Author Archives: RacquetQuest
How Lucky Can You Get!
Having one celebrity in the shop is quite rare but two…that is amazing!
The World Headquarters was visited by Bill and Aleks (aka GBS)! What is also amazing is that they came in separate cars so they did have a choice! If you are in the area stop by. You may see a celabrity! Probably not but you will see the latest racquets!
Visitors!
Brittany Tagliareni…a Winner!
In all the years I have been involved in tennis racquets I have worked with players of all levels, from top-ranked to no ranking at all! The one thing that remains constant is that every player received the same attention to a goal.
Typically that goal is to win!
As I reflect on the high points of this journey there are a few players that really stand out. One of those players is Brittany Tagliareni.
- Brittany is one of the best tennis players in the world.
- Brittany has won many awards and accolades from the tennis community and press.
- Brittany is Autistic.
Here is the deal. Every day I talk to players about the most minuscule of performance specifications…one (1) gram here, one gram there, one (1) pound here, and so on.
Brittany is different.
Brittany is very busy and wants to get to her next function whether it is taking care of dogs or tennis! She really doens’t want to talk to me about tennis racquets!
So, to really understand what needs to be done her mother, Catherine, communicates for Brittany.
Brittany plays with a Yonex SV100 racquet strung with Ashaway Monogut ZX at 46 pounds.
She travels with three (3) matched racquets. This is where it gets interesting and one of the reasons I wanted to write this post.
Brittany needed some extra encouragement to hold the racquet with the proper grip (she is left-handed) to generate the amount of spin her coach wanted her to have. Just telling Brittany how to hold the racquet was not consistently working so we re-shaped the grip to offer some tactile “encouragement”.
The grip has been changed to have different “feelings” for each bevel of the grip shape. So one side is exaggerated for a certain length on the grip and other sides were accentuated shape wise.
The grip re-shaping had to be done in a laminated way because it works, is expedient, and minimizes costs associated with major grip modifications.
Now when Brittany holds the racquet she can feel exactly where it needs to be.
Brittany goes to Washington, and beyond!
See what Brittany has accomplished.
Brittany is incredibly busy so it is difficult to keep up with all of her travels. Most recently she was in Dubai!
Yonex VCore Pro 100
Yonex has done a brilliant job of updating the performance series with the new VCore, however, there is a Yonex series that has been around for a while and needs to be considered when thinking about a performance racquet, and that is the VCore Pro 100!
Yonex V-Core Pro
The VCore Pro 100 is the Yonex “legacy” performance racquet, much like the Head Prestige is for Head. The VCore Pro 100 is slightly stiffer than the 97 version which may contribute to a little more power. The weight of 300 grams offers a more maneuverable racquet for all court players.
The thin beam and flex fits the bill for those looking for a traditional feeling racquet but with technical materials and components. As with all the Yonex performance raquets this one is made in Japan and the consistency is top notch! This is important when choosing a racquet.
If you are considering a performance racquet you need to demo this one!
Weight: 316 (strung)
Swing Weight: 312 (strung)
Head Size: 100 square inch
Flex: 63 (RDC) (strung)
Length: 27.0 Inches
Beam: 21mm
Pattern: 16 x 19
Head Graphene 360 Extreme
If you can’t get by Racquet Quest to take a look at this exciting new racquet just take a look at this video!
The specifications will be posted here as soon as possible, but in the meantime…
Yonex VCore Series…Red…Hot!
The new Yonex VCore Series is Red and Hot!
Yonex has incorporated several of their best ideas into this VCore model series. Some may be easy to overlook but still yeild some performance enhncements, like the “straight hole” design which may allow more string movement and increased dwell time, like the “trench design” that tucks the grommet barrels into a trench to reduce drag, like “areo fin” placement to reduce drag, like “Namd” graphite that flex’s to increase dwell time and spin potential!
Wow! That is a lot of stuff to consider. The good thing is that you don’t need to think much about these things! Instead, go out and hit with one of the four (4) models, 100×280 gram, 100×300 gram, 98×285 gram, and 98×305 gram, and decide for yourself!
All of the racquets look the same so you will need to look for the “100 or 98” on the shaft and then look for the weight on the hoop right above the throat. There you will find the weight, balance, and length.
Most of the Yonex Performance racquets are made in Japan but this series includes the “Game” model that is made in China but adheres to the Yonex quality standards as far as I can tell. The “Game” is a lighter version (270 gram) of the same “look” and incorporates most of the design features of the other models.
The data that follows is for the Yonex VCore 100, 300 gram version. The other versions will follow!
| Manufacturer | Yonex |
|---|---|
| Racquet Model | Yonex VCore 100 - 300 |
| Reference Tension | 52 |
| String | Yonex Rexis 130 |
| Machine Used | True Tension Pro |
| APPS, RDC | 55.0 |
| ASPS, FlexFour | 62.0 |
| Racquet Flex, RDC | 65 |
| Racquet Flex, FlexFour | 52.5 |
| Weight, Grams | 318 |
| Weight, Ounces | 11.22 |
| Balance, mm | 328 |
| Balance, Inch | 12.91 |
| Length, Cm | 68.5 |
| Length, Inch | 26.986 |
| Head Width | 9.69 |
| Head Length | 12.83 |
| Head Area, cm2 | 645.8 |
| Head Area, Sq. Inch | 100.7 |
| Number of Main Strings | 16 |
| Number of Cross Strings | 19 |
| Ratio Cross/Mains | .636 |
| Main String Grid | 7.10 |
| Cross String Grid | 9.75 |
| Density (% of head filled with string) | .729 |
| Average Cross String Space | .526 (the larger the number the more string movement) |
| Average Main String Space | .445 (the larger the number the more string movement) |
| Dynamic Tension, Kp, ERT | 35 |
| Dynamic Tension, Lbs/in | 195.76 |
| First Moment, Nm | .805 (sometimes referred to as PIck-Up Weight) |
| Polar Moment | 331 (rotation around the center axis) |
| Torsional Stability | 17 (the difference between polar moment and swing weight. Higher is better) |
| Swing Weight, Kg/cm2 | 314 |
| Swing Weight, Ounces | 11.08 |
| Swing Weight Calculated | 342 (mdd, from the butt cap) |
| Power, RDC | 48 |
| Control, RDC | 53 |
| Manueverability, RDC | 77 |
| Power, Calculated | 1992.3 |
| Head Points | 4.75 (negative number is head heavy) |
| Head Weight, % | 47.9% |
| Center of Percussion | 21.0 |
| Dwell Time, ms | 8.58 (no swing speed) |
| Effective Stiffness | 29.8 |
| K, Lb/In | 176.28 |
| Recoil Weight | 151.00 |
| Twist Weight | 223.48 |
You Have Been Waiting for These!
You may not know it but you have been waiting for these!
Head continues with thier anniversary edition parade! It seems twenty-five years is a good time to re-introduce the racquet(s) that made history then!
Head Radical 107
Head Radical 98 Limited Edition
The Head Radical 107 OS is a remake of the Andre Agassi racquet that is true to the characteristics of the era! Great weight, perfect flex, workable swingweight, a 18×19 string pattern, a 107 square inch head, and minimal graphics! This may be the purest example of a remake I have ever seen. It even comes with the rubber band vibration dampers Andre used!
The Head Radical 98 MP is the newer racquet geometry and 98 head size. The graphics reach back twenty-five years for the colors but the design is definately contemporary. Plus, this racquet accepts the Head Pro Player Cap System grommet set. Yes, that means you can turn this Radical into a “beast” just like the previous versions!
I will be posting all the specifications of both of these as soon as possible but they are in the shop so please come by and take a look, and feel, for yourself. These are limited edition racquets.
What is Universal Tennis Rating (UTR)
In my opinion, and what I know about UTR, it is a giant leap forward in the tennis “ranking” category! I see more players referring to their UTR in an effort to maximize the setup of their tennis racquets.
UTR has teamed up with Team8 to increase the capabilities of the UTR system.
Here is a link to the press release:
A New Logo!
After all these years of the old “RQ” it is time for a new look!
Please ket us know if you like the new look!
US Open Stringing Event
My good friends Tim Strawn and Grant Morgan are going to be at the Wilson stringing “stage” during the US Open! Tim and Grant will be answering questions about what “really” goes on in the stringing room at a major event. Ron Rocchi, of Wilson, is the Director of Stringing and Team Leader of this event. Ron is normally too busy to answer questions but Tim and Grant are there for you.
I believe this is the first time spectators will be able to ask questions in this kind of setting. So, if you are at the US Open this year be sure to find these guys. I am sure their times will be posted somewhere. Take advantage of this opportunity.
Ask Grant about the time he… huh, well, maybe not!
Keep it Up!
I am talking about our String Frequency Calculator tool. As of right now, as far as I know, WordPress does not support “interactive” spreadsheets, so our calculator is far, far, away running on One Drive!
Each time you enter user information it goes to the “cloud” and the calculation is made, then returned to racqeutquest.com, and you. It seems like a long way around but for now, that is what we have.
Here is how you can help. One Drive puts the application to “sleep” if the spreadsheet is not “active” for a short period. Then it has to be “jump started” which causes the blank display you may see. The fix is to keep it active! So every five (5) minutes or so do a calculation!
We think the information is fun and meaningful so please continue to use the Stringing Frequency Calculator!
Racquet Quest, LLC
