Category Archives: PEEK
Happy You Year!
Of course, we are all anxious for the new year to get here and erase 2020 from our memory!
We are designating 2021 as the You Year! So, Happy You Year!
For the last few years Racquet Quest, LLC has put more emphasis on “custom racquets” and 2021 will see this emphasis extended to “you racquets”!
What exactly does “you racquets” mean? It simply means that every racquet that leaves Racquet Quest, LLC is set up for your style of play and personal specifications. Yes, even if the racquet is Off-the-Shelf and not a full custom!
Many really good things are happening next year and we are glad you are going to be with us!
Consistency. What Does It Look Like?
Consistency!
Consistency is a component of almost every successful thing we do each day!
But, what does it look like? Well since this is a tennis centric post it will look like this:
What you are looking at is identical racquets, identical string, identical failure location!
If you find the very end of each string you will see how consistent this failure location is.
This string is a high elongation material so will notice that the ends of the broken strings are very far apart.
This is a good thing since it (elongation) contributes to comfort and power when hitting the ball.
This failure location indicates the player is striking the ball with consistency! That many explain the UTR of 13.3!
What else does this failure location show us?
- Most impacts are not in the center of the racquet.
- The string spacing in this area is a little more “open” which may “catch” the ball and contribute to rotation.
- There are more strings for the ball to “roll” over before leaving the racquet which may contribute to rotation.
Consistency is important in everything we do. Visualize it like the string bed of this racquet and try to hit the same spot each time you do something…anything!
Be Prepared!
Be Prepared!
It sure sounds simple but is it? Not really! When talking about tennis preparedness that means having enough racquets ready for the tournament, organizing training sessions, plenty of shirts, shoes, and socks, of course!
But, what’s missing?
Your string is missing! Sure, you have done a great job of getting your racquets ready but I don’t see several sets of the string you use in the bag! Why not? You may believe they will have it at the tournament site, and, if you are using a commodity string, you may be right!
But what if you’re using a high performance string that is set up for your playing style?
- Take a few sets of your preferred string with you. I prefer sets over reels but that is up to you.
- Tell the stringer exactly what you want. That means knowing what you want so be prepared!
- Request that your racquet be strung using two (2) pieces of string and the cross strings be started at the top of the racquet. No exceptions! No ATW’s, No natural one-piece, simply two pieces top to bottom!
Know how to identify the correct stringing procedure and don’t accept anything that is not up to your standards!
Most qualified stingers will appreciate your input and do the proper job for you!
Today a racquet came in that was strung at a tournament that missed the mark! One-piece ATW, sloppy knots, distorted head shape, and a string that is not used by the player!
That is why we are posting this… “Be Prepared”
What’s in a Name!
In this particular case, it is the name “Roger Federer” and the racquet that carries his name, or just about!
When you hear about the Wilson Pro Staff 97 his name comes to mind as well as the thought “I can’t possibly play with his racquet”. Well, maybe not but there is really good news!
You don’t have to play with “his” racquet to get the benefits of the Pro Staff concept!
The Wilson Pro Staff 97, V13, is that racquet you have been looking for if you want:
- The really good overall weight of 339 grams (11.9 ounces)
- The very easy to handle swing weight of 314 (11.1 ounces)
- A reasonable stiffness of 64 RDC
Only the sharpest of eyes will notice the subtle differences between this racquet and that RF97 Autograph.
This Pro Staff returns to the classic Pro Staff accent colors of red and yellow. The red butt cap is a small concession to the lighter racquet with it’s more hand-friendly smooth edges.
| Wilson Pro Staff 97, V13 | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Wilson |
| Racquet Model | Wilson Pro Staff 97, V13 |
| Reference Tension | 55 lbs - 24.9 k |
| String: Main/Cross | MonoGut ZX Pro |
| Machine Used | TT Professional |
| ASPS, RDC | 51 |
| ASPS, FlexFour | 61 |
| Racquet Flex, RDC | 64 - After stringing |
| Racquet Flex, FlexFour | 49 |
| Weight, Grams | 339 |
| Weight, Ounces | 11.96 |
| Balance, mm | 317 |
| Balance, Inch | 12.48 |
| Length, Cm | 68.5 |
| Length, Inch | 26.968 |
| Head Width | 9.625 |
| Head Length | 12.77 |
| Head Area, cm2 | 622.9 |
| Head Area, Sq. Inch | 96.5 |
| Beam Width, mm, Shaft, Center, Tip | 22, 22, 22 |
| In Plane Stiffness, Pounds/In | 468 Lbs/In. |
| In Plane Stiffness, Kg/cm | 212 Kg/cm |
| Number of Main Strings | 16 |
| Number of Cross Strings | 19 |
| Ratio Cross/Mains | .635 |
| Main String Grid | 7.40 |
| Cross String Grid | 10.51 |
| Density (% of head filled with string) | .779 |
| Average Cross String Space | .546 |
| Average Main String Space | .453 |
| Dynamic Tension, Kp, ERT | 35 |
| Dynamic Tension, Lbs/in | 195.8 |
| First Moment, Nm | .821 |
| Polar Moment | 330 |
| Torsional Stability | 16 |
| Swing Weight, Kg/cm2 | 314 |
| Swing Weight, Ounces | 11.08 |
| Swing Weight Calculated | 340.7 |
| Power, RDC | 51 |
| Control, RDC | 49 |
| Manueverability, RDC | 77 |
| Power, Calculated | 1940.2 |
| Head Points | 8.03 (negative = head heavy) |
| Head Weight, % | 46.3% |
| Center of Percussion | 20.7 |
| Dwell Time, ms, No Swing | 8.91 |
| Effective Stiffness - lbs | 28.4 |
| K, Lb/In (SBS) RDC | 163.46 |
| Recoil Weight | 157.6 |
| Twist Weight | 235.6 |
| End Weight | 144.5 |
| Tip Weight | 194.3 |
| Total Weight | 338.8 |
| 9 O'Clock | 97.6 |
| 3 O'Clock | 98.4 |
| Butt Cap | 141.6 |
| Total Weight | 337.6 |
What’s New?
We have had a “sneak peek” at some new tennis racquet models that will be arriving early in 2021! Typically, we can’t divulge a lot of the details yet but suffice it to say these are exciting models!
But let’s back up a minute and talk about new racquets that are here, or should be here, or will be here soon! The new Wilson Pro Staff series had a delivery date of September 28, 2020. They are way behind! If you are waiting for a new Pro Staff…we are sorry! Who knows what happened, but it is not good when the expected deliveries are not met!
The new Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph will change only to the Pro Staff colors of red and yellow stripes; the Pro Staff RF 97 will get a new grip pallet and butt cap setup that is intended to be easier on the hand.
The new Tecnifibre RS Series offers some interesting geometric concepts that continue their push for more player traction.
The new Head Graphene 360+ Radical Series retains the classic Radical Orange, but this one is “in your face orange”! Awesome! A cool gray shaft and grip temper this orange!
The Radical MP that we have seen has a few changes in shape and dimensions, and in fact, it is a different racquet than the past years. The head shape is more “round” by a slight amount, and the beam cross-section is different. The beam height is slightly less than the previous version, but the stiffness remains nearly the same. The shape of the “yoke” section is a little deeper and slightly wider at the junction of the head.
The new Radical has a “slicker” aerodynamic grommet system, for, no doubt, greater head speed to go with the “spin” friendly grommets!
And, the Radical Series has been scaled back to three (3) models! The Radical Pro, the Radical MP, and the Radical S. The Radical S is 102 square inches and the Pro and MP are 98 square inches.
The Head Graphene 360+Gravity has been a top seller and therefore is only getting a “cosmetic” make-over! The Hot Lava and Teal are being replaced by very interesting blue and yellow graphics! They look really good!
The Head Graphene 360+ Speed is staying the same but will add a black edition to the mix! It seems Novak likes black better than black and white so there will be a “black” in early 2021!
Don’t forget the Head Instinct “Effortless Power” series! It continues in a new color scheme, still blue and blue but in a more Head consistent pattern.
This week we will be getting the new demo racquets setup for your evaluation…if all goes well!
It is reassuring to know even in this time of uncertainty that racquet companies continue to produce great products that can, and will, help many players stay in the game!
Racquet Quest, LLC
