Stosur and Stubbs Specs
- Thread starter awebb
- Start date
Well, the most important spec is that Stosur's frame is a Pure Control not a Pure Storm. That would put the starting specs closer to the Pure Storm Tour in terms of weight, but the layup and flex pattern are different. Don't know what her aftermarket customization includes, though.
Bhagi Katbamna
Legend
Do Babolat tour pros have custom flexes? I thought I read somewhere that the lay-up isn't custom, it is just the old racket that is painted like the current model. It is then matched with lead for weight and balance.
Generally speaking, they don't have custom flexes. However, since the various versions of frames over the years had different flexes, they can choose the one they like best, offering some degree of personalization. However, the matching and weight/balance/SW customization is generally done after-market, not on the line by Babolat. In the case of Stosur and the majority of other "Storm" users, the most popular frame has been the "swirly" (1998-2003) version of the Pure Control.
big bang
Hall of Fame
Im in Paris right now, I know one of the stringers,dont know if I can get the specs but she uses RPM at 53 lbs.I would interested in knowing Stosur's racquet weight, balance and flex. And strings/tension as well. Someone must know from the stringing rooms of RG
Meaghan
Hall of Fame
I would be interested to know why we think its a PC, considering she would of been 13 when it came out in '98 and too young i suspect to handle the weight and stiffness of the swirly (70ra or something).
Are we suggesting that all the pro women who use the pure storm series are using a PC like we say about the men, cos they are of that age and strong enough to weild it. Is there a pro stock babolat factory that gives the pros the graphite/kevlar set up ??
Granted the previous incarnation (black/red/matte) was as tinny as hell but the team editions without kevlar in the set up where solid rackets and the new GT version is even better imo although it does need some lead in the hoop for stability.
Im just saying that she could actually be playing the PST GT, I think its very close to standing up alonside its 1st and 2nd generation predecessors.
WhiteStripes
Semi-Pro
Just a small correction, the Pure Control "swirly" w/ the lava graphics does not have a 70 RA flex. Unstrung, the RA is 66 (and strung, it would bring it down further). It's printed right on the throat of the racquet. It's actually not a board stiff racquet. The Pure Control Team line that came after the swirly was stiffer (around 70RA) and lighter (320g v. 330g unstrung).
Should also mention that Stosur's Pure Storm has the regular (i.e., lighter weight) Pure Storm paintjob, and not the paintjob of the Pure Storm Tour. You can tell by the black accents at the throat (bottom of the hoop) of the racquet, instead of the silver/grey accents used on the Tour. Just thought I'd throw that out there as I've seen people mention they think she uses the Tour, as it'd be odd on Babolat's part if she really does use the new PST GT why they bothered to paintjob it with the paintjob of the regular PS GT.
Anyway, there was an old post from jura listing equipment of pros, and Stosur was listed at 327g I believe. Doesn't really tell at the end of the day if it's the old Pure Control swirly or the team version, or the Pure Storm or Pure Storm Tour.
You've got a few things muddled, I think. The swirly version of the PC was still available until she was 19. And its stiffness was nowhere near 70. In fact, the reason so many like it, is that it was one of the more flexible versions of the PC, clocking in around 63-66 on average. (Maybe you're confusing it with the swirly PD, which was in the nabe of 70.) Also, its flex pattern was different (and more friendly to high level players) than any version since. As for weight, it was only 325 - 330g stock, which happens to be about what Stosur plays.
I'm also not sure where you got the idea that a smaller/younger player would have a problem with a stiffer frame. Stiff frames are very popular with younger and smaller players, as they transfer energy more completely. But this doesn't really apply in the case we're talking about.
I can't speak for the other women, as I don't know first hand what they use. I'm more familiar with the men's side.
No, there is no pro stock Babolat factory.
Yes, the PC version that immediately followed the swirly was also a solid racquet, and a number of pros have used that one as well, but the swirly has remained more popular. Also, the stiffness of the Team version was increased a year or two into the production, so it can be tough getting ones that match each other, whereas the swirly versions were more consistent (although even those had surprising variance). The main difference apart from stiffness between the swirly and the Team version of the PC was a 10 gram drop in weight.
Last edited:
Not as far as I know, but there was a 27.5
WhiteStripes
Semi-Pro
No retail PC Swirly came in 28". The longest was the +, which was 27.5." Used to use the 2001 PC+. Great stick, and loved the lava paintjob.
LP,
Mate, I do like the sound of this 325-330g, 63-66 flex racket you speak of... wish I could my hands on one!
Can you please confirm though which exact model PC you are referring to? What was it's precise name or which 'generation' model are you talking about?
Also you mention a PC which followed the swirly...
... Again, can you please confirm which exact model PC you are referring to here? What was the name?
I tried to make a go of it with the PC Team on a couple of occasions a few years back. But though I was a fan basically speaking, the harsh feel and lack of control was too much for me. However, these other iterations definitely sound interesting LP... just have to hope... as has seems to have happened with the old Rad Tours which I could never source but are now popping up... one or two begin appearing. :wink:
Cheers!
R.
Meaghan
Hall of Fame
Whitestripes, LPShanet......
my post was to question the surity that a few posters have that she was using a PC.
I was also questioning the idea of a Bab factory that enables young pros to develop their rackets.
As for the Swirly flex that was from the top of my head I thought it was stiffer, sorry.
Also reading other posts it seems she has switched rackets a few times which may suggest a later version ??
Also Whitestripes thanks for noticing it would be a PS or PS paint job.
my post was to question the surity that a few posters have that she was using a PC.
I was also questioning the idea of a Bab factory that enables young pros to develop their rackets.
As for the Swirly flex that was from the top of my head I thought it was stiffer, sorry.
Also reading other posts it seems she has switched rackets a few times which may suggest a later version ??
Also Whitestripes thanks for noticing it would be a PS or PS paint job.
Meaghan
Hall of Fame
Yeah similar spec and that swirly flex sounds much better and i love the graphics. Although I did think the PC was that spec unstrung and stiffer........maybe Im getting old and tired
Meaghan
Hall of Fame
http://web.archive.org/web/20020808074101/www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpage.html?PCODE=BPC
Here it states the PC as having a 72 ra and 349g strung............someway off Stosur's spec eh ????
Here it states the PC as having a 72 ra and 349g strung............someway off Stosur's spec eh ????
viktorkwan
Rookie
there were some suggestions in the earlier post that she could be using the old Pure Control coz she grew up playing with that racquet?
I'm not sure if that was the case..
But prior to playing with Babolat sticks, she was actually using Prince rackets for a few years...and prior to that she was using Volkl sticks...
so I don't know if she had actually used Babolat sticks when she was younger
I'm not sure if that was the case..
But prior to playing with Babolat sticks, she was actually using Prince rackets for a few years...and prior to that she was using Volkl sticks...
so I don't know if she had actually used Babolat sticks when she was younger
PED
Legend
Actually, it might be fairly close: I would assume the 327g for Sam's stick is unstrung, so adding 16g for full poly gets you to 342g, 5g for an og......
I watched practice up courtside last month: she hits a big ball. It's surprising how much more spin she uses over the other women and you could really see JJ struggle with it on Friday. That FH motion is so compact and clean without a lot that can break down.
Pretty cool that you found that old archive! Where did you get that? Unfortunately, I don't know how else to say this except....they're wrong about the stiffness. The RA did change a few times over the lifespan of the frame, but 72 is just not correct for the swirly PC. As for the weight, it's actually pretty close. TW lists strung weights, and specs on that pro sting log were unstrung. The PC swirly was nominally 330g unstrung, but there is some variance coming off the line.
It's true that she used Prince a few years ago, and Volkl prior to that. However, she did try out the PC a while back and was familiar with the frame even though she hadn't been with them as a sponsor. Also, when she went to Babolat, the in-line frame for that line was the 1st Pure Storm Tour, which was never caught on with the pros, and had a very different flex pattern from previous PC versions. It was also not very durable compared to PC finishes.
One of my coaches down in Tampa knows Stubbs and she gave me one of her pure storms and if I'm not mistaken she had so much lead tape on her racket that it weighed 15.5 oz. She used a grip that was one size too small just because the amount of grip tape she used on the handle built it up to the next size. I tried to hit with the racket but after 3 days I had to stop because it was hurting my arm.
Meaghan
Hall of Fame
yeah i understand where you are coming from about the flex.....the pst+ has 68 on the racket card, its listed on TW as 62 but it feels like its 54 !!!!
by the way the archive link is below....
http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://tenniswarehouse.com
Babolat has had a history of confusion with RA numbers, and problems with consistency by their OEMs in that area, which is probably why you've seen such a variance. Usually, they'll base their racquet cards on the previous model, and then find out that the actual frames differ. That's what happened with the Pure Storm Tour, where they intended to mimic the Pure Control much more closely and then found that minor layup changes had unintentionally made the head much softer than planned. And depending on which machine the tester uses to measure the flex and at what point on the racquet, the numbers can also vary quite a bit. That's why flex pattern can matter much more than stiffness rating, and why RA numbers by themselves aren't all that useful.
Thanks for the archive link...lots of interesting stuff there.
burlesonsallstar
New User
there is no such thing as a babolat pro facility or whatever all the rackets are stock models like me and you can buy off the shelve at your local country club. as a former babolat sponsored player(had six of the psl) the when they came put with the gt all they did was repaint them like they would do for any other pro. so it is a great possibility that it is a pure control "swirly" factory specs with maybe lead on it somewhere (not sure).
