Wilson Pro Staff 6.0 85

JoelDali

Talk Tennis Guru
The same can be said for the entire box beam family. Some strings will make any of them feel like a steaming pile of Tina.

Try Adrenaline in an 85 if you really want to see what I'm saying.

NXT Tour 17 in the new 85 has played really nice for me. But I'm back to the 88. Like an old girlfriend that gave better lead than the rest of them, I keep going back to her.
 

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
String setup is HUGE with this new 85 (and maybe for the old 85s? don't know). Practicing serves -- and after an initial warmup -- I found the heater pretty easily with Mad Dog's 85 when I was testing his with a full poly (Iontec) in the high 40s; then when I ordered mine with Tour Bite in the low 50s, the deadness Panda described (no pace, and sitting-duck kickers) was exactly what I had, too. Tour Bite is definitely not a good match for this stick, I don't think, but the huge difference in performance really led me to believe that this stick is hugely string sensitive. Felt like two different sticks.

i agree string setup is a big factor. i string on a babolat constant pull machine while Tennis Warehouse strings on Prince Neos 1000 lock outs. when it's all said and done, low 50s from TW is about the same as high 40s on the electronic constant pull. having said that, i strung Tour Bite at the same tension as Iontec and the playability was totally different - like night and day.
 

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
RD-Ti80 and RDS002 before recently moving back to the slazenger PBs. I don't know why, but the PS 6.0 85 and Prestige Mids are two serving sticks that just didn't work for me and make me lose heaps.
Hmmmm....both the PS 6.0 85 and the Prestige Mids are two of the best serving sticks I have ever used. I can serve bombs with both, as well, as slices and kickers - any serve I want.

Maybe you're just not used to serving with smaller-headed racquets as the sweetspots are further away from your hand so the contact point on serves is a little higher?
 

jatnut

Rookie
PS 85 vs Diablo Mid

I have been intrigued by all the talk about this ps 85 and I am tempted
to betray my dear Diablo but I am asking the kind TT community to set me straight. So here goes.
1) Is the racquet suited for somewhat flat hitters with a SW forehand?
2) Does it hit anything like the KBlade / k90? Tried to but didnt like either.
3) Is this stick modified for the new TS maestros or will the old timers still
find the same point and shoot as the previous 85?
4) Can anyone compare it with the diablo mid for me?

And yes I know demo is the way to go but that is not possible at this time.

Thanks is advance. Now off to my RA support group :)
 

140.6

New User
I have been intrigued by all the talk about this ps 85 and I am tempted
to betray my dear Diablo but I am asking the kind TT community to set me straight. So here goes.
1) Is the racquet suited for somewhat flat hitters with a SW forehand?
2) Does it hit anything like the KBlade / k90? Tried to but didnt like either.
3) Is this stick modified for the new TS maestros or will the old timers still
find the same point and shoot as the previous 85?
4) Can anyone compare it with the diablo mid for me?

And yes I know demo is the way to go but that is not possible at this time.

Thanks is advance. Now off to my RA support group :)


I'll take a swing at answering questions 1, 3, and 4 (I have never hit with the KBlade or K90).

1) I have very traditional/classic strokes. My forehand grip is barely SW, I would say it leans more toward continental but I know you can use a SW grip with it. But this racquet is by far the best racquet I have ever played with for very flat strokes. If you have more classic strokes and you hit through the ball you will love this frame.

3) Old Timers love this frame for some of the reasons above. However, you can generate decent spin with it, after all it does have fairly open pattern at 16x19.

4) I quit playing tennis after my sophomore year in college, at that time I was playing with Wilson Pro Staffs (likely Taiwanese versions, can't quite remember), and stayed out of the game for 20+ years. When I came back I went through all sorts of frames looking for the solidness and preciseness that the Pro Staff provides. I landed with the Prince Tour Diablo Mid, it was a decent frame. It did feel a bit rubbery or dead, not the same solid crisp feel from the Pro Staffs but it was a close as I could come. Switching back to the Pro Staff reissue (current version) has helped my game quite a bit, specifically my serves and volleys have improved greatly, my forehand is marginally better, and my backhand is coming along. I am seeing glimpses of what my game used to look like and I am very happy to be back with this frame.

At the end of the day you really should demo one but my guess is that you will really like it. Do not let all the nay-sayers on here tell you you cannot play your best tennis with this racquet. If you have a very classically trained/developed game you will very likely love this racquet.
 

140.6

New User
^^^ Forgot to add the following:

While I love this frame and am very glad to be using it again it does have short comings that some of the mid-plus (95-100 sq in) frames don't.

For example, this is extremely low powered, less so than the Tour Diablo Mid, and requires you to swing through the ball. You definitely have to do the work.

This frame can be a bid disadvantage in out of position shots, so your foot work better be pretty good. Reaching for and wristing shots is more difficult with this frame.

You can block shots back but that only works if you are hitting/playing with someone that hits with a lot of power. Blocked service returns work very well but again only if the serve comes with pace.

It is no doubt a demanding frame but for me it is the best frame out there. Good luck in your search.
 

Hooked

Rookie
I have been intrigued by all the talk about this ps 85 and I am tempted
to betray my dear Diablo but I am asking the kind TT community to set me straight. So here goes.
1) Is the racquet suited for somewhat flat hitters with a SW forehand?
2) Does it hit anything like the KBlade / k90? Tried to but didnt like either.
3) Is this stick modified for the new TS maestros or will the old timers still
find the same point and shoot as the previous 85?
4) Can anyone compare it with the diablo mid for me?

And yes I know demo is the way to go but that is not possible at this time.

Thanks is advance. Now off to my RA support group :)

I own the PS85, K90 and Diablo Mid so I think I can provide a fellow addicts point of view.

1) I think so. The flatter you hit, the more control you need to clear the net and stay in bounds so I would think that the small head of the PS85 would be a great fit as it has pinpoint control. You may also find it easier to generate spin with the PS85 since it is very maneuverable and spin friendly. I am able to generate more spin with my PS85 than I can with the K90 or Diablo.

2) It is similar to the K90, but I find the PS85 more friendly. It is easier to maneuver, a little less fatiguing and not to sound too corny but the PS85 is just funner to play with.

3) I can't comment on how the reissues compare with the older versions, but I have read several post that claim they are not as good as the St Vincents, but still very good. Take that for what it is worth.

4) I like the Diablo Mid. At the time I was playing with the POG Mid and the Diablo went on sale so I grabbed one to see how I liked it. I played with it many times, but preferred the POG and kept the Diablo as a backup as I felt they played close enough that if I broke a string, I could continue with the Diablo. The PS85 and K90 are slightly different sticks though. They are more demanding, but when hit well, they provide a level of control that I just couldn't get from the POG or Diablo. If I were to choose a frame for a match, this would be the order:

1) PS85
2) POG
3) K90
4) Diablo

The main reason I would choose the K90 over the Diablo is that I have significantly more playing time on the K90 so I know how it plays better. If I had more time on the Diablo, I would probably put it above the K90 as it is easier to play for longer.
 
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Just found that I have a St Vincent. Not a pretty one mind you, but it is a SV. I bought it years ago in a second hand store (along with a raspberry beret).
I bought it to use for practice. I have lead around the entire hoop, and the handle is completely wrapped in lead. With a little more on the throat to make things nice.
The balance is still good. It is 12 points headlight, though at 15.5 oz, I guess nothing is headlight. The balance point is right between the R and O the throat.
It is great for feeling what you are doing during a swing. I've hit some easy serves with it but not going to be stupid and try anything hard. Definitely not for match play, but it is good for dry swinging and some slow hitting to groove some things.
Seems as though the forum doesn't give the option for me to upload a pic. Only to link to a web image.
 

Top Jimmy

Semi-Pro
I've adjusted my strokes and game too much to modern rackets, though my strokes have basically the same pace and depth with a PS85, i can't utilize some big loopy topspin strokes. Volleying is much tougher to be consistent. I played for 10 years with it so it wasn't hard to get back in the grove but requires me to be too good more of the time which isn't possible at this point in life.

Went from Dunlop Black Max to PS85 to K90 to Blade Tour to Dunlop 200g 4d. Broke the mold of those rackets with a AeroPro Drive and never been happier.
 

quest01

Hall of Fame
I wonder when they will have the 4 1/4 grip sizes in stock, I was told the middle of this month but so far haven't seen any yet. Well I guess ill have to keep checking. Ive never used an 85 sq inch racquet, I've used the kps88 in the past but the specs on the 85 look more arm friendly. I don't know how much of a difference there is between the blx90 and 85.
 

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
I wonder when they will have the 4 1/4 grip sizes in stock, I was told the middle of this month but so far haven't seen any yet. Well I guess ill have to keep checking. Ive never used an 85 sq inch racquet, I've used the kps88 in the past but the specs on the 85 look more arm friendly. I don't know how much of a difference there is between the blx90 and 85.
The PS 6.0 85 re-issue is much more arm friendly than the KPS88 since its more flexible. It has a nice soft sweet feel to it while the KPS88 feels raw/harsh and very stiff.

The PS 6.0 85 is much easier to swing and maneuver than the BLX90. It swings more like an 11 oz. racquet to me and is very easy to play with.
 

JoelDali

Talk Tennis Guru
The infusion of Basalt Crystals in the new 85 will certainly help Petros in his quest for owning Courier in the 2012 season. Looking forward to seeing some epic battles on the Champions Ouback Steakhouse Tour.
 

Ronski

New User
I wonder when they will have the 4 1/4 grip sizes in stock, I was told the middle of this month but so far haven't seen any yet. Well I guess ill have to keep checking. Ive never used an 85 sq inch racquet, I've used the kps88 in the past but the specs on the 85 look more arm friendly. I don't know how much of a difference there is between the blx90 and 85.

I was lucky enough to order a 4 1/4 grip size... it was in stock for like a day only, last Nov.7... I placed an order 3 days before that day when picking a grip size when you order... it said there that it will be instock on the 7th...
 

baek57

Professional
I decided to give the ps85 another demo. 1st half of warm up was with the ps85, 2nd half was with my k90. Played the 1st set with the k90, won 6-4. Played the 2nd and 3rd with the ps85, lost 3-6 (1 break), won 6-3 (1 break).

I asked my hitting partner for his thoughts on how I played with both. He said the first set he didn't have a chance at all. The second set he controlled and the 3rd set he had a few opportunities but couldn't capitalize them. He said my serve had a lot more kick and my shots were a lot heavier with the ps85. I played a more controlled aggressive game with the ps85, coming in on every opportunity and taking advantage of short balls. With the k90 I was more content to dictate from the baseline and didn't give him many attackable balls.

The ps85 felt easier to swing this time around and the difference in headsize was noticeable. As in the k90 felt much easier to play with, almost like an oversized racquet.
 
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DeShaun

Banned
I decided to give the ps85 another demo. 1st half of warm up was with the ps85, 2nd half was with my k90. Played the 1st set with the k90, won 6-4. Played the 2nd and 3rd with the ps85, lost 3-6 (1 break), won 6-3 (1 break).

I asked my hitting partner for his thoughts on how I played with both. He said the first set he didn't have a chance at all. The second set he controlled and the 3rd set he had a few opportunities but couldn't capitalize them. He said my serve had a lot more kick and my shots were a lot heavier with the ps85. I played a more controlled aggressive game with the ps85, coming in on every opportunity and taking advantage of short balls. With the k90 I was more content to dictate from the baseline and didn't give him many attackable balls.

The ps85 felt easier to swing this time around and the difference in headsize was noticeable. As in the k90 felt much easier to play with, almost like an oversized racquet.

So, would the 85 hurt you against a heavy base-liner?
 

Fed Kennedy

Legend
I decided to give the ps85 another demo. 1st half of warm up was with the ps85, 2nd half was with my k90. Played the 1st set with the k90, won 6-4. Played the 2nd and 3rd with the ps85, lost 3-6 (1 break), won 6-3 (1 break).

I asked my hitting partner for his thoughts on how I played with both. He said the first set he didn't have a chance at all. The second set he controlled and the 3rd set he had a few opportunities but couldn't capitalize them. He said my serve had a lot more kick and my shots were a lot heavier with the ps85. I played a more controlled aggressive game with the ps85, coming in on every opportunity and taking advantage of short balls. With the k90 I was more content to dictate from the baseline and didn't give him many attackable balls.

The ps85 felt easier to swing this time around and the difference in headsize was noticeable. As in the k90 felt much easier to play with, almost like an oversized racquet.
I cant follow you...the ps85 creates heavier balls and better serves but your opponent didnt have a chance when you had the 90? The feedback does not match the score.
 

DeShaun

Banned
I cant follow you...the ps85 creates heavier balls and better serves but your opponent didnt have a chance when you had the 90? The feedback does not match the score.



It sounds like the top end with the 85 was greater but because it invites forward movement, more errors were hit perhaps in transition or going for winners with it...but of the balls he hit back over the net to his opponent, those off the 85 were heavier.
 

JGads

G.O.A.T.
Mad Dog and I had a hit the other night and my frame that had felt so off with Tour Bite in it the first time out suddenly felt like a dream again. I think the TB needed a few days and that initial hit to settle. Anyway, frame continues to provide an epic fun factor. Two-handed backhands are not stellar as there just isn't the real-estate to give you consistency, but forehands; oh, ripping forehands with the 85 is just heaven. I went from playtesting the new Wilson 6.1 95 to the 85, and the feel of the 85 compared to the new 6.1 was something like vinyl vs. cd: the former rich, satisfying, even romantic; the latter modern, solid, more than passable and yet missing ... something.
 

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
yeah, met up w/ JGads on Thursday evening for a fun hit...I had restrung my PS85 w/ Tour Bite 16L at 47.5/46 and the first hit was just awful. either everything was going long or dumping into the net. just plain awful. recalling my first experience w/ TB in my Vantage BC20 was similar, i decided to left the string settle for a few days in my bag. took it out to hit w/ JGads and it indeed felt much better. i still feel IonTec is just a much better match for the PS85 so i'll be going back to IT when TB dies.

fun hit, Gads! see you Tues evening!
 

dltorre

Rookie
Had mine strung with POSG 17 #60 It play beatifull but probably need to decrease tension or add lead tape at 3 9 to make it a little more forgiving on off center shots I played the KPS88 before and I felt it was much more forgiving on off center, but more difficult on reaction shots and volleys.
For reference I used the KPS88 with Isospeed baseline 17L at 60 and the sweet spot felt bigger than the PS85.
 

Fed Kennedy

Legend
I decided to give the ps85 another demo. 1st half of warm up was with the ps85, 2nd half was with my k90. Played the 1st set with the k90, won 6-4. Played the 2nd and 3rd with the ps85, lost 3-6 (1 break), won 6-3 (1 break).

I asked my hitting partner for his thoughts on how I played with both. He said the first set he didn't have a chance at all. The second set he controlled and the 3rd set he had a few opportunities but couldn't capitalize them. He said my serve had a lot more kick and my shots were a lot heavier with the ps85. I played a more controlled aggressive game with the ps85, coming in on every opportunity and taking advantage of short balls. With the k90 I was more content to dictate from the baseline and didn't give him many attackable balls.

The ps85 felt easier to swing this time around and the difference in headsize was noticeable. As in the k90 felt much easier to play with, almost like an oversized racquet.

It sounds like the top end with the 85 was greater but because it invites forward movement, more errors were hit perhaps in transition or going for winners with it...but of the balls he hit back over the net to his opponent, those off the 85 were heavier.

In plain english which racquet did he play better with?
 

baek57

Professional
It sounds like the top end with the 85 was greater but because it invites forward movement, more errors were hit perhaps in transition or going for winners with it...but of the balls he hit back over the net to his opponent, those off the 85 were heavier.

I cant follow you...the ps85 creates heavier balls and better serves but your opponent didnt have a chance when you had the 90? The feedback does not match the score.

From what I noticed from my perspective was the balls themselves coming off the 85 were a little flatter and more penetrating through the court. The k90 were more loopy with good margin for error.

In plain english which racquet did he play better with?

I'm not sure if I play better with either racquet. But I do think I have to adjust my style to fit each. For instance, I can rally a lot longer with the k90 so I can play from the baseline. With the 85 I can't rally as long before coughing up a short ball so I need to end the points quicker. This means looking for the first opportunity and coming to net.

On a side note, in another thread somebody described the k90 as a metal pipe and the blx90 as a gummybear. And in this thread people describe the ps85 to be soft and arm friendly. But I think I would have to disagree. If metal pipe were a description to be used for racquets, I think the ps85 is the closest to that description of the three.
 

Fed Kennedy

Legend
From what I noticed from my perspective was the balls themselves coming off the 85 were a little flatter and more penetrating through the court. The k90 were more loopy with good margin for error.



I'm not sure if I play better with either racquet. But I do think I have to adjust my style to fit each. For instance, I can rally a lot longer with the k90 so I can play from the baseline. With the 85 I can't rally as long before coughing up a short ball so I need to end the points quicker. This means looking for the first opportunity and coming to net.

On a side note, in another thread somebody described the k90 as a metal pipe and the blx90 as a gummybear. And in this thread people describe the ps85 to be soft and arm friendly. But I think I would have to disagree. If metal pipe were a description to be used for racquets, I think the ps85 is the closest to that description of the three.

Gotcha. I can identify with this. Played with ps85 demo today. Same experience. Feels great as long as the points are short!
 

baek57

Professional
Played 4 sets of singles today. 1st set with ps85, won 6-0. 2nd set with k90, lost 4-6. 3rd and 4th set with ps85, won 6-3, 6-2. In the middle of the 3rd set my hitting partner commented that my serve had much more spin and pace (mirroring what the other guy said).

From what I noticed in this session with the ps85, I was able to serve my way out of trouble a lot, I returned a lot better than with the k90, and I couldn't hit groundstrokes to save my life. Luckily (or not) my hitting partner wasn't as good, hence the scores. The ps85 was much more jarring. I still wonder what everybody is talking about when they refer to this racquet as being soft.
 

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
Played 4 sets of singles today. 1st set with ps85, won 6-0. 2nd set with k90, lost 4-6. 3rd and 4th set with ps85, won 6-3, 6-2. In the middle of the 3rd set my hitting partner commented that my serve had much more spin and pace (mirroring what the other guy said).

From what I noticed in this session with the ps85, I was able to serve my way out of trouble a lot, I returned a lot better than with the k90, and I couldn't hit groundstrokes to save my life. Luckily (or not) my hitting partner wasn't as good, hence the scores. The ps85 was much more jarring. I still wonder what everybody is talking about when they refer to this racquet as being soft.

could be strings and/or tension. i wouldn't say the ps85 is soft, but when you hit the sweetspot the feel is just amazingly smooth. when you miss the sweet spot, it can be pretty harsh, but the size of the sweet spot is dependant on the tension and strings used. also the harder you hit the ball, the smoother the stick responds.
 
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baek57

Professional
could be strings and/or tension. i wouldn't say the ps85 is soft, but when you hit the sweetspot the feel is just amazingly smooth. when you miss the sweet spot, it can be pretty harsh, but the size of the sweet spot is dependant on the tension and strings used. also the harder you hit the ball, the smoother the stick responds.

The strings in the demo are nxt tour 16, and I'm pretty sure they string it at 57lbs. By comparison, I have my k90 strung with isospeed professional at 61 and it feels insanely softer.
 

morten

Hall of Fame
Love them but the 4 i got all had different gripsize! i hope the base size is the same so i can tweak with different leathergrips... still quite dissapointed with that...
 

mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
Love them but the 4 i got all had different gripsize! i hope the base size is the same so i can tweak with different leathergrips... still quite dissapointed with that...

yeah, i've got 2 L4s and one feels almost as big as an L5 while the other is more a true L4 - still a tad on the larger side, but better than the other one.
 

O.fa

New User
I saw a pro staff today and it said pro staff.6.0si on the throat. I looked at pics of other rackets and they don't say 6.0si. Is this real or fake?
 

VGP

Legend
I saw a pro staff today and it said pro staff.6.0si on the throat. I looked at pics of other rackets and they don't say 6.0si. Is this real or fake?

I guess it's time to get out the wiki link:

http://thetenniswiki.com/Wilson+Pro+Staff+6.0+Original+Mid+85

Maybe I'll take the time to update the page as of the new release of the frame .....it's been a while but most of the info is still good.

I'll have to scrounge for pics of the BLX buttcapped frames.
 

floydcouncil

Professional
Played a singles match with the PS85. 1st set I lost 6-4. Switched back to my oval beam, 100 sq. in. tweener and bageled the guy.

The 85 is a nostalgia item. Wake up folks.......
 

gplracer

Hall of Fame
It may be a nostalgia item but it is also much heavier than your tweener. You cannot just go out and expect good results with it. You have to get used to the heft.
 

Avadia

Rookie
Played a singles match with the PS85. 1st set I lost 6-4. Switched back to my oval beam, 100 sq. in. tweener and bageled the guy.

The 85 is a nostalgia item. Wake up folks.......

For you, that may be true. Why do you assume your experience is definitive for everyone else? Personally, I am finding that my game has raised to another level since I started playing with this frame. I am serving better and striking the ball better. And believe it or not, I am hitting less frame shots than I do with a 100" head. Probably because I am hitting through the ball more rather than trying to whip up on it to generate spin.
 

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
Played a singles match with the PS85. 1st set I lost 6-4. Switched back to my oval beam, 100 sq. in. tweener and bageled the guy.

The 85 is a nostalgia item. Wake up folks.......
Played a singles match with an oval beam, 100 sq. in. tweener. 1st set I lost 6-4. Switched back to my PS85 and bageled the guy.

Different strokes for different folks....... :)
 

baek57

Professional
Played a match with the ps85 today. First set lost 5-7 (choked, I was up 5-2), 2nd set used my k90, won 7-5, 3rd set back to ps85, won 7-6 (1).

It felt like with the ps85 I had to stay on the offensive all the time. And the offensive potential seemed a little better than the k90. But if I ever found myself on the defensive I felt like I would lose that point, which made it hard to break (since you start on defense basically). Conversely, I could play much better defense with the k90 and bring points back to neutral easier.
 

AndrewD

Legend
It felt like with the ps85 I had to stay on the offensive all the time. And the offensive potential seemed a little better than the k90. But if I ever found myself on the defensive I felt like I would lose that point, which made it hard to break (since you start on defense basically). Conversely, I could play much better defense with the k90 and bring points back to neutral easier.

I think that's close to my experience as well. I'd also add that with the blx90 I was able to end points sooner. In terms of feel, mobility and absolute precision the ps 6.0 85 was a clear winner. However, in terms of 'grunt' and, as you mentioned, defensive potential, the blx 90 came out on top.

At the moment I'm not entirely sure which I prefer although, much as I didn't expect to say so, I think I'm leaning towards the blx90. If I do choose it over the 85 it won't be for its feel or maneuverability, it'll be because it makes it a bit easier to put my opponent on the back foot, end a point sooner and get back into a point when Im on the defensive. I do also prefer the increased heft and stiffness.
 

Fed Kennedy

Legend
I feel like the topspin coming off the 90 is much more troubling to my opponents, even though the shots are not as piercing as the 85.
 

sureshs

Bionic Poster
I already have a 1/2 grip PS 85 which I used today. I had gotten that one for $400 from some guy on the internet.

Ordered the new one in 3/8 today. It will ship Dec 15.
 
My prostaff 85 was perfect until a neutrino was trapped inside the throat. Ever since that neutrino capture event, the balance was all off.

I used to be able to double bageled this one guy but now I'm double bageled by him.

I hoping the Large Hadron collider will be able to displace that one neutrino and I get my Excalibur back.

I'm just in awe of myself, how sensitive I'm to one extra neutrino. I'm afraid that my skills have reach such a level that my game will be ruined by a missing HIggs Boson. Those thing are hard to find.
 

AlpineCadet

Hall of Fame
Is the older Chiao Ta black and or white buttcapped version any different from the new/cheaper version? The last few reiterations came out for $199 but now these are selling for $150 and with the BLX buttcap even though there isn't BLX in them. I have two older models that seem perfectly fine to me, but was just curious about some opinions around here.
 

AlpineCadet

Hall of Fame
My prostaff 85 was perfect until a neutrino was trapped inside the throat. Ever since that neutrino capture event, the balance was all off.

I used to be able to double bageled this one guy but now I'm double bageled by him.

I hoping the Large Hadron collider will be able to displace that one neutrino and I get my Excalibur back.

I'm just in awe of myself, how sensitive I'm to one extra neutrino. I'm afraid that my skills have reach such a level that my game will be ruined by a missing HIggs Boson. Those thing are hard to find.
Please stop smoking what JoelDali is giving you. Also, 4.0 tennis isn't so bad amongst your friends, so chill out.
 
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