bluetrain4
G.O.A.T.
The real issue is with "Wal-mart frames" is the awful string. String em up right and they're playable, even if most (but not all) are very light.
What’s the worst racket to ever win a grand slam final?
- Thread starter Swingmaster
- Start date
I think the question was the worst racket - not the worst a&&hole. Maybe I misread it. Could be my mistake.
Moonballballer
Semi-Pro
How about Oliver Marach with an artengo racket 
PBODY99
Legend
It is a wood frame with fiberglass lamination. The
twist weight was very high for its time
PBODY99
Legend
The Ashe got worse from 1 to the 2 as the frame played differently if the temperature changed & the Comp 3 is a noodle.
Th Edge size version, is the only one I still can hit with.
Tom Gorman, former Davis cup captain, said on a podcast that the model the pros got were much stiffer than retail.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Add a lamination or trey. Back in 78 Wilson factory had a flood. Value City/Shottensteins received salvaged NBA leather basketballs, Duke footballs, and assorted Kramer racquets. 1st time saw Kramer Pro Select medium and heavy 5-5.25" racquets with the balance point printed on the shaft. 14-15+ oz racquets.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
It most likely the Wilson warehouse had a flood as the Wilson tennis racquet factory was in Cortland, New York.
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Not sure if it was in Kentucky or Tennessee. Saw racquets that had unusual specs. Worried they may warp.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
Yes, Wilson had a line of racquets called Professional Select in JK Auto, JK Pro Staff, CE Auto, and SS Auto
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Beautiful glossy finish......................................still have an Evert Auto
recreationalplayer
Semi-Pro
Aside from the T 2000, Maria Sharapova's racquet at 2004 Wimbledon. A Prince more attack racket. Don't ask me to explain it, if that weren't enough Prince soon released something called a Shark racquet, a terrible piece she never did much with.
PBODY99
Legend
@recreationalplayer
The MORE line , string holes do not have grommet strips.
On some of the thinner beamed frames there was keyhole distortion.
I had no problems with thicker 1500 Power Level frames
The MORE line , string holes do not have grommet strips.
On some of the thinner beamed frames there was keyhole distortion.
I had no problems with thicker 1500 Power Level frames
PBODY99
Legend
@vsbabolat
Wilson Select at certain pro shops, they were really nice.
My Wilson Cliff Richey Ultra 3/8 Medium is still straight and sound after two seasons of use 1971 to 1973
all these years later.
Good memories, thanks
Enjoy the holidays
Wilson Select at certain pro shops, they were really nice.
My Wilson Cliff Richey Ultra 3/8 Medium is still straight and sound after two seasons of use 1971 to 1973
all these years later.
Good memories, thanks
Enjoy the holidays
jmacdaununder2
Legend
What aspect of the fibreglass/aluminium construction of the AA Comps was reactive enough to temperature variations to alter playability, the aluminium perhaps? The TEC of aluminium is apparently twice that of steel, but would this be noticeable given the presumed variability of ambient daily playing conditions isn’t typically that extreme, the middle of a desert notwithstanding?
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recreationalplayer
Semi-Pro
OK, ironic (?) Prince dropped the More line w/tiny string holes, moved to exactly the opposite, the "O Port" design. They had success w/that design.
PBODY99
Legend
What aspect of the fibreglass/aluminium construction of the AA Comps was reactive enough to temperature variations to alter playability, the aluminium perhaps? The TEC of aluminium is apparently twice that of steel, but would this be noticeable given the presumed variability of ambient daily playing conditions isn’t typically that extreme, the middle of a desert notwithstanding?
I noticed the temperature effect only with the Boron Comp 2.
Start of the season 60 degrees F, 52 lbs. it was fine.
A month later 80 degree day, I had to cut the strings out as the frame played like a board.
No other frame I used from this era reacted like this for me including the
Yamaha Composite YCR-126 which has the same type of construction.
Just my experience, other local Ashe Comp players use base nylon strung once per season .
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Ihatetennis
Hall of Fame
Truthfully I think that modern tennis with an iron elbow would be more than feasible. I’ve played many matches against utr 6-8 juniors with one for fun.
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
We can answer the OP’s question once we arrive at a consensus on what makes a racquet good or bad - meaning ‘never’!
McLovin
Legend
I was thinking the same thing, and this beauty is what came to mind:
Prince Classic
If that isn't the cheapest-looking POS, I don't know what is.EDIT: I'm not 100% certain she used that exact frame in her doubles wins, but she used a variant of it for certain.
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
PJI was thinking the same thing, and this beauty is what came to mind:
Prince ClassicIf that isn't the cheapest-looking POS, I don't know what is.
EDIT: I'm not 100% certain she used that exact frame in her doubles wins, but she used a variant of it for certain.
WestboroChe
Hall of Fame
Looking through the thread I think the OP needs to create a poll for us. Looks like the contenders are:
T2000
Head Ashe Pro
The Spaulding Rosie played with (sorry I can’t go back to look it up)
The terrible Prince Frame Sharapova used
Personally I’d put any Babolat on the list but we all know that won’t fly.
T2000
Head Ashe Pro
The Spaulding Rosie played with (sorry I can’t go back to look it up)
The terrible Prince Frame Sharapova used
Personally I’d put any Babolat on the list but we all know that won’t fly.
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Always surprised how many used the Prince Pro
PBODY99
Legend
Names of some of the nominees
- Head Ashe Comp
- Spaulding Speed Shaft French wood core fiberglass facing
- Prince Shark
- Wilson T-2000
McLovin
Legend
WestboroChe
Hall of Fame
I know looking back on it the Prince Pro seems crappy (as most metal frames do to us now) but wasn’t that considered a high tech players frame of the day (as an alternative to wood)?
T2000 doesn’t quite belong in that same category as that is less a racquet and more a medieval torture device (designed to destroy your shoulder or elbow)
T2000 doesn’t quite belong in that same category as that is less a racquet and more a medieval torture device (designed to destroy your shoulder or elbow)
McLovin
Legend
Possibly, but I just remember stories from back in the day that Jay Berger would frequent K-Mart stores in the town he was playing searching for more of his Prince Pros. Apparently that was the only place he could find them...
WestboroChe
Hall of Fame
Bizarre. I just watched a bit of his 1990 USO match against Agassi. He definitely seems to be playing with a metal Prince cheapie. I honestly don't know how anyone can play with those. A few years ago I was doing a clinic and one of the older guys there had a Prince Pro. He could hit for sure but when you watched him you could see how much it flexed on impact and he had to swing so hard it would wear him out.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
I remember that! Amazing that he never went to the Prince Graphite Oversize. I remember that with the high tensions that Prince recommended a lot those Prince Pro’s distorted
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stringertom
Bionic Poster
Came here to say Jimbo is a runaway winner with 8 slams playing that banjo trampoline and zero with Breakpoint’s stick of choice or the Estusa Banana.
stringertom
Bionic Poster
I know a 5.5 level former college player/teaching pro that plays Prince Pro OS with whatever poly he can get for free; he strings at 39# so there’s no distortion issue.
WestboroChe
Hall of Fame
It’s worst racquet to win a GS title. If it was just worst racquet I still say my old Prince More Precision is a candidate. God what a piece of junk that was.
WestboroChe
Hall of Fame
I imagine between that the wet noodle frame it’s pretty comfortable. But still.
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
If everyone uses a broom someone will win the title and perhaps sweep the competition.
WestboroChe
Hall of Fame
Yes I suppose. I say make them all play with juniors frames or perhaps a T2000
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Pickle them, eh? Omg, official wiffle ball!
stringertom
Bionic Poster
Visions of Bobby Riggs exho trick shots.
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Visions of tennis courts packed from 6 am till 2 am.
vsbabolat
G.O.A.T.
Still using the Prince Pro to this day?! That’s impressive!
Open Stance
Professional
What about Lendl's Adidas GTX Pro? Is it any wonder he never won Wimbledon playing with that club? Have no idea how you could volley with that thing.
Swingmaster
Hall of Fame
Anyone read this book? Looks like Roddick used his modern “pat the dog” forehand style with the pan. Probably got some pretty good lag with it. But it’s pretty pathetic that the author couldn’t pull out a victory. Come on man.
WestboroChe
Hall of Fame
My neighbor tells me he witnessed this personally.
Anyone read this book? Looks like Roddick used his modern “pat the dog” forehand style with the pan. Probably got some pretty good lag with it. But it’s pretty pathetic that the author couldn’t pull out a victory. Come on man.
WestboroChe
Hall of Fame
I'm not personally familiar with it but it looks like a lot of mid 80's graphite/composite frames. What about it would make it difficult to volley with? I have to think that given how much he wanted to win Wimby he must have looked at his equipment.What about Lendl's Adidas GTX Pro? Is it any wonder he never won Wimbledon playing with that club? Have no idea how you could volley with that thing.
Swingmaster
Hall of Fame
I just found the original article on the internet which told the story of the author actually beating Roddick. So why the heck did the author call it “Andy Roddick beat me with a frying pan?” Was there a rematch? Hmm. Anyway, it was pretty cool of Roddick to play a whole match with a pan in the middle of his career. I doubt Delpo would try that.
WestboroChe
Hall of Fame
Perhaps Andy did it on more than one occasion. It was probably his schtick that he did whenever he made an appearance at some charity event or what have.
I don't know his exact words but it was something like, "I watched Andy Roddick beat the local pro at my old tennis club with a frying pan" It was his response to my exhortations that he upgrade from his cheap, arm killing Wilson to something a little nicer. So it may not have been this guy.
I reminded him that Andy would never play a real match with a frying pan. Most of these pros are fanatical about their equipment. The stories of Borg and Becker and Sampras and even Del Potro's devotion to having everything be just so crazy.
Oh and obviously it wasn't a whole match. It was like a tie break or something. I believe the idea is that Andy and the rube start playing and obviously he can't hang with Andy so Andy offers to use the pan as a handicap and then proceeds to wow everyone by playing well with it, win or lose.
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