Yamaha Hi Flex Special

a little known classic - the Yamaha Hi Flex

This, in my view, is something of an undiscovered classic stick that I picked up from a recycling centre recently. From the lush padded case (these little things add to a racket too), to the neat silver finish, this racket just told me to buy it.  But the real clincher was the fact that I love flexible frames and the name of this racquet promised all the benefits of an arm-friendly experience with the wonderful hitting experience you can get from a frame that bends with the ball. Anyone who loves flexi frames knows what I am talking about - that sensation of bend and release that comes when you connect sweetly with a hit and also the sense of suspended time as the ball is held by the racket for a split second.  So, I was excited to try it, though not expecting too much since Yamaha are hardly a manufacturer people usually rave about.  But straight away this racquet gave me what I wanted.  It bends so sweetly when you strike the ball cleanly.

It has a 90 sq. inch head (approximately) but despite this the sweet spot seems generous.  The spin it gives me is considerable and this allows me to put more power into my shots without hitting long.  All in all a wonderful racket and one that is now right up there among my very favourite racquets. If anyone knows anything about the Yamaha Hi Flex range (I know there is a Hi Flex 3 and 9 respectively, for instance) then please leave a comment.

Pro Staff 6.1 Classic (Tour Edition)

Having used the original Pro Staff (110 sq. inch) I decided to splash out and buy the 6.1 stick.  Not quite sure what I expected but I was immediately disappointed.  Maybe it was the string tension or maybe the grip size (L5) that meant this racket never quite worked for me.  It also did not have the same heavy dependable feel of my other beloved Pro Staff.  The feel of this racket was predictably stiff as you would expect from a Pro Staff but with a smaller sweet spot too I never warmed to it.  However, the paint job is lovely.  With a 95 sq. inch head and a stiffness rating of 72 you will need a swift swing speed to get the most from this frame.

Wilson T2000

The racquet made famous by the great Jimmy Connors.  The Wilson T2000 is one of the most recognizable racquets of all-time.  Its appearance marked the transition away from wooden frames and marked the dawn of a new era in tennis that ultimately lead towards graphite frames.  These frames are steel in construction and are incredibly heavy - no wonder Jimmy played with two hands!!
The stringing is also interesting, with the strings attached to the frame by wire grommets.  I have never really used these.  The heads are incredibly small - much less than 90 sq. inches (possibly 63 sq. inches ).  To use one you would need to be extremely accurate and have great technique. But they offer a fascinating glimpse into the tennis history.

Wilon Pro Staff 110 (large head version)

One of my all time favourite sticks - the Chicago made Pro Staff.  This large headed version is great for me because it combines a large hitting area with superb plow through to put real weight on the ball.  It is one of the very few vintage racquets that can still hold its own against modern sticks.  However, it is heavy for serving and hard to create whip, so you need a strong wrist for this. But it is amazingly stable and great at the net for volleying.  All in all one of the best racquets ever made in my view. 

Snauwaert Ergonom

This stick has to be one of the most eccentric ever made.  The idea was to improve the hitting area for forehands and backhands by changing the angle of the head by 45 degrees or so.  However, when serving they feel very strange and the position of the head gets some getting used to.  Maybe this is why they are something of a 'one hit wonder' - most people try them out to satisfy their curiosity and then put them away again.  Not sure if they are easy to restring on modern machines either, so another reason not to risk using them too much.  Again, found this one in a charity shop and mighty surprised I was to see it too! 

Snauwaert Hi-Ten 30

The Snauwaert Hi-Ten 30 is one I picked up from a charity shop/thrift store for a few pounds, so imagine my surprise when I I found the same racket priced on eb** for quite a bit more.  Snauwaert's innovative reputation is demonstrated here by the extraordinary 12 x 13 stringing pattern.  The large space between strings means this racquet can generate considerable bite and put heavy spin on a ball.  The strings too are incredibly thick.  I have not used this one much - it is more of a talking point in my collection than a stick I use. Plus, I am not sure that if a string broke I could find replacement gut of the same gauge for it.  The Hi-Ten was one of a number in the Hi-Ten range that were notable for their spin potential.  Definitely the most collectable of the sticks in this collection.

The thick gauge of  string that features on the Snauwaert Hi-Ten 30 racket

Yonex RX-32

No cover for this one, unfortunately and due to the broken strings I have not yet had a change to try it.  But many Yonex fans cite this racquet as a real all-time classic and one of the finest that the Japanese company ever produced.  Round or oval headed, and not the famous isometric shape that Yonex is renowned for, this thin beam 16x20 strung stick is geared for control rather than power.  Similar in flex to the R-22 but a heftier hitter. Just wish I could have found that case...oh well.

Yonex Rexking 22

The R-22 made famous by Martina Navratilova

One of the most flexible Yonex racquets and the one that took Navratilova to the top of world tennis. She used it from 1984 to 1987.   With a 90 sq. inch head and a stiffness rating of 52 this graphite and fibre glass stick has a bit of a cult following.  More of a control than a power frame but with a large
sweetspot for its head size.  Looking forward to using this one over the summer.

80s advert for the Yonex R-22

  

Yones RDS 001 (90 sq. inch)

Lleyton Hewitt's frame of choice in the noughties

I first got into the Yonex RDS range after watching David Nalbandien play his graceful spin oriented game with one.  However, after buying this RDS001 I realized I had in fact bought the smaller head version used by Aussie Lleyton Hewitt.  As it turns out I ended up preferring this frame much more than the midsize head version of Nalbandien (more on this racket in a future post).  In fact both frames feel very different - almost as if they are completely unrelated.  This frame has a lovely flex to it and can offer awesome spin potential, especially if strung with spin friendly string.  The sweet spot is quite small, as you might expect of a smaller headed stick so I never used this racket as much as I would have liked to.  It suits a player with a large swing and, as with any players' stick, your technique is what generates the power rather than the frame itself.  I also love the paint job - this being the 2008 design.  Much more comfortable to use than the mid-version which is really surprising too.

p.s this racquet is really too 'young' to be on this vintage site, but I like it so much I decided to add it anyway.