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Wilson Pro Staff 6.0 Original Mid 85
(Photo of Wilson Pro Staff Midsize: St. Vincent model courtesy TTW user amir75) Basic Technical Specifications:Length: 27 inches; 69 centimeters Head Size: 85 square inches; 548 square centimeters Shaft Width: 17mm Straight Beam String Pattern: 16 mains, 18 crosses Composition: Braided Graphite and Kevlar Example Weight and Balance Specifications (individual frames close in spec but vary): Taiwanese PS 85 Weight: 12.0 ounces; 343 grams Balance Point: 13.07 inches; 33.2 centimeters; 4pts Head Light Chinese PS 6.0 85 Weight: 12.6 ounces; 357 grams Balance Point: 12.50 inches; 31.5 centimeters; 8pts Head Light Origins of the Pro Staff Original:The Pro Staff Original was the brainchild of Wilson marketing back in 1982. Following on the heels of the successful Ultra and Sting models, the Pro Staff combined the basic racquet shape of the Sting with the Ultra's braided graphite/kevlar construction and Perimeter Weighting System (PWS). The Pro Staff was introduced in 1983. Originally manufactured in Wilson's River Grove (Chicago), IL factory, it had no bumper (a bumper was added in 1984). Shortly thereafter, manufacturing was moved to St. Vincent, The Grenadines. Ken Sherman was one of 4 Wilson engineers involved in the design and development of the Pro Staff and was lead engineer at the fabled St. Vincent factory for 4 years, working on Pro Staffs and original Profile racquets, among others. Surprisingly, the Pro Staff Original 85 was a downsized version of the 110. (Wilson originally manufactured the Pro Staff in 85, 110 and 125 square inch head sizes. The 125 was phased out in 1986 and the 110 was dropped in 1991.) With most racquets, it's the other way around - first comes the mid or midplus, followed by the oversize. Ken Sherman explains, "during the development of the Pro Staff 'family', I was responsible for the 110 head size. After it was completed and put into production, the layup for the 110 was then down-sized so that all of the same local reinforcements covered the same areas in both rackets. Doing this helped speed up the 85's development - it worked on a bigger frame, so it should work on the smaller one. It seemed to work. Pro Staff rackets were named racket family of the year in 1985 by Tennis or World Tennis magazine." What are the benefits of braided construction? Ken replies, "braided construction offers continuous fibers throughout the entire frame. The only starting and stopping of fibers comes from the drilling of the string holes. A complete uni-directional racket is composed of many sheets of material that may only have fibers from 2" to 8" in length, which gives the frame a different feel*. The Pro Staffs also had a 50% Kevlar/Graphite inner braid (and 100% graphite outer braid) which helped in giving the rackets the feel that is so unique. Kevlar adds weight and is effective in damping frame shock and vibration. Additionally, they are foam-filled to help achieve uniform weight/balance specs and provide an even more solid feel by deadening sound." David Price, former engineering manager at Wilson's St. Vincent adds, "braided graphite/kevlar racquets offer much better feel and more consistent distribution of kevlar fibers than uni-directional construction racquets. This is why we've gone back to braided construction." After the St. Vincent factory closed, Wilson tried to make the rackets in Taiwan using an all uni-directional layup. However, the racquets didn't have the same feel as braided construction and they are now producing frames with braided product. According to Bill Severa, Senior Designer with Wilson Racquet Sports, "the uni-directional graphite Pro Staffs were a stopgap measure. Within 4 months of the St. Vincent factory closing, we went through 12 - 15 iterations of braided construction. Shortly thereafter, we were up and running with braided construction Pro Staffs from Taiwan. We feel we have the closest layup to the old St. Vincent frames and most players who've played with both agree. There will always be a few, like Pete Sampras, who prefer a particular racquet for whatever reasons." * It should be noted that the majority of current racquets produced by all manufacturers are mostly uni-directional graphite construction. Also, braided construction results in an overall heavier racquet, making it nearly impossible to construct frames under 300 grams (10.5 ounces). http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Reviews/60/ProstaffOrigins.html The St. Vincent Story:This ex-Wilson factory would likely be a footnote in the history of racquet production were it not for Pete Sampras. It has become common knowledge among Sampras fans and Pro Staff officianados that Pete only plays with racquets that were made in St.Vincent, a Carribean island in the Grenadines. The island of St. Vincent was originally chosen as a manufacturing site by a group of Wilson VPs who were touring the Carribean region, searching for a suitable factory site. Why the Carribean? If you've spent a winter in Wilson's hometown of Chicago, you wouldn't need to ask. Ken Sherman, ex-Wilson engineer explains more seriously, "the Caribbean region was attractive as a manufacturing location due to its tax-free status. No taxes were paid on materials going in and no taxes paid on finished products coming out. At the time, St. Vincent was already manufacturing clothing, gloves, etc. There was a factory shell that had been originally built to produce Maidenform bras but Wilson ended up buying it in 1982 to finish and assemble raw frames produced in our Chicago factory. In 1983, Wilson changed it into a manufacturing house and it produced a variety of models, including the Pro Staff Original. When we started, there were 50-60 workers finishing and assembling racquets. When the factory closed in mid-1991, there were over 450 direct laborers manufacturing, finishing and assembling Wilson racquets." What made St. Vincent Pro Staffs so special? Ken responds, "it was a combination of factors. One difference was that the workers had no previous experience and thus had no bad habits. We trained them how we wanted racquets made and they followed our instructions to a tee. They were loyal, hard workers and competed against each other for the lowest number of rejected racquets, keeping work areas neat, etc. As a result, our reject rate was close to zero. Also, each frame was bar-coded and tracked from start to finish through the manufacturing process. Consequently, if a racquet was too heavy, we could determine where the error originated. This resulted in very high quality control." David Price, former Engineering Manager at the St. Vincent factory from 1989-1991 continues, "the key to our quality and consistency was the sophisticated tracking system. We had huge amounts of statistical data from measuring raw materials and racquets up to 20 times during the manufacturing process. Our quality control was second to none in the industry at that time." Rich Janes, a former colleague of Sherman and ex-Wilson engineer adds, "there was also the molds. Over time, they became worn and a little loose and they wouldn't close completely. As a result the Pro Staff Original came out at 18mm, instead of 17mm." Nobody at Wilson can confirm this but it adds to the St. Vincent factory's mystique. Whatever the real reasons, a few top players just prefer the feel of Pro Staffs manufactured in St. Vincent. Who's gonna argue with Pete Sampras? http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Reviews/60/StVincent.html Additional Views (Mid-St. Vincent model):
Wilson Pro Staff Midsize Appearance Evolution:(please see photos of additional models at the base of the page) The Chicago PS85: - original bright yellow and red pinstriping - bumperless construction - grip size sticker, recommended tension sticker "String at 65-70 lbs." and specification sticker "Weight/Oz. 11.6-12.3 Unstrung; Balanced 1.0-1.5 in. headlight" inside one side of the throat - three separate raised throat grommets - brown Fairway leather grip - White butt cap with large red "W" - no registered trade mark symbol - red primer seen at grommet drill holes and through scratches in the top black coat - Buttcap code located below red "W" - pinstriping and "Midsize" on both sides of throat - Wilson Pro Staff nylon racket bag with strap, without grip venting Transition to St. Vincent (early-mid): - Addition of "St. Vincent W.I." sticker above red "W" of buttcap (these are easily lost) - Recommended tension sticker (at some point) lowered to "String at 55-65 lbs." Some early St. Vincent frames may have the previous higher recommended tension sticker. - transition from bumperless construction to addition of bumperguard St. Vincent (mid-late): - Stickers replaced in throat to decals that describe Wilson PWS on one side, recommended tension on the other (50-60 lbs.) and higher/lower tension recommendation for control/power - black rectangular grip size sticker placed at the outside of the throat above the handle - throat grommets are thinner - these have either "Midsize" decal on both sides of throat or one side has "80% braided graphite/20% kevlar" decal - addition of red registered trademark symbol at lower right of "W" on butt cap - "Wilson Quality" hologram sticker at base of throat opposite grip size sticker. Serial number in bold black font Transition to Taiwan (early): - loss of red primer to grey primer - Butt cap code location moves above red "W" - all cap "TAIWAN" sticker placed below "W" on butt cap - brown Fairway leather grip Taiwan (later): - pinstriping color darker in tint - recommended tension decal now has recommendation for using Wilson syn gut - "Wilson Quality" hologram sticker now has bar code and small dot-matrix print - Fairway leather grip - racket bag looks similar to original, but has grid-venting for grip Transition to China: - same as late Taiwanese, but has all cap "CHINA" sticker below "W" on butt cap (assuming use of last Taiwanese stock) Chinese PS85 (early): - new design with wider throat and one-piece throat grommet - slightly different drill pattern as the old grommets no longer easily fit - white primer - "Italicized" Pro Staff logo - larger font for "PWS" at sides of head - "85 sq. in." decal on inner face of head near throat - brighter, wider pinstriping - Fairway leather and white butt cap - throat decal has specs and square with "6.0" swing index info - racket bag matches fonts on racket with "braided" image on face Chinese (mid): - use of "Pro Staff 6.0" in Garamond font at face of throat - transition from use of Fairway leather to Wilson leather - transition from white butt cap to black butt cap with red square and small white Wilson "W" - racket bag matches the fonts and graphics of frame Chinese (late and last): - transition to silver specification decal at insides of throat - use of generic Wilson Pro Staff racket bag Tour DB (Japan): - made in China, double braided - sold only in 85sq in headsize - throat says 'Tour DB,' not 6.0 - listed on Wilson Japan's website under 'Pro Staff Original 6.0,' but picture is of Tour DB model - different string spacing than 6.0 - strung weight ~333g, strung balance 305mm - 6.0 is also sold in Japan (called 'US spec'), strung weight 357g, strung balance 310mm - discontinued in 2009 prior to release of KPro Staff 88 http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showpost.php?p=3081391&postcount=46 * disclaimer regarding Chicago and St. Vincent PS85s - due to the now collectible nature of these frames, there is a possibility of swapping out St. Vincent buttcaps (potentially taken from broken frames) onto Chicago made frames to "boost" potential sale value. Also, added confusion may occur with the replacement of the plastic grommet strips due to wear, or desire to change. For example, a Chicago made frame could have its grommets replaced with a set that includes the bumperguard. Or, a bumpered St. Vincent frame could be outfitted with bumperless grommet strips. The latter is possible, but less likely given the lack of availability of the plastic parts. * as with all collectibles, originality and condition are key. This guide is only meant as a reference. * the buttcap code list (or in some cases a chart) has been intentionally left out as it can lead to confusion and have noticed the chart has occasionally been manipulated to "help" boost the marketability of PS85s on the used market. It is suggested that buyers pay attention to the details of each individual frame as a whole. Throat stickers indicating recommended tension and racket balance:
Example of stickers used on early-mid St. Vincent frame. Cosmetic comparison of Wilson Pro Staff Midsize:
Taiwanese Wilson Pro Staff Midsize (left), Recent Chinese Wilson Pro Staff 6.0 85 (right) The Wilson Pro Staff Midsize Professional Players of Note:In addition to Pete Sampras, the most visible current and former professional players who use or have used the Pro Staff Original (6.0) 85 include former number 1 players Stefan Edberg, Chris Evert and Jim Courier, as well as Mary Pierce. Between these five players, they have won 23 Grand Slam singles titles using the Pro Staff Original 6.0 85. Other players that have had success at the professional level that have used the Wilson Pro Staff Midsize include Jimmy Connors, Roger Federer, Jennifer Capriati, Aaron Krickstein, and Jim Grabb (see below). Pete Sampras - 14 Grand Slam singles titles - all with the Wilson Pro Staff Midsize
(born August 12, 1971, in Washington, D.C.) is a former World No. 1 tennis player from the United States of America. During his 15-year career, he won a record 14 Grand Slam men's singles titles (two Australian Open, seven Wimbledon, five US Open), and had a 203-38 win-loss record over 52 Grand Slam singles tournament appearances. He debuted on the professional tour in 1988 and played his last top-level game in 2002. He was the year-end World No. 1 for six consecutive years (1993-1998), a record for the open era and tied for third all-time. His seven Wimbledon singles championships is a record shared with William Renshaw. His five US Open singles titles is an open era record shared with former World No. 1s Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer. He is considered to be one of the greatest players of all time. The American journalist and television sportscaster Bud Collins has named Sampras as one of the top five men's tennis players of all-time, and Tennis Magazine has named him the greatest tennis player from 1965 to 2005. On July 17, 2007, Sampras was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Residence: Tampa, Florida, USA
Year-end Ranking History:
1998 (his last year at #1) In Review
Interesting article from 2000 regarding Sampras' affinity to the Wilson Pro Staff Midsize:
Stefan Edberg - 6 Grand Slam singles titles, 3 Grand Slam doubles titles - all with Pro Staff Midsize. (born 19 January 1966 in Västervik, Sweden) is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player (in both singles and doubles play) from Sweden. A major proponent of the serve-and-volley style of tennis, he won six Grand Slam singles titles and three Grand Slam doubles titles during the course of his career. Recognized by fans and players alike for being one of the most natural volleyers in the history of the game, Stefan Edberg was also one of the most liked. His Pro Staff Midsize (and later Classic 6.1 85 paintjob) was distinguishable by the very small Wilson "W" logo on his strings. Birthplace: Vasternik, Sweden
Chris Evert - 18 Grand Slam singles titles - 4 won with the Pro Staff Midsize.
(born December 21, 1954) is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. She won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, including a record 7 at the French Open. According to the Women's Tennis Association, she was the year-ending World No. 1 singles player in 1975, 1976, 1977, 1980, and 1981 and, according to many sources, in 1974 and 1978. Evert's career win-loss record in singles matches of 1,309-146 (.900) is the best of any professional player in tennis history. In tennis writer Steve Flink's book The Greatest Tennis Matches of the Twentieth Century, he named Evert as the third best female player of the 20th century, after Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova. Evert never lost in the first round of a Grand Slam singles tournament, her earliest exits being in the third round. In women's doubles, Evert won three Grand Slam titles. Her husband is professional golfer Greg Norman. The "Queen of Tennis", Chris Evert was America's sweetheart during the tennis craze of the 1970's. Her style, grace and coolness on court also earned her the dubious nickname of "Ice Maiden." Her rivalry with Martina Navratilova was one of the greatest and longest of all sports. At the age of 15, Chris Evert defeated the world's number one women's tennis player. At 19, she won the singles titles at Wimbledon and the French and Italian Opens. She was one of the first top players to rely on a two-handed backhand. Her ranking internationally was never lower than number 4 in all 19 years she played tennis professionally. She had the highest winning percentage of any professional tennis player ever (she won 1309 matches and lost 146 in her 19 year career). She won a total of 6 U.S. opens, 7 French opens, 3 Wimbledons, and 2 Australian opens. She was the first player to win 1,000 single matches and was unanimously selected for the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1995. Jim Courier - 4 Grand Slam singles titles, all won with Wilson Pro Staff Midsize (sometimes painted black).
(born August 17, 1970, in Sanford, Florida) is a former world number one professional tennis player from the United States. During his ATP career, he won four Grand Slam singles titles - two at the French Open and two at the Australian Open. In 2004, he co-founded InsideOut? Sports and Entertainment, a New York City based sports event company. He also co-founded Courier's Kids, a non-profit organization that supports after school tennis and education programs. Courier continues to compete today on the Outback Champions Series and in select exhibitions and events worldwide. He is on the board of directors of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Courier's Kids, First Serve, and The Gullikson Foundation. The ultimate baseline grinder. Jim Courier is known for his hard-hitting, unorthodox groundstrokes and never-say-die attitude. Height: 6-foot-1
Career Highlights 1997 - Captured his second title of the season by beating Magnus Gustafsson, 7-6 (12-10), 3-6, 6-3, to win the China Open. Defeated Thomas Enqvist 6-4, 6-4, to win the Infiniti Open. Entered the new year with a new coach in former top-10-player Harold Solomon after finishing 1996 out of the top 25 for the first time since 1988. Vaulted to 15th in the world by winning the Qatar Open, snapping a 10-month drought for his 20th career singles title and first since prevailing in Philadelphia the previous March. 1996 - Lost to Andre Agassi in the Australian Open quarterfinals after blowing a two-set advantage to Pete Sampras in a quarterfinal match the year before. 1993 - Defended his Australian Open crown and posted runner-up finishes at both the French Open and Wimbledon. 1992 - Won his first Australian Open title to go along with his second French Open championship. Earned the world's No. 1 ranking for the first time in his career. 1991 - Won three titles, including Key Biscayne and the French Open. Held off fellow American Andre Agassi in the French final, the first all-American final since 1954. Jimmy Connors - 8 Grand Slam singles titles, 0 with Wilson Pro Staff Midsize
(born September 2, 1952, in East St. Louis, Illinois, also known as "Jimbo") is a former World No. 1 American tennis player. He held the top ranking for 160 consecutive weeks from July 29, 1974 through August 29, 1977 and an additional eight times during his career (a total of 268 weeks). He won eight Grand Slam singles titles and two Grand Slam doubles titles with Ilie Nastase and was the mixed doubles runner-up with Chris Evert at the 1974 US Open. He is considered to be one of the top male tennis players of all time. He is a former coach of Andy Roddick, the winner of the 2003 US Open. Although Connors never won the French Open, his victory at the 1976 US Open came during the brief period (1975 through 1977) when that tournament was held on clay courts. Connors is, therefore, one of only four men (Mats Wilander, Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal are the others) to have won a Grand Slam singles title on grass courts, hard courts, and clay courts. Connors also won the U.S. Open singles championship itself on on grass courts, hard courts, and clay courts, the only man to accomplish that trio of wins. He played with this chrome tubular steel racket until 1984, when most other pros had shifted to new racket technologies, materials, and designs. The T2000 in the eighties "had the aura of a dinosaur - it had been introduced in 1968." In 1984, Connors switched to the new Wilson Pro Staff that had been designed especially for him. But 1985 again found Connors playing with the T2000. Not until 1987 did he finally switch to a graphite racket when he contracted with Slazenger to play their Panther Pro Ceramic. In 1990 Connors signed with Estusa. Connors experimented with lead tape which he would wind around the racquet head to provide the proper "feel" for his style of game. Mary Pierce - 2 Grand Slam singles titles, 1 with the Pro Staff Midsize (sometimes painted black)
(born 15 January 1975, in Montreal, Canada) is a tennis professional playing on the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) tour. She is a citizen of France, Canada, and the United States but plays for France in team competitions and the Olympics. Pierce has won four Grand Slam titles, two in singles and two in doubles. She has reached six Grand Slam singles finals, most recently at the US Open and French Open in 2005. Her Grand Slam singles titles came at the 2000 French Open and the 1995 Australian Open. She won the 2005 Wimbledon mixed doubles championship and has reached three Grand Slam doubles finals. She has won 18 WTA singles titles and 10 WTA doubles titles, including five Tier I singles events. She also has twice reached the final of the season-ending WTA Tour Championships, most recently in 2005. Birthdate: January 15, 1975
WTA TOUR singles titles: 12 WTA TOUR doubles titles: 5 (Grand Slam titles: 2 singles: 1995 Australian Open, 2000 Roland Garros) ITF Women's Circuit singles titles: 2 1998 PRIZE MONEY: 662,237
http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Reviews/60/ProStaffPros.html Aaron Krickstein - 0 Grand Slam singles tiles, 2 grand slam semifinals
(born August 2, 1967) is an American former professional tennis player on the ATP Tour who competed from 1983 to 1996. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, he currently competes on the Outback Champions Series Over-30 tour. Krickstein reached his career high ATP ranking of World No. 6, on February 26, 1990. He achieved this ranking on the back of wins in Sydney and Los Angeles, as well as his best ever results at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Krickstein used a blacked-out Wilson Pro Staff Midsize against Jimmy Connors in their classic match during the 1991 U.S. Open where Connors prevailed 3-6 7-6(8) 1-6 6-3 7-6(4) in the fourth round. Krickstein still uses the Wilson Pro Staff Misize to great effect in his play on the Senior Outback Champions Series Tennis tour. Jennifer Capriati - 3 Grand Slam singles titles, 0 with Wilson Pro Staff Midsize (born March 29, 1976, in New York City) is a former World No. 1 women's tennis player from the United States. She has won three Grand Slam singles titles (2001 and 2002 Australian Open, 2001 French Open) and the women's singles gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games. Capriati has won 14 professional singles titles and one doubles title. Jennifer Capriati used the Wilson Pro Staff Midsize prior to turning pro. As she made the transition to professional tennis, she signed with Prince. Jim Grabb (born April 14, 1964) is a 6' 4" former professional tennis player. Grabb was twice ranked the world's # 1 doubles player, in 1989 and in 1993.A right-handed serve-and-volleyer, Grabb's best singles ranking was the world's # 24, a ranking he achieved in February 1990. Roger Federer - 13 Grand Slam singles titles, 0 with Wilson Pro Staff 6.0 85
(born August 8, 1981) is a Swiss professional tennis player who is currently ranked World No. 2. He was the World No. 1 ranked player for a record 237 consecutive weeks, from February 2, 2004 to August 17, 2008. Federer is widely considered to be one of the greatest male singles tennis players of the open era. Federer has won 13 Grand Slam singles titles (3 Australian Open, 5 Wimbledon, 5 US Open), currently just one shy of all-time leader Pete Sampras. He has also won 4 Tennis Masters Cup titles, and 14 ATP Masters Series titles, as well as winning Olympic gold in doubles. He holds many records in the sport, including having appeared in 10 consecutive Grand Slam men's singles finals (2005 Wimbledon Championships through the 2007 US Open) and 19 consecutive Grand Slam singles semifinals (2004 Wimbledon–present). He also holds the open era records for most consecutive wins on both grass courts (65) and hard courts (56). He has a storied rivalry with Spaniard Rafael Nadal, who recently succeeded him as the World No. 1 player. It is interesting to note that Roger Federer did use the Wilson Pro Staff 6.0 85 in his early professional career. He apparently chose the frame as Pete Sampras was a childhood hero. The two players would face off in the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2001. Federer would prevail over his idol 7-6(7) 5-7 6-4 6-7(2) 7-5.
Federer would later transition away from the Wilson Pro Staff 6.0 85 to larger headsized derivatives developed by Wilson based on his original Pro Staff Midsize. Paintjobs: Below are photos of the Wilson Pro Staff Classic paintjobs of the Pro Staff Midsize as used by Stefan Edberg and top doubles player Jim Grabb (courtesy of TTW user Equijet). These frames were used around 1991-1992 to help promote sales of the Wilson Pro Staff Classic 6.1si.
Below are photos of the Wilson Pro Staff Midsize "Stars and Stripes" cosmetics as briefly used by Jim Courier. The frame is compared to the commercially available Wilson Pro Staff 6.6 Midsize (85 sq. in. headsize). The Wilson Pro Staff 6.6 was also available in a 95 sq. in. headsize. (photos courtesy TTW user equijet)
Below are photos of the Hyper Pro Staff 6.0 paintjob reportedly used by Roger Federer as he transitioned away from the Pro Staff 6.0 85. He used these frames from 2002-2003.
The following are photos of the Wilson Pro Staff Midsize with the Wilson Pro Staff Tour 90 cosmetics: (photos courtesy TTW user psp2)
note: these variants in the last photo are embossed with large Wilson logo at throat
The following is a photo of the Wilson Pro Staff Tour 90: (photo courtesy TTW user Tennis Man)
Q & A with Nate Ferguson, Sampras' Personal Stringer:http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Features/9908NateFerguson.html August, 1999: Nate Ferguson is Pete Sampras' personal stringer and racquet technician. He is responsible for "setting up" all of Pete's racquets - customizing weight, balance, molding handles and stringing. After working in the racquet customizing business for over a decade, servicing many of the top ATP and WTA tour players, Nate now travels with Pete to tournaments throughout the year and was with him during Pete's record 7th Wimbledon title (and 13th Grand Slam) win. We caught up with Nate during a few quiet moments in his hotel room somewhere on the ATP Tour. TW: How did you land this gig? NF: I have been in charge of building Pete's racquets since the summer of 1990, a few months before he won his first Grand Slam. Over the years we built a trusting and respectful relationship, almost entirely over the phone. During this time, it became apparent to me that Pete was unable to get his racquets restrung with the high level of expertise he requires while at some tournaments. Although he braved the world of "tournament stringers" for many a year, there came a time when the matches he lost because of strings that were too loose outweighed the cost and complication of adding a full-time racquet expert to his team. At this time, I came to an agreement with Pete's agent, Jeff Schwartz, so that Pete could have not only a full-time travelling stringer, but someone who could successfully build and customize his racquets to the smallest of tolerances. TW: Is Pete Sampras your only client? NF: Pete is the only player I do work for while we are on the road. I have several pro clients for whom I build racquets while I am home. I proudly build their racquets with as much attention to detail as Mr. Sampras' frames. TW: Pretty cool. So, you travel to many of the major tournaments to string and service Pete exclusively. How do you get there and what equipment do you have to lug around? NF: Yes, I travel not only to the major tournaments, but every tournament in which Pete is playing. If Pete is on the road at a bonafide tournament,then I am with him. As for getting to each city, I am generally on my own. I usually plan to arrive on the Friday evening before a tournament, allowing time to set up and be ready for what ever comes my way for practice on Saturday. Now, on some special occasions, when we are already at a tournament, and proceed directly to another tournament, there is another way for me to travel other than commercial flights. If Pete decides to hire a private jet, and he has enough room for me and all my gear, I sometimes am lucky enough to be invited to travel with him. Let me tell you, when we were in Europe, travelling as we did last fall, seven weeks in a row to seven different countries, catching a ride with "The Champ" to each tournament was DELICIOUS! No waiting in line. No checking extra luggage. No early check-in... for that matter, no check in at all! No crappy airline food. No immigration. No customs. No waiting for luggage. Generally, no waiting for anything. I am never so thankful as when I get the phone call with an invitation to the private jet. It is especially nice because I travel with so much gear. The biggest item I carry is my Babolat Star 4 electric stringing machine. I decided, even before starting my first tournament with Pete, that having one stringing machine on which I restring all his racquets will almost entirely eliminate tension variation, and therefore solve almost all his string tension problems. Having a single person duplicating his string jobs repeatedly on the single most accurate and durable electric stringing machine takes most of the guesswork out of a very important part of my job.I have two custom made hard-shell flight cases in which I pack my machine and most of my other gear. I travel with all the string I might need,including several gauges of his Babolat Team gut. I also am prepared to do grip work, weight and balance work, as well as routine and not so routine racquet maintenance while on the road. TW: There's still a lot of discussion concerning Pete's racquets. Tell us what you know about their origin (St. Vincent) and what you can about his racquet specs. NF: As long as I have known him, Pete has played with the Wilson Pro Staff Mid. The Pro Staff 6.0 85 is identical to Pete's racquets, except for the factory in which it is made. Pete likes the original St. Vincent racquets mostly because they are what he is used to. Yes, there are differences between the three versions produced over the years, but most significantly, Pete wants to stay with what has worked so well over the years. In this case, different is bad. The differences, although perhaps imperceptible to the average club player, are in the "feel" the racquet gives him. The St. Vincent made Pro Staff is the stiffest and what I call "harshest." Other versions of the racquet are more comfortable and softer. Any difference in power level is not significant. What Pete likes is the level of control that he gets because the racquet responds predictably. He doesn't have any doubt in the back of his mind, that is created when a player switches racquets. He has never said, "That shot would have been in with my old racquet." The most important thing that the Wilson Pro Staff 85 gives Pete is control. I custom "build" his racquet to take as much of the power out of the racquet as possible. It is a stiff racquet, has a very small head size, weighs nearly 400 grams/14 ounces and is strung with gut at around 75 lbs. He adds the power. I make the paddle, Pete gives the spanking. He whips that "log" of a racquet around like a swizzle-stick. Only he has the strength to crack serves in the high 130's with a racquet that most guys couldn't even get around. TW: Pete seems to break strings often. What string and tension does he use? NF: You are correct, Pete does break a lot of strings, and thank goodness for it, or I'd be out of a job! Many people see him breaking strings and wonder what I did wrong or what is wrong with the string. Actually, it is part of his game. He plays with the finest natural gut made, Babolat natural gut. Although the natural gut plays and feels better than any string out there, it is not the longest lasting string on the market. Add to that the fact that he plays with Babolat's thinnest gut string and you can understand that he would normally break strings during a match. He also plays at ultra-high tensions, which stresses the string (and stringer) further. The final ingredient is this: he hits the ball harder than almost any one out there. The result is broken strings, both by wearing them out and breaking them in the middle of the string bed and snapping them on miss hits or shanks which cause premature breakage where the stringbed meets the racquet. TW: We know pro players have extremely sensitive feel when it comes to string tension, etc. How does Pete compare? Is he superstitious about his racquets or have special needs, such as having his racquets strung immediately before a tournament? NF: I would not say Pete is superstitious, but he knows what he likes. For instance, he doesn't just have his racquets freshly strung before tournaments. He has me string them before each match, whether the strings installed the previous day have been used or not. I cut out a lot of brand new strings so that I can restring the racquets the day of the match! Even most pros find this astonishing. Cutting out brand new gut strings often doesn't make sense even to top players. However, Pete is more sophisticated than most pros. We agree that in order to have all his racquets prepared for a match correctly, they must all be strung consecutively the day of the match. That way, they are all the same, and tighter than hell, just as he likes them. TW: How about his handles and grips? Are they stock or custom? NF: The grip work is specifically why I am with Pete. Plenty of guys could travel with him to restring his racquets but there is no one else that has been able to custom make his racquets, including handles, and restring them on the road, all to Pete's satisfaction. Yeah, everything about Pete's handles is custom, from the handle material to the hand shaped endocarp to the specially wrapped leather. The tricky and exciting part is that a few times a year, Pete decides he wants to change his handle specifications, which turns me into a whirling dervish, often requiring long hours of wrapping and hand treating leather in a hotel room. TW: Will Pete ever change racquets? Has he tried other racquets? NF: Pete has used the Wilson Pro Staff Mid for as long as he has been a pro, and I believe he always will. He is not a fan of changing things that are not broken. TW: Does Pete use fresh string jobs for practice? NF: During practice, Pete will use either fresh or day-old string jobs. Typically, at a new site, we will test how the usual 75 lbs. tension feels, and if necessary, test out a different string gauge. Once we decide on a string gauge and tension and the tournament begins, he will often use any remaining string jobs left over from the previous match. TW: Do you ever experiment with different strings? NF: Yes we do but only within the family of Babolat natural gut strings. We will experiment with different string gauges, and on occasion, I will have him test some strings to which I have given alternative or special treatment. TW: Does he have a favorite specific racquet (is he superstitious about his racquets)? NF: My job is to duplicate Pete's "model" racquet. I achieve that most often but sometimes have to remake any frame that has a grip that does not feel quite the same. So, no, he doesn't have specific "favorite frames." It is my job to duplicate as closely as possible his "model" racquet. TW: How picky is Pete? NF: Many people ask me if Pete is picky. I like to put it this way: He has, by far, the most sensitive feel of any of the players I have ever dealt with and he wants only what feels exactly right. To put it another way, he is the only other guy on the planet who is "into" his tennis racquets as much as I am and I'm thankful for that. TW: We understand you recently incorporated your business. Tell us about Priority One. NF: Priority One says a lot about the kind of player I started the company with/for - Pete Sampras. Long ago, it was also the best, fastest Fed Ex service offered. When it was really important, we sent packages "Priority One." Additional Photos of Wilson Pro Staff Midsize Models:Early (Chicago/St. Vincent) Wilson Pro Staff Midsize marked as 'DEMO':
Mid to Late St. Vincent Model:
(courtesy TTW user amir75) X-ray radiograph of throat section of Wilson Pro Staff Midsize (St. Vincent model): (note shadows showing braided construction)
Butt cap code location on Taiwanese model (SEX code): (note location above "W")
Photos of early Chinese model:
Photos of mid-Chinese Model:
Photos of other frames in the lineage of the Wilson Pro Staff Midsize: (courtesy TTW user jetlee2K)
Created by admin.
Last Modification: Thursday 03 of September, 2009 21:00:56 EDT by raygo.
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