Racquet.warrior
New User
Hello everyone,
tl;dr - Currently I am demoing Dunlop CX 200 Tour 16x19 (2021 model), and I really liking it so far. I heard Wilson Ultra Pro models are also great platform racquets, and looking for some knowledge from the pundits here - how do they compare, and any other similar racquets.
My playstyle / preferences:
I don't have an option to demo Wilson Ultra Pro models, so I'm curious to know what you guys/gals think (compared to CX 200 Tour 16x19, given my preferences).
Is Phantom Pro 93) 14x18 similar to these racquets?
Also, please recommend any other racquets (new and old) that you believe I should try.
I'm sure not all of the information I shared here is useful, but I wanted to share as much as I can in case it helps.
My first racquet post, I'm excited. Thank you all!
tl;dr - Currently I am demoing Dunlop CX 200 Tour 16x19 (2021 model), and I really liking it so far. I heard Wilson Ultra Pro models are also great platform racquets, and looking for some knowledge from the pundits here - how do they compare, and any other similar racquets.
My playstyle / preferences:
- [edit] I use SemiWestern grip, and yet - if the ball, at contact, is not below the net height I try to hit it hard and flat - so I end up hitting the tape a little more often than I'd like to. I don't use the modern spinny "brush the ball" motion unless it's absolutely necessary (when the contact point is below net height).
- My absolute favorite is the goat - Head ProTour 280/630. The feel on contact is absolutely the best! I can explicitly feel the racquet flex (maybe the fact that the racquet is ~25yrs old helps here), and the ball pocket into the stringbed. But I find the racquet too heavy, especially on the OHBH, when I'm on the run or when I'm dealing with high balls.
- Gravity Pro was another racquet I like a lot, before I switched to OHBH (from the 2-hander) after I got a tear in my back muscle trying to free my arms as much as possible. I have always loved how OHBH looks, and switched to it even though I know the journey is going to be tough. And now I absolutely love how freeing the OHBH motion is. Couldn't swing Gravity Pro on my OHBH.
- I prefer hitting flat - Aslan Karatsev and Marin Cilic are the players I love watching. I like hitting through the court, with as low net clearance as possible (within my abilities). But here's the problem - with the 18x20 pattern racquets, I end hitting the tape (or lower) more often than I'd like. So I started looking for open string pattern, without going for a larger head size.
- I ended up buying VCore 95 (2023 16x20), which I find okay overall. The muted feel is not something I prefer, and I also feel my balls are a little too loopy.
- I prefer a very headlight balance, so I can swing the racquet easily (generate high racquet head speed), and I think I can generate enough power on my own, so I don't need the racquet to help me with it. I also prefer a thin beam, as I find this also greatly improves maneuverability. This could also the reason why I'm liking racquets with low sw (except Gravity Pro).
- Strings - I like soft playing and thin strings (poly / multi / gut depending on the racquet), and my preferred tension range is 42 - 48lbs. These are the strings I liked so far: Volkl Cyclone Tour 18g, Weiss Ultra Cannon 1.23mm, Babolat Xcel (liked it a lot in my early tennis days), Natural Gut <=16g
- Other racquets that I liked so far - Prince Vortex 310 14x21 (surprising?). I also really enjoyed Babolat Flow 280g as my first racquet.
- In the recent demo I tried Prince Phantoms (97P, Pro 100, 100G), but didn't like the feel on any of them (I also own Synergy 98, and don't like the feel). I guess I'm not a big fan of Textreme and/or Twaron.
- [edit] I have the Prestige MP and Tour racquets (360+ from 2019 - Red, not Burgundy). I thought I’d like them, but I don’t (could be the string pattern again). The feel/sensation on contact is miles apart, compared to PT280.
I don't have an option to demo Wilson Ultra Pro models, so I'm curious to know what you guys/gals think (compared to CX 200 Tour 16x19, given my preferences).
Is Phantom Pro 93) 14x18 similar to these racquets?
Also, please recommend any other racquets (new and old) that you believe I should try.
I'm sure not all of the information I shared here is useful, but I wanted to share as much as I can in case it helps.
My first racquet post, I'm excited. Thank you all!
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