2021 Yonex VCore Pro Official Thread

[mavsman149]

I’ve proudly played with my Tecnifibres for 6 years now and really have no intention to switch but I went to a local tennis club today and ran into these…..this is the greatest looking racket I’ve ever seen and it’s right in the specs I like. I’m fighting so hard against myself not to demo it

 

[galahad]

Would anyone be willing to explain how the VCore Pro 97 310 has evolved, from the blue 2018 version, to the Green 2019, to this Purple/green 2021 version
I'm unclear of the pro's and con's of each iteration.
Much appreciated

 

[Mischko]

blue and green are the same frames, just a thin Vibration Dampening Mesh was added to the green ones, in the handle, everything else is identical. even the cosmetic geometry and design is identical, just colours were changed from dark blue to dark green, and accents from orange to gold. this new 2021 vcp is however entirely new and different.

 

[Power Player]

New one plays thicker like a Blade but has much higher trajectory and a balance that is better for all court play. I also like the feel more than the V7 Blade as well.

To me this is the Blade for people who don't like it's balance.

 

[galahad]

blue and green are the same frames, just a thin Vibration Dampening Mesh was added to the green ones, in the handle, everything else is identical. even the cosmetic geometry and design is identical, just colours were changed from dark blue to dark green, and accents from orange to gold. this new 2021 vcp is however entirely new and different.

Thanks, how do you see these differences, in playability?

 

[snoflewis]

Thanks, how do you see these differences, in playability?

differences in feel are usually pretty obvious. when a racket gets more muted, it's generally harder to feel the ball and the response of the ball on contact isn't the same. results on court may or may not change.

 

[galahad]

differences in feel are usually pretty obvious. when a racket gets more muted, it's generally harder to feel the ball and the response of the ball on contact isn't the same. results on court may or may not change.

So, to be clear, you are suggesting that the new version, has less feel than the prior 2 versions?Which I have heard as well…as is commonly the case when you add power..Although this frame has a lower RA rating, i guess the increase is coming from a slightly thicker beam

 

[cortado]

So, to be clear, you are suggesting that the new version, has less feel than the prior 2 versions?Which I have heard as well…as is commonly the case when you add power..Although this frame has a lower RA rating, i guess the increase is coming from a slightly thicker beam

I think we overestimate how much the racquet contributes to ‘feel’. I’ve just had my HD re-strung with a different type of string and it feels completely different.

 

[Artanis]

So, to be clear, you are suggesting that the new version, has less feel than the prior 2 versions?Which I have heard as well…as is commonly the case when you add power..Although this frame has a lower RA rating, i guess the increase is coming from a slightly thicker beam

Yet, the latest gen. displays the same power rating as the previous gen in TW academy tools.

 

[Syfo-Dias]

I think we overestimate how much the racquet contributes to ‘feel’. I’ve just had my HD re-strung with a different type of string and it feels completely different.

I think you're on to something there. I normally play gut mains/poly crosses and love the feel it gives me. When I play full poly it always feels way more muted regardless of the racquet.

 

[Power Player]

Yeah with Tour Bite the new VCP has plenty of feel to me. It's not going to feel like a crisp Babolat though, its a classic feeling frame. But the harder you hit the ball, the more the sweet spot opens up.

 

[PMF]

I only have about 4 hours logged with my demo‘s, which include the ’21 VCore Pro 97 (310), VCore Pro 100, and VCore 95. All three are strung with a 16g synthetic gut.

I’m still thinking about how I feel, but I was a bit surprised by the VCore Pro 100. It’s better than I expected.

I just returned my demo box. Loved all of these racquets, but leaning towards the VCore Pro 97 (310). Outstanding comfort. Great control. Easy to serve with. Volleys good. It feels like I could use this stick for both doubles and singles. On defense, I found it easy to hit deep, loopy shots into the corners. I loved that. The paint job looks better in person IMO.

I'm going to try demoing the v8 Blades too, but for my game, this is going to be hard to beat. Well done. The only thing that worries me is making sure I get one with a stock swing-weight of at least 320, while maintaining the 32cm balance point.

 

[snoflewis]

So, to be clear, you are suggesting that the new version, has less feel than the prior 2 versions?Which I have heard as well…as is commonly the case when you add power..Although this frame has a lower RA rating, i guess the increase is coming from a slightly thicker beam

I haven't tried the green second gen, just the first blue one and this new release. the feel is completely different, and it's hard to say which has more or less because feel is never one-dimensional.

the new one is more muted because it flexes more. you rarely (if ever) get a racket that gives off a cleaner feel and more flex. it's not overly muted or disconnected from the ball like any of the wilson CV sticks, but it is a tad more muted than i'd prefer. in that sense, you can say the new one has "less" feel than the older blue one which was a tad crisper and firmer. i'm pretty confident this can also be fixed with strings. another aspect is because the new one is noticeably more flexible, the ball stays on the strings longer, so you get to feel the ball for a much longer period of time. the new one is also noticeably more stable despite being more flexible, and that has a huge impact on feel too since it's just more solid on each ball.

 

[JGads]

First eight minutes of this are skippable considering he just goes over the marketing talk, but an interesting look at old vs new from a great player who plays (or played?) with the old version, leaded up.

 

[Power Player]

First eight minutes of this are skippable considering he just goes over the marketing talk, but an interesting look at old vs new from a great player who plays (or played?) with the old version, leaded up.

Great video. Agree with mostly everything he said, a few things that stood out.

I agree with him on the 2 handed BH. It is really easy to hit deep 60-70% power backhands over and over with this frame. You get extra net clearance with this frame so it's pretty easy to grind from the back.

He mentioned serve power and adding lead to bump it up. Yep, just adding 1 lead at 12 gave me serious power with this racquet. I can hit really big serves with it now making that simple minor change (I had a pretty healthy stock SW and weight though on mine). He is correct that the lead provides extra snap even though he put his in a different spot than mine - maybe QC there or just his preference.

On the feel - yep muted like he says but in a good, classic way imo. Not over the top like the latest Babolat Pure strike.

It is fantastic on serve returns, especially blocking back big serves. Incredibly satisfying feel to it and stability.

Also the versatility of the frame is there for me. I still don't have the flatter shots dialed in, but when that happens, I may be having a really hard decision to make between this and the VC95. I still seem to play a bit better with the direct point and shoot vc95, but if I get used to the VCP97, it will be a very versatile racquet since it excels at hitting the deep and heavy 60-70% rally ball.

 

[Roquestil]

 

[cortado]

Funny how he has different thoughts/complaints to the other review video above.
I think trying lots of different racquets frequently messes with your head.
I think a lot of what people mean when they say they found a racquet 'unstable' is that they are not hitting consistently with it yet (because they're just reviewing it for a day or two) and so it comes across as unstable.
Before I started playing with the HD I was using my 90. The 90 didn't seem unstable or lacking in any way. First few sessions with the HD it seemed unstable. Now the HD seems stable, and the 90 seems unstable. It's just what you're used to.

 

[Power Player]

Tennis Family review is interesting. I agree with some of it, but he really doesn't like the feel and thinks its way different than the prior versions. To me, this one has a similar feel to the TourG still so I like it. Also says the trajectory is too low, which is odd. I find it rather high an have no issues clearing the net.

He doesn't really know his specs though, he just used TWs. So who knows what the stock weight was.

 

[snoflewis]

Funny how he has different thoughts/complaints to the other review video above.
I think trying lots of different racquets frequently messes with your head.
I think a lot of what people mean when they say they found a racquet 'unstable' is that they are not hitting consistently with it yet (because they're just reviewing it for a day or two) and so it comes across as unstable.
Before I started playing with the HD I was using my 90. The 90 didn't seem unstable or lacking in any way. First few sessions with the HD it seemed unstable. Now the HD seems stable, and the 90 seems unstable. It's just what you're used to.

having seen his other videos, i think he's the type that needs his specs to be at a certain level for a racket to feel "right". look at all the lead he had on some of the sticks during that sound test. problem with these youtube reviews is you never know if they rely heavily on their equipment to produce results unless they play at a high level

as for his findings, the racket can definitely be underpowered compared to other sticks out there and possibly QC, but the racket definitely didn't have a low launch angle. i actually thought it was on the higher side for what it was. it's much higher than the launch angle off the ezone 98 which i had side by side. at the end of the day, it's definitely a different folks different strokes kind of thing

 

[Roquestil]

having seen his other videos, i think he's the type that needs his specs to be at a certain level for a racket to feel "right". look at all the lead he had on some of the sticks during that sound test. problem with these youtube reviews is you never know if they rely heavily on their equipment to produce results unless they play at a high level

as for his findings, the racket can definitely be underpowered compared to other sticks out there and possibly QC, but the racket definitely didn't have a low launch angle. i actually thought it was on the higher side for what it was. it's much higher than the launch angle off the ezone 98 which i had side by side. at the end of the day, it's definitely a different folks different strokes kind of thing

It really is something very personal. That’s why I really like when reviewers or even other people in this forum reference their “go to” sticks and relative specs to get an idea If the review hits a cord with my personal likings or dislikes. If not it’s hard to relate.

 

[Artanis]

Interesting that in the end he prefers the previous gen. VCP 310...

 

[puppybutts]

Funny how he has different thoughts/complaints to the other review video above.
I think trying lots of different racquets frequently messes with your head.
I think a lot of what people mean when they say they found a racquet 'unstable' is that they are not hitting consistently with it yet (because they're just reviewing it for a day or two) and so it comes across as unstable.
Before I started playing with the HD I was using my 90. The 90 didn't seem unstable or lacking in any way. First few sessions with the HD it seemed unstable. Now the HD seems stable, and the 90 seems unstable. It's just what you're used to.

I'm confused why you're bringing up the "unstable" bit of your comment while quoting the Tennis Family review. in his review he said he was impressed by the new vcp stability, or did i miss something

 

[puppybutts]

Tennis Family review is interesting. I agree with some of it, but he really doesn't like the feel and thinks its way different than the prior versions. To me, this one has a similar feel to the TourG still so I like it. Also says the trajectory is too low, which is odd. I find it rather high an have no issues clearing the net.

He doesn't really know his specs though, he just used TWs. So who knows what the stock weight was.

he added weight to it, so it's likely he at least weighed it. he only directly referenced TWU for vibrations. but yonex is pretty reliable with the static weight, it's not like andrey or karue posted their unique copy's specs either.

 

[cortado]

I'm confused why you're bringing up the "unstable" bit of your comment while quoting the Tennis Family review. in his review he said he was impressed by the new vcp stability, or did i miss something

Sorry yeah he didn’t mention instability but that’s a complaint you see a lot in other reviews an in people’s comments on here (of any racquet not this one). And I wonder if it’s a genuine attribute of any racquet or just caused by people not being used to it and not hitting well.

 

[puppybutts]

Sorry yeah he didn’t mention instability but that’s a complaint you see a lot in other reviews an in people’s comments on here (of any racquet not this one). And I wonder if it’s a genuine attribute of any racquet or just caused by people not being used to it and not hitting well.

oh icic, i understand now, sorry. yeah probably a mix of both. you can probably overcome most instability by getting used to a racquet, but i do think it is a genuine attribute. for example, a HH racquet with dense string pattern will definitely give a more reliable response with less fluttering off center than a HL racquet with spacing that widens out more towards the edges. some racquets are just harder to push around.

 

[puppybutts]

First eight minutes of this are skippable considering he just goes over the marketing talk, but an interesting look at old vs new from a great player who plays (or played?) with the old version, leaded up.

it was weird to me that he spent 8 minutes going over the marketing fluff. maybe it was just an introduction, but i do think it got in his head at least a little. at the end he says the longer shaft didn't do anything and wasn't sure what the purpose was, but then says the new flex technology yonex added absolutely made a difference. seems odd that he attributes all of the increased flexibility and dwell time to the flex material and none of it to the increased throat length.

anyway, still fun/helpful to hear, good reviews across the board. every review out there seems to agree the new vcps are more stable, more comfortable, and a smidgen more powerful. pretty hard to do all 3 in one go, it seems this update had more improvements than drawbacks, as long as you don't mind the more muted feel. that does make me more nervous while waiting to demo, because i usually am not picky about feel but the latest vcore update was too muted for me.

 

[JGads]

it was weird to me that he spent 8 minutes going over the marketing fluff. maybe it was just an introduction, but i do think it got in his head at least a little. at the end he says the longer shaft didn't do anything and wasn't sure what the purpose was, but then says the new flex technology yonex added absolutely made a difference. seems odd that he attributes all of the increased flexibility and dwell time to the flex material and none of it to the increased throat length.

anyway, still fun/helpful to hear, good reviews across the board. every review out there seems to agree the new vcps are more stable, more comfortable, and a smidgen more powerful. pretty hard to do all 3 in one go, it seems this update had more improvements than drawbacks, as long as you don't mind the more muted feel. that does make me more nervous while waiting to demo, because i usually am not picky about feel but the latest vcore update was too muted for me.

I think it was his first review of this kind. Maybe not his forte, but he'll get better at it. Excellent player, though. His older videos of hitting and playing matches with the older 310 leaded up seem to me to look like the ball is a little more impressive or consistent than with the new one. He serves so well with the emerald green one. But of course these are samples or good days maybe and who knows what the truth is. In his own words he seems to be buying in, or at least trying to buy in here, but I wonder how that will play out over time.

It seems to me like the reviews on the new stick or line is mostly people liking or even really liking it, but I haven't seen any all-out "I'm in loves" or "that's it, I'm making the switch" from whatever they are playing. Perhaps that will come with time and the frame getting into more hands, and for longer periods.

 

[isukatennis]

The older blue/red vcp97 310 has been my go to for the last 3 years and I was little disappointed with the 2021 version at first. They are two completely different rackets but easy to transition between the two for obvious reasons. But after playing more with the 2021, I’m really digging it primarily for the added stability and power boost over the old version. Stability was surprisingly good for a head light 97 frame IMO. I’ve settled on hyper g17@ 52/48 on my older version to help add a little power and launch angle, and strung my new ones the same for comparison… this setup works ok in the new one but I think I’m going to switch to 16L and/or up the tension a little to reign in the power and gain control to get those aspects a little closer to the low power and control of the older version. I love both versions and think they both have a place in my bag.

 

[Power Player]

he added weight to it, so it's likely he at least weighed it. he only directly referenced TWU for vibrations. but yonex is pretty reliable with the static weight, it's not like andrey or karue posted their unique copy's specs either.

yeah but he added a lot of lead at the top and on this frame that really bumps the sw. on mine 1 gram at 12 bumped it 5.5 sw points.

 

[pjv]

I may get in one more hit with it before I return it and if so, I’ll probably put 2g (total) at 10 and 2 to see how it feels with the swing weight and balance goosed in the direction of what I’ve been playing with but the static weight still much lower than what I’ve been playing with.

Did and did and that 2g really made a pretty big positive difference in how the 2021 VCP 97 felt to me. According to the TW customization tool, this 2g where I put it should have bumped up the swingweight to around 229 - 330 and moved the balance to 6 pts HL (I didn’t get a chance to measure).

My subjective experience hitting with the customized frame was more stability and more power - pretty close to indistinguishable for me from my older VCP 330’s, but with static weight much lower than my 330’s.

Demos are on their way home and now I’ll spend the next week or two playing with my 330’s again and see if I feel a craving for the lower weight frames. If I do, I’ll probably sell my two 2018 (blue) 330 frames and buy a pair of the 2021 VCP 97s. Given how good it felt with the added lead, I’d say there is a better than even chance I’ll do it.

 

[Power Player]

It seems to me like the reviews on the new stick or line is mostly people liking or even really liking it, but I haven't seen any all-out "I'm in loves" or "that's it, I'm making the switch" from whatever they are playing. Perhaps that will come with time and the frame getting into more hands, and for longer periods.

It creeps up on you over time. I keep liking it more.

Honestly the first impressions were very high when it came to feel but I think for most there will be an adjustment to the flex. It is a very soft frame and that can take some time to get confident with some shots. At least at is my experience. I played my best with it last outing, so that's been about 5 hours of play before it really started to clicking for me.

 

[tennis347]

It creeps up on you over time. I keep liking it more.

Honestly the first impressions were very high when it came to feel but I think for most there will be an adjustment to the flex. It is a very soft frame and that can take some time to get confident with some shots. At least at is my experience. I played my best with it last outing, so that's been about 5 hours of play before it really started to clicking for me.

Would you say that the VCP 97 310 is more user-friendly than the Blade v7 98 16 x 19? How about the power levels? Are they comparable? Does the VCP 97 310 have a larger sweetspot than the Blade v7 98 16 x 19? I also understand that the SW is an issue in determining the above.

 

[Power Player]

Would you say that the VCP 97 310 is more user-friendly than the Blade v7 98 16 x 19? How about the power levels? Are they comparable? Does the VCP 97 310 have a larger sweetspot than the Blade v7 98 16 x 19? I also understand that the SW is an issue in determining the above.

I didn't use the 16x19 as much as the 18x20 but I'd say the VCP has more power. The sweet spot is probably a bit bigger on the VCP. Its a better frame on serve and at the net for me. Im still dialing in the attacking groundstrokes but if you want to play real consistent and deep the VCP97 is fantastic.

 

[tennis347]

I didn't use the 16x19 as much as the 18x20 but I'd say the VCP has more power. The sweet spot is probably a bit bigger on the VCP. Its a better frame on serve and at the net for me. Im still dialing in the attacking groundstrokes but if you want to play real consistent and deep the VCP97 is fantastic.

I have been following the new VCP 97 310 and impressed with the changes that Yonex made to decrease the RA and improve the comfort with very plush feel. I found too much instability with the Blade v7 98 16 x 19 and struggled to get good spin on the serve. Part my serve issue is technique related but some frames are just easier to serve with. I have been hitting more topspin lately so I look for easy depth. A consistent feel is key to build confidence. Everyone I know praises Yonex frames across the board. I tried the DR 98 tour years ago and really liked it but SW was a bit too much for me. I am seriously thinking about the pulling the trigger on buying the VCP 97 310. I am playing with the Phantom 100P but looking to make a change to something more modern.

 

[10S-Junkie]

Anybody try both the new 2021 VCP 97 (310) and 97D yet? Would appreciate your thoughts on comfort, stability, spin and trajectory comparisons as I'm considering one or the other but don't have easy access to demos for them.

 

[ryushen21]

I didn't use the 16x19 as much as the 18x20 but I'd say the VCP has more power. The sweet spot is probably a bit bigger on the VCP. Its a better frame on serve and at the net for me. Im still dialing in the attacking groundstrokes but if you want to play real consistent and deep the VCP97 is fantastic.

Sounding like I'm going to at least have to demo this thing. Maybe after the VCore battle is settled.

 

[galahad]

First eight minutes of this are skippable considering he just goes over the marketing talk, but an interesting look at old vs new from a great player who plays (or played?) with the old version, leaded up.

And this guy is unrelated to Karue, right?..lol
I don’t find the 2018 version stif at all, guess I’ll need to demo the new one. Thanks for posting this

 

[TW Staff]

I know many of you wanted to hear more from Troy with the VCORE Pro launch, hope this helps answer any of those questions!

Michelle, TW

 

[cortado]

And this guy is unrelated to Karue, right?..lol
I don’t find the 2018 version stif at all, guess I’ll need to demo the new one. Thanks for posting this

I think it's incredibly difficult to separate string-bed stiffness from racquet stiffness.
When I first got my HD with gut/poly it felt like trying to play with a racquet made of cork. Now I've got full syn-gut in it, it feels like an average stiffness racquet.

 

[10S-Junkie]

I know many of you wanted to hear more from Troy with the VCORE Pro launch, hope this helps answer any of those questions!

Michelle, TW

Thanks Michelle!

 

[mavsman149]

Tried the 97H, may just be a bit too much, might try the 310

 

[Syfo-Dias]

Tried the 97H, may just be a bit too much, might try the 310

Did you check the swingweight on it? The variances seem fairly wide on this generation.

 

[tennis347]

I have been following the new VCP 97 310 and impressed with the changes that Yonex made to decrease the RA and improve the comfort with very plush feel. I found too much instability with the Blade v7 98 16 x 19 and struggled to get good spin on the serve. Part my serve issue is technique related but some frames are just easier to serve with. I have been hitting more topspin lately so I look for easy depth. A consistent feel is key to build confidence. Everyone I know praises Yonex frames across the board. I tried the DR 98 tour years ago and really liked it but SW was a bit too much for me. I am seriously thinking about the pulling the trigger on buying the VCP 97 310. I am playing with the Phantom 100P but looking to make a change to something more modern.

Just purchased the VCP97 310 and should have it by the end of the week. I don't actually mind of the SW comes in around 318-320. I will just add 1 gram at 12 to bump up the SW a tad. My ideal SW would be about 325. My Phantom 100P frames are around 330 or possibly a bit above. I have been looking for a quality frame with a low RA of 60 with the 16 x 19 pattern. I have only heard positive feedback and reviews so far. I anticipate playing with the VCP97 310 will be an easy transition due to using the Blade v7 98 16 x 19 for a while. I am using my usual goat string Gosen Micro 16 at 55lbs as a starting point. It might be a tad tight but with new racquet I do notice that the new grommets have to set in which sometimes causes a slight drop off on tension.
Power Player sold me on this frame along with some YouTube videos that I have seen recently! I will post my review by the weekend! Looking forward to this classic frame with low RA and plush feel!

 

[mavsman149]

Did you check the swingweight on it? The variances seem fairly wide on this generation.

I haven’t! I don’t really know how to measure that, but I’ve like racquets around the listed specs in the past

 

[TennisManiac]

Just purchased the VCP97 310 and should have it by the end of the week. I don't actually mind of the SW comes in around 318-320. I will just add 1 gram at 12 to bump up the SW a tad. My ideal SW would be about 325. My Phantom 100P frames are around 330 or possibly a bit above. I have been looking for a quality frame with a low RA of 60 with the 16 x 19 pattern. I have only heard positive feedback and reviews so far. I anticipate playing with the VCP97 310 will be an easy transition due to using the Blade v7 98 16 x 19 for a while. I am using my usual goat string Gosen Micro 16 at 55lbs as a starting point. It might be a tad tight but with new racquet I do notice that the new grommets have to set in which sometimes causes a slight drop off on tension.
Power Player sold me on this frame along with some YouTube videos that I have seen recently! I will post my review by the weekend! Looking forward to this classic frame with low RA and plush feel!

Looking forward to hearing your review.

 

[Power Player]

Just purchased the VCP97 310 and should have it by the end of the week. I don't actually mind of the SW comes in around 318-320. I will just add 1 gram at 12 to bump up the SW a tad. My ideal SW would be about 325. My Phantom 100P frames are around 330 or possibly a bit above. I have been looking for a quality frame with a low RA of 60 with the 16 x 19 pattern. I have only heard positive feedback and reviews so far. I anticipate playing with the VCP97 310 will be an easy transition due to using the Blade v7 98 16 x 19 for a while. I am using my usual goat string Gosen Micro 16 at 55lbs as a starting point. It might be a tad tight but with new racquet I do notice that the new grommets have to set in which sometimes causes a slight drop off on tension.
Power Player sold me on this frame along with some YouTube videos that I have seen recently! I will post my review by the weekend! Looking forward to this classic frame with low RA and plush feel!

I hope you like it. The feel is awesome - really classic. If you like the Blade v7, you should enjoy this one a lot.

 

[XFactorer]

Finished a weeklong demo with the VCORE Pro 97 310g. Here are my abbreviated, disjointed thoughts.

History: I gravitate towards the EZONE line and am currently using the 2020 EZONE 98. I've played with the VCORE Tour 89, 2018 VCORE 98. I'm a baseliner who'll reluctantly come to net only when I hit an almost-winner (even then, I'm usually passed or lobbed).

I strung the VCORE Pro 97 310g demo with my current go-to setup, PolyTour Fire 120 at 45 lbs. My first thoughts were how much this reminded me of the current gen Radical Pro in feel. But that's neither here nor there.

I transitioned between the EZONE and VCP easily. Though nothing about the VCP made me want to switch. You can stop reading here. Yes, there's a cleaner feel at impact; it's less muted compared to my EZONE. Yes, there's more flex and heft. But I missed the "mushy pop" (as a friend described it) from the EZONE when I wasn't using it. Groundstrokes took a little more effort with the VCP and I still don't know what the heck I'm doing when I volley. But I think there's a little more stability with the VCP than with the EZONE. I definitely don't have as many sporadic sprays past the baseline. Coincidentally, I only volley in the warm up and once per set (even in dubs). So having a better volley racquet does me no good.

For serves, the VCP swing faster through the air. But the EZONE provides more pop. It also shanks more balls, but whatever. In reality, I don't think any of my opponents really noticed a difference in match play.

The VCP is something I think I want, but the EZONE is something that actually benefits my game. The days of the classic beam are gone for me. I'm firmly in the camp of the modern players frames. The VCP is for someone who can produce their own power. The EZONE is for those of us who benefit from some easier access to power.

 

[Syfo-Dias]

I know many of you wanted to hear more from Troy with the VCORE Pro launch, hope this helps answer any of those questions!

Michelle, TW

@TW Staff Thanks so much for making these podcasts for us tennis nerds. It's nice seeing y'all just talking unscripted about tennis stuff!

 

[breek1]

Here's my review on the 97D

TLDR; It's a more stable HD, but there's no flex. It's like an Ultra Tour/Head ProTour. I recommend stringing the frame at the same tension because the frame still provides plenty of control and not much more power to me.

I thought this would be a more powerful frame, but I was mistaken. I usually string my 97HD at 48lbs, but with the 97D I had Champs Choice at 52lbs. I thought with the slightly thicker beam and increase of stiffness and swing weight I would need to up the tension. I could not get a FH in for the life of me.

Don't get me wrong, the frame is solid, but it doesn't have that flex that I like with the HD. You'd think it would still have that flex with the lengthened throat, but it doesn't. After putting on 4 strips of lead tape (1/4 width 2 inch length) at 2 and 10 o'clock it was night and day. From being unable to hit over the net to swinging away with plenty of spin, pace, and control.

Before the lead tape serves and volleys were pin point for me in precision, feel, and stability. Groundstrokes were lack luster, but I think if I strung it at either 48lbs or 50lbs it would be different.

Would I say this is an upgrade of the former 97HD? Imo, not at all. The 97HD reminds me a bit of the iPrestige, but the 97D reminds me of an Ultra Tour or the original Head Pro Tour. If you like the flex of the frame, stick with the HD. You can add a bit of lead from either 9-11 o'clock and 1-3 o'clock since some ppl complain about the stability.

If you like what you've read then maybe the 97D is for you, but for me I'm glad I have 7 of the 97HD frames XD

I play at a 4.5 level with an all around game and tend to hit a flat heavy ball

 

[clzeng]

Here's my review on the 97D

TLDR; It's a more stable HD, but there's no flex. It's like an Ultra Tour/Head ProTour. I recommend stringing the frame at the same tension because the frame still provides plenty of control and not much more power to me.

I thought this would be a more powerful frame, but I was mistaken. I usually string my 97HD at 48lbs, but with the 97D I had Champs Choice at 52lbs. I thought with the slightly thicker beam and increase of stiffness and swing weight I would need to up the tension. I could not get a FH in for the life of me.

Don't get me wrong, the frame is solid, but it doesn't have that flex that I like with the HD. You'd think it would still have that flex with the lengthened throat, but it doesn't. After putting on 4 strips of lead tape (1/4 width 2 inch length) at 2 and 10 o'clock it was night and day. From being unable to hit over the net to swinging away with plenty of spin, pace, and control.

Before the lead tape serves and volleys were pin point for me in precision, feel, and stability. Groundstrokes were lack luster, but I think if I strung it at either 48lbs or 50lbs it would be different.

Would I say this is an upgrade of the former 97HD? Imo, not at all. The 97HD reminds me a bit of the iPrestige, but the 97D reminds me of an Ultra Tour or the original Head Pro Tour. If you like the flex of the frame, stick with the HD. You can add a bit of lead from either 9-11 o'clock and 1-3 o'clock since some ppl complain about the stability.

If you like what you've read then maybe the 97D is for you, but for me I'm glad I have 7 of the 97HD frames XD

I play at a 4.5 level with an all around game and tend to hit a flat heavy ball

How do you normally weight up your HD (if at all)? I'm trying to get an idea of what the 97D's increased swingweight plays like, but not many people in the thread have reported back on the D.