Pros racket choice'-why limited to major brands

[Boricua]

Most Top 50 pros use Wilson, Babolat, Head, Prince and Dunlop rackets. What keeps them from using quality brands like Volkl, Kneissl, Pro Kennex, Pacific, Boris Becker and Donnay?

I would suppose it is for financial reasons mostly, that is the top selling brands give these pros lucrative contracts.

 

[magnut]

Its pretty much all about endorcements.

That and scouts getting racquets in the hands of juniors.

 

[Jonny S&V]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[aceX]

What is verdasco using now?

 

[Jonny S&V]

What is verdasco using now?

A 'Dunlop' (who knows what it actually is).

 

[Timbo's hopeless slice]

Ron Yu says its a dunlop..

You see a few Pacific (Fischer) sticks in teh pros, but I can't remember the last time I saw a Volkl or a Pro Kennex at an ATP event.

I think James Blake is playing withsomething that at least LOOKS like a Donnay, though

 

[PBODY99]

Many players stay with the brands they started with, then as they get better, money comes into play. It takes time & dollars to build up a system to get sticks in the hands of up and comers.

 

[caugas]

Ron Yu says its a dunlop..

You see a few Pacific (Fischer) sticks in teh pros, but I can't remember the last time I saw a Volkl or a Pro Kennex at an ATP event.

I think James Blake is playing withsomething that at least LOOKS like a Donnay, though

What pros are using pacifics. Is there a site that list what tennis pros use as sticks?

 

[gramdacious]

What pros are using pacifics. Is there a site that list what tennis pros use as sticks?

Andrey Golubev for one, amongst a few others. Not sure about a site that outlines all the player's racquet of choice. The new Pacifics/Fischers look really nice though, super quality.

 

[Power Player]

Ron Yu says its a dunlop..

You see a few Pacific (Fischer) sticks in teh pros, but I can't remember the last time I saw a Volkl or a Pro Kennex at an ATP event.

I think James Blake is playing withsomething that at least LOOKS like a Donnay, though

I think it is a Donnay, just a prototype they are making specially for him.

 

[fgs]

andreas seppi used to use pro kennex. haven't followed up on him lately.

 

[Hominator]

Ron Yu says its a dunlop..

You see a few Pacific (Fischer) sticks in teh pros, but I can't remember the last time I saw a Volkl or a Pro Kennex at an ATP event.

I think James Blake is playing withsomething that at least LOOKS like a Donnay, though

From back in the day:

Pro Kennex: Tommy Ho

Volkl: Petr Korda

 

[scotus]

Stepanek and Bethanie Mattek both used to wield Volkls.

The last time I checked, Stepanek was using a Bosworth.

 

[ollinger]

The assertion that the other brands not generally used are "quality brands" no longer washes, if it ever did. People here report the same spec tolerance variations with those brands as with any other brands.

 

[WinNCash]

Stepanek and Bethanie Mattek both used to wield Volkls.

The last time I checked, Stepanek was using a Bosworth.

Bethanie uses a BLX Tour. At least that is what it looks like.

 

[vegasgt3]

Potito Starace uses Pacific (did well in Italian Open)

 

[vsbabolat]

Voelkl is trying to sign players again after getting rid of most all of them in 2005.

Here is Stefanie Voelgele using what appears (her frames don't have the Bio Sensor butt cap and the Mass dampener pendulum in the yoke above the grip) to be the new Voelkl Organix 10 MP 325 while playing Qualifying at the 2011 French Open:

 

[Shasha]

Who else, using Völkl?

Kevin Kim maybe?

 

[LPShanet]

Most Top 50 pros use Wilson, Babolat, Head, Prince and Dunlop rackets. What keeps them from using quality brands like Volkl, Kneissl, Pro Kennex, Pacific, Boris Becker and Donnay?

I would suppose it is for financial reasons mostly, that is the top selling brands give these pros lucrative contracts.

Basically, there are two reasons that more pros don't use the brands you mentioned. The first, as you guessed (and many confirmed), is money. Those companies simply don't have the sponsorship budgets of the biggest players, and some have decided not to bother with pro sponsorship as a strategy at all. After all, there's little point to sponsorship if you can't afford to sign someone really influential. The second reason is pro room services. Head and Wilson sponsor many players without paying them at all because they offer the services of their pro rooms, which allow players to get racquets customized to their needs to varying degrees.

 

[dominikk1985]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

this.

the racket contract is not so much about the racket but about the additional money you get. and the major companies just pay better.

 

[Kemitak]

Stefanie Voelgele looks like she's afraid of the ball, like it's a wasp at a picnic.

 

[Boricua]

Voelkl is trying to sign players again after getting rid of most all of them in 2005.

Here is Stefanie Voelgele using what appears (her frames don't have the Bio Sensor butt cap and the Mass dampener pendulum in the yoke above the grip) to be the new Voelkl Organix 10 MP 325 while playing Qualifying at the 2011 French Open:

What string setup does she use with the Volkl?:

 

[LPShanet]

this.

the racket contract is not so much about the racket but about the additional money you get. and the major companies just pay better.

Not always true (except for the top few players). As stated above, many of them simply choose a company based on pro room services provided.