What is the racket of the decade?

[Alexandre Bryson]

Seeing as 2019 is drawing to a close, I think we should reflect on all the rackets that have been abs gone in the last 10 years.

A few highlights for me were Head losing their way on the prestige models, Prince bringing back the midsize 93, and wilson properly developing the blade line.

My racket of the decade was by far the prince tour 100 16x18 as it's what I've used since 2014.

What are your rackets of the decade?

 

[Zoolander]

RF97A.

And even though i dont like tight patterns i like the WUT.

 

[Alex78]

Interesting question, and one that might be looked at from different angles.
Is it just one racquet or is it a racquet line that's been successfully developed over the decade, maybe with minimal changes from iteration to iteration?
If I were to just name one racquet, I'd side with you but pick the 18x20 string pattern of the Prince (EXO3) Tour (black/white/bronce paint job). A really superior racquet in all ways for me.
For a racquet line, I'd have to say that would be the Blade for me (maybe there's some recency bias, as I've just jumped on the Blade bandwagon and have no plans of getting off anytime soon). - Prestige was good pre-graphene, as was Radical... And I'm not a Bab user, so nothing to say about PD/PA.

 

[Roland G]

I would agree with the previous poster that if we are looking for the racquet line of the decade, the Wilson Blade line would have to be in the mix.

For me, my racquet of the decade is the Blade 18x20 2013.

I used it when it first came out for a year or so and have recently switched back to it. Always play my best tennis with this frame

 

[tonylg]

For sheer success, has to be the Pure Drive.

Don't get me wrong, I think it represents everything that has gone wrong with tennis over the last 20 years and hope there's a class action that sees Babolat wiped out, but I don't think any other racquet comes close.

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[legrandLeconte]

For me Phantom 93P. It's the one I like the most.

 

[guilhermefdc]

For me: LM Radical Tour (late discovery coming from several years of i.Prestige)

For “us”: the whole Blade line, specially the 18x20 2015

For the whole tennis market, including casual players and non-obsessed serious players: AeroPro Drive/Pure Aero

 

[Fairhit]

I'd agree, the Blade line is the stand alone line of the decade, power and control with something for almost everyone, a racquet that helps but doesn't do all the work, you still have to have good form, great touch and power on demand, the best of the decade.

 

[Jster]

Steam 99s, where spin gets unreal.

 

[1990's Graphite]

Just like Novak who is the player of the decade..so is the PT113b

 

[Shaolin]

Is there a good racquet this decade?

Strings have gotten better but frames are worse.

 

[TheIntrovert]

The 2013 APD

 

[zipplock]

Steam 99S was a tech shift ...

 

[Jster]

Steam 99S was a tech shift ...

Yup. It is still a fun racquet for leisure hitting.

 

[TennisHound]

I’m gonna have to say the Wilson Ultra Tour, since this was a pro stock frame that Wilson made available to the public. Granted, it didn’t feel very good to me, but they responded to players’ need.

Also the RF97.

 

[zipplock]

Yup. It is still a fun racquet for leisure hitting.

I'm keeping mine. I think in 20 years these will be the POG of their time.

 

[Rabbit]

For sheer success, has to be the Pure Drive.

Don't get me wrong, I think it represents everything that has gone wrong with tennis over the last 20 years and hope there's a class action that sees Babolat wiped out, but I don't think any other racquet comes close.

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This is exactly right in every way (except the class action part ).

 

[Moveforwardalways]

The 2013 APD

Agree. The 2013 APD was a beast. Accuracy, control, spin, and ridiculous power.

 

[TennisHound]

This is exactly right in every way (except the class action part ).

X2 on that

 

[haqq777]

The 2013 APD

Agree. The 2013 APD was a beast. Accuracy, control, spin, and ridiculous power.

I approve this message!

 

[TheIntrovert]

Agree. The 2013 APD was a beast. Accuracy, control, spin, and ridiculous power.

I approve this message!

I personally never liked it. Found the control to be very lacking. But everyone used it a few years ago. Like literally everyone. And a lot still do. No other racket this decade has had such an influence imo.

 

[Moveforwardalways]

I personally never liked it. Found the control to be very lacking. But everyone used it a few years ago. Like literally everyone. And a lot still do. No other racket this decade has had such an influence imo.

By control, I don’t necessarily mean low powered. I mean the ball would go where you told it to go. Stringbed had accuracy and precision. And the ridiculous amount of spin helped too.

 

[Deleted member 369227]

Babolat Pure Drive or Wilson RF97, hard choice.

 

[megamind]

Head Gravity might be the best flexy racquet of the decade

 

[TheIntrovert]

By control, I don’t necessarily mean low powered. I mean the ball would go where you told it to go. Stringbed had accuracy and precision. And the ridiculous amount of spin helped too.

Yeah I don’t know. Never really worked for me for some reason. But the spin and power I can definitely agree was ridiculous.

 

[Wheelz]

Wilson Ultra Tour ! Blade line looks like it did great in many versions (I never had the chance to play them all)

 

[beltsman]

I'd agree, the Blade line is the stand alone line of the decade, power and control with something for almost everyone, a racquet that helps but doesn't do all the work, you still have to have good form, great touch and power on demand, the best of the decade.

Which year do you recommend?

 

[ChaelAZ]

I would say the Blade series or Pure Drive


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[Fairhit]

Which year do you recommend?

2015 but I haven't tried the v7.

 

[mad dog1]

2015 but I haven't tried the v7.

Which pattern and headsize do you recommend?

 

[n8dawg6]

I personally never liked it. Found the control to be very lacking. But everyone used it a few years ago. Like literally everyone. And a lot still do. No other racket this decade has had such an influence imo.

when i started playing literally everyone had one. i thought they were fugly until i actually played with one ... then i understood the hoopla

 

[Fairhit]

Which pattern and headsize do you recommend?

98 18x20.

 

[marceloriosfan]

Pure Drive
Pure Aero
Blade

 

[mad dog1]

Ultra Tour
2015 Blade 18/20
Blade v7 18/20
Clash 98
2013 APD
2012 PD

 

[blai212]

wheres the love for yonex????
best quality control hands down
VCORE PRO ALL THE WAY !!!!


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[Deleted member 369227]

wheres the love for yonex????
best quality control hands down
VCORE PRO ALL THE WAY !!!!
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I love Yonex racquets and play with one, but I vote for Babolat Pure Drive, because I think it was the most influential and mass addopted racquet in the last decade. For better or worse, it steered the entire racquet industry from traditional heavier and flexible racquets towards stiff, light and powerful frames.

 

[Anton]

I'll give my vote to Yonex DR98 Light - I recommend it blindfolded. With some lead and right strings it's good for life for just about any player.

That is not to say some specific rackets will not work out better for specific people and styles but this one is just good all around...except if you can't get into the whole adding weight concept of course.

 

[GBplayer]

Yonex Vcore Tour 97 and 89 16/20 original red which had various successors for me culminating into the VCT F93 16/21 which I still use. Just feels like an extension of my arm.

 

[blai212]

I love Yonex racquets and play with one, but I vote for Babolat Pure Drive, because I think it was the most influential and mass addopted racquet in the last decade. For better or worse, it steered the entire racquet industry from traditional heavier and flexible racquets towards stiff, light and powerful frames.

only ppl i see using pure drives are WTA players...and jack sock


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[clutch21]

TW re-issue PS85.

 

[max]

Volkl C-10.

In production all this time for a reason.

 

[Rally]

For me it's the 2014 Wilson Pro Staff 90. Only true Pro Staff I've played with, but no other racquet has taken me to higher heights than the 90. I've moved on to the RF97 since I'm usually playing my B game instead of my A game and the RF97 is much better for those days. For popularity I'd have to go with the Pure Drive. Seems like every 3.0 I see has one.

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[Faris]

Hate to say it but 2012 pd was the most popular (everyyyyone had it) followed by tie between the 2013 apd and Wilson UT. I mean everyone had these shortly after they came out even if it was just the hype! The UT was also popular because it was supposed to be the official retail version of the famed prostock H19. So yeah these three in my view.

 

[E46luver]

anyone answering differently is answering a different question.

 

[USPTARF97]

RF97

 

[NLBwell]

For me, it would have to be the Head Prestige Pro Youtek since that is the only racket I've used that was made this decade (if you count 2010 as this decade).

For the actual racket of the decade, I guess it would be the RF 97. Pure Drives, Aeropro/Pure Aero, Blades, and really most rackets have been around since previous decades. You could make a case for the Wilson Spin rackets, but that has pretty much fizzled out.

 

[Anton]

only ppl i see using pure drives are WTA players...and jack sock


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Jack Sock uses Pure Drive?

 

[zipplock]

How's this for a twist? Which racquets have you played with from 2010-2019?

I didn't get back into tennis till 2013. Bought a couple of Wilson Six One 95 18x20 (2012 red and white model). Switched to Wilson Steam 99S in 2015. Switched to Yonex VCP97 310 in 2019.

 

[max]

from 10-19, the Volkl C-9 weighted to 12.3 g.

 

[mad dog1]

anyone answering differently is answering a different question.

Took mine out for a hit today and yeah, it’s still a really good stick.