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HEAD Youtek Radical Pro or Babolat Pure Drive Roddick?
I just wanna ask your thoughts on this. Which is better for a club player like me? HEAD Youtek Radical Pro or BABOLAT Pure Drive Roddick GT? I read some articles and write-ups on the internet but they're all praises.
Here are the facts about me:
- I am currently using HEAD Radical LM Midplus and I am happy w it
- I used Babolat Aeropro(black) w/o cortex before. but when i switched to HEAD Radical LM, it improved my game.
- I am currently rated 3.0 (NTRP)
- I prefer baseline than volley
- My shots are more on top spin rather than flats
- Double handed backhand
- I have full moderate to fast swing
- When I do forehand, my racket usually ends up near my elbow and not on my shoulder
Here's a short clip to help you assess my strokes but this was taken 2008 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzdLJsw-mMQ
Thanks guys!
Hope to hear from you soon sirs!
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Advanced member
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RE:HEAD Youtek Radical Pro or Babolat Pure Drive Roddick?
Both racquets you mention are reasonably different from what you currently have, as well as being fairly different from each other. Your current racquet is a bit over half an ounce lighter than both racquets you are looking at. In addition, your current Radical MP has a much tighter string pattern, limiting its spin potential compared to the Radical Pro and Pure Drive Roddick. While the two racquet you are looking at share many of the same specs, one important difference is that the beam widths and shapes are very different. The thicker, more rounded Pure Drive Roddick will generate more power. If you don't see a problem with managing the weight, both options are viable, with the Babolat giving more power, while the Radical will give a bit more control. If you did improve when switching from a Babolat to the more control oriented Radical MP, it might be a step in the wrong direction to go to another Babolat as the power level will go back up. With that said, typically baseliners are looking for a racquet with as much power and they can keep in the court, and the Pure Drive Roddick provides plenty of power and a good deal of spin to help keep the ball in. Based on what you have now, I would tend to steer you towards the Radical because it is more control oriented and it sounds like you said you had improved when moving to the Radical MP. A move to the Pure Drive Roddick could result in a racquet with too much power and a difficult adjustment. If at all possible, I would definitely suggest that you demo both as they are rather different.
As far as your forehand ending up around your elbow, that isn't anything to be too concerned about, it's just a product of your swing itself. Several pros also finish their forehands lower than the shoulder. The shoulder rule is more a throwback to the days of the old eastern forehand grip, which is almost nonexistent these days.
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Advanced member
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RE:HEAD Youtek Radical Pro or Babolat Pure Drive Roddick?
thanks for the advises rwlucas! i actually ordered 4 demo racquets from tennis warehouse and it includes both Babolat PDR and Head YR Pro. i also ordered the new Pure storm Team which is a bit lighter and the Babolat PD GT.
one more question, which is more bigger sweet spot among the four racquets that i mentioned?
tnx!
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Guest
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e-DREAMS11
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4/6/2011 2:45:25 PM
RE:HEAD Youtek Radical Pro or Babolat Pure Drive Roddick?
e-DREAMS11 wrote: thanks for the advises rwlucas! i actually ordered 4 demo racquets from tennis express and it includes both Babolat PDR and Head YR Pro. i also ordered the new Pure storm Team which is a bit lighter and the Babolat PD GT.
one more question, which is more bigger sweet spot among the four racquets that i mentioned?
tnx!
my bad. it's actually tennis express that i got the orders for demo haha!
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Advanced member
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RE:HEAD Youtek Radical Pro or Babolat Pure Drive Roddick?
Of those racquets, the largest sweetspot will be on the Pure Drive and the Pure Drive Roddick. The Pure Storm Team will have the smallest sweetspot of the four. It is quite a bit lighter in addition to a different string pattern. Usually when you combine a lighter weight with a thinner beam you end up with a racquet that can be either love or hate. Overall they are all quality frames, it's only important to find what works for you and to not worry about anyone else.
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Advanced member
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RE:HEAD Youtek Radical Pro or Babolat Pure Drive Roddick?
Thanks rwlucas. actually i got my choice already. it's the HEAD Youtek Radical MP. The specs are close to my old stick which is HEAD Radical Liquidmetal.
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Advanced member
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RE:HEAD Youtek Radical Pro or Babolat Pure Drive Roddick?
Finally! I ordered for HEAD Youtek Radical MP and strung it Big Banger ALU Power Rough 16 @ 58. Would this be a good combination for a 3.0 baseliner like me?
Tnx!
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Advanced member
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RE:HEAD Youtek Radical Pro or Babolat Pure Drive Roddick?
The YouTek Radical MP is obviously very similar to the LiquidMetal that you currently have. I believe you have not mentioned what kind of strings you were using before so it is difficult for me to judge as far as the ALU Rough goes. Honestly though, Luxilon recommends that all of their strings be installed 10% lower than most other strings, and it's not a bad idea. When I string with a softer string like Tecnifibre X-One, I have it up at 63/60 in my racquet, but when I use Luxilon, I drop it way down to the low 50s. From my trials, Luxilon ALU strings play best at tensions below 55.
I would like to ask why you chose the Luxilon though. Are you a big topspin hitter that breaks strings a lot? ALU Power Rough is a durability string first and foremost. It's also pretty stiff and can be uncomfortable, especially at higher tensions. I did not see you mention anywhere what string you were using previously, but if you are not a big string breaker, I would avoid polyester honestly. As a 3.0 player, you are just asking to try a hit a very small sweetspot in that dense pattern. The sweetspot will just continue to string as the strings lose tension and I think it would cause more problems in the long run.
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Advanced member
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RE:HEAD Youtek Radical Pro or Babolat Pure Drive Roddick?
I hybrid my racquet with Babolat nvy and Prince Beast Poly strings @ 60lbs for both strings. No, i am not a string breaker. I'm just a weekend warrior and I break strings like after a year and a half of use. I normally hit baseline shots with top spin.
I chose Big banger rough first because I read good reviews about its roughness that bites the ball for more spin generation. Too bad I already had my racquet strung at 58 :( lets see what happens.
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Advanced member
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RE:HEAD Youtek Radical Pro or Babolat Pure Drive Roddick?
The texture of the Rough will help to bite the ball and could lead to an increase in spin over the Beast/N.Vy combo. I'm assuming that you are using Beast XP in the mains and N.Vy in the crosses. If so, 58 may work out, everyone is different and just because it works better at 53/50 for me, doesn't mean that it would for you.
My main concern is why a player that does not break strings would even want to use poly? With the hundreds of strings out there, I can't imagine that a poly string is the best option for everyone (which many seem to think it is). Either way, good luck on the new racquet.
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Advanced member
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RE:HEAD Youtek Radical Pro or Babolat Pure Drive Roddick?
never been so confident with my game with this setup! Big banger ALU Power rough at 58 lbs strung on a Head Youtek Radical MP... try this combination!
No Compromise
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