transition to yonex ezone xi 100?
 

i recently purchased a yonex ezone xi 100 after what seemed to be a positive demo and reading the great reviews. i want to like this racket but find myself shanking a lot of balls (far more than usual!). i see in the reviews that this is common and that there is an adjustment period, but if you like this racket, how long did it take you to stop having this problem? i also saw in the one of the reviews that someone suggested that the racket plays smaller than 100 sq in. so i'm trying to figure out if i just need more transition time or if maybe this racket isn't for me.

This has been my go-to, or "game" racquet for the past few months, and I almost never shank any balls with it. There was absolutely no adjustment period when I started playing with it, so I'm not sure what people are talking about in the reviews you have read. The only suggestion I can make is that if you are having trouble with timing it may be a weight/balance related issue (or it could just be you!). You could try adding some lead in the hoop or handle to see if it helps your swing. I actually added a few grams in the handle because I wanted mine to be a little more head-light. See if this helps -

Do you use a WW forehand? Maybe the tapered beam is bothering you.

Give it time, eventually you'll dial in

It plays heavier than actually is for some reason. Took me a little time to get timing down.

I also found it helpful to try and hit more balls towards the top of the stick, thats where the sweet spot is on most of the Yonex.

No shanks for me, no more than usual, when it happens, it's not the racquet's fault, it's only mine.

I also had no problems adjusting to it, the only thing I did was to choose 2 strings and play with them, I first used the Yonex Poly Tour HS around 50, then went to Poly Tour Spin as it is now, soon I will move to gut/poly or maybe full multi, of course, everyone needs to find the optimal set up to how you personally play and swing.

To make it easier, choose one string, buy a few sets and look for the right tension with that string in that way you can find where you like it better.

If you're shanking with a 100, you're not watching the ball hit the strings

i did have a pro recently tell me that the way i close my racket face on forehands was causing me to frame shots. interestingly, i reverted to an older and different frame (a babolat pd 100 sq ft) yesterday when i broke strings on my ezone and i suddenly stopped shanking the ball. i compared the beam width--there is a difference, but not that big, so surprising that would make such a difference.

there is definitely a weight/balance difference, though, as another responder suggested, so maybe that's taking some getting used to for me.

fwiw, these reviewers seem pretty darn good (better than me!) and they mentioned the shanking.

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/revi...ZX1review.html

The shanking is related to the head shape, its more squarish/rectanglish, not an oval. I even shank balls sometimes with my VCore 98D, which is not existent with my Prince.

Last year when I had my XL 95's strung in the shop I played with my TF325 for a week. Coming back to the XL 95 it took me about another week to get dialed in.

I think it's the same reason why Yonex players tend to just stay within the family.

I played with Yonex years ago, so was hoping it would not an issue for me, but I guess I was wrong. I'll spend some more time with it as it seems like a great arm friendly choice for me.

Shanks will happen, it happens to everyone, the greatest of them all shanks more than anybody else on Tour, and guess what :confused: he plays with a very small racquet and still shanks a lot, well it's a round racquet, so are you guys going to blame it on the square shape or look at you all's technique. If so, we can all quit playing tennis, because I hit with square racquet Roger plays with a round, is there any other shape than square and round to save all of us.

Shanks are caused for being late and out of position most of time, or swinging too early.

You have to look and find your reason, the racquet isn't the problem, let alone the shape, actually the Xi's head shape is physically shorter than all other 100 I have hit with, and most of all same thickness on the head.

Your timing might be deficient.

^^^^^^
Not really blaming the racquet but just saying it takes more time to get accustomed to a new racquet, add to that the different head shape + very thick beam of the yonex ezone.

Shanking balls has absolutely NOTHING to do with either head shape or beam width. It has everything to do with timing and stroke mechanics, both of which are affected when you switch to a racquet that has a different weight and balance/weight distribution than what you are used to.