Condition
10
10: New
9: Mint
8: Excellent
7: Good
6: Fair
5: Average
4: Below Average
3: Poor
|
Rarity
6
10: Impossibly rare
9: Extremely rare
8: Hard to find
7: Fairly rare
6: Uncommon
5: Common
<4: Big Seller
9: Mint
8: Excellent
7: Good
6: Fair
5: Average
4: Below Average
3: Poor
9: Extremely rare
8: Hard to find
7: Fairly rare
6: Uncommon
5: Common
<4: Big Seller
– – – – – – – – – – –
About This Racket (Aka ADS 041)
Also known by the adidas code “ads 040”. Adidas witnessed the success of Donnay, Wilson and Dunlop in tennis during the 1960s and wanted to grab some of the action. They entered tennis in 1970s with some excellent models. Initially they sponsored Stan Smith in 1971 to wear their shoes and had unexpected success so they sponsored Nastase who was with Dunlop. Adidas developed a series of wooden rackets for Ilie Nastase, Yannik Noah and Borris Becker starting with the Haillet racket.
But Nastase was a perfectionist and dissatisfied with it. Around 1976 they developed a core series of Ash wood laminated rackets with stunning liveries and superior leather grips, and Nastase used them at Wimbledon in 1977 (although he lost in the final to Borg). But with other grand slam successes Adidas adapted their Nastase line into a “signature” llie Nastase models. Actually they made at least three variants. This is easy to find but this exact model is new never used with original strings and that itself makes it rare.
Historic Gallery
Specifications
| Measurements | Value | Performance | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 360g | Power | 19/100 |
| Length | 27inch | Control | 41/100 |
| Balance | 5pt head heavy | Spin | 40/100 |
| Grip | Perforated leather | Handling | 78/100 |
| Strings | 18 x 20 | synthetic | Comfort | 89/100 |
| Flexibility | RA 43 | Consistency | 59/100 |
Gallery
Adidas History
The adidas brand is one of the most famous brands ever. This German company has an iconic name and a characteristic logo of three stripes – 3 stripes, which are inherent to this brand, which are known all over the world. Adidas is currently one of the largest manufacturers of sports and leisure clothing, footwear and accessories in the world. What is the history behind this fashion and sports icon? They started in the washroom in a small town in Bavaria, Germany. Adi Dassler started in his mother’s washroom, registered “Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik” in 1924 and began to provide athletes with the best possible sports equipment. A few years later, runner Lina Radke won a gold medal in Amsterdam in his sneakers.
| YEAR | EVENT |
| 1919 | Two brothers, Adi and Rudi Dassler, set up a shoe business in their mother’s kitchen. |
| 1920 | Adolf and brother Rudolf make their first shoe. |
| 1925 | The Dasslers develop shoes with studs and spikes for football and athletics. |
| 1928 | Dassler shoes are worn at the Olympics for the first time. |
| 1931 | The company releases the first shoe marketed for tennis. |
| 1936 | Jesse Owens wins four gold medals in Dassler shoes at the Berlin Olympics. |
| 1945 | Shoe manufacturing paused during WWII; the factory is repurposed for weapons. |
| 1948 | Rudi Dassler sets up his own company, later renamed Puma. |
| 1949 | Adolf registers the name Adi Dassler adidas Sportsschuhfabrik. |
| 1950 | Adidas Samba sneakers football shoe is released. |
| 1951 | Adidas buys the three-stripe trademark from Karhu. |
| 1954 | West Germany wins the World Cup in adidas cleats with screw-in studs. |
| 1965 | Adidas releases the Haillet tennis shoe, later renamed Stan Smith. |
| 1966 | Adidas introduces the Gazelle shoe. |
| 1967 | Adidas launches the Franz Beckenbauer tracksuit. |
| 1969 | Adidas releases the Superstar basketball shoe. |
| 1971 | Adidas introduces its Trefoil logo. |
| 1978 | Adolf Dassler dies on September 6. |
| 1986 | Run-DMC releases single “My Adidas.” |
| 1987 | Horst Dassler dies, marking turmoil for the brand. |
| 1990 | Adidas is acquired by Bernard Tapie. |
| 2006 | Adidas signs Lionel Messi and buys Reebok. |
| 2021 | Adidas sells Reebok to Authentic Brands Group. |