My name is Michal Bayerl and I'm testing tennis equipment since 4 years old. I'm a long time tennis player and coach from the Czech Republic. I review tennis equipment for Sportega.cz. I love tennis technologies, rackets, shoes, strings and even dampeners. Yes, I play with a dampener and I love it. Enjoy the manooovrlbity!
Hey Kitzbühel Tennis t-shirt! I trained there early this morning. Thanks for the detailed specs, I'm trying to decide between these two rackets and am leaning towards the MP for general friendliness, tennis is hard enough already right. Hey if you come to Kitzbühel again this year let me know! And bring your racket 😊
Hey Ben, Kitzbühel is a fantastic place. I was there two times visiting the famous tournament. I hope I will go there one more time in the future. I would choose the MP probably, too. It's more forgiving and this can help a lot during long matches. My racket is ready to go 😉
Hi, how would you compare , and why if the frame has more flex gives more feel and less power, but in string tension , lower tension wich gives more flex and softness, gives also more power ??
Hi, low tension is great for people who can afford stringing their rackets regularly. For example my sweetspot for a match is around 20-22 kg. But I have my racket strung at 24/23 kg. Because I need the racket to hold tension for a longer period. But If I was a pro and I could afford having 10 rackets with fresh tension, I would probably go lower - 23/22 or 22/21 kg. I remember I played with my racket a match when it had around 17-18 kg. It was still playable, but the control was really bad.
Do you think Blade 98 16*19 is a better choice than Tecnifibre 315 16*19? Do you think these rackets are similar? If not, what are the bigger differences?
These rackets are quite different. Blade has more feel, more touch and overall playability is better. TF 315 feels heavy and slow. TF has a lot better stability, but you sacrifice the overall playability. TF 315 also feels like a racket for flatter hitters with one handed backhand. For me the Blade 98 16x19 is a lot versatile and players friendly racket with great overall performance.
I tried a Percept 97 a little over a week ago and loved it. I ordered two of them from my local tennis shop. The owner is letting me use his demo until my rackets come in.
The 18x20 is way better. It has more stability, control and same power due to higher SW. Spin is decent and depends more on your technique... The 16x19 feels like u sacrifice a lot for a little more spin and launch angle ,)
I can feel that this can be true. But I really need that extra power and spin, being a light guy. But if someone is a strong tournament player, the 18x20 can be the perfect choice for sure.
@@CzechTennisGuy Both frames have a demanding nature, in terms of power they are not very different. The 18x20 gets the power from its higher SW, the 16x19 from a more powerful pattern. The 16x19 only has that little more spin and reactive stringbed but is worse anywhere else.... for most not worth the trade off!!
It would be an easy switch because the ISO feels more soft, powerful and with little bit more touch and feel. I actually didn't like the RS versions too much, because they felt dull und unresponsive to me. The ISO versions are much more alive in my opinion and they have greater energy transfer.
Holy crap I was literally about to buy Adidas Uber Sonic because all Asic clay court shoes sold out. And the Adidas Uber Sonic sole looked like herringbone, you saved me!!
The TFX1 285 will suit a player with aggressive baseline topspin game. Great power, great stability, great top spin, but very limited in feel and control. The Tempo 285 is more of a classic players racket with lower power, but better feel, control, touch and faster manooovrlbity.
With TF-X1 you get not only a bigger sweetspot, but also a much bigger power and spin potential. The RS series was quite low powered wiht more control.
Corretja is right. I use the ‘red letter’ RD balls on a hard court and they were bouncing high, hard to control, and flying off my racquet. My top spin was less effective too. I thought I forgot how to play tennis.😅
Good review. Do you know, what creates the different frame weights? Is the graphite a different thickness for each frame? Or do they add weight internally using the same frame mould?
Thank you. That's a great question that I don't really have answer for. I think that the mold is for each of the versions (weights) different a little bit to really make it to the desired specifications. But I never saw a detailed explanation on this topic. And especially what I want to know is how they maintain balance and weight with the different grip sizes? Anyone can help?
I'm using the pure strike ger3 16x19. I'm 40 years old, I have a one-handed backhand and I play at an advanced level, but just for fun, with no intention of competing. I think babolat is excellent but a little hard, right? demands on the arm, correct? Would you say that the boom pro 98 could be a good alternative for a little more comfort? Thank you and congratulation for you channel!
I´m on a similar boat as you, 43 yo 4.5 player. I enjoyed so much the Pure Strike but it wrcked my arm, even the wrist that have never hurt before. I have been searching and the Boom Pro is referred as a "easy on the arm Pure Strike" so I bought two, I´m currently waiting them to arrive.
Thank you. If you have a Pure Strike 98 16x19 background, the Boom Pro 98 will feel like a demo racket with everything stripped down. With Boom Pro you will have to strike the ball a lot faster to get the same energy out of the frame. The Booms in general are great rackets for players who often cannot find the lines of the court and they go wide. Boom offers a great energy absorption with quite impressive overall control. I'm not talking about precision, though. Precision is superior for the Pure Strike line and there are almost zero replacements for the Pure Strikes surgical accuracy. So if you will let yourself a chance to test the Booms rather than buying them immediately, you will probably find out that Booms have a completely different target audience. Instead of Pure Strikes you can try Head Extreme MP/Tour or the new Tecnifibre TF-X1 305 (98inch) frame.
I think the 100L can be an excellent option for a lower intermediate player. I tested the 100UL version of the Blade v8 and I was surprised how good it was. Light, with excellent manooovrlbity, but also great spin and feel. Stable enough for most basic shots, really nice easy hitting high performance frame.
@@bushmenaa Mizuno's are great. I have one of the Wave Exceed Light models, but there seems to me too much of padding inside the shoe so I don't have the feel I need. My favourites are Wilson shoes - Kaos Swift 1.5 Clay.
@@CzechTennisGuy there are the low level, I buy only tour exceed versions and the new enforce I know is good but have bought, because I have 5 new pairs
@@bushmenaa Today I tried the new Exceed Tour 6 in the black/gold anniversary edition and it's good. It's still not my favourite, but it's good. I don't like how shallow it is in the back. I don't feel locked in in the shoe. But other than that, great feel for the ground, fast, responsive with overall sensitive cushioning, which is now better in the forefoot.
I have the V3. The string pattern is too tight. I would have preferred an open pattern like a Pro Staff. Also, they filled the handle with foam, so you have to dig it out if you want to add silicone to the handle. Very annoying for a supposedly customisable pro stock racquet.
The Artengo TR960 CT 16x19 is very, very similar. Now I see why Monfils did make the change. The Artengo is a lot more alive, it has a lot more free power and the overall feel remains almost the same. It's like the Wilson Ultra Pro 16x19, but it's more player friendly.
Depends on what you're after. The Ultra line is generally the more powerful, forgiving racquets. But the Ultra Pro is a completely different beast. It's a low powered, control racquet which is Wilson's version of Head's PT57A. Personally, I prefer the Pro Staff line for control racquets. I think the Pro Staff 97 has much better feel and control, and more power to boot.
For most amateur players and I think also for most advanced players, there are lot of other rackets that meet the standards for their game. The Ultra Pro is really a level above. Great racket for someone who can hit the ball hard all the time and is very accurate. So yes, it's a true professional racket for tournament players with great ambitions.
I don't think it's longer, because the head shape is smaller and the head is shorter closer to the throat. The head seems more opened on the sides. The string pattern is different. Ultra Pro is dense. The last cross string near the throat begins far from the frame, making in very tight in the centre. It almost looks like a 18x20 on a 98inch2 head.
I think its more of a feel thing. The Ultra pro is more plush and the pro staff is stiffer. It's just personal preference on which feel someone prefers.
I have both. The Pro Staff is superior in feel, control and has much more power as well. The head size of the Ultra Pro is smaller. I think it's actually 95 sqi. The Ultra Pro is supposedly the Pro Stock H19, which is Wilson's version of the Head PT57A. So if you prefer the feel of Head's control racquets, then maybe the Ultra Pro might be better for you.
I can see the similarities to the Head's rackets. It's more like a Prestige type of a racket. Low powered, with a very specific concentrated feel that allows you to hit super hard and still stay in the lines with the ball. The Ultra Pro feels like a racket that is for someone who can hit every shot like a winner. Casual shots are quite dead with this racket and you have to try super ahrd to get the balls moving.
Very interesting review . I play with blade pro 18x20 and I'm in situation that when I play matches when I want to attack I often overheat due to the tension of the moment and I m looking for a racket that no matter how strong I head it would stay low and in. May be ultra pro helps in that? Thank you
Thank you. Very surprisingly to me the Ultra Pro is really super low powered. Even Zdenek, my sparing partner who is hitting with his favourite Pro Staff RF97 v11 had problems generating speed with the Ultra Pro. But he didn't overshoot the court and he played very constant, no errors, very precise, with great spin and overall high efficiency over the net. And when he grabbed his Pro Staff back, he was once again shooting into the fences. So yes, it might help you quite a lot with controling your power.
They also changed the name for the balls. The red ones (best ones) are called TB Speed Pro (75% natural felt), the blue ones are Comfort Pro (63% natural felt). They have also new ones in a black tube - Control Pro (70% natural felt). These were developed in the Decahlon's newest factory and they are little bit slower than the red ones and they are easier to control.
Its interesting because I just noted this a bit in my recent video and its beyond disgraceful, however why are the price hikes occuring? Its not natural its all by design. Its no different to general Hyper-Inflation occurring namely in the 'Oil and Gas Sector and 'Electricity' Providers who are all taking turns out of profiteering while claiming all manner of farcical excuses. When those cannot milk the $heeple Its thieving and worse its thieving by design- its the WEALTH TRANSFER from working and Middlestand to the hyper-'rich' and Roth$child-Blackrock Order who help found that organisation who thinks everyone(namely in the 'west' and EU) will 'own nothing and be happy' In order for people to 'be happy' they have to be locked in this euphoric state of forever 'new things' and then with forever Hyper-Inflation their wealth goes to nothing so eventually they dont own anything are in debt to 'afterpay', 'zip' and other Blackrock para$itical 'creations'. How do they operate on the store level? The same but micro-applied and its unresisted racketeering / absolute profiteering and these type$ in these firms conclude from studying 'consumers' 3 things: a- Consumers are stupid enough to believe anything b- They cannot claim then that they are NOT having 'sales' c- Critically: They only MILK from the consumer what they know they can get away with I should mention on a company level it makes nil sense because on ,,Tennis Only'' which is just a derivative of Tennis Warehouse for a 2nd world continent, has equivalent price of 244.80 Euros?! Tennis Only have tried Fake Sales in the past and it mostly failed but with hyper-inflation in the 2nd rate continent Tennis Only is located this year's sale was last year's PRICE! This reminds me of the current DEEP Profiteering crisis ongoing in the same Prison 'country' that Tennis Only is based in where there has been 50% Inflation year to year and worst of all in Supermarkets - 2 of which that Blackrock-Vanguard have large shares in- they have stickers on the aisles in yellow colour claiming the same price or a very very reduced price(sometimes 20-50 cents on a $5 item) is a 'SALE' Price?! And when there is 'sales' the food produce is not edible. They all learn 'off each other' Re- What the price should be given 'modern' changes in manufacturing processes- What happened to the claim the Global Corporatists were making 20+ yrs ago that Made in Asia, Made in China would make things cheaper ? CHEAPER FOR WHO ? Not us With more efficient manufacturing processes and allegedly more 'recycled' materials than certainly we should be experiencing the 'cheapest prices of all time' - So where have these prices gone? How much does the Chinese or Filipino or Indian worker get vs How much do the Factory owners and Brand marketeers upscale? Its beyond frustrating this is all never mentioned any longer because ending manufacturing in European and Euro-settled/founded countries was sold on the bull$hit claim that 'things will be cheaper if made in Asia'.. No doubt TennisWarehouse profits but its the manufacturers and these GLOBAL FIRMS who are LEECHING off the people. Time for us to setup our own manufacturing in our own off grid communities in the future no ? A New Economy separate from this Racketeering would be the solution..
I agree on this topic. Especially the one you are mentioning with the Made in China step. Nowadays we should move back to Made in Europe / Made in the USA. I would love to pay for a tennis racket 300 Euros if it was Made in Europe - in Germany, France, Czech Republic...why not. We make cars for god sake! The best ones with the best value. We can make a tennis racket for sure with two fingers in nose. I would love to buy more products that are made in our country or in Europe, even for a higher price, but with knowing that those money goes to our local people and not some big outside corporations. The time will tell what went wrong and I think in the next 20 years there will be big changes in everything we used to take for granted.
@@CzechTennisGuy Then why not find those in Czechia or elsewhere in Europa to found a home-made racquet firm? As for big changes- Its already happening now and all for the worse for us and 'better' for the SY$TEM / Global Corporatists. It all began with Morgenthau 'Plan' and then 'Lima Decleration' was the global imposition. The destruction of manufacturing and innovation of Europeans because once you create the most creative, productive to be completely dependent then it creates generations of lepers. The solution will be non-compliance and self-reliance. If a firm in Europa was founded for and by local workers, players and those who care about proper engineering it would be a quality asset.
I brought Artengo Control Tour 960 some months ago for around 116 Euros. Not for me but I will try it again with some modification. If you like Artengo then its the cheapest option
It's like asking a question between vanilla or chocolate icecream. I can't answer this because there is zero info about you, about your tennis background, about your technique, your style, about your plans, vision etc. Come on guys, be more creative and think about it for a time.
Do you assume that every beginner is the same? I don't think so. But if you want the short answer - Pure Strike will give you more precision, feel and manooovrlbity, but TF-X1 will give you more power, spin and stability.
Thank you. No I don't recommend them for a tennis elbow. They are still stiff rackets no matter what type of dampener you use. The frame is stiff and it feels stiff. The X-Damp technology makes it little bit better, but still it's far behind rackets with 60-62 RA of stiffness. I don't mind it, I have no problem with them, but people who have elbow pain will suffer with these rackets very likely.
Almost every tennis racket (Wilson, Babolat, Head etc.) is made in China. Yonex has most of their premium rackets made in Japan in their own factory. I hope one day the factories will come back to Europe and to USA.
Good review and very based. I measured my 2024 boom pro using a swing weight machine and it shows 311 swing weight with a static weight of 326 strung. The data on tennis warehouse are kinda misleading. Do you recommend adding some weight at the top to increase the sw to 320?
Bit late to this. But such a useful video. I accidentally discovered this trick just a couple of weeks ago. I picked up my old Babolat Aero Storm GT which had been unused for several years. Really enjoyed it. So I got it restrung and noticed the guy removed the old bumper tape to put new strings in. We tested the SW without (319) and then with new bumper tape applied (334). Huge difference! In this way, I discovered that I prefer a SW around 330 so it was a great experiment 🙂
I dropped the V8 cause i thought it was not estable enough, and the sweetspot was not forgiving enough. Then i went to Radical mp 360+ Customized with 31.5cm Balance, and 330g total weight, i do like the stability and forgiveness the radical gave me, but i do miss the Blade maneuverability. I gave Ezone 98 a chance, too, but i do miss the control and maneuverability from the blade. The question is, does the V9 16x19 is stable as the Radicals are? And about the sweetspot is generous? I'm an 4.5+ player, wih an one handed backhand. Should i come back to the blades now? 😅 I've used the 2015 blade, the v6 v7 v8, i miss countervail stability, but i want a less stiff and more maneuverable Blade. Cya. Great videos, by the way. Congratz.
Thank you. I think the answer to your question is Blade V9. It has all the features you ask for. Easy to use, but powerful and stable at the same time. Great feel, great touch, superb manooovrlbity, big sweetspot, impressive top spin. It has all 99% of intermediate and advanced players need in todays modern game. Go for it. Just be sure you get the 98 16x19 version.
