My racquet road to today

Hopefully you like the racquet you have now- I definitely like mine - the ProKennex Kinetic Pro 7G



but how about your racquet history, and your all-time favorite? Here's my long, winding racquet road to today. I started playing tennis in the late '70s, and my first "real" racquet was the
Wilson Jack Kramer Autograph


- one of the legendary racquets from the golden age of tennis. I used to get them in the old Randolph pro shop: $35! They were great racquets, but I was a kid, so of course I dreamt of more. The new Yamaha fiberglass racquets made me salivate.









But the next stop for me was the much more pedestrian aluminum Head Pro. Strung w/ 15L Leoina 66- how did I manage to hit with any topspin at all? (I probably didn't). But that got me part way through high school. After a couple of short stints with the midsize version of the Head Pro (Head Vector), and the wood/graphite ProKennex Golden Ace, and it was time for 100% graphite! (meaning a minimum of 75% graphite, according to labeling requirements). I switched to the midsize Head Graphite Edge- a really nice, versatile racquet. I was playing lots of junior tournaments, and doing ok, and I managed to get on the "free list" with Wilson. I ended up getting for free the most awesome looking racquets I'd ever seen- the standard size Ultra IIs.




They were Wilson's top of the line. How did I end up with these killer sticks? Did I test drive them and fall in love? No, of course not! I'd never even hit with one. Another junior player, whom I regularly crushed, got them for free (his dad had connections), and I couldn't stand it! I had to have them! I wrote an apparently convincing enough letter to the regional Wilson rep, and wallah, two of them showed up on my doorstep! I immediately strung them up with the best string I had, and headed to the courts. I was bursting with pride and confidence as I took one out to hit, and boy did I..... suck! These were the stiffest, most unforgiving racquets made, and I think even smaller than standard size. The sweetspot was the size of a postage stamp. I didn't have close to the game needed for these racquets! I tried my best with them for a few months, but it wasn't to be. I was really bummed! But one day I was hitting with a kid who had a racquet I'd never seen before. He let me try it, and instantly I was redeemed! I could play good ball again! The racquet was the midsize Wilson Javelin.

It felt like it was custom-made for me: perfect size, stiffness, weight, balance, power, control, and it even looked cool! I immediately sold the Ultra IIs to a sucker..I mean friend of mine, and got a couple Javelins. The story almost had a perfect ending. I loved the Javelins- they were and remain my all-time favorite racquet, and I ended my high school tennis on a high note. My friend who bought the Ultra IIs actually did great with them. Unfortunately, the Javelins had some kind of engineering or manufacturing defect, and typically broke within 3 months. I went through about 5 before reluctantly giving up on them. Fast forward through Prince Comp oversize, then back to midsize, to Wilson ProStaff, and now ProKennex. Whew!

Now, what's your story?

-knarf walker