Condition
7
10: New
9: Mint
8: Excellent
7: Good
6: Fair
5: Average
4: Below Average
3: Poor
|
Rarity
9
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 055)
Aka ads 055 was newly released in 1977, following success with the Haillet and ads060. The cost was $30 in 1977. 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 starting with the Haillet racket, but he 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 “Master” is a rare one.
Tennis legend Ilie Nastase was born in Bucharest 1946. The Romanian, who was the first tennis player to sign an endorsement contract with Nike, was also the first player to sit on top of the ATP ranking in 1973. Nastase claimed two Grand Slam titles, the 1972 US Open and the 1973 French Open,
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. Adidas was founded in 1949 by Adolf (Adi) Dassler at the age of 49 again under the name “Adi Dassler adidas Sportschuhfabrik”, after falling out with his brother Rudolf. He subsequently founded his own competing company, which we know today under the name Puma.
| 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. |
Ilie Nastase started competing internationally in 1966, playing doubles with fellow Romanian Ion Tiriac and obtained his first remarkable results in singles in 1969, when he managed to beat top players such as Tony Roche and Stan Smith. He played his best tennis between 1971 and 1976. In these years, loved by the crowds and despised by most of the other players because of his behaviour, Nastase started by reaching the Roland-Garros final in 1971, where he was beaten by Jan Kodes (8-6, 6-2, 2-6, 7-5). After another major final lost at Wimbledon in 1972 (lost to Stan Smith in five sets, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5), he claimed his first Grand Slam title at Forest Hills a few months later, edging Arthur Ashe in the final (3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3). The following year, after triumphing at Roland-Garros against Niki Pilic (6-3, 6-3, 6-0), he became the first player to become world No 1 on the newly established ATP ranking list. He would hold on to this spot for 40 weeks. Nastase obtained his best result at the Masters, a tournament he won four times, in 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1975. His last big year on the Tour was 1976, when he finished runner-up to Bjorn Borg at Wimbledon (6-4, 6-2, 9-7), before reaching his last Grand Slam semi-final at the US Open (beaten by Borg again, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4). Nastase then slowly declined, leaving the top 20 in 1978. He did not reach the quarter-finals of a major event again until his retirement in 1985.