***The Donnay Pro One Int'l MP Club***

[matchmaker]

Okay, I have been pondering on this for a little time and I am going to take a shot at it. In various threads I have read positive comments on this stick, which, off course I also possess. So let's launch an official thread. In this thread all Pro One MP players can exchange their experiences, reviews, favourite set ups, customizations, etc.

I do not intend this thread to have the popularity of the Redondo thread but it can be a useful tool to bundle information.

And off course we would have to thank TW to reintroduce this great no-nonsense racquet.

Members (full time or occasional Pro One Int'l users):
matchmaker
tnez13
chowdhurynaveen
rod b
kike valerin
jatnut
Tasmanian Devil
Fuzz Nation
rfprse
ericsson
kabob
rabidcow
Pete Semper
Breakpoint
serpententacle
goosala
dreydrey
shell
Dennis Anyone?
dunlop1857
DrumWizOHBD
teppiahn1
phamster
wjt tennis

 

[matchmaker]

Okay, after opening the thread some of my personal comments. The Donnay Pro One Int'l MP is just such a fine tool. A real player's racquet. You get out of it what you put into it. It can do all: slice, topspin, flat. It is by no means a magical stick or a holy grail. It just does everything fine and makes you concentrate on your strokes.

The interesting thing about it is that it seems to play a little like a mid, having a MP headsize though. This is a racquet you can take to the net and if you possess the good skills you will deliver with it.

It also has a nice blend of control and power. It is a true player's racquet in that it does not give you any free power, but then again it has enough power to finish off points. This is what I really like about it. It is a control oriented though competitive frame. Something which is not always applicable to other, similar sticks. Not to criticize but my (short-lived) experience with the Redondo mid for instance showed me how much an underpowered frame can be incredible for control and elegance but also how unefficient it is if you play against someone your own strength with a somewhat more powerful frame. This won't happen with the Pro One MP.

This week I played against an opponent of my level and I edged him out with incredible winners, that made even myself look in awe after seeing their trajectory. You can hit short angles, crosscourt, inside out, drops, volleys.... name it.

This racquet is really a revelation for me in that it probably got myself rid of my racquet-addiction. This is just plain good without any marketing or technological BS. So now I can just concentrate on my strokes and reach my full potential.

BTW, I customized my frame by putting some lead under the grip, which I replaced by something more solid. And I put a little lead on 3 and 9 o'clock. In all my racquet now weighs 355 gr or about 12.50 oz and the balance should be around 7 to 8 pts. headlight. The good thing about customizing on this frame is that it really works. On some frames you can put lead and all but it will just never work. One thing I have learned is that if you don't like a frame in stock form, often leading it won't help. As for the Pro One MP, it is more than sufficient in stock form and you especially feel that there is enough mass in the head to deliver a forceful ball. However for me it could use a little more weight, especially on the handle, whence my customization.

 

[bagung]

i am having a hard times of getting use to it... strung it with legend 17g/ iso pro..
repalce the original grip with leather....
found it is lower in power and smaller sweetspot compare to dnx-10mid....

 

[nickb]

^ I really wish you would just stick with the DNX10 Mid...ive not read 1 post where you give another racket a positive comment!

Nick

 

[bagung]

^^^
i am sticking with my dnx mid... and since i already bought others, there is nothing wrong that i keep on trying....
anything wrong about that..........??????

 

[fantom]

Is it still true that you can't buy replacement grommets for the Donnay MP?

 

[tnez13]

Fantom,

See the following thread:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=169726&highlight=donnay+grommet

TW apparently does have grommets but not shown prominently on the website.

As for my own experience with the Donnay MP, I'm really starting to like it. I've posted in other threads about my first player's racquet being a Wilson Ceramic mid and the fact that nothing has felt as good as that racquet. I used stiffer, more powerful frames (Prince Approach and Wilson HP 5.0) but lost feel and control. I think I can get more power out of the Donnay because I can control the shots.

I added 2 grams of lead tape at 10, 2 and 6 on the head and at the bottom of the throat. Initially, the racquet was a touch light and too low on swingweight for my liking. I haven't bothered changing the grip because I always use tournagrip on my racquets. Latest string set up is polyester mains at 52 lbs and multifil crosses at 56. That seems pretty close to the sweet spot for my game.

One question. At NTRP 3.5, am I the lowest rated player using this racquet? I've always preferred player racquets and just can't use the racquets that are supposedly more appropriate for my playing level. Just curious.

 

[matchmaker]

A little update on my progress with the Pro One MP. Today I have played a doubles match, and again I was charmed by the versatility of the frame.

I did a little experiment: I am hitting wonderful forehands with this frame in a way that made me feel this frame must also be suited for doublehanded backhands. I have a onehanded backhand but in my teens I used to play doublehanded. I do not mean to poach at all but my backhand is top class at my level. Everyone gives me compliments about it and I constantly produce winners with it.

I know many people are divided into two camps: 1HBH and 2HBH and loathe the other camp. I do not because I master them both. I also think both have advantages and disadvantages. The onehander will permit you to take the ball further in front of you, the twohander will deliver when receiving high-bouncing, deep topspin shots.

Now the Donnay is typically a frame that produces great shots when you really sneak in on the ball. When you stand straight behind it it can open all possible angles. This is so for the FH and it made me think it would be great to try and hit some 2 handers with it although I have been playing 1 handed with great succes for several years.

All said and done, I feel it is really a shame they put such a short handle on it. I changed the handle and put a longer one on.

Result: This racquet enables you to hit some beautiful 2 handers. I felt like Agassi or Nalby. I was pounding cross-court winners, passing the net player along the line, and at one occasion I fooled them both by hitting a slice dropshot they could barely reach, they returned a high and deep ball to the side and I just let it drop to shoulder height and then I pounded it inbetween the two off them through the middle as if I could hit a hundred of those balls without missing even one.

All of this was quite amazing because for many months I haven't hit a single doublehander. Last time I remember was a similar (one session) experiment with the Redondo MP.

Now, I do not have a preference for the 1HBH or the 2HBH, so I don't know what I will be playing like in the future. But I felt that especially in doubles where the service player on the ad side will typically stand further from the center than in singles, thus serving also wider to the backhand and with higher bounce, the 2HBH really delivers on those shots.

One of our opponents was a teaching pro and basically I destroyed him by serving wide with topspin on his backhand (1HBH) he just could not handle it. Taking it with topspin he could not complete his swing and the balls would bounce to high to put any power behind them; taking the serve with slice he would typically cough up a shorter ball, inviting me to pound a cross-court backhand and come to net, or just lack the necessary directional control to avoid the net player and my team mate could perform some easy volleys as a consequence of that.

Then again he tried the same tactic on me and the result was quite different. I took those high balls without any problem and gave them back to him cross-court or when the occasion emerged and I saw the net player was to far in the center I would rip a down the line passing shot winner.

Now, I don't want to poach, the teaching pro did fool us quite some times with tricky shots. And I also feel he wasn't giving his best because his team mate was a student of his and as the latter was the weakest player of the four, it does not take a genius to know that the team with the weakest player in doubles will always loose. But the above lines do show how a two hander can have a clear advantage over a one hander in certain situations. In others it could be the other way round.

Especially on serve returns I feel the 2HBH is a great weapon and the Donnay Pro One MP is a great ally in this.

Further updates after my following outing with the frame.

 

[RickX]

History of the Pro One Intl ?

Can anyone please shed some light on the history of this racquet. I understand that there was a "Made in Belgium" version with a different paintjob, but essentially the same racquet. Were there any other versions ?

A guy at my club has a Pro One in a green / red PJ, and I wonder if it's the same racquet or a tweener version of the frame ?

Thanks !

 

[matchmaker]

Can anyone please shed some light on the history of this racquet. I understand that there was a "Made in Belgium" version with a different paintjob, but essentially the same racquet. Were there any other versions ?

A guy at my club has a Pro One in a green / red PJ, and I wonder if it's the same racquet or a tweener version of the frame ?

Thanks !

I will do a research on it. I will tell you later.

 

[fuzz nation]

Yeah, there was a whole Donnay discussion going several months back that may have some insight for you. Back in the day when I was a kid, Donnay used to be run by the Belgian government, at least as I understand it. Today, Dunlop owns the rights to the name and I guess TW approached them with some spec's for the two frames that they're selling right now. Nice racquets, but I guess they're different animals than what used to be produced in Belgium.

 

[chowdhurynaveen]

Count me in! I got 5 of these racquets with leather, overgrip, and dampener on them strung with Cyberflash 17g @ 55 pds! Absolutely wonderful!!!

 

[rod_b]

I have 2 of these and have been my favorite racket since they've come out. Anyone adding lead, changing the setup? What effect are you going for and what are the results of your changes?

 

[kike_valerin]

i order 10 raquets

i hope have last days of may


i think is very similar to slazenger pro x1 or trinity


i was order mardy fish raquet but is to much expensive

so i go with donnay

 

[jatnut]

I just got one of these and man it swings nice . Not as comfortable as my redondo but the weight distribution means a lot less swinging effort. Might be a keeper if I get the right grip. What leather grips are you guys using? I was gonna go gamma, any suggestion?

 

[matchmaker]

Jatnut,

As I bought a 4 1/2, it became to thick with leathergrip plus overgrip so I just took the grip off and put two overgrips on the handle; beneath it I put lead tape to make the handle heavier and I also added lead tape to 3 and 9 o'clock although the racquet head does seem to contains enough mass to drive through the ball. And yes that may be an important difference with the Redondo, which is a lot more headlight and whose head is overall less heavy.
With my modifications I have a very stable racquet with a still very manuverable balance (it must be around 7 pts. headlight now, given the fact I added more weight to the handle than to the head) and it is still a racquet that can generate a lot of racquet head speed.

Had I bought a 4 3/8, I would have put a TW leather replacement grip on it of the thicker kind (1,5 mm) plus an overgrip to make it a perfect 4 1/2 as final result. The leather grip also adds some weight to the handle section so that makes the balance slightly more headlight.

 

[matchmaker]

I have 2 of these and have been my favorite racket since they've come out. Anyone adding lead, changing the setup? What effect are you going for and what are the results of your changes?

I added 4 and 4 gr. lead tape to 3 and 9 o'clock. Usually I go for 5 and 5 but this racquet already has some mass in the head so I did a little bit less. To counterbalance and make the racquet a bit more headlight I put about 12 grams of lead tape on the handle. I am very satisfied with the result of my modifications. The racquet now weights 355 gr. whereas when I got it it came in too light at 335.

 

[matchmaker]

I just got one of these and man it swings nice . Not as comfortable as my redondo but the weight distribution means a lot less swinging effort. Might be a keeper if I get the right grip. What leather grips are you guys using? I was gonna go gamma, any suggestion?

Do you play the Redondo MP or the mid?
I tried them both and feel the Donnay Pro One MP is a good compromise in between. The mid was really to underpowered for my liking and the MP can be a bit springy at times. I think it may have something to do with the woofer-like grommets.
The Donnay is a very control oriented frame but it does have the power necessary to finish off points.

 

[Tasmanian Devil]

I added 4 and 4 gr. lead tape to 3 and 9 o'clock. Usually I go for 5 and 5 but this racquet already has some mass in the head so I did a little bit less. To counterbalance and make the racquet a bit more headlight I put about 12 grams of lead tape on the handle. I am very satisfied with the result of my modifications. The racquet now weights 355 gr. whereas when I got it it came in too light at 335.

I have to agree with Matchmaker. I played w/ the Pro One once or twice stock. But...adding a babolat leather grip (which is one of the lightest grips as far as grams) & adding 4'' 1/4 strips of lead at 3, 9 & 12. Mine weighs 12.5 ish or 361gr. This set up only adds to an already solid frame.

I'm just struggling to find a good tension/string that's got decent pop/feel with tons of control.

Any suggestions?

Matchmaker...
What string/tension are you using in this custom set-up?
What's your style of play?
How fast do you serve?
Thanks

 

[jatnut]

Thanks match_maker.
I play with the mid but I found that when I get short lowish balls at the net the lack of weight was just kill me as Im not one of those super spinny guys
. I loved the comfort though. I played yesterday with the Pro 1 and it seems like old times, at the net at least.

BTW does anyone know if TW resolved the grommet problems or should I just buy a few and stock up?

BTW has anyone got a DNX 10 Mid? How do these two stick compare?

 

[matchmaker]

Tasmanian Devil,

For the moment I am using PSGD @ 58, and I like it. It is a soft and yet crisp string. I had used it in hybrids with polyester in the mains but for this racquet I feel that it is better to do an all PSGD string job. Or maybe a hybrid with a lower tension for the polyester mains would also do. I am not a big polyester fan but in hybrids it does seem to behave quite well.

I think the Donnay can be played with at different tensions. I do not have the impression that it is overly tension sensitive like other frames such as the Volkl VE mid, that plays well at 58 but terrible at only 56.

My style of play: my serve is one of the better at my level but off course I am not Ivanisevic. I do not have the tools to measured how fast I serve, my guess would be around 160 km/h on the fastest of my serves, say a flat serve down the T. However this frame allows also for slower placement serves with topspin or slice on the body or out wide.

For the rest I am an all courter, semi-western grip. Able to put quite a lot of topspin on the ball mixed up with flatter shots. My backhand is one of the stronger points in my game. Normally hit a 1HBH but have been experimenting with a 2HBH with this frame just for fun (see post above).

My net game is more or less solid, without being perfect.

The Pro 1 let's me do all of this being a reliable tool and putting the responsability of hitting well or badly on my shoulders.

 

[matchmaker]

Jatnut,

I think chowdhurynaveen can give you a good comparison between the Donnay Pro 1 MP and the Volkl DNX 10 mid.

 

[Tasmanian Devil]

Thanks Matchmaker!
We seem to have similar games...power...previous racquets
What did you not like about the 10-v? I didn't like the fact that I felt I had to try to hard to hit topspin...and returns.

I would try psgd ....but feel I will be stringing a stick every day!
How long does this last for you?

 

[matchmaker]

Tasmanian,

The thing you mention about PSGD could be true, it is not the most lasting string. Where I live they sell packages of Prince Poly mains and PSGD crosses at ridiculous prices, this combination makes the whole last a little bit longer. I haven't tried it on the Donnay however. Still, I feel that it could be a good fit as the racquet is rather long in shape. I have noticed that polys on long mains and gut or multifilament on short crosses work well. It would be interesting to see how such a combination behaves on the Donnay. Maybe a lower tension for the mains, say 55/56 and a higher one for the crosses, say 58/59 could work.

As for the VE mid, that racquet is really string sensitive. At 56 all balls where flying on me. At 58 everything was perfect. Actually I put the above mentioned poly/PSGD on it and it plays very well. In the past I have also done the same with Wilson Enduro Pro (one of the best polys to my liking) and Sensation. However this combo was a bit more expensive.

My theory on the VE mid is that the mains are so long that you need a high tension and/or a poly to make sure they will grip the ball decently.

I really like the VE mid. Use it at 58 or above and you will see that you can put a lot of spin on the ball. The racquet is excellent on serves and volleys. It may be a little bit underpowered on groundstrokes.

The VE mid is exciting to use in that you can take full cuts at the ball and in that the upper hoop is very interesting to use. It is not at all a dead upper hoop like so many other racquets.

The Donnay just has that tad more power that will allow for a straight winner instead of a just returnable ball.

 

[ericsson]

Can anyone please shed some light on the history of this racquet. I understand that there was a "Made in Belgium" version with a different paintjob, but essentially the same racquet. Were there any other versions ?

A guy at my club has a Pro One in a green / red PJ, and I wonder if it's the same racquet or a tweener version of the frame ?

Thanks !

Yes there was a Made in Belgium version, as a matter a fact the Donnay's before 1993 were all Made in Belgium, after that production costs run too high here so they went to Taiwan and later China, the early P.O Int. green/gray one had a composition of 75%graphite and 25%glassfiber, the later P.O Int. yellow/black from 1996 had 50% graphite and 50%glassfiber and also FWT (filament winding technology). The international always stood for soft/medium flex with a LOT of touch while as his brother the limited edition (same mold) stood for firmer/stiffer flex and 100%graphite. The originals came with interchangable bumpers for clay and hard court. As you see the specs differ a little but the mold never changed. Will post some pics later...

When Andre Agassi joined Donnay back in 1989 under the wings of Bernard Tapie, (the French billionaire) it was clear that the name "Pro One" was up there. It didn't take long before Tapie left, of course Donnay and Agassi made him even richer but Donnay as a company was a break down,
In Jun 1991 BT agreed to the sale of its 58% in Donnay to the Walloon regional government in Belgium (that's the French departement in Belgium). Agassi left Donnay in 1993 and joined Head after.


To be continued...(gonna enjoy the good weather now ;-)

 

[Tasmanian Devil]

Thanks again Match...
I was sponsored by Prince so ...I have a few sets of Tour 16....It's no BB rough...But one can't complain about free string.

As a reference point I use to string my mid-v @ 62 with a multi...so I like a high tension.

Currently I have Tour 16 in the M @ 61-60 & Klip scorcher 17 in the X @ 62-63. With this tension/average string I feel I have to put too much effort into keeping the ball deep. (I have to think about it during a point) Not good!
...But if I go much lower in tension the control starts to go. I don't mean I'm hitting the fence with approach shots...There just a foot out or so.

Anyway...

Chowdhurynaveen knows how hard I hit

Hey Naveen...it's Josh.
We need to hit!

 

[matchmaker]

Yes there was a Made in Belgium version, as a matter a fact the Donnay's before 1993 were all Made in Belgium, after that production costs run too high here so they went to Taiwan and later China, the early P.O Int. green/gray one had a composition of 75%graphite and 25%glassfiber, the later P.O Int. yellow/black from 1996 had 50% graphite and 50%glassfiber and also FWT (filament winding technology). The international always stood for soft/medium flex with a LOT of touch while as his brother the limited edition (same mold) stood for firmer/stiffer flex and 100%graphite. The originals came with interchangable bumpers for clay and hard court. As you see the specs differ a little but the mold never changed. Will post some pics later...

When Andre Agassi joined Donnay back in 1989 under the wings of Bernard Tapie, (the French billionaire) it was clear that the name "Pro One" was up there. It didn't take long before Tapie left, of course Donnay and Agassi made him even richer but Donnay as a company was a break down,
In Jun 1991 BT agreed to the sale of its 58% in Donnay to the Walloon regional government in Belgium. Agassi left Donnay in 1993 and joined Head after.


To be continued...(gonna enjoy the good weather now ;-)

Thanks for the info ericcson, I was going to search for some info myself but you sure know a lot more about it than I.

BTW do you have a Pro 1 yourself? I saw you mentioned the racquet a couple of times on other threads. What do you think about it?

 

[!Tym]

Agassi left Donnay in 1993 and joined Head after.


To be continued...(gonna enjoy the good weather now ;-)

And...the world would have been a different place if Agassi had joined Yonex.

Seriously, I often stop to wonder as I look up at the stars through my moonroof while driving of what could have been had Agassi decided to go with Yonex. As I recall, it was said that a racket bidding war started when the companies heard Agassi was leaving Donnay. In the end, it was said to have come down to Yonex and Head. I remember at the time DEARLY WISHING Agassi would join Yonex, because Agassi and Head? I mean that was a no-brainer, the obvious choice, and too much like Donnay or Prince before. Their racket for Agassi, the Radical Trisys 260? I was like eh, so what. They painted his old rackets yellow, big deal, big surprise, could have seen that "fresh" new design for Agassi from a mile away.

NOW, had he gone to Yonex though? My gawd, the possibilities were endless in my mind of what orgasmic creation they would have created for him. Any company that could come up with the graphics for the RD-7 and Cyborg 2700 is no ordinary racket company. To me, Yonex is the artist's choice. It is the Beverly Hills boutique speciality, a typically sissy brand would have come up with something probably none of us could have ever imagined for Agassi; I'm sure.

To me, when Agassi went with Head that proved to me once and for all that the man was no artist and had no artist's soul. A true artist would have gone with Yonex and explored the possibilies of a new head shape and Japanese meterosexual high-fashion graphics. I'm being perfectly honest when I say that Agassi deciding to go with Head was one of my worst dissapointments in all my years of following tennis. It still bugs me..:-?

This said, to me it's sad that Donnay also basically went bust, because to me, they and Yonex (and to a lesser extent Volkl), are the only two racket brands that truly personified the artist's soul. Donnay's more Jimi Hendrix, Purple Rain, Janis Joplin a little tipsy, John Lenon seeing flowers in the sky while having...um, berries...with Yoko.

Yonex on the other hand is all about the omentum, instead of calling it momentum, they'll call it omentum because they can, and because they're cool, and chic. When I think of Yonex, I think of paper rice candy, oom, delicious.

 

[lucu]

the donnay MP upper hoop is kind of "dead"

 

[matchmaker]

the donnay MP upper hoop is kind of "dead"

Don't completely agree with you. Maybe not as vivid as, say, a Volkl V-engine mid, but certainly not totally dead either. The sweetspot is also situated fairly in the center of the frame.

 

[ericsson]

Thanks for the info ericsson, I was going to search for some info myself but you sure know a lot more about it than I.

BTW do you have a Pro 1 yourself? I saw you mentioned the racquet a couple of times on other threads. What do you think about it?

I have many pro 1's but unfortunately not the TW one, maybe i will order one but too many rackets right now

 

[matchmaker]

Well, if you have to many racquets you can always sell one to me . You will have noticed I am interested in the C10 pro.

Sorry if I have misspelt your name, it is confusing with those two s's.

BTW, I see you are from Belgium. Me too, but I live in Ecuador, Latin America. The weather here is nicer . Generally you can always play outdoors except at night during the rainy season. People over here call it winter but it is actually hotter than the dry season due to the air humidity. If you play at noon you are immediately dehydrated by the equatorial sun.

 

[ericsson]

Well, if you have to many racquets you can always sell one to me . You will have noticed I am interested in the C10 pro.

Sorry if I have misspelt your name, it is confusing with those two s's.

BTW, I see you are from Belgium. Me too, but I live in Ecuador, Latin America. The weather here is nicer . Generally you can always play outdoors except at night during the rainy season. People over here call it winter but it is actually hotter than the dry season due to the air humidity. If you play at noon you are immediately dehydrated by the equatorial sun.

wow, that's so cool man, where you're from in Belgium? and how come you live in Ecuador you lucky son of a *****

 

[rfprse]

This racquet seems to need a little more weight. Probably 12oz. shouldn't feel too light but it feels so a little.
On the other hand, it could be better for my shoulder though maybe not so great for ground strokes.
I'll stick to the stock version for a while to see how it goes.
Its spin potential seems great.

Btw, what's the tension range? TW page says 50-60, but on the racquet, it says 55-62.

 

[matchmaker]

wow, that's so cool man, where you're from in Belgium? and how come you live in Ecuador you lucky son of a *****

I was born and spent my childhood in Bruges. Later on I studied in Brussels, but I remained a fan of FC Bruges. (Allez Blauwzwart), you can't deny your origin. So now I am mourning for the premature death of Sterchele. Man, only 26 years old and the most important years of his carreer ahead. Tragic:sad:

I was always fascinated by Latin-America and as soon as I finished my studies and had gathered a bit of money I came here. I now work as a university professor teaching French and some general courses (history, intercultural communication, speech, translation) in English because I have a degree in translation and interpretation Dutch-French-Spanish-English.

Things are nice here, but there is also a lot of corruption. Anyway, if you ever plan on spending your holidays here, you are always welcome. We can even go out and hit a few balls.

If not, some time I think I am going to get back to Belgium, I have a little (1 year and a half) daughter and I wouldn't want her to grow up here. So, we'll hit a few balls between the towers of Bruges and Ghent (Ay, Marieke, Marieke je t'aimais tant entre les tours de Bruges et Gant), somewhere in the "platte land" in the "polders". Let's hope there is not too much wind.

You are from Ghent, aren't you? I believe I read that in one of your posts.

BTW, I was serious about the C10 pro, I you happen to have one you want to sell that is.

 

[matchmaker]

This racquet seems to need a little more weight. Probably 12oz. shouldn't feel too light but it feels so a little.
On the other hand, it could be better for my shoulder though maybe not so great for ground strokes.
I'll stick to the stock version for a while to see how it goes.
Its spin potential seems great.

Btw, what's the tension range? TW page says 50-60, but on the racquet, it says 55-62.

You are right about the tension range. I think the one indicated on the racquet is probably the best one. I play it at 58. I have the impression that it would still behave well at a somewhat lower tension and not be too boardy at a slightly higher tension.

I also agree with you on the weight. I added a little weight to the handle and a little to the head. It still has that great spin potential with my setup (see above posts)

 

[ericsson]

I was born and spent my childhood in Bruges. Later on I studied in Brussels, but I remained a fan of FC Bruges. (Allez Blauwzwart), you can't deny your origin. So now I am mourning for the premature death of Sterchele. Man, only 26 years old and the most important years of his carreer ahead. Tragic:sad:

I was always fascinated by Latin-America and as soon as I finished my studies and had gathered a bit of money I came here. I now work as a university professor teaching French and some general courses (history, intercultural communication, speech, translation) in English because I have a degree in translation and interpretation Dutch-French-Spanish-English.

Things are nice here, but there is also a lot of corruption. Anyway, if you ever plan on spending your holidays here, you are always welcome. We can even go out and hit a few balls.

If not, some time I think I am going to get back to Belgium, I have a little (1 year and a half) daughter and I wouldn't want her to grow up here. So, we'll hit a few balls between the towers of Bruges and Ghent (Ay, Marieke, Marieke je t'aimais tant entre les tours de Bruges et Gant), somewhere in the "platte land" in the "polders". Let's hope there is not too much wind.

You are from Ghent, aren't you? I believe I read that in one of your posts.

BTW, I was serious about the C10 pro, I you happen to have one you want to sell that is.

Hi Professor!
Yea it's a real shame he died so young, sounded like a nice guy. I'm from a town 20km south of Ghent, but i say Ghent cos it's more common. Man, i would love to come down and hit a ball but i'm afraid i'm stuck on Thailand for the moment ;-)
Anyway, if you're ever in town don't hesitate to contact me.
About the C10, i have many but all are used, just ordered one from the US, 2008 edition, man it's a beauty, really classy stick, it's for a friend of mine's birthday.
Are the cosmetics the same for you? i will look around...

ps:The black is not available in Europe nor anywhere else except the US, i contacted Volkl headquarters.

 

[rabidcow]

I string mine at around 58, more or less depenpending on conditions, I also feel a little weight in the handle is helpful

 

[matchmaker]

Hi Professor!
Yea it's a real shame he died so young, sounded like a nice guy. I'm from a town 20km south of Ghent, but i say Ghent cos it's more common. Man, i would love to come down and hit a ball but i'm afraid i'm stuck on Thailand for the moment ;-)
Anyway, if you're ever in town don't hesitate to contact me.
About the C10, i have many but all are used, just ordered one from the US, 2008 edition, man it's a beauty, really classy stick, it's for a friend of mine's birthday.
Are the cosmetics the same for you? i will look around...

ps:The black is not available in Europe nor anywhere else except the US, i contacted Volkl headquarters.

Well, you should see some of the women here ... and you would immediately forget about Thailand., although it does sound like an interesting place I definitely would like to visit once myself.

If you have any C10 and the frame itself is in good condition... The black is off course the most beautiful one but as it is only available in the USA, and the price for a new one is quite high, I cannot really be very demanding on that point. However if you have the yellow/black, non fishnet version, I would be more than happy.

The thing is over here I cannot demo anything. So I generally prefer to buy a second hand racquet to have an idea about how it plays before spending a lot of money on buying new ones.

Anyway, you can contact me at bverplancke@hotmail.com about this.

 

[matchmaker]

I string mine at around 58, more or less depenpending on conditions, I also feel a little weight in the handle is helpful

I guess we have more or less the same setup. I also string at 58 and put a little weight in the handle and also a little at 3 and 9 o'clock. What type of string do you use.

 

[kabob]

I've got a pair that are strung up at midrange with Babolat Hurricane poly 17g mains and Klip Legend natural gut 16g crosses. I replaced the crappy synthetic gripd with Wilson leather and overgrip with Tournagrip. That's pretty much it. I've tried experimenting with lead but the racquet becomes a tedious log no matter where you put lead.

Overall, I like the feel and sweet spot of the racquet and the weight feels good with leather. Unfortunately, between the poly and the open string pattern, the racquet's a bit too spinny. I have problems flattening out my shots.

I just ordered a K-blade Tour 93 after demoing it a few times and am going to see how I like that racquet. I might be making a permanent change.

 

[rabidcow]

Pro hurricane mains, PSGD crosses. i also swapped out the cheap synthetic grip for a leather grip

 

[matchmaker]

kabob, rabidcow

I guess there is a consensus about the crappy quality of the grip. Most people replace it with leather. The string tension seems to be at a good mid range at 58 lbs.

I have been playing with PSGD on it but I guess as you suggest a good poly in the mains would be nice. I think next time I string it I am going to try that.

 

[rabidcow]

The only reason why I use poly is because I can burn through a set of PSGD in about 1-2 hrs.

 

[matchmaker]

Yeah, PSGD plays pretty well on the Pro 1. For now it still stands but if I see it snaps too quickly I would put poly on the mains.

 

[mauricem]

....the early P.O Int. green/gray one had a composition of 75%graphite and 25%glassfiber, the later P.O Int. yellow/black from 1996 had 50% graphite and 50%glassfiber and also FWT (filament winding technology). The international always stood for soft/medium flex with a LOT of touch while as his brother the limited edition (same mold) stood for firmer/stiffer flex and 100%graphite. The originals came with interchangable bumpers for clay and hard court. .........

was wondering on the difference in play between the models, I'm interested in a yellow /black one that has become available, brand new but set up for clay court with no bumper strip as seen below.

Was one model more sought after than the others? Any ideas if the TW ones are a full graphite layup or is the composite still used?
thanks for any help

 

[classic tennis]

was wondering on the difference in play between the models, I'm interested in a yellow /black one that has become available, brand new but set up for clay court with no bumper strip as seen below.

Was one model more sought after than the others? Any ideas if the TW ones are a full graphite layup or is the composite still used?
thanks for any help

This model together with the black & red 100% one were manufactured in Taiwan using filament winding technology, they are both exceptional racquets & not to be confused with the cheap ones being sold today. The wholesale price on this was USD $125.00 twelve years ago.

 

[BreakPoint]

Any ideas if the TW ones are a full graphite layup or is the composite still used?

The TW version uses a layup of 75% graphite and 25% fiberglass.

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/descpageRCDUNLOP-DP1INT.html

 

[BreakPoint]

This model together with the black & red 100% one were manufactured in Taiwan using filament winding technology, they are both exceptional racquets & not to be confused with the cheap ones being sold today. The wholesale price on this was USD $125.00 twelve years ago.

Maybe "cheap" only in price but not in quality nor playability. The TW version of the Pro One Int'l looks, feels, and plays like a very high quality racquet to me, well worth twice its selling price.

 

[matchmaker]

Maybe "cheap" only in price but not in quality nor playability. The TW version of the Pro One Int'l looks, feels, and plays like a very high quality racquet to me, well worth twice its selling price.

Well said BP. I was going to say the same thing a couple of hours ago but decided not because, as I started this thread, I could be suspected of bias. But indeed except for the cheap grip the Pro 1 Int'l is a very good stick. I have played with many sticks that are a lot more expensive and yet a lot poorer in quality, feel, and playability.

Maybe it was a marketing mistake to sell it so cheap. If it costed 200 usd. everyone would be saying: "Oh, what a nice stick." My wife runs a boutique and she had some shirts of a very well know brand for sale with 50% off. A client saw them and said: "They must be fake at that price". They weren't and she missed a good opportunity.