Friday, August 29, 2008
The Original Hybrids
Prince Pro Blend
Back in the days before monofilament polyesters
were such the rage, if you broke strings all the time, this was the stuff they put in your racquet. It didn't matter how it played or how bad your arm hurt, you used it so you didn't go broke paying for restringing.That was then this is now... In comparison to todays durable strings, Prince Pro Blend is at the bottom of the barrel, but in it's day (late 80's early 90's) you saw this in a lot of serious players racquets. I used it (or something similar) all the way through high school and college. And who is more serious than me?
A hybrid string is actually two different strings. One for the mains (up and down) and a different one for the crosses (side to side). In the case of Prince Pro Blend the mains are made of Kevlar, and the crosses are your typical everyday synthetic gut. The stiff Kevlar mains are made to last forever, while the softer feeling synthetic crosses provide a little more comfort and playability.
Kevlar strings are strictly for durability, and have little to no playability in them. They are extremely stiff and very uncomfortable. If this was the only string you put in your racquet you could have arm problems. Kevlar is also very expensive, so that might be another reason to only use half of what you need!
The synthetic gut crosses give you a little more comfort, but they are nothing to write home about either. They are very average... good playability, decent durability. Since they are in the crosses, and don't absorb as much of the punishment, they don't have to last forever. What normally happens with Pro Blend is that the synthetic gut crosses eventually cuts through the Kevlar mains, thus breaking your strings. So it is a matter of friction, not power, that makes breaks.
I would guess that most sales of this string are because players have been using it for years, and haven't tried the newer hybrids. I do not recommend Pro Blend to frequent string breakers anymore, and I don't recommend it to you either.
One thing that can be said about this string is that it paved the way for the higher tech poly hybrids that almost all of the pros are playing with today. Todays hybrids play much better than Pro Blend, but Pro Blend has its place in history as the old school hybrid
Ashaway Crossfire
Ashaway Crossfire is also a Kevlar/Synthetic hybrid, but I hold it in a little higher esteem.Crossfire is one of many hybrid strings that are made for frequent string breakers. While the concept for this string is no different than Prince Pro Blend, the execution is much better.
The Kevlar that Ashaway uses for Crossfire is a much softer braid, thereby making it a little easier on the arm. The softer feel does not decrease durability, and the thinner 17 gauge of Crossfire gives you a better feel for the ball. Spin and touch shots are played much easier with the thinner gauge. You do lose a little durability on the crosses when you go with Crossfire 17, but in comparison to a non hybrid 17, you will be fine for weeks or months depending on your playing style. If you never break strings there is no reason to use this string.
I used this string fairly often through college, and I liked it more than Prince Pro Blend, but it is more expensive, and in college that was an issue! Now I use a hybrid that uses Polyester strings in the mains, and natural gut in the crosses, and the feel is much better. The amount of power that the poly/synthetic hybrid offers is off the charts, but you have a better feel than with Kevlar, and you give up none of the durability.
So in conclusion, while Ashaway Crossfire 17 is an improvement on the Kevlar/Synthetic Hybrid, it still has a lot to be desired in comparison to todays poly hybrids. But if you use Pro Blend, you should give it a try, because it is a step up in quality and playability.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Tournagrip: A Pro Tradition
Tournagrip has appeared in some of the most famous matches of all time, and has been in the sweaty palms of the greatest players of all time. reading a list of players who use tournagrip is like reading a list of who's who in tennis in the last 20 years... Boris Becker, Andre Agassi, and the player that appears on the packaging for Tournagrip, Pete Sampras. If Pete endorses it it must be good.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Jeremy's Top 10 Racquets of All Time...
Top 10 Racquets of All Time
10. Prince Pro: This is the racquet that started the oversize revolution. It's aluminum construction was not a great frame, but it holds a substantial place in racquet history, and that is why it makes the list.
9. Wilson T-2000: The T-200's was lighter and stronger than the wooden racquets of it's generation. It's steel frame brought it the age of metal racquets. Jimmy Connors famously used this racquet for many years.
8. Wilson Profile: Like number 10 and 9 this frame was the beginning of a revolution. The Profile was the first Widebody racquet. It was very lightweight and powerful. It also had a lot of vibration, and also made famous one of the greatest tennis accessories of all time... The Tennis Elbow Brace.
7. Head Radical: The Radical is one of the most successful racquets of all time. Originally designed for Andre Agassi, this racquet has been on the market in various technologies for the better part of a decade.
6. Dunlop Black Max/200 G: These racquets were used by all-time greats John McEnroe and Steffi Graf. It was heavy, and extremely flexible. Steffi used the control to take huge swings with her forehand, Johnny Mac used the deft touch it had at the net. They were different frames but I lumped them together because I couldn't choose between them!
5. Wilson Jack Kramer: When you think of the classic wooden racquet this should be what enters your mind. The number of pros that used this frame back in the day is too long to mention.
4. Head Prestige: This is and has been one of the most widely used frames on the men's tour. Very control oriented, and very flexible, this frame is best suited for a player that takes a big swing, and can produce their own power. Like the Radical, it has been around with every new Head technology, their ultimate players racquet.
3. Babolat Pure Drive: This was the racquet that put Babolat on the map. Introduced in the US in 2000 this racquet is high on the list not much for how it plays, but because it started a revolution. Babolat was always known as a string manufacturer-but with the introduction of the Pure Drive and the visability it got from Andy Roddick and other pros-they soon became the #3 racquet company in the country, and growing.
2. Wilson Pro Staff 6.0: The closest thing to a modern classic. Pete Sampras used this frame to win 14 Grand Slam titles, and it was the first of the Wilson Pro Staff series. The available 85 square inch headsize version is the ultimate player racquet. Pro Staffs that were produced at Wilson's St. Vincent in the late 80's still go for huge amounts in online auctions.
And the #1 racquet of all time....
Prince Graphite II: OK I'll be honest this one got the nod because of the sentimental value that it holds for me. This was the racquet that I used through High School and College. It got me through my biggest wins, and closest defeats. While the racquet was considered a player's frame, it was pretty stiff and pretty light. The racquet had a lot of power, if you could control it. The Graphite II lived in the substantial shadow of the original Prince Graphite, and thus never got the recognition it deserved... until now!
Want to add your two cents to this list? Is there a racquet that I forgot? Come by the Essential Tennis Forum and post your thoughts in the gear review section. I'll see you there!
