A regular playing partner, DL, dropped off an exotic 97 square inches, 14x17 Keencraft Classics tennis racket to be strung, complete with racket tag and even a pack of recommended strings!!!
I suspect this could have been released in the 80s or 90s. The strings have turned very stiff and brittle. Given the very open pattern, and that the owner opted for more control, I strung it with a 1.40mm 15g synthetic gut instead.
Playtest:
- Within the first few hits, it was clear the 15g string was a good decision as it provided a lot of directional control that this 14x17 would otherwise be missing.
- Despite the thick gauge, spin was very easy. The frame weights felt naturally polarized to me. It whips very easy and fast.
- Impacts were smooth and dampened enough that no dampener was needed. Being an old school frame, I suspect it was foam filled. Hence the excellent vibration absorption.
- DL hit a lot of flat serve bombs during our game. Based on an estimate with my rackets, I believe this stick's swingweight could be somewhere around 350.
- But it still felt maneuverable! Clearly, his confidence was heavily boosted by both the easy power and high control, which are usually not found together.
- I am quite impressed by this made in Taiwan racket. If you have one stashed away at home, or see one in the thrift store, I would recommend you pick it up for a spin. It would be fun!
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