Yonex Ai 98: tell me more about her

maxpotapov

maxpotapov

Hall of Fame
Ever since I first saw her on TW, I can't stop thinking about her.
She looks beautiful and she is smart.
Japanese, of noble birth.
And not square at all.
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Now, before I commit to any serious relationships without demoing first, I'd like to know a little more. Is she really a flexy smooth easy breezy kind of racquet? Or quite stiff and demanding, high maintenance type?

Any impressions are welcome!
 
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Team10

Team10

Hall of Fame
I've hit with one as my friend was demoing a lot of racquets and I couldn't help but try them out. He ended up buying a couple Ezone AI 98's a week or so ago, and let me tell you, it's a nice midplus racquet that does everything well, but it's nothing special.

I didn't get to hit with it for too long, maybe like 15 minutes or so and it felt good. A little light for me, but it had decent pop, good control, spin was easy, and yeah a solid racquet. Nothing special, but it will do what you ask of it. Good specs, worth a demo if you're looking for a new frame.
 
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JackB1

JackB1

G.O.A.T.
Not a tweener at all. I loved it and would be using it if I could serve with it. For some reason I always struggle on serve with flexy sticks. My hitting partner who is a 5.0 loved it. It has a nice smooth and flexy feel and just feels great all around. Not stiff at all. Good decent mid level weight and swingweight. Power equal to a Radical MP. Really a nice stick. Yonex did a great job with these AI racquets IMO. Highly recommended.
 
Bartelby

Bartelby

Bionic Poster
It's not a question of what I call it but its weight and size mean calling it a tweener is way off the mark.

TW classifies it as a 'modern player's racquet' - buttons above racquets - and that seems correct (by convention).
 
Team10

Team10

Hall of Fame
Alright, fair enough. I edited it. It has good power though and felt kind of light. Idk, I didn't get a chance to hit with it too much, but I guess you guys are right, not a tweener
 
Bartelby

Bartelby

Bionic Poster
Yes, well, it is all just a convention but the fact is that player's racquets are getting lighter.

Plus what really distinguishes a player's racquet in the strict sense is one with a swingweight into the 350s and above and they don't even sell such things.
 
maxpotapov

maxpotapov

Hall of Fame
Hey guys, thanks for your feedback!

I'm coming from Prestige Mid and Dunlop MW 200G kind of racquets, so what you described sounds like a "tweener player's racquet" to me which is perfect! :)

Smooth and flexy is what I wanted to hear. And I guess it's stable too, not wobbly at all?

I'm not familiar with Yonex feel, but I do understand it is not hollow. Which is good enough. But how is it to the touch? Is there anything plasticky or metallic or porcelain to it? Classic Head feel stands for "solid velvety plush" in my vocabulary.

Another question, considering huge sweetspot, could its stringbed response be a little dull and undefined like Prince/port tech?
 
P

parasailing

Legend
Team10 said:
I've hit with one as my friend was demoing a lot of racquets and I couldn't help but try them out. He ended up buying a couple Ezone AI 98's a week or so ago, and let me tell you, it's a nice midplus racquet that does everything well, but it's nothing special.

I didn't get to hit with it for too long, maybe like 15 minutes or so and it felt good. A little light for me, but it had decent pop, good control, spin was easy, and yeah a solid racquet. Nothing special, but it will do what you ask of it. Good specs, worth a demo if you're looking for a new frame.
Click to expand...

How does it compare to a Graphene Speed Pro?
 
U

un6a

Semi-Pro
Another question, considering huge sweetspot, could its stringbed response be a little dull and undefined like Prince/port tech?
Click to expand...

Prince o-ports feels much more muted.
Yonex bigger sweet spot is from isometric design, so it's different case.

This racquet caught my attention too. Anyone can compare it to Rdis 100 MP ?
Specs are similar.
 
JackB1

JackB1

G.O.A.T.
maxpotapov said:
Hey guys, thanks for your feedback!

I'm coming from Prestige Mid and Dunlop MW 200G kind of racquets, so what you described sounds like a "tweener player's racquet" to me which is perfect! :)

Smooth and flexy is what I wanted to hear. And I guess it's stable too, not wobbly at all?

I'm not familiar with Yonex feel, but I do understand it is not hollow. Which is good enough. But how is it to the touch? Is there anything plasticky or metallic or porcelain to it? Classic Head feel stands for "solid velvety plush" in my vocabulary.

Another question, considering huge sweetspot, could its stringbed response be a little dull and undefined like Prince/port tech?
Click to expand...

The AI98 stringbed to me felt very much like the IG Radical MP....plush, smooth with a little flex and pocketing. Nothing at all like Prince. Very nice. Power is on the lowish side, but not Prestige low. I think you will really like it Max.
 
Team10

Team10

Hall of Fame
parasailing said:
How does it compare to a Graphene Speed Pro?
Click to expand...

Hard to say, they are both pretty different racquets. I don't hit with Yonex racquets all that much so it did feel a little weird to me. The GSP is much more solid racquet and has a better feel that I like. I don't like my racquets too flexy. I can't really give an in depth comparison because I didn't have too much time with it, but that basically sums it up.

The Ezone AI 98 was a good racquet though, I could see how people would like it. The GSP wins hands down for me though.
 
maxpotapov

maxpotapov

Hall of Fame
^^I'm not against Speed line of racquets but this whole Graphene marketing bs insults my intelligence and hurts my feelings as a longtime Head customer.

Whatever Yonex says or does simply makes sense. I can understand their technology. Plus I can't see how they cheapened their design or quality control of the top frames -- seems like they are still striving for engineering and manufacturing excellence.
 
oldcity

oldcity

Rookie
Anyone have comparisons to the Yonex 97 tour (310), and xi98. I really liked the 97 demo. I felt like the xi98 was a little lacking in control for me but it had some worn multi on it. The spec on the ai98 looks good, like it might be a pretty good at everything stick.
 
Y

Yonextillidie

New User
This looks an interesting racket.
I switched last season fron an RDS 003, great power, but hard to control, to the vcore tour 97 310. What a racket smooth as silk, fantastic feel, but lacks a little power.
I am in my 50's now, so a little help always taken.
If I switch ! Again , to the Ai 98, will I have the racket I need ?
I notice no male professionals are using this racket ? Is it a chick stick ?
Just love though the 310's looks, feel maybe string change may give me that extra punch
 
Bartelby

Bartelby

Bionic Poster
All you need is a little lead tape on the 310, say 2 grams at 12, but the 98 seems to be a good purchase for extra power.

The vcore 98 has also got extra power and less swingweight if that is your preference.
 
T

Torres

Banned
Bartelby said:
I can't see why 'tweener' is a good characterisation of this racquet.
Click to expand...

I don't see describing it as a 'tweener' as a criticism of it. The Pure Drive is tweener for example. I don't see that as a negative. Just means a certain type of racquet.
 
T

Torres

Banned
It's a tweener racquet. Practically everything is a tweener racquet these days. A 'players racquet' is a completely different breed of stick.
 
Bartelby

Bartelby

Bionic Poster
The reality is that very few define tweeners the way you do because it renders meaningless the distinction between player's and tweener racquets.

Player's racquets is not really meant to function as a synonym for pro racquet.

The terms and their distinction are a way of defining two types of product in a consumer market.
 
T

Torres

Banned
Bartelby said:
The reality is that very few define tweeners the way you do because it renders meaningless the distinction between player's and tweener racquets.

Player's racquets is not really meant to function as a synonym for pro racquet.

The terms and their distinction are a way of defining two types of product in a consumer market.
Click to expand...

Not that the definition is particularly important, but I see it as a tweener. Easy to swing, big sweetspot, easy spin, easy power, light weight, not particularly HL, thickish beam....its an undemandng 'fire and forget' type stick. It designed to be accessible to those in the middle of the bell curve of the tennis playing population.

Other than beginner racquets, this is about as far away from a 6.1, Tour 90, Prestige Mid, PB10, RDiS100 etc, as you're going to get.
 
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Bartelby

Bartelby

Bionic Poster
Your distinction makes no sense.

You just randomly pick out the most difficult racquets, some of which are mids, and say it's easy to play with and therefore it is a tweener.

A player's racquet is not a pro racquet. It's a consumer product label and retailers do use it for the 98.
 
T

Torres

Banned
A 'players racquet' by its very definition means that you have to be good player to be able to play with it because its a demanding stick for one reason or another. It doesn't mean something that any random tennis hack can use.

3.5-4.0 which is middle of the bell curve is not within the definition of 'player' for the purposes of a player's racquet. Sure they can go on court with a Tour 90 and have some fun with it but its going to be more of a hindrance than a help at competition level.
 
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tom4ny

tom4ny

Professional
"player-tweener" actually makes sense and I can understand it's meaning as it is a pretty good characterization of a lot of the new frames being released these days.

"player's" frame was never considered pro specs but modern player frames are stiffer, lighter, and more powerful than traditional player frames.

then you get into lighter player frames

then the player-tweeners

then the tweeners

then the game improvement frames

it is getting confusing because of the trend towards lighter, stiffer, and more powerful in all categories but one thing is true the old way of defining frames and instantly knowing what that means no longer applies.

the size of a frame is not a way to characterize frames anymore either. the lines are all getting blurred.
 
T

Torres

Banned
tom4ny said:
it is getting confusing because of the trend towards lighter, stiffer, and more powerful in all categories but one thing is true the old way of defining frames and instantly knowing what that means no longer applies.
Click to expand...

Everything is going to the way of the tweener, what with Fed ditching his 90 and Head ditching the Prestige Mid. Even the new Prestige Pro I've been hitting with recently has had a lot of tweener elements added into it. Without Fed winning everything, true players sticks only really sell to an ever decreasing tennis population, particulary with a new generation of youngsters being brought up on PDs and APDCs.
 
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Bartelby

Bartelby

Bionic Poster
Nostalgia-driven definitions don't work.

Distinctions require a difference and yours does not. Or rather the difference you operate with is between the past and the present.



Torres said:
Everything is going to the way of the tweener, what with Fed ditching his 90 and Head ditching the Prestige Mid. Even the new Prestige Pro I've been hitting with recently has had a lot of tweener elements added into it. Without Fed winning everything, true players sticks only sell to an ever decreasing tennis population, with a new generation of youngsters being brought up on PDs and APDCs.
Click to expand...
 
Bartelby

Bartelby

Bionic Poster
That's a tautological definition.

Torres said:
A 'players racquet' by its very definition means that you have to be good player to be able to play with it because its a demanding stick for one reason or another. It doesn't mean something that any random tennis hack can use.

3.5-4.0 which is middle of the bell curve is not within the definition of 'player' for the purposes of a player's racquet. Sure they can go on court with a Tour 90 and have some with it but its going to be of a hindrance than a help at competition level.
Click to expand...
 
Bartelby

Bartelby

Bionic Poster
It's multi-layered rather than confusing, but it's essentially built on a couple of distinctions:

Old player's versus modern player's racquet. (This distinction will soon be obsolete).

Player's racquet versus intermediate racquet.

Intermediate racquet versus beginner's racquet.



tom4ny said:
"player-tweener" actually makes sense and I can understand it's meaning as it is a pretty good characterization of a lot of the new frames being released these days.

"player's" frame was never considered pro specs but modern player frames are stiffer, lighter, and more powerful than traditional player frames.

then you get into lighter player frames

then the player-tweeners

then the tweeners

then the game improvement frames

it is getting confusing because of the trend towards lighter, stiffer, and more powerful in all categories but one thing is true the old way of defining frames and instantly knowing what that means no longer applies.

the size of a frame is not a way to characterize frames anymore either. the lines are all getting blurred.
Click to expand...
 
tom4ny

tom4ny

Professional
Torres said:
Everything is going to the way of the tweener, what with Fed ditching his 90 and Head ditching the Prestige Mid. Even the new Prestige Pro I've been hitting with recently has had a lot of tweener elements added into it. Without Fed winning everything, true players sticks only really sell to an ever decreasing tennis population, particulary with a new generation of youngsters being brought up on PDs and APDCs.
Click to expand...

I agree with you completely here. Tweener used to be a distinct frame but now its qualities are seen across lines. Tweener qualities make a frame easier to use and is not a disparaging term!

I have adapted to modern frames but one thing I cannot do is take a 68-70 RA frame is string it with say RPM Blast at 60 lbs! So many of these skilled youngsters do this and are doing a disservice to their bodies. Still it is amazing how well and fast they play compared to "back in the day". lol
 
tom4ny

tom4ny

Professional
Bartelby said:
It's multi-layered rather than confusing, but it's essentially built on a couple of distinctions:

Old player's versus modern player's racquet. (This distinction will soon be obsolete).

Player's racquet versus intermediate racquet.

Intermediate racquet versus beginner's racquet.
Click to expand...

I think that this is a good start but further breakdown is required in order to properly classify within those groups so that one can more easily identify the power and stiffness level of a frame. That is where adding the "tweener" word because people understand it can be helpful. So my prior groups would hopefully add further insight.

This is going to be debated for sometime as the manufacturers are making things more confusing. Just like we discussed in that Head thread earlier.
 
Bartelby

Bartelby

Bionic Poster
Nostalgia!

I think I prefer Breakpoint's nostalgia for the wood era.

His view was that the Wilson Prostaff switch from an 85 to 90 was the final straw.
 
Federerkblade

Federerkblade

Hall of Fame
The APDO that NAdal uses is an easy frame to play with. what does that make nadal. this debate is really pointless and silly. I play with a tweener frame now an apdo and apd plus . i can play tennis but cannot play well with players frame. what does that make me ? somome whos crap at tennis
 
JackB1

JackB1

G.O.A.T.
Torres said:
A 'players racquet' by its very definition means that you have to be good player to be able to play with it because its a demanding stick for one reason or another. It doesn't mean something that any random tennis hack can use.

3.5-4.0 which is middle of the bell curve is not within the definition of 'player' for the purposes of a player's racquet. Sure they can go on court with a Tour 90 and have some with it but its going to be of a hindrance than a help at competition level.
Click to expand...

Like Tom says, there are pure tweeners (Volkl V1) and there are pure players sticks (Prestige mid) and there are lots in between, like the Blade 98 or Dunlop 3.0. TW characterizes these as being for "intermediate to advanced" players. These are the players/tweeners.
 
T

Torres

Banned
tom4ny said:
In a way my Dunlop M2.0 is a player-tweener frame. I am not insulted by that in any way.
Click to expand...

Same here. I don't see 'tweener' as a negative term. I switched from the 6.1 to the Juice Pro for the simple reason that it's an easier hit whilst retaining some of the feel of the 6.1.
 
tom4ny

tom4ny

Professional
Federerkblade said:
The APDO that NAdal uses is an easy frame to play with. what does that make nadal. this debate is really pointless and silly. I play with a tweener frame now an apdo and apd plus . i can play tennis but cannot play well with players frame. what does that make me ? somome whos crap at tennis
Click to expand...


well that is the nail on the head really. it is about classifying a racket so that people can understand it's characteristics. it is not about classifying a tennis player's ability so ego's do not have to be bruised by this.

fwiw most of the higher level players (5.0 and up) that i play with use larger and "tweener like" frames. that is today's game and trend
 
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