Does This Happen To Anyone Else?

[Lando]

Hi TTD,

Every time I get a new rubber or blade to try, the first session is amazing; everything lands! I leave that session thinking I found the best equipment for my style.
Then, on the second or third session, I perform pretty badly with it, or nowhere near the level of the first session with the new equipment.
This always happens.
Is there some sort of bias that happens when trying out new stuff? Are we more relaxed and don't care much about results because we are just testing stuff out?

 

[NetProphet]

Hi TTD,

Every time I get a new rubber or blade to try, the first session is amazing; everything lands! I leave that session thinking I found the best equipment for my style.
Then, on the second or third session, I perform pretty badly with it, or nowhere near the level of the first session with the new equipment.
This always happens.
Is there some sort of bias that happens when trying out new stuff? Are we more relaxed and don't care much about results because we are just testing stuff out?

You're way more forgiving initially because it's new. You go easier with it paying attention to the differences, looking for the positives and enjoying the new thing feel.
Then you start trying things at full speed, in matches, all reaction, no time to think etc and that's where you find out all about the rubber.

My opinion is that most of us test rubbers incorrectly this way.
We should go straight to training matches with them to see exactly where they're different from your previous rubber, losing match after match as you adjust to it and finally figure if it's better or not.
'Softing' around with them is a misleading endeavor. I do it from time to time with friends rackets and they so often feel great, untill I play the next match with it 😂
However, where you are now sounds like nowhere.
You need to give it a few wks and some proper testing to really decide.

 

[belllfador]

The power of belief, placebo and everything in between. I know that feeling, especially with new girlfriend... You have something new, carefully chosen and expect to be the wining choice. You believe that the new setup is better than the old one. And that belief makes you more successful.

Other possible reasons:
bad glue job,
not proper rubber cleaning,
rubbers after break-in are a bit softer and sringy. It is possible to not match your initial adjustments.

 

[Doum]

I replaced my rubbers with exactly the same model, and it took me 2 weeks to get used to them!

I imagine with a new equipment it would take me a month or two to get used to it and play well.

 

[Lando]

How long do you guys test your new piece of equipment before deciding if it fits your style?

 

[belllfador]

How long do you guys test your new piece of equipment before deciding if it fits your style?

30 minutes for rubber that behaves worse than expected;
5 hours for rubber with mixed properties, pips, def inverted;
10 hours for rubber close to the most used type, H3 family, for example.

For blades, it is a bit more complicated, but let's say 20 hours with 2–3 different rubbers.

 

[neon]

Hello, it happens to me every time I glue new rubbers or when I have treated old ones with a booster. When the right moment is reached, the glue that connects the rubber to the blade has maximum elasticity and we have the so-called glue effect. Of course to varying degrees. Professional racers (and not only them) use this every time. As far as I've heard, they always play with new rubbers. Good luck.

 

[lodro]

How long do you guys test your new piece of equipment before deciding if it fits your style?

about 10 minutes tops

 

[NextLevel]

How long do you guys test your new piece of equipment before deciding if it fits your style?

You can tell pretty quickly if you can broadly play with it. Whether it will be optimal for me takes a few months, at least two. I need a view of what I make and miss to make it work and conclude on whether the strengths outweigh the weaknesses.

 

[nablaz]

Hi TTD,

Every time I get a new rubber or blade to try, the first session is amazing; everything lands! I leave that session thinking I found the best equipment for my style.
Then, on the second or third session, I perform pretty badly with it, or nowhere near the level of the first session with the new equipment.
This always happens.
Is there some sort of bias that happens when trying out new stuff? Are we more relaxed and don't care much about results because we are just testing stuff out?

This is quite an interesting perspective because, to me, it's mostly the opposite: after the first session with new rubbers I want to try, I'm always thinking of how they don't fit my usual style or stroke and how they let me down when I less expect them to... But after a few more sessions, after forcing myself to work with them, I almost always find a way to make the rubbers work and get more than decent results in most strokes.
Don't get me wrong, there have definitely been rubbers that I abandoned shortly after trying, but I don't think I'm as inclined to this "newly wed" phase as you describe... 😅

 

[Lando]

Thanks for all the replies, fellas. I am still liking this combo. At least, I like the blade a lot, but I am pretty sure I messed up my h3 boosting. So, I just boosted another h3 without issues. I believe I was applying way too much booster and was getting these dents on the rubber.

 

[Gozo Zyreruna]

Hi TTD,

Every time I get a new rubber or blade to try, the first session is amazing; everything lands! I leave that session thinking I found the best equipment for my style.
Then, on the second or third session, I perform pretty badly with it, or nowhere near the level of the first session with the new equipment.
This always happens.
Is there some sort of bias that happens when trying out new stuff? Are we more relaxed and don't care much about results because we are just testing stuff out?

not with my zyre03.