Which model of Vacuum Classic 98 did Kafelnikov use when...

[sw00sh]

he won the French Open in 1996? I think its red-ish in color. Almost similar to blue/purplish vacuum pro version 90 in midplus size but rather than blue/purplish its reddish. Anyone who knows? Any bloodlines for the Vacuum Pro series? From the Pro Classic until the present Pro No 1?

I believe he won the Aussie Open with the silver red Pro No 1.

Thanks for any info. I have a picture of the above reddish Vacuum Pro 98 but I dont know how to upload them there.


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[NoBadMojo]

just my opinion, but i think the mold is identical from the purple/blue vtPro98 (which i used) thru the red vacuum pro98 up until the present day Pro#1 (which i am experimenting with now)..i just think they changed the layup and now use less ceramics in the frame and also make them lighter. the newest version feels softer to me than going back to the blue/purple one and they both share the slightly shorter than standard length. i would think they would have fixed that by now. ed

 

[007]

I may be wrong but all Vacuum Pro's (90 & 98) have a flat beam while the VT98 Pro's have a 21-23-25mm variable beam (wider @ tip).

I just hit with a freind's Vacuum Pro 98 on the weekend and man is it a sweet hitting frame with less pop than VT98 Pro

 

[AAAA]

Around about 1996 there was to my knowledge 3 flagship Fischer players racquets.

1) A Blue/purple/gold constant 19mm profile Vacuum Pro Classic 90" (Michael Stich). Also came in a navy blue paint job later on, then a white paintjob.

2) As above but 98" and constant 21mm profile used by other pros at the time like Carl Uwe-Steeb and Alex Antonitsch(sp?).
Also re-released in navy blue then later still in white.

3) The Red/yellow/gold VT Pro 98" 25-23-21 mm profile used by Kalfelnikov, Thomas Carbonell and Phillipe De Wulf. Later paintjobs of this racquet were eye-catching Ferrari red, then Silver/red and now the Pro no #1 scheme.

When I first started playing tennis 'seriously' I also demo'd a Blue/Black/gold 25-23-21mm profile Fischer frame which I believe was the predecessor to the red/yellow/gold/version. It was some while ago so I don't remember exact details but it was very heavy, possibly more than 330g unstrung.

Also around the same time Fischer also sold a 'spin' version of the VT Pro 98" which had a really open spin pattern (16X17?) but was the same as the VT Pro in all other respects apart from the paint job. There was bright yellow accents on the frame from 10 to 2 o'clock on the inner side of the head if I remember correctly.

A notable mention also goes to the Fischer Vacuum Comp. This frame was a green/black/gold players racquet and was essentially a 95" version of the Vacuum Pro Classic 90" and 98". Some South American player once endorsed it, name escapes me right now. Also re-released in a yellow and black paint job.

007, Yep, all the above are sweet hitting frames.

 

[syntex1]

The Red/yellow/gold VT Pro 98 i had two of these frames and all the ppl i knew that used this racquet 6 in total had cracks start appearing in the throath of the racquet was this a common occurence with anyone else, thats the only reason i switched from fisher frames.