Played 4 hours last week, no matches, 2 hours hitting partner, 2 hours drills. USTA doesn't start up till next week for me. I continue to dial it in and at this point I'm fairly confident with the stick. I like it and I'll be switching to it.
Now the bad news. It eats gut. Like a hungry, angry monster. Yesterday 30 minutes into a hitting session I snapped the 5&6 main AT THE SAME TIME. That's only 4.5 hours of heavy hitting on the racquet. It was string with Pacific Natural/Gosen sidewinder 54/48.
It snapped on an off center hit but it was no where near the frame. In the past with other sticks I've always broke gut in the mains in the sweet spot after the fraying has started. Not with this stick. I have not managed to get more than 5 hours out of a hybrid before the gut snaps.
I'm kinda shocked at this. I'm boggled that *2* mains snapped this last time this fast.
I ordered another 99s. I'm going to string one up full bed lux 4g and one full bed topspin cyber (my favorite soft smooth poly) both at 48 and see how they play. I'll cut each out at 8-10 hours if I don't break it so as not not wreck my arm.
If they play like crap I'll just suck it up and go through half a pack of gut each week... the wicked backhand alone is worth it