You sir, will lead us to battle! May the double faults, missed volleys, drop shots that fall after the service line, long approach shots, and smashes to the net guide us in these difficult times!
Great video, but I'd like to emphasize and/or add a few things. This is a list of what I've gathered over 25 years for equipment: 1- Smallest sweet spot and head size that you can handle (It can be 104, 100, 98, 97, 95, or even 90 if you find it these days, but the point is not to go far beyond what you need). This helps your swing speed without putting your 100% on the ball every time. 2- highest swing weight and static weight that doesn't exhaust your arm and wrist in a 2-3 hour session. This will help you maximize the power you get out of the racket, and power is the differentiator in forcing errors on opponents at most levels. 3- highest stiffness that doesn't hurt your wrist and forearm in 2-3 hours. This is for defending in front of a powerful opponent. 4a) For string pattern, racket length, spin, control, serve, either choose the racket that complements your deficits without sacrificing the rest of your game OR the racket that boosts your advantages while not impairing your other shots. Eg. Spin friendly frame (16x19 over 18x20, etc etc) if you want to a) add some spin to your flat shots OR b) improve your spin to the next level. Another example is an extended racket (that people don't talk about enough) to improve your serves (which most club players can benefit from more than they imagine) 5- Choose your strings according to the same principles in 4: aka improve your deficits OR improve YOUR advantages, or improve the deficits or advantages of your setup (Spin, control, power or a combination). 6- Start with high tension and lower the tension over time, stop at a tension right before you start spraying the balls. And there, You have your setup for a while until your game improves drastically. Hope I didn't miss anything.
A little more formatted version, if you will: 1- Smallest sweet spot and head size that you can handle (It can be 104, 100, 98, 97, 95, or even 90 if you find it these days, but the point is not to go far beyond what you need). This helps your swing speed without putting your 100% on the ball every time. 2- Highest wing weight and static weight that doesn't exhaust your arm and wrist in a 2-3 hour session. This will help you maximize the power you get out of the racket, and power is the differentiator in forcing errors on opponents at most levels. 3- Highest stiffness that doesn't hurt your wrist and forearm in 2-3 hours. This is for defending in front of a powerful opponent. 4a) For string pattern, racket length, spin, control, serve, either choose the racket that complements your deficits without sacrificing the rest of your game OR the racket that boosts your advantages while not impairing your other shots. Eg. Spin-friendly frame (16x19 over 18x20, etc, etc) if you want to a) add some spin to your flat shots OR 4b) improve your spin to the next level. Another example is an extended racket (that people don't talk about enough) to improve your serves (which most club players can benefit from more than they imagine) 5- Choose your strings according to the same principles in 4: aka improve your deficits OR improve YOUR advantages, or improve the deficits or advantages of your setup (Spin, control, power or a combination). 6- Start with high tension and lower the tension over time, stop at a tension right before you start spraying the balls. And there, You have your setup for a while until your game improves drastically. Hope I didn't miss anything.
Great checklist! Are you sure that order is correct? Like, style (string pattern and stiffness, things you can't change on racket and in your style) is more important than size? Thus, String > Stiffness > Size> Weight (adjustable)?
Also, one thing is to "fill the gaps", another approach is think "what's next" - where you want to go to in terms of improvements or results (ie matches, as video title says). I am used to Radical, but miss spin. Should I work on spray (technique and strings) and care more about power in my next racquet? Should I settle for Gravity MP or Speed MP (safe) or think of power and changing technique to higher angels (spin)? How can I judge / demo spin racquets if I am not used to it?
I’m so glad you included the 2024 Speed MP as it’s my current racket of choice! You are 100% correct stating it should be strung with a control oriented string. I have HyperG Soft @52-54 lbs, and I always hit deep and can do any shot; whether it’s a high topspin, flat approach forehand, one-handed backhand, hard low slice, whatever! The upped SW definitely gave this stick great controllable-plow. This thing does it all.
Lynx Tour 1.25 at 49lb in the Blade 98 16x19 is actually a really underrated setup in my opinion. It adds more spin to the not-so spin-friendly Blade whilst actually making it a bit more powerful. It still retains the great control, too!
Pure aero rafa mentioned! I switched from the blade to this racquet when I wanted more spin and power and boy I got it. Downside is I don't really feel the ball that much, so 9 months later I'm about to demo some racquets in between the blade and rafa in terms of power/control
I love Solinco's blackout xtd 28 just a tad bit more than the whiteout 18x20, because amazing serves and once you learn how to control the power, you can hit hard power with ease. I add a strip of lead tape on each side of the inner V and a bit on 3, 9, and 12. Plus the 10 gram buttcap.
I used to coach juniors and half of them used tweeners like Pure Drives or Pure Aeros. The other half used frames that were more like Radicals and Blades. I noticed that the players using control racquets ended up winning more often for one single reason - they made less errors. Unless a player is really underpowered or has a spin oriented game, I recommend starting with a controllable racquet like a Blade, Radical, or WO.
This is the same reason that Blade is such a popular racket in D1. Most want to pull the trigger on every single shot Federer-style. I've heard from juniors and teenagers many times that their "goal" is to hit 120mph serves, while their 100mph serves are already more than enough to win 80% of the matches if they a) have a higher percentage of them in, b)improve on their targeting for their serves and c) have less unforced errors. Often they lose matches to average baseliners. I know this because I was one of those hot headed teenagers.
I put Tour Sniper in my PA100, and it was amazing! Also running Tour M8 in my Speed MP - Might swap the two string setups to see if I prefer them. I love the controlled power of the TS in the PA100 and the spin potential in the Tour M8. Shoutout to Beckett for turning me on to Grapplesnake!
I have tour m8 in my pure aero. I think it complements the racquet well. Recently had hyper g in it and hated it. Launch angles were crazy felt no control over it
@@JV-py3lg I was running RPM Blast in my PA100 for years and it gave me tennis elbow. The Tour Sniper has been great so far mixing comfort, spin, and power. Curious how a softer string like M8 behaves in the PA, but I'm excited to see. I had Lynx Tour in my Speed MP and loathed it. Tour M8 has been a massive upgrade.
@@interquack-gg9ww I found Lynx Tour a bit too stiff and muted for my liking. M8 lets me take more advantage of the Speed MP's softness, and I can really feel the ball dwell in the string bed. Haven't tried Tour Sniper in the Speed MP just yet, but will soon. Been enjoying TS too much in my PA100 to put it down!
Top tip - get a thinner string of the same string for 10 points less swingweight. I have a swingweight machine and found that when I just went to a thinner version of the same string, the swingweight went down by over ten points! That was just alu rough 125 to alu power 115!!!
Another honourable mention: The HEAD Prestige MP is pretty close to the Solinco whiteout (spec wise) - similar weight, slightly larger head (99 sq.in.) and 18x19 pattern which give easier spin. Same stiffness and slightly higher swing weight. And it looks great! 😀
I started with an Aero 98 and then moved to a Blade 98 18x20 for the control. It worked great...in training and against players who couldn't send me a heavy shot. Then I started playing with a friend who used to play in college and the serves went from 60 to 70 mph, to 130mph. I found that the more head heavy the racket, the easier it was to control a heavy shot. That could just be me. I'm 6'5" and have long arms. However, I found that playing against him with a racket like the Blade 98 is a no go as most of the shots that he fires off will twist the racket out of my hand. My Aero Rafa doesn't have that issue. And because the Blade 98 18x20 punished bad technique even with slow shots off a wall, I can now better handle the more head heavy Rafa without sending the ball long. My point is, I think gear is important and having the right tool can help you better improve your game. In my case, the Blade helped me to tame the Rafa's power.
great information and selection. I just bought the Boom MP and it felt great. looking into customization now to increase the swing speed, maneuverability and stability at the same time for my single backhand. Any recommendation on the mods? or where to start at least? Thanks in advance.
Pure Aero 98, hybrid with Alu Power (crosses) and Babolat Xcel (mains). 58 lbs and 56 lbs respectively, whilst having a multi may limit the spin of the frame. I feel like this, for me at least, balances the power, spin, and control that this racquet can offer in a way that I really enjoy.
Straight up GOAT of racquet reviews and recommendations. You’re absolutely right that the Pure Aero 98 is the best for winning (at least for me) ; it’s not necessarily the most fun.
I bought a pure aero 100 last week which I haven't tried out yet but it feels really nice from the moment you pick it up. I have always played with 98 frames so I wasn't sure about the aero but it was on a super sale in a place where they don't usually sell tennis gear... I'll come back to you with news, I hope you would have said "Aero 100"😂
I switched to the Yonex Percept 100 a few weeks ago and am totally loving it. Less powered than the Ezone 98 I was using for the last 2 years solid, but the power is more controlled, its 16 x 19 so still getting plenty of spin and just easier to hit angles and keep the ball in court in general. It takes a lot for me to change racket, but I cant see me going back to the Ezone as the Percept 100 has really improved my game. I couldnt see myself saying that a couple of months ago!
Did you try the graity tour? It is pretty good with some weight at the hoop. Especially if you are a bit sore in the arm. Very forgiving with the shape and 100 sq inch too.
Very true, as im always in search of the best rackets and looking for more confidence in my game. Im hitting with an aero 98 and the new blade 16x19. Love them both are very consistent. What is your dislike towards the blade?
What do you think about aero 98 with alu power rough? Confidencial is more firm, i think slices and control is higher with alu power. With confidencial i think flatshot is great, good power and control, but just great in flatshots. playing with alu power rought i had predictble racket in another types of shots, like slices, voleys, dropshots
Don't sleep on oversized! I think my best results at 4.0 level have come from this. Barely have to move my arm to spin balls onto the baseline. I have tried driving the ball more with control rackets recently and I'm now a worse player :/
Unfortunately this generation of tennis players has a prejudice against full (107 sq. Inch) oversized rackets that is completely incompressible if you put performance before image. Add the fact that there are so few offerings of oversized rackets that aren’t made specifically for senior citizens (ultra light) and it’s understandable that oversized rackets aren’t really a viable option anymore.
Hi Beckett! Thank you so much again for your great content, I love it so much! I’m trying to decide between a speed MP and the Aero 98. I have both racket! I feel that the balance and higher sw of the speed produce heavier ball and deeper, but It’s a bit less precise! I was wondering, why don’t I just bump up the SW of the aero to 330 as well? Then I probably get as heavy and deep ball, but with more precision and faster swinging racket! What do you think of that?
I guess the speed MP would still be more powerful due to bigger headsize and more open string bed? Then again, I can lower the tension in the Aero to make it similar in power, but string bed consistency would decrease right?
@@KardusAquaa Not yet! I'll have to try an heavier Aero 98 just to see! Would still be very curious with Beckett input on this! Right now, my Aero is at 223 SW. Not sure for the speed, but I think 330-333. Let me know if youre making tests as well!
There’s an argument to select a racket that has good feedback and forces centred contact with a full swing. Rackets that do more for you may come at the cost of technique and encourage bad form over time. Whilst more demanding, these control frames can help guide the way to improvements. I still use a prostaff 90 which forces complete focus and physical strength, but I can hit out on all strokes with complete commitment and it’s easy to tell what’s wrong when my game breaks down. Not all about winning!
I agree, those hard to use racquets are an important part of any tennis-nerds road to game improvement. Using a 95 really showed me everything I was doing wrong.
I agree. I still have the K90 in my bag which I sanded down removing 20 grams to a raw graphite frame which makes it now looking like a prototype weighing up at 338grams strung with Solinco Tour Bite / Vanquish hybrid. This racket demands everything from you, but I can paint the lines with my forehands and demolish the serve. Hitting a backhand with any depth with the K90 against strong players, FORGET about it. If Federer couldn't do it anymore, how can I expect to. At 46 it just can't be done with 80 mph balls coming at you. It's a great training racket. For winning matches, I use the Solinco Whiteout 305 18x20. It's got that perfect blend of power and forgiveness, but still feels like a classic frame for the modern game as many say it does. It's a pity most people in Greece won't buy it because they're too into their known brands. Roman Prokes and Solinco nailed that frame. Another gem is the Head LiquidMetal Radical Tour which Jonas at Tennis Nerd raves about.
@@pdiseris funny I actually took the paint off one of mine but it fk’d it as it also changed the flex. I don’t mind the weight for 30 mins or so. Have you tried loosening the strings to around the 46/44 range to increase power/depth and pocketing…? I’m playing around with the Percept 100d which is surprisingly stable, with a similar launch angle. Leather and lead take it to around 340 which is still very usable.
I like Luxilon 4g Razer code hawk touch but the cost is very expensive. My strings break every two weeks because I am a hard hitter. So can you recommend a string like Luxilon 4g? List -> Tour Bite, Hyper G, Grapple Snake Tour Sniper Lynx Tour
Nice video and love the grass court tennis snippets, jealous! One caveat / disagreement I have with you w/r to racquets that help you WIN - the Percept 100 is a fine racquet, but I find it to be pretty mediocre to weak on the serve, and finding a racquet that can help you get free service points is a major criteria for what you're trying to describe here. BTW, I'm also a closeted PA Rafa 290 fan boy ;-)
This is the problem with recreational opinions… If you’re unable to generate a decent service game with a Percept 100, you basically can’t serve (and that’s the bottom line).
How do i convince my gf that I need another tennis racquet? I've been running 2 whiteout 18x20s for the past couple months but my heart has been telling me to get the percept 100...
I really like the Pure Strike 98 18x20 frame. The SW doesn't bother me so much, I play around 335-340 but the twistweight is crazy high omg.. I had to buy and measure more than 10 frames until I found a TW manageable.. so frustrating I dunno why the stock TW is so high. I wonder if it isn't due to the C2 pure feel crap material at 9 and 3 o'clock. Now I want to buy a second frame but it's gonna be pretty much a mission impossible.
i play with aero 98, and i think change in future. I think aero is not good in manureuability, i want a fast and rackets today. Ive try speed mp, but not stiffer and firm enough for my game, also speed is not good for change direction like aero 98. Confidencial 16x19 is great, The problem is power, aero more powerful than but today i think whiteout 16x19 is the best choice Maybe percept 100 or 100d are the best rackets for me? What d you think?
Great video, as always! You said you love the PA Rafa 290… what string do you recommend? I’m having trouble finding a string that complements well. Thank you!
Hey! What do you think about Babolat Pure Aero VS, the predecesor of Aero 98? Are many differences between the two in terms of playability? Is a good racquet for winning matches? Is it easier to play with than Aero 98? Thanks!
How do the Head Speed MP and PA98 compare with the EZONE lineup? Specifically the 98 and 100, Im trying to find a suitable racket. One that has enough stability to handle big serves, have enough power in each strokes, and can produce spin and pace easily while not compromising control.
Some time ago, while reviewing the Dunlop FX 500, you said (paraphrasing): "Don't sleep on Dunlop, they're actually good now." Well, I hear you snoring all the way from Japan!
Hi, for a beginner (just running 2 months of practice), would you recommend an EZone 100, Pure Aero, or Pure Strike 100? Really need your advice. Thanks in advance.
I haven't tried the XT, only the GT (came after XT) and I do like it. Uniform flex, kinda launchy with the 16x19 being so open, so I string it in the high 50bs for more control. Needs some customization to get the most out of it, but its pretty much the racquet SInner uses under the paint!
Picked up a Tecnifibre Tempo 298 Iga on sale a few months back and put some Toroline Wasabi Pro in it and I've been having a ton of fun with it. Quite light which makes it comfortable to use for long sessions and I haven't had any arm or elbow pain using it with a 50lb string tension. Curious about your thoughts on the Tecnifibre line especially the TFight ISOs.
But you have to say, there’s a lot of out shots hit with a pure aero/power or spin racquet that would have landed in if hit with a control oriented racquet.
Currently using the Vcore100. Also play with Ezone DR98 when I play vs easier opponents. Been eyeying the Pure Aero 98 for a while. Really dislike the paintjob on Percept and Head Extreme Mp, but new Extreme paintjob is slightly more acceptable. You think I should go for the PA 98 or new Head Extreme MP? And can I use my beloved Head Lynx Tour Orange 1.25 in the PA98? Take it for granted it suits the Extreme MP well, even think Head defaults Lynx Tour in the pre-strung rackets from them.
Hey Beckett. String question about the PA98. I’d like to bring the launch angle down for a more control-spin style, and I’ve a reel of Zero (loving the durability) to utilise either in a full bed or poly-poly blend set-up. Provided that Zero has to be used in the set-up, how would you string it up and at what tension(s)? 3.5-4.0 standard. Thanks!
You can try going for any round poly in the mains with Zero in the crosses at your usual tension, or just increasing the tension on a full bed of Zero by like 3lbs
Are you compare whiteout whit gravity tour 305g in control rackets. Maybe is it better? Because gravity is easier to swin. And feel, confort and control is better than solinco How string should i put in percept 100 16x19? spin power like tourbite and lynx tour, or control and feel like alu power rough and rpm blast?
It's interesting topic, one I've been looking into, yet been not ready to try any sticks yet. I use Gravity Pros with Gut/Poly stringbed, slightly tail-weighted (343g or something with o/g and strings), it's much more playable than some other control frames, powerful enough and forgiving... But I wonder if tennis could be easier in terms of winning with something else... Obvious choices to try are Blade 98, and also Extreme Pro (Tour). Maybe Solinco WO? I also wonder that you call PA98 forgiving, many say it's quite demanding, including Luca. Seems he's just not as good a player!
GPro was very close to making the list but ultimately I think its lower powered than I necessary for many players. Still a legendary racquet that I absolutely love to use! The reason I find the PA98 forgiving is because there's very little playability drop off outside the sweet spot. Luca also strings tighter than I do with less powerful strings which changes the perceived forgiveness pretty significantly.
GPro is my stick of choice as well for the routine training sessions. It taught me a lot and I can def see lots of improvements in my game after using it for a year. But for me personally it's way too heavy for the matches. My wrist dies on me after a single set. I'll probably get a Gravity MP just for the sake of the lower weight, as it seems that the all the other qualities are kinda same-ish.
I've been turned off on the Pure Aero 98 because of how many people said it's unforgiving and has a small sweetspot (I value forgiveness). Sounds like you disagree pretty strongly with that? Maybe I should give it a demo anyway
Is it better to have a racquet that masks your deficiencies or accentuates your strengths? For example, im a 4.0 level serve and volleyer. Im great at serving, moving quickly, volleying...but defense against heavy topspin players is a glaring weakness. At my intermediate level, should I just get a big headsize racquet with power and deal with a little instability on volleys?
Looks like you are a pretty big fan of Wasabi but not much of a fan of Zero; other youtubers have led me to believe that they are very similar offerings, so I would be curious to understand how they compare in your opinion.
They are similar in two ways: high snapback and muted feel. Beyond that, Wasabi has much better control. The profile is less sharp so the ball bite isn't as good and the spin isn't as good as Zero but the response is more predictable and the feel more solid. I think this is because Wasabi is actually quite thick due to the square profile so it plays like a soft 16g string. I like Zero for what it offers, I think spin and durability are unmatched, but those just aren't my priorities. I want control and consistency.
I'd pick LT for this one. I'm finding the round strings in open patterns lead to some slipping on contact and I don't get the spin I need. Currently finding this with Sync in my PA Rafa.
It’s not the racquet bud. Blade is already powerful… Try 3 grams of lead tape or conversely, get a thinner gauge string that reduces the swingweight - I have a swingweight machine and found that going from alu power rough 125 to alu power 115 reduced my swingweight by 10 points and then I could accelerate my racquet on serve way faster and now can suddenly serve aces
I have just bought pure aero 98 and pure strike 98 16/19. My Racket of choice at the Moment is prince tour 98 because the pure aero 100 hat not enough Controller. What would be the best strings for my New Rackets? BR Sven
Hiya Beckett, firstly great video love the content, delivery and style. I completely agree with your view on this the rationale is spot on. My only issue is that I cant seem to extrapolate from my current racket a Wilson Pro-Staff Hyper 6.5 95 customised to 330g and 325 SW (charity shop find) to one of your rackets. I tried the strike98 gen 3 and speed MP but I just seemed to spray it about and be really late in my hitting. What would you do as this doesn't seem to work in all cases?
Did you go up in tension with the larger headsize? When I go to a larger headsize I typically go up in tension by 3lbs for a 98 to a 100. 5lbs for a 95 to a 100. Then I also think the play is to shorten your swing to deal with the larger headsize. If you look at Fed's swing with the 90 compared to the 97, it got a lot shorter later in his career. I've been slowly tweaking my forehand over the last several months to try to make things more compact without loosing power.
@@TennCom - The string tension suggestion makes me feel smart: As I am normally a mid 40s with Head lynx and I went up 49lbs to try and add control on the speed MP, which I think helped but definitely made the feel of the racket a little less desireable. Changing my swing to something more compact is not something I thought about, primarily as I am having coaching and he is trying to make me less T-Rex like in my swings. That said to win more points it is all worth a try. Of the ones you have suggested, which would you say has the most control and so suits those that take bigger swings at the ball?
no. but you can add 3 grams at 3 and 9 in the hoop and that way increase the twistweight and the Swing weight some to get those numbers closer to Speed MP but you have to counter it in the handle to keep the ballence and then you get a sluggish racket bs overall weight. So you cant make a blade 100 v8/v9 into a speed mp. closest blade 100 to a 2024 speed mp is the blade 100 v7 version
Good question. I think the PA98 does most of the same stuff but is way more stable and spin friendly. The RF has better control and feel for sure but I don't consider that important for winning matches when Alcaraz can hit the best "feel" shots in the game with his Aero. So no, I'd leave it off the list.
@@TennCom Right. Thanks for replying. I've been considering that PA98 for a long time now, but I just can't get over that colourway. I dislike it profoundly. So I hoped this might be similar enough for me as a rec player. :)
I demoed the percept 100 and liked it but the syngut poly hybrid strings were way too soft and hard to say what full poly would feel like. I want something easier to play with than my vcore 95. Beckett, do you find the power of the percept 100 similar to the head speed mp?
I've been playing with a pure drive 98 but recently have been getting some bad tendonitis like 30 min into play. I'll be demoing a head extreme pro, head speed mp, and a pure aero team in a couple days. I know you talked about the speed but what are your thoughts on the extreme pro for comfort?
@@TennCom the extreme tour 2022 seems more comfortable than my pure drive 98. I figured the new version would feel similar. Any recommendations on something more arm friendly?
@@izzatisa33 I'd say the BPro is a power 98. The Strikes are power 98s. The Percept would be a control 97 and a control 100. For reference, I'd call the Extreme Tour and Radical Pro control 98s, the Aeros power 100s and 98s, the Speed MP and Pro control 100s.
I'm not him, but I have used the tfight 305 iso in league matches. Kfactor 95 - pro staff v11- pure aero 2021- and vcore pro 100 is racket history. It worked really well until I was too tired or nervous. I really felt the head-heaviness messed with timing at times. I liked it when playing more aggresive players and not when playing pusher/endurance matches. Hope that helps!
High twistweight....for blocking and pushing the ball around.... linear swing path...more forgiving... less maneuvrable...benefit from it if you don’t hit the ball cleanly, have bad timing etc. or you have a more linear swing style or the so-called WTA strokes. Low twistweight = more manoeuvrability, which means you can perfect your strokes and you can hit "whippier" shots... it rewards good technique + clean ball striking. Low twistweight.... can increase the swingweight and still have a maneuvrable racket. Low twistweight...less forgiving and requires more concentration, better footwork and more effort to play well with. Pure Storm GT it is then................perfect specs.. not too much and not too little.
@@TennCom Thanks! My main concern with poly is too frequent re-stringing. Which is why I am thinking to use a lower tension loss Multi instead so I can delay re-stringing too frequently
@@wizzle89 eh if you string poly at 45lbs its loose enough for it to not matter that much. Just go for something as slick as possible so the strings don't lock up. Toroline or Zero are the best and then from mainstream brands like Polytour Rev
