Tommy Haas and his racquet setup

One of my favorite players to watch is Tommy Haas (now retired). Here is a short video tribute to him and his racquet of choice. Not sure about his strings - it is a hybrid setup with natural gut in the mains and a poly in the crosses.
If you want to support Tennisnerd, please consider purchasing something from one of our affiliates.
🎾Tennis Warehouse: www.tennis-war...
🎾Tennis Warehouse Europe: tenniswarehouse...
🎾Tennis Only: www.tennisonly...
🎾 14-day trial for TopCourt: www.topcourt.c...
🎾 Improves.co online coaching improves.co/re...
🎾 Top Level Tennis topleveltennis... - use TENNISNERD10 and get 10% off Gold
🎾 Your Super Superfoods: yoursuper.krym...
🎾 Flexbar amzn.to/2YfKbtr
🎾 Angell racquets: www.angelltenn...
🎾 Tennis fitness courses www.membersten...
🤓Website: tennisnerd.net
👔Racquet consultation: tennisnerd.net...
🛑Patreon: / tennisnerd
🙏Support Tennisnerd: tennisnerd.net...
💬Twitter: / tennisnerdnet
💌Instagram: / tennisnerdinsta
👤Facebook page: / tennisnerd
👥Facebook group: / 625545301212745

[@kcglobetrotter]

Another very difficult guy to string was Marat Safin. He played with the Head Prestige Classic 93” with full grommet snap-cap. Strung with Kirschbaum Super Smash Spiky. My fingers still hurt 20 years later.

[@Tennisnerd]

Thanks for sharing your experience 👍🏻

[@NewWaveAfros]

Didn't he use full gut at some point?

[@kcglobetrotter]

MaratSafinVideos - Only strung Safin’s rackets in 1998/1999. I don’t know for sure, but I’m guessing he switched to the gut/poly in the early 2000’s. Many players started making the change to hybrids around that time.

[@GrungePopRecords]

Did Safin use a lower tension on his crosses when using a full bed of Alu? Thanks

[@transamination]

Do Marin Cilic. He used to use 98 inch head but last few years he's playing with a legit 93inch. Not many players using that size.

[@kcglobetrotter]

TH was a difficult guy to string for in the late 90’s when used all VS gut 1.25 around 70lbs. He required tubing on all mains, head and throat(over power pads). Was always a great guy, very nice, but a pain in the ass to string for.

[@hamaja18]

Nice to read this kind of information. Are you a professional stringer, or just a tennis fan?

[@kcglobetrotter]

hamaja18 - I worked on the tour(stringing/customizing) for Bosworth International & Jays Custom Stringing from 98 to 03.

[@kcglobetrotter]

Correction: 1998-2001

[@ReisKorn1]

Wow, 70lbs.. Tensions around that time were crazy. Sampras used similar tensions at that time, didn't he? Thanks for the insights, really interesting!

[@kcglobetrotter]

ReisKorn1 Nate Ferguson traveled w/Sampras the last 6/7 yrs of his career. It was common knowledge among stringers that Pete used VS gut 1.22 & 1.25 - usually around 72-75 lbs. Nate often said stringing VS 1.22 at 75lbs was always a challenge.

[@jerome_morrow]

I was a big Haas fan and he really did have a graceful, creative all-court game that was a joy to watch. In fact, when Fed first showed up on tour, my first thought was “Wow! Like a much more powerful version of Haas!”. Their styles have much in common including glorious OHB’s. These days, I’m sorry to admit to thinking of Haas as “Fed-lite”. Shame he never got at least one major. Certainly had enough game.

[@queenskawi7211]

Huge Haas fan. Great player, super nice guy. The first official match I ballboy’d was his 2000 US Open first round match against Jamie Delgado on court 16. I’ll never forget that!

[@Tennisnerd]

Yeah, Tommy is a class act

[@Fredgol007]

If you could do a video about Gustavo Kuerten, I would love to watch that!

[@OldSkoolLegend]

They should just ban the use of poly strings.....lol..... Then Watch tennis return to entertaining 90's/2000's style.

[@racketmeister3773]

Yes Mr Tennisnerd absolutely agree the modern game of tennis is boring. Stand at the back, hit massive topspin and either out hit opponent or wait for a mistake. Most players would get a nose bleed if they got close too the net. Bring back serve and volley, drop shots, lobs, crafty and exciting tennis. The men still have a few exciting players but the women’s tour virtually none.

[@OldSkoolLegend]

watch Agassi vs Safin French Open.... much faster and entertaining to watch. Serves were quick and simple.... no bs routine before a first serve. just fast paced action.

[@arnabbaruah6753]

How about a video about Patrick Rafter and the Response 97?

[@youngsuit]

damn, did ferrer actually need to retire? he looks great here.

[@freshplaya2011]

Great review. Saw Tommy play a few times at Wimbledon. He should have had at least 3 grand slams with his ability. Would love to see Blake, Safin, nalby, davydenko.

[@eddiedantes7470]

Huge respect for his work attitude through those countless years on tour, he deserved at least one Slam.

[@monlewi1976]

Gonzales, Marat

[@andrehalim469]

make equipment standard just like f1 + 3 sets only with normal tie break on final set. else its booooooring.

[@curiousgeorge6921]

Tennis is Good as it is, true tennis fans will always love it, fuck serve and volley though, that's not interesting

[@alextennis24]

All the work you do to get a players racquet is really admirable and appreciated it man. I love love love those insight. Will never get tired of it. Amazing. thanks again!

[@sundaramirtanandha7058]

ATP & Tennis Tournaments should make the courts faster, its a joke that grass plays almost same as hard courts. Faster courts will result in more serve & volley players. Also the racquet head size should be reduced to maximum of 98 square. The game has become more physical and the creative nature of tennis is disappearing. Very few players have creativity anymore. Yes amazing athletes BUT it should be more than that.

[@MarceloRodrigues-ch1lv]

By looking at players under 25 i think we're well served with a wide range of playing styles. Shapovalov, Kyrgios, Zverev, Tsitsipas, Medvedev, Aliassime, Berrettini, De Minaur, Rublev, Garin...

[@Tennisnerd]

Good and positive point!

[@RaphaClassic]

About the style of tennis: If net play is not effective on gras anymore and players prefer to stay the baseline even on gras... then there definately is something wrong. Tennis is more interesting when there are different valid styles. So it would be nice to have at least one surface that favors net play or an all court game. But maybe it is also the players getting better, you see players hit fantastic passing shots even from very difficult positions.

[@pedropaivalemos]

In this case.. factors like strings and racquets evolution.. and courts speed slowly ..

[@georgebryant7721]

I agree -- it needs to change. Faster courts and more grass tournaments perhaps?

[@vanshagarwal2362]

please talk about nalbandian's racket.

[@Tennisnerd]

Coming soon

[@tomtwells6082]

Agree TH had a very elegant smooth style and one of my favorite players.

[@Пародия-х1ч]

Yes is perfect

[@Пародия-х1ч]

I'm Haas fan

[@TheRob2D]

Tommy! Always a favourite. What a joy to watch he was.

[@Tennisnerd]

Agree 👊🏻

[@FirestarG1]

I think they need to add at least some more speed to the courts it’s seriously slow now. This will get boring

[@jan-erikwinther4549]

Would be fun if you could get a hold of Söderling's racket. His forehand was vicious with a massive backswing.

[@peternguyen1899]

The guy beat Federer and Djokovic, enough said.

[@MrBiggLefty]

Tommy Haas is one my favorite players. I had an opportunity to hold on of this stick. It was heavy. I'm over 55 so I appreciate Haas elegant game.

[@mateusferreira7340]

Perfect video, congrats!! Keep up with such good job

[@kirak_korea]

I think many pro players use 95inch head... am i correct?

[@Tennisnerd]

Yes, quite a few

[@MrCantabrigian]

really well thought video, thanks, I didn't know that much about HAAS.

[@nostro1001]

Great review Jonas, like you one of my all time favourite players, even though I don't have a single handed backhand. For whatever the reasons, some players just seem unlucky in terms of injuries. Tommy definitely seemed just that as we all know he was one of the harder workers on tour and just super fit. Aside from his graceful all court game, I think he endeared himself on the tennis community as he had personality. Perhaps Stephanos is the current player that most reminds me of Tommy, not just his game, but he's not afraid to give of himself and show his personality. I think that goes a long way to finding the hearts of casual fans and tennis nerds alike. Thank you for this video....I still feel for Tommy and all his injuries. He just couldn't consistently reach the heights he seemed destined for. Cheers. 🎾🎾🎾

[@spinnerfok]

Is it true Haas took out original leather grip and used two over grips instead?

[@Tennisnerd]

I have one of his recent racquets and he uses leather

[@bradfromthevalley]

I saw him get a win against Dimitri Tursunov in the LA Countrywide Classic final at UCLA in 2006, he was very smooth, I bought the tickets for a few reasons one was hoping to see Agassi but he went out in the quarterfinals. It was a small stadium court with excellent views very close, I was surprised he was not hitting the ball it seemed that hard but very smooth and efficient, Tursunov was hitting with a bit more power.

[@jurgenwimmer4572]

Haas had a grip Size l3 with l4 buttcap.. i had Two PT 57a rackets from hin in youtek ig paintjob

[@simi9222]

Lleyton Hewitt pls! :)

[@kcglobetrotter]

simi9222 Hewitt was a very easy guy to string. Always a Yonex midsize frame, VS Nat Gut1.30 low 60’s lbs, pre-stretched, and the stencil ALWAYS had to be Yonex balls down(towards handle). He was fanatical about the stencil being correct!

[@simi9222]

@@kcglobetrotter I saw somewhere that he strung his 95D @ 37lbs

[@kcglobetrotter]

simi9222 - At that low tension, he must now be using full poly.

[@b.lakeberg7456]

Awesome player with a great all court style to watch.

[@Ykpaina988]

Love Tommy Haas's game and could not agree more with you about the beauty of the all court game. I embody and emulate it and my child to be (any day now) will embody and emulate it as well. Cheers for the content.

[@phatschtuff]

Ol' good Tommy, how I missed him on tour ...

[@jamestan4165]

Another great clip! I've read that Tommy Haas was quite picky about his frames - something about a paintjob making his frame feel too different for him to play with? Does that ring any bells for you?

[@Joseph-co7uh]

I absolutely agree with you about how more tennis players should play in the all court style. In his recent interview, Roger mentioned that he thinks the courts nowadays are generally too slow, and there should be a greater variety in terms of court speed. If there are more fast courts in the future, I believe that all court tennis will be back!

[@Jakejhh]

I think we need to see faster surfaces. Not just grass but faster hard courts and faster clays...

[@jonatanhenriquez2193]

Nice review! In regards to the evolution of increasing spin and power, I just think that tennis has evolved and there is no turning back. I am so glad and grateful to see Thiem for example. It takes incredible amounts of technique to control that explosive power. That to say, I hope to see great new, powerful, but still quite classy styles of play: Jannik Sinner. I do miss those long clay rallies, but I also think that spectacular winners were also more rare.

[@mellis9729]

Rios...Rios....Rios

[@msalvs]

Can't help noticing those dunlops MW have dimples in the throat (where it meets the bridge). The MW 200g retail doesn't have those dimples which has me wondering whether he was playing the PT630 all along?

[@Tennisnerd]

It is actually a PT924 pro stock mold - which I should have added as info. It is pretty much a Pro Tour 630 copy...

[@cpgone]

Great vid ,, consider a vid about Fabrice Santoro or any 2 handed forehander

[@christopherfung2573]

hello，i‘m wondering how much the difference between the head pt630and the dunlop muscle 200g，as a student i dont have enough money for pt630 and finding some racquet for substitute

[@Tennisnerd]

The 200g is nice - but you can get the Pro Tour 2.0 for 159 USD from TW right now.

[@1hander173]

first! great video

[@Tennisnerd]

Thanks!

[@adamcang4683]

Once Djokovic and Zverev go then it will be better

[@flowremix]

Love Tommy Haas. But don't like highlights of him losing points. I understand you want to use own footage of players to avoid copyright infringement, but still, not fun watching Tommy lose.

[@Tennisnerd]

See your point but he won points against both Ferrer and Federer in the clips :)

[@youngsuit]

Can you do Juan Carlos Ferrero? I remember being surprised to find out he was using a very rare model for a while.

[@Cynnik911]

POG 100 sq in. longbody was only available in Europe at the time

[@Deadcloset400]

please do alex de minaur

[@richardkrivik7032]

Gr8 content

[@ivan-ph4op]

Fine as It is

[@lungchan1729]

as usual thanks for the analysis.

[@Tennisnerd]

🙏🏼👊🏻