Returning to the game after a long hiatus - need racquet recommendations

F

formerlyGood

New User
Hello!

I played competitively growing up at a national level at a smaller country and then stopped when I went to college. I'm now trying to come back after a 15 year hiatus to club level play.

I started out back then with a Drive Z-lite and then moved on to a pure drive (2008ish model) once I was a bit stronger. I used to really like it and felt that it suited my style of play. Reading some of the guides online I guess I'm what you would call an aggressive baseliner. I hit with quite a bit of spin and depth and have a relatively big serve. My forehand is my strongest weapon, the backhand is still kinda coming back, but either way I tend to slice a lot because I hit a ohbh. I don't really take the net much. I know I should, but it's just not really my thing. I'd say I have more of a big loopy swing than a compact one.

I used to play with a Babolat poly string (maybe rpm? Can't remember the name) strung at the top of the recommended range. Coming back to the game, the same setup started giving me elbow pain, and it didn't help that I already have unrelated wrist pain. I then decided to accept I'm simply much older, cut the polys and restrung with nxt in the middle of the tension range. This did improve comfort, but I feel like I'm constantly overhitting and sending balls too deep, specially on my backhand. Specially the lack of touch on slices is hurting my game a lot.

All of this to say that I'm exploring new racquets and I'd like some recommendations. I know the answer is to demo as many as I can, but that's not so simple where I live and it's a bit of a hassle to demo racquets. I also have no say about the demo strings, which might hurt the experience a bit. I'd like to come up with a shortlist of maybe 3 models to demo to make the whole thing simpler. I think something slightly heavier and not as stiff could be beneficial, so I'm considering the following frames:

- pro staff 97 (simply a classic, seems to fit the bill, although I'm not so sure the fact that I really don't hit many flat shots or volleys makes this a dumb choice)
- Yonex ezone 98 (maybe tour? 315g seems to be aligned with what I want, but I read it plays very differently and is tough on the arm)
- Yonex percept 97/97D ( originally I thought this might take too much power away from what I'm used to. The percept comes up as a good match at all those "find your racquet" quizzes I took online though, so idk)
- Yonex Vcore 98 (I think 305 might be too close to the PD for any stability improvements, but otherwise it sounded similar to the percept on all reviews, so might as well)
- Babolat Pure Strike 97 (seems to be a slightly more control oriented PD, figured it might help to stay close to what I know)


Anyway, I'd appreciate your opinions on these choices and any interesting frames I should look into. Thanks!
 
Go for the Pure Strike, for the reasons you already know... and it is good racquet...
Yonex are way different in feel and response, with ezone being the closest ...
 
Wilson shift 99 300 - comfortable enough for me, very maneuverable, good stability, great spin, great all around racket, I hit the ball very deep with confidence, very good control, very good power.
 
I recommend the three frames I play with: Dunlop CX 200 Tour 18x20, Wilson Ultra Pro v3 or V4 18x20, Blade v8 or v9 18x20 - all player frames which need added weight. They all hit a mean slice and if strung low enough will give you the spin you desire. If you are a national player you can appreciate all of these frames. Low power, great control, and really great slices. You bring the power.

You really should demo frames of different flexes. When I started out looking for new frames I thought I wanted a 67 or 68ra frame, but I ended up with low 60s RA frames. Also, know that different strings, tension, head size, and flex will all affect how you perceive frames to perform. Use basic nylon for real comparison tests if possible since cheap and holds tension well.
 
AmericanTwist said:
Dunlop CX 200 Tour 18x20, Wilson Ultra Pro v3 or V4 18x20, Blade v8 or v9 18x20
Click to expand...
Seriously? To a guy coming from Pure Drive?

He may absolutely love a 95 18x20 frame, but it’s almost like “try playing soccer, it’s a great game and no tennis elbow!”
 
Sure why not? PD 100s are pretty inaccurate and slice is downright hilariously bad compared to the 3 frames I mentioned. OP has a one handed backhand and probably slices a lot. Since he is an accomplished player he can adapt. The dunlop 95 plays like a 97 regular frame. The top to the mid of the frame is the same as a 97. A pure 97 is usually only slighly longer at the throat. How many balls do you hit down there? That area is only useful for blocking back body serves when they are hit too hard to hit a more offensive return from either wing.

Moreover, topspin 1HBH shots are much more accurate with a smaller head.
 
AmericanTwist said:
Sure why not?
Click to expand...
Because they are totally different frames, different swing dynamics, different launch angle, different feel?

In reality, some people love these and suggest them to anyone. But other people find them tough to use, unforgiving and hitting weak shots, particularly if you are a spin player, not flat hitter.

OHBH perfectly works with 100 sqin. heads, especially if a player is actually using good topspin drive. Some like smaller heads, but that’s absolutely not as crucial as some put it.

All in all, I’m absolutely ok with suggesting the OP to try some “other end of the spectrum” option with 97 18x20 flexy frame. I did so and played couple of years with Ultra Tours.

But if he needs a good suggestion that will 99% work, it’s not changing drastically, but finding a more comfortable option of powerful-enough racquet to save hit elbow and a bit more controlled-power racquet to be able to use softer strings and not launch the ball. There are lots of such offerings on the market in 98-100 range, in my opinion.
 
@formerlyGood - Welcome back to the game, and to TT. As you can see, you're going to get suggestions from all over the map, many of them perhaps not in the best alignment of where you're coming from and the basis of your game. So I'll aim to do that here, and perhaps some of it will ring true to you and help you along.

First off, you: a former high (elite?) level junior until ~15, with a game based on the typical power/spin baselining with Pure Drives and high-tension RPM (or similar), as was common for the era. Fast forward 15 years and you're back, at 30, looking to start afresh, the main limiter being you can't really demo much of anything.

So, what to do? First off, if your 2008 Pure Drives are in good enough shape, why not just continue playing with them? In many ways, they're as good an option as anything. If you did want to move on, I would stay closer to the "DNA" of your old game and gear. As such, I know the thinner-beamed, lower-powered control frames can be quite alluring, but considering what you're used to, I think you're ultimately going to find them too low in stability and power per unit weight. I would stick to something thicker-beamed and more powerful in stock form. For more of the same, just get the latest Pure Drive, Dunlop FX 500 or Yonex EZone 98 or 100. If you think you want something a bit more all-purpose, I'd consider a 100" "pleener" (player/tweener cross-over frame), such as the Dunlop CX 400 Tour, Babolat Pure Strike 100 16x19 or Yonex Percept 100. Those will harken nicely back to what you're used to, while also providing a better balance of control.

As for strings that are arm-friendly but also high-performance, you might consider a hybrid of non-poly mains and slick poly crosses, which will give you a nice blend of power, touch and comfort with a higher dose of control and spin than just playing full-bed multi. Example using Head strings, which should be fairly accessible in most places: Head Velocity MLT 1.30 mains / Head Lynx 1.25 crosses.

Hope some of that helps. Best of luck getting back into it, and if you have any questions, feel free.
 
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Or, absolutely, as @BlueB said, if you still have your '08 Pure Drives and they're in decent enough shape, simply continue to use them. No harm in that at all. But you absolutely need to drop the tension on the poly, like down to the low 50's at the absolute most, otherwise look for different string materials, per my initial post.
 
The most surprising thing I learned last year when getting back into the game, was that poly works better for me in the high 40s-low 50s lbs than it does at high tensions. I never strung a racquet below 60lbs when I was younger, so it was a shock. Now I am wary of stringing anything above 52.
 
Dragy said:
Because they are totally different frames, different swing dynamics, different launch angle, different feel?

In reality, some people love these and suggest them to anyone. But other people find them tough to use, unforgiving and hitting weak shots, particularly if you are a spin player, not flat hitter.fra

OHBH perfectly works with 100 sqin. heads, especially if a player is actually using good topspin drive. Some like smaller heads, but that’s absolutely not as crucial as some put it.

All in all, I’m absolutely ok with suggesting the OP to try some “other end of the spectrum” option with 97 18x20 flexy frame. I did so and played couple of years with Ultra Tours.

But if he needs a good suggestion that will 99% work, it’s not changing drastically, but finding a more comfortable option of powerful-enough racquet to save hit elbow and a bit more controlled-power racquet to be able to use softer strings and not launch the ball. There are lots of such offerings on the market in 98-100 range, in my opinion.
Click to expand...

Disagree... He plays at the national level..albeit of a small country but even so, my buddies and I who are around the 5.0 NTRP level can play with a 93 or 95 sized frame without issue. A guy who competes at the national level of a country can easily play with these frames. Secondly, did you not look at his list of frames? They are roughly 60-66ra. My recs are at the low end of the range. Thirdly, just because a frame is smaller than 100 size doesn't mean you can't have spinny strokes and use those frames.

There is no written rule that a super open 100 frame is the domain of spinny stroked players and smaller sized heads like 95 are only for flat hitters. I get as much spin as I care for from my Dunlop 95 frames...18x20 pattern at that! The feel and control are great. I think OP would enjoy a hit if this frame is accessible.

Lastly, do not bash other people's opinions. You aren't a pro (I don't think pros post on here). Even pros have different opinions on what frames they like. Since OP is asking for opinoins why denigrate people's suggestions? You are NOT the OP.
 
Thanks for all the answers guys, very informative and gave me some good guidance.

I have a few updates. I demoed the EZone 98 and PS 97 over the past week.

Unfortunately, I really hated the EZone. I had high hopes it might feel like a slightly more comfortable PD, but it felt kind of mushy to me. I had a hard time getting my flat serves in with it and just in general couldn't really get as much spin as I'd like on the ball.

The PS 97 on the other hand felt nice. I really enjoyed serving with it, specially flat, but again I feel like I could use some more spin. I liked the fact that it's harder to overhit on the groundstrokes with it and I could hit freely, specially on my backhand. I felt like it was a slight improvement over my PD, but I'm still not 100% convinced this is it.

On all the comments about string tension and reusing the PDs: That's what I've been doing. As soon as I noticed my previous setup was gonna murder my elbow, I strung it way lower with multi, but I found the racquet to be too "launch-y" that way, hence the search for a more control-oriented frame.

@Dragy , @AmericanTwist - I do think it'll be harder for me to adapt to something that's very different, specially since I won't be able to play nearly as often as I used to back then. Having said that, I have a friend who uses an 18x20 blade (I think v8, not sure). I'll hit with his and depending on how it goes I'll explore those alternatives further.

@Trip - Thanks a lot for the suggestions, you laid out my situation more eloquently than myself. I'll specially look into the stringing suggestions and the "pleener" frames. I think if I'm going for a modern version of my PD, I might as well keep hitting with mine and try to adapt to not slicing as much until I can figure out how to have more touch with it.

Finally, I feel I might have made it sound harder than it is to demo stuff. Ultimately tennis warehouse (europe) exists here, but I can only get two frames at a time and it takes ~1 week to get them, so the more I expand my search the longer it takes. Ultimately if I don't find something I like in these first few options I'll unfortunately need to keep iterating.
 
@formerlyGood - Very welcome. Glad you found my info helpful.

formerlyGood said:
The PS 97 on the other hand felt nice. I really enjoyed serving with it, specially flat, but again I feel like I could use some more spin.
Click to expand...
Given that, I would highly recommend checking out the Pro Staff X (link) – a newly-released 100" version of the PS97. Same static weight. Same balance. Similar swing weight. Just a larger head for more forgiveness and a slightly more spaced-out drill pattern, allowing for a bit more shot curvature and easier access to spin, especially at lower racquet head speeds. Highly worth a try if you can get your hands on one.

And considering how favorable the PS X might be, I would also highly recommend you hit the 2024 Dunlop CX 400 Tour (link) if you can find one locally. If brought up to similar swing weight, the 400 Tour will hit a slightly bigger ball than the PS X, but still with comparable control and precision. Also like the Pro Staff, it offers that medium-firm flex and fairly unfiltered, direct feel, while still keeping comfort in-check. In many ways it's Dunlop's best overall frame right now – more consistent string bed and better feel than any FX or SX, and much better balance of power-per-unit-weight than the CX 200 or 200 Tours. Check it out if you can. If you felt like you wanted even a bit more stiffness and power input, you might even checkout the regular CX 400, customized up (though the wider and thicker beam will make it feel a bit more clunky than the Tour).

Hope that helps again.
 
formerlyGood said:
Thanks for all the answers guys, very informative and gave me some good guidance.

I have a few updates. I demoed the EZone 98 and PS 97 over the past week.

Unfortunately, I really hated the EZone. I had high hopes it might feel like a slightly more comfortable PD, but it felt kind of mushy to me. I had a hard time getting my flat serves in with it and just in general couldn't really get as much spin as I'd like on the ball.

The PS 97 on the other hand felt nice. I really enjoyed serving with it, specially flat, but again I feel like I could use some more spin. I liked the fact that it's harder to overhit on the groundstrokes with it and I could hit freely, specially on my backhand. I felt like it was a slight improvement over my PD, but I'm still not 100% convinced this is it.

On all the comments about string tension and reusing the PDs: That's what I've been doing. As soon as I noticed my previous setup was gonna murder my elbow, I strung it way lower with multi, but I found the racquet to be too "launch-y" that way, hence the search for a more control-oriented frame.

@Dragy , @AmericanTwist - I do think it'll be harder for me to adapt to something that's very different, specially since I won't be able to play nearly as often as I used to back then. Having said that, I have a friend who uses an 18x20 blade (I think v8, not sure). I'll hit with his and depending on how it goes I'll explore those alternatives further.

@Trip - Thanks a lot for the suggestions, you laid out my situation more eloquently than myself. I'll specially look into the stringing suggestions and the "pleener" frames. I think if I'm going for a modern version of my PD, I might as well keep hitting with mine and try to adapt to not slicing as much until I can figure out how to have more touch with it.

Finally, I feel I might have made it sound harder than it is to demo stuff. Ultimately tennis warehouse (europe) exists here, but I can only get two frames at a time and it takes ~1 week to get them, so the more I expand my search the longer it takes. Ultimately if I don't find something I like in these first few options I'll unfortunately need to keep iterating.
Click to expand...
Hi @formerlyGood ,welcome back to the game! I might have a solution for your arm comfort and lack of spin.

You should try adding 4 grams of lead to the 12, to increase swingweight and hitting weight, resulting in having more mass at the contact point, which should increase both spin and control.

You should also add 10 grams under the trapdoor on the buttcap of the racket. Adding weight here increases the recoil weight of a racket, resulting in less impact on your arm as the colision occurs.

These two modifications together should promote a more vertical swing path. Your serve might feel weird, but if the benefits on the groundstrokes are high enough, some serving practice should leave you with an all around better racket.
 
formerlyGood said:
Hello!

I played competitively growing up at a national level at a smaller country and then stopped when I went to college. I'm now trying to come back after a 15 year hiatus to club level play.

I started out back then with a Drive Z-lite and then moved on to a pure drive (2008ish model) once I was a bit stronger. I used to really like it and felt that it suited my style of play. Reading some of the guides online I guess I'm what you would call an aggressive baseliner. I hit with quite a bit of spin and depth and have a relatively big serve. My forehand is my strongest weapon, the backhand is still kinda coming back, but either way I tend to slice a lot because I hit a ohbh. I don't really take the net much. I know I should, but it's just not really my thing. I'd say I have more of a big loopy swing than a compact one.

I used to play with a Babolat poly string (maybe rpm? Can't remember the name) strung at the top of the recommended range. Coming back to the game, the same setup started giving me elbow pain, and it didn't help that I already have unrelated wrist pain. I then decided to accept I'm simply much older, cut the polys and restrung with nxt in the middle of the tension range. This did improve comfort, but I feel like I'm constantly overhitting and sending balls too deep, specially on my backhand. Specially the lack of touch on slices is hurting my game a lot.

All of this to say that I'm exploring new racquets and I'd like some recommendations. I know the answer is to demo as many as I can, but that's not so simple where I live and it's a bit of a hassle to demo racquets. I also have no say about the demo strings, which might hurt the experience a bit. I'd like to come up with a shortlist of maybe 3 models to demo to make the whole thing simpler. I think something slightly heavier and not as stiff could be beneficial, so I'm considering the following frames:

- pro staff 97 (simply a classic, seems to fit the bill, although I'm not so sure the fact that I really don't hit many flat shots or volleys makes this a dumb choice)
- Yonex ezone 98 (maybe tour? 315g seems to be aligned with what I want, but I read it plays very differently and is tough on the arm)
- Yonex percept 97/97D ( originally I thought this might take too much power away from what I'm used to. The percept comes up as a good match at all those "find your racquet" quizzes I took online though, so idk)
- Yonex Vcore 98 (I think 305 might be too close to the PD for any stability improvements, but otherwise it sounded similar to the percept on all reviews, so might as well)
- Babolat Pure Strike 97 (seems to be a slightly more control oriented PD, figured it might help to stay close to what I know)


Anyway, I'd appreciate your opinions on these choices and any interesting frames I should look into. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Test PSX and RF01 Pro, too
 
formerlyGood said:
On all the comments about string tension and reusing the PDs: That's what I've been doing. As soon as I noticed my previous setup was gonna murder my elbow, I strung it way lower with multi, but I found the racquet to be too "launch-y" that way, hence the search for a more control-oriented frame.
Click to expand...
At your level of play, multifilaments and gut won't work at low tensions, even in control frames. String it lower with poly. Try a soft poly if you are concerned about your arm, like Kirschbaum Evolution or Yonex Poly Tour Pro.

PS97 is Pro Staff 97 or Pure Strike 97? I tried both last week and they are both nice, although I liked the Pure Strike more.
 
OP, add some weight to the Ezone. It is a very forgiving and popular frame even among pros. Then string it up at higher tensions (if you think it is too mushy). In my book mushy can be great because mushy = great pocketing. Try to return your buddies' service bombs and see how a "mushy" frame performs. The softer the frame, the more pocketing, control, and spin it has (all other variables being equal). Conversely, it won't give you as much power so you'll need to swing harder.

Sorry Dragy if I sounded mean....
 
PS97 is a good racket and you can get plenty of spin if you have a stroke that produces spin. Federer and Dimitrov use it and they get plenty of spin. A Wilson Blade 98 or Wilson Blade 100v9 might be worth a try too. The Head Speed MP(100) is a quality racket too. The Blade100 or SpeedMP have the same head size as your Pure Drive but with more control and feel, and maybe a touch less power.
 
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