OT: tennis anyone?

[Waldo62]

In the late 1990s I began collecting antique racquets. In high school I played with a Wilson Advantage, among other sticks. Advantage was a gorgeous racquet, and I could confidently hit out with it. Very well balanced, just heavy enough to add weight to my strokes, and for me it had the best feel of any racquet of its size. So, I started collecting by tracking down a NOS Advantage, and soon I was going down the black hole of eBay and the insular and weird world of tennis collectors. I own racquets that are ~140 years old and are amazing examples of Victorian workmanship. I haven't acquired any pieces in over 20 years, but they're sure fun to pull out and swing in the den from time to time. The racquet in the photo is an 1890s Slazenger Demon, notable and desirable for its fishtail-shape butt. (The racquet in the photo is not mine, but I do own a Demon.)

[wallymann]

picked up this OG RF97 signature from 2014.

[veloduffer]

Originally Posted by wallymann

picked up this OR RF signature from 2014.

That was the model when Federer switched from a 90 sq-inch head to 97, which is on the smaller side as many player's racquets are 100 sq-in. The one thing about Federer models is that they have a high swingweight of around 335. Feels great when you hit with them due to stability and plow through, but I can't play more than a set as they are very tiring. As I have gotten older, the swing weight on my racquets has gone from 330 to 320 or so - what the the racquet lacks in plow through is offset with a higher swing speed.

The trend in racquets are lighter and more flexible but it allows for customization with lead tape in the head and silicon injected into the handle.

Have fun with it.

[wallymann]

Originally Posted by veloduffer

The one thing about Federer models is that they have a high swingweight of around 335.

no idea what my swingweights are, but my racquets are ~360g / 12.7g ready-to play and about 8pts headlight.

{edit}

did some gonculations...here are my racquet specs:

[tv_vt]

Question for tennis folks: when did the Majors each become known as a Grand Slam? For example, Sabalenka wins the Australian Open, winning her first "Grand Slam," according to some news sites. I thought winning a Grand Slam meant winning all four Majors in one year. Or over a career as a career Grand Slam (like Agassi and Sharapova).

Are they Majors or do we have four Grand Slams every year?

[tomato coupe]

Originally Posted by tv_vt

Question for tennis folks: when did the Majors each become known as a Grand Slam? For example, Sabalenka wins the Australian Open, winning her first "Grand Slam," according to some news sites. I thought winning a Grand Slam meant winning all four Majors in one year. Or over a career as a career Grand Slam (like Agassi and Sharapova).

Are they Majors or do we have four Grand Slams every year?

They're known as the Grand Slam Tournaments or Majors, so winning her first "Grand Slam" is a shortened form of the former. But, you're correct, winning a Grand Slam really means winning all four of the Grand Slam Tournaments.

[jlwdm]

The Australian Open was on grass until 1988. The US Open was on grass until 1975, then in clay for three years before switching to a hard service.

Many players did not play in Australia in the old days due to the cost to travel and limited prize money.

Jeff

[veloduffer]

Originally Posted by tomato coupe

They're known as the Grand Slam Tournaments or Majors, so winning her first "Grand Slam" is a shortened form of the former. But, you're correct, winning a Grand Slam really means winning all four of the Grand Slam Tournaments.

A Grand Slam is winning all four majors in one year. Only 5 folks have won all four in one year - Don Budge (1938); Maureen Connelly ('53); Rocket Rod Laver ('62 & '69), Margaret Court ('70) and Steffi Graf ('88).

A few folks have held all 4 titles at once but over a two year period.

[Louis]

Originally Posted by wallymann

picked up this OG RF97 signature from 2014.

I've heard some say that composite rackets get soft with age. Any truth to that?

(JK, but someone had to ask)

[jlwdm]

So then Graf is the only one to win on 3 different surfaces.

Jeff

[wallymann]

Originally Posted by jlwdm

So then Graf is the only one to win on 3 different surfaces.

Jeff

and a "golden slam" --> olympic gold in the same year!!!

[tomato coupe]

Originally Posted by Louis

I've heard some say that composite rackets get soft with age. Any truth to that?

One theory is that racquets lose a little bit of stiffness every time they're strung. The reason is that the frame suffers micro-fractures due to the uneven stress experienced during stringing. Consequently, racquet life is effectively determined by the number of re-stringings, not by playing time.

[wallymann]

Originally Posted by tomato coupe

One theory is that racquets lose a little bit of stiffness every time they're strung. The reason is that the frame suffers micro-fractures due to the uneven stress experienced during stringing. Consequently, racquet life is effectively determined by the number of re-stringings, not by playing time.

if player hitting-power has any effect on racquet life, mine will live FOREVER!!!

[jawnzcapital]

Originally Posted by tomato coupe

One theory is that racquets lose a little bit of stiffness every time they're strung. The reason is that the frame suffers micro-fractures due to the uneven stress experienced during stringing. Consequently, racquet life is effectively determined by the number of re-stringings, not by playing time.

while this is true, in reality you could be a top level player and use a racket for years and years. Rackets will begin to die in feel but if you’re slowly feeling the effect through regular use, you wont really know until you suddenly pick up new racket side by side

[veloduffer]

Originally Posted by jlwdm

So then Graf is the only one to win on 3 different surfaces.

Jeff

I think that's right. Jimmy Connors won the US Open on 3 different surfaces but no grand slam.