which is true about Nadal's racket?

Which one is true about where Rafael Nadal adds lead to his tennis racket?


Nadal plays with a Babolat Aero Pro Drive racket with Babolat Duralastc strings and has 15g of lead tape at the top of his racket under the bumper and 5g of lead in the handle.



http://www.rafaelnadalweb.com/

OR

There is no way to take a racquet with the specs given by USRSA and make it into a "Nadal" racquet. However, if one had a racquet with Tennis Warehouse's measurements, one could add roughly 9.5 grams under the bumperguard near the tip, and about 2.5 grams one inch up from the end of the butt cap to get a racquet with measurements very similar to those of Nadal's racquet.

http://www.hdtennis.com/grs/pro_racquet_specs.html


Thanks
 

Greg Raven

Semi-Pro
Obviously, it depends on the mass, balance, and swingweight of the racquet with which you are starting. You can't blindly add mass to your racquet because someone else added that much mass to his, and be guaranteed the same result.
 

Leoboomanu

Rookie
Not that it's gonna make you play like nadal... But...
Taking off the syntec and replacing it with 2 to 3 overgrips will give you about 5 to 10grams more allowance... So '15head and 5butt' grams may not be an imposibility...

Leo
 

rosenstar

Professional
Not that it's gonna make you play like nadal... But...
Taking off the syntec and replacing it with 2 to 3 overgrips will give you about 5 to 10grams more allowance... So '15head and 5butt' grams may not be an imposibility...

Leo

I think you misunderstood the meaning of 15 grams in the head and 5 grams in the butt. This means that, with the application of lead tape, 5 grams of extra weight are added inside the handle, and 15 grams of lead tape is placed inside the bumper on the top of the racquet.
 

Leoboomanu

Rookie
I think you misunderstood the meaning of 15 grams in the head and 5 grams in the butt. This means that, with the application of lead tape, 5 grams of extra weight are added inside the handle, and 15 grams of lead tape is placed inside the bumper on the top of the racquet.

Rosenstar,
I should have mentioned that --- 'based on Greg Raven's site... nadal's APD weighs less than 12oz... so in order to loose more weight, accommodate that lead and still be 11.8oz , that heavy syntec might need to go...'

Peace
 

PED

Legend
I almost set up my apd like that the other day. I'm curious to see how it hits. I'm aware of the fact that it won't make me play like rafa, but I'm still leery of 9.5g in the head. I currently use an apdc with 8g in the handle and another 3g in the head. It hits nice and the lead in the handle really helps in the stability department. Has anyone else ever tried this setup, I'm surprised it's so light overall, especially given the size of rafa's guns :)
 

rosenstar

Professional
Rosenstar,
I should have mentioned that --- 'based on Greg Raven's site... nadal's APD weighs less than 12oz... so in order to loose more weight, accommodate that lead and still be 11.8oz , that heavy syntec might need to go...'

Peace

oh my bad, I missed that. I gotcha now.
 

Leoboomanu

Rookie
No probs, rosenstar...

Ped, monkeyman--- i lost a lot of confidence on my strokes, leading up my APD before(15g head,5g butt)... there were days when i was tip-top and FHs were great, spin and depth, but when you're a bit lazy, a very polarized 'nadal set-up' racquet will lag behind every ground stroke...

So just add by little increments to the APD 'til it feels right... Nice frame, but gave up on it a looooong time ago...

Peace
 

PED

Legend
I tried the "nadal" setup this am re Greg Raven's specs. 2.5g in the handle and 9.5g in the head at 12. I did not have too much trouble with my stroke lagging behind but I could see where it might be a problem. I comped it back to back with my apdc with 8g in the handle at 3g at 12. The weight of shot was easier on the nadal setup, but my wrist really hurts right now :)

I'll try it more a few more days but I doubt I'll switch, I like the headlight nature of my apdc setup, but I'm glad I did it as I've been curious to try it. You can hit some really heavy balls though.
 

vndesu

Hall of Fame
for nadals setup

ive heard from numerous ppl that he uses a synthetic grip.
but ve also heard that his racket was designed to b lighter...
thats what he has all that topspin.
i alwso heard he uses a 3/8s grip.
tand thats pretty small for a buff man like nadal xD
 
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