New racquets and new titles

The 2022 season has started with new racquets and new titles for Gael Monfils and Amanda Anisimova. Maybe also Shapovalov.

I’ve done a few videos and posts about gear and apparel changes in 2022. Monfils took his new Artengo racquet and won the Adelaide ATP 250 in impressive fashion, defeating Khachanov in the final 6-4 6-4. He didn’t lose a set in the entire tournament and looked to be in great physical and mental shape. It bodes well for the rest of the season.

Anisimova has ditched her Pure Drive and is now playing with what looks like a Steam 100 pro stock from Wilson. The same type of racquet that Emma Raducanu uses. It seems to be a good model for the WTA tour as Anisimova won the Gippsland Trophy WTA tournament. She defeated Sasnovich in the final in a tough three-setter.

New racquets and new titles

Kokkinakis has made the move to what looks like an Ezone 98 and had a great start to the year. We’re seeing the same from Denis Shapovalov, who is in the ATP Cup final right now (Canada vs Spain). Shapovalov made the switch from the VCORE 95 to the Ezone 98 and altough he seemed to struggle at first, he has played really well in the latter rounds.

Mikael Ymer uses the Wilson Blade instead of the Pure Drive and started the year well in Adelaide. Murray, on the other hand, has struggled a bit with his new pro stock.

We can’t of course attribute any success to racquet changes, but sometimes they can lead on a more mental switch than actual shots on the tennis court. New racquet, new year, new me. It can be a symbol for something positive. It’s impossible to say if it had an impact on the players mentioned here, but it’s interesting to see new racquets in the hands of a few successful players at the start of the season.

Are you starting 2022 with a new racquet?