Review of Donnay X-Dual Platinum 99

[tennisfarmer]

Okay I played with the Donnay X-Dual Platinum 99 racquet, today I played 3 doubles matches, 2 singles matches and lots of rallying. It looks and feels like a hybrid between the six one tour and prestige. I am a 4.0-4.5 all court player, though I mainly play at the baseline. I used some crappy head string (usually use PHT) going to try BHBR.This racquet is quite sensitive to strings, I highly recommend a soft poly strung at a low tension, like 50 lbs.

Comfort/Feel - Considering it has a RA of 70 it's quite comfortable, nothing like a pure drive, this feels very solid. It does feel a tad stiff but as I played more and more it felt more flexible.

Serves - excellent, huge plow-through, and i was finally able to get my topspin serve to actually kick 9/10

Ground-strokes - quite good, the thin beam was allowing me to get good racquet head speed 8/10

Volleys - quite good, very stable 8.5/10

Returns - good 7.5/10

Power - good, 8/10

Control - very good, i was more confident when going for angled shots 8/10

Stability - very stable. 9/10

Overall 8.5/10

I wouldn't take feel/comfort seriously till I try this with a better string set up.

 

[verbouge]

I tried this racquet today and loved the feel of it. I have this and the X-Red currently in my possession, and I like them both very much. The Dual Platinum has the edge, however. More playing over the next few days will be.....fun. Donnay is on to something with this line of racquets.

 

[TimothyO]

My TW demo arrived today. Maybe that 70 stiffness and large head is responsible for giving me the impression of the frame being so powerful, at least compared to my recent demo of the soft EXO3 Tour 18x20 and my PSLGT. Was having trouble keeping shots in, even with considerable top spin. Will try again tomorrow night.

 

[tennisfarmer]

I tried this racquet today and loved the feel of it. I have this and the X-Red currently in my possession, and I like them both very much. The Dual Platinum has the edge, however. More playing over the next few days will be.....fun. Donnay is on to something with this line of racquets.

great, actually I was a bit disappointed at first but I got rid of the awful string and put in a soft poly, then it felt great, going to slowly update the review as I play more and more with the racquet and I agree they are definitely on to something, anti-Babolat!

 

[tennisfarmer]

My TW demo arrived today. Maybe that 70 stiffness and large head is responsible for giving me the impression of the frame being so powerful, at least compared to my recent demo of the soft EXO3 Tour 18x20 and my PSLGT. Was having trouble keeping shots in, even with considerable top spin. Will try again tomorrow night.

Actually I found the frame a little hard to adjust as well, but after a while my shots dialed in and it felt great, I too wish the platinum was more flexible.Also I demoed the PSL and that racquet is known for having barely any power and many others feel the same way. A soft poly at low tension worked for me, let me know how you like the racquet as you playtest it more

 

[TimothyO]

Actually I found the frame a little hard to adjust as well, put after a while my shots dialed in and it felt great, I too wish th platinum was more flexible.Also I demoed the PSL and that racquet is known for having barely any power and many others feel the same way. A soft poly at low tension worked for me, let me know how you like the racquet as you playtest it more

Good and interesting advice. There are different ways to achieve a given power level. One is to start with a powerful/stiffer frame and then dampen the power with a poly.

The other is to start with a muted frame and bump power with a flexi string such as gut.

The demo is a hybrid of a technifibre crosses and a grey, unmarked main. Maybe the demo string and stiff frame give the impression of excessive power.

As I've had arm issues in the past I tend towards soft, low powered frames with gut mains. Gut mains in this frame might be way too powerful.

 

[1hbhBUX]

TW lists the flex at 61 and not 70. Does it play stiffer than a 61?

 

[Power Player]

I loved the Plat 99, it definitely felt more like lower 60's than 70 to me. Reminded me a lot of a prestige that was easier to use.

The racquet serves huge, and comes through the air fast.

The demo strings they put in it were awful, so it only gets better with a personalized setup.

I was using Black Magic at around 54#s.

 

[user92626]

I also own an x-red 99 (aren't all donnays very similar except different weights which you can imagine). It feels like a very neat and tight racket.

What string and tension do you guys use on your donnay? I have on it an octagonal co-poly at 50# and seems to hit decent. I would like more power and ball pocketing effect though. This racket seems to hold well from twisting.

 

[vegasgt3]

I use gut to soften it up a bit at 54, I also put on a TW heavy leather grip to make it more headlight. Nice results.

 

[user92626]

I use gut to soften it up a bit at 54, I also put on a TW heavy leather grip to make it more headlight. Nice results.

Hey which donnay is that?

I imagine that would be a very nice setup. I also very much like a soft feel and a solid handle, headlight. Too bad my x-red 99 is already too heavy as is with 4 overgrips on. I can't use a replacement grip & an og which would make it like 342grs.