Slow Chat: Just some thoughts about racquets.

[Klitz]

Thanks. You must be a really good player to adjust the angle of attack consciously. And so confused on #1. Don’t you just to the net as part of a strategy? Like serving and volleying? Attacking a short ball? It seems sooo rare I decide to come to the net that isn’t orchestrated. Sure if you see your ball hurt the opponent you can come in but I certainly won’t know that until the ball lands on the other side.

Can’t you just see your shot is going to get poached?

Scenario: exchanging cross-court forehands in doubles or returning serve on deuce side.

Often times, if I hesitate sprinting to the center of the court, along the baseline, upon "hanging" the ball up through the middle, I will not have a chance to touch the ball that the opposing net player, firmly volleys, in the gap between my partner and I.

However, based on the feedback from the racquet, before looking up, know that my shot is going straight to the net players high forehand volley. Without thinking, I aggressively push my weight towards the center and sprint cross-court.

This allows me to have an opportunity to play one more ball that my opponents often times assume will be a winner.

 

[Shroud]

Scenario: exchanging cross-court forehands in doubles or returning serve on deuce side.

Often times, if I hesitate sprinting to the center of the court, along the baseline, upon "hanging" the ball up through the middle, I will not have a chance to touch the ball that the opposing net player, firmly volleys, in the gap between my partner and I.

However, based on the feedback from the racquet, before looking up, know that my shot is going straight to the net players high forehand volley. Without thinking, I aggressively push my weight towards the center and sprint cross-court.

This allows me to have an opportunity to play one more ball that my opponents often times assume will be a winner.

Wow. That is a whole other level. What lvl are you playing?

Even if I knew all that I would not sprint to the middle. I guess I suck now at doubles. Will try to sprint to the middle next time.

 

[Crocodile]

Hi everyone - just an update about my thoughts about racquets and what people are saying. As a tennis person I always link up with some colleagues, clients and friends on a court, order some gourmet healthy pizza, review books snd even talk about what’s going on in our lives. We meet at a court that is located on an acreage that has views to the mountains and not far from the sea either and has a nice temperate climate.
As I write this it’s Thursday 16th January 2025 and we are right in the middle of the professional tennis season in Australia, it’s school holidays and there are lots of tennis tournaments going on but the major talking point off course is the Australian Open and what we are seeing there both from a player perspective and a racquet perspective and here are some thoughts that we discussed:
1. We are realising that some of us are moving on ( getting older )and the game keeps evolving and there are many new young players that unless you constantly follow the game you may not know who the players are. I think the tennis industry will need to do a job of somehow promoting the new generation as much as they can.
2. The racquets - from what we have seen in the AO lead up events and the AO there are more players using 100sq inch and even just over say 103 or 105 frames in powerful set ups and slightly longer frames.
There was this view particularly of the men using heavy pro stock 95 to 98 frames and not wanting to use new retail type releases and instead the recreational players and some women pros were the ones embracing the new stuff but what we are seeing is the script being flipped with the pros looking for any power advantage they can get plus gut hybrid stringing and we suspect that it’s not just for getting more free power but also to perhaps finish the point faster and spend less time on court getting injured which seems to be a growing concern. The shift has now made many weekend warrior advanced players look like they are the ones being left behind with their old stuff , the 93p’s, Yonex V Core 95 and the PB 10 Mids and PT 2.0, PT 57a and Prestige 2.0 ( all great feeling and fun racquets).
We are not saying that there aren’t those usual international pro stock frames just a noticeable shift in what we are seeing. Anyway what are your thoughts about what’s going on with racquets on the pro tour and with your own tennis community?

 

[jimdontcare]

Hi everyone - just an update about my thoughts about racquets and what people are saying. As a tennis person I always link up with some colleagues, clients and friends on a court, order some gourmet healthy pizza, review books snd even talk about what’s going on in our lives. We meet at a court that is located on an acreage that has views to the mountains and not far from the sea either and has a nice temperate climate.
As I write this it’s Thursday 16th January 2025 and we are right in the middle of the professional tennis season in Australia, it’s school holidays and there are lots of tennis tournaments going on but the major talking point off course is the Australian Open and what we are seeing there both from a player perspective and a racquet perspective and here are some thoughts that we discussed:
1. We are realising that some of us are moving on and the game keeps evolving and there are many new young players that unless you constantly follow the game you may not know who the players are. I think the tennis industry will need to do a job of somehow promoting the new generation as much as they can.
2. The racquets - from what we have seen in the AO lead up events and the AO there are more players using 100sq inch and even just over say 103 or 105 frames in powerful set ups and slightly longer frames.
There was this view particularly of the men using heavy pro stock 95 to 98 frames and not wanting to use new retail type releases and instead the recreational players and some women pros were the ones embracing the new stuff but what we are seeing is the script being flipped with the pros looking for any power advantage they can get plus gut hybrid stringing and we suspect that it’s not just for getting more free power but also to perhaps finish the point faster and spend less time on court getting injured which seems to be a growing concern. The shift has now made many weekend warrior advanced players look like they are the ones being left behind with their old stuff old stuff, the 93p’s, Yonex V Core 95 and the PB 10 Mids and PT 2.0 and Prestige 2.0 ( all great feeling and fun racquets ).
Anyway what are your thoughts about what’s going on with racquets on the pro tour and with your own tennis community?

Necessity is the mother of invention and all that. COVID made balls much slower and pros need to reclaim some advantage. If you're not evolving you're devolving.

On the recreational level, it only helps that polys are getting better and better with fewer and fewer tradeoffs, making it easier for more people to control more powerful racquets.

I'm also sensing a subtle change in our narratives around power. The masculine approach to gear has long been "I'm a strong capable man who can provide my own power," but now I think we're switching to a cowboy-like narrative where a real man can handle whatever power you throw at him. From warrior to horse tamer.

 

[Crocodile]

Necessity is the mother of invention and all that. COVID made balls much slower and pros need to reclaim some advantage. If you're not evolving your devolving.

On the recreational level, it only helps that polys are getting better and better with fewer and fewer tradeoffs, making it easier for more people to control more powerful racquets.

I'm also sensing a subtle change in our narratives around power. The masculine approach to gear has long been "I'm a strong capable man who can provide my own power," but now I think we're switching to a cowboy-like narrative where a real man can handle whatever power you throw at him. From warrior to horse tamer.

It would be interesting to have a discussion about the balls and what’s going on with them. So far this summer here I’m not seeing as many 220km plus serves being sent down - many are serving between the 180km to 200km range. Will have to see what Ben Shelton produces in his next match which should be today after a Tuesday’s win.

 

[Crocodile]

With regards to the tennis balls at the local district level many middle aged players in Australia like the Slazenger Wimbledon balls in the new yellow can. After testing about 50 them in a basket they felt very comfortable on the arm, quite premium and meaty but they do tend to fluff up a little especially on synthetic grass in a night time dew. Pretty close in feel to the Slazenger but a little harder in feel is the current Tecnifibre X One Ball. In fact after weighing every ball the Tecnifibre ball was a very consistent 57 grams which was impressive. Third ball we tested was the Dunlop AO ball and the best way to describe them was that in flight they were very accurate. All 3 brands are pretty good choices. We haven’t been able to measure ball speed but hope to do that soon as well as test more balls.

 

[socallefty]

even just over say 103 or 105 frames in powerful set ups and slightly longer frames.
There was this view particularly of the men using heavy pro stock 95 to 98 frames and not wanting to use new retail type releases and instead the recreational players and some women pros were the ones embracing the new stuff but what we are seeing is the script being flipped with the pros looking for any power advantage they can get plus gut hybrid stringing

Which ATP pros are using racquets bigger than 100 sq inches? Which ATP players below the age of 35 are using gut hybrids?

 

[jimdontcare]

Which ATP players below the age of 35 are using gut hybrids?

Tommy Paul and Jordan Thompson are two. I think I remember seeing Tsitsipas is exploring it.

 

[Tranqville]

2. The racquets - from what we have seen in the AO lead up events and the AO there are more players using 100sq inch and even just over say 103 or 105 frames in powerful set ups and slightly longer frames.
There was this view particularly of the men using heavy pro stock 95 to 98 frames

Fonseca is using a heavy racquet:

Vcore 98 2021 prostock
347,9g
331,5 SW
standard length

Generally, Next Gen finals participants are using 98 racquets, tight control string patterns, and relatively heavy pro setups. Basavareddy even plays with an old 95 Prestige Pro stock. Here's a nice review from @galapagos

 

[Grafil Injection]

With regards to the tennis balls at the local district level many middle aged players in Australia like the Slazenger Wimbledon balls in the new yellow can. After testing about 50 them in a basket they felt very comfortable on the arm, quite premium and meaty but they do tend to fluff up a little especially on synthetic grass in a night time dew. Pretty close in feel to the Slazenger but a little harder in feel is the current Tecnifibre X One Ball. In fact after weighing every ball the Tecnifibre ball was a very consistent 57 grams which was impressive. Third ball we tested was the Dunlop AO ball and the best way to describe them was that in flight they were very accurate. All 3 brands are pretty good choices. We haven’t been able to measure ball speed but hope to do that soon as well as test more balls.

I find that whilst the Wimbledon balls fluff up rapidly, that fluff doesn't come off, so after leaving in the can for a couple if days before playing again, they return to decent condition. Same for Dunlop Forts. The felt for those two has a higher percentage of wool than other brands, so they behave more like cashmere jumpers than plastic base-layers.

 

[Crocodile]

I’m enjoying reading all the posts lately. I was wondering whether many of you do your own get togethers with say friends, colleagues and/or clients at a tennis venue and play tennis and then get around and discuss everything tennis and life around in the clubhouse with a meal or something ? I think it’s an interesting concept. I like to usually find nice courts with a view or beautiful environment and connect with other tennis enthusiasts and build a community.
Tell me what you think about this idea and whether you think it’s worth it ?

 

[jimdontcare]

I’m enjoying reading all the posts lately. I was wondering whether many of you do your own get togethers with say friends, colleagues and/or clients at a tennis venue and play tennis and then get around and discuss everything tennis and life around in the clubhouse with a meal or something ? I think it’s an interesting concept. I like to usually find nice courts with a view or beautiful environment and connect with other tennis enthusiasts and build a community.
Tell me what you think about this idea and whether you think it’s worth it ?

I think america needs more of this in general. Doubly so if tennis is involved.

 

[Power Player]

I’m enjoying reading all the posts lately. I was wondering whether many of you do your own get togethers with say friends, colleagues and/or clients at a tennis venue and play tennis and then get around and discuss everything tennis and life around in the clubhouse with a meal or something ? I think it’s an interesting concept. I like to usually find nice courts with a view or beautiful environment and connect with other tennis enthusiasts and build a community.
Tell me what you think about this idea and whether you think it’s worth it ?

I used to do this when I lived in Florida. I played with the same group of guys for close to 10 years so we would sometimes get together after a 3 hour session and hang out, talk tennis.

 

[jimdontcare]

talk tennis.

He said the thing!

 

[jimdontcare]

Necessity is the mother of invention and all that. COVID made balls much slower and pros need to reclaim some advantage. If you're not evolving you're devolving.

On the recreational level, it only helps that polys are getting better and better with fewer and fewer tradeoffs, making it easier for more people to control more powerful racquets.

I'm also sensing a subtle change in our narratives around power. The masculine approach to gear has long been "I'm a strong capable man who can provide my own power," but now I think we're switching to a cowboy-like narrative where a real man can handle whatever power you throw at him. From warrior to horse tamer.

Turns out Beckett was prepping a video on this exact issue

 

[Crocodile]

Hi guys
Thought I would do an update on what’s been doing the rounds here at my neck of the woods with regards to tennis racquets,
Firstly it’s been very humid on the east coast of Australia and this is making the balls feel quite damp and heavy which is not great on arms.
Anyway I got together with a group of players to try out some frames and here are some observations we made:
1. Volkl C10 Pro 2022 - for a 25 year old design it’s still a very good frame. It’s interesting that when Troy Lara reviewed the Vostra 10 320g he still preferred the silky feel of the C10 Pro and many in my group of testers preferred Volkl’s ICON range to their new stuff. If others also feel this way then it’s a message being sent ri Volkl and a problem and I don’t know how long they can keep selling the C10.

2. Many players get addicted to racquets strung in polyester even when it’s in their arms interest to go with a multi like X one biphase. Some racquets feel very vanilla with a multi while others go well. A 93P feels very nice in a multi.

3. Most of my group who tested the 2024 Dunlop CX 200 Tour and CX98 with the 66 RA preferred the feel of the previous iteration with the 62 RA, especially in the 18 by 20 tour model. Interestingly everybody thought the swing weight was too low on the CX Tour and 98 models with its box beam design and some who usually only liked box beams started to enjoy using the FX Tour 98 with its 65 RA and low SW.

4. Comparing the comfort and feel of some racquets most felt the Tecnifibre TF 40 to be more comfortable than the current CX Dunlop tour but neither were as comfortable as the C10 Pro, V1 EVO, PB 10 Mid , Percept and Phantom 93P but the most comfortable frame goes to the PK Q Tour 315. When combining feel with say comfort then the CX Tour is very good - as is the 93 P.

5. As far as playing with a 305 frame with a 21mm beam many in the group like the V1 Solinco whiteout in the 16 by 19 because they liked the fact that the SW was around 327 and that’s a lot more playable than one with a SW in the low 320’s or lower,

6. Most felt that the best newcomer was the 2025 Yonex Ezone but it’s too expensive she while we haven’t yet hit with any of the the Nordicdots we all agreed that we will buy one when they make a grip 4 or 5 available,

Anyway -,that’s what we discussed in the club house.,Msybe some of you might like to add your own thoughts.

 

[mmazzini1]

I have slightly changed my mind over the years re the relationship between low / high racquet stiffness and arm-health. In my view, the key is not the RA/DRA of the frame in isolation that matters, but the DRA/vibration frequency of the string + racquet combo.

Having the correct string set up based on the player's level and based on the specific racquet's specs, is the critical success factor both from a playability and an arm-safety perspective. Discussing racquet safety in isolation, ignoring the string set-up, it is a mistake that can cost high $$ in physio later on... Even a PK Q Tour 315 with the wrong string set up (ie stiff poly at higher tension, especially with infrequent string replacements), can be lethal

 

[Tranqville]

Thought I would do an update on what’s been doing the rounds here at my neck of the woods with regards to tennis racquets,

Thanks for an update, but missing most critical info: what did you guys have for a snack: pizza, BBQ, or something else entirely?

 

[Crocodile]

Thanks for an update, but missing most critical info: what did you guys have for a snack: pizza, BBQ, or something else entirely?

We ordered some gourmet pizza with salad, garlic bread from this local healt focused pizza place and some sparkling mineral water infused with lemon and lime;

 

[Tranqville]

We ordered some gourmet pizza with salad, garlic bread from this local healt focused pizza place and some sparkling mineral water infused with lemon and lime;

Nice! Cheers!

 

[Tranqville]

This, but it's about racquets:

 

[Crocodile]

This, but it's about racquets:

Yep

 

[Crocodile]

Hi everyone, just checking in here. We are having quite a mild Autumn ( fall ) with some mega Easter swell that we seem to get this time of the year with some 10 metre waves which some surfers are enjoying - I’m not going out their as I don’t want to end up on the rocks.
Anyway at our Easter tennis gat together we had 14 racquets to test and discuss including 1 Yonex Percept H, 1 Gravity Tour and 1 2025 T Fight 315,’s, some Dunlops, 2 Speed Pros and some Volkl classics.
The thing that most resonated in my mind was how versatile the Head Speed Pros were both in stock form and with a bit of lead at 10 and 2. If you had to choose one racquet that would appeal to the widest audience then this is it.
There has been a lot of YouTube hype about the 2025 Head Gravity Tour and the new T Fights and yes they do have their merits, just not to the extent that some might suggest. I think yes the Gravity Tour has a delightful feel when you hit it right however we did notice a sudden drop in power and stability when you didn’t and yes the glossy teal colour is very nice. You can really hoop the ball with this racquet. With the T Fights we only had the 315 version and I thought it was a really direct and responsive frame that was perfect for crisp doubles play but I think you need to string it on the lower side if you wanted to retain optimal arm comfort. We had ours in hyoer G soft at 48lbs.
Dunlop wise I have now hit with all of the CX range and my favourite one is the Tour 95. Here in OZ the current version is only available in the 16/19 and I think the previous iteration with the 62 RA and 18/20 was a more special racquet especially when it comes to feel. Needless to say the current version needs a bit more weight added to being the SW up around the 328-330 mark to get the best out of it. A lot of YouTubers were very positive about the 400 Tour, however i couldn’t gel with this racquet with its somewhat clunky feel with its thicker, stiffer and head heavy feel. I think the dark horse in this range in the CX 200 OS with its thinner beam and lower RA and I think it could be customised with a leather grip and some lead under the handle. It too has a bit of head weight but I think it’s quite customise-able. The standard. CX 200 with its 98 head has been criticised by many because of its sub 314 SW and you can feel the deficiency with this when you compare it to say a Speed Pro with its 330SW. However what the CX 200 has that many frames. don’t have is this intuitive addictive feel. Yes the CX 98 nerds to be meticulously customised and prepared with the right string. I’m thinking of a gut poly hybrid strung in the low 50’s would work well. I also hit with 2 of the FX frames and the new SX frames and overall my favourite Dunlop is the FX Tour and CX Tour frames. Some testers liked the FX 500 and it’s a very easy frame to use and a much cheaper alternative to a Pure Drive but I found it to be very powerful and whst you need to do with this frame is to find the right balance between power and control while maintaining the right acceptable level of comfort.
I did bring a 2023 C10 Pro and V1 EVO to the court and everyone was quite impressed how good the C10 plays and how comfortable it is. The V1 EVO is also very comfortable but Im not totsl on board with a super variable beam frame that is chock full of thick plastic grommets plus the dual dampening handle system, mainly because I like thin beamed frames with some more feedback;
My favourite frame that we had there was the Yonex Percept H, it’s a real solid frame and you can really crush a forehand with this racquet. For some reason however I found that backhand slices felt more challenging to play for some reason. Anyway that’s what’s been happening;

 

[Crocodile]

Another interesting topic we have been discussing here right now is the price v value proposition in racquet purchasing decisions compared to if you lived overseas. About 10 years ago when $1 00 AUD dollar bought you around $1.08 USD things were a lot more favourable in buying from the US then now when $1.00 AUD is only getting you 62 cents. I remember picking up a Yonex Tour HG for $99 US and a BB Melbourne for $59 US. The savings also extended to stringing and shipping. Now a $169 US PK Q Tour will arrive at my door somewhat over $300 AUD. And the situation is not that good buying from Europe or the UK. A 200 pound frame from the UK will be mid to high $400’s here so you think twice before you make an overseas purchase,
That being said our domestic market does have some sharp deals and some not do shsrp deals. The best value for money proposition here in Australia comes from Dunlop and Prince while our worst deals right now are the new E Zones which are around $419 AUD snd that’s just too much, They slso tried to market the Wilson RF O1 racquets in the $500’s as some sort of oremyim offering but I don’t think people bought idea and this was particularly highlighted with the not so glowing reviews from the YouTube testers who found these frames less than premium. I think premium wise the blue and red versions of the Laver Cup
RF’s are more sought after;

 

[Tranqville]

I visited a Yonex store a few days ago hunting for some shoes. They had an old demo racquet there, Vcore Pro HD in deep green. Wow, it felt so good in the hand, like a meat mallet. Perhaps it was the last generation of traditional player racquets from Yonex. I understand we, the lesser amateur players, benefited so much from this latest crop of user-friendly racquets with better comfort, power and forgiveness. But the racquets lost soul along the way. It was a bitter sweet feel holding the HD in my hand, knowing that I cannot go back to playing it, or to playing my Dunlop 200G Hotmelt, or my Prestige Tour 95. I'm just not good enough, and I'm not getting any younger.

 

[Trip]

A lot of YouTubers were very positive about the 400 Tour, however i couldn’t gel with this racquet with its somewhat clunky feel with its thicker, stiffer and head heavy feel.

Especially in a pleener whose physical attributes are already pushing it towards semi-cumbersome in some ways, the spec you pull is hugely important. And it sounds like yours was over-spec, as was @dr. godmode's and several others here; thus the disparity in take-aways versus those with more properly on-spec samples (Andy from Tennis Euphoria, etc). Even though I'm sure at least some of you would assume not much would change, I would still be curious for you to hit a properly on-spec sample (with a less hoop-dominant mass distribution and unstrung SW down around 290-ish) and see what your thoughts are then.

 

[indyfob2008]

I think Sampras even admitted that if he had switched to a slightly bigger frame, he could've played some more and competed for grand slams. I think Federer learned from Pete and played with bigger frames as he got older to keep up with the younger guys and lengthen his career a little bit.

 

[Crocodile]

Hi Talk Tennis forum racquet enthusiasts. I haven’t been able to do an update on this thread for some time but I’m here now and I feel i have something to say, so I will say it.
Normally what happens is I get together with some like minded enthusiasts at this beautiful private court looking out over some nice bush land scenery and we test and discuss racquets. We have had a lot of rain so therefore I have been busy trying to catch up with the clients I work with and we are in the last few days of Winter having the August winds to contend with as a type this.
Anyway recently what’s sparked up in my mind are some points I wanted to make with regards to testing out racquets with high stiffness ratings
( 68ra right up to 73). Firstly most demos that you pick up from a shop these days are strung in a poly. A lot of the shops do this because if the demos went out in multi filaments like biphase, many would come back with broken strings and they ( the shop ) would be constantly needing to string up the demo. This does pose some problems from my perspective though. Yes in an ideal world, if you are in the business of selling racquets you would think that the optimal solution would be to pick the string that would best showcase the benefits or positive attributes of a racquet. If I take this idea to its logical conclusion then, for example, I would send out a Clash demo ( very flexible frame ) in a multi filament or a soft poly because the buyer who would be looking for this type of racquet is doing so because they wanted a comfortable racquet. Putting say Razor code or RPM blast would not put a clash in its best light or highlight its intended purpose. So this is one thing that I wanted to touch on.
The 2nd thing is about the demo process of stiff racquets ( or any frame for that matter) and my experience here is that if you take out a stiff racquet to demo, make sure you include a fair share of serving in your testing process as while a stiff racquet may feel fine with groundstrokes , the same may not be the case when you do say, a series of full paced flat first serves. Usually it’s with serves that you feel the harshness of stiff racquet emerge so I would be wary of that.
And finally with regards to demoing stiff racquets I wanted to give my quick thoughts of the 2025 Wilson V5 Ultra Pro. All I would say is that it’s a very powerful frame but if you have any inkling of a suspect wrist, elbow or shoulder then I would suggest you exercise caution with this one as this is potentially quite a harsh racquet particularly when you are serving and those with sensitive tendons, well I think you should look elsewhere. Beautiful cosmetic finish on this racquet but just be careful, and also remember that the previous 4 interactions of the Ultra Pro and Tour is a very different frame to the current one and based on a H19 but in a lighter form and slightly stiffer. This new one as many have suggested is much closer in concept to the steam. Bye for now!

 

[Shroud]

Hi Talk Tennis forum racquet enthusiasts. I haven’t been able to do an update on this thread for some time but I’m here now and I feel i have something to say, so I will say it.
Normally what happens is I get together with some like minded enthusiasts at this beautiful private court looking out over some nice bush land scenery and we test and discuss racquets. We have had a lot of rain so therefore I have been busy trying to catch up with the clients I work with and we are in the last few days of Winter having the August winds to contend with as a type this.
Anyway recently what’s sparked up in my mind are some points I wanted to make with regards to testing out racquets with high stiffness ratings
( 68ra right up to 73). Firstly most demos that you pick up from a shop these days are strung in a poly. A lot of the shops do this because if the demos went out in multi filaments like biphase, many would come back with broken strings and they ( the shop ) would be constantly needing to string up the demo. This does pose some problems from my perspective though. Yes in an ideal world, if you are in the business of selling racquets you would think that the optimal solution would be to pick the string that would best showcase the benefits or positive attributes of a racquet. If I take this idea to its logical conclusion then, for example, I would send out a Clash demo ( very flexible frame ) in a multi filament or a soft poly because the buyer who would be looking for this type of racquet is doing so because they wanted a comfortable racquet. Putting say Razor code or RPM blast would not put a clash in its best light or highlight its intended purpose. So this is one thing that I wanted to touch on.
The 2nd thing is about the demo process of stiff racquets ( or any frame for that matter) and my experience here is that if you take out a stiff racquet to demo, make sure you include a fair share of serving in your testing process as while a stiff racquet may feel fine with groundstrokes , the same may not be the case when you do say, a series of full paced flat first serves. Usually it’s with serves that you feel the harshness of stiff racquet emerge so I would be wary of that.
And finally with regards to demoing stiff racquets I wanted to give my quick thoughts of the 2025 Wilson V5 Ultra Pro. All I would say is that it’s a very powerful frame but if you have any inkling of a suspect wrist, elbow or shoulder then I would suggest you exercise caution with this one as this is potentially quite a harsh racquet particularly when you are serving and those with sensitive tendons, well I think you should look elsewhere. Beautiful cosmetic finish on this racquet but just be careful, and also remember that the previous 4 interactions of the Ultra Pro and Tour is a very different frame to the current one and based on a H19 but in a lighter form and slightly stiffer. This new one as many have suggested is much closer in concept to the steam. Bye for now!

One advantage of my extreme customizations is I can’t demo or demoing would be useless. Handle mods and string tension alone make it impossible, let alone all the lead i add.

I just buy on stiffness and static weight mostly.

And demoing is kind of useless anyhow. Often when you buy the racquet its off spec from the demo anyhow so you would need to match TO THE DEMO racquet. And then the strings will prob be different type like you mention, or tension or both…

Said another way, ever demo, love the frame, buy the frame and it never felt the same as the demo?

 

[Crocodile]

One advantage of my extreme customizations is I can’t demo or demoing would be useless. Handle mods and string tension alone make it impossible, let alone all the lead i add.

I just buy on stiffness and static weight mostly.

And demoing is kind of useless anyhow. Often when you buy the racquet its off spec from the demo anyhow so you would need to match TO THE DEMO racquet. And then the strings will prob be different type like you mention, or tension or both…

Said another way, ever demo, love the frame, buy the frame and it never felt the same as the demo?

You are definitely touching on an important point that can make the testing or demoing racquets very difficult.
It’s interesting, I have this situation where I have this racquet that I bought in 2021 and I keep playing with it because it’s an absolute peach. I have bought subsequent frames and while they are bang on in the static weight they just don’t feel as sweet, so I keep them as a back up. Usually it’s a swing weight variation but it affects many of the brands and at times even the handles will feel different.
I have heard stories where a client tried a demo from the shop and really like a frame but when they bought their own it felt different:

 

[Shroud]

You are definitely touching on an important point that can make the testing or demoing racquets very difficult.
It’s interesting, I have this situation where I have this racquet that I bought in 2021 and I keep playing with it because it’s an absolute peach. I have bought subsequent frames and while they are bang on in the static weight they just don’t feel as sweet, so I keep them as a back up. Usually it’s a swing weight variation but it affects many of the brands and at times even the handles will feel different.
I have heard stories where a client tried a demo from the shop and really like a frame but when they bought their own it felt different:

Yep. Well said. Ancient egyptians could make razor thin granite vases with amazing precision but in 2025 we can’t make two identical racquets??

When I add 60g+ to each racquet I tend to have a lot of control on the final outcome and once I figure a spec can even match sw. Though static will almost always be off a bit.

Long story but I extend racquets with the xtp butt cap and for some reason I dont understand, racquets end up at different lengths, even on the same model.

That said I would put my accuracy up against the factory anyday.

And its nearly impossible to even measure stiffness to check if the racquets have the same stiffness.

One thing I do is tune each racquet by feel so hopefully that helps make up for the lack of perfect matching. With that method I was within 2 grams and 2 sw points on some ancient profiles i have been using

Hope that 2021 never dies and no kone thinks you are del Potro and takes em

 

[ey039524]

Maybe TW and retails shops should allow people to buy the demo, so customers get the frame they want, and the demos keep getting renewed.

 

[BLACKOUT]

Maybe TW and retails shops should allow people to buy the demo, so customers get the frame they want, and the demos keep getting renewed.

Interesting, but the demos only comes in particular sizes. What is you are a size 4 and the demo is a 2, what do you do then??

 

[ey039524]

Interesting, but the demos only comes in particular sizes. What is you are a size 4 and the demo is a 2, what do you do then??

Buy new, or if you like the demo enough, keep it and build up the grip.

 

[BLACKOUT]

Buy new, or if you like the demo enough, keep it and build up the grip.

Which means you are taking the chance of the racquet you buy not playing like the demo…

 

[Crocodile]

Good evening everyone if you are in Australia on the east coast ( Saturday 6th September 2025). If you are on the northern hemisphere you should be asleep unless you are part of the insomniac appreciation society.
Anyway it’s been a long day on court and I have been hitting with a lot of racquets and one racquet that I would like to talk about here is the 2024 Volkl Vostra V10 320. Not many of the YouTubers have reviewed this racquet but I think it’s a very good frame with excellent comfort and smooth feel.
It’s kind of an unfortunate situation for Volkl with this particular frame and I will try to explain why.
I will preface that I have had a long history using Volkl frames right back to when they first realised the C10 Pro and for me it has always been the 10 series that captured my imagination. What Volkl used to deliver is a high quality frame that was well engineered with great feel and comfort at a time when the mainstream brands were making harsh racquets.
IMO, this tradition of Volkl making silky smooth frames kept going until Volkl decided to go in a different direction with the V Feel range and make stiffer frames. I didn’t like the V Feel technology and the V Cell was really evolution of the V Feel.
Many Volkl traditionalists by this stage either ignored Volkl’s current technology at the time and instead bought from their ICON range or they bought a Pro Kennex or Prince. As a consequence the modern 10 series became invisible and when Volkl came around to doing their Vostra range people had moved on. However for those who kept the faith or had an open mind would now realise that the Vostra 10 320 was and is a racquet that Volkl took some time to produce with an improved feeling and performing racquet. The RA was dropped to 65, the V Engine bought back and it used a variable thin beam with some soft grommets and their well known handle system. This is a more lively racquet than the C10 and is easier to use and more stable than the C10’EVO. I think it’s a racquet that is quite forgotten in the marketplace and yet is better than many mainstream offerings . Anyway that’s all I have to say about things today and hope many of you might give the Vostra 10 a try,

 

[Crocodile]

Volkl is updating its ICON range starting with changes to the C10 Pro and EVO C10. The C10 Pro looks more like the anniversary model ( yellow and black ) without the red writing and zebra stripes so that’s an improvement from my perspective.
If you had your wish list, what racquet would you like to see Volkl add to their ICON range ?

 

[vandre]

Speaking of the current Dunlop range what do you guys think about the Dunlop feel. quality and playability compared to the big 4 major brands ? I used to like the old Dunlops back in the Biomimetic days when a 200 series was a 12 ounce racquet and you could get it in the large grip sizes. These days the CX 200 Tour is sort of a platform racquet that needs a bit of lead, especially the 95 version and in the18/20 pattern.
Do people think that the current Dunlops are making inroads in the sales and how do you think they compare? Do you think their products are fashionable for 2024 and who is buying the brand. 15 years ago they still had that British connection, and many Uk retailers did reviews of their frames. Mind you some of them were also pretty keen on the Mantis frames that Greg Rusedski was endorsing post career .
Anyway what’s happening ?

i demoed the cx 200 os this spring and loved the feel. specifically, it felt more stable and less jarring compared to my "daily driver" (2021 gravity s). imhvo, the new dunlops feel more like old dunlops than the new heads feel like old heads.

p.s. i also demoed a frame from dunlop's sx line and that was a fun little frame

 

[Crocodile]

Usually when I test various versions of a silo of racquets I always favour the heaviest offering of the range. At present with the Head Gravity range it’s the opposite. I like the feel and playability of the MP over the Tour and Pro. While the original V1 Gravity Pro was a favourite in this current iteration I find the current pro less comfortable whereas the MP with its 56 RA feels very nice. The Tour that everyone seems to like to me felt kind of inconsistent. You do get this late hooping sensation with the Tour when you hit topspin.
From a consistent feeling standpoint the Speed Pro is more reassuring. The radical pro has a consistent response but it feels more like you are playing with a brick.

 

[Crocodile]

I tend to find that when I am testing racquets for comfort it’s the feedback I get when going for heavy flat serves that I get the true picture.
A racquet can feel comfortable when you are trading groundstrokes but many racquets reveal themselves when you go full boar on the serves. This is where many stiff and lighter racquets fall down in comfort and where the heavy racquets and kinetic racquets hold up.

 

[Crocodile]

Hi guys just checking in on this thread. It’s Saturday the 25th October 25 and its been a very pleasant Spring day around 25 degrees Celsius.
I have been hitting with some good clients and when you have some good clients you can grab a few racquets and do some comparisons and get some feedback From different players.
Lately the racquet that has been on my mind to take out for a hit at increasing frequency has been the 2024 Tecnifibre TF40 305 in the 18 by 20. I like this spec the best because it has the 330 swing weight.
it’s strung in biphase 1.24 at 50lbs but I do this with most of my frames because I like to test them in a comfortable set up to see which racquet is good fit for the wrists and arms for both myself and the clients.
Each time I hit with this TF 40 I’m finding it very addictive, despite liking a heavier set up, this racquet just keeps alluring me in and what it is - is the combination and connection between the tactile feel of the powdery mat paint job and the sensation you get on the groundstrokes but in particular the backhand slice which is quite sublime. Usually I like a thinner 20mm beam but this slightly thicker beam combined with the foam filled 64 ra is a very nice frame.
I know in the past and quite lately there have been threads about the paint jobs and people requesting more gloss paint finishes and they do look nice but there is something addictive about this matt white finish that has some lovely quantities of goodness to it.
Do any of you have any thoughts about paint texture and how it adds or detracts to how you feel about a racquet and the sensory feedback you get?

 

[Crocodile]

Just another observation - from a downside point of view - the white paint finish on the TF40 smudges easily so you have to clean the racquet frequently:
Also the other racquet that has this paint texture is the Vollkl V 8 Pro with its springy, spongy marshmallow vibe.

 

[Crocodile]

And one more point, from a gloss finish point of view I do like both the V4 Wilson Ultra Pro and the Gravity Pro/Tour/MP iridescent sparkly teal which is more classy than the V5 Ultra Pro with it’s more intense blue and silver lettering which to me it’s a little too much.