Category Archives: Technology
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year & All Other Happiness!
To all of our friends wherever you are and whatever you celebrate we send our wishes for all kinds of happiness for this season and the year to come!
2018 has been filled with great people and friends which add up to the best year ever!
Thank You!
John
Year End
As this day nears the end and the year sprints to it’s conclusion it is worth the time to reflect on 2018!
This year was the busiest in the history of Racquet Quest, LLC and one of the most rewarding in terms of helping players. Helping players is the “mission” of Racquet Quest so we appreciate the communication with clients that contribute to understanding the goal.
If you have been around Racquet Quest much you know the importance of discussions, some of which may be boring, redundant, or incredibly exciting. It is the boring ones we want to eliminate. We want every discussion to be exciting and helpful so beginning in 2019 we will be requesting comments, suggestions, and participation from you the readers of this and other posts. Be assured that every comment will be treated with “care” and responses will be as meaningful as we can make them.
All of our clients are special and we thank each of them for letting us help their game. Of course there are “Very Special” clients!
Brittany Tagliareni is one very special player. Brittany is Autistic and plays at a very high level in tournaments around the world. I know you have read about Brittany on this site so we will not go into detail except to say Brittany has been an inspiration for me to become better in what I do each day. Period!
We want everyone to be inspired and we hope it can lead to a healthier life and a better tennis game. Please contrbute your inspirational story to our readers. Here are just a few of the people that made 2018 so terrific…
Robert, Sophie, Aleks 
New Logo 
Ela 
Dr. Zarda and The ZSCS Prototype 
John 
The most famous Joe Falzone! 
“Champion” 
Jack Anthrop & Harrison Gold Junkanoo Bowl 
Samantha 
Madeline 
Omar…happy! 
String Stiffness 
Lachlan 
Eric & Carine 
Ready Racquets 
Jack after removing string from 40 racquets 
IT Support Team 
Our Package Designer 
Carine & Barbara in France…not 2018
Racquet Quest is looking forward to 2019 and we ask that you join us is making 2019 an incredible year for you and your tennis.
Thank you to everyone that made this year, 2018, a very special year! I can’t wait to see what we can do in 2019!
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 |
Meet Jennifer
Jennifer walked into the World Headquarters of Racquet Quest the other day and asked to have her racquets strung. Nothing unusual about that, of course.
I looked a the racquets in her hand and thought to myself…” Well, where are they?”
In her hands were two (2) Head You Tek IG Prestige Mid racquets! If you don’t remember these, they are the pinnacle of the Head Performace series racquets. The head size is 93 square inches; the weight is 350 grams (12.35 ounces), with a swing weight of 309 kg/cm2 (10.9 ounces), and a racquet flex of 64 RDC units.
This is a great racquet for sure, but I don’t see many anymore in the good condition as these are. One needed a grommet set, but that was all.
The reason I mention this is to reassure tennis players that they are capable of using racquets they normally scoff at including a comment “I am not good enough to use that!” A lot depends on what you want to do with the racquet. In Jennifer’s case, she wants to get to the net as quickly as possible, and the nice recoil weight of 146.1 makes this a good racquet at the net! The low swing weight enhances the “mobility” of the racquet which also means this is not a particularly “powerful” racquet.
The new Head Graphene Touch Prestige Mid is still 93 square inches but now has a 16×19 string pattern.
If you are interested in hitting with a Head Graphene Touch Prestige Mid, our demo is strung with Babolat VS Touch natural gut which represents the purest combination I can think of!
Thank you, Jennifer, for giving me an example of what tennis players are capable of!
New Head MXG 7
Head is introducing two (2) new racquets to the MXG Series, and this is an excellent thing in my opinion! It is not that we need a bunch of new racquets, but this signals a commitment to the MXG concept.
In case you don’t know, the MXG Series racquets incorporate a “string suspension system” (my words) into the throat of the racquet. The most notable of this system is the bright silver paint. However, the most important functions are the increase in main string length across the entire throat area and torsional stability that contributes to control of this 115 square inch racquet. We now have ten (10) main strings that are the same length in the throat. These 15.0 inch long main strings do contribute to “power”.
The Head MXG 7 has a slightly “fanned” pattern for the 16 x 18 string format and a built-in vibration damper in the throat. The MXG 7 will accept the Head Tennis Sensor.
The Head MXG 7 is a 115 +/- square inch head with a variable beam (28, 29, 26mm) that puts it in the “game improvement” category. You will see all the specifications below. If you are considering a new racquet and prefer power,”. this is a “must see.” Head has always done a good job in the game improvement category, and this adds a new dimension to the series.
Head MXG 7
The MXG 7 demo is here so call to reserve your spot!
The MXG 7 is available for pre-order and will be available May 11.
| Manufacturer | Head |
|---|---|
| Racquet Model | Head MXG 7 |
| Reference Tension | 57 |
| String | Head Velocity MLT 17 |
| Machine Used | True Tension Pro |
| APPS, RDC | 43.0 |
| ASPS, FlexFour | 55.0 |
| Racquet Flex, RDC | 67 |
| Racquet Flex, FlexFour | 50 |
| Weight, Grams | 282 |
| Weight, Ounces | 9.95 |
| Balance, mm | 370.0 |
| Balance, Inch | 14.57 |
| Length, Cm | 69.7 |
| Length, Inch | 27.44 |
| Head Width | 10.13 |
| Head Length | 14.75 |
| Head Area, cm2 | 756.7 |
| Head Area, Sq. Inch | 118.8 |
| Number of Main Strings | 16 |
| Number of Cross Strings | 18 |
| Ratio Cross/Mains | .610 |
| Main String Grid | 8.56 |
| Cross String Grid | 11.31 |
| Density (% of head filled with string) | .793 |
| Average Cross String Space | .622 |
| Average Main String Space | .519 |
| Dynamic Tension, Kp, ERT | 32 |
| Dynamic Tension, Lbs/in | 178.98 |
| First Moment, Nm | .830 |
| Polar Moment | 340.0 |
| Torsional Stability | 18 (the difference between polar moment and swing weight. Higher is better) |
| Swing Weight, Kg/cm2 | 322 |
| Swing Weight, Ounces | 11.36 |
| Swing Weight Calculated | 386.1 |
| Power, RDC | 59 |
| Control, RDC | 42 |
| Manueverability, RDC | 72 |
| Power, Calculated | 2631.7 (compare to 1996.9 for the MXG 1) |
| Head Points | -6.77 (negative = head heavy. See % below) |
| Head Weight, % | 53.1% |
| Center of Percussion | 20.6 |
| Dwell Time, ms | 9.70 |
| Effective Stiffness | 26.2 |
| K, Lb/In | 137.82 |
| Recoil Weight | 118.85 |
| Twist Weight | 215.2 |
What is “Best Overall Performance”?
In our “Recommended Stringing Frequency” calculator we state that this frequency is to get the best possible performance from your racquet. But, what exactly is “best performance”?
To establish this we need to take you, the player, out of the picture for a moment and concentrate on the racquet and string setup. the reason is simple: no two players strike the ball the same way.
We start with “Swing Weight” which is the most important dynamic property of a racquet. So a higher swing weight will contribute to power and stability, thus performance.
Overall weight is important because you need to be able to get the racquet to the court and out of your bag! Heavier racquets contribute to energy, stability, and comfort.
Effective Stiffness is important because it represents the stiffness of the string bed (SBS) and the racquet stiffness (xxRA, or something like that). This number represents the impact each time you strike the ball. The higher the number, the stiffer, of course.
Of the four (4) things mentioned above we can control the string bed stiffness with ease. One of the easiest methods is to string your racquet regularly to maintain the effectiveness of the elongation of the string being used. Elongation relates to energy return in a string and while strings will stay resilient for a long time a well-worn string takes a while to return energy to the ball.
You, the player, of course, determine performance so when using the SFR you can enter a high UTR or Style rating or a low UTR or style rating if maximum performance is not required.
New Head MXG 1
Head is introducing two (2) new racquets to the MXG Series, and this is an excellent thing in my opinion! It is not that we need a bunch of new racquets, but this signals a commitment to the MXG concept.
In case you don’t know, the MXG Series racquets incorporate a “string suspension system” (my words) into the throat of the racquet. The most notable of this system is the bright silver paint. However, the most important function(s) is the increase in main string length across the entire throat area and torsional stiffness for control. We now have ten (10) main strings that are the same length in the throat, and this does contribute to “power.”
The Head MXG 1 is a 98 square inch head with a thin beam (22mm) that puts it in the “player” category, but it may need additional weight for big hitters. You will see all the specifications below. If you are a player and have shied away from the MXG for head size reasons, this is for you!
Head MXG 1
The MXG 1 demo is available now. Call to reserve it!
The new MXG 1 is available for pre-order and will available May 11, 2018.
| Manufacturer | Head |
|---|---|
| Racquet Model | Head MXG 1 |
| Reference Tension | 53 |
| String | Head Velocity MLT 17 |
| Machine Used | True Tension Pro |
| APPS, RDC | 50.0 |
| ASPS, FlexFour | 59.0 |
| Racquet Flex, RDC | 65 |
| Racquet Flex, FlexFour | 48 |
| Weight, Grams | 312 |
| Weight, Ounces | 11.01 |
| Balance, mm | 319.0 |
| Balance, Inch | 12.56 |
| Length, Cm | 68.5 |
| Length, Inch | 26.986 |
| Head Width | 9.51 |
| Head Length | 13.50 |
| Head Area, cm2 | 649.9 |
| Head Area, Sq. Inch | 100.7 |
| Number of Main Strings | 16 |
| Number of Cross Strings | 19 |
| Ratio Cross/Mains | .593 |
| Main String Grid | 7.20 |
| Cross String Grid | 9.37 |
| Density (% of head filled with string) | .658 |
| Average Cross String Space | .490 |
| Average Main String Space | .445 |
| Dynamic Tension, Kp, ERT | 34 |
| Dynamic Tension, Lbs/in | 190.16 |
| First Moment, Nm | .762 |
| Polar Moment | 320.0 |
| Torsional Stability | 15 (the difference between polar moment and swing weight. Higher is better) |
| Swing Weight, Kg/cm2 | 305 |
| Swing Weight, Ounces | 10.76 |
| Swing Weight Calculated | 317.5 |
| Power, RDC | 51 |
| Control, RDC | 51 |
| Manueverability, RDC | 83 |
| Power, Calculated | 1996.9 |
| Head Points | 7.40 |
| Head Weight, % | 46.6% |
| Center of Percussion | 21.5 |
| Dwell Time, ms | 9.00 |
| Effective Stiffness | 28.3 |
| K, Lb/In | 160.26 |
| Recoil Weight | 157.54 |
| Twist Weight | 211.48 |
After the String is Strung!
I have often wondered what players know about the “stringing” process and in particular what goes on after the “string is strung”. So, while Madelyn was here she decided to video me doing what we do after each racquet is strung and just coming off the machine.
Had I known we were going to do this I might have dressed up a little, emptied the trash and fixed the crack in the wall behind the RDC! But I didn’t.
This video is offered as a “real-time” view of what we do with every racquet and is intended for information and fun only. If you have any questions please let us know…now enjoy the movie!
Racquet Quest, LLC
