I played one hour of singles today in my club's internal tournament, so here are a few impressions on the 93P 14x18 strung with Hyper G 16 at 48lbs.
As mentioned in previous posts, I had played most of 2018 with the 18x20 version (strung at 46lbs in 17g), and the past 4 months with the PP100P 16x18 (strung at 48lbs with 16L), so I am very familiar with the Phantom line.
- Feel: frankly, they all feel fairly similar at contact, and whatever small difference can probably be attributed to strings. Very comfortable with the Hyper G 16 at 48, did not feel boardy at all (that setup would have been unplayable for me in the 18x20)
- Manoeuvrability: similar to the 18x20, and better than the PP100P, which can be unwieldy at times (large round head, polarised)
- Control: not quite as accurate as the 18x20, as the shots are definitely more loopy, but not the lack accuracy of the PP100P when hitting outside of the sweet spot i.e. the ball doesn't fly out as much
- Forgiveness: surprisingly forgiving, much more so than 18x20, and not far off the PP100P
- Power: definitely less powerful on grounstrokes than the PP100P, but more pop on serve. Easier access to power than the 18x20 on groundstrokes, except on serve where I'd still give the edge to the 18x20
- Forehand: no issue in hitting big, but requires a fair bit of spin on the ball, similar to the PP100P (though with better control). 18x20 better for flatter shots, but those inherently entail more risk
- Backhand slice: the 18x20 is the best of the 3 on that shot, it's pretty much a scalpel, but the ball is going to be very close to the net. On the PP100P, it flies and sits up a bit more, with more net clearance but less penetration. The 14x18 plays between the two, probably a bit more like the PP100P, without being as extreme
- OHBH topspin: much better than the 18x20, which I find challenging on that shot (very difficult to impart spin). Probably on par with the PP100P, in terms of ease of play, but with better precision
- Return: it's a weak part of my game, and the 18x20 is definitely a challenge, as I clip the top of the net a lot. The 14x18 plays very much like the PP100P, with a high trajectory that makes it much easier to clear the net. Blocked returns are better with the 14x18, though, thanks to the added mass
- Volley: very similar to the 18x20, great control. The mass definitely helps to block fast shots.
The game wasn't as competitive as I would have hoped it to be. From that session, I can't really judge if it's going to be as tiring after 2 hours of hard fought singles, so I'l have to report back again. It's probably going to be a bit easier than the 18x20, but we'll see.
In summary, the 14x18 plays like an intermediate version between the 18x20 and the PP100P. I would say it has 70% of the characteristics of the former, and 30% of the latter. It's early days, but I feel this is a happy medium for my game:
- the 18x20 is awesome on serve, but a handicap on return. The lack of power gets tiring after a while, and I tend to miss in the net
- the PP100P improves my return substantially but degrades my serve, which is my best shot. Good power, at the expense of balls flying out from time to time, and I tend to miss long
- the 14x18 gives me security on the return without markedly degrading my serve. Feels like a good blend of power and control. Still very much a control frame, but power and spin are there if you need them.
I will definitely keep thicker gauges in that stick, either 16 or 16L, which I will be trying on next. It is going to be interesting to see how long the strings last in such an open pattern.
Overall, very happy with this racquet. For singles, I'll probably have a couple of the 14x18 in my bag, together with a PP100P, to use in those days where I am tired or if I play on clay. For doubles, I'll keep a couple of 18x20 with one 14x18 for the days when I need more security.
Now, I just need to stop buying racquets...
