Hyper Hammer 6.6 Rollers Racquet Review

Originally introduced back in 1991 to improve maneuverability (and reduce power) in the Profile 2.7 racquet, the Hammer 2.7 was the first in a long line of successful Hammer racquets. The Hammer 2.7, and its early successors were all light weight, head heavy and stiff. In those days it was easy to choose a Wilson racquet to fit your game. ProStaffs gave you control and Hammers gave you power. The ProStaffs were all thin, flexible, and heavy while the Hammers were all fat, firm, and light. There was no titanium, no Hyper Carbon, no SledgeHammers, no Power Holes, no Rollers...

Things are different today. You can't pick up a Hammer and assume it's going to be a power racquet, and you can't pick up a ProStaff and assume it's going to be a control racquet. The Hyper Hammer 6.6 Rollers is a good example of this. It combines a variety of technologies and playing characteristics that make it difficult to categorize. It's a Hammer, but it's only 3 points head heavy*, not 10-12 like earlier Hammers. It has a 6.6 Swing Index rating and a narrow cross beam, both characteristics you'd expect to find on a ProStaff, not a Hammer (It's actually thinner and heavier than the Wilson ProStaff 6.6 Ti.) It's also constructed with Hyper Carbon and Rollers Technology, two features that can be found on both ProStaff and Hammer racquets. The result is a racquet that's called a Hammer but doesn't necessarily play like one. We playtested the Hammer 6.6 Rollers for two weeks and have these balanced observations.

* Wilson's published specification (strung). Our demos measured between even balance and 2 points head-heavy.

Hyper Hammer 6.6 Rollers Midplus

Groundstrokes

The Hammer 6.6 Rollers is indeed one of the new breed of Hammers, according to our playtestersÉ Dan explains, "my first impression was that I was hitting with a ProStaff, not a Hammer. This racquet played head-light, felt head-light, and is certainly on the 'player's' side of the fence. It was one of the most pleasant surprises I've had playtesting racquets in some time. It did swing heavier than its 10.8 ounces might suggest and stability was impressive. I never felt the racquet torque to any significant degree during off-center shots. I felt the racquet's sweetspot was below the middle of the frame, which again, suggests more of a head-light balanced, control-oriented racquet. The moderately open string pattern supplied all the spin I wanted and then some. I could just as easily increase topspin or slice, and having this option is important to my game.

John continues, "the Hammer 6.6 Rollers is by far the most comfortable and versatile Rollers racquet I've playtested. The first thing I noticed was the lack of shock, and consequently, very little vibration. The racquet suited my moderate-fast swing style and I was able to take full swings from both sides, confident that the ball would find the court. Despite being a Hammer, I didn't notice that 'drag' from having more weight in the head. On the contrary, I was able to maneuver the racquet with ease from both sides. I found it particularly effective when hitting deep, slice approach shots to the corners. The ball stayed low with good pace and spin. Overall, the string pattern allowed me to generate plenty of topspin or slice.

Granville adds, "from the first groundstroke, I knew this was the best Rollers racquet to date. It provided a soft, cushy sweetspot with excellent dwell time Ð the ball seemed to really sit on the strings longer than with other racquets. I enjoyed the almost even-balance of the 6.6 Rollers. It had excellent maneuverability, which translates into a comfortable stick with good control." Don says, "I liked the overall weight and balance of this racquet. It just felt good in my hand. On groundstrokes it delivered medium power, good control, and above average comfort on most shots. Balls hit in the upper stringbed weren't very forgiving though; the upper hoop seemed fairly stiff. The sweetspot is definitely in the lower center of the racquet. I enjoyed the spin potential and really felt I had good directional control. Sharp angle shots came naturally with this racquet." Eileen offers, "it felt like the ball stayed on the strings longer than with my racquet. As a result, it seemed like I was hitting a 'heavier' ball. It's kind of hard to explain. I liked the control and overall feel of the racquet but power was lacking for me."

Volleys

The Hyper Hammer 6.6 is very maneuverable at net and most of our playtesters enjoyed this feature. Dan comments, "every once in a while a racquet comes along that simply has the perfect weight/balance ratio for net play. Enter the Hammer 6.6 Rollers. For me, it doesn't get much better at net. This racquet is maneuverable and light enough to get out in front with easily, yet stable enough to counter hard-hit passing shots. I was sticking volleys off both sides like I was holding a 12 ounce racquet." John offers, "I'm used to playing with a 110 headsize, so I was a bit off on my volleys with the 98 square inch head of the Hammer 6.6 Rollers. Despite my initial adjustment problems, I found the racquet quite maneuverable and was able to easily get the head into position to deflect balls hit right at me or stretch wide to return well struck passing shots."

Eileen says, "volleys were easy with this racquet and I had a lot of control. The racquet was easy to maneuver but still felt solid." Don adds, "good combination of mobility, stability and control." Granville continues, "the 6.6 is a good racquet for all-court players. At net, the racquet is easily one of the most maneuverable in its class. It has a large, forgiving sweetspot and the ball sinks into the stringbed for any last second adjustments. On the other hand, the racquet doesn't deliver much power on its own, so it requires being in position. If you tell the racquet what to do, it will respond."

Serves

The Hyper Hammer 6.6 Rollers is an effective serving tool, but not overwhelming. Granville explains, "the light weight of the 6.6 allowed me to generate good racquet head speed but it seems a bit too soft to really power the ball. My slice and kick serves were very effective, especially on wide slices. I could see the ball reacting in the air and kicking wider on the bounce." Dan adds, "as with most strokes, I felt a very cushioned response when serving. Better yet, I felt in control and confident with every serve in my repertoire, whether hitting slice, topspin, kick or flat. The 6.6 has enough mass to generate good racquet head speed and a stringbed with enough space for a generous sweetspot. Slice and kick had that extra bit of 'sauce' that I like."

John says, "I had a little trouble getting my usual pace on serves. It could be due to the smaller head but I just couldn't find the sweetspot consistently. Expectedly, I wasn't generating much pace or spin when serving." Don offers, "I served well but not great with the 6.6. Power was adequate but not abundant. Fortunately, spin and placement made up for this. Wide slices on the deuce court and kickers to the backhand on the ad side were fun and effective with this racquet. I was very confident hitting second serves and won a higher percentage of points than normal." Eileen says, "serving was easy with this racquet and I felt I had good power and control."

Returns

Thanks to its lighter weight and almost even balance, the Hyper Hammer 6.6 enables players to generate some swing against most serves. Don offers, "there was enough mass for effective blocking of hard first serves but I could also take a small backswing in most situations, allowing for a more aggressive return. The racquet remained stable in most cases and the control was impressive." Granville adds, "The 6.6 allowed me to do just a bit more than if I were using a heavier, more powerful racquet. I was hitting most returns out in front and was able to drive the ball back with good pace up the middle. Later, I was returning down the line with good placement, forcing defensive shots from my opponent. I even hit a few outright winners crosscourt!" John comments, "I enjoyed returning serves with the 6.6. The 10.8 ounce weight enabled me to get the racquet around quickly without a problem, unless the serve was a rocket. Surprisingly, I was able to hit slice returns with depth and pace."

Summary

The Hyper Hammer 6.6 Rollers is a nice addition to the Rollers line. The Rollers seem more noticeable in this model, perhaps due to it's slightly thinner beam and heavier weight (compared to other Hammers that feature Rollers technology). It is really more of a tweener-player's racquet than a true tweener and many players will mistake it for a ProStaff. It is best suited for players who generate most of their own power and prefer a lighter racquet and (close to) even balance. If you fit this description and haven't yet tried a Rollers racquet, we encourage you to take this one for a test drive.

Review date: May, 2001. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.

All content copyright 2001 Tennis Warehouse.