I heard frorm reviews that the PD98 ist inconsistend. Can everyone confirm that?
I had consistency issues with it but I think it could have been more me than the racquet. I am also a long time pd 100 user so that might factor in. But I guess a little strange that I had consistency issues considering consistency is usually my best feature. I think the 98 just wasn't for me from a lot of standpoints. A little too low of a launch angle, a little heavier to swing, a little less powerful, a little less spin, a smaller sweet spot. Add them up and it just didn't work for me, but it sure did for my friend 2 weeks ago. He now owns it btw.
I bought a pd100 from tenniswarehouse this week and thankfully it arrived yesterday so I could use it today. I was hoping that it might remedy some of the issues I've had in the past year with the 2006 PD, and omg did it. I would consistently sail flat serves long with the 2006, probably hitting just 25% of them. I don't know why exactly. Maybe it was sluggish to come around, I'm not sure. Today I would guess I hit at least 50% of my flat serves in. And my slice and topspin serves had more action. I would sort of loop my 2006 second serve in with good consistency but too high of a trajectory leading to too weak a serve. It would generally suffice because it would land a little kick close enough to the service line and not shallow.
Today with the 2025, I did not double fault and I had great control of all serves. My second serves were also coming in a little straighter (less loopy) and with better kick. My slice serves on deuce side actually had some good pace and would move away from my opponent whereas they had limited movement before. I only had one ace and it was in my first service game down the T, where I was aiming. And I don't think I got broken, winning 6-2, 6-2.
Now this was on hard court which I prefer. My opponent is from Columbia and plays better on clay. I played him also on Tuesday on clay with my 2006 pd in the strangest of sets. First set he was beating me 5-2, and I came back and won 7-5. Second set he went on a tear and was leading me 5-0. I was happy to get the next game to prevent the bagel, and somehow rattled off the next 6 to win that set 7-5 also. I felt bad as he kinda deserved to win both sets and just couldn't put them away I guess. Second set he said he got cold as we were out in a bubble and it was about 10 degrees outside. The heat in the bubble probably wasn't keeping up too great, although I felt fine.
So the real test will be playing him with the 2025 pd 100 on clay again. I was pushing him all over today and doing what I wanted to an extent. We will see how much control I maintain as the strings loosen. This 2025 is strung by the magicians at TW with my usual volkyl cyclone 17 (1.25) at 55lbs, which is slightly higher than I usually use (54/52). Hopefully I keep playing well with it each time I use it, and if so, it's going to become my go to racquet. Feels like a cheater stick to be honest. True point and shoot.
I didn't love the lack of control or the launch angles of the 2018 and 2021 pure drives, but this doesn't feel too high or too low, spin is great, and my shots are stronger than normal. I can really rip my on the run forehand cross court, which I haven't been able to do since I used the 2012 PDR. But to be able to do it with a stick 15 grams lighter is awesome!
I'm excited. We'll see how it goes from here.