Tennis Warehouse Playtest: Dunlop SX 300 Racquet Family
datsveryinterestin
Professional
(edit: just checked the specs and weight is 320g strung and 327 with overgrip and dampener. But the balance of this SX300 is also only 1pt HL instead of advertised 4HL. SW might be around 333 too..but I like it!)
Dunlop SX300 review
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Background: I'm a 4.0 playing in 4.0 & 4.5 leagues. I'm currently using a Pure Drive+.
I chose this racquet mainly because it turns my strong serves into amazing serves. My forehand gets by with depth and spin but unless I choke up I can't hit it as quickly as I'd like. Backhands with the PD+ feel like forehands and I can rip winners or be consistent with that side. However, I sometimes feel 1 dimensional with the PD+ and have been trying to develop more of an all around game with a less powerful standard length frame. So far though, when I'm serving with a thinner 27" racquet at 30-40 I usually wish I had the PD+ back in my hand. So I'm looking for a 27" frame that gives me close to the power and spin on serve like the PD+ but with easier ability to hit quick forehands and more feel for slices & volleys.
Playtest:
Picking up the Dunlop SX300 felt good to me but my friends all commented on how heavy it felt and asked if I added weight to it. It feels like 330sw to me. Recently I tried a standard Pure Drive and needed to add a lot of lead to get it to play right for me.. but the SX300 I can use stock without modifications.
It has a very modern feel off the stringbed. Similar feel to Countervail where it takes away much of the vibration ping on contact. So much dampening that adding a dampener takes away almost all feedback. I tried it a few minutes without a dampener where the racquet still sounded like it had a dampener if I hit a clean shot or it sounded pingy when I mishit out of the center.
Overall, I liked the dampening more than Countervail but still not sure I prefer this new muted feeling in racquets.
I strung the SX300 with Yonex Poly Tour Pro at 52lbs since that is what I use in the PD+.
String bed is denser than newer babolats and more like the older AeroPro Drive.
Groundstrokes:
The SX300 makes a loud booming sound on contact. The sound was impressive and encouraging a bigger swing each time for me.
I was worried that the denser string pattern might reveal itself with lower trajectory and less spin but I still had tons of spin and shots cleared the net easily.
I'm used to a longer frame so my mishits were usually from standing to far away from the ball. When I was in position, the SX300 was super fun to crack the ball. The higher swingweight gave it a heavy ball and dropped the ball quickly with spin. I hit 3 of my best forehands in a while during my playtest of the SX300. One was an inside out controlled forehand winner after setting up the point, one was a crosscourt angled winner with tons of spin and the other was a powerful flat down the line bomb.
Backhands I was able to hit consistently if not spectacular. Sometimes if I get a low ball to my backhand I get lazy and hit it into the net but I was always able to get enough height and spin to clear the net with the SX300.
Slices are always take a little longer to dial in for me and most of mine dropped shorter in the court than I would have liked.
Serves: impressive power. I liked it better on flat 1st serves but it was still pretty good on spinning 2nd serves. I never got my slice dialed in but I think with more practice it would come around.
Return of serve: still deciding on this area because it has a lot of power and stability which can be great for clean winners on the return. However, because of the power, and worrying it might immediately go long, I often found myself just bunting the ball over. Most of the time due to poor footwork and the mental feeling of not wanting to hit it out, but a less powerful racquet I could swing more freely on return without worrying about shots sailing long. However, when being aggressive with good footwork the SX300 can be great for attacking and taking charge of points.
Volleys: felt solid and stable and performed well for this style of racquet.
Overheads: like the serve, powerful, effective, and Loud!
Other notes: the Dunlop SX300 is powerful but even though I've been dealing with a sore wrist, I felt no pain during or after hitting.
I've only hit with it once but the SX300 was so good that I am considering switching!
I'll probably demo a few other racquets before I switch away from my 27.5" racquets but if I stay with a 100" powerful frame, this will likely be my choice. I prefer the SX300 over both the Pure Drive and the Pure Aero.
Below is my less than amazing video... I'll save the excuses but I have a few. Oh well, I was just glad to get back on court and try the SX300. Thanks @TW Staff for this opportunity! I would never have tried this racquet if not for this playtest opportunity and it really impressed! I told some of my tennis buddies and they said things like "I can't see myself using a Dunlop" so it doesn't have the Wilson/Babolat appeal yet but that doesn't bother me. It plays great!
Edited 1minute version:
Dunlop SX300 review
------------------------------------
Background: I'm a 4.0 playing in 4.0 & 4.5 leagues. I'm currently using a Pure Drive+.
I chose this racquet mainly because it turns my strong serves into amazing serves. My forehand gets by with depth and spin but unless I choke up I can't hit it as quickly as I'd like. Backhands with the PD+ feel like forehands and I can rip winners or be consistent with that side. However, I sometimes feel 1 dimensional with the PD+ and have been trying to develop more of an all around game with a less powerful standard length frame. So far though, when I'm serving with a thinner 27" racquet at 30-40 I usually wish I had the PD+ back in my hand. So I'm looking for a 27" frame that gives me close to the power and spin on serve like the PD+ but with easier ability to hit quick forehands and more feel for slices & volleys.
Playtest:
Picking up the Dunlop SX300 felt good to me but my friends all commented on how heavy it felt and asked if I added weight to it. It feels like 330sw to me. Recently I tried a standard Pure Drive and needed to add a lot of lead to get it to play right for me.. but the SX300 I can use stock without modifications.
It has a very modern feel off the stringbed. Similar feel to Countervail where it takes away much of the vibration ping on contact. So much dampening that adding a dampener takes away almost all feedback. I tried it a few minutes without a dampener where the racquet still sounded like it had a dampener if I hit a clean shot or it sounded pingy when I mishit out of the center.
Overall, I liked the dampening more than Countervail but still not sure I prefer this new muted feeling in racquets.
I strung the SX300 with Yonex Poly Tour Pro at 52lbs since that is what I use in the PD+.
String bed is denser than newer babolats and more like the older AeroPro Drive.
Groundstrokes:
The SX300 makes a loud booming sound on contact. The sound was impressive and encouraging a bigger swing each time for me.
I was worried that the denser string pattern might reveal itself with lower trajectory and less spin but I still had tons of spin and shots cleared the net easily.
I'm used to a longer frame so my mishits were usually from standing to far away from the ball. When I was in position, the SX300 was super fun to crack the ball. The higher swingweight gave it a heavy ball and dropped the ball quickly with spin. I hit 3 of my best forehands in a while during my playtest of the SX300. One was an inside out controlled forehand winner after setting up the point, one was a crosscourt angled winner with tons of spin and the other was a powerful flat down the line bomb.
Backhands I was able to hit consistently if not spectacular. Sometimes if I get a low ball to my backhand I get lazy and hit it into the net but I was always able to get enough height and spin to clear the net with the SX300.
Slices are always take a little longer to dial in for me and most of mine dropped shorter in the court than I would have liked.
Serves: impressive power. I liked it better on flat 1st serves but it was still pretty good on spinning 2nd serves. I never got my slice dialed in but I think with more practice it would come around.
Return of serve: still deciding on this area because it has a lot of power and stability which can be great for clean winners on the return. However, because of the power, and worrying it might immediately go long, I often found myself just bunting the ball over. Most of the time due to poor footwork and the mental feeling of not wanting to hit it out, but a less powerful racquet I could swing more freely on return without worrying about shots sailing long. However, when being aggressive with good footwork the SX300 can be great for attacking and taking charge of points.
Volleys: felt solid and stable and performed well for this style of racquet.
Overheads: like the serve, powerful, effective, and Loud!
Other notes: the Dunlop SX300 is powerful but even though I've been dealing with a sore wrist, I felt no pain during or after hitting.
I've only hit with it once but the SX300 was so good that I am considering switching!
I'll probably demo a few other racquets before I switch away from my 27.5" racquets but if I stay with a 100" powerful frame, this will likely be my choice. I prefer the SX300 over both the Pure Drive and the Pure Aero.
Below is my less than amazing video... I'll save the excuses but I have a few. Oh well, I was just glad to get back on court and try the SX300. Thanks @TW Staff for this opportunity! I would never have tried this racquet if not for this playtest opportunity and it really impressed! I told some of my tennis buddies and they said things like "I can't see myself using a Dunlop" so it doesn't have the Wilson/Babolat appeal yet but that doesn't bother me. It plays great!
Edited 1minute version:
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TennisHound
Legend
Nice review, you're hitting the ball well, nice net clearance, Thanks
TennisHound
Legend
I like that Dunlop is using the grommets to create spin rather than the string bed, and keeping a fairly tight string pattern. With that much swing weight, it may not always be possible to get fast racquet head speed to create the proper amount of spin to keep the ball in.
jangotango
Semi-Pro
Popped the OGSM hitting before the start of class. Will string it up with Luxilon Element when I get home today.
The OGSM didn't really move around all that much, still snapped back well enough in the dense middle. Definitely a great replacement for those who are needing to move away from poly. Usually I use Tourna big Hitter Silver 7 Tour, but I think Element would be a great fit for the racquet.
The OGSM didn't really move around all that much, still snapped back well enough in the dense middle. Definitely a great replacement for those who are needing to move away from poly. Usually I use Tourna big Hitter Silver 7 Tour, but I think Element would be a great fit for the racquet.
jangotango
Semi-Pro
Slower RHS does not seem to negatively affect the tbh. Just a little slower and loopier, more vertical topspin than tight, penetrating horizontal topspin.
Tennisist
Professional
Racquet received: Dunlop XS 300 LS
String and tension used for test: Dunlop Explosive Spin 1.25 (poly) -- 49/47
Tennis experience/background: USTA 4.0
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): baseline grinder, heavy topspin, 1HBH, win by consistency
Current racquet/string setups: for singles, various; for doubles, US Donnays and Solinco Tour 8. Typically ~336-340g / 7-8 pt HL / SW320. Poly at 46-50 range, with varying crosses -- from very soft to very stiff.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 8 hours.
Comments on racquet performance:
The racquet performed reasonably well in all departments.
The closest racquet in specs and feel to it appear to be the Dunlop Bio 500 Tour (at least from the racquets that I have), so I will draw upon this to give you an idea of the features.
First, right out of the box, all stock and strung, the racquet was 309 g / 335 mm / 3 pt HL .
The feeling from hitting the ball with a racquet so light was very underwhelming. I only played with it for about 20 minutes in this form. Immediately after that I added rubber tape to the handle and an overgrip. This quick addition transformed it into 334g/319mm/8pt HL, which is right in my comfort zone. This is how all my doubles racquets are spec'ed (including the Bio 500 Tours). With this mod, the feel and the behavior improved tremendously.
-Groundstrokes:
One of the big things that struck me first was the depth. I guess the "high launch angle" would be the term that best describes it. Interestingly, it is right on the picture that came with the racquet:
And that's exactly what I experienced. If that's what the designers were striving for, they should receive an "A". This was exactly the effect I felt. With my normal stroke, the trajectory of the ball was much higher than any of my usual racquets. It was somewhat surprising but it did not affect my game negatively -- it made it better. All balls were landing very deep, almost at the very baseline -- naturally. ( Typically, I need to put quite a bit of effort to keep them there ). This resulted in a lot of winning games for me, and I could not be more pleased.
Backhand - same thing: high trajectory, good depth.
My game is structured around spin, and this racquet fit nicely into it.
It so happens that I practically never use flat shots, but, for the sake of it, I've decided to try some. The results were not so good as with spin.
First, the racquet ( or the strings ?) presented very little power for a 100" racquet. I really had to hit hard to generate decent pace -- harder than usual. Second, there is this feeling/sensation of flat impact which is unpalatable: it does not have this solid feel, it is very fast, and very crisp. I would almost call it stiff, except that the racquet has some dampening in it to take some edge off. But still it feels nothing like the racquets of the old days...
-Serves:
Excellent topspin serves. I was very consistent with topspin, practically had no errors, everything landed in, with a good curve. Flat serves: another story: I could not find power on the flat serves. They all were a little too weak, and got picked up easily by my opponents. No matter how hard I tried, the ball just did not catapult off the racquet on flat serves for me...
-Volleys: Predictable. Very easy to put the racquet on a ball. Not particularly punishing, and not particularly good feeling (see flat shots above).
-Serve returns: Blocking returns against big servers were weak, floated high and did not have enough speed on them. When a serve was coming in weak, and I could actually swing at the ball, the returns were OK, but nothing spectacular. This worked OK in doubles, the returns tended to be extra high and deep and this it worked out very well in the end, but it was not what I had intended.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This racquet is very agile, very fast. It slices and topspins very well. Very mobile at the net. It is an excellent racquet for doubles, especially if your game is all about spin. That is a good combination.
( If you hit flat and use poly strings, the racquet's crisp feel will come to the fore, and it may not be everyone's cup of tea. ) Control is still good in both combinations: flat and spin.
For singles, I feel it lacks heft, and does not generate a heavy ball. Maybe with added weight, it would. But it will require a longer playtest and experimentation.
String and tension used for test: Dunlop Explosive Spin 1.25 (poly) -- 49/47
Tennis experience/background: USTA 4.0
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): baseline grinder, heavy topspin, 1HBH, win by consistency
Current racquet/string setups: for singles, various; for doubles, US Donnays and Solinco Tour 8. Typically ~336-340g / 7-8 pt HL / SW320. Poly at 46-50 range, with varying crosses -- from very soft to very stiff.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 8 hours.
Comments on racquet performance:
The racquet performed reasonably well in all departments.
The closest racquet in specs and feel to it appear to be the Dunlop Bio 500 Tour (at least from the racquets that I have), so I will draw upon this to give you an idea of the features.
First, right out of the box, all stock and strung, the racquet was 309 g / 335 mm / 3 pt HL .
The feeling from hitting the ball with a racquet so light was very underwhelming. I only played with it for about 20 minutes in this form. Immediately after that I added rubber tape to the handle and an overgrip. This quick addition transformed it into 334g/319mm/8pt HL, which is right in my comfort zone. This is how all my doubles racquets are spec'ed (including the Bio 500 Tours). With this mod, the feel and the behavior improved tremendously.
-Groundstrokes:
One of the big things that struck me first was the depth. I guess the "high launch angle" would be the term that best describes it. Interestingly, it is right on the picture that came with the racquet:
And that's exactly what I experienced. If that's what the designers were striving for, they should receive an "A". This was exactly the effect I felt. With my normal stroke, the trajectory of the ball was much higher than any of my usual racquets. It was somewhat surprising but it did not affect my game negatively -- it made it better. All balls were landing very deep, almost at the very baseline -- naturally. ( Typically, I need to put quite a bit of effort to keep them there ). This resulted in a lot of winning games for me, and I could not be more pleased.
Backhand - same thing: high trajectory, good depth.
My game is structured around spin, and this racquet fit nicely into it.
It so happens that I practically never use flat shots, but, for the sake of it, I've decided to try some. The results were not so good as with spin.
First, the racquet ( or the strings ?) presented very little power for a 100" racquet. I really had to hit hard to generate decent pace -- harder than usual. Second, there is this feeling/sensation of flat impact which is unpalatable: it does not have this solid feel, it is very fast, and very crisp. I would almost call it stiff, except that the racquet has some dampening in it to take some edge off. But still it feels nothing like the racquets of the old days...
-Serves:
Excellent topspin serves. I was very consistent with topspin, practically had no errors, everything landed in, with a good curve. Flat serves: another story: I could not find power on the flat serves. They all were a little too weak, and got picked up easily by my opponents. No matter how hard I tried, the ball just did not catapult off the racquet on flat serves for me...
-Volleys: Predictable. Very easy to put the racquet on a ball. Not particularly punishing, and not particularly good feeling (see flat shots above).
-Serve returns: Blocking returns against big servers were weak, floated high and did not have enough speed on them. When a serve was coming in weak, and I could actually swing at the ball, the returns were OK, but nothing spectacular. This worked OK in doubles, the returns tended to be extra high and deep and this it worked out very well in the end, but it was not what I had intended.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This racquet is very agile, very fast. It slices and topspins very well. Very mobile at the net. It is an excellent racquet for doubles, especially if your game is all about spin. That is a good combination.
( If you hit flat and use poly strings, the racquet's crisp feel will come to the fore, and it may not be everyone's cup of tea. ) Control is still good in both combinations: flat and spin.
For singles, I feel it lacks heft, and does not generate a heavy ball. Maybe with added weight, it would. But it will require a longer playtest and experimentation.
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Tennisist
Professional
The SX300 racquet seems close to and in the same lineage as the Dunlop Bio 500 Tour. I know a few people who play with it. This one -- SX300LS -- seems to be a progression to the better. I feel it is slightly better than Bio500T in all areas:
1) Feel
This racquet has more dampening than Bio500T, but this dampening is very odd. It is not a solid dampening of the olden graphite, or silicone. I would liken it to Styrofoam. You feel like you are hitting with an airy object with rigid shell. It is much improved on the Bio500 for sure, but it is far from being "nice". It still feels too crisp and too rigid.
As another point of reference, I would definitely say that the feel of the new Dunlop is better that Head Speeds ( I tried some recently -- trying to find a 100" frame go gain some boot in spin, power and agility. ) I found the feel of those to be too unpalatable.
[NOTE/DISCLAIMER: this feel issue is only present when you use poly. I've played the BIO500T with a multi, and it is a very nice-feeling racquet then, completely different than when strung with poly. I suspect the SX300 will be the same. I myself stopped using multis years ago, because they only last me for 1-2 days. This by itself would be tolerable but they tend to snap right in the middle of a match -- when you need them most.]
2) Control
If you look at the pictures, and if you hold up both racquets, you see that the center strings on the new Dunlop are actually quite dense. Denser than on most of my 98" 16x19 racquets. This is why I think this racquet presents a very decent control, compared to other racquets, and especially the 500T.
The power is higher on the BIO500T, but it is very challenging to control. With SX300 is it much easier to find the lines.
3) Agility
Maybe I got the weight/balance thing right at the very first attempt, but it swung much better for me than 500T. Not an issue on the forehand, but very noticeable on the one-handled backhand. The 500T has always been a little unwieldy for me on the backhand. I had the same issue with Speeds. Felt a little too big. This new Dunlop does not have that feeling. It felt no different from a 98" racquet.
1) Feel
This racquet has more dampening than Bio500T, but this dampening is very odd. It is not a solid dampening of the olden graphite, or silicone. I would liken it to Styrofoam. You feel like you are hitting with an airy object with rigid shell. It is much improved on the Bio500 for sure, but it is far from being "nice". It still feels too crisp and too rigid.
As another point of reference, I would definitely say that the feel of the new Dunlop is better that Head Speeds ( I tried some recently -- trying to find a 100" frame go gain some boot in spin, power and agility. ) I found the feel of those to be too unpalatable.
[NOTE/DISCLAIMER: this feel issue is only present when you use poly. I've played the BIO500T with a multi, and it is a very nice-feeling racquet then, completely different than when strung with poly. I suspect the SX300 will be the same. I myself stopped using multis years ago, because they only last me for 1-2 days. This by itself would be tolerable but they tend to snap right in the middle of a match -- when you need them most.]
2) Control
If you look at the pictures, and if you hold up both racquets, you see that the center strings on the new Dunlop are actually quite dense. Denser than on most of my 98" 16x19 racquets. This is why I think this racquet presents a very decent control, compared to other racquets, and especially the 500T.
The power is higher on the BIO500T, but it is very challenging to control. With SX300 is it much easier to find the lines.
3) Agility
Maybe I got the weight/balance thing right at the very first attempt, but it swung much better for me than 500T. Not an issue on the forehand, but very noticeable on the one-handled backhand. The 500T has always been a little unwieldy for me on the backhand. I had the same issue with Speeds. Felt a little too big. This new Dunlop does not have that feeling. It felt no different from a 98" racquet.
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Tennisist
Professional
Another observation: Because of such difference between poly and multi in feel/sensation ( which I know from my experiments with BIO500T and other racquets), I thought "Could it be that the strings were just too stiff?"
I do not think so. I participated in that string's playtest, and I had it strung at the same tension in my Donnay. Same machine, obviously. And it presented itself quite nice (i.e. not crisp) in Donnay. Donnay has the same stiffness rating of 68. So, I am inclined to think that it is the racquet that introduces this "crisp" feel the whole ensemble.
Now that I've done my unbiased review, I will start reading what other people had found ...
I do not think so. I participated in that string's playtest, and I had it strung at the same tension in my Donnay. Same machine, obviously. And it presented itself quite nice (i.e. not crisp) in Donnay. Donnay has the same stiffness rating of 68. So, I am inclined to think that it is the racquet that introduces this "crisp" feel the whole ensemble.
Now that I've done my unbiased review, I will start reading what other people had found ...
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TennisHound
Legend
Not a lot of positive reviews, even by TW unfortunately. Actually, not a lot of reviews,
jangotango
Semi-Pro
Still hitting with my 300LS. It's just a weird frame... I think the partial foam filling (The infinergy material is the same as in adidas boost cushion, the more you know!) And just layup in gener doesn't gel well with many. Doesn't Excel in anything in particular either. Very unremarkable, will expect these to be available for cheap like the first Dunlop/Srixon frames were.
jangotango
Semi-Pro
Was thinking about adding 10 grams to the 300LS, 6 in the handle and 4 in the hoop but I don't have any more lead tape!
TennisHound
Legend
Well, that's the benefit of having real world playtests on here. It gives everyone an objective review that's unbiased, especially for those who can't demo
taydbear7
Professional
My Dunlop Srixon SX 300 Tour (16x19) Review:
Bottom Line Up Front Summary: I found the SX300 Tour to be a very high quality frame that includes a few nice innovations that provides an exceptional level of power & spin & should be marketed towards the intermediate to slightly more advanced player (mainly 3.5 to some within 4.0). It will reward you if you’re the type of player that might be looking for a racquet that provides you with a little more power / depth vs control. I found the launch angle to be a bit higher than my current Pure Strike Tour Gen 3. That, coupled with the frame giving me more free power than current frame, meant it definitely took some time getting used to as I had to focus on getting a little more spin as my shots would go long on me. The racquet provided me with more than enough ample access to power, but I felt I lacked control as a result. The frame produces sound & ball feel that’s akin to an Aero / Pure Drive line versus that plush feeling I personally prefer from my old Pure Storm Tour. Much like my ground strokes, serving was aided by plentiful power the beam/racquet provides. Topspin serves were also aided by ample amounts of spin. Volleying & slicing were easily the strong points of this frame for me & I felt most comfortable with both of those strokes right off the bat. Even for being a Tour-level weighted racquet, I found the racquet to be very maneuverable at net. Overall, it’s a wonderful option for mid-level players who are looking for a frame that provides them with extra power & spin. For those who might be looking for less power & more control might be better served looking at the Dunlop CX model line.
Racquet Received: Dunlop Srixon SX 300 Tour (16x19). It’s a beautiful 100sq inch frame that measured in at 11.20oz unstrung (an appreciable difference versus the 10.9oz label).
Dolled up, the SX 300 Tour came in at a solid 12.05oz (341g) when strung with Dunlop Silk, an overgrip, dampener, & head guard tape over the bumper. I did not customize this frame as I wanted to provide a thorough review of the frame as is.
String & tension used for test: Preliminarily, I used the Dunlop Silk string that came with the racquet (tension= 56lbs.) for 6 hours of play, and then I employed Babolat VS Touch 16g natural gut (Black) @ 58lbs for the remainder of my play test (which is what I use on my racquets).
Tennis experience/background: At present, I’m a very high-level 44 year old 4.0 to a low-level 4.5 rating. I’ve played high school tennis back in the day, & have continued to play all year around in regular local leagues in the area. I typically hit an average of 4 days a week with most of my time devoted to singles play.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I’m predominantly a baseliner who likes to strike first & use my big serve and forehand as my weapons. My groundstrokes are flat, I use a semi-western grip on my forehand wing, & a 1hbh.
Current racquet/string setups: My go-to racquet is the Pure Strike Tour Gen 3 having recently evolved from the Pure Strom Tour GT model. For much the same reason some folks ought to look at this frame, I switched in an attempt to get a little more free power without sacrificing too much of the control that I’ve grown accustomed to with the Storm Tour. As I’m aging and losing quickness on the court, I need just a little more cheap power to keep up against 4.5 players when I’m forced to defend. Furthermore, due to wear and tear on my arm over the years, all my racquets are strung with VS Touch 16g (Black) with my Strike strung at 58lbs.
How many hours did you play with the racquet?: I put in approximately 25 hours in with this racquet. With about 6 hours utilizing the stock Silk string before stringing it a few times over with 16g VS Touch natural gut.
Racquet Performance:
- Groundstrokes: As I alluded to above, I found this racquet to provide an appreciable level of power right out of the box thanks to the thicker beam (compared to my Strike & Storm). Swinging through the ball rewards players with appreciable depth, power, & spin- that in some instances for me forced me to adjust as I lost control and balls were going deep on me. As opposed to my Strike & Storm racquets, the string bed is more evenly spaced out across the frame; which contributes to increased spin and a higher launch angle. I really struggled with my control for a good portion of my time with this racquet mainly because of what I’m typically used to hitting with. The heavier weight prevented me from getting pushed around when on defense, particularly if I had to short hop a strong ball and it kept me towards neutral in the point. I’m a big fan of 12+ oz strung racquets for this very reason. Perhaps the strongest suit of this racquet, and one where I instantly just found myself dialed in with this racquet, was when I employed my slice. Despite the difference this frame is from what I currently use, I found that I could consistently knife the ball, keeping it low, & skidding into place beautifully. Like my slice, I found my forehand chip-approach to be equally effective as well. This was my favorite shot to hit with this frame as I was just really connected to it. Dunlop also advertises shaped grommets, an innovation called “Spin Boost Technology,”
aimed to increase string movement that’s needed to increase spin. I definitely think that, coupled with the wider string layout, aided in increasing the spin imparted on the ball. An additional innovation, called PowerGrid StringTech is aimed to assist in shots near the hoop- the theory being aimed at improving depth/spin on near-frame shots at the hoop. I can say I think the technology worked to some extent. With both innovations, I think its difficult to exactly quantify and/or evaluate these capabilities without having a “baseline” SX 300 Tour. I can say I feel I got some improved depth versus what I expected to see. Again, I did NOT customize my frame at all as I wanted to evaluate it as Dunlop will sell it. I should note when I switched to the VS Gut, I was getting more depth than with the stock strings so I had to increase the tension after breaking the first set of gut rather quickly. One nice benefit this racquet provides is its flexibility. If you’re a player that’s had a history of wrist/elbow/shoulder problems, this is a racquet I never had any increased issues with while hitting with it. I’ve had elbow problems in the past and to this day with the gut in my Pure Strike Tour my elbow still regularly gets sore- I’m happy to say despite all the hours I put in on this frame, my arm felt on par with my Strike. – (77/100)
- Serves: Again, this is an area where it took me a little while to really get dialed in with the frame- especially my 1stserve. Much like the ground strokes, the ball really flies off the frame and I felt like I had some difficulty with getting the control in place to hit my targets. The frame provided increased spin, which is always nice on the top spin serve, but targeting it was still a challenge. Despite the spin, and given I have no issues supplying my own power on my serve, I felt the ball jumped off the racquet and I wasn’t hitting my targets quite like I’m used to. If you’re a player who feels your serve could be helped by getting some increased power from the frame, than this racquet is something to consider. I found in my match play, I was dialing back on my plow-through on the ball (to insure accuracy and getting it in), and would end up with a spinning serve that didn’t have as much on it, and subsequently wouldn’t earn me the free points I’m accustomed to. Again, I want to caveat where I think this racquet is marketed for: the player looking for the frame to do a little more of the work for him/her, I think that player might very well be pleasantly surprised that this frame can certainly help his/her game. – (79/100)
-Volleys: Besides the backhand slice, I found that this racquet performed admirably when it came to volleying at the net. I felt extremely confident with this racquet almost from the get-go that I could stab a nice, deep, penetrating volley and do it accurately. Similarly, if I needed to hit a shorter angled volley, I had tremendous success with that one as well. Despite its high static weight, I did find the frame to be maneuverable at net- I didn’t walk away thinking I missed a ball or point due to getting the racquet quickly and compactly in the right spot and executing. Swinging volleys weren’t quite as great for me- again, the whole themes of the jumpiness of the ball off the stringbed, power, and control were prevalent throughout my swinging volleys. Overall, if you are an exceptional volleyer who likes to come to net, or you’re a player who’s game is such that you’d like to get to the net but you don’t generate the type of attacking balls to get you there, I think you’ll appreciate this frame. – (85/100)
-Serve returns: This is an area where I felt the racquet played hot and cold so to speak. When going up against some friends that like to bomb their first serves that I typically block back, my returns were landing deeper in the court. Consequently, I wasn’t starting as many points from quite the disadvantage. However, against a big kicker, I could take a nice rip at the ball, however the high launch angle and additional power led me to some additional unforced return errors. – (81/100)
Bottom Line Up Front Summary: I found the SX300 Tour to be a very high quality frame that includes a few nice innovations that provides an exceptional level of power & spin & should be marketed towards the intermediate to slightly more advanced player (mainly 3.5 to some within 4.0). It will reward you if you’re the type of player that might be looking for a racquet that provides you with a little more power / depth vs control. I found the launch angle to be a bit higher than my current Pure Strike Tour Gen 3. That, coupled with the frame giving me more free power than current frame, meant it definitely took some time getting used to as I had to focus on getting a little more spin as my shots would go long on me. The racquet provided me with more than enough ample access to power, but I felt I lacked control as a result. The frame produces sound & ball feel that’s akin to an Aero / Pure Drive line versus that plush feeling I personally prefer from my old Pure Storm Tour. Much like my ground strokes, serving was aided by plentiful power the beam/racquet provides. Topspin serves were also aided by ample amounts of spin. Volleying & slicing were easily the strong points of this frame for me & I felt most comfortable with both of those strokes right off the bat. Even for being a Tour-level weighted racquet, I found the racquet to be very maneuverable at net. Overall, it’s a wonderful option for mid-level players who are looking for a frame that provides them with extra power & spin. For those who might be looking for less power & more control might be better served looking at the Dunlop CX model line.
Racquet Received: Dunlop Srixon SX 300 Tour (16x19). It’s a beautiful 100sq inch frame that measured in at 11.20oz unstrung (an appreciable difference versus the 10.9oz label).
Dolled up, the SX 300 Tour came in at a solid 12.05oz (341g) when strung with Dunlop Silk, an overgrip, dampener, & head guard tape over the bumper. I did not customize this frame as I wanted to provide a thorough review of the frame as is.
String & tension used for test: Preliminarily, I used the Dunlop Silk string that came with the racquet (tension= 56lbs.) for 6 hours of play, and then I employed Babolat VS Touch 16g natural gut (Black) @ 58lbs for the remainder of my play test (which is what I use on my racquets).
Tennis experience/background: At present, I’m a very high-level 44 year old 4.0 to a low-level 4.5 rating. I’ve played high school tennis back in the day, & have continued to play all year around in regular local leagues in the area. I typically hit an average of 4 days a week with most of my time devoted to singles play.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I’m predominantly a baseliner who likes to strike first & use my big serve and forehand as my weapons. My groundstrokes are flat, I use a semi-western grip on my forehand wing, & a 1hbh.
Current racquet/string setups: My go-to racquet is the Pure Strike Tour Gen 3 having recently evolved from the Pure Strom Tour GT model. For much the same reason some folks ought to look at this frame, I switched in an attempt to get a little more free power without sacrificing too much of the control that I’ve grown accustomed to with the Storm Tour. As I’m aging and losing quickness on the court, I need just a little more cheap power to keep up against 4.5 players when I’m forced to defend. Furthermore, due to wear and tear on my arm over the years, all my racquets are strung with VS Touch 16g (Black) with my Strike strung at 58lbs.
How many hours did you play with the racquet?: I put in approximately 25 hours in with this racquet. With about 6 hours utilizing the stock Silk string before stringing it a few times over with 16g VS Touch natural gut.
Racquet Performance:
- Groundstrokes: As I alluded to above, I found this racquet to provide an appreciable level of power right out of the box thanks to the thicker beam (compared to my Strike & Storm). Swinging through the ball rewards players with appreciable depth, power, & spin- that in some instances for me forced me to adjust as I lost control and balls were going deep on me. As opposed to my Strike & Storm racquets, the string bed is more evenly spaced out across the frame; which contributes to increased spin and a higher launch angle. I really struggled with my control for a good portion of my time with this racquet mainly because of what I’m typically used to hitting with. The heavier weight prevented me from getting pushed around when on defense, particularly if I had to short hop a strong ball and it kept me towards neutral in the point. I’m a big fan of 12+ oz strung racquets for this very reason. Perhaps the strongest suit of this racquet, and one where I instantly just found myself dialed in with this racquet, was when I employed my slice. Despite the difference this frame is from what I currently use, I found that I could consistently knife the ball, keeping it low, & skidding into place beautifully. Like my slice, I found my forehand chip-approach to be equally effective as well. This was my favorite shot to hit with this frame as I was just really connected to it. Dunlop also advertises shaped grommets, an innovation called “Spin Boost Technology,”
aimed to increase string movement that’s needed to increase spin. I definitely think that, coupled with the wider string layout, aided in increasing the spin imparted on the ball. An additional innovation, called PowerGrid StringTech is aimed to assist in shots near the hoop- the theory being aimed at improving depth/spin on near-frame shots at the hoop. I can say I think the technology worked to some extent. With both innovations, I think its difficult to exactly quantify and/or evaluate these capabilities without having a “baseline” SX 300 Tour. I can say I feel I got some improved depth versus what I expected to see. Again, I did NOT customize my frame at all as I wanted to evaluate it as Dunlop will sell it. I should note when I switched to the VS Gut, I was getting more depth than with the stock strings so I had to increase the tension after breaking the first set of gut rather quickly. One nice benefit this racquet provides is its flexibility. If you’re a player that’s had a history of wrist/elbow/shoulder problems, this is a racquet I never had any increased issues with while hitting with it. I’ve had elbow problems in the past and to this day with the gut in my Pure Strike Tour my elbow still regularly gets sore- I’m happy to say despite all the hours I put in on this frame, my arm felt on par with my Strike. – (77/100)
- Serves: Again, this is an area where it took me a little while to really get dialed in with the frame- especially my 1stserve. Much like the ground strokes, the ball really flies off the frame and I felt like I had some difficulty with getting the control in place to hit my targets. The frame provided increased spin, which is always nice on the top spin serve, but targeting it was still a challenge. Despite the spin, and given I have no issues supplying my own power on my serve, I felt the ball jumped off the racquet and I wasn’t hitting my targets quite like I’m used to. If you’re a player who feels your serve could be helped by getting some increased power from the frame, than this racquet is something to consider. I found in my match play, I was dialing back on my plow-through on the ball (to insure accuracy and getting it in), and would end up with a spinning serve that didn’t have as much on it, and subsequently wouldn’t earn me the free points I’m accustomed to. Again, I want to caveat where I think this racquet is marketed for: the player looking for the frame to do a little more of the work for him/her, I think that player might very well be pleasantly surprised that this frame can certainly help his/her game. – (79/100)
-Volleys: Besides the backhand slice, I found that this racquet performed admirably when it came to volleying at the net. I felt extremely confident with this racquet almost from the get-go that I could stab a nice, deep, penetrating volley and do it accurately. Similarly, if I needed to hit a shorter angled volley, I had tremendous success with that one as well. Despite its high static weight, I did find the frame to be maneuverable at net- I didn’t walk away thinking I missed a ball or point due to getting the racquet quickly and compactly in the right spot and executing. Swinging volleys weren’t quite as great for me- again, the whole themes of the jumpiness of the ball off the stringbed, power, and control were prevalent throughout my swinging volleys. Overall, if you are an exceptional volleyer who likes to come to net, or you’re a player who’s game is such that you’d like to get to the net but you don’t generate the type of attacking balls to get you there, I think you’ll appreciate this frame. – (85/100)
-Serve returns: This is an area where I felt the racquet played hot and cold so to speak. When going up against some friends that like to bomb their first serves that I typically block back, my returns were landing deeper in the court. Consequently, I wasn’t starting as many points from quite the disadvantage. However, against a big kicker, I could take a nice rip at the ball, however the high launch angle and additional power led me to some additional unforced return errors. – (81/100)
My Dunlop Srixon SX 300 Tour (16x19) Review (CONTINUED):
General reaction/comments on overall performance: I found this racquet to be aimed towards the more modern player’s game from the first time using it out on court. Its larger face & beam (100sq in & 23-26-23mm respectively) denote POWER & a larger sweet spot- all of which can help the intermediate player succeed on court. The "Tour"-added heft will certainly provide added stability defending big shots and with volleys at the net. At the baseline & while serving, I personally felt the ball really comes off the string bed with an appreciably high launch angle than either of the racquets I have used in the past; which has compromised my control. Even with 20+ hours on court with it, I couldn’t quite harness the power and launch angle this racquet provided me with a high degree of confidence. With its thicker throat and beam, coupled with the larger face and more open 16x19 pattern, I felt this racquet competes with the Aero Pro – with the primary differentiating factor being the stiffness. I am pleased to say that the frame didn’t feel too stiff and my wrist, shoulder, and elbow weren’t adversely impacted from using this frame when coupled with either of the strings/tensions denoted earlier. The innovations Dunlop integrated on to this frame at best appear to provide some measured benefit, and at worst are intriguing. All in all, I think Dunlop produced a very nice stick that is aimed at the intermediate 3.5 player that either has an all court game or likes to stay at the baseline. The racquet provides a lot of power and spin and I think more advanced players may want a little more control knowing their strokes are solid enough to generate their own satisfactory power and spin. OVERALL: 80/100
As always, I'd like to thank Tennis Warehouse and Dunlop for giving me the opportunity to participate in this play test. If anyone should have any questions, concerns, or comments, please don't hesitate to reply or send me a PM! It's been a wonderful opportunity and I hope this helps others who may be considering this racquet!
General reaction/comments on overall performance: I found this racquet to be aimed towards the more modern player’s game from the first time using it out on court. Its larger face & beam (100sq in & 23-26-23mm respectively) denote POWER & a larger sweet spot- all of which can help the intermediate player succeed on court. The "Tour"-added heft will certainly provide added stability defending big shots and with volleys at the net. At the baseline & while serving, I personally felt the ball really comes off the string bed with an appreciably high launch angle than either of the racquets I have used in the past; which has compromised my control. Even with 20+ hours on court with it, I couldn’t quite harness the power and launch angle this racquet provided me with a high degree of confidence. With its thicker throat and beam, coupled with the larger face and more open 16x19 pattern, I felt this racquet competes with the Aero Pro – with the primary differentiating factor being the stiffness. I am pleased to say that the frame didn’t feel too stiff and my wrist, shoulder, and elbow weren’t adversely impacted from using this frame when coupled with either of the strings/tensions denoted earlier. The innovations Dunlop integrated on to this frame at best appear to provide some measured benefit, and at worst are intriguing. All in all, I think Dunlop produced a very nice stick that is aimed at the intermediate 3.5 player that either has an all court game or likes to stay at the baseline. The racquet provides a lot of power and spin and I think more advanced players may want a little more control knowing their strokes are solid enough to generate their own satisfactory power and spin. OVERALL: 80/100
As always, I'd like to thank Tennis Warehouse and Dunlop for giving me the opportunity to participate in this play test. If anyone should have any questions, concerns, or comments, please don't hesitate to reply or send me a PM! It's been a wonderful opportunity and I hope this helps others who may be considering this racquet!
Hi, everyone! I was finally able to get a chance to play with this, after being very busy over the past two weeks. I want to give a huge thank you to Tennis Warehouse for allowing me to be on this playtest. I forgot to take measurements of the specs and pictures, so I'll post those later today. I played with this racket in stock form.
Racquet Received: Dunlop SX300 Tour
String and tension used for test: Big Hitter Silver 7 Tour 48lbs/Gosen OG Sheep Micro 53lbs
Tennis experience/background: Currently I'm a 4.0 that has played some 4.0 leagues within the past year. Played for my high school team and did club tennis in college. I try to play at least once or twice a week, mainly playing singles. However, I've been preferring more doubles play recently.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I'm mainly a baseliner that plays with moderate spin and grinds the point out. I hit with a semi-western forehand and a two-handed backhand. I like to employ my slice backhand a lot.
Current racquet/string setups: Wilson Blade v7 18x20/Tecnifibre TFight 315 LTD 18x20 w/ Solinco Hyper G at 48lbs
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 4 hours
Comments on racquet performance:
-Groundstrokes: I mostly play with rackets with 18x20 string patterns, so I was initially hesitant about how I would play with SX300 Tour after looking at the specs. I strung this with a hybrid, which I typically don't use, but I didn't want to string this up with a full bed of poly knowing that it would probably feel more stiff than the rackets that I currently play with. This stick has a pretty modern feel to it: fast feeling, fairly stiff, easy to generate depth and power. I was pleasantly surprised that the launch angle was not as high as other rackets with open string patterns, so the adjustment period didn't take that long coming from my current rackets. I could also flatten out some of my shots which could possibly be due to the closer string density in the middle of the stringbed, something that I couldn't really do with other 16x19 rackets. When I would make contact right in the sweetspot, it actually felt fairly plush, and I felt pretty confident hitting through the ball rather than spinning it. I definitely enjoyed having some extra free power if I had to be on defense. Slicing also felt generally good with the SX300 Tour, as I was able to cut through the ball nicely. It didn't feel too heavy to swing, but it was fairly stable and there were rarely any instances of being pushed around. However, it didn't have the same plowthrough feeling that I get from my Blade or the Gravity Pro, and there were some inconsistencies in the feeling of the stringbed. I also wasn't very confident on swinging out on most of my shots, so my rally balls were slower than usual. There would be some shots where it would fly out without putting considerable effort on the ball, or some shots would land fairly short. While this racket is stiffer than the sticks that I play with, it is not as stiff as a Babolat Pure Aero or Pure Drive. I could probably remedy the control issues by increasing the tension without being too concerned about losing comfort.
-Serves: Similar to groundstrokes, I got easy power and access to spin off of serves. The first time I tried serving with this stick, it was a little difficult to get it swinging over my head and generating racket head speed. Eventually, I was able to dial it in and find my rhythm while serving. I didn't have to swing too hard to get good power and speed when serving, and it was really nice to hit some kick serves. Flat serves had some decent pop, but they didn't look like it had much plowthrough. Since the SX300 Tour is fast feeling, I didn't really ramp up the speed of my serves for fear of mistiming the ball on contact. I was focusing mainly on getting the ball in, so my serves didn't have the oomph that I would usually have to put some pressure on my opponent.
-Volleys: For a modern, fairly stiff feeling racket, the touch and feel is one of the strong points on the SX300 Tour. It's stable enough to handle fast, hard incoming shots, but light enough to reach to get enough power for stab volleys. I could hit all types of volleys with ease, and it felt really nice to hit some drop shots. It has the stiffness to just be point-and-shoot, but it also has enough feel where I can have a little more finesse. I can see this being a very good doubles stick to play with.
-Serve returns: When I could make clean contact with it, I could hit very good deep returns with the SX300 Tour. The racket had enough mass and stability to block back first serves. I was also able to hit some chip returns that got me back to position if I was stretched out on the return. I was missing some shots long or wide on slower, spinnier serves, which might be due to the how fast the racket comes through the ball and mistiming the contact point. I feel with some additional adjustment time, the racket can handle most serves coming at it.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: The Dunlop SX300 Tour is very user friendly, and it can cater a board variety of playing styles. It does lean more heavily toward the modern, spin-friendly game, but it offers enough touch to encourage players to play on top of the net. It does swing fairly fast for an 11.8 oz racket, but I definitely felt some weight at the tip of the racket when swinging. In stock form, it already plays pretty well, and I can hit almost any shot with it. With a couple of little tweaks in string tension or stringing it with poly at a low tension, I could probably play with this. However, the lack of dwell time and feel compared to my main rackets made me a little hesitant to hit with more pace. The closest comparison that I can think of to this racket is the Babolat AeroPro Drive. Unlike the AeroPro, though, I could flatten out my shots, especially on my backhand. It also felt more comfortable to play with than the AeroPro. I think this is a very solid offering from Dunlop for higher intermediate to advanced players who like to hit with aggressive spin and are able to control the ball, but like to play with more variety or finesse.
Racquet Received: Dunlop SX300 Tour
String and tension used for test: Big Hitter Silver 7 Tour 48lbs/Gosen OG Sheep Micro 53lbs
Tennis experience/background: Currently I'm a 4.0 that has played some 4.0 leagues within the past year. Played for my high school team and did club tennis in college. I try to play at least once or twice a week, mainly playing singles. However, I've been preferring more doubles play recently.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I'm mainly a baseliner that plays with moderate spin and grinds the point out. I hit with a semi-western forehand and a two-handed backhand. I like to employ my slice backhand a lot.
Current racquet/string setups: Wilson Blade v7 18x20/Tecnifibre TFight 315 LTD 18x20 w/ Solinco Hyper G at 48lbs
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 4 hours
Comments on racquet performance:
-Groundstrokes: I mostly play with rackets with 18x20 string patterns, so I was initially hesitant about how I would play with SX300 Tour after looking at the specs. I strung this with a hybrid, which I typically don't use, but I didn't want to string this up with a full bed of poly knowing that it would probably feel more stiff than the rackets that I currently play with. This stick has a pretty modern feel to it: fast feeling, fairly stiff, easy to generate depth and power. I was pleasantly surprised that the launch angle was not as high as other rackets with open string patterns, so the adjustment period didn't take that long coming from my current rackets. I could also flatten out some of my shots which could possibly be due to the closer string density in the middle of the stringbed, something that I couldn't really do with other 16x19 rackets. When I would make contact right in the sweetspot, it actually felt fairly plush, and I felt pretty confident hitting through the ball rather than spinning it. I definitely enjoyed having some extra free power if I had to be on defense. Slicing also felt generally good with the SX300 Tour, as I was able to cut through the ball nicely. It didn't feel too heavy to swing, but it was fairly stable and there were rarely any instances of being pushed around. However, it didn't have the same plowthrough feeling that I get from my Blade or the Gravity Pro, and there were some inconsistencies in the feeling of the stringbed. I also wasn't very confident on swinging out on most of my shots, so my rally balls were slower than usual. There would be some shots where it would fly out without putting considerable effort on the ball, or some shots would land fairly short. While this racket is stiffer than the sticks that I play with, it is not as stiff as a Babolat Pure Aero or Pure Drive. I could probably remedy the control issues by increasing the tension without being too concerned about losing comfort.
-Serves: Similar to groundstrokes, I got easy power and access to spin off of serves. The first time I tried serving with this stick, it was a little difficult to get it swinging over my head and generating racket head speed. Eventually, I was able to dial it in and find my rhythm while serving. I didn't have to swing too hard to get good power and speed when serving, and it was really nice to hit some kick serves. Flat serves had some decent pop, but they didn't look like it had much plowthrough. Since the SX300 Tour is fast feeling, I didn't really ramp up the speed of my serves for fear of mistiming the ball on contact. I was focusing mainly on getting the ball in, so my serves didn't have the oomph that I would usually have to put some pressure on my opponent.
-Volleys: For a modern, fairly stiff feeling racket, the touch and feel is one of the strong points on the SX300 Tour. It's stable enough to handle fast, hard incoming shots, but light enough to reach to get enough power for stab volleys. I could hit all types of volleys with ease, and it felt really nice to hit some drop shots. It has the stiffness to just be point-and-shoot, but it also has enough feel where I can have a little more finesse. I can see this being a very good doubles stick to play with.
-Serve returns: When I could make clean contact with it, I could hit very good deep returns with the SX300 Tour. The racket had enough mass and stability to block back first serves. I was also able to hit some chip returns that got me back to position if I was stretched out on the return. I was missing some shots long or wide on slower, spinnier serves, which might be due to the how fast the racket comes through the ball and mistiming the contact point. I feel with some additional adjustment time, the racket can handle most serves coming at it.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: The Dunlop SX300 Tour is very user friendly, and it can cater a board variety of playing styles. It does lean more heavily toward the modern, spin-friendly game, but it offers enough touch to encourage players to play on top of the net. It does swing fairly fast for an 11.8 oz racket, but I definitely felt some weight at the tip of the racket when swinging. In stock form, it already plays pretty well, and I can hit almost any shot with it. With a couple of little tweaks in string tension or stringing it with poly at a low tension, I could probably play with this. However, the lack of dwell time and feel compared to my main rackets made me a little hesitant to hit with more pace. The closest comparison that I can think of to this racket is the Babolat AeroPro Drive. Unlike the AeroPro, though, I could flatten out my shots, especially on my backhand. It also felt more comfortable to play with than the AeroPro. I think this is a very solid offering from Dunlop for higher intermediate to advanced players who like to hit with aggressive spin and are able to control the ball, but like to play with more variety or finesse.
bigserving
Hall of Fame
Received - DUNLOP SX 300 Tour 16 x19
STRING AND TENSION USED FOR TEST - Started out with the co-poly Dunlop Explosive Spin that came with the frame. Then, I strung the CX Tour frame with my usual co-poly Dunlop Black Widow 17 in order to match my normal setup for a more consistent, comparison sake. The strings were played at tensions 55 for both Explosive Spin and Black Widow string.
TENNIS EXPERIENCE / BACKGROUND - Self learned. currently a solid 4.5 league and tournament level player. Grew up playing lots of sports but mostly baseball. I have accumulated decades of tennis playing experience. I still get the opportunity to spectate for about 50 days of pro tennis including ATP, WTA, USTA Circuits, and WTT, ITA (college) each year. I am already missing Indian Wells not being played this year.
DESCRIBE PLAYING STYLE - Solid 4.5 singles and doubles, one-hand off both sides, flat fastball first serve (s/b no surprise there) with a wicked yet effectively inconsistent kicker for a second serve. All court player that can rally, chip and charge, and serve / volley on offense, and be an all-court defender that loves to attack and finish at the net.
CURRENT RACQUET/STRING SETUPS - The current racquet setup and go-to racquet of choice for a little while now is the Dunlop CX Tour 95 also with a 16 x 19 string pattern. It is just an old-school type, firm, consistent thin-beam, all-around players tour frame. It is the type of frame that it seems that more and more tour players are using once again. The regular string setup is a full set of soft feeling Dunlop Black Widow 17 gauge, strung 50 lbs x 50 lbs.
NUMBER OF HOURS PLAYED WITH THE RACQUET - I got in plenty of hitting mostly outdoors on hard courts for this playtest. During the test, I played with the Dunlop Explosive Spin string that came in the frame for about twelve hours. Then, I strung Black Widow at the same tension and played for about another ten hours.
COMMENTS ON RACQUET PERFORMANCE:
GROUNDSTROKES - Very easy access to power and spin from this frame. Overall, groundstrokes are really pretty nice with this frame. Very consistent. The lighter static weight along with the heavier swing weight is a very nice balance. The heavier swing weight gives it easy access to power. The head heavier swing allows easy plow-through. This frame also doles out excellent control. The big spin attributes of the frame allow, and contribute much to that.
The light weight and the open string pattern and the Explosive Spin strings makes this frame setup quite accessible to spin. My opponents did not notice any reduction in my topspin off of either side, or at all throughout play. They commented on the amount of spin and weight of ball with effortless looking strokes.
Overall, this frame is relatively high powered for a tour style frame. There is plenty of power to be had in this frame. Much of the power is going to come from the combination of racquet head speed and the inherent power of the frame. The light weight allows the frame goes through the air very fast. Even with the light weight, there is plenty of head stability so the frame does supply some plow through on every stroke.
SERVES - Pace on my first serve did not disappoint with this frame. That experience was quite fun! The frame goes plenty fast through the air without any extra effort. Still, the excellent control that comes from the Spin Boost technology with this frame makes it an effective serving weapon. There is plenty of spin available with this racquet and this particular string set up. There is plenty of movement to be placed on the ball flight of slice serves and excellent jump off of the court on kick serves.
VOLLEYS - Love hitting volleys with this racquet. This frame is really a volleying machine. The light static weight of the frame makes this racquet very maneuverable and lightning quick at the net. I found this frame to have the great Dunlop comfort and easy accuracy. It is also very easy to get pace on drive volleys with excellent depth control and easy access to spin. Touch volleys and on drop volleys took a bit more of an adjustment, merely because of the power.
SERVICE RETURNS - The power aspect of this frame is most noticeable, for me, on service returns. On returns where I did not get the opportunity to get my feet completely set, and stab returns, there was still enough power to not start the point on the defensive. Some of the power could be tempered by the type and tension of the strings. I think that serve returns will be helped a lot much with addition of some the balance of the swing weight toward the head.
GENERAL REACTION/COMMENTS OF OVERALL PERFORMANCE - My first close inspection of the frame was this. The design of the CX 300 Tour frame very much reminded me of the aerodynamic ground effects on a Formula 1 car! There is purpose to every surface. Even the string pattern has purpose. This Dunlop "tour" frame is a departure from their traditional, thin-beam, low-power, shock-absorbing, tour molds. The frame has been designed with much thoughtfulness and great attention to detail. Each surface is designed to maximize aerodynamic, stability, or weight reduction.. The result is a well-rounded frame that is light, moderately powerful, and very stable upon contact. The frame is fun to look at and observe. A very nice "next step" for Dunlop Srixon.
The first feel is the static weight is feather-light. However, the swing weight has much more of the feel like a more traditional tour mold. In its base form, this can be quite a powerful frame. This is the first tour mold in my racquet life that I need to string with the goal of reducing the amount of power coming from the frame in order to use the great control. Along with that reduction of power comes big access to spin.
I played this entire playtest with the racquet in stock form and it played very well. Some players (including myself) might add a little weight to the hoop or, in the handle and get the same, great playability with a little different feel.
Overall, this is a very nice frame. It is stays comfortable on all shots and even after long periods of play. It is on par with the current trend of light, static weight, "Tour" molds. It plays consistently, it does everything well, and it will work for all levels of players with different types of games. It is comfortable and can be easily modified to personal preference using different strings, tensions, and weight if preferred. I can't see any weakness in this frame. It is comfortable. If offers great control. The 16 x 19 string pattern and the String Boost Technology makes it accessible to plenty of easy spin. Because of the stock balance of the frame, it seems like it will be easy for any player to customize, or modify to their preference.
In the upcoming weeks, I am planning to continue to play and test this frame with some different strings and tensions. Once I get that dialed in to my tension preference, I will string the Dunlop Silk strings that were supplied along with the frame, as well.
Thanks to Tennis Warehouse and again, bravo to Dunlop for the play test and for making another very fine frame. The engineers earned their money creating this one!
STRING AND TENSION USED FOR TEST - Started out with the co-poly Dunlop Explosive Spin that came with the frame. Then, I strung the CX Tour frame with my usual co-poly Dunlop Black Widow 17 in order to match my normal setup for a more consistent, comparison sake. The strings were played at tensions 55 for both Explosive Spin and Black Widow string.
TENNIS EXPERIENCE / BACKGROUND - Self learned. currently a solid 4.5 league and tournament level player. Grew up playing lots of sports but mostly baseball. I have accumulated decades of tennis playing experience. I still get the opportunity to spectate for about 50 days of pro tennis including ATP, WTA, USTA Circuits, and WTT, ITA (college) each year. I am already missing Indian Wells not being played this year.
DESCRIBE PLAYING STYLE - Solid 4.5 singles and doubles, one-hand off both sides, flat fastball first serve (s/b no surprise there) with a wicked yet effectively inconsistent kicker for a second serve. All court player that can rally, chip and charge, and serve / volley on offense, and be an all-court defender that loves to attack and finish at the net.
CURRENT RACQUET/STRING SETUPS - The current racquet setup and go-to racquet of choice for a little while now is the Dunlop CX Tour 95 also with a 16 x 19 string pattern. It is just an old-school type, firm, consistent thin-beam, all-around players tour frame. It is the type of frame that it seems that more and more tour players are using once again. The regular string setup is a full set of soft feeling Dunlop Black Widow 17 gauge, strung 50 lbs x 50 lbs.
NUMBER OF HOURS PLAYED WITH THE RACQUET - I got in plenty of hitting mostly outdoors on hard courts for this playtest. During the test, I played with the Dunlop Explosive Spin string that came in the frame for about twelve hours. Then, I strung Black Widow at the same tension and played for about another ten hours.
COMMENTS ON RACQUET PERFORMANCE:
GROUNDSTROKES - Very easy access to power and spin from this frame. Overall, groundstrokes are really pretty nice with this frame. Very consistent. The lighter static weight along with the heavier swing weight is a very nice balance. The heavier swing weight gives it easy access to power. The head heavier swing allows easy plow-through. This frame also doles out excellent control. The big spin attributes of the frame allow, and contribute much to that.
The light weight and the open string pattern and the Explosive Spin strings makes this frame setup quite accessible to spin. My opponents did not notice any reduction in my topspin off of either side, or at all throughout play. They commented on the amount of spin and weight of ball with effortless looking strokes.
Overall, this frame is relatively high powered for a tour style frame. There is plenty of power to be had in this frame. Much of the power is going to come from the combination of racquet head speed and the inherent power of the frame. The light weight allows the frame goes through the air very fast. Even with the light weight, there is plenty of head stability so the frame does supply some plow through on every stroke.
SERVES - Pace on my first serve did not disappoint with this frame. That experience was quite fun! The frame goes plenty fast through the air without any extra effort. Still, the excellent control that comes from the Spin Boost technology with this frame makes it an effective serving weapon. There is plenty of spin available with this racquet and this particular string set up. There is plenty of movement to be placed on the ball flight of slice serves and excellent jump off of the court on kick serves.
VOLLEYS - Love hitting volleys with this racquet. This frame is really a volleying machine. The light static weight of the frame makes this racquet very maneuverable and lightning quick at the net. I found this frame to have the great Dunlop comfort and easy accuracy. It is also very easy to get pace on drive volleys with excellent depth control and easy access to spin. Touch volleys and on drop volleys took a bit more of an adjustment, merely because of the power.
SERVICE RETURNS - The power aspect of this frame is most noticeable, for me, on service returns. On returns where I did not get the opportunity to get my feet completely set, and stab returns, there was still enough power to not start the point on the defensive. Some of the power could be tempered by the type and tension of the strings. I think that serve returns will be helped a lot much with addition of some the balance of the swing weight toward the head.
GENERAL REACTION/COMMENTS OF OVERALL PERFORMANCE - My first close inspection of the frame was this. The design of the CX 300 Tour frame very much reminded me of the aerodynamic ground effects on a Formula 1 car! There is purpose to every surface. Even the string pattern has purpose. This Dunlop "tour" frame is a departure from their traditional, thin-beam, low-power, shock-absorbing, tour molds. The frame has been designed with much thoughtfulness and great attention to detail. Each surface is designed to maximize aerodynamic, stability, or weight reduction.. The result is a well-rounded frame that is light, moderately powerful, and very stable upon contact. The frame is fun to look at and observe. A very nice "next step" for Dunlop Srixon.
The first feel is the static weight is feather-light. However, the swing weight has much more of the feel like a more traditional tour mold. In its base form, this can be quite a powerful frame. This is the first tour mold in my racquet life that I need to string with the goal of reducing the amount of power coming from the frame in order to use the great control. Along with that reduction of power comes big access to spin.
I played this entire playtest with the racquet in stock form and it played very well. Some players (including myself) might add a little weight to the hoop or, in the handle and get the same, great playability with a little different feel.
Overall, this is a very nice frame. It is stays comfortable on all shots and even after long periods of play. It is on par with the current trend of light, static weight, "Tour" molds. It plays consistently, it does everything well, and it will work for all levels of players with different types of games. It is comfortable and can be easily modified to personal preference using different strings, tensions, and weight if preferred. I can't see any weakness in this frame. It is comfortable. If offers great control. The 16 x 19 string pattern and the String Boost Technology makes it accessible to plenty of easy spin. Because of the stock balance of the frame, it seems like it will be easy for any player to customize, or modify to their preference.
In the upcoming weeks, I am planning to continue to play and test this frame with some different strings and tensions. Once I get that dialed in to my tension preference, I will string the Dunlop Silk strings that were supplied along with the frame, as well.
Thanks to Tennis Warehouse and again, bravo to Dunlop for the play test and for making another very fine frame. The engineers earned their money creating this one!
jangotango
Semi-Pro
I want to start by saying THANK YOU! to @TW Staff and Dunlop for providing this playtest opportunity, I hope there will be many more to come
Racquet received: Dunlop SX300LS - It came in at 286g unstrung, and a 324mm balance.
String and tension used for test: Started with Gosen OG Sheep Micro 16 @55lbs. and then used Tourna Big Hitter Silver 7 Tour 17 @53lbs. mains and 51lbs. crosses for the majority of the playtest.
Tennis experience/background: Going onto my fourth year playing tennis, currently #2 boys varsity at my 6A High School in Texas. Highest UTR is 6.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Right hander with semi-western forehand and one-handed backhand (which I absolutely love), platform serve. I would define myself as the "counterpuncher" or "baseliner," I have no issues hitting 40 ball rallies
cross court to win the point. Long, greuling points are a joy for me.
Current racquet/string setups: Yonex Ezone Ai100, strung with Tourna Big Hitter Silver 7 Tour @53lbs. mains, 51lbs. crosses. However, I've been looking for sub-300 gram racquets, because I believe lighter racquets are better for junior stroke production and consistency.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? - Total about 30 hours, a mix of drills and matchplay. I left the racquet stock,
Comments on racquet performance: Surprisingly solid for such a light stick, while being comfortable even with its high RA. Very very maneuverable and easy for anybody to use. I liked it more than the Pure Aero Team, which I viewed as the Dunlop's biggest competition. A great tweener option for intermediate players, and I assume it's also prime spec range for customization. The feel is very... interesting. Something like the child of Wilson Countervail and the 2013 APD Cortex.
-Groundstrokes: This racquet had more emphasis on control than power and spin, compared to the Pure Aero. The stringbed has a nice, dense pattern in the sweetspot/center ("power grid" tech, but just progressive string spacing) much like my Yonex. I feel like this contributed to better control over the ball. Fast, linear strokes were rewarded with ample spin and plenty of power, but when I tried to crank up the spin with more brush, the ball would often land in the service box and have "sitting" topspin (it was easy for the opponent to take advantage of these). Slower strokes resulted in one of two balls: Sailing way out to the fence, or barely going over the net. Hitting higher up on the stringbed also resulted in a higher ball. Against heavier hitters like my coach, the near-even balance and mass in the hoop really helped hit through heavy, fast balls. Often times I was able to return them with interest! Returning overheads was also not an issue, since the racquet was very maneuverable. Slices with the 300LS, however, were not that good. Even with a good knifing stroke, the ball would impart with high backspin. It was hard to get a good skidding, flat slice. The light weight of the racquet was very nice, I was not tired whatsoever after drills or long rallies.
(7/10 stars)
-Serves: Most likely the result of the lighter weight, I simply could not hit flat serves with this thing! They would go long much more often than go into the net. However, safe, more spinny serves worked quite well. Pace was lacking, however, again most likely due to the weight. Being so light did positively affect serve fatigue though. It was much easier to keep good form throughout matches.
(6/10 stars)
-Volleys: Since I am currently playing doubles for the spring season, I was very nervous about this racquets net capabilities. But... I was pleasantly surprised! The maneuverability was off the charts, and the string-bed provided ample feel for all different types of volleys (although my Yonex felt better). It did flutter a bit against fast balls, but that was to be expected. Punch volleys were great, this racquet definitely favored them. Good depth and control from both forehand and backhand volleys.
(8/10 stars)
-Serve returns: Very similar to volleys. When returns were hit in the center of the racquet, they felt great and went right where I wanted them to go with ample pace and spin. Off center returns floated, but still went in the general direction I was aiming for, most of the times being an acceptable return, actually. Against kickserves, though, the racquet struggled. I couldn't drive through the return because the ball would sail long, and putting any more spin on it resulted in too much topspin and crashing into the bottom of the net. Chip returns also would not stay low, and floated up. Meh.
(5/10 stars)
General reaction/comments on overall performance: The Dunlop SX300LS delivered on what I assumed the "LS" stands for - "Light Spin." It is a perfect racquet for developing juniors and UTRs from 3-5, with the light weight presenting the opportunity to weight it up and make it usable well into the higher levels. Although the numerically high RA rating might drive away some people, do not fear! It is adequately comfortable and does not feel jarring on off-center hits. Although the black and neon yellow/green may bring people to believe it is similar to the Babolat Pure Aero, the racquet plays more like a Pure Drive. The paint is high quality, and minimally chipped throughout the playtest. This may become my stick of choice, after a leather grip and 10-15 grams of total added weight.
OVERALL: 7/10 (rounded up lol)
Thank you again to Tennis Warehouse and Dunlop for the playtest, and thank you for reading!
Racquet received: Dunlop SX300LS - It came in at 286g unstrung, and a 324mm balance.
String and tension used for test: Started with Gosen OG Sheep Micro 16 @55lbs. and then used Tourna Big Hitter Silver 7 Tour 17 @53lbs. mains and 51lbs. crosses for the majority of the playtest.
Tennis experience/background: Going onto my fourth year playing tennis, currently #2 boys varsity at my 6A High School in Texas. Highest UTR is 6.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Right hander with semi-western forehand and one-handed backhand (which I absolutely love), platform serve. I would define myself as the "counterpuncher" or "baseliner," I have no issues hitting 40 ball rallies
cross court to win the point. Long, greuling points are a joy for me.
Current racquet/string setups: Yonex Ezone Ai100, strung with Tourna Big Hitter Silver 7 Tour @53lbs. mains, 51lbs. crosses. However, I've been looking for sub-300 gram racquets, because I believe lighter racquets are better for junior stroke production and consistency.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? - Total about 30 hours, a mix of drills and matchplay. I left the racquet stock,
Comments on racquet performance: Surprisingly solid for such a light stick, while being comfortable even with its high RA. Very very maneuverable and easy for anybody to use. I liked it more than the Pure Aero Team, which I viewed as the Dunlop's biggest competition. A great tweener option for intermediate players, and I assume it's also prime spec range for customization. The feel is very... interesting. Something like the child of Wilson Countervail and the 2013 APD Cortex.
-Groundstrokes: This racquet had more emphasis on control than power and spin, compared to the Pure Aero. The stringbed has a nice, dense pattern in the sweetspot/center ("power grid" tech, but just progressive string spacing) much like my Yonex. I feel like this contributed to better control over the ball. Fast, linear strokes were rewarded with ample spin and plenty of power, but when I tried to crank up the spin with more brush, the ball would often land in the service box and have "sitting" topspin (it was easy for the opponent to take advantage of these). Slower strokes resulted in one of two balls: Sailing way out to the fence, or barely going over the net. Hitting higher up on the stringbed also resulted in a higher ball. Against heavier hitters like my coach, the near-even balance and mass in the hoop really helped hit through heavy, fast balls. Often times I was able to return them with interest! Returning overheads was also not an issue, since the racquet was very maneuverable. Slices with the 300LS, however, were not that good. Even with a good knifing stroke, the ball would impart with high backspin. It was hard to get a good skidding, flat slice. The light weight of the racquet was very nice, I was not tired whatsoever after drills or long rallies.
(7/10 stars)
-Serves: Most likely the result of the lighter weight, I simply could not hit flat serves with this thing! They would go long much more often than go into the net. However, safe, more spinny serves worked quite well. Pace was lacking, however, again most likely due to the weight. Being so light did positively affect serve fatigue though. It was much easier to keep good form throughout matches.
(6/10 stars)
-Volleys: Since I am currently playing doubles for the spring season, I was very nervous about this racquets net capabilities. But... I was pleasantly surprised! The maneuverability was off the charts, and the string-bed provided ample feel for all different types of volleys (although my Yonex felt better). It did flutter a bit against fast balls, but that was to be expected. Punch volleys were great, this racquet definitely favored them. Good depth and control from both forehand and backhand volleys.
(8/10 stars)
-Serve returns: Very similar to volleys. When returns were hit in the center of the racquet, they felt great and went right where I wanted them to go with ample pace and spin. Off center returns floated, but still went in the general direction I was aiming for, most of the times being an acceptable return, actually. Against kickserves, though, the racquet struggled. I couldn't drive through the return because the ball would sail long, and putting any more spin on it resulted in too much topspin and crashing into the bottom of the net. Chip returns also would not stay low, and floated up. Meh.
(5/10 stars)
General reaction/comments on overall performance: The Dunlop SX300LS delivered on what I assumed the "LS" stands for - "Light Spin." It is a perfect racquet for developing juniors and UTRs from 3-5, with the light weight presenting the opportunity to weight it up and make it usable well into the higher levels. Although the numerically high RA rating might drive away some people, do not fear! It is adequately comfortable and does not feel jarring on off-center hits. Although the black and neon yellow/green may bring people to believe it is similar to the Babolat Pure Aero, the racquet plays more like a Pure Drive. The paint is high quality, and minimally chipped throughout the playtest. This may become my stick of choice, after a leather grip and 10-15 grams of total added weight.
OVERALL: 7/10 (rounded up lol)
Thank you again to Tennis Warehouse and Dunlop for the playtest, and thank you for reading!
time_fly
Hall of Fame
Racquet received: Dunlop SX300
String and Tension Used: Solinco Tour Bite 17 at 49 lbs mains, 47 lbs crosses. My unstrung weight was 300g and balance was just over 8 points head light.
Tennis Experience / Background: Played youth and high school tennis. Returned to tennis after an 18-year hiatus and have been playing USTA leagues for about 5 years as a 3.5 with some 4.0 league play as well. Currently 47 years old, male, 5’8”, 180 lbs. I play both singles and doubles.
Reviewer Playing Style: Left-handed, semi-western forehand and 2HBH. In singles I play an aggressive baseline strategy emphasizing spin. In doubles I play an all-court game as I prefer to approach off a ground stroke.
Current racquet/string setup: Babolat Pure Aero Plus (2019), Solinco Tour Bite 17 at 53 lbs mains, 51 lbs crosses
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 16 hours
Groundstrokes [8/10]:
With proper mechanics and a spin-friendly poly in the string bed, this racquet is an off-the-charts spin monster in the same vein as the Pure Aero. However, the dense “Power Grid” string pattern keeps the launch angle lower and less loopy than a traditional open-pattern spin frame. I had more confidence with this setup when attempting to flatten out balls and hit smaller targets than I would with a normal open pattern. The overall behavior is reminiscent of Wilson’s 18x16 “S” frames such as the old Pro Staff 97S, where the ball can be struck flat, low, and hard but the launch angle and RPMs build rapidly when brushing it. Similarly to those frames, the behavior can seem a bit erratic on a bad day, but I found the technology overall suited this frame better than the CX200 that I tested previously.
For a 300g racquet, this frame feels stable. Even the non-Tour version has a reported 326 SW on Tennis Warehouse’s website, and some reviewers have reported higher numbers. I never hesitate to add lead when it’s needed, but I didn’t feel a strong urge for this frame. I had the chance to sample a 295g Wilson Clash 100 during my SX 300 play test, and that frame came to an immediate halt when meeting heavy balls if the contact point wasn’t perfect. I had no such issue here. If I were to add weight, I would probably focus on 3 and 9 to enhance the stability first. In terms of comfort, there’s no hiding that this is a stiff frame. The “Infinergy” dampening technology keeps it comfortable in the center of the racquet, but it can get jarring too far towards the tip or off-center.
Serves [8.5/10]:
The racquet’s technology worked well for my serve. Flat serves had pop, and spin serves had great movement. Since I tend to contact my serve further towards the tip than my ground strokes, I did feel some harshness at times.
Volleys [8/10]:
I thought volleys were a strong point of this frame. It didn’t quite have the stability of my Pure Aero Plus, probably due to the lower weight and slight drop in leverage. But as long as I kept the contact in the center, I felt the control and precision were better than the typical open-pattern spin frame. There’s enough feel for some finesse, although the frame is powerful enough that executing soft touch shots requires good hands and some practice. Since I normally play an extended-length racquet, the maneuverability of the SX 300 felt good in comparison. This is no Prince Phantom 93P or Head Prestige Mid, but for this category of racquet I would rate it highly.
Serve returns [7/10]:
I felt that serve returns were the one area where I had some issues getting dialed in. Similarly to volleys, I didn’t quite have the stability and leverage of the Pure Aero Plus. Against weaker serves there was no issue, but when under pressure the "PowerGrid" design seemed to make consistent, predictable returns more difficult. Flat or blocked returns tended to pass dangerously close to the top of the net or fly long, whereas the height over the net would increase quickly with any type of topspin swing, leading either to a ball that would carry long or make a tasty poach for the opponent’s net player.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This is a high-quality frame that provides a lot of flexibility to either generate massive spin or flatten out the ball with confidence. It would suit an intermediate or advanced player who wants the racquet to provide enhanced power and spin to play an aggressive, offensive game. I think it makes a better doubles option than many other 100” open-pattern, spin-oriented frames because it does have a lower launch angle and more controlled response.
I benchmarked this frame against two others that I have used regularly in the past couple of years: my Pure Aero Plus (2019), and the Prince Beast 98. The Beast 98 offers just a touch more control and a bit less spin, but also combines good spin potential with a lower trajectory. The Pure Aero Plus (2019) offers more stability but a bit less control and maneuverability. All of them are in the same ballpark and are conducive to the same style of play. Of the three, I would rate the SX 300 as the least comfortable by a small margin. It felt a little harsher on off-center contact than the other two. Nevertheless, for a player who wants to dominate with spin, this is a high-quality frame at a reasonable price and well worth a demo.
Overall Score: 8/10
Stay tuned for my article-style review to be posted later today!
String and Tension Used: Solinco Tour Bite 17 at 49 lbs mains, 47 lbs crosses. My unstrung weight was 300g and balance was just over 8 points head light.
Tennis Experience / Background: Played youth and high school tennis. Returned to tennis after an 18-year hiatus and have been playing USTA leagues for about 5 years as a 3.5 with some 4.0 league play as well. Currently 47 years old, male, 5’8”, 180 lbs. I play both singles and doubles.
Reviewer Playing Style: Left-handed, semi-western forehand and 2HBH. In singles I play an aggressive baseline strategy emphasizing spin. In doubles I play an all-court game as I prefer to approach off a ground stroke.
Current racquet/string setup: Babolat Pure Aero Plus (2019), Solinco Tour Bite 17 at 53 lbs mains, 51 lbs crosses
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 16 hours
Groundstrokes [8/10]:
With proper mechanics and a spin-friendly poly in the string bed, this racquet is an off-the-charts spin monster in the same vein as the Pure Aero. However, the dense “Power Grid” string pattern keeps the launch angle lower and less loopy than a traditional open-pattern spin frame. I had more confidence with this setup when attempting to flatten out balls and hit smaller targets than I would with a normal open pattern. The overall behavior is reminiscent of Wilson’s 18x16 “S” frames such as the old Pro Staff 97S, where the ball can be struck flat, low, and hard but the launch angle and RPMs build rapidly when brushing it. Similarly to those frames, the behavior can seem a bit erratic on a bad day, but I found the technology overall suited this frame better than the CX200 that I tested previously.
For a 300g racquet, this frame feels stable. Even the non-Tour version has a reported 326 SW on Tennis Warehouse’s website, and some reviewers have reported higher numbers. I never hesitate to add lead when it’s needed, but I didn’t feel a strong urge for this frame. I had the chance to sample a 295g Wilson Clash 100 during my SX 300 play test, and that frame came to an immediate halt when meeting heavy balls if the contact point wasn’t perfect. I had no such issue here. If I were to add weight, I would probably focus on 3 and 9 to enhance the stability first. In terms of comfort, there’s no hiding that this is a stiff frame. The “Infinergy” dampening technology keeps it comfortable in the center of the racquet, but it can get jarring too far towards the tip or off-center.
Serves [8.5/10]:
The racquet’s technology worked well for my serve. Flat serves had pop, and spin serves had great movement. Since I tend to contact my serve further towards the tip than my ground strokes, I did feel some harshness at times.
Volleys [8/10]:
I thought volleys were a strong point of this frame. It didn’t quite have the stability of my Pure Aero Plus, probably due to the lower weight and slight drop in leverage. But as long as I kept the contact in the center, I felt the control and precision were better than the typical open-pattern spin frame. There’s enough feel for some finesse, although the frame is powerful enough that executing soft touch shots requires good hands and some practice. Since I normally play an extended-length racquet, the maneuverability of the SX 300 felt good in comparison. This is no Prince Phantom 93P or Head Prestige Mid, but for this category of racquet I would rate it highly.
Serve returns [7/10]:
I felt that serve returns were the one area where I had some issues getting dialed in. Similarly to volleys, I didn’t quite have the stability and leverage of the Pure Aero Plus. Against weaker serves there was no issue, but when under pressure the "PowerGrid" design seemed to make consistent, predictable returns more difficult. Flat or blocked returns tended to pass dangerously close to the top of the net or fly long, whereas the height over the net would increase quickly with any type of topspin swing, leading either to a ball that would carry long or make a tasty poach for the opponent’s net player.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This is a high-quality frame that provides a lot of flexibility to either generate massive spin or flatten out the ball with confidence. It would suit an intermediate or advanced player who wants the racquet to provide enhanced power and spin to play an aggressive, offensive game. I think it makes a better doubles option than many other 100” open-pattern, spin-oriented frames because it does have a lower launch angle and more controlled response.
I benchmarked this frame against two others that I have used regularly in the past couple of years: my Pure Aero Plus (2019), and the Prince Beast 98. The Beast 98 offers just a touch more control and a bit less spin, but also combines good spin potential with a lower trajectory. The Pure Aero Plus (2019) offers more stability but a bit less control and maneuverability. All of them are in the same ballpark and are conducive to the same style of play. Of the three, I would rate the SX 300 as the least comfortable by a small margin. It felt a little harsher on off-center contact than the other two. Nevertheless, for a player who wants to dominate with spin, this is a high-quality frame at a reasonable price and well worth a demo.
Overall Score: 8/10
Stay tuned for my article-style review to be posted later today!
El_Yotamo
Hall of Fame
- Racquet received:
- Setups:
Strung mass: 332.4 g
Balance: 31.8 cm
SW: 332 kg•cm^2
I then weighted it up to the following specs:
Strung mass: 348 g
Balance: 32.4 cm
SW: 360 kg•cm^2
Afterwards I restrung the weighted up setup with one of my favorite hybrids of ALU Power Ice mains and RPM Power crosses at 48/44 lbf
- Background + Playing style:
I'd describe myself predominantly as a clay court player, such that my main weapon is my (at times heavy) topspin forehand, and my other key strengths are usually movement and stamina. I'll come to net from time to time but not very often (not never either, so it still matters quite a bit). With all that being said, it is my serve and return game that makes or breaks me on a given day. At my best I have a decent variety of powerful first serves and high bouncing kick second serves, along with accurately timed and well placed returns. On a poor day, my only serve is a kick serve without a lot of oomph and my returns are inconsistent in terms of accuracy and precision.
- Current racquet/string setups:
- Hours of play:
Comments on racquet performance:
My racquet of choice until age 13 was the AeroPro Drive, and a couple years ago I also purchased the original 2004 version to fool around with and even play seriously with on occasion. Other racquets which are reference-worthy here are the Graphene Radical Pro and 3rd gen Pure Strike Tour, both of which I've hit with a few times. I'll make reference to these racquets throughout.
- Groundstrokes:
- Serves:
- Volleys:
- Returns:
- General reaction/comments on overall performance:
Thanks a ton to TW and Dunlop for the Playtest, it was super fun to finally be a part of one of these racquet playtests and I'm glad to have gotten a stab at this frame.
time_fly
Hall of Fame
Pure Dunlop: Taking the New SX 300 for a Spin
Pros: Ample access to spin, good precision for the class, stable for the weight
Cons: Stiff feel, “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” specification range
Verdict: A versatile frame that will please those willing to tweak it and irritate QC freaks
Last summer I switched to using the Pure Aero Plus (2019) as my main racquet. As an aging player who still enjoys the anguished cries of “d*mned lefties!” from the far side of the court as my slice serve bends into the bodies of hapless returners like a guided missile, I found the free power and spin of the frame to suit my game well. Last winter I was also a play tester for the Dunlop Srixon CX 200, and while that frame didn’t suit my game as well as the Pure Aero, I found it to be very high quality. Therefore, I took immediate interest when Dunlop teased its new SX line under the tag line “Spin Redefined.”
Before this playtest was evened announced, I had already ordered up a one-week Tennis Warehouse demo of the SX 300. No sooner was that frame being whisked away by UPS than my play test frame was passing it like a ship in the night on its cross-country trip from sunny California to the cold indoor hard courts of Connecticut. With almost four weeks with these not-quite-identical twins – more on that later – under my belt, I am ready to share my impressions.
I want to begin my review by addressing the pair of pachyderms lurking in the room. First, although the flat, wide “aero” throat and the promise of “spin redefined” might lead the casual observer to think Dunlop had gone into unabashed knock-off mode and cloned the Pure Aero, these racquets aren’t identical. Dunlop and Srixon gave the SX 300 its own character. Second, unfortunately, it’s not 100% clear what that character is because there is substantial variation in the specifications between racquets. Although I estimated both frames to be nearly identical in static weight (obviously, I never obtained an unstrung weight of my original demo), there was a whopping 4 points (1.27 cm) difference in the strung balance point. Without easy access to a Babolat RDC, I will just say that there was a notable subjective difference in swing weight associated with the change in balance. Other online reviews have also noted a rather large range of swing weights, some of which are on the surprisingly hefty side. My official review frame, which I will focus on here, checked in at 300g unstrung with an 8.5 pts HL balance. That’s more than the 7 pts HL balance specified on the frame, and far more head light than many of the other frames for which reviewers have shared specs.
Moving on to my impressions of the racquet, the paint job is similar in theme to the CX line, with a black base and two bands of color, broad on one side and narrow on the other, that evoke the Dunlop “arrow” logo. Befitting the more aggressive SX line, the paint job is a bit flashier than the CX and seems to be of high quality. Superficially the geometry appears to be identical to the Pure Aero, but there are some subtle differences in side-by-side comparison. For example, the hoop is a bit thicker and less sharply pressed, and perhaps a touch longer from 12 to 6. Both frames feature “spin grommets” but the Pure Aero has oval-shaped grommets at 12 and 6, whereas the Dunlop features a more complex pattern of grommet shapes and orientations at 12 with standard grommets at 6. One of the most notable features of the latest Dunlops, including both the CX and SX lines, is the “PowerGrid” string pattern. PowerGrid features wide, evenly spaced main strings with highly-variable spacing in the crosses. In particular, the crosses are very dense in the center of the racquet face and broaden out as they approach 12 and 6. Dunlop claims that the technology improves the control, enlarges the sweet spot, and evens out the response of the racquet on off-center hits. The grip length is ample for two-handed backhands.
I was able to sample the frame with two very different string setups. My original demo was strung with Dunlop Silk 16 at what seemed like mid-range tension. I strung my play test frame with Solinco Tour Bite 17 gauge at 49 lbs in the mains and 47 in the crosses. Hitting the court, I found ample access to spin with both setups, and truly massive spin with the shaped poly. Just as with the CX 200 I demoed previously, the PowerGrid string technology had a substantial impact on how the racquet played. The launch angle was lower than expected in a 100” 16x19 spin-friendly racquet. I found extra confidence to flatten out the ball when the opportunity arose, while coming over the ball immediately boosted the RPMs and net clearance. The behavior was not unlike the 18x16 “spin effect” frames from Wilson, and just as with those frames, it could make the racquet a bit unpredictable on a bad day. But overall I felt that the technology worked well in this type of frame as long as I anticipated the behavior. The only area where the technology bothered me routinely was on serve returns. The behavior of the racquet changed substantially based on whether I was blocking or punching the ball back versus swinging. I had trouble dialing in consistent returns against stronger servers. On the flip side, the racquet’s excellent balance between flat precision and massive spin worked very well for my own serves. I felt like I was able to get ample power and decent, if not pin-point, precision on flat serves and big RPMs on spin serves.
Continued ...
Pros: Ample access to spin, good precision for the class, stable for the weight
Cons: Stiff feel, “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” specification range
Verdict: A versatile frame that will please those willing to tweak it and irritate QC freaks
Last summer I switched to using the Pure Aero Plus (2019) as my main racquet. As an aging player who still enjoys the anguished cries of “d*mned lefties!” from the far side of the court as my slice serve bends into the bodies of hapless returners like a guided missile, I found the free power and spin of the frame to suit my game well. Last winter I was also a play tester for the Dunlop Srixon CX 200, and while that frame didn’t suit my game as well as the Pure Aero, I found it to be very high quality. Therefore, I took immediate interest when Dunlop teased its new SX line under the tag line “Spin Redefined.”
Before this playtest was evened announced, I had already ordered up a one-week Tennis Warehouse demo of the SX 300. No sooner was that frame being whisked away by UPS than my play test frame was passing it like a ship in the night on its cross-country trip from sunny California to the cold indoor hard courts of Connecticut. With almost four weeks with these not-quite-identical twins – more on that later – under my belt, I am ready to share my impressions.
I want to begin my review by addressing the pair of pachyderms lurking in the room. First, although the flat, wide “aero” throat and the promise of “spin redefined” might lead the casual observer to think Dunlop had gone into unabashed knock-off mode and cloned the Pure Aero, these racquets aren’t identical. Dunlop and Srixon gave the SX 300 its own character. Second, unfortunately, it’s not 100% clear what that character is because there is substantial variation in the specifications between racquets. Although I estimated both frames to be nearly identical in static weight (obviously, I never obtained an unstrung weight of my original demo), there was a whopping 4 points (1.27 cm) difference in the strung balance point. Without easy access to a Babolat RDC, I will just say that there was a notable subjective difference in swing weight associated with the change in balance. Other online reviews have also noted a rather large range of swing weights, some of which are on the surprisingly hefty side. My official review frame, which I will focus on here, checked in at 300g unstrung with an 8.5 pts HL balance. That’s more than the 7 pts HL balance specified on the frame, and far more head light than many of the other frames for which reviewers have shared specs.
Moving on to my impressions of the racquet, the paint job is similar in theme to the CX line, with a black base and two bands of color, broad on one side and narrow on the other, that evoke the Dunlop “arrow” logo. Befitting the more aggressive SX line, the paint job is a bit flashier than the CX and seems to be of high quality. Superficially the geometry appears to be identical to the Pure Aero, but there are some subtle differences in side-by-side comparison. For example, the hoop is a bit thicker and less sharply pressed, and perhaps a touch longer from 12 to 6. Both frames feature “spin grommets” but the Pure Aero has oval-shaped grommets at 12 and 6, whereas the Dunlop features a more complex pattern of grommet shapes and orientations at 12 with standard grommets at 6. One of the most notable features of the latest Dunlops, including both the CX and SX lines, is the “PowerGrid” string pattern. PowerGrid features wide, evenly spaced main strings with highly-variable spacing in the crosses. In particular, the crosses are very dense in the center of the racquet face and broaden out as they approach 12 and 6. Dunlop claims that the technology improves the control, enlarges the sweet spot, and evens out the response of the racquet on off-center hits. The grip length is ample for two-handed backhands.
I was able to sample the frame with two very different string setups. My original demo was strung with Dunlop Silk 16 at what seemed like mid-range tension. I strung my play test frame with Solinco Tour Bite 17 gauge at 49 lbs in the mains and 47 in the crosses. Hitting the court, I found ample access to spin with both setups, and truly massive spin with the shaped poly. Just as with the CX 200 I demoed previously, the PowerGrid string technology had a substantial impact on how the racquet played. The launch angle was lower than expected in a 100” 16x19 spin-friendly racquet. I found extra confidence to flatten out the ball when the opportunity arose, while coming over the ball immediately boosted the RPMs and net clearance. The behavior was not unlike the 18x16 “spin effect” frames from Wilson, and just as with those frames, it could make the racquet a bit unpredictable on a bad day. But overall I felt that the technology worked well in this type of frame as long as I anticipated the behavior. The only area where the technology bothered me routinely was on serve returns. The behavior of the racquet changed substantially based on whether I was blocking or punching the ball back versus swinging. I had trouble dialing in consistent returns against stronger servers. On the flip side, the racquet’s excellent balance between flat precision and massive spin worked very well for my own serves. I felt like I was able to get ample power and decent, if not pin-point, precision on flat serves and big RPMs on spin serves.
Continued ...
time_fly
Hall of Fame
... continued from above
Partially based upon the string differences and partially based on the large difference in the amount of weight in the head, the two racquets that I sampled played differently. The demo racquet with its multifilament strings, extra weight in the head, and those dense center strings evoked the Wilson Blade as much as the Pure Aero, but with extra spin on tap when needed. For non-string breakers this could be an intriguing setup. The lower-tension shaped poly and headlight balance of my play test frame conjured a stronger “Pure Aero” flavor. The fact that the character of the racquet can be influenced so much by the strings and balance could be considered a strength by those who like to tinker.
I was impressed by the stability of the frame for its 300g static weight. I’ve hit with lighter racquets used by my son such as the Wilson Clash 100, Prince Warrior 100L, and Wilson Pro Staff 97LS and although these are still quality frames that can hit a decent ball, I dislike the insubstantial feel. The stability of the SX 300 could be enhanced with some lead, but I didn’t feel like it was an absolute necessity and I did not modify my frame during the play test. Contrast that to last year’s CX 200 which quickly received lead and a leather grip. However, especially at the net when stretched out for volleys, I did notice lower stability and leverage than is afforded by my Pure Aero Plus (2019). Although the SX 300 is comfortable overall, mishits and contact in the upper third of the string bed were somewhat harsh. I could feel the Infinergy dampening technology at work, muting some of the worst vibration, but I still felt that the enhanced Cortex technology in my 2019 Pure Aero was slightly more successful.
Speaking of volleys, I felt like this was a strong area for the frame. The 300g weight and 100 sq inch head combine for a maneuverable and forgiving package. Aside from being slightly less stable than more substantial frames, a trait that could be easily addressed with a small amount of customization, the frame volleyed with precision and confidence that is often lacking from thicker, more powerful frames with 16x19 patterns. I attribute my success at the net to the combination of decent feedback at contact and the dense center strings. However, this is still a powerful frame and deft touch volleys and short angles required more skill than my stone hands could routinely muster. This is no Prince Phantom or Head Prestige.
Overall, coming from the Pure Aero Plus (2019), I felt reasonably at home with the CX 300. I even felt confident enough to play a couple of low pressure USTA matches with it, something I usually don’t do when testing frames in order to avoid annoying my partners. Comparing it to my own racquet I found this frame to offer similar levels of spin, which is quite an accomplishment, and more precision on flatter shots. Versus my extended-length Pure Aero Plus, this frame was more maneuverable but somewhat less stable and and comfortable. Finally, when comparing to the Babolat, I have to note that Dunlop has held the line on $200 pricing in the US, while Babolat has been among the major brands that are pushing higher. Another comparison I would make is to the Prince Beast 98, a racquet that I played regularly last year. That frame has a 16x20 string pattern that also offers an interesting blend of spin and precision, as well as a Textreme & twaron dampening technology that keeps the comfort level high for a thicker, more powerful frame. I find the Beast to be slightly more comfortable than the SX 300, but also just a touch less spin and power friendly. Due to its smaller head size, the Beast is also slightly less forgiving.
In conclusion, I would recommend a SX 300 demo for anyone looking for a spin-friendly, powerful racquet with some extra versatility. It’s biggest strength is that it’s NOT just a Pure Aero clone; it has its own blend of strengths and weaknesses that might appeal more to some players.
Partially based upon the string differences and partially based on the large difference in the amount of weight in the head, the two racquets that I sampled played differently. The demo racquet with its multifilament strings, extra weight in the head, and those dense center strings evoked the Wilson Blade as much as the Pure Aero, but with extra spin on tap when needed. For non-string breakers this could be an intriguing setup. The lower-tension shaped poly and headlight balance of my play test frame conjured a stronger “Pure Aero” flavor. The fact that the character of the racquet can be influenced so much by the strings and balance could be considered a strength by those who like to tinker.
I was impressed by the stability of the frame for its 300g static weight. I’ve hit with lighter racquets used by my son such as the Wilson Clash 100, Prince Warrior 100L, and Wilson Pro Staff 97LS and although these are still quality frames that can hit a decent ball, I dislike the insubstantial feel. The stability of the SX 300 could be enhanced with some lead, but I didn’t feel like it was an absolute necessity and I did not modify my frame during the play test. Contrast that to last year’s CX 200 which quickly received lead and a leather grip. However, especially at the net when stretched out for volleys, I did notice lower stability and leverage than is afforded by my Pure Aero Plus (2019). Although the SX 300 is comfortable overall, mishits and contact in the upper third of the string bed were somewhat harsh. I could feel the Infinergy dampening technology at work, muting some of the worst vibration, but I still felt that the enhanced Cortex technology in my 2019 Pure Aero was slightly more successful.
Speaking of volleys, I felt like this was a strong area for the frame. The 300g weight and 100 sq inch head combine for a maneuverable and forgiving package. Aside from being slightly less stable than more substantial frames, a trait that could be easily addressed with a small amount of customization, the frame volleyed with precision and confidence that is often lacking from thicker, more powerful frames with 16x19 patterns. I attribute my success at the net to the combination of decent feedback at contact and the dense center strings. However, this is still a powerful frame and deft touch volleys and short angles required more skill than my stone hands could routinely muster. This is no Prince Phantom or Head Prestige.
Overall, coming from the Pure Aero Plus (2019), I felt reasonably at home with the CX 300. I even felt confident enough to play a couple of low pressure USTA matches with it, something I usually don’t do when testing frames in order to avoid annoying my partners. Comparing it to my own racquet I found this frame to offer similar levels of spin, which is quite an accomplishment, and more precision on flatter shots. Versus my extended-length Pure Aero Plus, this frame was more maneuverable but somewhat less stable and and comfortable. Finally, when comparing to the Babolat, I have to note that Dunlop has held the line on $200 pricing in the US, while Babolat has been among the major brands that are pushing higher. Another comparison I would make is to the Prince Beast 98, a racquet that I played regularly last year. That frame has a 16x20 string pattern that also offers an interesting blend of spin and precision, as well as a Textreme & twaron dampening technology that keeps the comfort level high for a thicker, more powerful frame. I find the Beast to be slightly more comfortable than the SX 300, but also just a touch less spin and power friendly. Due to its smaller head size, the Beast is also slightly less forgiving.
In conclusion, I would recommend a SX 300 demo for anyone looking for a spin-friendly, powerful racquet with some extra versatility. It’s biggest strength is that it’s NOT just a Pure Aero clone; it has its own blend of strengths and weaknesses that might appeal more to some players.
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badmice2
Professional
@TWStaff - apologies on the delay post; had to get the fam prepare for Covid 19 "Shelter in Place" order and totally slipped. Review below.
Racquet received: Dunlop SX 300
String and tension used for test: Dunlop Explosive Spin 1.25 (Yellow) @ 47 lbs (overtime racket dropped to ~ 42 lbs)
Tennis experience/background: 4.0/4.5
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Sand bagging 4.0 player with an all court player.
Current racquet/string setups: Head Gravity MP w/ MSV Focus Hex 1.18, looking to transition to Solinco Confidential 1.20
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 10 hours total
Comments on racquet performance:
-Groundstrokes:
On groundstrokes, the firmness of the racket provided a stable platform for most of my ground strokes. This particular version might be on the lighter side of the spectrum, but QA issue with the balance proof to be beneficial with supplying plenty of swing weight. Power/pace were penetrating off both wings, with plenty of depth on long baseline rally from the unexpected plow through. Spin creation provided through sufficient launch angle, ball clearance was made with ease and corners were guided with pin point accuracy. I was in fact quite surprise with the over whelming control i was getting when i was taking some long, loopy strokes.
-Serves:
This was my trouble area for the most part, mostly due to the racket balance/QA on the racket. Since this was near even balance, I had a tough time with my follow through, and had to do some major calibration to get to my point of contact on time. While the firmness played well with groundstrokes, I found it a bit discomforting for serves on miss hits as I'm accustom to softer feel racket that more forgiving (I think hybrid setup or mutli might play better here). Nonetheless once I was dialed in, I was able to get ample of pace with my serve. The biggest highlight comes with spin serves, especially with the noticeable jump on kick serves.
-Volleys:
This is the brightest spot for me during the play test. The firmness provided sufficient punches to volley, allowing me to guide and redirect volley with pinpoint accuracy. The balance allowed for stability with off-center hits thanks to the firm upper hoop. If i could dial in the serve, this would be a great racket for serve and volley.
-Serve returns:
Given the great control in groundstrokes, serve return naturally also played well. I was able to put some punches on the return without having to over swing on weaker shots - this is thank to the firmness of the racket and the stability on the upper hoop of the frame. Directional guidance became focal point given I was able to take shorter swing, taking advantage of the easy power.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
In all, the Dunlop SX 300 is a great racket for those who are looking for a add easy power, spin, and firm feel. As stated above, my particular racket had QA issue with balance, measuring 1pt headlight; this made the racket near even balance. For my particular liking, the change in swing weight required me to adjust my strokes significant. For players like myself who normally leans towards player frame, this release definitely gave a model feel in which you can rely on the racket more to ease the stroke production often needed for the game. This is also a great introduction racket for beginner to intermediate players looking for a competitive edge with control without sacrificing pace, power and spin. There aren't much this racket are able to handle, and I imagine the heavy Tour sibling will give the extra humph needed for advanced players looking for that extra edge. As for string setup, I would consider string it with hybrid with the next iteration of my own playtest. I think softening the string bed will add some comfort to the feel I'm looking for.
Racquet received: Dunlop SX 300
String and tension used for test: Dunlop Explosive Spin 1.25 (Yellow) @ 47 lbs (overtime racket dropped to ~ 42 lbs)
Tennis experience/background: 4.0/4.5
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Sand bagging 4.0 player with an all court player.
Current racquet/string setups: Head Gravity MP w/ MSV Focus Hex 1.18, looking to transition to Solinco Confidential 1.20
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 10 hours total
Comments on racquet performance:
-Groundstrokes:
On groundstrokes, the firmness of the racket provided a stable platform for most of my ground strokes. This particular version might be on the lighter side of the spectrum, but QA issue with the balance proof to be beneficial with supplying plenty of swing weight. Power/pace were penetrating off both wings, with plenty of depth on long baseline rally from the unexpected plow through. Spin creation provided through sufficient launch angle, ball clearance was made with ease and corners were guided with pin point accuracy. I was in fact quite surprise with the over whelming control i was getting when i was taking some long, loopy strokes.
-Serves:
This was my trouble area for the most part, mostly due to the racket balance/QA on the racket. Since this was near even balance, I had a tough time with my follow through, and had to do some major calibration to get to my point of contact on time. While the firmness played well with groundstrokes, I found it a bit discomforting for serves on miss hits as I'm accustom to softer feel racket that more forgiving (I think hybrid setup or mutli might play better here). Nonetheless once I was dialed in, I was able to get ample of pace with my serve. The biggest highlight comes with spin serves, especially with the noticeable jump on kick serves.
-Volleys:
This is the brightest spot for me during the play test. The firmness provided sufficient punches to volley, allowing me to guide and redirect volley with pinpoint accuracy. The balance allowed for stability with off-center hits thanks to the firm upper hoop. If i could dial in the serve, this would be a great racket for serve and volley.
-Serve returns:
Given the great control in groundstrokes, serve return naturally also played well. I was able to put some punches on the return without having to over swing on weaker shots - this is thank to the firmness of the racket and the stability on the upper hoop of the frame. Directional guidance became focal point given I was able to take shorter swing, taking advantage of the easy power.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
In all, the Dunlop SX 300 is a great racket for those who are looking for a add easy power, spin, and firm feel. As stated above, my particular racket had QA issue with balance, measuring 1pt headlight; this made the racket near even balance. For my particular liking, the change in swing weight required me to adjust my strokes significant. For players like myself who normally leans towards player frame, this release definitely gave a model feel in which you can rely on the racket more to ease the stroke production often needed for the game. This is also a great introduction racket for beginner to intermediate players looking for a competitive edge with control without sacrificing pace, power and spin. There aren't much this racket are able to handle, and I imagine the heavy Tour sibling will give the extra humph needed for advanced players looking for that extra edge. As for string setup, I would consider string it with hybrid with the next iteration of my own playtest. I think softening the string bed will add some comfort to the feel I'm looking for.
time_fly
Hall of Fame
No love from TW for the SX series? I was sort of surprised to see the EZONE 100 make the list. It has 8 main strings up the middle and seems average for a modern tweener in terms of spin production.
Since my SX 300 was much more head light than just about anyone else's, I just put lead up the wazoo on the hoop at 3, 9, and 12. I am still just under 6 pts HL but I look forward to giving it a go once the Great Tennis Ban of 2020 (as I call it) ends.
sanister
Professional
My daughter uses the Ezone 100 and I was just reading comments by @topspn giving feedback on the Ezone 100 as well which I enjoyed (https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...tc100-or-yonex-ezone-100-2020-version.665436/)
Technically, Ezone 100 has 6 mains in throat (the other two on each side are a little away from 6 o clock bridge and 6 o clock grommet also has room for just 6 strings) although you are right that it doesn't seem to have crazy spin like other tweeners in market. It does have great directional control though. I thought it really suited a little bit of flatter hitting actually. And I can't say enough about quality of Yonex, best in the lot I think hands down.
Thiem's 1HB
Rookie
Holy cow. That string job is terrible. Your crosses are all over the place. Doesn't look like a consistent string job at all!!
TennisHound
Legend
Its not a bad string job, to me, it looks like he just didn’t straighten the crosses.
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Thiem's 1HB
Rookie
That's a bad string job as it's clear that there's unequal tension through the crosses, even adjacent ones. If I gave a racquet strung like that to a customer, they'd return it.
TennisHound
Legend
Anyone using the SX300 still?
time_fly
Hall of Fame
I just started playing outdoors a little bit again. My footwork is still a bit off and I am jamming myself too often, so I’ve been playing my SX 300 in lieu of my Pure Aero Plus which is less maneuverable. Just before the lockdowns hit, I put about 5” of lead on the SX300 at 3 and 9, and 4” at 12. Keep in mind my playtest SX 300 was 8.5 pts HL, which is much more HL than most of these frames. Unfortunately that means I haven’t hit the stock version in 6 or 7 weeks so it’s hard to compare exactly, but I am really liking this setup. I could see continuing to play with it rather than transitioning back to the PA+ when my confidence returns. If I had one of the more typical frames with closer-to-even balance, I probably would drop the lead at 12 and just go 3 and 9.
PS. It’s still strung with Solinco Tour Bite in the high 40’s. Seems like a good setup.
PS. It’s still strung with Solinco Tour Bite in the high 40’s. Seems like a good setup.
time_fly
Hall of Fame
I decided to pick up another SX, but rather than leading up another SX 300, I went with the Tour model. It just arrived this morning. 312g, about 7.5 pts HL. There were a lot of early reports of frames having nearly even balance and very high swing weights. The TW demo racquet I received was like that, but my playtest SX 300 and my new SX 300 Tour both have much more headlight balances, close to the specs printed on the frames (7 pts for the SX300, 9 pts for the Tour). I wonder if Dunlop quietly fixed a manufacturing problem after the first batch?
Why is TW the only one who claims the stiffness rating to be at 65? It's not that big of a deal, but even on the racquet itself it states that the flex is 64. Every other website states 64, and also in video reviews that I have watched. One other thing that I noticed on the website is that Heather Watson is no longer listed as one of the staffers, but on the Dunlop site she is still there.
This forum pretty much sucks...I really thought that there were some legit folks who were in the know about what is out there. Instead, it's just like any other sports forum. Here all the rave goes to Wilson/Babalot for whatever reason, I guess because generally speaking people are like sheep, they just follow along...tell me if I'm wrong, I'll gladly take it, but that is what I see as the reality and it's sad.
TW Staff
Administrator
Hi PJC,
We get our specs by measuring 3-5 strung racquets and taking the average to give the best representation of what you will be playing with. Most times when racquet manufacturers list the specs it is a target unstrung spec. I am not sure how other websites measure their racquets.
PS- Heather Watson is currently not listed because her racquet she was endorsing is sold out. When her new racquet she endorses launches in July, she will be back up on the Dunlop page.
Hope that helps!
Brittany, TW
We get our specs by measuring 3-5 strung racquets and taking the average to give the best representation of what you will be playing with. Most times when racquet manufacturers list the specs it is a target unstrung spec. I am not sure how other websites measure their racquets.
PS- Heather Watson is currently not listed because her racquet she was endorsing is sold out. When her new racquet she endorses launches in July, she will be back up on the Dunlop page.
Hope that helps!
Brittany, TW
time_fly
Hall of Fame
The three SX 300s I've tried -- the TW demo, which was definitely one of the oldest frames, my playtest frame, and a newer SX 300 Tour -- have all felt stiffer than 61 to me. I would say that 64 or 65 seems accurate. That said, that first demo frame was nearly even balance and the early reviews mention high swing weights and close-to-even balance. The racquets are supposed to be 7pts and 9pts head light for the regular and tour versions respectively. The second two frames came much closer to those numbers. I think Dunlop may have fixed some early QC issues with these racquets, and I think TW should update their numbers based on newer examples.
Shankmeister-Chubs
Rookie
Sorry for the thread necromancy, but just demoed the SX 300 for two days at the very strong and enthusiastic recommendation of Roman Prokes of pro-stringer fame and proprietor of his own pro shop, and I was not disappointed. Prokes stated "This is probably my favorite racquet right now" which I took to be up there with the eZone Tour, which he also praised. I'm typically not a player of 100" sq frames built for power, but this racquet felt uncannily stable for its weight, superbly comfortable with good feel, and granted more spin than I've been used to from my eZone Tour and Radical Pros. Granted strings and tension matters here, but the mid-weight tension and shaped poly really seemed to rub through the ball well in that string pattern. I felt in control of my shots, and the shot trajectory reminded me of the Gravity Pro, which I was testing side by side. I'd say for any players of the Pure Aero complaining about arm comfort, this racquet and likely the tour version will be a straight upgrade.
atatu
Legend
Just checking...was it the tour or the regular SX 300 ?
Shankmeister-Chubs
Rookie
The regular.
Boubi
Professional
The tour is a PAT with accuracy
Shankmeister-Chubs
Rookie
Yeah to be honest I'd want to try the tour as well, I wouldn't have rated the regular one that highly on accuracy only because I'm typically used to smaller heads and 18x20
time_fly
Hall of Fame
I would recommend that most players start with the SX 300 and customize the weight. The SX 300 Tour feels and swings heavier than you would expect from the specs -- sort of like the EZone 98 Tour in that respect. I playtested the regular SX and also own a Tour. The Tour feels more sluggish and swings heavier than my Radical Pro.
Boubi
Professional
Try the tour version, stable and precise
Ryebread
Hall of Fame
I already had the sx300 demo on order. Not the tour.
Surprised, I thought that Japanese had better QC? Supposed to be 300 grams. And it is 307!
-factory spec is: 300/32.0 and strung 320/33.02 (typically 17g)
-demo is: 307/32.1 and strung 322/33.02 (17g multi)
what does this mean for this example?
where is the stick hiding the extra 7 grams?
Surprised, I thought that Japanese had better QC? Supposed to be 300 grams. And it is 307!
-factory spec is: 300/32.0 and strung 320/33.02 (typically 17g)
-demo is: 307/32.1 and strung 322/33.02 (17g multi)
what does this mean for this example?
where is the stick hiding the extra 7 grams?
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