Tennis Warehouse playtest: Head Lynx Spin 2 rPet

Tennis experience/background: 4.0 singles

Describe your playing style: Aggressive baseliner

Current string set-up(s) and preferred tension(s): Lynx tour 42-45#

What racquet did you use for this playtest? Wilson 6.1 95 18M
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Tension(s) used for playtest? 45#

Power/Control of test string? Power level was good. Ball penetrated the court easily when taking full cuts and with some topspin I didn't have to worry about the ball going long.
Felt on par with my experience with normal LT and Lux eco power. In higher temps it was pretty lively as well. Depth on the bh slice was good and predictable as well as flat serve had nice pop.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?) Feel was more comfy than expected. My initial thoughts when stringing was that it was quite bouncy and expected it to be on the firmer side however in the mid 40s even with the brisk temps of March it had good pocketing and a smooth soft feel on ground strokes. Contact still felt crisp but not too dead. Volleys had good pop as well.

Spin? Considering how slippery it was when weaving the crosses I was expecting for a bit more bite on the ball. I didn’t notice my slice bh’s knifing into the court like I’m used to with full bed of lynx tour. In contrast they were a bit floaty and sat up. Not sure if it has anything to do with the geometry of the string however the snapback felt good. Same story on slice serves. Topspin groundies however felt good for me and I could generate plenty of shape.

Durability & playability duration? 20+ hours. I played 1 full match and at least 10+ practice tiebreakers in addition to weekly 2hr hitting sessions. The durability was good for me and definitely on par with the other strings I mentioned. In the mid 40#s I don't break string as often. I did get some notching so far but no lock up of the string bed and the mains aren’t getting stuck out of place. I would say for an rPet string this was definitely a plus and wouldn’t have any hesitations using them in the future.

Tension Recommendations. Would you string it differently next time? Explain why. I received them in March when it is still pretty chilly here so I would have kept it at 45#. If I strung in the summer when it is hot and dry I might adjust it 1-2#s higher. Overall the tension felt pretty predictable to me throughout the play test. There were a string of days when It got into the 70s towards the end of the test when it got launchy but aside from that I was able to control the depth and spin like I’m used to.


List any additional thoughts (optional) Thanks to TW and Head for the play test! Really enjoy the lynx family and this is a great string!
 
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Head Lynx Spin 2 rPet Review:

Tennis Experience/Background:

I'm a 4.0+ male player in my late 40s. My forehand is my main weapon, and I use a one-handed backhand. I started playing tennis at 13 and competed through high school and into my first two years of college, playing singles with a counter-punching style. Those were likely my peak tennis years. After a long break to focus on school and my early career, I returned to recreational play in my early 30s and eventually got back into USTA leagues and tournaments — even winning a couple of singles events. I took another break to raise my neurodiverse child, then got back into tennis in my 40s. Through local clinics, I connected with a few tennis professionals and became a regular practice and drill partner for a local community college tennis team. That’s how I stay sharp — hitting with ITA-ranked college kids. In recent years, I’ve shifted toward a more aggressive, attacking style, trying to shorten points and finish at the net, especially against younger players who excel in long rallies.

Playing Style:
Aggressive, attacking tennis with a focus on finishing points at the net.

Current String Set-Up and Preferred Tension:
Tecnifibre Razor Soft, strung at 48–50 lbs.

Racquet Used for Playtest:
Tecnifibre Tempo 298

Tension Used for Playtest:
48 lbs (both mains and crosses)

Power/Control:
For me the Lynx Spin 2 rPET is a moderately powered string with excellent control. I was consistently able to hit down-the-line shots with accuracy and confidence. Directional control on volleys was also impressive. These strings gave me confidence to accurately slice and chip approach shots down the line or for short angles.

Feel:
Initially stiff for the first few minutes, but it broke in quickly after about ten minutes of hitting. Once settled, the strings felt comfortable. Feedback was moderate — not crisp, but not muted either.

Spin:
Spin potential was good but not exceptional. Given the string’s branding around “spin,” I expected more noticeable improvement over my usual round poly (Razor Soft), but the difference was marginal. I guess my expectations were high seeing that the mains are textured. However, I was still pleased at the string’s spin performance. Topspin was easy to generate on both wings, and I did notice a bit more topspin on my backhand, which was a plus. Slice shots, especially low ones, were effective due to the string’s low launch angle. Topspin passing shots dipped well. On serve, I was able to generate decent spin on both slice and kick serves.

Durability & Playability Duration:
I logged about 16 hours with this string. The first three hours were the best in terms of performance — offering solid power when given the inputs and excellent control. By hour six, I noticed some notching on the crosses, but nothing alarming. After about eight hours, the strings began to feel dead, and control started to drop. The strings also failed a simple pinch test, showing poor snapback. However, spin production remained passable — possibly due to increased pocketing and ball grab from the textured mains and tension loss. I also experienced mild forearm/elbow soreness after sessions, likely from hitting with a dead poly. Despite that, I continued using it, as it still retained some playability.

Tension Recommendation:
48–50 lbs is ideal. I wouldn’t change anything — 48 lbs works well for me as a moderately powered setup, giving me the confidence to play my attacking style.

Additional Thoughts:
Thank you Tennis Warehouse and HEAD for this fun and enjoyable playtest of the Lynx Spin 2 rPET. Overall, this is a solid, predictable control string with moderate power. Considering its short performance window, if it’s competitively priced, I’ll string again but would only use it for no more than 8 hours of play.
 
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Head Lynx Spin 2 rPet Review:

Tennis Experience/Background:
NTRP 4.5 - 4.75. Played in high school then played ultimate frisbee for years before coming back to the best sport in the world lol. Coaching kids and adults in tennis now. Own an Axis lock-out machine. Wish I was 6'6" and super athletic, but have to settle for being 5'9" and just athletic lol. My personal goal is to reach 5.0 status. I know that constantly tinkering with racquets doesn't help me, but I like the experience of playing with a range of different frames. I like player frames.

Playing Style: All-court style. I don't mind grinding from the baseline, but I try to hit winners/pre-winners whenever I receive a weak ball, and I also try to get to net. I hit with both 1 and 2 hands on the backhand side.

Current String Set-up and Preferred Tension: I like a shaped poly on the mains and either a solid-core syn gut or round poly on the crosses. I use MSV Focus Hex 1.23 or Weiss Ultra Cable 1.23 on the mains and Kirschbaum Max Power 1.20 or some mix of Wilson Syn gut Power 16, 17, Gamma Syn gut with Wear Guard 15, 16 on the crosses. With a Wilson Blade 98 (NBlade or v8 or v9) 54 lbs with syn gut cross or 51 lbs with poly cross. With a Dunlop CX 200 Tour 95 18x20 49 lbs with syn gut cross or 46 lbs with poly cross. With a Wilson Ultra Tour/Pro 97 18x20, 52 lbs with syn gut cross or 49 lbs with poly cross.

Racquet Used for Play-Test: Wilson NBlade 98 18x20. Soft and low-powered 58ra flex frame. Maybe it is 57 or 56ra by now since this frame is from around 2006.

Power/Control: Compared to the strings I use normally, the Lynx Spin 2 rPet is pretty similar in stiffness? and but maybe holds tension slightly less well? I would consider buying reels of the shaped poly string as well as the round cross string if prices are closer to the other poly strings I mentioned. The power level seems lowish, but control is pretty excellent. Quantitatively, if Max power is 5/10, Focus Hex is 6/10, Lynx Spin 2 rPet might be 6/10? For reference I have played with Luxilon 4G, and I would rate this poly string 1/10. On the other end of the scale I would rate Tecnifibre Razor Soft a 9/10. I haven't used all poly strings out there so there might be something out there that is 9.5 or 10/10 in power. These ratings would only be for poly strings. If rating all strings including natural gut, cow string would rate a 10/10 whereas the tecnifibre string might be a 4 or 5/10.

Control is a function of pocketing (trampolining effect and friction), racquet swing path, and friction of ball on strings. This string gave me very good control overall, however, I do think this "Control" category needs to come with a disclaimer message because so many variables influence the notion of control. I would vote to strike off this category and include string stiffness and string friction and slipperiness as these are included in the TW string database (awesome!) instead.

Feel: Feel is a function of pocketing and friction of the ball against the strings and frame stiffness. So, I would also advocate to strike this off future string reviews too. But, to complete this review like others, the tension I used was appropriate, and the string feel was decent. I could have strung it at a lower tension to increase "feel." By lowering the tension I would also increase the power of the trampolining effect, but maybe lose some control especially on returns of serve, which is the number one thing I focus on.

Spin: Spin ( function of coefficient of friction) was really excellent. Not to the level of the Weiss Ultra Cable (4-sided) but a tier lower. However, I would say the Head string might be superior to Ytex quadro pro which is a twisted 4 sided string.

Durability/Playability Duration: I have played with these strings for around 13 hours, and they are still effective for me as of now. The area around 10 and 2 o'clock on the string bed has noticeable wear, however. If these strings don't break before my shots become erratic, I will cut them out. I cut out Lux 4g strings because they are so stiff and last so long, but the area of 10 and 2 became paper thin and my shots became erratic. In all other strings I have played them until they break. In a closed patterned, very soft frame like the NBlade, strings will last a lot longer than in a bigger sized open patterned frame.

Tension Recommendation: I strung it several pounds higher than I normally would to account for unknown tension loss. Maybe next time I would have strung it a few pounds lower at 52 lbs. Any frame that is stiffer and more open patterned needs to be strung higher.

Additional Thoughts: An excellent string design. I will consider both the shaped and round poly as long as they are priced competitively to the other strings I usually use. Kudos to Head for trying recycled materials.

Thank you again TW for the opportunity to try these strings! Also, I appreciate the TW string database. Keep those measurements coming for new strings!!

Lastly, thanks to the poster above (ottieraq) who made my review structure set-up easy haha...
 
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PLAYTEST: HEAD LynxSpin2 rPET

Tennis experience/background:
I played tennis in high school for four years. Then dabbled with tennis and college with intramural sports but not on the team. I resumed playing once I got married. I have been playing tennis for about 25 years recreationally. I really don’t play competitively too often. I prefer singles, but do play doubles on occasion. I also drill 1 to 2 days per week. I am a USTA 4.0 player.

Describe your playing style:baseline player attempting to develop more all court aspects of my game. I have a 2HB but I also love my BH slice. Rely on serve accuracy to implement strategies.

Current string set-up(s) and preferred tension(s):Solinco HyperG at 48lbs

What racquet did you use for this playtest? Yonex Percept D

Tension(s) used for playtest? 48lbs mains and crosses

Power/Control of test string?
Both of these aspects came and went at different times. Control was great early on in the string job. I wouldn't say point and shoot level of control, but pretty decent overall. However when the power level raised as the strings settled in, the control slipped for me quickly. Power wasn't ever anything I would say was great, but it came with a cost of loss of control.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?)
Feel of this string changed pretty drastically over the course of the playtest. However, never would I classify the string as uncomfortable. Initially the string was on the crisper end. I felt pretty connected to the ball, unfortunately the rest of the positive aspects didn't come till later. Over the course of 3 hours the string changed to more mushy than crisp, then finally to just mushy. Feel dropped quite drastically and I lost the connected feel with the ball.

Spin?
Spin was great really. Above average from most strings I've played. I would say that it would be a top tier string in terms of spin in a category of all around strings. I could shape top spin serves especially well. Sharper angles came with very little effort. Slice short really spun and died on court. Probably one of the stronger aspects of the string was the spin potential and increased launch point it added to a racket that usually has a low launch angle.

Durability & playability duration?
This is where the string really tanked in my opinion. There was an extended break in period for me versus other strings I have tried recently. After the break it period, the strings played well and I was starting to vibe with them a bit. But after a seemingly short window the playability started to drop pretty quickly. There was a very obvious drop in tension and other attributes that I thought favorable in the strung started to suffer.

Tension Recommendations. Would you string it differently next time? Explain why
No, I do not feel any adjustment outside of my normal range would have given me any major benefits with this string. For my game and playstyle, 48 gave me what I normally like in a string.

List any additional thoughts (optional)
This string just didn't line up for me. I have been really happy with the new strings coming out from Head. But this one just didn't jive for me. All the parts never seemed to come together to offer a positive experience, I appreciate TW and Head for give me the opportunity, just this one wasn't my favorite.
 
Tennis experience/background:
Started playing around 7yo, played on my high school team, played recreationally in college, then a long break until COVID, started playing again.

Describe your playing style:
All court player. Previously more baseline counter puncher, but at this point, I feel my volleys are stronger than my baseline game.

Current string set-up(s) and preferred tension(s):
TruPro Ghostwire 17g, 50 lbs

What racquet did you use for this playtest?
Babolat Pure Aero 98

Tension(s) used for playtest?
50lbs

Power/Control of test string?
Power is fairly spot on for me. Not overly powerful, definitely not anemic. More power than not. It feels like you get what you put into it, with a slight boost. I like the added oomph from the strings, and it feels like a perfect amount added. Too much can sometimes make balls fly.

Control is absolutely amazing for the first few hours. The first hit after stringing feels like pure magic. Everything goes in, whether its swinging out of the air, hitting an out ball to keep the rally going, it feels like I can easily, consistently place the ball inside the lines and where I want. Subsequent sessions were still above average, but that magic seemed to only happen in the first session.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?)
For me the comfort was great, but with enough feel to give me good feedback. Ghostwire is definitely more comfy, but Ghostwire is way more muted – I can’t really get a good feel of where the ball is. With rPET, I feel you get great feedback, and a really good idea of where the ball is going, especially when its fresh off the stringer. This is balanced with comfort, and I never felt pain or uncomfortable, even on shanks. The sound of the string was slightly “twangy” at the beginning, but then it became a bit more of a satisfying “thwack” feeling.

Spin?
Spin production was good, not excessive, it still kept good directional control. Predictable launch angle, and I could both flatten out strokes and hit with spin if I wanted to. Slice, topspin, were all pretty easy to produce. It was more spin friendly at the beginning, but as the string started to wear, it was easier to produce sliding flat shots.

Durability & playability duration?
Durability was above average for me, I’m not a string breaker, but there’s no sign of the string breaking with 16+ hours on it.

Playability did reduce over time, as with most strings. The unbelievable magic of the first few hours is pretty striking. I recall the original Lynx Spin2 also had this. A good string for being played fresh. Probably someone who strings themself, or gets rackets strung often. That’s where the recycled materials might be helpful to mitigate the environmental impact of frequent stringing. After the magic few hours, it’s still an above average string, and I quite enjoyed this string. Head Lynx Spin2 (original) was my string of choice for awhile, and I was definitely reminded of that with this recycled update. I missed the brighter colors of the original, but fortunately, the black/dark grey didn’t mark up the balls (the original’s blue/orange ink would sometimes rub off onto the balls like little grill marks).

Tension Recommendations. Would you string it differently next time? Explain why
List any additional thoughts (optional)

I would string this at regular tension. I typically go for 50lbs and it felt spot on for me at 50 lbs.

Thank you HEAD and TennisWarehouse for the opportunity to review this string!
 
It is interesting to note that when the string breaks it frays, which is uncharacteristic of solid polys...I guess it is due to the recycled nature of the string.

Those of you who think that poly automatically goes dead after x number of hours, what shape is the string bed in? Strings still in similar condition all over the string bed or do you have thin spots and if so, where? Cheers...
 
Tennis experience/background:
Started playing tennis about 4 years ago. Solid USTA 3.0. Play mostly doubles and singles match here or there.

Describe your playing style:
Aggressive baseliner with above average net game (for my skill level).

Current string set-up(s) and preferred tension(s):
Currently string a hybrid setup with shaped poly in mains and round poly crosses. Tension ranges from 53-55 lbs Main & typically 2 lbs lower in the crosses. Prefer a softer string with a little higher tension to stiff strings. Favorite strings are probably Toroline.

What racquet did you use for this playtest?
Tecnifibre TF40 305 16x19

Tension(s) used for playtest?
55 M / 54 C

**Disclaimer: injured shoulder approximately 10 weeks ago (not playing tennis) and could not play tennis for about 6 weeks. Still unable to serve but more or less able to hit full groundstrokes. Was able to get about 10-11 hours of playtime on the strings, with the last 6 hours pretty close to full strength.

Power/Control of test string?
I had excellent control with the strings from the start. Lateral control was spot on with groundstrokes and at net. Length took a little time to dial in. I started out hitting a little short, but once the strings broke in depth control was excellent. I'd rate the control at about an 8.

They felt a little underpowered until the strings broke in, but after that I would say they're about equal to what I typically use. I got really solid power on serve returns and had no problem keeping the launch angle low. The limiting factor for power was me, not the strings. I'd rate the power at 7.5 - 8.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?)
Initially they felt really stiff, like angle in/angle out stiff. Not bad and predictable for control, but not a lot of feel on my shots. After the strings settled, feel improved drastically and they really softened up. It felt like I could hold the ball on the strings a little longer and get a really nice snap back and lovely shape on the ball. I would describe the feel as comfortably soft, but crisp and lively.

Spin?
These strings excelled at generating spin. I would say they're equal to Toroline Wasabi but a little more comfortable. Topspin came easy from the baseline and allowed me to hit with plenty of power and get depth. As long as I swung through the ball it came down in the court just about every time. I hit a few topspin lobs that dropped in nicely right at the back of the court, along with a handful of high forehands that dove down at the baseline which I thought were destined to go long.

They were also very solid for slice backhands and drop volleys. I was able to get loads of backspin and keep my backhands low. I really loved chipping low returns of serve with these strings. They felt really nice driving slice backhands and forehands from a high contact point.

I'd rate the spin at 8 - 8.5.

Durability & playability duration?
I don't break strings so durability is never an issue for me. The durability seems to be equivalent with the toroline, solinco, tecnifibre, and yonex strings I've used in the past.

Playability seems above average or better. It took about 30 minutes of hitting to break the strings in, but they've been solid since then. The last hour or so of hitting I'm starting to notice a little loss of control and maybe a little less spin. I don't know if maybe I'm getting a little less snapback or potentially the edges on the mains have worn down a little, or a combination of both. The strings still feel comfortable, but I started to lose a little bit of the feel and the liveliness. So I was able to get about 5-6 hours of hitting at close to my full power before they started losing playability.

Tension Recommendations. Would you string it differently next time? Explain why
I like wherever the tension settled in on these, though I'm not sure where that is. I string my own racquets with a drop weight machine, so I don't have prestretching capability. I think with some prestretching they'd probably be more playable right from the start. So for me, I like the way these felt starting with a higher tension of 54-55 on the mains and 53-54 on the crosses and letting them settle in a little lower.

Overall I think this is a really solid string setup. I normally string hybrid so it's right up my alley. They are easily comparable to Toroline hybrids I usually use, and they felt similar to hyper g/hyper g round. Depending on price I would consider keeping some of these on hand. For context, a toroline setup is $12 (or less buying feels), so if they're around that pricepoint I'd say that's about right. I enjoyed playing with these and have about 10 total hours on them, and I might be able to get another hour or two out of them before wanting to cut them out.

Thank you TW for including me in the playtest and thank you Head for the free sample strings to try out!
 
Tennis experience/background: In early 30s. Played college tennis. NTRP 5.0
Describe your playing style: All around player. Eastern grip forehand, 2hbh
Current string set-up(s) and preferred tension(s): Diadem Flash 1.25 at 40 lbs constant pull prestretched 25%
What racquet did you use for this playtest? Solinco Whiteout 16x19 315g unstrung
Tension(s) used for playtest? 40 lbs prestretched 25%

Power/Control of test string? This hybrid string plays very similarly to Luxilon Smart. Low powered on fast swing but unpredictable depth and directional control on slower swing. Strung at 40 lbs gave me high launch angle.
Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?) The ball impact on fast swing feels stiff but slower swing feels soft. I didn't like the inconsistent feel.
Spin? Generates a lot of spin with huge snapback. My hitting partner noticed heavier kick on my 2nd serve than my usual setup and my backhand slice felt more aggressive than before. Topspin groundstrokes landed shorter than expected.
Durability & playability duration? Main string snapped after 6 hours of hitting. Stringbed went trampoline with no control after 4 hour mark.
Tension Recommendations. Would you string it differently next time? Explain why I would string it the same.
List any additional thoughts (optional) This is an excellent string for players looking for an extra spin to their game. I personally didn't like the unpredictable response from shaped/round hybrid feel but I'm just very sensitive when it comes to feel of the racquet and string.

Thank you TW and Head for giving me the opportunity to review rPet!
 
Thank you to TW and Head for this playtest of Lynx Spin2 rPet, I also had the opportunity to participate in the TTW playtest of the original (blue/orange) Lynx Spin2, so I was excited to have been selected for the rPet version of Lynx Spin2.

Tennis Experience/Background
Started at age 9, played on the HS team and then college intramural tennis through grad school until life happened. I have played in a competitive doubles leagues after kids along with singles in a group of players who played on a variety of college teams. My singles has play been 20% over the last eight months due to some foot issues.

Playing Style
All court with an emphasis on patience and point construction. Equipped with a variety of shots in the toolbox, good hands at the net, with a preference for finesse over power.

Current string set up
1.30mm Yonex Poly Tour Rev Orange in my Dunlop Aerogel 4D 200 Tour (16x18, 372g, 310mm) at 24.5kg M/X (~54 lbs)

Racquet used for playtest
Solinco Whiteout XTD (16x19) - from a TW playtest - weighted to 370g (incl the weighted butt cap), balance 305mm.

Tension
24.5 kg (54 lbs)

Stringing (volunteer comment)
The string set had more than sufficient half sets to install in an 18x20 (95-98 s.i. head). There was no issue with entanglement. I wish I still had a set of the original Spin2 for a side-by-side test.

Power/Control
9 (first 8 hours), 7 (next 6 hours), 6-5 (hours 12-20)

Even though this version started off feeling very plastic (reminded of a weed whacker string experiment at some point) it improved after an initial session. There was a nice blend of control and power as I was able to play with confidence on serves, volleys and ground strokes for several hours over the first three outings. Subsequently, there was a period when the weather was unseasonably warm and there was a a little less control and more power making me wish I had strung a bit higher. However, when the temperatures moderated the string seemed to 'recover' and played better. There was a noticeable drop in control (balls flying long) after about twelve hours including appreciably less control of length on serves and on touch shots (volleys landing long, cross court angles just missing by a few inches) in contrast to the first few outings.

Feel (Stiff? Mushy? Muted? Crisp? Comfortable?)
5

The string bed felt strange (plasticky, maybe?) initially, but was comfortable throughout. After the first dozen hours I did sense a mushiness and wished I had strung a bit higher.

Spin
7

While I did not have issues playing a normal game using spin on a variety of shots, Head should not market the string as one that enhances a player's spin production in the absence of sound technique. There was no problem generating normal amounts in the singles and doubles matches I played except for needing more of its in conjunction with the lrelative los of control as the playtest progresses.

Durability/Playability Duration
8/6

As noted above, the string bed defintely had its phases in combination with ambient temperatires - played better in colkder weather and not so much once temps were aboeve 75F. I am ready to release the Solinco Whiteout XTD frame from its rPET installation and test something else. The playability duration is shorter than the string's overall durability.

Tension Recommendations - Would you string it differently next time? Explain why
If I came across another set of this hynrid package, I would string both pre-stretch (manually) and increase reference tension by at least 1kg to pre-emptively compensate for the drop in control and to potentially extend the playabilty duration of a set of rPet.

List any additional thoughts (optional)
Given the time elapsed since playing with the preceding version of Spin2, a direct comparison would not be appropriate except to say that I feel the original blue/orange Lynx Spin2 was better overall.

I will score Spin2 rPet as 3.0/5.0 - it is an average string with a more plastic feel and faster performance drop off than the original. Kudos to Head, Luxilon and other string manufacturers for their innvoation and trying to increase the 'green-score' of tennis!
 
After stringing this up a couple times - I really like it! HEAD LynxSPin2 rPET is quite a good string and this iteration as with the previous version - it's just so easy to play well with. Where it really shines though is the feel!

Sadly, I cannot find it listed any longer on the TW webstore. @TW when you have a moment can you shed some light on what is happening with this string? Appreciate it.
 
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