one could do that!

My last tennis week can be summed up pretty much like this:

Tuesday: Arrive at court fresh and relaxed. Beat my hitting buddy with his silly tweener racquet 6 0 6 1. Loving the K90. Can do anything I want with the ball. Poor guy is running his lungs out chasing balls at every corner of the court.

Thursday: Later in the week so I'm more stressed and my arm is still feeling a bit heavy from Tuesday's match. Lose 6 4 6 3. Hating the stupid heavy K90 which my arm can barely lift. Can barely manage to keep ball in court - everything just flying long.

So that made me contemplate why my hitting buddy can keep a consistent level through the week and I can not. Only difference really is that he uses a lighter more forgiving racquet. His peak play with the tweener racquet may be lower than it would have been if he used a players racquet but he can stay more consistent with it even when he gets tired.

Bottom line:
Ordered two IG Prestige S's (Hey, they are on special!) and two Yonex AI98's (The rebel in me wants to like this frame).

Also ordered a reel of big hitter black 17 since Andy at TW is vouching for the combination. Good enough for me.

 

[nomie]

Bleg. Received an email stating that I get a free Yonex 6-pack bag with each of the AI98's, but I have to wait an additional week as they do not actually have them in stock. So instead of receiving the racquets in the usual 3 days I have to wait an additional 7 days for something I didn't even order. Such is life. :/

 

[Soundbyte]

You'll love the AI 98s. Part of me wishing they made it in extended length (I'm a sucker for those rackets). But easily one of the most impressive rackets I've played with in the past decade.

 

[nomie]

Thanks. Can't wait. :mrgreen:

 

[Backhanded Compliment]

For posterity... and Pacific spamming sake. The Pacific x feel pro 95 has the same pinpoint accuracy of a 90 inch mid... but with the vastly improved spin potential of an open pattern in 95 sq inches. It is why I play with them... it is demanding but probably not as bad as the k90. Worth a demo and the feel is unique... it isnt a clone of any other racquet (well except certain Fischers because it is their mold with a few updates).

The x force Pro is a tad more forgiving too but similar control aspects. TheX Feel 95 is the most precise Mid + I have ever encountered... used to play with a head IG Prestige MP.... way back I was a max 200G player... now that thing was a scalpel.