Slow Chat: Just some thoughts about racquets.

Klitz

Rookie
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

Talk Tennis Guru
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

G.O.A.T.
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?
 
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jimdontcare

Semi-Pro
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.
 
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Crocodile

G.O.A.T.
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

G.O.A.T.
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

G.O.A.T.
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?
 

Tranqville

Professional
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

Hall of Fame
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

G.O.A.T.
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

Semi-Pro
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

Bionic Poster
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

Semi-Pro
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
 
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