Almost all soft hoops rackets sent in to me were strung warped by their stringers.
This Blade 104 has a very soft flex of RA59.
The one with red strings was strung by me about a week ago. The one with black strings was strung by something else.
The one with black strings has its hoop widened by 5mm. That is a lot!
Both rackets inside hoop width were 26.1cm when strings were cut.
Videos below...
The latest Wilson Clash seemed interesting.
Marketing generated so much hype that even during pre-launch in late 2018, I received many questions from players about its potential to up their game.
It did not take long before both versions were sent in to me for stringing and modifications.
I had a few hits with some that were sent to me strung. Surprisingly, many were strung with poly/multi or full multi. Few were with full poly.
Dampener or not, the feel was very muted yet included a lot of buzz and trembling. This felt exactly like "hoop wobble" (link). Immediately, this hinted a potentially very soft hoop. Extra care needed when stringing.
When lacing up the centre main, what struck me was how big the modern grommet holes were. Every hole was large enough to be a tie-off hole. That made threading strings very easy.
My earlier suspicions were confirmed when tensioning the mains. Previous soft hoops I worked on warped more when outer mains like 6, 7 or 8 were tensioned. The Clash started warping significantly from inner mains like 3, 4 and 5. That is a very significant change and carries huge implications.
Crosses start very high and have smaller gaps near 12 o'clock. These gaps almost double near the last few bottom crosses. Another hint of potential erratic stringbed response especially nearer the top quarter or top third which most professional players like to contact the ball at.
When weaving the crosses, the gaps kept reminding me of the earlier Burn series. It was so wide it created control issues for many. And those that could somehow control the ball snapped strings too quickly. Would this happen with the Clash open gaps? (I was later updated by several their strings notched extra fast in the Clash compared to their own 16x19 stringbeds)
As I examined the throat area, I noticed a notched recessed area inside the throat. (Somewhere beside the "o" and "n" of the red "Wilson" wordings) This must be where the racket is flexing on impact. Interesting. Few rackets I can think of, other than wood, flex at such a low and faraway point away from impact point.
Not long after, another Clash came in. Brand new unstrung. For very heavy customizations for a touring professional.
Armed with the feedback from the earlier few Clashes, I took up the challenge.
It was a challenge because the Clash was marketed as a very powerful frame. Many complained of timing issues and erratic hot spots on the stringbed. And it had very open strings coupled with a very soft flex of about 55. All these pointed to control issues.
To add power or weight meant doubling up on these control problems.
Nevertheless, I did the calculations and it all added up nicely. So I proceeded.
First step, strip the grommets.
Now that you see how much lead tape I am adding, can you understand why I said it was a challenge to add control and keep the ball in? For a professional full time tennis player!
(I scribbled on the lead tape too!)
Grommet installation was very very easy. Took me about 4 seconds. Fastest I have ever reinstalled top grommets after adding lead tape.
For this ease of reinstallation, I have to thank Wilson for this modern grommet design. The centre pieces always cause the biggest obstructions. So they cleverly separated the centre 10 grommets from the bumper guard. And the drilling featured extra large holes for easy grommet installation. Well done Wilson!! And thank you!!
Typical of a new unstrung before racket, the grommets need to be seated properly to ensure a playable string job. Look at the red circles area below, compare the properly seated grommet with the "unseated" one.
Do not assume this happens automatically when you pull tension. I have several strung frames sent in to me with the grommets still "unseated".
Until now I do not understand why so many are enamored and mesmerized by silicone in the butt. Everyone I customize for asked for it!
Final checks before handing the frame over to the player. So far the hoop size QC seems very consistent. All Clash and Clash Tour I worked on measured 326mm length and 251mm width for the inside hoop from base of grommet to base of grommet. Zero hoop distortion achieved.
PS: No details of racket weights, specs nor string tensions would be revealed as these players are still actively competing. So please do not ask.
Many asked me how exactly does a racket fitting and modification take place?
What can one expect out of this change? Does this only benefit good players?
I recently sent a very long message to a former top local player. He had just decided to embark on playing tennis full-time professionally.
Here's a glimpse of the message. Names obscured.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
XXX,
Since you mentioned yesterday that you are keen to explore modifications, and I doubt we have time to sit and chat, I'll just share some of my thoughts here so YYY and ZZZ can understand too.
It'll be a long read...
Tennis is not 50% technique/skill and 50% racket. It is 100% and 100%.
Unless you can defy physics, no amount of skill can make up for deficiencies in an ill fitting racket. It's like trying to cut with a blunt knife.
Conversely, a well fitted racket can elevate a skillful player's game and open up room for many creative shots. Even for beginners, it can also accentuate their strokes and make them play better easier. But the racket cannot move on it's own.
Racket fitting is like custom tailoring clothes. There are a lot of measurements taken over several sessions.
Depending on what one wants to achieve. It could be heavier groundstrokes. Or more spin. Or deeper shots. Or being able to redirect heavy serves.
There is always a trade off. You have to give up something to get something else in the racket. So you must be very sure and committed about your style of play. And stroke preferences. And whether you want to enhance your strengths or cover your weaknesses. It is a self discovery process as well.
The best way to do fitting is on court. I have to hit with you and see how you return the ball. How you work the ball. Your timing, etc.
If you are 100% consistent & 100% clear what your game style is, then I need only one hour to work out your specs. A lot more time and work is necessary if you are unsure and/or inconsistent.
So far, all the players I worked with do not fully understand their own game. It took multiple sessions to spot their subtle nuances and hours of videos to convince them what they were actually doing on court versus what they thought they were doing.
I am waiving my fitting fees for you. However, all modification expenses will be charged. Many are one-use dispensables like glue, tapes, replacement grips, overgrip, silicone, lead tape, grommets, special syringes, custom drill bits, etc.
On average each racket mod & restring takes me 3 to 4 hours. Some more some less. I will let you know the estimated costs before starting.
So far average mods including stringing start from $$. Some complex ones, with precision machine drilling and full repaint cost $$$ per racket and took me 3 weeks.
The 1st racket takes the most time. Once finalized, matching the others would be the next challenge as racket specs nowadays are very very off from the intended designed specs. You have to be mentally prepared that many rackets cannot be matched 100% similar to the 1st one. Only very close.
While it is tempting to try tape on a few pieces of lead tape here and there by yourself, I do not suggest it. For a pro player, there are minimum specs i recommend for different levels of tournaments.
Average racket specs for the $50k futures are heavier than the the $15k futures. I have seen a lot of good, skillful and talented players lose because of inferior equipment. And both their coaches and themselves could not figure out why they lost.
I stand by what I mod. If something dislodges during normal play, I fix it free. If the specs are a little off, I adjust it free.
But if any unauthorised alterations are made to my work, or the racket is abused, then I would not adjust nor repair nor fix the racket anymore. Basically, if you like or dislike any aspects after the mod, tell me. Please don't DIY. And please remember the confidentiality clause.
Racket fitting is a to and fro process. Lots of hitting sessions and feedback are vital to make it work. You must tell me how you felt after hitting with it. Then I can make minor adjustments.
The most important issue now is timeline. Competition season is starting and my calendar is filling up fast. I'm almost full for string tests, fittings and mods for the next two months. I can still string but I suggest you add more rackets instead of just two since you snap strings very fast.
The other timeline to note is your own racket acclimatisation. The fastest chap I've met took 3 weeks to "grow" into the racket. Most take 5-6 weeks. So you have to calculate and work backwards when your first tournament matches can be if you wish to use the new racket. There are simple pronation exercises to help you settle into the racket faster. Ask me in person next time we meet.
Remember, pushing yourself too much too fast with the beefed up stick would end up in severe wrist or elbow injuries. So you can't rush it.
Ask if you have further questions. I'll add on more if I missed any important things.
