Within a few hits, sometimes merely "air-swings", he could tell me the difference.
But looking at how much M's pair of Yonex RD-7s bother him, I am not sure if I could call his sensitive touch a blessing.
Near the bottom left of both pics were scribbled the racket's balance. One at 32.0cm and the other 32.5cm.
Even with the same strings and same tension, this balance (0.5cm) and total weight difference (a whopping 2 grams!!!) affected M so much!
During play, I could see his swing timing difference between both rackets! His ball trajectory, drive, spin and accuracy were distinct for each. Judging from the shots that came over, I could clearly tell which stick he was using!
I am grateful I can handle some "manufacturing tolerances". Even when they were out by about 10 grams, or balance off by about 1cm, I am fine. I would feel a little uneasy switching rackets, but a couple of minutes settles me down.
It is common for many to have multiple similar rackets. If you play competitively, make sure to try them side-by-side. Play a set each with the same partner. Or rotate rackets every two games and video yourself if possible.
When swapping rackets mid-game, between me adapting to a slightly different stick (like different strings, tension or swingweight), and my opponent adjusting to different kind of shots going towards them, I usually adapt faster. (link)
Lest you wonder, M's full name is not Maradona. (link)
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