2023 Yonex VCores

Tmano

Hall of Fame
Former DR98 user and long time GE sufferer here. I think you'd find the VCore 98 2023 comparable to the DR98 and TWU specs seem to agree (below). The only VCore 2023 you'd likely find to be easier on your elbow than the DR98 would be the VCore 95 2023.

PropertyEZone DR 98VCORE 98 2023Difference %
Headsize (in2)
(cm2)
98
632
98
632
0
Length (in)
(cm)
27
68.6
27
68.6
0
Weight (oz)
(gm)
11.5
325
11.4
323
-1
Balance (in)
(cm)
12.9
32.7
12.8
32.5
-1
Swingweight
(kg*cm2)
326318-2
Flex (RDC)6362-2
Twistweight
(kg*cm2)
13.713.91
Vibration (Hz)1411410
Power (%)4140-2
Sweet Zone (in2)
(cm2)
17
109.7
16
103.2
-6
Thanks for breaking it down!
Have you tried the Vcore 98?
I thought that the latest Vcore were more softer as i read quite some reviews including the TW that mentioned clearly that it got so arm friendly that it's not for everybody.
 

BPlain

Semi-Pro
Thanks for breaking it down!
Have you tried the Vcore 98?
I thought that the latest Vcore were more softer as i read quite some reviews including the TW that mentioned clearly that it got so arm friendly that it's not for everybody.
I've only played – and currently play – the VC95. With the change in the head shape in the 2023 VCore models, I'd bet there is minimal difference – at least from the middle of the frame on up – between the DR98 and VC95. The VC95 is definitely more arm friendly.
 

A-Style

Rookie
Hi there... not sure if it's been covered in this thread in previous pages but I'm hearing in Aus they'll be releasing a VCORE 98 Tour coinciding with the AO? Is there any specs going around for this at the moment?

Found this.
 
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Power Player

Bionic Poster
Zero info on the VC Tour 98 since a few people got it in their hands a month ago. I wonder of Yonex is tweaking it further since it sounds like the trajectory is crazy high. Also the balance is listed at 315 but apparently that's a typo on the insert and it should be 320? Interesting stuff there.
 

econalan

New User
If currently using a Vcore100, does the 98 offer more maneuverability and control but not at a huge difference in power enough to make it worth a switch? I have the 23 VC100 and have been playing doubles more lately and found that the maneuverability lacking. Would I gain this with going to the 98?
I also primarily play doubles and just made this exact switch. All positives for me so far. Yes, a gain in maneuverability, in control, and in stability (significant improvement here). For me, no huge difference in power. I haven't tried in singles yet.
 

Gemini

Hall of Fame
Zero info on the VC Tour 98 since a few people got it in their hands a month ago. I wonder of Yonex is tweaking it further since it sounds like the trajectory is crazy high. Also the balance is listed at 315 but apparently that's a typo on the insert and it should be 320? Interesting stuff there.

I'm almost thinking the Vcore 98 Tour weight, balance, & swing weight will match that of the Ezone 98 Tour which, personally, I'd be okay with. I picked up a couple of Ezone 98 Tours off of a friend as a favor and have been very surprised and pleases with how solid they are without being demanding. The only reason I switched to the Vcores a few years ago is because I wanted easier access to spin. The VC 98 Tour may be a niche' racquet but I think it be a great one. ***My Hot Take*** I think Tommy Paul is playing the VC 98 Tour but advertises the regular VC 98.
 

Power Player

Bionic Poster
I'm almost thinking the Vcore 98 Tour weight, balance, & swing weight will match that of the Ezone 98 Tour which, personally, I'd be okay with. I picked up a couple of Ezone 98 Tours off of a friend as a favor and have been very surprised and pleases with how solid they are without being demanding. The only reason I switched to the Vcores a few years ago is because I wanted easier access to spin. The VC 98 Tour may be a niche' racquet but I think it be a great one. ***My Hot Take*** I think Tommy Paul is playing the VC 98 Tour but advertises the regular VC 98.

Oh yeah I am sure they modded Pauls 98. The SW is reported a little lighter on the tour at 325, so that may explain why the balance is a little more head light than the Ezone. I guess at some point we will get some solid details on the frame.
 

Gemini

Hall of Fame
Oh yeah I am sure they modded Pauls 98. The SW is reported a little lighter on the tour at 325, so that may explain why the balance is a little more head light than the Ezone. I guess at some point we will get some solid details on the frame.
Oh..I'd say it's definitely modded. He is playing with something very different from the standard VC 98 just based on the paint job. Retail versions (matte paint). Tommy's racquet (glossy finish).

Laver Cup highlights at about 28 seconds in. It's pretty clear he's playing with something painted differently than what most of us can get our hands on and it's just my gut that Tommy's sticks are the prototypes for the VC 98 Tours. Just my gut.

 
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matchmaker

Hall of Fame
Very late to the party, but for what it's worth my 2 cents:

A friend recommended me to try the 2023 Vcore 95, so I got a demo from TW. Over the summer I played with the Prince Phantom Pro 93p and the past week I went back to a Prestige Tour 600 I had lying around, as I had gotten some pain in my extensor muscles.

Anyway, today I had a doubles match and decided to try the Vcore 95. So here are my impressions:

What most surprised me was that I just pulled out this racquet and really played just as well with it as with my other, known, sticks. Virtually no adjustment except for a few double faults.

Caveat, this was a rather slow social doubles match, so I didn't have high speed balls coming at me. I had no timing issues whatsoever, nor did I suffer a lack of control. Even the launch angle on this open pattern 16x20 frame didn't cause me the least of problems, coming from closed pattern frames. I felt I could add the necesary spin to keep the ball in if needed and also that I could flatten out my shots whenever possible. Pretty much a racquet that gives you whatever you put into it.

I had the impression that with the right mechanics this racquet can hit a powerful ball. Obviously in a doubles match you have less court to play into, so it is more difficult to hit outright winners but I did hit a few clean passing shots and "heavy" groundstrokes that did not come back. I had the occasion of playing several volleys, drop shots and touch shots and pretty much all I can say is that the racquet does what you require from it. Simple as that statement may seem, I believe it is about as much praise as one can bestow on a piece of equipment. After all, we want our gear to be reliable and predictable on pressure points.

On serve I probably need some dialing in, but I see no issues that wouldn't make it work for me. With the right toss, swing speed and timing I am quite sure I could hit some unreturnable serves.

One note of interest: the onehanded backhand is very sweet with this frame. One of the best frames I have played with for the onehander. (For some reason the best frame for that was the Prince NXG mid. I could produce backhand winner after winner with that frame. Unfortunately I sold it as it didn't lift the rest of my game.)

So, given the fact that this racquet plays like a player's racquet giving what you put into it, I think the most interesting part is the feel of the racquet. It feels soft and yet, powerwise, it seems to produce the response of a stiffer frame, probably because of the beam width, which is wider than traditional player's frames. There is definitely a sense of cupping of the ball and dwell time. In stock form the racquet feels very manoeuverable and I suspect that for high level play it might benefit from some customizing.

What I liked was the uniformity of the stringbed reponse. The sweetspot was where I expected it to be. I did not notice any instability, launchiness or wobble. Overall a very solid frame that you could take into a tournament. It works best when you are dictating the points but because of its manoeuverability, it makes it easier to get prepared on time for defense shots.

I will try to put in some more time with the frame because this is only a first impression. My opinion might still change against a heavy hitter. The racquet came strung with Yonex Poly Tour Rev 1.25, string tension unknown, but it wouldn't surprise me if it had been strung at 52 and dropped to about 48 by now. I do have the impression that you would either have to string it high or with a poly to keep control over the open string pattern.

Oh, and Yonex grip sizes do appear to run big. It felt quite chunky to me for a size 3.

Can anyone compare this frame to the current generation Vcore Pro 97 and / or the Vcore Pro 97 HD (previous generation with 59 RA flex)?
 

ttlapointe

Rookie
Very late to the party, but for what it's worth my 2 cents:

A friend recommended me to try the 2023 Vcore 95, so I got a demo from TW. Over the summer I played with the Prince Phantom Pro 93p and the past week I went back to a Prestige Tour 600 I had lying around, as I had gotten some pain in my extensor muscles.

Anyway, today I had a doubles match and decided to try the Vcore 95. So here are my impressions:

What most surprised me was that I just pulled out this racquet and really played just as well with it as with my other, known, sticks. Virtually no adjustment except for a few double faults.

Caveat, this was a rather slow social doubles match, so I didn't have high speed balls coming at me. I had no timing issues whatsoever, nor did I suffer a lack of control. Even the launch angle on this open pattern 16x20 frame didn't cause me the least of problems, coming from closed pattern frames. I felt I could add the necesary spin to keep the ball in if needed and also that I could flatten out my shots whenever possible. Pretty much a racquet that gives you whatever you put into it.

I had the impression that with the right mechanics this racquet can hit a powerful ball. Obviously in a doubles match you have less court to play into, so it is more difficult to hit outright winners but I did hit a few clean passing shots and "heavy" groundstrokes that did not come back. I had the occasion of playing several volleys, drop shots and touch shots and pretty much all I can say is that the racquet does what you require from it. Simple as that statement may seem, I believe it is about as much praise as one can bestow on a piece of equipment. After all, we want our gear to be reliable and predictable on pressure points.

On serve I probably need some dialing in, but I see no issues that wouldn't make it work for me. With the right toss, swing speed and timing I am quite sure I could hit some unreturnable serves.

One note of interest: the onehanded backhand is very sweet with this frame. One of the best frames I have played with for the onehander. (For some reason the best frame for that was the Prince NXG mid. I could produce backhand winner after winner with that frame. Unfortunately I sold it as it didn't lift the rest of my game.)

So, given the fact that this racquet plays like a player's racquet giving what you put into it, I think the most interesting part is the feel of the racquet. It feels soft and yet, powerwise, it seems to produce the response of a stiffer frame, probably because of the beam width, which is wider than traditional player's frames. There is definitely a sense of cupping of the ball and dwell time. In stock form the racquet feels very manoeuverable and I suspect that for high level play it might benefit from some customizing.

What I liked was the uniformity of the stringbed reponse. The sweetspot was where I expected it to be. I did not notice any instability, launchiness or wobble. Overall a very solid frame that you could take into a tournament. It works best when you are dictating the points but because of its manoeuverability, it makes it easier to get prepared on time for defense shots.

I will try to put in some more time with the frame because this is only a first impression. My opinion might still change against a heavy hitter. The racquet came strung with Yonex Poly Tour Rev 1.25, string tension unknown, but it wouldn't surprise me if it had been strung at 52 and dropped to about 48 by now. I do have the impression that you would either have to string it high or with a poly to keep control over the open string pattern.

Oh, and Yonex grip sizes do appear to run big. It felt quite chunky to me for a size 3.

Can anyone compare this frame to the current generation Vcore Pro 97 and / or the Vcore Pro 97 HD (previous generation with 59 RA flex)?

I agree with your thoughts on the Vcore 95 2023. As a matter of fact, as a former Microgel Prestige Mid player, I playtested around 15 frames in the past two years and the two frames in my bag at the moment are the VC95 2023 and the Vcore Pro 97 2021, both customized to around 340g strung and 31.8mm balance. I would say they have different strengths and weaknesses. IMO, the VCP 97 2021 is significantly softer/arm-friendlier, very plush but also too muted for a lot of players, better for touch/feel shots, less powerful but bigger sweetspot and more consistent stringbed overall (less of the problem some find annoying with the VC95 2023 where the lower part of the stringbed is much less powerful/forgiving/satisfying). VC95 is very satisfying on the topspin OHBH, but the VCP97 is also very good and is a little more forgiving on slices. That being said, the Percept 97 update seems to make the VCP97 a little stiffer, crisper and more powerful, so it may be a nice middle ground between the VC95 and VCP97. Personally, my playtests of the Percept 97 made me hesitate to purchase some new/at the current price since my experience with it was very string dependent. All of them are very nice frames in my book. The only thing that might stray me away from these frames is probably some form of 98sqin Gravity Pro.
 

matchmaker

Hall of Fame
I agree with your thoughts on the Vcore 95 2023. As a matter of fact, as a former Microgel Prestige Mid player, I playtested around 15 frames in the past two years and the two frames in my bag at the moment are the VC95 2023 and the Vcore Pro 97 2021, both customized to around 340g strung and 31.8mm balance. I would say they have different strengths and weaknesses. IMO, the VCP 97 2021 is significantly softer/arm-friendlier, very plush but also too muted for a lot of players, better for touch/feel shots, less powerful but bigger sweetspot and more consistent stringbed overall (less of the problem some find annoying with the VC95 2023 where the lower part of the stringbed is much less powerful/forgiving/satisfying). VC95 is very satisfying on the topspin OHBH, but the VCP97 is also very good and is a little more forgiving on slices. That being said, the Percept 97 update seems to make the VCP97 a little stiffer, crisper and more powerful, so it may be a nice middle ground between the VC95 and VCP97. Personally, my playtests of the Percept 97 made me hesitate to purchase some new/at the current price since my experience with it was very string dependent. All of them are very nice frames in my book. The only thing that might stray me away from these frames is probably some form of 98sqin Gravity Pro.
Thanks for the comparison on the VC95 and VCP97.

Interesting to read that the VCP97 is plusher and arm-friendlier. I thought the VC95 was certainly not a harsh frame. It felt soft to me with lots of dwell time but the 22 mm beam width (this comes from someone who doesn't have a frame in his bag with more than 19 mm beam width) seemed to make the racquet behave like a stiffer frame with a reasonable amount of pop, almost like a tweener.

This is about the first time I play with a Yonex and I realize it is the least isometric of them all probably but to me the response of the stringbed felt uniform. I guess I wasn't hitting in the lower part of the hoop.

Yonex is certainly doing some interesting stuff with their frames. It does feel muted but not disconnected. I hit some drop shots and volleys that seemed to stay on my racquet longer than they realistically could have.

It seems like the VC95 and VCP97 are similar but each of them has its own characteristics. I like the idea of lower flex and thinner beam width. On the flip side, the VCP97's swingweight seems anemic, but I guess both of these racquets are rather to be considered as costumizable platforms.

Hence my interest in the Vcore Pro 97 HD, as that one seems to have a healthy swingweight stock.
 

Chairman3

Hall of Fame
Anyone used the 98 Tour yet?
I know the Vcore is the spin line, just wondering if the Tour offers anymore control for those of us swinging a little flatter or still primarily aimed at the spin players?
Specs seem appealing
 

galapagos

Hall of Fame
Anyone used the 98 Tour yet?
I know the Vcore is the spin line, just wondering if the Tour offers anymore control for those of us swinging a little flatter or still primarily aimed at the spin players?
Specs seem appealing
Heavier frames can produce a bit flatter ball. I plan to get one. Worldwide premiere around Australian Open. Behind the scene info :)

Dan
 

matchmaker

Hall of Fame
I agree with your thoughts on the Vcore 95 2023. As a matter of fact, as a former Microgel Prestige Mid player, I playtested around 15 frames in the past two years and the two frames in my bag at the moment are the VC95 2023 and the Vcore Pro 97 2021, both customized to around 340g strung and 31.8mm balance. I would say they have different strengths and weaknesses. IMO, the VCP 97 2021 is significantly softer/arm-friendlier, very plush but also too muted for a lot of players, better for touch/feel shots, less powerful but bigger sweetspot and more consistent stringbed overall (less of the problem some find annoying with the VC95 2023 where the lower part of the stringbed is much less powerful/forgiving/satisfying). VC95 is very satisfying on the topspin OHBH, but the VCP97 is also very good and is a little more forgiving on slices. That being said, the Percept 97 update seems to make the VCP97 a little stiffer, crisper and more powerful, so it may be a nice middle ground between the VC95 and VCP97. Personally, my playtests of the Percept 97 made me hesitate to purchase some new/at the current price since my experience with it was very string dependent. All of them are very nice frames in my book. The only thing that might stray me away from these frames is probably some form of 98sqin Gravity Pro.

Second outing with the Vcore 95 2023 today. Mainly groundstroke practice and a training set. Opponent about the same level as me with a pretty powerful forehand, average to good serve and weaker backhand. Training set ended 6-6. My serve was weak and I hit quite a few double faults at first, but in the second half of the set it was coming through better.

The main lesson I drew this time is how important it is to use your racquet demo period to play several times, against opponents of different strengths. This time around I started feeling the Vcore 95 did need some extra weight for net play and return of serve. I added 2g at 12 and 2g on the throat, nothing too extreme as it is only a demo racquet and I don't want to waste all of my lead tape on it. It seemed the racquet benefited from this light customization without losing its good playing characteristics. I suspect I might want to add an extra gram at 12 and maybe something on the handle if this were my main frame.

The racquet allowed me to dominate most of the exchanges. I am not a super powerful hitter but I rely on moving the ball around the court, changing directions and depth. I like to draw the patterns and make my opponent move until the court is open. This is also the feedback I often get from opponents at about the same level as me, that they have the impression that I have the initiative and they have to defend.

The Vcore 95 allowed me to do this, but as my opponent was of a better level than the previous match I played, I did hit some unforced errors in my attempt to control the points. Balls were coming back faster this time and so I had to up my speed of execution. In doing so I experienced some spraying of the balls. I come from 18x20 frames and I had the impression that some of those long or wide balls might have landed in with those sticks. OTOH it might just be operator error and/or the fact that I am not familiar enough with the frame, string pattern and launch angle. It also has to be mentioned that this is a demo stick, so I did not choose the strings nor the tension. When you make up your mind about a frame you still have to dial in on that by trial and error.

Touch shots were fine though. Some angled cross court flicks and drop shots all went pretty much exactly where I intended them to go.

All in all, still mainly positive impressions about the racquet, but obviously as play gets faster, you also discover some shortcomings that are probably mostly due to yourself.

On another note, after reading ttlapointe's post, I decided to demo the Vcore Pro 97 as well. I ordered a demo that should arrive shortly after my demo period of the Vcore 95 ends. Tomorrow I have a final outing with the 95 and then I have to send it back. Hopefully I can also have about 3 practice sessions with the Vcore Pro 97 to make a good comparison.
 
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matchmaker

Hall of Fame
Third day out with the Vcore 95. Some sparring plus practice set. Although I won the practice set in the end by 6-4, I wasn't satisfied with my game. Same level opponent with inconsistent serve, good backhand, average forehand.

Conclusions to be drawn from this final playtest day:
- I'm starting to find a way to produce better serves with this frame, but it is still a work in progress. I wouldn't call it a stellar serve frame, but with good fundamentals it does seem possible to hit big serves.
- Halfway through the set I lost my confidence on the groundstrokes as I hit some unnecessary unforced errors. One possible reason for that could be tension dropping in the demo racquet. Another reason is the type of balls coming from my opponent were medium pace with a lot of high-low variation and different spins . It tends to be more difficult to hit through such balls.
-I have the impression you have to have good footwork to rip the ball consistently with this frame. And when going for your shots, you really have to commit to them. I understand why some people would consider this frame launchy, but I still think that in the end it is mostly a matter of getting familiar with the frame. So, at the end of the day, a mixed bag on groundstrokes. I hit some incredible winners, but I didn't manage to keep all my shots inside the lines.
- My slight racquet customization with 2g at 12 and 2g on the throat did change the racquet's personality a little. No free lunch I guess. You do get more plow through and stability but you lose some manoeuverability.
- Personally I found the slice backhand very accessible and effective with the Vcore 95. Easy to block balls and maintain depth in defensive situations.
- Topspin backhands were also great, but before adding weight, they were still better.
- On the forehand I had a good feel for down-the-line shots but less so for crosscourt forehands. This really makes no sense, so it must be due to my footwork being off today.
- No arm problems with this frame for me and I have a very sensitive elbow. The frame feels softer to me than the Prince Phantom Pro 93P 18x20. This is a major positive.

Time to send the demo back. All in all a very interesting playtest and a racquet I would consider switching to but I feel I first have to demo more Yonex's before making a decision. Maybe a more consistent stringbed or a Vcore 18x20 (HD or D) could sway me, that is, if they maintain the feel and power level of this frame.
 

matchmaker

Hall of Fame
Managed to still squeeze out a doubles match with the VC95 on my demo period.

I'll keep it very short:

The good.
- Service went better than ever, even with some aces and unreturnable serves. Racquet definitely approved for this use.
- Groundstrokes and passing shots also more than okay.
- Returns: no problem.

The bad:
- Volleys were lackluster. I don't consider myself a good volleyer, but I can do better with other racquets. Weight and string pattern were an issue here. I found it difficult to keep volleys low and deep. The racquet is manoeuverable, which is good for doubles, but it lacks the backbone for blocking balls that are hit on the net player from short range. Weighting up the racquet some more might be the solution, but I fear it would become quite cumbersome then. I see this racquet as a better fit for a singles baseline and all-court player who tends to end up at net when most of the point is already played, than for a dedicated doubles player, especially in those matches where the ball is hit with a lot of pace and weight.
 

BPlain

Semi-Pro
Have still been sticking with VC95 but thinking a Percept 97 demo might be in order.

To @matchmaker's points above, I really enjoyed VC95 playing outdoors on har-tru this summer where all the positives of the frame were really highlighted. But now that I've switched back to indoor hard court tennis for fall/winter and mixing in more doubles as well, I'm not finding the VC95 suits that style of game quite as well. Overall, it's still a heck of a frame but I'm tempted to see if Percept 97 might help out in the feel, touch, and volley categories.
 
Got a VCore 98 tour sent to me a couple months back. Sorry for the late post so I’ll keep this brief. A more detailed review will post on TW & TP in the next few days.
Key takeaways:
1. SOLID feel in comparison to its 305g counterpart. I playtested the tour alongside both the 98 in stock form as well as beefed up to near tour specs. The tour won, hands down. The modded 305g still felt lacking and hollow whereas the tour is definitely more substantive. This would suggest more material within the frame, whether that be more graphite, foam, or a combo of both.

2. As expected, the added mass translates nicely into improved stability, less deflection on off center contact, and better handling when confronted with heavy hit shots.

3. The bump in swingweight not only improves its plough through but seemingly felt it tamed the launch angle enough to where I felt more assured I could go after the ball with confidence. The 305g’s launch, both stock and weighted felt consistently higher. The tour feels more manageable while still retaining its spin friendly nature.

IMO, this is a welcomed addition to the lineup. This tour helps to bridge the gap for those craving that spin potential but not wanting to sacrifice a more solid/stable overall feel. My only critique would be in regards to the string pattern. Given it’s high launching nature, a 16x20 or even an 18x19 pattern would’ve really set this tour apart. In doing so, it would have helped to temper it just enough for advanced players to really go after it with confidence and be able to flatten out shots with greater predictability.
All in all, a fun, solid stick with big upside. It should appeal to more seasoned players looking for a modern racket with elements of old school sensibilities.
 
Tennis Point has had them up and available for a week if not longer already. Got word fr Yonex directly that allocated shipments to retailers left warehouse just last week so expect them to show up at your local pro shop soon.
 

Trip

Hall of Fame
@Pooschnikens - Would you say the VC98's tendency to launch on flatter/purely-flat contact is noticeable tamed with the Tour? Very curious on that piece of the puzzle, as it's what's personally kept me away from both the 98 and 100 (I've got an E OHBH, E/SW FH).
 
@Pooschnikens - Would you say the VC98's tendency to launch on flatter/purely-flat contact is noticeable tamed with the Tour? Very curious on that piece of the puzzle, as it's what's personally kept me away from both the 98 and 100 (I've got an E OHBH, E/SW FH).
I would say it does to some degree. Is it analogous to say a tighter string pattern? Most likely no. If you watch the TW review, Michelle points this out during her playtest. I tend to agree with her as well as her overall assessment. That said, it’s still a lively stringbed and designed for greater spin potential so it does still naturally launch a bit higher than most. I just think the added weight/balance may tend to alter one’s swing pattern just a hair so as to reduce said spin to some degree. How much so is really on the player’s swing so I’d suspect some variation. Nevertheless, it is noticeable and in my case welcomed as I tend to hit flatter on the BH side when driving the ball whereas on the FH, I’ve got more latitude but naturally hit with a bit more topspin.
Best to demo it to try for yourself. It really is an enjoyable racket. With the right string combo, can be quite a weapon in a more experienced player’s hands.
 

matchmaker

Hall of Fame
Have still been sticking with VC95 but thinking a Percept 97 demo might be in order.

To @matchmaker's points above, I really enjoyed VC95 playing outdoors on har-tru this summer where all the positives of the frame were really highlighted. But now that I've switched back to indoor hard court tennis for fall/winter and mixing in more doubles as well, I'm not finding the VC95 suits that style of game quite as well. Overall, it's still a heck of a frame but I'm tempted to see if Percept 97 might help out in the feel, touch, and volley categories.

After the Vcore 95 demo, I decided to try out the Vcore Pro 97. I do prefer the paintjob on the Vcore Pro 97, I must say. The hot tomato red smattered with black and blue on the VC95 is a bit to gaudy to my taste.

I took the VCP97 to my "social" doubles match today. For the moment it is hard to have a correct impression about it as I was teamed up with a player who either hits winners, either hits unforced errors or makes the wrong shot selection. We played two sets 6-2, 0-6. It's hard to draw any conclusion about such a hit or miss game. I felt I did not get to play enough balls to be really able to appreciate the Vcore Pro 97.

What I can say, though, is that the feel of this racquet is very different from the Vcore 95. When hitting the sweetspot, it is plush, but hitting outside the sweetspot the racquet feels tinnier than the Vcore 95. I also felt the Vcore 95 is both whippier and more stable on groundstrokes, both backhand and forehand. Strangely the Vcore 95 seems to have a bigger sweetspot, which seems to be supported by the data on TW University. At least for me the sweetspot of the VCore 95 seemed to naturally fall into my ball contact point zone.

On volleys I think the VCP97 might win the battle. The stringbed seems more uniform and predictable at net.

On touch shots and slices I would give the edge to the VC95. At least to me those came more naturally with that racquet.

To my surprise my serve wasn't any worse with the Vcore pro 97 than with the Vcore 95, as in the warming up I thought this was going to be an issue.

I will have to play more to have a more definite and supported view on the Vcore 97. For now I must say that it seems like a good allrounder, whereas the Vcore 95 has a more definite personality, with stronger strengths and weaker weaknesses, if this makes any sense.

I think the Vcore 95 is something special, and, for now, I would certainly give it the edge for singles. For doubles I found the Vcore 95 weakish at net and this Vcore Pro 97 a bit better.
 
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BPlain

Semi-Pro
After the Vcore 95 demo, I decided to try out the Vcore Pro 97. I took it to my "social" doubles match today. For the moment it is hard to have a correct impression about it as I was teamed up with a player who either hits winners, either hits unforced errors or makes the wrong shot selection. We played two sets 6-2, 0-6. It's hard to draw any conclusion about such a hit or miss game. I felt I did not get to play enough balls to be really able to appreciate the Vcore Pro 97.

What I can say, though, is that the feel of this racquet is very different from the Vcore 95. When hitting the sweetspot, it is plush, but hitting outside the sweetspot the racquet feels tinnier than the Vcore 95. I also felt the Vcore 95 is both whippier and more stable on groundstrokes, both backhand and forehand. Strangely the Vcore 95 seems to have a bigger sweetspot, which seems to be supported by the data on TW University. At least for me the sweetspot of the VCore 95 seemed to naturally fall into my ball contact point zone.

On volleys I think the Vcore Pro 97 might win the battle. The stringbed seems more uniform and predictable at net.

To my surprise my serve wasn't any worse with the Vcore pro 97 than with the Vcore 95, as in the warming up I thought this was going to be an issue.

I will have to play more to have a more definite and supported view on the Vcore 97. For now I must say that it seems like a good allrounder, whereas the Vcore 95 has a more definite personality, with stronger strengths and weaker weaknesses, if this makes any sense.

I think the Vcore 95 is something special, and, for now, I would certainly give it the edge for singles. For doubles I found the Vcore 95 weakish at net and this Vcore Pro 97 a bit better
Appreciate the report and feedback. Good timing as my Percept 97 demo just arrived and I got it strung up for hit and some match play tomorrow morning. I'll be sure to report back on my initial impressions of VC95 2023 vs Percept 97.
 

BPlain

Semi-Pro
Percept 97 was a quick no for me. Immediately missed the maneuverability of the VC95. It's just so damn fast through the air. I agree with @matchmaker's comments about the Percept 97 / VCore Pro 97 being a solid frame, but I'd personally rather ride or die with the VC95's higher highs and lower lows.
 

stapletonj

Hall of Fame
latest update, finally broke down and got 2 2023 vcore 100s.
Came strung with syn gut in one and poly Mains / syn gut cross in the other.
played nice, but not as impressive as I remembered from my club demo.

Then I restrung one of them to 62 lb. gut Mains / 55 poly crosses (My personal secret sauce)

Wow, I was hitting about 70% pace with my brother outside on a pretty (58/60 degrees) afternoon.
I was pushing him all over the place, TONS of topspin AND pace with little effort.

Now, I could tell I didn't have the slice backhand dialed in yet, but I think it is a matter of
confidence.

Switched back and forth between my 2018 model and the new one, and Yes, Virginia, there is a noticeable difference.
 

Tmano

Hall of Fame
Have still been sticking with VC95 but thinking a Percept 97 demo might be in order.

To @matchmaker's points above, I really enjoyed VC95 playing outdoors on har-tru this summer where all the positives of the frame were really highlighted. But now that I've switched back to indoor hard court tennis for fall/winter and mixing in more doubles as well, I'm not finding the VC95 suits that style of game quite as well. Overall, it's still a heck of a frame but I'm tempted to see if Percept 97 might help out in the feel, touch, and volley categories.
Hi BPlain, have you actually tried the Vcore98 23? I'm asking cause in your same TE boat and i was wondering if the new Vcore 98 are softer than the DR98.
Also have you tried the Speed Auxetic mp?
 

BPlain

Semi-Pro
Hi BPlain, have you actually tried the Vcore98 23? I'm asking cause in your same TE boat and i was wondering if the new Vcore 98 are softer than the DR98.
Also have you tried the Speed Auxetic mp?
I have not tried new VCore 98 or Speed Aux MP. According to TWU numbers, VCore 98 and DR98 should play pretty similar as RA (62 vs 63) is close and vibration is the same (141).
 

Tmano

Hall of Fame
I have not tried new VCore 98 or Speed Aux MP. According to TWU numbers, VCore 98 and DR98 should play pretty similar as RA (62 vs 63) is close and vibration is the same (141).
Thanks BPlain!
I just realized i asked a similar question a while ago...I'm loosing it!
Where do i find the vibration?
 
‘23 VCore 98 plays noticeably softer to me in comparison with previous VC98 and current EZone; DR98 is closer but I still find the current VC98 to be more comfortable, possibly due to the perception of a more open/forgiving sweet spot, and less negative feedback on contact higher in the hoop.
 

BPlain

Semi-Pro
Thanks BPlain!
I just realized i asked a similar question a while ago...I'm loosing it!
Where do i find the vibration?
No worries. You can find vibration on the TW University website under Racquet Comparison Tool: https://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/cgi-bin/compareracquets.cgi

And I agree with @jmacdaununder2 that all things being equal, if your typical contact point is higher on the stringbed, I would think the VC98 could be more comfortable based on the new head shape.
 

Tmano

Hall of Fame
‘23 VCore 98 plays noticeably softer to me in comparison with previous VC98 and current EZone; DR98 is closer but I still find the current VC98 to be more comfortable, possibly due to the perception of a more open/forgiving sweet spot, and less negative feedback on contact higher in the hoop.
No worries. You can find vibration on the TW University website under Racquet Comparison Tool: https://twu.tennis-warehouse.com/cgi-bin/compareracquets.cgi

And I agree with @jmacdaununder2 that all things being equal, if your typical contact point is higher on the stringbed, I would think the VC98 could be more comfortable based on the new head shape.
I do actually hit the ball slightly higher so bitth should the Speed MP and Vcore 98 could work if arm friendly. Is the string patter more open than the DR98?
 

tele

Hall of Fame
I do actually hit the ball slightly higher so bitth should the Speed MP and Vcore 98 could work if arm friendly. Is the string patter more open than the DR98?
if you are not set on a yonex, i would consider giving the prince ats series(95,98, or 100p)a demo. I have a dr 98, which i am holding on to for sentimental value, and the ats 95 I used for a while had was definitely more comfy despite similar flex. not as forgiving, though, so the 98 might be the one to try.
 
Currently I’m playing mostly with a ‘23 VCore 98+ and a Prince ATS 95 extended to 28”; the VCore 98+ has a slight edge in comfort but the Prince is still comfortable enough and has a delightful crispness in comparison with the VCore’s relative mutedness.
The somewhat snowshoed head dimensions of the ATS 98 certainly resulted in a comfortable hit, however I found that overall there was some fluttering and a slingshot sensation in comparison with the directness & predictably of the 95. My daughters found the 98 far more user friendly though.
 
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mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
Finally got around to trying the new Vcore 98. My specific racquet had an unstrung swingweight of 287.3. I strung it up with TruPro Durafluxx 1.23/Yonex PTP yellow 1.30 at 45/43# on an electronic constant pull machine. Added a 5" strip of 1/4" wide lead at 12 o'clock to bring the strung swingweight up to 321. I wasn't eager to try the new Vcore 98 because I assumed it would be very similar to the previous version which I didn't care for at all. After hitting with it, I'll admit I was greatly mistaken. The new Vcore 98 performs nothing like the outgoing model. This one feels comfortable with a very consistent performing string bed that has excellent pocketing. It completely lacks the stiff, harsh response and overly dampened feel from VDM. I don't even feel any VDM in this new 98. At 62RA, it's feels and plays very comfortable, yet it performs like frame with a much higher RA spec. The wider head shape across the top gives this frame a sweet spot and forgiving nature like most 100" tweeners. It hits a heavy, penetrating ball with gobs of spin. At net, it plays very solid as stability is excellent. When Tommy Paul switched from the Wilson Blade to the new Vcore 98, assuming that it played like the old Vcore, I was very confused. Now after playing with it, I totally get why he switched. Yonex has finally figured out out to make a great performing 98" vcore that also has excellent comfort and feel.
 
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mad dog1

G.O.A.T.
Finally got around to trying the new Vcore 95 as well. My specific frame was way under spec with an unstrung swing weight of 277.2! I strung it up with TruPro Durafluxx 1.23/Yonex PTP yellow 1.30 at 42/40# on an electronic constant pull machine. Added a 6" strip of 1/4" wide lead at 3 o'clock, another matching 6" strip at 9 o'clock and two 4" strips at 12 o'clock to bring the strung swing weight up to 320. I like the previous Vcore 95 so I expected this new one to be similar. I find the new Vcore 95 to be better in every way than the frame it replaced. Better feel, better comfort, better ball pocketing, slightly more power, spin and easier to shape the ball due the cross strings being more spaced out creating a softer, more open string bed without losing any of the precision the previous frame offered. What surprised me is that Yonex was able to achieve this while lowering the stiffness of the frame so while it feels like a 61RA, it plays and performs like a stiffer frame. This is a great update to an already excellent frame.
 
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