Pros successful moving to a more controlled racquet

[jimdontcare]

With Keys and Tsitsipas having immediate success moving to much more powerful setups, it got me wondering whether there were many pros who moved to less powerful racquets and had more success or revitalized their careers.

I’m struggling to think of many. Pouille went back to his Prince Tours from the pure drive, albeit a stiffer version compared to what he used before. Similarly, Ferrer went from Prince to Pure Drive but then found maybe a middle ground with a version of Wilson’s Steam. A couple Pure Drive players recently went to the 98s, but I don’t know that their career trajectories really changed.

 

[Alcawrath]

With Keys and Tsitsipas having immediate success moving to much more powerful setups, it got me wondering whether there were many pros who moved to less powerful racquets and had more success or revitalized their careers.

I’m struggling to think of many. Pouille went back to his Prince Tours from the pure drive, albeit a stiffer version compared to what he used before. Similarly, Ferrer went from Prince to Pure Drive but then found maybe a middle ground with a version of Wilson’s Steam. A couple Pure Drive players recently went to the 98s, but I don’t know that their career trajectories really changed.

Don't forget Federer slowly playing bigger and bigger racquets over his career and now Shapo going to a bigger frame

 

[aus89]

Lehecka went from Blade > 6.1 95 18x20 (and apparently from Pure Drive > Blade originally)

 

[socallefty]

Rarely do you make it to the elite ranks of pro tennis and need more help with control. On the other hand, the weapons race gets stronger at the top every year in terms of the need for more powerful weapons and sometimes I guess equipment changes can help.

 

[aus89]

Rarely do you make it to the elite ranks of pro tennis and need more help with control. On the other hand, the weapons race gets stronger at the top every year in terms of the need for more powerful weapons and sometimes I guess equipment changes can help.

As Serena said to Ron Rocci @ Wilson... "if you give me a racket with all the power in the world I will learn to control it."

 

[socallefty]

If a pro starts hitting the ball on the rise a lot (like Djokovic) and ramps up his aggression that way, I can see how a more controlled racquet might be better for his game. But if you stand way back and trade shots, I can see where extra power helps when you take big cuts at the ball.

 

[Move]

Isn't it that strings and tension are more differential in power vs control than the racket?

 

[SpinToWin]

Isn't it that strings and tension are more differential in power vs control than the racket?

Not really? Unless you change the string material I guess (e.g. poly to gut hybrid). But also pros don’t tinker with string setups as much for whatever reason. Most of the time they use setups from their endorsement deals or Luxilon, it’s quite rare that you’ll find a pro truly test out the broad variety in the string market.

 

[Deleted member 775640]

Lehecka went from Blade > 6.1 95 18x20 (and apparently from Pure Drive > Blade originally)

Lehecka also changed (recently?) to a 16x20 pattern, so his 6.1 may or may not be a 6.1 95. Meta lately has been more power bc of the junkier tennis balls.

 

[socallefty]

Isn't it that strings and tension are more differential in power vs control than the racket?

I think it is more common for pros to tweak tensions for the different conditions of different tournaments and night/day match times. Some may try different gauges or strings if they are in a slump. It needs to take a big existential crisis of a long slump and long-term lack of form for a player to consider changing racquets unless there is a lucrative new endorsement deal driving the change. What Tsitsipas did is very rare and I think he is relishing his freedom away from his dad to experiment more freely than most pros on all aspects of his game.

 

[ChrisJR3264]

Don't forget Federer slowly playing bigger and bigger racquets over his career and now Shapo going to a bigger frame

Shapo also has a custom 18x20 Ezone so he technically has a more control oriented set up

 

[ChrisJR3264]

Lehecka also changed (recently?) to a 16x20 pattern, so his 6.1 may or may not be a 6.1 95. Meta lately has been more power bc of the junkier tennis balls.

Lehecka was also spotted with a blacked out racket during the off-season. So who knows?

 

[aus89]

Lehecka also changed (recently?) to a 16x20 pattern, so his 6.1 may or may not be a 6.1 95. Meta lately has been more power bc of the junkier tennis balls.

Yeah i did speculate he may have switched to the 6.1 100 as the PWS are more slender like on the 97/6.1 100

 

[ChrisJR3264]

I think it is more common for pros to tweak tensions for the different conditions of different tournaments and night/day match times. Some may try different gauges or strings if they are in a slump. It needs to take a big existential crisis of a long slump and long-term lack of form for a player to consider changing racquets unless there is a lucrative new endorsement deal driving the change. What Tsitsipas did is very rare and I think he is relishing his freedom away from his dad to experiment more freely than most pros on all aspects of his game.

The pure aero 98 is still a more control oriented frame. It’s not necessarily a power racket.
It also has a massive sweet spot which could be helpful from a feel standpoint.

 

[fox]

As Serena said to Ron Rocci @ Wilson... "if you give me a racket with all the power in the world I will learn to control it."

That said, her father taught her to play with powerful racket so she kinda knows and feels it. If someone plays control racket all life it’s hard to switch to Pure Drive or whatsover.

 

[gino]

With Keys and Tsitsipas having immediate success moving to much more powerful setups, it got me wondering whether there were many pros who moved to less powerful racquets and had more success or revitalized their careers.

I’m struggling to think of many. Pouille went back to his Prince Tours from the pure drive, albeit a stiffer version compared to what he used before. Similarly, Ferrer went from Prince to Pure Drive but then found maybe a middle ground with a version of Wilson’s Steam. A couple Pure Drive players recently went to the 98s, but I don’t know that their career trajectories really changed.

Cilic went from 95" TGK 231.3 to a 93" TGT 312.2 - now I think he's back up to 95" with a PT57A

@dr325i is that right for Marin?

 

[Shaolin]

I remember a lot of press about Davydenko switching to an 18x20 and then blowing Nadal away in Miami.

One thing I found:

Davydenko's Magic Wand​

Nikolay Davydenko couldn't say enough about his new Prince Ozone Pro Tour Racquet during the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, Florida — he kissed it after the match, he talked it up at the press conferences and who wouldn't have?
Prior to the tournament, Davydenko wanted to experiment with more densely woven strings, and Prince supplied him with one sample of the model he requested.
Davydenko quickly proved that it was the racquet for him — in the finals against Rafael Nadal, he hit serves at up to 132 mph allowing him to win five service games at love and the match, 6-4, 6-2.
"I have only one," he said. "Surprising I didn't break a string. Warm up and play match, warm up and play match, every match, and I finish with the racket. I'm going to keep forever this racket."
The Prince Ozone Pro Tour is the latest update to the Prince O3 Tour and is for tournament players wanting a denser string pattern with improved stability and control. Prince has transformed the string holes into giant O-ports, which expands the sweet spot by 54%. Combine Prince's new O-port technology with a 100 sq. inch headsize and you have a great racquet for an advanced player looking for a well balanced, all-court racquet. With Carbon Wave Matix Construction, Prince has re-engineered the hitting zone adding extra strength and stability for a larger, more consistent sweetspot and maximum control.
This is a solid player's racquet with an emphasis on comfort, control, stability and spin however, there are no guarantees you will beat Rafael Nadal with it unless of course, like Davydenko, you believe in "magic."
For more information go to princetennis.com. Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

 

[Alcawrath]

Shapo also has a custom 18x20 Ezone so he technically has a more control oriented set up

He went from a 95 to a 98 and from a vcore mold to an ezone mold. I agree that an 18x20 special drill pattern improves control, but his current setup is a less controlled setup than his previous stick right?

 

[ChrisJR3264]

He went from a 95 to a 98 and from a vcore mold to an ezone mold. I agree that an 18x20 special drill pattern improves control, but his current setup is a less controlled setup than his previous stick right?

Hmmmmmmm I don’t think so. The drill pattern on an Ezone 16x19 is quite dense. Sure it’s a tapered beam -think it’s like 22-23-20 or something like that (don’t rip me if I’m wrong bc I’m not 100% sure)

 

[arsen]

Isn't it that strings and tension are more differential in power vs control than the racket?