Like most of you know we playtest a lot of racquets and are constantly hitting with different sticks. We have our racquets of choice that are our main racquets (that we don’t get to play with very often), and we have the racquets we playtest. Some of these we like, others not so much, and every so often one comes along that we like/love a lot more than the others and that we will sneakily play with to make ourselves feel good. For a bit of a kick, I thought I would share the CURRENT favorite racquets of some of our team.
Roger Federer's choice: Wilson BLX Pro Staff Six.One 90, Wilson Champion's Choice Hybrid 16 String, tension in the range of high 40lbs and low 50lbs
Brittany pulled out a goodie. She said, “My go to racquet right now when I am not playtesting and not hitting with my racquet of choice (Yonex VCORE 100 S) is the Volkl Organix V1 MP.” Solid choice.
The racquet has a 102 sq. in headsize, weighs 10.5 ounces and has a swingweight of 303 (click HERE to see the rest of the racquet’s specs). How do we describe it? Maneuverable, spin-friendly, ample power, excellent comfort. In a nutshell at least. This racquet feels light and fast, adding both pace and spin to shots from all areas of the court. It’s also solid at net and powerful on the serve.
Why does she like it? “I love this racquet for a couple of reasons. It is very easy to play with, and I need zero adjustment period. I have fun playing both singles and doubles with this racquet. It is very easy to get power on my groundstrokes and serve (especially when I am tired) as well as I find I still have good touch on my volleys.” And her favorite string setup for this racquet? She said, “Because this racquet has so much power, I found I needed a poly to control it. I like playing with a lot of different polys, but a favorite of mine is the Kirschbaum Pro Line Evolution 17. I usually like the tension to be around mid (in this case, 55 lbs).
Brittany's choice: Volkl Organix V1 MP, Kirschbaum Pro Line Evolution @55lbs
Chris went another route with the Slazenger Pro Braided. He said, “I like the Pro Braided because it is maneuverable yet feels solid and crisp at contact. I have customized three of them with leather grips for additional feel and to tail weight them slightly.”
If you’re looking for a classic, this is it. With a light and fast feel, this racquet’s 95 sq in. headsize is paired with an 11.5 ounce strung weight. It allows players to rip big, heavy balls from all areas of the court. It also has a crisp and powerful response – perfect for Chris. Light and mobile, this racquet encourages offensive play and aggressive hitting (Click HERE to see the rest of the racquets stats). But what did Chris like about it the most? “The Pro Braided offers excellent access to spin on groundstrokes and serves. I can whip it through contact to generate lots of pace and the directional control I get is excellent. At net I like the maneuverability and the crisp response. I can snap volleys away with it, yet find all the control needed for touch shots. It is a very, very versatile racquet, and that’s why I enjoy playing with it.”
String setup? “I have been using it a lot for string playtesting so have been hitting it with a ton of different set ups — mostly polys (his favorite go-to string of all time, in any racquet, is Volkl Cyclone 16). Right now, my favorite string in the Slazenger has been Solinco Tour Bite 17.” At a tension of 52lbs, it offers great control and spin — a perfect combination with the Pro Braided for Chris.
Chris' choice: Slazenger Pro Braided, Solinco Tour Bite 17 @52lbs
I got Mark in on this blog, who said, “Right now, my current favorite frame is the Donnay Pro One 16×19. I gravitate toward this particular frame more than others. Throw in the all business, no- frills paint scheme, and I could be president of the fan club.”
Playing heavier than its weight, this racquet provides easy power, stability and great control. It offers a high level of feel and pleased both baseliners and all-courters. Why does Mark like it so much? “In stock form, the new Pro One has the 11.5 ounce static weight paired with the 327 swingweight, which makes it stable and tournament ready out of the box. Along with the extra frame material in the hoop, swinging the Pro One, it feels like a solid racquet because it literally is. The Dual Core technology, along with its weight/balance, and smaller than 100 square inch headsize, makes the new Donnay Pro One my under-the-radar favorite of the year.” (For more stats click HERE).
Mark’s favorite setup with this? ”Kirschbaum Pro Line X, which was just released. Softer than the Spiky Shark, but firmer when compared to the Pro Line Evolution. For a poly, tension maintenance is top notch for the Pro Line X, and at a tension of 52lbs, a full set in the Pro One got me close to calling it the trinity of frame, string material and tension. At the lower tensions, I benefit from the deep ball pocket without a powerful launch off the stingbed that the Pro Line X creates.” (Amen to this, I am also such a huge fan of this string I considered hiding our reel so no one else could use it.)
Mark's choice: Donnay Pro One, Kirschbaum Pro Line X @52lbs
Jason was on the firing block next and he stepped right up. He said, “Right now, I am really loving the Boris Becker Delta Core NYC” (Presale starts on 5/15 and in stock sometime soon after 5/20).
Providing a lot of spin and power, this racquet was also extremely maneuverable. Look to enjoy a really crisp feel when playing with it. For Jason, there are a few things that make this racquet really stand out for him. He said, “One, the spin I’m able to get on my groundstrokes to my serve is amazing! I also found the racquet to be really easy to swing, which is great for hitting angles and has helped me on my serve. And for a 11 ounce racquet, it has a surprising amount of power! But all that power is harnessed by the spin I’m able to put on my shots; helping me hit heavier shots with depth.”
A modern, up-to-date and ‘cool’ man, Jason added, “Lastly, the paint job is what the kids call, ‘sick’! All black with a blend of matte and gloss, it’s perfect for a racquet named NYC, also known as Gotham City. It just might be the racquet I switch to in the near future.” (Sorry, Boris Becker London, his current racquet, get out of the way! Jason may be moving cities!) As for string, he was secret squirrel about it, saying, “It’s strung up at mid tension minus 2lbs (so 52lbs) with a new, super hush, hush string.” We’ll get you in the loop about that sometime in the future, until then, Jason will be dominating.
Mark: Donnay Pro One, Kirschbaum Pro Line X @52lbs
Hope you enjoyed knowing what some of the playtesters are loving right now! By the way, if there’s anything you want to know more about, let me know. I can’t promise anything, but if you have any good suggestions I’m down to write more Inside TW blogs on topics or gear or playtesters.
It’s the end of the year, and you know what that means? “Best Of” lists, of course! Here is the first in a series of our favorite products of the year. So just who picked them? We’re all familiar faces on the playtest team, and our jobs put us in contact with all of the newest products that go up on our web site.
For starters, let’s see our favorite racquets of 2011.
Chris and Jason both picked this re-issue of Tim Henman’s racquet. It must be good, right?
Chris’: “I was amazed this classic racquet still ranks right up there among the best of them. With its light weight and beam stiffness, it goes up against the likes of the Babolat AeroPro Drive and Pure Drive racquets, yet brings more control from its 95 square inch headsize. It’s also a great serve and volley stick.”
Jason: “It’s an oldie but goodie. I loved the spin, control and maneuverability. And it’s surprisingly powerful for a control-oriented racquet.”
This was Brittany’s pick. Once she joined the playtest team, she did what all of us did: went on a search for a new racquet. She went through several before deciding this one fit her game the best.
Brittany: “I liked it so much that I switched to it! I love the combination of power and spin I receive from it. It feels effortless to swing through the ball and hit a deep aggressive shot whether I am on the offense or defense. I love my forehand, backhand, volley, serves and returns. I could keep writing about this racquet for pages and pages!”
This new offering from Tecnifibre got Tiffani’s vote. It’s eye-catching with its pink and white cosmetics, but the racquet is more than just a looker.
Tiffani: “I made the official switch. I like that it is whippy at 11 ounces strung, and it also has moderate power and great control coming from the 95 square inch headsize. The comfort, consistent response and clean feel were attributes that helped push me to make the decision to switch. I was looking for more control while maintaining the comfort and fast swing I got from my Yonex RDS 003, and the Rebound Pro delivers.”
Jason would love that Spencer chose two racquets. As quoted from Jason’s “Meet The Playtesters” interview, “Sure, that might seem like a lot of racquets, but wait ’til you see Spencer’s list.” Spencer, perhaps unfairly, has the reputation in the office as the guy who is going to switch racquets every time he playtests.
Dunlop Biomimetic 400 Tour
Spencer on the 400 Tour: In the video review, he praised the racquet in stock form. It helped him when on the run and helped him gain depth, allowing him to be more aggressive in his game.
Prince EXO3 Tour 100 16x18
Spencer on the EXO3 Tour 100 16×18: This is his current racquet of choice, and in the review he praised the arm friendly aspects as well as his ability to hit spin. While he praised the 400 Tour for its power, he noted the great control he found from the EXO3 Tour 100.
Please share with us your favorite racquets of 2011. We’d love to hear which models and why!
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Check in Monday for our picks for shoes of 2011, and be sure to be on the lookout for Jason’s third annual T-Dubbys highlighting his picks for the best played points of the year. There were probably enough in the US Open final between Rafa and Djokovic to fill any Top 10 list if you ask me.
I’ve been back on the courts for a few months now, and I’m loving every moment — at least in retrospect. At times I’m frustrated with myself on the court, but I still leave with a smile on my face and sweat on my brow. Coming back to the court after my first pregnancy has been challenging both physically and mentally.
My hips still do funny things, such as slipping (I can feel it slide out and back in), and I remind myself that my body is not like it once was. My doctor reminds me that my pregnancy was nine months of my body undergoing drastic change, so it will take at least that long to return to “normal.” Mentally, I crave to move like I once did, and sometimes I wonder how much I’ve distorted my pre-pregnancy abilities. I am getting to more and more shots, and my stamina is much improved. I simply have no complaints and am happy to be back out there.
I’ve also settled into a racquet. It’s a familiar friend on the court, one that I spent at least a year trying to find a replacement for but could not. I’m back playing with the Yonex RDS 003. I tried the RDiS 300, and it was close but not quite the same. The feel was just different. The V Core 100 S is very similar as well, even in paint. The main difference is the V Core 100 S is standard length, while my RDS 003 measures 27.25″ long. I feel like the RDS and V Core are more in sync in terms of feel, and the V Core 100 S is a potential next racquet for me. However, the RDS 003 is giving me free power that I need when I catch balls late, and it’s always been a comfortable hit for me. Before the baby, I played nearly exclusively with the Dunlop 4D 300 Tour. However, at this moment, I’m needing more power, and the RDS 003 delivers.
The RDS 003 helped me improve my game when I first picked it up in 2008. Now three years and one baby later, I’m hoping it can do the same for me again.
Own a piece of history with our brand new inventory of Bosworth racquets!
Check out the Vintage Racquet page on Tennis Warehouse’s website where you can find graphite and wood racquets from the past. The collection contains racquets that were designed for use by pros such as Aaron Krickstein, Monica Seles, Brian Gottfried, and Jimmy Connors to name a few. This collection comes from Warren Bosworth, who specialized in customizing racquets to fit the player. Brands available include Head, Spalding, Slazenger, Snauwaert, Fox, Yonex, Estusa, Fin, ProKennex, and Wilson.
Take a peek, you will never know what you will find and remember to check back as the page will be constantly updated. With a limited quantity of each frame, these racquets will go quickly so grab yours while you can! Check out some of the racquets available at Tennis Warehouse in the pictures below.
I’ve hit only twice since my last blog entry. To me that’s shockingly infrequent as someone who played five times a week pre-baby. I thought that once I was back at work, it would be much easier to find the time to play. Like many notions about life with baby that I had while I was pregnant, I’m discovering that Mom Reality has different plans.
I usually try to workout or playtest during lunchtime, but before baby, I didn’t need those lunch hours to run errands. Technically, I guess, I don’t have to run my errands during lunch now, but as a mom who works full time, I want to spend as many off hours with my daughter as possible and make those hours count. For me that means not running errands like going to the grocery store and post office after work and instead trying to do them during the day while she is at day care. As I see it, I am not only relearning my balance on the tennis court, but also learning to balance my new life.
Those two times I did get out on court, though, I have noticed marked improvement. I am feeling much less alien on the court and have worked out my spacing and timing. I don’t feel like I’m on my heels as much as I was those first couple of times out, but I’m still not getting down and don’t feel like I’m committing enough on my groundstrokes. I feel like I might have picked up a habit from when I was playing pregnant by playing too upright and being overly cautious. So during a hitting session with Spencer earlier this week, we worked on cross court forehands and backhands. I used this opportunity to work on bending my knees and stepping into the ball. We finished up our hour doing the cross court and down-the-line control drills at net with volleys, and I know how much fitness work I have to do because my quads were burning from those net drills.
Yonex V Core 100 S
Volkl Organix 10 295
I feel like I’m regaining some feel with racquets as well. I restrung the Yonex V Core 100 S at mid tension with a new WeissCANNON string that we’ll be carrying. It’s called 6StarString Supercharged. It’s a unique mono-multifilament, according to WeissCANNON. Monofilaments and multifilaments are twisted together to form the string. While stringing it showed some nice elasticity, but not quite as much as some multifilaments I’ve strung. On court, I enjoyed the comfort most of all. I didn’t find loads of spin, but I’m not much of a spin player. This change in string setup is just what I needed for the racquet, too. The V Core 100 is delivering me a softer feel that I enjoy, and I’m glad Yonex has brought back that feel. I prefer it to the crisper response I felt I got from the RDiS series. I’m working to sharpen my strokes right now, and I’ve noticed I’m catching the leading edge of the 24.5mm beam of the V Core. I’ve also been playtesting the Volkl Organix 10 295g, which has a thinner 20mm beam, and haven’t had this problem. I didn’t have this problem before, so it means more time drilling those groundstrokes.
I’m playing Jason today, and this weekend my husband wants to play some tennis, so I’ll bring home the playtest racquets. We’ll wheel the baby out there in her stroller and hit some balls. Maybe that’s the ticket to more court time: making tennis a family affair!
Throughout my tennis career, I never really paid much attention to which racquet I was using. I just would choose a racquet and take two weeks to adjust to it. My racquets in the past 10 years have been the Babolat Pure Drive, Prince O3 Speedport Black and lastly the Prince EXO3 Black.
Since being at Tennis Warehouse, I have playtested a wide variety of racquets and brands, and it has opened my eyes to all the possibilities. One of the benefits of being a playtester is having the opportunity to pick out the exact specs to fit my game. I have determined these specs to be around 11-11.1 ounces in weight, around 5-6 points headlight, swingweight of approximately 310 and mid 60s in stiffness. Over the past eight months, I have been searching for a racquet that met my criteria. Some racquets that had made my list included Wilson BLX Tour Ltd, Donnay X-Red 94, Yonex E-Zone 100 and Dunlop Biomimetic 200 Lite.
Then two months ago, I found it. And after hitting with it for 30 minutes, I knew it was meant to be. The Yonex V Core 100 S, is the racquet of choice for WTA pro Caroline Wozniacki and now it’s my choice, too.
Why did I fall in love with this racquet? For the most part, it is the perfect match to my game. I am an aggressive baseliner, and the open string pattern supplies plenty of power along with just the right amount of spin. I love the feel of the large sweetspot, and I could swing through with ease. Even with all the power, the head light balance gives me the control and feel I felt was lacking in some past racquets.
The royal family continues to grow as Prince expands its line of EXO3 racquets. Not only does the EXO3 line grow in size, but the technology itself gets an upgrade for 2011.
The actual ports the strings sit on have been re-engineered to enhance both vibration dampening and feel. This is achieved by combining thermoplastic and carbon fiber, which Prince calls Thermo-Carbon. The graphic below better explains the technologies.
EXO3 Technology
The ever expanding Prince family of ATP and WTA pros will be using racquets from one of three main families:
EXO3 Black: This frame propelled Vera Zvonareva to her highest career ranking in 2010 as well as to her first ever Grand Slam finals (Wimbledon and US Open). Other players include: John Isner, Shahar Peer and Marion Bartoli.
Other Prince EXO3 players include both 2010 year-end world #1 ranked juniors. Daria Gavrilova from Russia relies on the EXO3 Black and Juan Sebastian Gomez from Colombia arms himself with the EXO3 Rebel. In Europe, there are currently roughly 80 #1 ranked juniors in their current age group, respective countries who are wielding racquets with this technology.
See what the new Prince racquets are all about:
Remember, you can demo any of these racquets as well as the rest of the new Prince line at Tennis Warehouse.
Oh, the agony. Have you ever wanted something so badly and been so close you could taste it? That’s me right now, sitting here, typing. Yeah, typing. Read: Not hitting. Not playing. Not swinging the new Dunop Biomimetic 300 Tour.
The racquet is sitting here on my desk. I feel like a kid who’s an inch too short to ride the roller coaster. I can see it, I can touch it. I’m oh so close! You’re probably thinking, “Stop your moaning and go hit!” Problem is that my pregnancy is now making tennis difficult for me. I’ve been playing throughout my pregnancy, but now eight months in, my efforts are fruitless and frustrating. I tire easily, I feel awkward swinging and as a hitting partner I feel woefully inadequate. We always want what we can’t have, I guess. (Plus Jason is working on that two-handed backhand … if I don’t watch out, he’ll no longer have a side to attack!)
In previous posts, I’ve talked a lot about the predecessor to this Biomimetic version, the Aerogel 4D 300 Tour. This had become my go-to stick in the recent past as the Yonex RDS 003 was discontinued. So back to this stick that’s sitting on my desk, glinting in the sunlight. Yes, it really is. That glint is coming off the sweet metallic finish of the Biomimetic 300 Tour. To round out the cosmetics, there’s the dimpled “skin” of the Aeroskin technology.
The Aeroskin technology adds dimples to key areas of the frame to improve aerodynamics.
When Dunlop came to visit, we heard about Aeroskin and the rest of the new technologies in the Biomimetic line. All the Biomimetic technologies are inspired by something found in nature.
Aeroskin is inspired by sharkskin and is intended to improve the aerodynamics of the racquet. The frame has dimples around the hoop, and if you run your fingers over them, you can feel them. To me it feels a little bit like a basketball, but not too rough. This idea of dimples and aerodynamics is not new. Just take a look at a golf ball; it’s the same concept. So in theory this should make the racquet swing faster with up to 25% less drag, according to Dunlop. A faster racquet should equal more power and more spin potential. If there’s one thing about the 4D 300 Tour I wish I could amp up, it’s power, so this idea of a more powerful version of the 300 Tour with the same level of control is enticing.
HM6 Carbon is incorporated into the frame to reduce shock and enhance feel, according to Dunlop.
Another new technology incorporated into the frame is HM6 Carbon. This time Dunlop looked at a hardworking bunch for inspiration: bees. Their honeycombs to be exact. The hexagonal shape of the honeycomb absorbs shock and disperses it very well. Dunlop created thin sheets of HM6 Carbon and added them to the layup of Aerogel in key areas of the frame, most predominantly in the shaft of the racquet. With fewer vibrations and less shock coming through the frame, feel should be enhanced. I’m all for that, too. Have you seen my drop volleys? They sometimes resemble Shaq’s free throw attempts. Yeah, they’re rocks.
Lastly, there is Gecko-Tac. Here they looked at gecko setae, and no that’s not the name of a certain insurance pitchman. Gecko setae are the hair-like structures on the feet of a gecko that allow it to cling to surfaces. Dunlop treated the surface of its Gecko-Tac grips to offer enhanced tack without being sticky. My favorite replacement grips are thin and balance moisture absorption and tackiness. This one feels good. My hands don’t stick to the grip, but it also doesn’t feel so dry that I might develop blisters. I also like that it doesn’t feel bulky in the hand so overgrips are not out of the question either.
When it comes to specs on the Biomimetic version, they’re very similar to the 4D 300 Tour. When it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Dunlop kept it pretty much the same. Though we don’t have our stock here to spec, I put our hitters on our Babolat RDC machine and compared them to Dunlop’s provided specs.
The racquet is also the standard 27″ length with an 18×20 string pattern in a 97 square inch head size. The head size on the 4D 300 Tour was 98 square inches. I put the 4D 300 Tour up against the Biomimetic version, and the headsizes are pretty close so I’m not worried about the slight change.
So there it is. That’s the Biomimetic 300 Tour in a nutshell. You’ll probably hit this racquet before I do. The 300 Tour is in the first batch of Biomimetics that will be released. Look for it as well as the 200 Plus, 300, 600 and 600 Lite on our site for demo and purchase in early November. Or if you happen to know Jurgen Melzer, ask him for a loaner Biomimetic 300 Tour. He’ll be swinging it on Tour.
It’s funny how a racquet being re-released or updated with a new cosmetic can inspire one to go out and hit with it again.
Such was the case with Yonex releasing a new cosmetic for the RD Ti 80. It was actually the third time I’ve been inspired to hit the RD Ti 80, making this the third cosmetic version I’ve used. The good news is, the response has never changed. Every time I hit the RD Ti 80, it feels exactly how I remember it: rock solid, silky smooth, stable yet maneuverable and offering almost effortless depth and penetration.
In the previous two iterations of the RD Ti 80, I was using multifilament strings exclusively. I always enjoyed the racquet but would occasionally find a shot fly deep on me for no apparent reason. It seemed the same response that offered effortless depth could, at times, provide too much of a good thing and cause me to miss long. It was that missing long which prevented me from seriously taking a look at the RD Ti 80. Don’t get me wrong, I always enjoyed playing with it, I could just never find that feeling where the racquet became an extension of my arm — until today.
Today, I went out and hit the RD Ti 80 strung with Topspsin Cyber Flash 16 at 60lbs. From the first hit, the racquet felt great. I was finding that same silky smooth response, effortless penetration and just a dynamite combo of stability/maneuverability. I was getting more spin from the racquet than I remembered and was really enjoying it on my slice backhand. The big difference, however, was I didn’t miss long. Monofilament co-poly string has cured my malady with the RD Ti 80. For the first time the racquet felt like an extension of my arm. I felt really comfortable taking a good cut at the ball and quickly started to trust the response I was finding. It was just a great hit with the racquet today and I really found the groove with it.
Am I going to switch? No. I’m still really happy with my Volkl Power Bridge 10 Mids and can’t see myself leaving that racquet. However, I’ll definitely be hitting the RD Ti 80 more from now on. I had so much fun hitting the racquet today. Now I’m anxious what kind of performance I can find from it with different co-poly strings and at different tensions (yes, there will be some experimentation in the 30lbs range for sure).
It’s time to check the mile marker on my tennis racquet journey. When I last paused to ponder, I was considering a switch from my Yonex RDS 003 to either the Dunlop Aerogel 4D 300 Tour or the ProKennex Black Ace 98. I’ve since put down the Black Ace. I still love it for baseline games, but for match play, it’s a bit much for me to wield for two or three sets.
The Dunlop Aerogel 4D 300 Tour is still getting a lot of play, though. I haven’t officially made a switch, but I love it and have been hitting with it most days. As a request from Talk Tennis, I took the Yonex RDiS 300 out for a spin. It’s remarkably similar to the RDS 003 in specs with the most noticeable change being length. The RDiS 300 is a standard length racquet, and the RDS 003 is 27.25 inches long.
I have to admit even though the racquets spec out so similarly, it took me a while to dial in the RDiS 300, and it didn’t have to do with the change in length. For me, the adjustment came down to feel. Otherwise, the characteristics were the same. I got great pop, outstanding maneuverability, and easy access to spin, etc., but when it came to feel, I was bewildered. Strung at two pounds above mid with a synthetic gut, the RDiS 300 felt much crisper than my RDS 003, which I string at 60 pounds for softer co-polys and 64 for multis or synthetic guts. I know the higher tension I use on the RDS 003 and the stiffness rating comparison tell another story (62 RA for the RDiS 300 vs 65 RA), but I enjoyed what I sensed as the slightly plusher feel of the RDS 003.
I decided to cut out the strings in the RDiS 300. This time I strung the synthetic gut at one pound below mid, which I felt was a total departure for me. I was stringing my RDS 003s at 64 pounds for some added control. With this new string setup, I enjoyed the feel of the RDiS 300 much more. There were some issues with control as expected, and I couldn’t just swing away with abandon. (What, am I expected to think on the court? Just kidding.) After finding the feel I was looking for, though, I was comfortable and the RDiS 300 felt like an old friend on the court. I don’t think I’ll be making the switch because I’m still very comfortable with the RDS 003, and, to be vain, I just like the cosmetic of the RDS 003 better. Perhaps when the 003s are out of stock, I’ll give the RDiS 300 another look. Until then, it’s still the RDS 003.
