Thomas Muster's grip size?

[orangettecoleman]

There have been threads on Thomas Muster's racquet specs - extremely heavy and even balance, 93-95 headsize, isospeed professional 17 gauge string at extremely (ridiculously) high tension. The one thing that I don't know is the grip size - does he use a small grip like Bruguera and some of the other western-grip clay court masters started doing in those years, or a bigger grip like other players who went pro in the 80s like Muster did? Kind of curious. For that matter, have there been ANY players who have used a large grip size (4 1/2+) who have had a great full-western forehand? Or does the wrist action necessary for using a full-western preclude using a grip of that size?

 

[tennistiger]

Grip 6 ( 4 6/8 )with a thick ring at the end of the butt cap.

 

[Pioneer]

thick ring??? why's that

 

[King_roger]

thick ring??? why's that

Tom for ever!!

 

[OliverSimon]

What the heck is that??

 

[racketcollector]

Yeah I strung many a racket for him back in the day. Def a 4 1/2 at least. Also strung alot for Brugera. He would take the leather off and just use an overgrip (Guga Kuerten did too), so was REALLY small. Musters was NOTHING like that, at all.

 

[Kick Serve 14]

So what is the ring for?

 

[ronalditop]

I guess the ring is for keeping his hand secure on to the grip. I build up my buttcaps a little bit too, but Muster's grip is just ridiculous.

 

[PED]

So what is the ring for?

Some people who hold their hand at the extreme bottom of the grip like to use it for leverage. Gonzo uses a bit of a lip as well but not near as extreme as that.

 

[orangettecoleman]

Thanks for the info. I did notice that the cap is built up, I read that it was because the grip would fly out his hand or fall apart if the cap wasn't built up because he used to swing that 14oz racquet so hard. I'm not sure whether there is something extra on the cap itself or if he just wrapped the grip around a bunch of times at the beginning. Anyway, Berdych builds up the end of his grip as well.

 

[Pioneer]

Seems kind of weird to me, I know Sampras and Federer hold the racquet really low and that adds a bit to the swingweight but their buttcaps aren't built up. In fact their pinkies aren't even on the grip on some pictures. Seems to me like a huge buttcap would actually get in your way of holding the handle at the very end.

Besides that, does anybody know Muster's setup except that he uses a 400g racquet and strings at like 40 kg? Does he add lead to the "spin" locations 12 and under the buttcap or does he use it at 3/9 like most 90s players

 

[tennistiger]

Grip 6 was what he uses in the 90s.

 

[Deleted member 25923]

Seems kind of weird to me, I know Sampras and Federer hold the racquet really low and that adds a bit to the swingweight but their buttcaps aren't built up. In fact their pinkies aren't even on the grip on some pictures. Seems to me like a huge buttcap would actually get in your way of holding the handle at the very end.

Besides that, does anybody know Muster's setup except that he uses a 400g racquet and strings at like 40 kg? Does he add lead to the "spin" locations 12 and under the buttcap or does he use it at 3/9 like most 90s players

Wilson frames I know already have quite flared buttcaps.

 

[PBODY99]

Yevgeny Aleksandrovich Kafelnikov, also used this level of build up. If you played hockey , baseball or have grip issues< as I have> it helps.

 

[Kick Serve 14]

Thanks for the info. I did notice that the cap is built up, I read that it was because the grip would fly out his hand or fall apart if the cap wasn't built up because he used to swing that 14oz racquet so hard. I'm not sure whether there is something extra on the cap itself or if he just wrapped the grip around a bunch of times at the beginning. Anyway, Berdych builds up the end of his grip as well.

This whole racket setup just sounds like it would really hurt...

 

[mctennis]

Yevgeny Aleksandrovich Kafelnikov, also used this level of build up. If you played hockey , baseball or have grip issues< as I have> it helps.

I was going to mention those also. Kafelnikov had a huge knot at the end of his racquet. It may have been actually bigger than Muster's. At least from what I remember it was. Plus it may give them a more head light racquet to swing.

 

[shanked_it]

This whole racket setup just sounds like it would really hurt...

haha, amen!

 

[orangettecoleman]

Seems kind of weird to me, I know Sampras and Federer hold the racquet really low and that adds a bit to the swingweight but their buttcaps aren't built up. In fact their pinkies aren't even on the grip on some pictures. Seems to me like a huge buttcap would actually get in your way of holding the handle at the very end.

Besides that, does anybody know Muster's setup except that he uses a 400g racquet and strings at like 40 kg? Does he add lead to the "spin" locations 12 and under the buttcap or does he use it at 3/9 like most 90s players

Well Tom did swing way way harder and faster than Sampras or Fed, who have more fluid, relaxed, Eastern grip styles of play. Muster would literally swing as hard as he possibly could at every single ball. With a 93 square inch racquet and strings at 90 pounds that sweetspot must have been the size of a walnut, I probably couldn't get the ball over the net once with that racquet. -shiver-

 

[migjam]

Muster would take a normal grip (when I watched him it was a Kneissl grip) and wrap it approx. three times at the end before finishing the handle, which is why the in the picture above, the grip doesn't go all the way to the top of the handle. The white X at the bottom was just athletic tape that he had going up the handle, supposedly to help secure the butt-cap.

I have two of his used grips.

 

[migjam]

Yevgeny Aleksandrovich Kafelnikov, also used this level of build up. If you played hockey , baseball or have grip issues< as I have> it helps.

Yevgeny's build up was done with 1/2" athletic tape and was more pronounced than Muster's.