Sardines
Hall of Fame
For the last 1.5 months, I've been transitioning from the RF97A to the Yonex SV98+, primarily because I want the same swing weight with less overall weight. It's not my first foray into extended racquets. I'd played with PS85 with a custom extended grip by 0.5", which I loved until I had a serious shoulder injury, after which I'd switched to a PS90 frame to get more power.
Anyhow, the SV98+ has proven to be a viable alternative to the "mass"ive plow of the RF97A on many fronts.
Customization: I've strung the SV98+ with Cyclone 19/18Lg @ 49/46 and also VS Touch 16g/Cyclone 19g 56/52. Added 4 g at 10/2 for increased twist weight and 5g under the grip and in the buttcap, to balance.
I practiced with it for about 2 weeks/10 hrs then spent 6 hrs on a Playsight court to evaluate the results.
Groundstrokes: This is where the difference in weight felt the most different. I would say both have similar power off the ground, but the SV98+ is inherently less stable, despite the square head design. and found my groundstroke speeds to be similar to the RF97A. I didn't feel there much much extra spin but Playsight showed 3-4% increase on both wings. Topspin drives felt easy and I was having a bit easier time hitting high groundstrokes, probably because I was able to hit with more racquet head speed. It definitely felt easier to swing through the ball, which required less effort.
There was a bit of adjustment to the launch angle and ball trajectory, since there's a bit more bite, however, it's a minor thing. Even though the RA is lower, the SV98+ felt as stiff, but more muted. That lack of vibration makes me feel like I didn't "feel" the shot through, even though it went where and how I wanted it.
Serve: Easy to swing and a bit extra spin on the ball. My ad court wide serve showed improvement 3% more in than the RF97A, and 4% for the deuce wide serve. No significant difference in speed for the T serves, but consistency went up 3-5% and spin 4%, which is great!
Net play: The SV98+ is not a very stable or good feel racquet at net, especially on low volleys. Felt like the RF97A with dead copolys. I think I need more time to adapt and soften my hands even more on reflex. Power volleys were good but off center hits felt weaker. Better than the RF97A for topspin drive volleys and heavy spin overheads, but control for punch and angle volleys was less precise than the RF97A, which felt buttery. Easier maneuverability due to lighter weight, sort of like I choked up on the RF97A a bit but actually have a bit more reach. The extra length does not bother me much.
Overall, the numbers say I'm playing better with the SV98+, off the serve and groundstrokes with less effort. Feel is definitely lessened. I think this switch would benefit my singles game more. I'll hold on to the RF97A still though for fast condition days where I need that extra bit of feel and control. Now I have to carry 4 racquets around!
Anyhow, the SV98+ has proven to be a viable alternative to the "mass"ive plow of the RF97A on many fronts.
Customization: I've strung the SV98+ with Cyclone 19/18Lg @ 49/46 and also VS Touch 16g/Cyclone 19g 56/52. Added 4 g at 10/2 for increased twist weight and 5g under the grip and in the buttcap, to balance.
I practiced with it for about 2 weeks/10 hrs then spent 6 hrs on a Playsight court to evaluate the results.
Groundstrokes: This is where the difference in weight felt the most different. I would say both have similar power off the ground, but the SV98+ is inherently less stable, despite the square head design. and found my groundstroke speeds to be similar to the RF97A. I didn't feel there much much extra spin but Playsight showed 3-4% increase on both wings. Topspin drives felt easy and I was having a bit easier time hitting high groundstrokes, probably because I was able to hit with more racquet head speed. It definitely felt easier to swing through the ball, which required less effort.
There was a bit of adjustment to the launch angle and ball trajectory, since there's a bit more bite, however, it's a minor thing. Even though the RA is lower, the SV98+ felt as stiff, but more muted. That lack of vibration makes me feel like I didn't "feel" the shot through, even though it went where and how I wanted it.
Serve: Easy to swing and a bit extra spin on the ball. My ad court wide serve showed improvement 3% more in than the RF97A, and 4% for the deuce wide serve. No significant difference in speed for the T serves, but consistency went up 3-5% and spin 4%, which is great!
Net play: The SV98+ is not a very stable or good feel racquet at net, especially on low volleys. Felt like the RF97A with dead copolys. I think I need more time to adapt and soften my hands even more on reflex. Power volleys were good but off center hits felt weaker. Better than the RF97A for topspin drive volleys and heavy spin overheads, but control for punch and angle volleys was less precise than the RF97A, which felt buttery. Easier maneuverability due to lighter weight, sort of like I choked up on the RF97A a bit but actually have a bit more reach. The extra length does not bother me much.
Overall, the numbers say I'm playing better with the SV98+, off the serve and groundstrokes with less effort. Feel is definitely lessened. I think this switch would benefit my singles game more. I'll hold on to the RF97A still though for fast condition days where I need that extra bit of feel and control. Now I have to carry 4 racquets around!
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