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Racquet review: prince tour 100 (16x18), sharapova's racquet sponsor: meldonium shouldn't be banned, racquet sponsor backs sharapova despite failed drug test, tennis.com fitness tip of the week: develop your core, string review: luxilon 4g, question of the day: stopping friction burn, djokovic's brand new bag, product profile: pacific nexus, resilient recovery, question of the day: maintaining concentration.

Prince Tour 100 16×18 (David Ferrer) Racquet Review

Video Score: 4 / 5

21 thoughts on “ Prince Tour 100 16×18 (David Ferrer) Racquet Review ”

This sounds very interesting to me. I don’t know if it’s primarily from my current racquet (Head GRP), or due to the fact that I’ve been playing too consistently to give my sore tendons time to heal, but I’m willing to give a racquet like the Prince Tour a spin. I’ve also been stringing with the Lux 4G @ 52 lbs for the past year or so, is there a particular string or type of string that would be recommended with this racquet and at what tension? Thanks.

tension which recommends Luxilon Big Banger for Original Gauge: 16 / 1.30mm String ( like control)

Hi there. Great reviewing and testing in general. Keep up the good work! What do you think of this racket compared with the Radical Pro? I tested this one and i loved its soft feeling, its swinging and its spinning effect especially on running forehands, but i lacked of power. I have also read great comments on the Radical. What is your opinion? 

during IPTL, I saw santoro using this version. am I right or wrong?

Graphene Instinct MP comparison Prince Tour 100 16×18 (David Ferrer) which would be more comfortable

I have played with Volkl V-Torque (1.23) in my Prince Tour 95. I’ve put it at 49/47 lbs. Two weeks ago I replaced Tour 95 with Tour 100 (16×18) for better spin and forgiveness. What tension do you recommend in this case? (propably higher, how much?)

Thanks in advice Przemo

hey Andy, im a big fan of this predecessor exo3 version.

really nice spin potential, which is my favorite strength but when i need to flatten out the ball for a winner it makes me a little sad.

im definitely satisfied with exo3 Tour100 without flat hits. hows the new version? or is there any other stick you wanna recommend to me? i’d like to bash the balls on the baseline

I haven’t looked at all the racquet reviews but this scored a 92 on comfort. But is this the most comfortable racquet? :)

hey, i am a proud owner of the predecessor, and my hand has outgrown the racquet. how does it play in comparison to the 2014 version, is it more stable or manueverable at net? 

Views on this vs the Prince Pro Tour 100 Andy/Chris (or anyone else for that matter)?

Will this frame be available in Europe too?

1:58: Whoops… ;)

HI, Advice me the recommend string tension?

Hi TW how does this compare to the new yonex ezone ai 100, the babolat pure drive and the babolat aeropro drive? I’m looking for a bit of pop with good spin and control, thanks

Would this be easier on the elbow than the 18×20 version? What are the differences between this and the 18×20?

Will there be a review of the ESP version? I was also wondering, when I buy a racquet (Europe) will the stringing tool be included? The boomerang tool? Thanks :)

Prince Tour 100 16×18 vs Steam 99s?

How would this compare to V1 Volkl Pro ? and is it similar feel ? 

A team version of the new Tour model is what I was thinking! Sorry. I have a doughter playing and we are about to try the arm friendly exo 3 team. But maybe we should wait for a Tour team? 16-18 295 grams? Now she is playing with 270 g babolat pure drive lite. It’s to stiff. She just started playing with polyester strings so I’m looking for a armfriendly and more havy racket for her.

Hi and thank you fore all the grate revews! Do you know if Prince is releasing a team version of the exo 3? 

Great review! I have a question about the grip size (never used prince racquet before). Is it comparable with wilson BLX prostaff 90? Or, is it significantly smaller or larger?

Comments are closed.

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Prince EXO3 Tour 100 - 18x20 Tennis Racquet Review 

June 2nd, 2011

filed in Tennis Product Reviews, Tennis Racquet Reviews

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: - An attractive paint job with nice shiny metallic orange EXO grommets.  Also a thin beam (21mm) and solid weight yet whippy and maneuverable. I couldn't wait to hit with the Tour 100, the headsize, 100 sq inches, and large round sweet spot looked like it would provide a fun demo ahead.  I wasn't disappointed. GROUNDSTROKES: - The Prince EXO3 Tour 100 felt consistent and solid on forehands and backhands especially.  It was very spin friendly and had less depth on shots then it sibling the 16x18 providing more margin on my shot, which I appreciated.  It oozed with confidence thanks to the large strike zone on this thing.  And it perfected top spin forehands and hard sliced backhands equally well which really impressed me and flat out made my wife want to switch her regular racquet to a Tour 100 18x20 immediately.  It was stable at 11.6 oz but had a low swing weight (322) making it very maneuverable and fast-feeling.  It is not very stiff (rated at 52), however if you like a livelier racquet with some vibration this racquet will not disappoint. VOLLEYS: - Volley were a strength with this racquet.  I could easily see it being popular with doubles players.  The large sweet spot and overall maneuverability really shined in volleys.  Forehands were crisp and backhands were blocked back with ease.  Again, you're gonna feel volleys due to the lack of stiffness but the sweet spot is a great trade-off in my opinion. SERVES/RETURN OF SERVES: - Serving was a strength with the Tour 100 18x20.  The swing weight made snapping off serves a breeze.  It felt lighter than the 11.6 oz it sports and the 18x20 string pattern seemed to make the ball explode off my serve more than it's sibling the 16x18.  It also has a slightly less swing-weight rating than the 16x18 and I honestly felt the difference.   - Returns were exceptional with the 18x20.  The big sweet spot, and light feel to this racquet allowed counter shots galore.  And it seemingly erased off-centered returns.  Returns are a big advantage with the Tour 100 and especially the 18x20 version. OVERALL IMPRESSIONS: - This racquet rocks!  I see why it's the racquet of choice for world-class grinder and counter-shot master David Ferrer.  The weight added stability but the swing weight made this racquet deceptively fast feeling.  It volleyed great, served exceptional, returned incredible and is a consistent choice for base line players.  It's thin beam adds to it's comfort and if you like big, big sweet spots on your weapon, this one needs to demoed, trust me.

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Prince Tour 100 (16x18) Tennis Racket

String upgrade options, mains string, crosses string, stencil upgrade.

Have your racket painted with one of our custom stencils. Choose 'No Thanks' to have the default manufacturers logo.

David Ferrer's Racket of Choice

The Tour 100 combines the control and feel or a thin-beamed, flexible racket with explosive power of EXO3 system. This variant in 16x18 string pattern is spin-friendly and offers slightly more power.  

EXO3, a patented system that allows strings to move more freely has been a unique selling point for Prince performance rackets for a number of years. It expands the sweetspot by 54%, making the racket much more forgiving on off-centre hits. It also improves aerodynamics of the racket adding more power.

Specification

We ship worldwide and offer a range of delivery options. Delivery charges depend on your delivery country. View our Delivery Information page for full details.

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Prince Slam Backpack - Black

Choose from our recommendations, or pick your preferred string from our great selection

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For all-round playability & power, choose a medium tension

For control, choose a higher tension

Suitable for advanced/intermediate looking for plenty of power and spin. The slightly thicker beams (22mm to 24mm) and regular range of weights give the perfect mixture of power & control.

Thin beamed, heavier rackets for advanced players with good technique and power looking for more control from their racket.

These rackets are perfect for the budget conscious player, or players who do not play regularly, but need a racket for some occasional family games or holiday play. Suitable for beginners and Intermediate players alike.

Suitable for regular club players or improvers alike, these rackets suit players starting to play regular competitive or friendly tennis. Lighter weight.

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ESPN Tennis Blog

Tech it out: prince tour series.

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Never mind all the work that goes into winning a tennis match, the process of selecting a racket can be equally, if not more, backbreaking at times.

Where do you start? Head size, weight, power level? Company? Maybe color? A combination of all. The truth is that there are more permutations out there than you can possibly imagine when it comes to selecting an ideal frame. But Prince, by and large, has separated itself from other companies with its recent production of arm-friendly rackets -- in other words rackets that fit into “flexible” category.

Some folks prefer a stiffer frame, something in the vein of a Babolat Pure Drive or Wilson Juice. There’s nothing wrong with going that route, especially if you like a precise, crisp feel, but these sticks can come at a price, one that very well might require an ice pack after a lengthy hit. It’s true that firm and crisp rackets pack a good punch, but they can often become jolting and uncomfortable after a while. This isn’t an absolute, of course, but it’s certainly a real possibility.

That’s where Prince and its latest line of Tour rackets comes in. From the Tour 98 to the Tour Pro 100 to the Tour 100 16x18 (the three I recently play-tested), they are arguably the three most comfortable rackets out there right now. While all three have a unique set of specs, there was one consistent combination across the board: comfort, control and spin.

Each of these Tours, while unique in their own way, felt like, well, butter. I could swing freely and with confidence without any semblance of arm pain, thanks to their lower flex.

So how do these three rackets stack up against each other?

There’s something alluring about the oblong head that this line of rackets have. Before the Tour 98, I used various other iterations of this frame, including the EXO3 Rebel 98 and the new extreme-spin friendly Tour 98 ESP. Because the egg-shaped head creates a more uniform response across the entire string bed, the one commonality I found was confidence to go for your shots. In the Tour 98, however, I also noticed a deeper pocket at contact, a trait I personally like a lot. The ball sat on the string bed just a fraction of second longer, enough so that there was a discernible increase in power. At its stock weight (11.4 oz), the racket has solid plush, but I added a couple inches of lead tape around 10 and 2 o’clock, which really helped in hitting heavier balls. The Tour 98, like the other two rackets I will talk about in a moment, has a nice thin beam, making maneuverability seamless, especially when returning serve.

The bottom line: I had no compunction taking full rips, and the response was cushioned, comfortable and mostly spot on.

Tour 100 16x18

For a good two years, I have kept this racket’s predecessor, the EXO3 100 16x18, in my bag. As new rackets have come and gone, I never was willing to part with this one. It was off-the-charts comfortable. So needless to say, I was eager to try the Tour 100, David Ferrer's choice of rackets, which is essentially the same mold as the EXO3, but with a few slight modifications. If there was one small complaint I had with the EXO3, it was the fly-aways that would pop up on occasion. Given its flex, it was lively, almost too lively, though. We’ve all been there: in the middle of a rally and … whoops, a double off the back fence. (It’s always the racket’s fault, eh?) But this year’s model, the Tour 100, has added just enough stiffness to prevent those ill-times shots while maintaining the comfort of the EXO3. In other words, the Tour 100 has corrected its one small flaw. The first time I used this stick, I had a full bed of poly, but I swapped out the mains to a something more playable, a multifilament string, which though not as durable, provided a smoother feel.

The bottom line: The EXO3 is now gone from my bag, only because something better has come along. A mega-comfortable, lively stick with power and added control. It won’t be leaving my tennis bag anytime soon.

Tour Pro 100

If you’re not a fan of Prince’s o-ports, if you’re a person who prefers a more classic frame, the Tour Pro is certainly worth a hit. It’s crisp, and though its mold is very much on the flex end of the spectrum, the Tour Pro players with quite a bit of backbone. It was extremely maneuverable, but the biggest difference I noticed in this racket compared to the Tour 16x18 was how well it performed on volleys. I was able to stick them with full confidence, knowing the ball was going to drop where I wanted it to. I really enjoyed serving, too. Although I didn’t have a radar gun handy, I felt the Tour Pro produced easy power; more specifically, I didn’t need to overtax myself hitting through the ball to maximize power. The one issue I originally had was good plush. But I swapped in a leather grip and added tape around 3 and 9 o’clock, which made all the difference in the world when it came to swinging out.

The bottom line: Lively and smooth, much more of a classic-racket feel than the other two. Solid power, large sweet spot and great control, making this stick, fittingly, a winner.

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The Rackets Used By The 10 Best Men's Singles Tennis Players Today

Image via Complex Original

Tennis has come a long way since the

RELATED:  The Evolution of the Tennis Racket RELATED:   What Your Favorite Tennis Shoe Says About You

No. 10 - Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Brand:  Babolat Model:   Pure Strike 100 Head size:  100 sq in String pattern:  16x19

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is one of many top men's singles players on Tour currently using a Babolat stick. After beginning his pro career with the AeroPro Drive—the same racket used by Rafael Nadal—the 28-year-old Frenchman switched over to the Pure Strike series. Following over a year of development aided by player insight, the Pure Strike was used by Tsonga throughout Fall 2013, including in last year's U.S. Open. The Pure Strike is the ideal racket for a player like Tsonga, who likes to control the tempo from the baseline. A slimmer frame construction and the 16x19 string pattern allow from greater power and spin, as evident by Tsonga's solid play throughout the early part of 2014. Moving forward, perhaps the Pure Strike could provide Tsonga the edge he needs to finally win a major.

No. 9 - Richard Gasquet

Brand: Head Racket: YOUTEK IG Extreme Pro 2.0 Head size: 100 sq in String pattern: 16x19

Veteran Richard Gasquet is one of those players who always flies under the radar yet somehow always manages to put up solid results. His racket of choice—the Head YOUTEK IG Extreme Pro 2.0—is kind of the same. The racket's ample 11.8-ounce weight allows players of Gasquet's caliber to hit some heavy balls, while its S-Tech Grommets expand the racket's sweet spot for improved control and just a more fluid stroke overall—no wonder how the Frenchman makes that world class one-handed backhand of his look so easy.

No. 8 - Stanislas Wawrinka

Brand: Yonex Model: VCORE Tour 97 Head size: 97 sq in String pattern: 16x20

Stanislas Wawrinka is the best men's tennis player not named Roger Federer that the Swiss have to offer. Though, while his countryman plays with a Wilson, Wawrinka's weapon of choice is a Yonex—the VCORE Tour 97 to be exact. With his favorite surface being clay, Wawrinka uses the VCORE Tour 97 for its exceptional touch and spin capability. The 97-square-inch racket has a head light balance for increased swing speed, thus allowing players to put more spin on the ball. The expanded sweet spot is fairly forgiving on miss-hits, and the isometric head design provides the same exceptional stability as you'd expect from pretty much any top-tier Yonex stick.

No. 7 - Tomas Berdych

Brand:  Head Model:  YOUTEK Graphene Instinct MP Head size:  100 sq in String pattern:  16x19

Heavy hitter Tomas Berdych not only has some of the best sneakers in the Nike Zoom Vapor 9.5 Tour, but he also has one of the best tennis rackets—the Head YOUTEK Graphene Instinct MP—in his arsenal. It's no wonder he's been tearing up the competition so far in the early rounds of the 2014 Australian Open. Up until 2010, Berdych was known for playing with a Dunlop racket, before making the switch to the Head Youtek Instinct MP series. Today, the 28-year-old Czech plays with the Graphene version of the racket, which is stronger and more stable.

No. 6 - Roger Federer

Brand: Wilson Model: Unidentified Head size: 98 sq in String pattern: 16x19

One of the main headlines surrounding Roger Federer's quest for his fifth career Australian Open title and 17th major overall is the switch from his beloved Wilson Pro Staff racket to a brand new Wilson frame designed exclusively for him. After tearing up the competition with the Pro Staff for much of his career, R-Fed's decision to make the move to the larger stick is an effort by the former World No. 1 ranked player to keep pace with the likes of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and And Murray. While Federer wanted for many years to switch up his racket, he was hesitant to do so as to not throw off his game. After experimenting with the new frame last summer, Federer switched back to the Pro Staff for the 2013 U.S. Open.

This year, Roger seems to have gained more confidence with the new frame, thus prompting him to stick with it down under. Where his previous racket of choice had a 90 square inch head size, the new frame features a larger 98 square inch head to get Federer in line with what the rest of the pros use. Because the racket head size is bigger, Federer is able to put more pop on the ball. His comfort level with the racket seems to have increased over the past few months, as evident by his dominance so far in the 2014 Australian Open.

When asked by Brad Gilbert in a recent post-match interview about the new frame, here’s what Federer had to say about making the switch to the larger racket:

“It’s been an interesting change for me because last time I change racket head size was back in 2002 before the French Open and I ended up winning Hamburg [Open] and I got into the Top 10 for the first time. I’d been with that racket for some time with minor chances along the way, and I’ve always kept testing new materials from Wilson and I always wanted to make sure I know what’s on the market. I think it’s important to have a wide vision to not be locked into just one string, one grip or one technology, so this is a very exciting time for me. I feel like it’s given me more power on the serve—easier power. The slice is managing ok, the second serve is solid, so now it’s just a matter of putting hours on the racket really.”

No. 5 - Juan Martin Del Potro

Brand:  Wilson Model:   K Factor KSix-One 95 Head size: 95 sq in String pattern:  18x20

Juan Martin Del Potro is like Roger Federer in that he's also looking to gain an edge on the court by switching to a new racket. However in Delpo's case, Wilson has yet to give the young Argentine a new stick.

“Hopefully me and Wilson, we want to change, [we are] really close and really soon, Del Potro recently told Tennis.com. "I need to change racquets because I use [the same racquet] a lot...We are working really hard to find a good racquet for me. I mean, if I change the racquet during the off-season, then I came here to play a Grand Slam and I don't feel 100 percent. Your mind start to working in the negative position. It's not easy for the players change the racquet. But I'm proud to have Wilson behind me, because I know they are working really hard.”

While the No. 5 ranked men's singles player certainly deserves to upgrade his weapon of choice, his current K Factor KSix-One 95 is no slouch either. It's similar to the frame Del Potro used during his 2009 U.S. Open title run. The 95 square inch racket is ideal for players who have plenty of power but need an advantage in the control department. It's an excellent choice for guys like Del Potro—guys who like to control the point from the baseline, but can attack the net with confidence if need be.

No. 4 - Andy Murray

Brand:  Head Model:   YOUTEK Graphene Radical Pro Head size:  98 sq in String pattern:  16x19

Andy Murray's Head Youtek Radical series got a major boost in performance with the addition of Graphene technology in Fall 2013. Though it's lightweight, the breaking strength on the Graphene frame is 200 times greater than steel. It's a good thing too because we all know Murray likes to smash his racket in disgust from time to time. Control, spin, power—you get it all with the Graphene Radical Pro. While it's a solid choice for players of all levels, in the hands of a top pro like Murray, the racket is certainly a force to be reckoned with.

No. 3 - David Ferrer

Brand:  Prince Model:   Tour 100 Head size:  100 sq in String pattern:  16x18

Not sure which is more surprising: the fact that David Ferrer is ranked No. 3 in the world—ahead of both Andy Murray and Roger Federer—or the fact he's the only player inside the Top 10 to use a Prince racket. Either way, the 31-year-old Spaniard has proven in recent years that he can hang with the best of 'em, and some of the credit can be attributed to his Prince Tour 100. The racket is designed primarily for all-court players like Ferrer. It features a flexible frame construction that results in fluid ground strokes, as well as the ability to close out tough points in the heat of the battle. What the stick lacks in power, it makes up for with its precision control and impressive slice action.

No. 2 - Novak Djokovic

Brand:  Head Model:  YOUTEK Graphene Speed Pro Head size:  100 sq in String pattern:  18x20

Four of the current Top 10 men's singles players use a variation of the Head Youtek racket, including none other than second-ranked Novak Djokovic. While each racket in the series is exceptional in its own regard, Djokovic's Youtek Graphene Speed Pro is a great option for players looking to take their game to the next level. It's designed for players with flatter strokes, yet is versatile enough to handle some spin action when needed. Novak likes to control the tempo with both his pace and placement, and the Speed Pro, with its 18x20 string pattern and and larger 100 square inch head size, allows him to do just that. Simply put, the Head Speed Pro is a world-class tennis racket for world-class tennis players.

No. 1 - Rafael Nadal

Brand:  Babolat Model:   AeroPro Drive Head size:  100 sq in String pattern:  16x19

There are a lot more amateur players picking up a Babolat tennis racket these days, and a lot of that has to do with the profound success of Rafael Nadal. Rafa's style of play calls for whipping strokes with ample pace and topspin. The Babolat AeroPro Drive, with its signature aerodynamic frame design, is just the racket to compliment his game. While Nadal has played with numerous generations of the AeroPro Drive over the years, his latest version features Babolat's Active Cortex technology for an even smoother swing. All-in-all, the AeroPro Drive is extremely maneuverable and explosive. The fact that the No. 1 ranked men's player in the world has adopted it as his own should come as no surprise.

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Second Serve

Prince extends partnership with ferrer.

(October 23, 2012) -- Prince Global Sports , a leading tennis equipment and footwear company, announced today it has renewed a partnership with the second-highest ranked Spanish player, David Ferrer . Ferrer will continue to use Prince’s EXO3 Tour 100 racquet, which propelled him to reach at least the quarterfinals in all four Grand Slams in 2012. “David has been with Prince for many years, and we are proud to have him on our team. He is one of the most respected players on tour and his work ethic and style of play mirrors what it takes to get to the next level,” said Ken Merritt, Director of Player Development for Prince Global Sports. “Since he started playing with the EXO3 racquet, David has been consistently ranked in the top 5 on the tour. Our goal is to work closely with him to find equipment that can take his game into the top 3.” Regarded by many as the fittest player on the ATP Tour, Ferrer claimed five ATP World Tour Titles in 2012. “I try to do my best on every point, and win as many matches as possible,” said Ferru, his commonly used nickname. “It is important that I use the best frame for my game – and that has always been Prince. They support me with the best racquets to raise my game.” Ferrer plays his hometown event, the Valencia Open 500, through the end of the month. The tournament will be extra special for him as he says farewell to his fellow countrymen, and longtime Prince Team member, Juan Carlos Ferrero . A former World Number 1, Juan Carlos has won over 15 career titles, including the 2003 French Open Men’s Singles title. Ferrero announced that he will retire after his last match in Valencia. Prince Global Sports is committed to continually delivering top-quality tennis products in all categories – outfitting athletes around the world with the very best in racquets, footwear, strings, balls and accessories. The partnership formed with Ferrer and Prince is a natural fit. ( Photo Courtesy of Prince )

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What is David Ferrer’s Blacked-Out Racquet?

Former world number 3 David Ferrer played the longest match of the French Open 2017 so far when he beat Donald Young after 4,5 hours. But what blacked-out racquet did he use?

For you who are interested in the Wilson Steam 99 racquet, below is a pic and specs:

What do you think of Ferrer’s racquet situation? Should he go back to Prince and ignore a lucrative deal with Wilson or do you think he’ll do well with his new Wilson racquet? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

If you’re looking for a Wilson Steam 99 or some other new tennis racquet, I’d suggest you check out our affiliates stores below:

Europe Racquet Depot Pro Direct Tennis

USA/CANADA Tennis Express Do It Tennis Amazon

Jonas Eriksson

Jonas has been known as "tennis nerd" mainly for his obsessing about racquets and gear. Plays this beautiful sport almost every day.

French Open 2017 Predictions Day 1

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I buy my Prince Tour only because Ferrer. HE is the face of this racquet. I Hope that he come back with the Prince and come back to top 10 either.

Hi Victor, Yes, I think a lot of people started using the Prince Tour racquets thanks to Ferrer. But either he didn’t feel like he got enough power out of it or there were some sponsorship squabbles and now he seems to be trying out various different frames (first Babolat Pure Drive Plus and now the Wilson Steam). He might go back to the Prince Tour 100 before his career is over, who knows? The Prince Tour 100 series are still great racquets.

Good luck on the courts / Jonas

I think,the racquet on the picture is WILSON PRO STAFF 97 (stringing pattern 16X19).

I think he is using the new blade team 99 (16×18) on sale on TW-Europe. Is almost the same as the old Steam 99. It was a mistake to move from the Tour into the Pure Drive, but switching to the Wilson racquet has proved positive. I wish David can play on a good level a couple more years, he is an example for small players like me 5’4.

Hi Mauro, Could be the new Blade Team, hard to tell right now. We will see what model he will endorse from Wilson, could be one of the Ultra racquets potentially that are revealed in mid-August, but then he would probably already have been sporting that paint job.

Agree about Ferrer. Not being a particularly tall player myself and around his age, I enjoy watching him achieve success for a few more years.

Cheers / Jonas

The information I have from from a pro player doubles top 50 coach is that Ferrer is playing with a Wilson Steam 99. That would be the reason of his come back…

Yes, it is a Wilson Steam 99. And now he’s got his confidence back :)

Hey I counted the string pattern in your picture of David …it’s definitely a 16×18 pattern… making the Wilson Steam 99 the Wilson stick he’s playing with now. We’ll see soon enough!

Yes! Steam 99 apparently helping him get back to his groove. Nice to see him playing well again! Cheers / J

But the beam doesn’t look like 24mm wide.It’s more like 21mm.

You’re right. Might be the that it’s blacked out and it creates some kind of optical illusion.

Otherwise they’ve created a unique mold for Ferrer.

We’ll know more hopefully soon.But that racquet seems to be doing him some good as he’s playing well currently.Even troubled Roger with his deep returns in Montreal!

All the players that figures with Wilson Burn have in fact a Wilson Steam 99 see Simona Halep, E. Svitolina, A. Rublev, Kr. Mladenovici, etc. I don’t see why Wilson sell Wilson Burn 100 CV as a complete different raq. from Steam 99. It’s a big lie from Wilson!

I use Burn 100 CV and is a good frame but i have the lies!

Yes, the Burn 100 CV surprised me as quite an enjoyable frame. I agree that the racquet company paint jobs is fooling the consumer and that is one reason I started this website! Cheers / J

I hate lies!

He should definitely go back to Prince with the Phantom 100 ! Its basically a Tour 100. Still not extended lenght tho

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• Pros' Racquets and Gear

David Ferrer's racquet

• Thread starter Rhino
• Start date Jan 14, 2012
• Jan 25, 2012

ZeroSkid said: wow thanks, he is using grip size 2 and he is 5 ft 9, maybe I should go down size Click to expand...

Lefty78 said: Most of the top pros are using lighter racquets than in Gilbert's heyday, but not necessarily lower swingweight, just less mass in the handle. Click to expand...

• Feb 13, 2012

So he uses an customized extended version of the Prince EXO3 Tour that you cannot buy anywhere?  

MisterM said: So he uses an customized extended version of the Prince EXO3 Tour that you cannot buy anywhere? Click to expand...

Adidas_Anderson

dr325i said: I thought the grip size corresponded to your hand size, not your height? Click to expand...

• Feb 23, 2012

Adidas_Anderson said: Cheers man! Great Pics and specs!!:twisted: Click to expand...

Lefty78 said: Almost definitely not, given the racquet weight and especially the lack of definition on those bevels. They're quite rounded, looking at the photos. Click to expand...

zerojoshua said: Professional players have been progressively using smaller grip sizes, often two sizes smaller. Click to expand...

dr325i said: Interesting - "Progresively". Can you list a few that went to a smaller grip size in the last 12 nonths. Thanks! Click to expand...

• Feb 26, 2012

I have some pro stock Prince racquets that I would imagine play similar to Ferrers racquets. They are the latest Exo3 Tour extended 27.5 with custom layup, similar flex to PT57a (very flexy!). Also grip 2, balance 33 and strung weight 355. I cant help but think that flex somehow plays a big part in the ability to wield a frame like his. Im a high level club player so I feel I can speak to this. I have tried playing with extended stiffer racquets like Bab Aeropro Drive Plus and the feel is completely different with these Prince racquets. I realize Ferrer plays Ozone Tour but even so thats a very flexy racquet and I believe Prince offers an even flexier layup than retail for that frame since the layup I have is even flexier! The playability is very unique. I have retooled my technique a lot since receiving these racquets. I love control and the dwell time from the frame flex combined with natural gut mains makes for in my opinion a fantastic frame. Also the added power from extended frame (Im shorter guy like 5 10) and smaller grip size 2 to really emphasize pronation of wrist for topspin. The way these clay court players play is something I can very much relate to with my preferred equipment choice.  

Stevo Karlovic

Big hands... big feet... big chain.  

• Feb 27, 2012

Ozhamma said: I have some pro stock Prince racquets that I would imagine play similar to Ferrers racquets. They are the latest Exo3 Tour extended 27.5 with custom layup, similar flex to PT57a (very flexy!). Also grip 2, balance 33 and strung weight 355. Click to expand...

TaihtDuhShaat

• Mar 24, 2012

travlerajm said: These specs are roughly the same as the unstrung specs posted by Jura. So I believe they are unstrung. On the MgR/I, there are a number of factors that would make 20.0 an MgR/I about right for Ferrer (if you watch his forehand in slow motion, his racquet stays perpendicular to the shot direction longer than any other player, meaning that his MgR/I appears to be perfectly tuned). 1. He wears a large wrist band, which adds weight to his wrist, pushing his optimum MgR/I value down about 0.2. 2. He uses and overgrip, which bumps it down about 0.1. 3. He uses a very small grip, which moves his natural hand position to a more choked up location, lowering the optimum MgR/I. 4. His grip is a strong semiwestern, which I believe works better with a lower MgR/I value (as Nadal's western forehand seems highly reproducible also with an MgR/I value of about 20.0). Click to expand...

Hall of Fame

• Mar 27, 2012

Somebody said they get bored of watching Ferrer play.... I could watch him play all day. I enjoy the patience and vision of Federer.... the power of Raonic and Isner... the adrenaline of players like Monfils, Tsonga and Roddick... controlled violence of Djokovic.... Ferrer is all heart. Whatever racquet he's swinging... he's playing his @$$ off tonight against DelPotro. Plays a much more cerebral base-line game than Nadal, kind of has to, as he has less power. Reminds me of Chang at times, without the put away power. Just runs down everyhting. The man is drenched in sweat before a ball is struck. One of my favorites.  

Say Chi Sin Lo

• Mar 28, 2012

klementine79 said: Somebody said they get bored of watching Ferrer play.... I could watch him play all day. I enjoy the patience and vision of Federer.... the power of Raonic and Isner... the adrenaline of players like Monfils, Tsonga and Roddick... controlled violence of Djokovic.... Ferrer is all heart. Whatever racquet he's swinging... he's playing his @$$ off tonight against DelPotro. Plays a much more cerebral base-line game than Nadal, kind of has to, as he has less power. Reminds me of Chang at times, without the put away power. Just runs down everyhting. The man is drenched in sweat before a ball is struck. One of my favorites. Click to expand...

All of the skunk work analysis on his wrist bands aside, I really love the way Ferrer plays. I agree with the above posts regarding his thinking man's approach to tennis. I also really enjoyed watching him play del Potro. At one point last night, del Potro was visibly frustrated at Ferrer's constant painting of the lines. Del Potro hit a pretty bad drop shot, Ferrer covered it, del Potro volleyed it back and Ferrer missed his volley. Del Potro raised his arms and put a finger in the air to signify that he finally got one. Del Potro was smiling and the camera caught Ferrer's reaction. He was smiling too and gave the thumbs up sign. Ferrer is just enjoyable to watch.  

• Oct 19, 2014

Watching Ferrer play Murray in final of Vienna. So, in an effort not to start a whole new thread... Ferrer's new racquet paint job for the 2014 Tour 100... he's still using an O3??? I saw an old O3 Tour the other day and the O ports are so much smaller looking than an O3 Red/White, etc.. that for a tv viewer even in HD you couldn't tell what Ferrer's ports look like. If he is still with the O3 Tour... there are so many players that just won't stray from the O3's.. Jankovic, Isner.. etc.  

• Oct 20, 2014

jarko111 said: Watching Ferrer play Murray in final of Vienna. So, in an effort not to start a whole new thread... Ferrer's new racquet paint job for the 2014 Tour 100... he's still using an O3??? I saw an old O3 Tour the other day and the O ports are so much smaller looking than an O3 Red/White, etc.. that for a tv viewer even in HD you couldn't tell what Ferrer's ports look like. If he is still with the O3 Tour... there are so many players that just won't stray from the O3's.. Jankovic, Isner.. etc. Click to expand...

jarko111 said: If he is still with the O3 Tour... there are so many players that just won't stray from the O3's.. Jankovic, Isner.. etc. Click to expand...

• Oct 21, 2014

Seems evident that Ferrer was NOT using the 'bell-weight' on his frames - obviously this is why he lost~!~ Perhaps the stringer removed it just before his match... inquiring minds wanna know!  

Stringerman

• Oct 23, 2014

Someone needs to give that stringer a setting off awl  

lidoazndiabloboi

• Nov 26, 2014

• Nov 27, 2014

Rabbit said: If you think back, Ferrer wouldn't leave his old Air frame from Prince either. He played with it out of paint for 2 or 3 years before finally moving to the O-port. It is next to impossible to spot this level of detail on TV. And, I wonder where the "pros play with a 400g racquet" folks are. Ferrer's racquet is 322g? That's 11.4 ounces! The swingweight is 324? Wait, that's the same as a stock Prince Tour 100, how can this be?????? Click to expand...

Professional

• Feb 21, 2015

Recently heard some commentators mention he switched up his string bed.After watching him in Rio sure looks like gut mains.Or am I missing something.?  

Captain Karma

• Feb 22, 2015

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[Moscow/Vienna/Stockholm] Weekend roundup in a trio of tournaments

Let’s start in Moscow.  Andreas Seppi faced Thomaz Bellucci in the finals.  Bellucci twice had chances to serve out the match in the second set, but ultimately lost in a tiebreak, and Seppi won the match: 36 76 63.  At age 28, Seppi is having the best year of his career.  This is his second title this year, and his third lifetime.  He won at Belgrade earlier this year.

In Vienna, Juan Martin del Potro and Janko Tipsarevic, currently 7 and 9 in the year-end race, were the top two seeds.  del Potro reached the finals, but Tipsarevic was upset by Zemlja of Slovenia in the semis.  del Potro secured a straight set victory: 75 63.

Stockholm feature the most competitive of the three finals with the top two seeds: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Tomas Berdych facing each other in the finals.  Berdych is 6th in the year-end points chase, while Tsonga is 8th.  Berdych should qualify for his third consecutive year-end championship, showing a level of consistency that was missing early in his career.  Berdych won this in three sets despite Tsonga winning the first set and being up a break to take it 46 64 64.

This week, the two big events are Valencia and Basel, both are ATP 500 events.  Valencia has part-ownership between David Ferrer and Juan Carlos Ferrero.  Ferrer is the top seed, followed by Tsonga, and Tipsarevic.  Basel’s top two seeds are Federer and del Potro.  It appears neither Murray nor Djokovic are playing these events, possibly due to Paris (played next week) and London being back-to-back this year.  In previous years, there was a week off between Paris and London.

Murray, it turns out, requested a wildcard, but much like last year, he’s withdrawn from the tournament due to an injury.  It may just be precautionary.

Related Posts

Murray wins Vienna, Cilic in Moscow and Berdych in Stockholm

TENNIS – Andy Murray recovered from a set down to win over David Ferrer in a crucial three-set match with 5-7 6-2 7-5 in one hour and 42 minutes in a decisive Play-off match for one of the remaining spots for the ATP Finals in London. Ferrer served for the match at 5-3 but he dropped serve allowing Murray to claw his way back into the match by winning four consecutive games. Thanks to this win Murray has moved up to World Number 8 with a gap of 110 points over Ferrer in the ATP Race to London. Tomas Berdych battled past Grigor Dimitrov in three sets in Stockholm with 5-7 6-4 6-4 and backs up his 7th place ahead of Murray. Diego Sampaolo

Ferrer got the first break of the match in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead. Murray broke back and earned a chance to take the lead at 4-4 but he made two forehand errors when he served at 5-6 and dropped his serve.

In the second set Murray broke serve twice in the third and the seventh games and fended off all the six break points he faced. The Scotsman reeled off five games in a row en route to winning the second set 6-2 and taking the third set with 2-0. Ferrer fought back by reeling four consecutive games to take a 4-2 lead but he dropped serve to 15 in the seventh game.

Ferrer served for the match at 5-3 but he made his seventh double fault and dropped serve to 15. Murray came back winning taking three breaks and reeled off four games in a row. He closed out the match with an ace to clinch his second title of the year after Shenzhen. Murray has become the third British player to win in Vienna after greg Rusedski in 1999 and Tim Henman in 2000.

Murray has boosted his chances to qualify for the ATP Finals in London as he is now ranked 7 110 points ahead of Ferrer.

The Dunblane player won his 30th career title and the second of the year after Shenzhen. He will next play in the Valencia ATP 500 and in the Master 1000 in Paris Bercy.

“It was an extremely difficult match. Ferrer deserved to win the first set. I deserved to win the second and the third could have gone either way” , said Murray

Kremlin Cup ATP 250 Moscow

Marin Cilic is ranked sixth and secured his spot as US Open winner. The Croatian player beat Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4 6-4 to lift the Kremlin Cup in Moscow

Cilic has improved his record to 54 match wins becoming the second player this year behind Roger Federer who clinched 61 match wins. He lifted his fourth title of the season after Delray Beach and Zagreb and his 13th career title.

The first set was tough as it featured many deuces. Cilic saved three break points in his first game before breaking serve in the seventh game for 4-3. Bautista Agut put pressure on Cilic but the Croatian player claimed the first set with 6-4 before breaking serve at the start of the second set and held his serve to take the win after one hour and 24 minutes. Cilic follows in the footsteps of his coach Goran Ivanisevic who won the Kremlin Cup in 1996

The current stand of the ATP Race to London for the players who are still bidding to qualify is the following: 5 Kei Nishikori 4265 points, 7 Tomas Berdych 4105 points, 8 Andy Murray 3855 points points, 9 David Ferrer 3775 points, 10 Milos Raonic 3750 points, 11 Grigor Dimitrov 3555 points

IF Stockholm Open ATP 250:

Tomas Berdych fought back from a set down to battle past Stockholm defending champion Grigor Dimitrov with 5-7 6-4 6-4. With this wi Berdych makes a step forward to claim his spot for the ATP Finals for the fifth year in a row.

Berdych served for the set in the first set but Dimitrov recovered to take the edge in the first set. Berdych broke serve at the start of the second and the third sets to clinch the 10th title of his career with a solid performance. Berdych dropped just six points on serve in the second set and just four in the decider.

Dimitrov still leads 3-2 in their head-to-head matches but the Czech player won his first match on hard-court against the Bulgarian.

WTA Premier Moscow Kremlin Cup

Anastasya Pavlyuchenkova battled past Irina Camelia Begu from Romania 6-4 5-7 6-1 to clinch the Combined Kremlin Cup in Moscow. Pavlyuchenkova has become the fourth Russian player to claim the Kremlin Cup win but the first since Elena Dementieva in 2007. Pavlyuchenkova, who dropped just one set in the whole tournament, converted her second match point to claim her seventh WTA title and the second this year after Paris Indoor.

Begu broke serve in the first set but Pavlyuchenkova fought back to claim the first set. The Romanian cruised to a 3-1 lead en route to winning the second set. Pavlyuchenkova pulled away to 5-0 in the decider before closing out the match after two hours and 29 minutes. Begu player her first final at a Premier Tournament.

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