Nice find on that Phantom! I've been curious to want to try one of those out. Or any O3 Phantom for that matter.... in 2009 I got my first Prince O3 racquets; the O3 Tour 16x19 and the O3 Ozone Tour 18x19. Both 100sqin, and with O3 ports... very forgiving, great power on tap, and also IMO great control as well.... Such fun racquets to play. I still have both to this day. After taking a lonnnng break from tennis once I switched mainly to Racquetball while University, then after graduating there I took many years off from all racquet sports in general - I then picking up Squash in 2019 to current, I've been getting back out to the Tennis courts a little here and there within the last couple years. I still love my O3 Tours, but also I don't want to possibly damage either of them since they aren't made anymore, I thought maybe I should get something current to toy with. I've tried the Tfights, and a TF40 305 18x20.. I found them pretty stiff for my liking, so didn't go with any of them. I recently got a Prince ATS Tour 98 - and so far it's not bad. But not as fun I'd say as a good 'ol O3 racquet.
Thanks mate, I had my eye on this specific racket for a little while, the reasons for which I'll talk about in a separate video that I'm working on at the moment. I will say that it doesn't feel quite like the older O3 rackets, the caveat being that it's been a loooong time since I hit with those, and I don't really remember what models I hit with back in the day, so take what I'm going to say below with a grain of salt lol. The older ones were a bit....bipolar. The best way I can describe it is that they seemed to be head-lighter and very whippy (things you associate with less power) yet they were launchy and trampoliny, especially if you don't use spin (things you associate with more power). It worked for me and I thought at the time that I got the best of both worlds, i.e. I had the same opinion you have. The Phantom I have now feels refined and balanced, and I recommend it based on my experience so far, especially if you like what I described above. Anything specific you look for in your tennis rackets? Everyone is different here so I'm always interested in different viewpoints.
What is the model name? Just O3 Phantom 100? I might have to scavenge ebay if I can find a decent buy for it in Japan, I'd love to try it as well. Or if you got it from somewhere else and won't mind sharing the secret haha 😉 So for me, at least in Tennis now, it's been so long since I've played it in any kind of competitive form, I am not exactly sure what I want now in a racquet. What I knew and played with back then, I wasn't so picky as I am now, I didn't really know or question any better. I just used what I had, and made it work (or tried to). I grew up playing it as a junior competitively in the summers since I was 10yrs old. Then once I got to University I discovered U.S. Racquetball you may or may not have heard of that, from what I have heard myself, it's not too popular up in Canada, it's not "UK Racketball" which is basically playing Squash but with a bigger ball, and the shorter bigger head sized Rackets. It's those same shorter length bigger head sized frames, but with a harder bouncier ball, and in a different court entirely. There is No tin, no outlines on the walls.. it's all fair game. it's fun, fast, but also chaotic -- Anyway, once there I picked that up and got really good at it, and ended up playing and competed on my University's team, and I hung up the tennis racquets for that period of time. So as I said above a little, after graduating University and entering work force I gave up all sports in general for 6yrs,. and just went to a standard gym to lift weights and workout more traditionally. Flash forward now again the last few years, since mid to late 2021, I have been going out to tennis courts by myself, I don't really know too many people to play with now, (you know how tennis people can be pretty clique-y lol) and I don't really feel I want to get in any competitive situations in Tennis, so I don't want to join any team leagues or anything, I've just been going out and hitting with a ball machine for some cardio and fun, and looking see if I can re-find my old swings and shots. I've picked up and tried some tennis frames since then, I mentioned I tried out some of what Tecnifibre has to offer but I also thought they were too stiff for my liking, and I don't string super super low to counter balance, so it just didn't gel well with me. I did play a fun-friendly semi competitive set with one of my co-workers about a month ago, my first set of tennis played in over 12yrs, and that was a blast! We want to start doing that more often. For that set I had used the semi newly acquired Prince ATS Tour '98 that is one of the latest offerings from Prince, strung up in a full bed of Prince Tour XP 1.25 Poly at 52lbs. My gathering from that set and how the racquet felt and performed... it felt too stiff, board-y with that string setup. I didn't feel connected to the ball much. So I'm thinking if I do go full poly I will take a page out of your book and go lower, not as low as you lol at least for now, I'll try maybe 46lbs and see how that goes. I'm also tinkering with some Hybrids - which is the best way to go now IMO - and just picked up a used 2012 Babolat Pure Drive for dirt cheap on eBay to toy with - but what I guess I want out of a tennis frame now is what I want out of my squash frames; just something with good feel/feedback, not too stiff, not super light, I don't mind going a little on the heavier side of the scale, but just a little to help with some mass and plow through to get those shots deep between service box and baseline. Sorry for rambling on too much... it's a curse of mine
All good about the rambling mate, join the club LOL! Good to know about your background. I have played US racketball before. My old club had two courts and a small group of people that used to play. I'm pretty bad at it, but it's a lot of fun. Based on what you've told me about your preferences: try some Dunlop frames. They're known for making aofter frames but with good power and feel, especially if you lead 'em up a little bit (that's the reason they're so huge in squash). As for hybrids, the world is your oyster. If you're a bit hesitant to drop your tensions too much then try a poly/syn gut hybrid. My recommendation are the Solinco per-packaged hybrids. I did a collab with my buddy Kent from the channel Open Court a few months ago where we discussed them: ua-cam.com/video/DG5tyghaPjc/v-deo.html We both favoured the Outlast/ProStacked setup.
Even the best/pros can practice more than they already do. I have found over time that a better understanding has always led to better practice sessions. We all know someone who loves to whack a 1000 balls every session without much thought to mechanics or an improvement plan, right? I personally don't want to be that person.
Nice find on that Phantom! I've been curious to want to try one of those out. Or any O3 Phantom for that matter.... in 2009 I got my first Prince O3 racquets; the O3 Tour 16x19 and the O3 Ozone Tour 18x19. Both 100sqin, and with O3 ports... very forgiving, great power on tap, and also IMO great control as well.... Such fun racquets to play. I still have both to this day.
After taking a lonnnng break from tennis once I switched mainly to Racquetball while University, then after graduating there I took many years off from all racquet sports in general -
I then picking up Squash in 2019 to current, I've been getting back out to the Tennis courts a little here and there within the last couple years. I still love my O3 Tours, but also I don't want to possibly damage either of them since they aren't made anymore, I thought maybe I should get something current to toy with. I've tried the Tfights, and a TF40 305 18x20.. I found them pretty stiff for my liking, so didn't go with any of them. I recently got a Prince ATS Tour 98 - and so far it's not bad. But not as fun I'd say as a good 'ol O3 racquet.
Thanks mate, I had my eye on this specific racket for a little while, the reasons for which I'll talk about in a separate video that I'm working on at the moment.
I will say that it doesn't feel quite like the older O3 rackets, the caveat being that it's been a loooong time since I hit with those, and I don't really remember what models I hit with back in the day, so take what I'm going to say below with a grain of salt lol.
The older ones were a bit....bipolar. The best way I can describe it is that they seemed to be head-lighter and very whippy (things you associate with less power) yet they were launchy and trampoliny, especially if you don't use spin (things you associate with more power). It worked for me and I thought at the time that I got the best of both worlds, i.e. I had the same opinion you have.
The Phantom I have now feels refined and balanced, and I recommend it based on my experience so far, especially if you like what I described above.
Anything specific you look for in your tennis rackets? Everyone is different here so I'm always interested in different viewpoints.
What is the model name? Just O3 Phantom 100? I might have to scavenge ebay if I can find a decent buy for it in Japan, I'd love to try it as well. Or if you got it from somewhere else and won't mind sharing the secret haha 😉
So for me, at least in Tennis now, it's been so long since I've played it in any kind of competitive form, I am not exactly sure what I want now in a racquet. What I knew and played with back then, I wasn't so picky as I am now, I didn't really know or question any better. I just used what I had, and made it work (or tried to).
I grew up playing it as a junior competitively in the summers since I was 10yrs old.
Then once I got to University I discovered U.S. Racquetball you may or may not have heard of that, from what I have heard myself, it's not too popular up in Canada, it's not "UK Racketball" which is basically playing Squash but with a bigger ball, and the shorter bigger head sized Rackets. It's those same shorter length bigger head sized frames, but with a harder bouncier ball, and in a different court entirely.
There is No tin, no outlines on the walls.. it's all fair game. it's fun, fast, but also chaotic -- Anyway, once there I picked that up and got really good at it, and ended up playing and competed on my University's team, and I hung up the tennis racquets for that period of time.
So as I said above a little, after graduating University and entering work force I gave up all sports in general for 6yrs,. and just went to a standard gym to lift weights and workout more traditionally.
Flash forward now again the last few years, since mid to late 2021, I have been going out to tennis courts by myself, I don't really know too many people to play with now, (you know how tennis people can be pretty clique-y lol) and I don't really feel I want to get in any competitive situations in Tennis, so I don't want to join any team leagues or anything, I've just been going out and hitting with a ball machine for some cardio and fun, and looking see if I can re-find my old swings and shots.
I've picked up and tried some tennis frames since then, I mentioned I tried out some of what Tecnifibre has to offer but I also thought they were too stiff for my liking, and I don't string super super low to counter balance, so it just didn't gel well with me.
I did play a fun-friendly semi competitive set with one of my co-workers about a month ago, my first set of tennis played in over 12yrs, and that was a blast! We want to start doing that more often.
For that set I had used the semi newly acquired Prince ATS Tour '98 that is one of the latest offerings from Prince, strung up in a full bed of Prince Tour XP 1.25 Poly at 52lbs.
My gathering from that set and how the racquet felt and performed... it felt too stiff, board-y with that string setup. I didn't feel connected to the ball much.
So I'm thinking if I do go full poly I will take a page out of your book and go lower, not as low as you lol at least for now, I'll try maybe 46lbs and see how that goes.
I'm also tinkering with some Hybrids - which is the best way to go now IMO - and just picked up a used 2012 Babolat Pure Drive for dirt cheap on eBay to toy with - but what I guess I want out of a tennis frame now is what I want out of my squash frames; just something with good feel/feedback, not too stiff, not super light, I don't mind going a little on the heavier side of the scale, but just a little to help with some mass and plow through to get those shots deep between service box and baseline.
Sorry for rambling on too much... it's a curse of mine
All good about the rambling mate, join the club LOL!
Good to know about your background. I have played US racketball before. My old club had two courts and a small group of people that used to play. I'm pretty bad at it, but it's a lot of fun.
Based on what you've told me about your preferences: try some Dunlop frames. They're known for making aofter frames but with good power and feel, especially if you lead 'em up a little bit (that's the reason they're so huge in squash).
As for hybrids, the world is your oyster. If you're a bit hesitant to drop your tensions too much then try a poly/syn gut hybrid. My recommendation are the Solinco per-packaged hybrids. I did a collab with my buddy Kent from the channel Open Court a few months ago where we discussed them: ua-cam.com/video/DG5tyghaPjc/v-deo.html
We both favoured the Outlast/ProStacked setup.
Sweet spot is where the racket performs the best. How have you not heard that before😭
LOL not sure how honestly. It does seem really obvious now that I've come across this description. Better late than never I guess!
..so confused ....note to self ....practice more think less
Even the best/pros can practice more than they already do.
I have found over time that a better understanding has always led to better practice sessions.
We all know someone who loves to whack a 1000 balls every session without much thought to mechanics or an improvement plan, right? I personally don't want to be that person.