Rafa's slayers at RG are all 18x20 users
- Thread starter McEncock
- Start date
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
Yes
McEncock
Professional
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
Peak James Blake was pretty good against Rafa, and Davydenko had a winning H2H. Both very tight tension and dense pattern.
McEncock
Professional
Not to mention Dibaego Schwartzman with his 95sqinch 18x20 monster IG radical, 380+ sw
He made Rafa lose some hair
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
Meanwhlle, peak Rogi with 47 lbs 16x19 lost his hairline from dealing with Rafa spin to the bh.
McEncock
Professional
Hahahahaha
If only just the hair, but flair soul and everything else
D
Deleted member 775108
Guest
The only people who can beat him serve biggish flat serves and can hit hard deep and flat when required and can flatten it out and take advantage of his heavy balls when they land a bit short... lets be frank his depth was not consistently great.
18x20 (or 18x19 for Novak) helps
AAATSportingGoods
Rookie
He wasn’t using a 95
sportsfan1
Legend
Even more so for Novak?
David Le
Hall of Fame
The Youtek IG Radical is a 95sq” frame. What you talking about?
McEncock
Professional
McEncock
Professional
As Andy Roddick said, his "depth" wasn't really an issue as his balls landing in the service box kicked out like a kickserve, and had more energy than some other players longer balls.The only people who can beat him serve biggish flat serves and can hit hard deep and flat when required and can flatten it out and take advantage of his heavy balls when they land a bit short... lets be frank his depth was not consistently great.
18x20 (or 18x19 for Novak) helps
For the rest, I agree
D
Deleted member 775108
Guest
The keyword was *when* they landed short. Even otherwise I think its easier to defend a killer heavy ball with a tight pattern control racket than another open pattern stiff racket. And easier to flatten and redirect.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
Blake used to play with a 95” 18x20 strung full poly at 68 lbs, 362 sw, 13.4 ounces. Powerful paddle with dead stringbed good for denadalizing a draw.
This reminds me of what I heard from Andy Roddick's podcast. He said he would be furious every time the commentators said to take the ball early against Rafa, because his balls were so heavy, it was almost impossible to take the balls early. Only a handful of the players can do that and often not very successful.
onehandbh
G.O.A.T.
Blake and Soderling are among the few that were able to take peak Rafa's shots early from the backhand side and crush them. Soderling's victory against Rafa at Roland Garros has to be one of the most impressive non-final wins in Roland Garros history.
AAATSportingGoods
Rookie
Put it against a 98 and tell me it’s a 95
McEncock
Professional
I did several times, although it's not accurate at all
IG rad MP is a classic 18x20 95 sq inch head racquet. It fits with all the old prestige/radical grommets
But now maybe you're going to tell me Ti.Radical/I.radical/LM radical are not 95?
McEncock
Professional
I know, even fever Nadal is the biggest challenge on Philip Chatrier
smalahove
Hall of Fame
It requires some serious skills to flatten out and ball bash high, loopy top spin FHs, as evidenced but the success of f.inst. Cam Norrie. This dynamic was also showcased yesterday in the match between Kotov and Wawa, where Kotov handled Wawa'a pace by producing deep, loopy TS to the baseline. Wawa was crushing it and playing amazing at times, reminding me why I love watching his game, but defense is always easier than offense.
I like to look at it this way:
it compares to sports like diving and snowboarding, where the outcome (placement) depends on how you are graded by a judge (over several). The points awarded are calculated on the basis of the technical difficulty of the dive or run, as well as style points. However, depending on the technical difficulty chosen, you limit the maximum amount of possible points (the higher the difficulty, the more potential points), but at the same time, the evaluation of said judge becomes stricter with the increasing technical difficulty (i.e. you risk more, the higher you set the bar = high risk, high reward).
So how does this compare to tennis: defence is a lower degree of difficulty, and mentally easier to execute, but it has its limits when it comes to reward. Offense is high risk and high reward. In tennis you need ofc to be able to use both approaches, but I would argue that most players fall into one or the other category, and that defense category is easier mentally than offense one.
I like to look at it this way:
it compares to sports like diving and snowboarding, where the outcome (placement) depends on how you are graded by a judge (over several). The points awarded are calculated on the basis of the technical difficulty of the dive or run, as well as style points. However, depending on the technical difficulty chosen, you limit the maximum amount of possible points (the higher the difficulty, the more potential points), but at the same time, the evaluation of said judge becomes stricter with the increasing technical difficulty (i.e. you risk more, the higher you set the bar = high risk, high reward).
So how does this compare to tennis: defence is a lower degree of difficulty, and mentally easier to execute, but it has its limits when it comes to reward. Offense is high risk and high reward. In tennis you need ofc to be able to use both approaches, but I would argue that most players fall into one or the other category, and that defense category is easier mentally than offense one.
McEncock
Professional
Oversimplified
If you think Nadal's playstyle is less skilled than Federer, try to hit a straight arm forehand with 2 meters net clearance with a 370 swingweight racquet.
Topspin forehand requires complexe technique and huge coordination because the swingpath trajectory is very different from the incoming ball's trajectory. OTOH, flat strokes swingpath stay an eternity in the strike zone.
It's just different, I have a high level friend that can take the ball early and stick to his baseline, but is just non capable of producing big amount of spin.
Rating attacking tennis higher than defensive tennis is a conservative and wrong bias lots of people have on this forum. Have you red Gilles Simon's book? it's enlightening =)
smalahove
Hall of Fame
Nadal is an outlier here, and I would not consider him a defensive but an offensive player, that leverages his LH TS FH in an extremely disciplined way.
Add to that, his serve +1 is the most aggressive and offensive minded shot combo in tennis.
It seems to me you are reading what I wrote as offensive tennis being "better" than defensive tennis. That would be an opinion or a preference, I agree.
What I am observing, regardless of which player we look at, some players opt for a higher degree of difficulty than others, i.e. high(er) or low(er) percentage tennis, as we all have different degree of risk aversion / accept different levels of risk. If you assume less risk, you will tax your cognitive system less than f.inst. the players that have beaten Nadal at slams playing the most offensive minded tennis you can, such as Söderling, Verdasco, Nini. The issue meeting Nadal on clay is that almost all players experience that you have to push yourself out of your normal comfort zone, and as such assume a higher level of risk that you are comfortable with, which again taxes your mental game even more.
Shaolin
Talk Tennis Guru
Article on Davy switching to an 18 main. Smoked Nadal 4&2 right after this.
Who will win the Sony Ericsson Open men's final?
Nikolay Davydenko has received an inordinate amount of attention for being the central figure in a betting scandal last year. However, Sunday at the Sony Ericsson men's final, the Russian will try and upset No. 2 Rafael Nadal. But can he?
AAATSportingGoods
Rookie
No, they are not 95. Put them against a 95 and see for yourself. Put them against a Wilson 6.1 95 or current prestige tour.I did several times, although it's not accurate at all
IG rad MP is a classic 18x20 95 sq inch head racquet. It fits with all the old prestige/radical grommets
But now maybe you're going to tell me Ti.Radical/I.radical/LM radical are not 95?
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McEncock
Professional
Why then the head size of the IG rad MP is the same as Ti Rad / I.Rad? Why can I use the same grommets ? Are you telling me those are 98 too?
TK260 has always been 95 sq inch, noob.
I rather be a sheep than a donkey btw
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theaceproman
Rookie
Why then the head size of the IG rad MP is the same as Ti Rad / I.Rad? Why can I use the same grommets ? Are you telling me those are 98 too?
TK260 has always been 95 sq inch, noob.
I rather be a sheep than a donkey btw
Head TGK260.2 Youtek IG Radical Pro
Only one available!! Brand new Head TGK260.2 tennis racket available in the Youtek IG Radical Pro paint. Grip size is L4 (4 1/2). Same racket as Tomas Berdych uses. Swing weight is 311. If you need more info or pictures or you want the grip size changed, please contact us via whatsapp at...
www.prostocktennis.com
McEncock
Professional
It is announced as 98 like the pt 630 but it's not
Prostock tennis advertises PT57A as 98 too x'D
www.prostocktennis.com
@theaceproman
Prostock tennis advertises PT57A as 98 too x'D
Head PT57A (18x20)
Matched rackets available!! Extremely scarce Head PT57A Pro Stock rackets available in the Graphene Touch Prestige MP paint. Rackets are in very good used condition. New Black Head TK293 grommets are installed. Current grip size is L3 (4 3/8) and the string pattern is 18x20. Strung weight is...
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@theaceproman
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
You’re mistaken.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
It’s notthis is a 98Head TGK260.2 Youtek IG Radical Pro
Only one available!! Brand new Head TGK260.2 tennis racket available in the Youtek IG Radical Pro paint. Grip size is L4 (4 1/2). Same racket as Tomas Berdych uses. Swing weight is 311. If you need more info or pictures or you want the grip size changed, please contact us via whatsapp at...
gino
Legend
idk if youre just trying to bait ppl into correcting you or what......................
mtommer
Hall of Fame
I've always thought that. I put it a little differently in that Nadal plays defensive positioning, looking to transition to offensive tennis.
Seth
Legend
What would drive a man to do that?
AAATSportingGoods
Rookie
@vsbabolat and @McEncock , I know the history of head and they’re supposedly 95, originally thought to be an issue with measuring in vs outside, but please put any of those supposed 95 sticks against a Wilson 95 for yourself before telling me it’s a 95….regardless what the forums and the history says, put those two together and you can see the radical is blatantly larger than the Wilson. Sure maybe not 98, but definitely not a 95.
naturalexponent
Legend
your wilson 95s are actually 93s
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
I’m talking from real world experience. I’m talking from what I’ve gained in the real world. HEAD never measured from inside to outside. That was made up for this forum. I have put my Pro Tour 630 on top of my Pro Staff Classic and they are the same size but thanks. Like I have said your are mistaken. The head size and mold changed with the 360+ Prestige MP to be a true 98. I can can show you that right now.
AAATSportingGoods
Rookie
So you really think the Liquid Metal radical is the same size as the Wilson 95? So heads 95 is bigger than any other companies 95? Or head truly uses a 95 whereas every other company is misleading about their 95?
theaceproman
Rookie
I think we should all calm down. None of us are playing nadal anytime soon on Phillipe-Chatrier so their is no reason to worry or argue.
AAATSportingGoods
Rookie
So the Angell/Yonex/Dunlop 95s are also 93?
naturalexponent
Legend
gino
Legend
Lmao, gotta be quicker than that!
AAATSportingGoods
Rookie
Again, none of y’all have posted a pic and just living/breathing TW forum juice….If you put a Liquid Metal/micro gel radical next to a Wilson/Angell/Dunlop 95 and they’re the same size, then you win
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
I’m not arguing. I’m staying simple facts.
naturalexponent
Legend
I feel like if one of us posts a picture the response is going to be "haha I made you go grab racquets and post a picture". Feel free to do it yourself.
theaceproman
Rookie
That was not directed at you, I am sorry.
AAATSportingGoods
Rookie
Poor excuse
naturalexponent
Legend
lol excuse for what? i have no dog in this fight.
