I just got back from a two hour session. Hit with both my standard APDGT and the Yonex. Pretty different sticks really.
The Yonex is certainly a low powered racquet, and I kinda wonder why TW has it labeled as "low medium." I would say this racquet plays quite similarly to the 100 MP, as I played that one for awhile. It feels like a "softer" version of that racquet to me from what I remember. But that creates a problem for me. Even though the racquet was strung with full NXT, I was getting some fairly strong shoulder ache in the right arm after hitting for awhile. When I went back to the APDGT, it disappeared. In fact my APDGT with full poly felt a lot more solid and comfortable than the RDiS 200 with full NXT.
As far as the performance goes, when I first started to play, I tried to play like I do with my APD. I'd call it a strong semi western grip. It really wasn't happening. It was hard to hit with much loop in the shot (for me), and with the APD I like to vary between fast loopy shots and flat drives. This racquet seemed to work far more effectively when I went semi western or strong eastern and tried to hit more of a flat trajectory. You still get quite a bit of spin, and I was told the balls were feeling very heavy, but the path of the ball was generally closer to the net. Backhands and forehands were solid feeling, with a soft flexy feel that I wouldn't call exactly classic. A softer RDiS 100 MP is the best I can do. It really doesn't remind me of the 002 tour either. Pace was slower off the string bed than with my APDGT, even with the flatter path. Balls landed shorter for me as well, and I'm sure that's a result of the monster spin that this racquet has, just like the 100.
Serves were pretty good, they felt a little slower, and I wasn't getting much kick off the court. It wasn't really "exploding" much, but who knows what it would do with a good poly. Volleys were fine, good touch and control, slices were effective and easy to control. Nothing to complain about there.
I think all in all, it's a pretty good racquet. I'm not really "sold" on it (I was thinking of getting one to play alongside my APDGT, until I knew which one I was more effective with in match play. Babolat and Yonex are basically my two favorite racquet makers), but I will give it the full week trial and a few more outings to see if it grows on me at all. I was honestly hoping for something with the 002 tour power and feel, with the RDiS 100 MP spin and control. This racquet is much much more a 100 MP in my opinion, than it is an 002 tour.
I really think this racquet would be pretty great for a person who likes to hit flatter from the baseline with "milder" grips, wants access to plenty of spin, and likes to come in to the net at times. I'm sure it would also be a great serve and volley/doubles stick. Plenty of sweet spot, plenty of control. I love the head shape, and how it makes the racquet feel through the air. I just wish it had more power, and a different feel.
I'll try and write more as I hit with it throughout this week.
