2013: Year of the Spin

It seems like the end of the year is when tennis companies really start to amp up either teasers or actual debuts of their new racquet lines. Dunlop just released 6 new racquets yesterday, all of them a substantial difference from their previous lines with an increased focus on power and spin. They definitely seem to be making an effort to "modernize" their line and gain some traction with the players who prefer the Babolat and Head Speed design of frames. Just don't take away my Max 200G yet!

One of the more interesting frames I've seen recently is the new addition to the Steam series from Wilson that is set to debut in early 2013. They are adding a couple new head sizes and utilizing what they term "Spin Effect" technology. I don't know if I would call it "technology" as it essentially boils down to using fewer main and cross strings. The new Steam 99S and 105S will utilize a 16x15 string pattern. The end result is a very open string pattern designed to maximize spin potential off the string bed. I find this kind of funny as many older frames used this string pattern, so this "new" tech is really just a return to some of the older setups. This racquet is by no means going to turn a weekend warrior into somebody who can generate Nadal-esque type spin. However if it is paired with a monofilament string (polyester) and put in the hands of somebody fairly capable of generating spin, the potential to amplify that spin is definitely there. I have seen some early reviews  from demo events where Wilson is actually on site with tracking equipment and so far the data looks to be backing up the concept of the design. Could Wilson be poised to gain back some of the massive amounts of club players running around with Babolat sticks in their hands these days? Only time (and maybe a demo of my own) will tell.

PS. If you really want to know the science behind what Wilson is trying, there was a great article on Tennis.com awhile back. Here is the link:

Wilson Gear Talk