I hope I was able to help shed some light on the actual racquets the top players are actually using. If you found some value in this video please hit the like button!
@@amineb1009 Technically no, they use an H22 which is available in a range of specs and layups, though it’s the same mold. Fair to say the Blade Pro is one particular H22 variant that Wilson sells to retail, with a layup and spec they deem suited to the general public that falls within the advanced player demographic.
@@jerome_morrow So the only racket that is being really used under the paint job is Technifibre ? I thought Zverev uses a Head Gravity Pro, the Youtek Speed MP looks to me as a different mold than what he is using in competition. Could be wrong , its difficult to tell :)
@@amineb1009 Zverev uses the pro-stock version of the Gravity Pro which was designed with his input. HEAD has a convoluted system of engineering codes that designate their racquets, whether pro-stock or retail. Obviously far more pro-stock codes exist than retail ones due to the many variations for different pros. Eg: TGK344 - Retail Gravity Pro TGT344.3 - Zverev pro-stock variant with a slightly different 18x20 drill pattern TGT344.1 - Barty pro-stock variant with 16x19 drill pattern What’s good to note is that all TGT334 and TGK334 have the same mold and layup, and come off the same production line in China. There’s no conspiracy that the TGK334 is some sort of cut-rate version just because it’s a retail stick. There’s no need to go hunting for and paying crazy dollars for a pro-stock with magic dust!
Rublev's racket is blacked out because he actually switched to the Head Gravity Pro pro stock some time in 2020; notice the teardrop head shape of the racket. He just can't endorse the racket until Head sponsors him. Also, Zverev actually uses a Gravity Pro (pro stock + customization). The head shape and mold are very similar to the IG Speed MP he used before, but he switched sometime in late 2019 if I'm not mistaken. His rackets have probably been customized to his spec by altering the weight in the layup because I don't think you can visibly see any lead on them like before. Medvedev is a strange one. He endorses the 305g TFight models, but he really uses a TFight Dynacore 305g from 2015, back when they were 95 sq in rackets. His is customized up to around 360 grams, so he's definitely got a hammer; very similar racket to what Djokovic uses. Makes sense though; he's got different stroke mechanics than Djokovic but ultimately a pretty similar playstyle.
Exactly what I wanted to say about Rublev and Zverev. Both using the same mold, literally that is how Rublev got into the Gravity which lifted his game. They were practicing together,picked up Sascha’s racket (which was by that time the Gravity which he actually came up with,customized for himself and paintjob and all...) he loved it and was already struggling a bit in his mind about switching and just did that with like 1.5 years still of contract with Wilson. Apparently his contract will run out sometime this year.
This is why I buy older rackets from years previous, they always are just as good as their newer counterparts and taking the time to research them can lead you to something perfect for your game for significantly less in cost.
At rec level, I feel like I can use any racquet, as long as they're not too out of date. After a while you adjust to the new racquet. Pros did the same, like Djokivic switching to Head. It took him longer to adjust because he's at the very top level, but for rec players, you can adjust in just a set. I played with the Wison Prostaff 6.1 for the longest time, but it got too heavy for me as I aged. Switching to Head radical MP and adding a bit of weight is no problem at all. I paid $100 for older model.
Looking to be better than tennis warehouse lol. They’re job is to sell racquets so how can anyone fully trust their reviews? (that’s why I started my channel) I just bring my honest opinion of all racquets and tennis topics with no other motives. Thanks for watching!
This has been going on for decades. I remember back in the day Becker rebranded his preferred Puma BB Super with the Estusa logo and after he parted with Estusa, he took the same mold to Head where they released it under his own branding.
If anything this is good for rec players to know that they don’t need the newest rackets with the “best technology,” since if there were any big differences the pros would switch to the newest models. Great vids!
That’s right and even small changes in their gear can have a big effect on their game. Last thing you want at that level is to be thinking about your racquet while battling for a title.
This is true but also somewhat misleading. Take Tsitsipas for example. He's using the 2013 version of the blade in 2021. But that's still a brand new, made in 2021 racket, just from the 2013 mold. I see tons of rec players sticking to old rackets and saying "well the pros don't really switch rackets, they just paint the old ones to look like the new ones" in order to justify not upgrading. But they're using 2013 rackets in 2021, which albeit subjectively, aren't as good. Do you really need the 2021 model when you have the 2020 model? No. But would you benefit from the 2021 model after playing with the 2013 model, more often than not, yes.
riight, I just switched to a 300g raquet (now Head MP extreme), used to play 315g unstrung (Babolat Drive Pro). For the amateurs watching, careful with the stiffness factor. After 8 years playing injury free, Babolat really destroyed my shoulder joint and also got a tennis elbow as a bonus. Now with Head Extreme I have the pop, the spin but without the stiffness and 300g is enough for me. No problems held. The raquets pro staff with weights above 320g should really be avoided by amateurs because you will get injured FOR SURE.
Thanks for the comment! For sure need to be careful. I’ve even heard suggestions that juniors should be limited to how stiff a racquet they should use to avoid injuries and promote sport longevity.
@@MikeKomen definitely needs to be adapted to the player, no? Loved the feel of Babolat Drive, but definitely didn't love recovering 4 months from a shoulder joint inflamation. Also I have not had a tennis elbow in 9 years (been playing way longer than that but my technique got corrected 9 years ago and since then had no injuries).
Nope, Roman Prokes makes ie. Djokovic racquets (352gr not 360) by hand. He says that every frame which comes from the factory is different in weight and balance. He needs to balance them by hand one at a time. One racquet takes 3 hours.
Djokovic's racket helps make him "the greatest returner in the world." In his day Andre Agassi was a great returner. How did his racket contribute to that when compared with the rackets of his fellow players?
Agassi’s racquet at the time was a much larger headsize that what almost everyone was using at the time. Definitely helped him have some extra pop and room for error.
I do laugh when Tenniswarehouse 'review' their stock of rackets. "This racket [insert from below] -is Solid -gives a super Plush feeling -Generates great power (racket not player) -Feels super smooth on contact.. -is a 'player's' racket.. -Is really good for angles.. -has great whip (!! Wtf) -has great plow through -is super stable -is really sharp with volleys 🤔, -great carving through the ball/court. -makes me real like I can dominate the court (only if I'm better than the opponent that is) -gives me the 'security' the crush the ball -give me the confidence to go for the lines. - gives great 'feel' (yep the racket has synapses now' -means I always hit good length.. "Also the racket incorporates the newest 'technology' that the marketing department came up with.. To name a few.." Ampifeel.. Basalt matrix, Youtek, Graphene, FST- fast speed technology, Woofer system, (I kid you not) Cortex system, Isometric frame, 360+ technology (wait what!!!), All bullshit designed for you to make an impulse buy..
Nice vid 👍 Worth noting thiem uses the 18x20 pure strike and Medvedev doesn’t use the xtc 305, it’s the dynacore or possibly even the 2013 Tfight which has a 95 sq inch head.
I'm having Benoit Pair racket and his racket with no specifications on it, only sticker with his name,handle full of silicone inside but the rest looks same,also I asked some pro (from top 100) about their rackets and many having standard versions,for example-Medvedev told me what his racket is not customized.
360 grams sounds extremely heavy, it just goes to show how much strength and physical conditioning it takes to be a professional player. I would like if you do a similar video on other players like Wawrinka, Cilic, Nishikori, Raonic, etc. Stan must be using a very heavy racquet to control his shots.
I was reading conflicting information about the weight of their racquets so I didn’t want to put it in the video, but I think some people in the comments have found it. Thanks for watching Wladner!
Djokovic use a mold similar to a Head LiquidMetal Radical with 18x19 string pattern and a bit more longer (27.10). Gasquet uses an Head Instinct LiquidMetal XL, that is not an Extreme. Yeah LiquidMetal's racquets were great lol
A couple of ideas to take away from this video. Touring Professionals tend to use modified Pro Stock racquets that are weigh more than stock models. A heavy hammer will drive a nail in with more force if you can swing it. Many touring pros tend to stay with the same racquet for a long time. Recreational players should hit with a racquet that actually fits their skills and fitness level not one that is endorsed by their favorite player. A heavy racquet can really put lots of stress on your arm and elbow if you’re not in exceptional condition. It requires lots more swing speed and precision to generate pace with a smaller head and string surface.
I managed to get my hands on an old ultra 2 former top 10 women's player's racquet. It has an inherent weight of about 395 grams. The shelf version was 360 grams. It's such false advertising with these paint jobs. I always respected Sampras' clarity with openly only playing with the St Vincent Prostaff 85.
This is a decent attempt at a rather complex topic; the bottom line is that pros most often are not using the racquet they are endorsing. However, you have a number of errors and inaccuracies. For example, Zverev does indeed use a pro-stock version of the Gravity Pro (TGT344.3). The average tennis fan is not actually that concerned by such minutiae, so your content is still worthwhile and informative. The other question many fans often like to know is whether their retail racquet is actually a reasonably close version of the pro-stock stick their favourite player is using. In the case of Zverev, the retail Gravity Pro has the same mold and layup as his pro-stock version. The difference is in the weight, balance and swingweight where his specs far exceed that playable by tennis muggles. The 18x20 drill pattern he has is also slightly different from the retail stick, but that’s largely a minor variance. In the case of Djokovic, well... forget about even getting anything close to his PT346 in the retail market!
Thanks for the extra detail Jerome! That’s why this tennis community is the best! I agree retail rackets have come a long way and as long as you find something that suits your game it’s all good I say. Thanks for watching!
@@MikeKomen Totally! It’s crazy how some people are so fanatical in their search for that magic stick that they are willing to pay huge prices for pro-stock racquets when there are so many good racquets available at retail which are likely a better fit for their game. There really is no conspiracy going on that the pros get the top grade stuff whilst retail gets the dressed up cheap and nasty sticks. HEAD PT346’s and Wilson H22’s aside, many pro-stock racquets are the same mold and layup of either a current or past retail stick, just customised to the required specs for each particular pro.
There is no way that Medvedev is swinging a 305!!!it's crazy to think that if somebody stole his rackets he could just roll up to the local sports store and buy some new ones. The last time I heard a player doing that it was Arthur Ashe and Federer of course
A few people corrected in the comments that he’s using an older technifibre racquet. Tough to find the accurate info for some players. Thanks for watching!
I just weighed the racket I played with yesterday. 339 grams. I'm in my 70's and not remarkably strong. In my 40's most of my rackets were around 365 grams. I always play with a leather grip + tourna grip and sometimes add lead tape, at the 12 o clock position . I started adjusting frame weight after frustration with my 3 Prince Diablo Mid frames, which all played differently. A lot. I played a few years with a Wilson T-2000 in the 1970's. I googled its strung weight just now: 385 grams. Seems about right. Head size 67. That was a powerful frame.
Thanks for the comment Stephen! Your comment speaks volumes about the progress and change in the game. The swing style has changed dramatically over time moving from very flat shots with linear swings to topspin shots with loopy swings. The balance and average weights of racquets had to follow to match the modern game. Thanks for watching Stephen!
@@MikeKomen Well explained, and I'm sure you're right, Mike. You might make a video explaining Shieh Su-Wei's racket mods and how she moves her hands on her racket's grip. A marvel to me.
Boris Becker once said that the some of the players in the 90's used rackets that were over 400g, with Sampras's racket weighing around 460g. That's 3 slices of wheat bread heavier than Novak's. I think more importantly than the weight is the Balance Point.
I think it’s for sure an improvement over the last one. If you liked any of the old ones you’ll really like this new one. I’ve got a full review of it up on my channel already if you want to check it out!
The youngsters may not remember that, but up until the late ‘80s tennis racquets were all heavier than the ones sold today. 355 grams was the standard for most of them. Most people played with them (including women) and they were still able to play. The truth is that the tennis racquet is very important when it comes to reaching your potential in the pro circuit. Every player has requirements for what their racquet should feel like, in order to suit their personal needs. That is not a surprise as people are built differently. Good content in this video!
Don't worry Gabriel haha I have two videos just about Fed. One where I ate and trained like him for a day and one all about all the racquets he's used!
I know that Dimitrov is a beast but entering the tournament Thiem was US open champ and world n3 while Demitrov had relatively few accomplishments and ranking was much lower prior to the AO
Mike Komen coming for all your fake PJs. I do not like this part of tennis. Making players lie about what they use. But they all go along with it mostly.
Good info. 340 grams is not a heavy racket though. Swing weight is probably more important than static weight too but it is more difficult to get the swing weight of pros as most of the top guys send their rackets to a private matching firm to have them customized to their desired weight, balance and swing weight. Rafa's racket is a fairly light 340 grams but I have seen reports that his swing weight is 355 and he reported went up a little from there a couple of years ago. I've seen reports that Djokovic's swing weight is around 370 too which is toward the high end even for pros. My personal belief is most stock retail rackets are too light and the swing weight is too low.
330-335 is about the limit for me. I’m a pretty fit guy (not as ripped as Rafa lol) but playing consistently at 340 or above is taxing on the arm for the average player. My two cents. Thanks for the comment!
Funny how this showed up in my feed today. You will probably find this crazy, but while I am currently playing around with the newer Prestige racquets, and have been playing with the Prince Graphite Classic from just a few years ago, my favorite racquet, where I feel like I am basically catching the ball and throwing it wherever I want is the Wilson Graphite Matrix from the 80’s. The “Poor Man’s Pro-Staff” in a way, without the PWS on the side, coming in around 355g., and only an 85 sq in headsize. Wish they still made it and I didn’t have to take chances on eBay....
A few corrections: 1) Schwartzman racket is not custom mold but YT/IG radical MP that was retail. Identical layup to the retail 2) Zverev is indeed using the Gravity Pro (not the Speed). So is Rublev 3) Novak is not using the PT113B (that racket was discontinued in 2019). He is using the PT346.1
I believe these are strung weights. I couldn’t find enough info on swingweight. As for what’s more important it’s all about personal preference and what you’re looking to get out of the frame.
That’s a great idea for a video. He used an older ProStaff for a few years while repoing the newer models but that changed when the first autograph edition came out.
I think Djokovic also has a slight lengh added. Like 27.1 inch or something small but it's slightly longer. This was added like 6 years ago or something. Wasn't always like this.
You can find pro stock racquets to buy online. Usually they have been previously used by a pro and go for sale when they get a fresh batch. Wilson also now has a “pro labs” line that gives you the pro stock spec.
I play with the IG Prestige MP, 27.60 inches, 375 grams, 386 swingweight. I bought a matched set of four of them in 2010/2011 and have been using them since. The only other frames that I've used are YT Prestige MPs (27.75 inches and similar specs to the IGs), and an RF97 that I playtested. The IG Prestige MP is relatively flexible so pretty good for those with arm issues. It's also considered a low-powered racquet but lead tape adds a lot of power. The main thing is that I've used the same frames for the last ten years - I think that it's easier to improve your frame if you keep variables to a minimum and one of those variables is the frame.
I still play using my Head Liquidmetal Radical Midplus, and Prince O3 Speedport Black OS from when I was in high-school back in 2007-2011. They're 10+ years old and still going strong.
nope,weight is not dangerous,you dont have to be strong,your prep must just be early. 360 grams is nothing when more weight is in handle.My RF97,s weight 365,370. More stability,less shock in arm,racket does the work.
You’re right, good prep and good swing mechanics and you’re safe. My advice is for the general tennis player audience that doesn’t have a perfect swing they may suffer from the extra. Thanks Joe!
Pro players stick to whatever they like. Sampras played his whole career with Pro staff 85. Ok no paint job. Agassi did change but the radical tour series where paintjob after paintjob.
Most of these players are super big and fit. They can handle a super heavy racket. The courts they play on are super flat. They can use a smaller head. Shots coming in are super heavy. Us? Everything is different.
This was top 8 at Australian open 2021, Fed wasn’t there. I did make a whole video about all the racquets he’s ever used. It’s up on my channel if you want to check it out. Cheers!
nothing mystic with frames that pro use...... if you think that different swing weight or static weight or stiffness is something mystical then look outside the box. ..... pros has just chance to modify their frames from manufacturer and that all ..... If can play with one frame, that doesnt mean you coudl play with specs from some player...... their frames are not better than retail frames, just little different because of their needs.....
True but most people can’t get matching frames at a sporting goods store unless they go to a dedicated tennis/racquet sports shop, but a lot of areas don’t have that near by. Also the video was meant to point out the fact that often what you see on your tv is not what you see on the shelf. Often it’s a completely different racquet than what the pro endorses. Thanks for the comment Silvio!
I used the new pure aero nadal uses or so i thought he did shockingly it was light as hell, got me thinking how the fuck can nadal generate that much power with this racket. This video explains a lot.
Mike, you are saying on the vid that Domi is using the 3rd version,but he actually uses the first version the black and red old one repainted. But thanks for the vid,it is a good one :)
Fed uses the ProStaff RF with some personal touches on it. He wasn't in the video since this one was focused on players at this year's AO. Thanks for watching!
@@MikeKomen Yeah, I know this video is AO only. However I would like to know more about Roger's player issued racquet. Probably a lot of people does as well :) If you can make a video about that in the future that would be great! Loving the content!
Fed’s racquet is probably closer to retail stock than anyone else’s in the top 10. It makes sense, Wilson designed the mold just for him when he was trying out new prototypes back in 2013-2014. His personal racquets are probably made for him with a tighter tolerance on weight and balance than retail units. Priority One is the company that customizes his racquet for him. His grip seems custom, slightly rounder than stock, and the buttcap isn’t as flared. A small amount of lead tape is added in the upper hoop under the guard. His racquets are strung with 3 leather power pads at the 6 o’clock position, along with string savers just above the center of the string bed. I don’t think he has any lead tape or silicone in the handle. He strings with natural gut in the mains and Luxilon Alu Power Rough in the cross. Keep in mind that this is the longest break from the tour that he’s ever had in his career, and may return with a slightly different setup since he’s had time to play around with specs.
