By Scoop Malinowski
Tennis players are known for being reluctant to change their methods. After 33 years of playing with the prehistoric Wilson Profile, Mark Sanders of Randolph, NJ has finally found a new stick.
“I have been playing with The Wilson Profile since it came out in 1986. I have 16 frames,” said the former Binghamton University college player of the racquet that Serena Williams used as a teenager. “After 20 years of testing other racquets – because I knew one day I would have to change – I have found my racquet.”
Sanders, an aggressive, flat-ball striking baseliner has carefully selected John Isner’s instrument of choice, The Prince Beast Pro Longbody. “For the very first time of testing untold amount of racquets, finally a racquet was made that kept the stiff plow through power of the Profile using modern material,” Sanders revealed. “On the very first ball I hit with it, I knew I found my new weapon. It is the modern day Profile for sure. It’s extra long, extra heavy and crushes the ball when you line it up. The downside for mostly everyone that tries it, is that it is long and bulky and too heavy to get around. But this racquet is lighter then my Profile, so to me, its light.”
Sanders’ opponents have taken notice of this new man-racquet combination. “Everyone I am playing with has said my game has gone up a notch with this racquet. Particularly my serve has gained 3 or 4 MPH and I am way faster at net with it. I’m like a kid who has discovered a new toy and cant put it down.”
Now Sanders, a real estate broker by day and parent of two college players, has to figure out how to unload his old Wilson frames. Thanks Ebay. “I got a full price bid within 20 minutes of posting the first one. I have one other that still has the plastic on the handle and is new. I am going to price the next one higher.”
One down, fifteen more to go.
With Isner, Lucas Pouille and Sanders lighting up the courts with blurring, precision winners, historic Prince racquets is back in business.
