Aerodynamics, en
ergy transfer, swing-to-weight ratios, torsional stability? Time to break out your lab coat and fire up the Bunsen burner. IT’s California playtest team cuts through the mad science of racket technology (so you don’t have to).
BABOLAT
Pure Storm
Head Size: 98
Length: 27
Weight: 10.4 oz.
Retail: $180
• Babolat’s Pure Storm line debuted to rave reviews four years ago and has been seen in the hands of such on-court achievers as Chilean Fernando Gonzalez and Aussie Sam Stosur ever since. Now comes an updated edition offering all the same superlatives as its predecessor, with the addition of Babolat’s cutting-edge GT Technology, which packages more responsiveness, stability and control. Best suited for pro-level performers with long, loopy swings and well rounded, all-court games.
Pure Storm Team
Head Size: 100
Length: 27
Weight: 10.1 oz.
Retail: $180
• With a slightly larger head than its Pure Storm brethren (see above), the 100-square-inch Pure Storm Team is a forgiving frame that isn’t short on power and won’t buckle on off-center hits. Babolat’s GT Technology helps transfer more energy into your shots, thanks to a potent graphite/tungsten combo, while its Woofer Technology System prolongs ball-to-racket contact and gives you more control. A highly maneuverable stick for aggressive players.
DONNAY
X-Yellow
Head Size: 99
Length: 27
Weight: 10.6
Retail: $249
• Feels like Donnay has been around since tennis balls first became acquainted with racket string, doesn’t it? Rod Laver played with a Donnay. Bjorn Borg was synonymous with his headband, Fila pinstripes and Donnay Allwood. In ’92, Andre Agassi won his first Slam title on the lawns of Wimbledon wielding the Donnay Pro One. To celebrate its 100th anniversary, Donnay has launched the X-Series — a head-turning line of thin-beamed frames that marries old-school feel with new-age technology. Boasting Donnay’s XeneCore composite, the X-Yellow is geared toward medium-to-full-length strokers who thrive on maneuverability, feel and spin. A winner.
X-Orange
Head Size: 99
Length: 27
Weight: 11.02
Retail: $249
• If you’re wondering why Donnay uniformly engineered its spectrum of X-Series frames with turn-back-the-clock thin beams, it’s because XeneCore technology allowed them to do so. Thanks to high-pressure solids that reinforce the racket’s graphite composite, Donnay has managed to reduce the beam width to a mere 15mm. With the spin-friendly X-Orange — a stiff, control-oriented stick for free-swinging competitors on the upper-end of the NTRP range — the result is a rare blend of maneuverability and muscle. Who says you need a widebody in order to generate power?
X-Blue
Head Size: 94
Length: 27
Weight: 12 oz.
Retail: $249
• Geared for control freaks seeking pinpoint accuracy, Donnay’s X-Blue offers a stiff, firm feel and is best suited for tour-level performers. Its dense string pattern lets you swing away with abandon on flat shots, and a think-outside-the-box fitting package makes it easy to customize the racket via interchangeable handle weights and frame slides. Time to put the lead tape away for good.
DUNLOP
Biomimetic 200 Lite
Head Size: 95
Length: 27
Weight: 11.53 oz.
Retail: $190
• Sometimes, in order to look toward the future, you’ve first got to turn to nature. That’s the idea behind Dunlop’s new Biomimetic technologies (biomimicry means to imitate nature) – vibration-dampening HM6 Carbon (inspired by honeycomb), drag-reducing Aeroskin (inspired by shark skin) and grip-enhancing Gecko-Tac (inspired by the pads of a gecko’s foot). A ‘tweener frame designed for intermediate to advanced players, the 200 Lite offers players a maneuverable power boost in a high-tech package.
Biomimetic 300 Tour
Head Size: 97
Length: 27
Weight: 11.3 oz.
Retail: $210
• World No. 10 Jurgen Melzer’s weapon of choice, the Biomimetic 300 Tour is manufactured for players with long, powerful swings who are more than capable of generating power but yearn for more control. Constructed with Dunlop’s Aerogel-enhanced graphite, the 300 has a throwback feel but is anything but passé when it comes to delivering cutting-edge technology.
Biomimetic 600
Head Size: 102
Length: 27
Weight: 10.5 oz.
Retail: $200
• The industry’s move toward more aerodynamic offerings continues. We’ve seen it with Babolat’s Aero frames, with Prince’s O-Ports, etc. Now comes Aeroskin from Dunlop, a dimpled, shark-like surface that smoothes airflow and increases swing speed. It’s just one of the newfangled technologies on the Biomimetic 600 — a game-improving frame that helps beginners to intermediates generate more power. The 102-square-inch head makes for a generous sweetspot and is forgiving on off-center hits.
HEAD
YouTek IG Speed 300
Head Size: 100
Length: 27
Weight: 10.6 oz.
Retail: $225
• Can anyone slow Novak Djokovic? Aussie Open title No. 2, Davis Cup, Dubai, Indian Wells and Miami crowns, three straight wins over Roger Federer. And it’s only April. The Serb swears by his 11.1-ounce YouTek IG Speed MP, but if you’re looking for something a little lighter, a little more maneuverable, Head’s got you covered. The thin-beamed IG Speed 300 is slightly slimmed-down version of its YouTek counterpart — a hotrod of a frame that offers a stiff feel for powerballers with long, loopy strokes. Fulfill your need for Speed.
YouTek IG
Extreme OS
Head Size: 107
Length: 27
Weight: 9.9 oz.
Retail: $190
• By popular demand, Head has extended its Extreme series with the unveiling of the YouTek IG Extreme OS. More than an ounce lighter than Ivan Ljubicic’s YouTek IG Extreme Pro, and with an expansive 107-square-inch hitting area, it’s a veritable power/spin machine that is at its best in the hands of aggressive tournament-level achievers who take full-arced hacks at the ball. Head’s YouTek approach (Innegra and d30 technologies included) caters to your individual needs.
PRINCE
EXO3 Tour 100
Head Size: 100
Length: 27
Weight: 10.9 oz.
Retail: $190
• Designed for all-out performance at the top of the game (think David Ferrer, Sam Querrey, J.C. Ferrero, Albert Montanes, Daniela Hantuchova), the new Tour 100 delivers best-in-the-biz ball response thanks to EXO3 technology, which uses oversized holes and String Suspension Inserts to deliver a forgiving, wider-is-better sweetspot. Having shed traditional grommets, this tour-ready frame allows the strings to respond more freely — even at the outer edges of the stringbed. That means a larger hitting area and a significant drop-off in unforced errors.
EXO3 Tour Lite 100
Head Size: 100
Length: 27
Weight: 9 oz.
Retail: $150
• A lighter, more powerful alternative to Prince’s EXO3 Tour 100 (see above), the feathery, nine-ounce EXO3 Tour Lite 100 brings performance to the masses and is a lightweight, highly maneuverable option for aspiring stars in the mid-to-upper-end of the NTRP spectrum. A true spinmeister thanks to its open 16×19 string pattern.
EXO3 Red 105
Head Size: 105
Length: 27.25
Weight: 9.9 oz.
Retail: $230
• Smooth and solid, the lightweight EXO3 Red delivers heavyweight power, and is the definition of an all-around performer. Upgraded features include Prince’s industry-first ThermoCarbon String Suspension Inserts, a new cross section for greater torsional stability and an integrated Double Bridge dampening system for vibration/shock reduction. A forgiving frame for intermediate players with moderate strokes/swing styles.
WILSON
Blade Tour BLX
Head Size: 93
Length: 27
Weight: 12 oz.
Retail: $230
• Wilson has upgraded the thin-beamed, ProStaff-like Blade Tour with its BLX technology, a volcanic rock/[K]arophite Black one-two punch that resists twisting on off-center hits and helps keep unwanted vibration from reaching your arm. An ideal match for highly skilled traditionalists (long, fast swings) who crave the feel of an ultra control oriented frame.
Cierzo Two BLX
Head Size: 120
Length: 29.9
Weight: 9.8 oz.
Retail: $300
• 120-square-inches of power, 27.9 inches of reach — all in a lighter-than-air 9.8-ounce frame. Wilson has resurrected its legendary Sledge Hammer design with the user-friendly Cierzo Two BLX – the most imposing (and most powerful) offering of our 2011 review. An ideal game-improvement racket for senior stalwarts with short, compact strokes, and new-to-the-game club players who could benefit from a billboard-sized sweetspot and some souped-up muscle.
YONEX
VCore 100S
Head Size: 100
Length: 27
Weight: 11.2 oz.
Retail: $235
• Yonex’s VCore initiative centers on a grooved 3D Vector Shaft, a forward-thinking design concept that helps reduce twisting on off-center hits. World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki’s on-court weaponry, the ultra-stiff VCore 100S brings stability to new levels and instills confidence when it comes to going for your shots. Extreme Western grippers will be smitten with its ability to generate spin.
VCore 98D
Head Size: 98
Length: 27
Weight: 11.3 oz.
Retail: $235
• Intended for big bangers who like to dictate points from the baseline (see David Nalbandian and Juan Monaco), the red-and-white VCore 98D puts you in the driver’s seat when it comes to launching deep, heavy-ball groundstrokes. All you’ve got to do is put the ball in your strike zone. (Lleyton Hewitt prefers the more demanding 95-square-inch edition.)
Ezone 100
Head Size: 100
Length: 27
Weight: 11 oz.
Retail: $250
• Who needs a sweetspot when you can have an Explosive Zone? The Ana Ivanovic-endorsed EZone 100’s powerful, precise feel comes courtesy of Yonex’s QPS (Quad Power System) and Isometric technologies, which provide a larger hitting zone and enhance your natural power. A power-booster of racket for medium- to full-length stroke styles.
