Tennis Warehouse Playtest: Prince Phantom 2024
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Ahhh... a Ninja Turtle fan I see. Well played. Well played indeed.
pedrogcr
Semi-Pro
The Donatello is a great name to use on the holic thread!
Boxbeams4ever
Rookie
Loooooool and here I was thinking The Hulk? 
But I totally see it now, very nice indeed. I was just gonna go desert tan camo too
The racquet otherwise looks like real life avocado colours vs cartoon avocado for the current Auxetic 1.0 Extremes to me, not for me but not overly bad considering the sneak peaks at the next Auxetic 2.0 Extreme colours. But I have my eye on another Zylon Prince racquet already. Also the first few remarks on the feel are looking good so far, soft but not too muted
But I totally see it now, very nice indeed. I was just gonna go desert tan camo too
The racquet otherwise looks like real life avocado colours vs cartoon avocado for the current Auxetic 1.0 Extremes to me, not for me but not overly bad considering the sneak peaks at the next Auxetic 2.0 Extreme colours. But I have my eye on another Zylon Prince racquet already. Also the first few remarks on the feel are looking good so far, soft but not too muted
Injured Again
Hall of Fame
I got a few more hits in with lead still at the 9-11 and 1-3 o’clock areas on the hoop. I put two layers of heat shrink sleeve to get the grip size up to my preferred size 5-6. I also restrung with Confidential dropping tension there pounds in each of the mains and crosses.
The Phantom 107G works better with lower tension in the stiff Confidential strings. It feels like the flex in the frame needs flex in the stringbed for the whole racquet to feel like it works as a unit.
The flex overall seems to need a higher swing weight and static weight to not feel flimsy when swinging hard, almost like how a wood racquet can be very solid on contact because it weighs 380 grams. Overall, the racquet only feels inadequately stiff on the hardest of my swings. It encourages me to play more moderately and use precision rather than blunt force.
I’ll have a review posted soon.
The Phantom 107G works better with lower tension in the stiff Confidential strings. It feels like the flex in the frame needs flex in the stringbed for the whole racquet to feel like it works as a unit.
The flex overall seems to need a higher swing weight and static weight to not feel flimsy when swinging hard, almost like how a wood racquet can be very solid on contact because it weighs 380 grams. Overall, the racquet only feels inadequately stiff on the hardest of my swings. It encourages me to play more moderately and use precision rather than blunt force.
I’ll have a review posted soon.
Gee
Hall of Fame
aussie
Professional
But is it ahead of the Tour 100 18x20 o-port frame (the orange/black one)? It is far better than the "little too flexy and dead in the upper hoop" EXO3 Tour 100 18x20. While I enjoy my Phantom Pro 100 16x18 and Phantom 100x 290 frames they just can't replace the Tour 100 18x20 or 16x18 version for that matter.
Fed Kennedy
Legend
I know exactly what you mean. That was a very very good era of Prince frames. That orange and black tour 18x20 was way more solid than the metallic grommet EXO3. I had a very memorable win with that racquet against a very tough opponent. I was using that green Prince string. Anyway, yes this new Phantom is at least as good as that racquet. It’s SOLID
pedrogcr
Semi-Pro
Funny thing is, just last night (during my periodic Offer Up check), I saw one guy selling 5 of the Orange Black Tours for $100.
I thought about reaching out but, even at that price, I don't think the 1 hour drive is worth it... Plus, I already have rackets coming out of every closet and bag around the house, and the wife would kill me if I brought in another 5 sticks! Lol
Fed Kennedy
Legend
Good lord. If those are 18m in grip 3 thats a dunkFunny thing is, just last night (during my periodic Offer Up check), I saw one guy selling 5 of the Orange Black Tours for $100.
I thought about reaching out but, even at that price, I don't think the 1 hour drive is worth it... Plus, I already have rackets coming out of every closet and bag around the house, and the wife would kill me if I brought in another 5 sticks! Lol
codonnell
Semi-Pro
I had a couple people like the green camo look as well. It’s a nice tidy look, not over complex in the slightest!
Power Player
Bionic Poster
@dgoran you are a good reviewer of feel. I know you loved the p97. Where does this new 18x20 100 rank? I was let down by my gravity pro auxetic feel after hitting with the prestige classic 2.0. It felt pretty dead and muted in comparison. Where would you put this prince?
Since you have the new prestige pro I’m curious how it compares to the prince. The pc 2.0 feel has blown my mind and I want something close to that in a larger head size.
Since you have the new prestige pro I’m curious how it compares to the prince. The pc 2.0 feel has blown my mind and I want something close to that in a larger head size.
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Power Player
Bionic Poster
None of these princes compare to the Prestige Classic 2.0
The phantoms feel nice, but not as substantial and buttery as the PC2.0.
Only 98" racket that comes close IMO is the Volkl C10 Pro, and that's more powerful than the PC2.0
Power Player
Bionic Poster
I was going to ask you about the Volkl because I see you are really digging it. Did you post any reviews in the thread? I typically am not a volkl fan but I have not used that many either. The c10 pro is legendary, I will have to search the threads for your posts on it.
Injured Again
Hall of Fame
Here my review of the Prince Phantom 107G:
String and tension used for test: Solinco Confidential 1.20, first stringing was 49 mains/45 crosses, and second stringing was 46 mains/42 crosses.
Tennis experience/background: 62 years old, 4.5 rated, now primarily a tournament player, was ranked top 100 in the nation in 60 singles in 2021.
Playing style: Primarily singles player, aggressive baseliner who will come to net to finish off points. Mediocre doubles player.
Current racquet/string setup: Babolat Aero 112, weighted to 345 grams, 345 swingweight, using Solinco Confidential 1.20 at 49 mains/45 crosses.
How many hours did I play with the Phantom 107G: 14 hours.
General comments: The Prince website says an unstrung 107G is 305 grams and 10 points headlight. My racquet was 307.8 grams and 10 points headlight. Tennis Warehouse says a strung racquet is 323 grams 7 points headlight, and 320 swingweight. My strung racquet was 325.7 grams, 7 points headlight, and 320 swingweight according to Swingtool. My racquet was within 1% on weight and spot on in other parameters, so excellent quality control.
Stringing the racquet was very easy. The string spacing is very open because the outer mains and crosses are close to the edge of the frame. This makes weaving crosses a breeze. I strung one piece using a universal ATW pattern and the racquet required exactly 33 feet of string with 8'9" on the short side.
I played about eight hours with the racquet in stock configuration, then modified the racquet in two steps to 345 grams and 345 swingweight by using two layers of heat shrink sleeve on the grip, and lead tape from 9-11 and 1-3 o'clock on the hoop. The initial stringing lasted about seven hours and I replaced it with the same string at lower tension. When I initially tried adding weight to the 107G, I took off the trap door and found that one side of the divided opening was foam filled, while the other side was empty but irregularly shaped due to the middle wall having a bump in it. I placed all of the handle weighting externally.
I recorded my first hit with the Phantom 107G against a ball machine, where I also used a mid 1980's POG OS and a mid 1980's Precision Graphite.
Racquet performance - groundstrokes: In stock configuration, the Phantom 107G is a low powered racquet, especially when combined with a low powered string like Confidential. It takes a committed swing to generate good ball speed. The open string pattern generates a high launch angle, which combined with the lower powered nature had me hitting higher shots that landed slightly shorter in the court. The sweetspot is good sized but lower on the stringbed, being centered a little bit below the center of the hoop. The sweetspot doesn't extend high on the stringbed but you get good response almost all of the way down to the bridge. It took a bit of adjustment since I use an extended length and stiffer racquet with a sweetspot that is centered and extends up 2/3's of the way towards the top of the hoop. I consciously tried to hit the ball about two inches closer to my body.
I found that trying to increase my swingspeed when hitting topspin resulted in less ballspeed than I expected. In stock configuration, it feels like there isn't enough mass in the hoop, and the flexible frame bends away from contact, minimizing the ballspeed though spin generation is very good. I tended to swing more flat at the ball with the 107G, to get back the ball depth that I usually get.
I had problems initially with underspin backhands floating high on me, or I would try to adjust and pull them into the net. Normally, racquet with high launch angle easily generate low, biting slices but that wasn't the case with the 107G. I never got comfortable hitting underspin shots and resorted to a flatter bunt shot when I was rushed. This added to my problems playing defense with the 107G. Low powered means I had to be able to get some racquet head speed and that wasn't possible if I was really in a bad position and off balanced. Low speet spot location means balls that were far away from me that I mis-hit usually didn't make it to the net or resulted in an easy sitter. And my inability to figure out how to hit a defensive slice when under pressure prevented me from getting back to neutral once my opponent had me at a disadvantage.
After adding weight to the racquet, power levels increased and the sweet spot did raise slightly, though balls off the top of the hoop surprisingly felt worse. I could sort of feel the racquet flutter and bend in the middle when my opponent hit a hard shot and I caught the ball in the upper third of the hoop. The lower string tension on the second stringing also helped generate more ball speed on heavier topspin and underspin shots, and I was better able to hit an underspin backhand using my normal stroke.
Racquet performance - Serves: I didn't serve a lot with the 107G but I did find that I had to adjust my contact point downward to match the sweetspot. Once I did that, I found really good ability to generate spin in both stock and weighted configurations. Flat serves had a lot more speed when weighted, but that's also due to better timing because I'm swinging a familiar weight. The lower contact height and lower powered nature made my flat serves slower and lower bouncing.
Racquet performance - Volleys: Volleys are an area where the 107G really performed well for me in both stock and especially in weighted configurations. The lower sweetspot means a closer contact point to my hand and that increases control and accuracy. The 107G in stock configuration also feels very evenly weighted along the entire length of the racquet, so swings where the racquet moves as a whole without rotation feel solid and stable. The softer flex let me more easily take speed off and hit short angled volleys, but the evenly distributed weight always felt like a volley had some mass behind it so I could still put it away. After weighting up the racquet and making it more polarized, that feeling didn't disappear. It became more powerful but I still felt very comfortable aiming at smaller targets, and I have never felt as comfortable with any racquet at sharply angling off volleys. In both stock and weighted configurations, the 107G was more sensitive than average to incoming spin. I had to manipulate the stringbed angle more to compensate for topspin and underspin, but the 107G was also really, really good at letting the underspin bite into the string and deaden the ball speed. I hit some fantastic drop volleys off underspin shots and I am a mediocre touch volleyer.
Racquet performance - Serve returns: I didn't hit a lot of serve returns but did test it against two good servers, one righty and one lefty. In both cases, the 107G felt much better hitting flatter through the ball or chipping it back like a slightly extended volley. The 107G's flex made it easier to take speed off a fast serve than to add speed to a slower serve. I tried a few returns where I was well inside the baseline and just blocked it back and that works well with the 107G. I had pretty significant problems returning serve against the lefty. I never got fully comfortable hitting underspin backhands, and if I made contact higher on the stringbed, which was fairly often if the serve to my backhand had a lot of movement, the poor response off the top of the hoop and spin sensitivity usually popped the ball up short to a lefty's forehand for an easy sitter.
Continued in next post.
String and tension used for test: Solinco Confidential 1.20, first stringing was 49 mains/45 crosses, and second stringing was 46 mains/42 crosses.
Tennis experience/background: 62 years old, 4.5 rated, now primarily a tournament player, was ranked top 100 in the nation in 60 singles in 2021.
Playing style: Primarily singles player, aggressive baseliner who will come to net to finish off points. Mediocre doubles player.
Current racquet/string setup: Babolat Aero 112, weighted to 345 grams, 345 swingweight, using Solinco Confidential 1.20 at 49 mains/45 crosses.
How many hours did I play with the Phantom 107G: 14 hours.
General comments: The Prince website says an unstrung 107G is 305 grams and 10 points headlight. My racquet was 307.8 grams and 10 points headlight. Tennis Warehouse says a strung racquet is 323 grams 7 points headlight, and 320 swingweight. My strung racquet was 325.7 grams, 7 points headlight, and 320 swingweight according to Swingtool. My racquet was within 1% on weight and spot on in other parameters, so excellent quality control.
Stringing the racquet was very easy. The string spacing is very open because the outer mains and crosses are close to the edge of the frame. This makes weaving crosses a breeze. I strung one piece using a universal ATW pattern and the racquet required exactly 33 feet of string with 8'9" on the short side.
I played about eight hours with the racquet in stock configuration, then modified the racquet in two steps to 345 grams and 345 swingweight by using two layers of heat shrink sleeve on the grip, and lead tape from 9-11 and 1-3 o'clock on the hoop. The initial stringing lasted about seven hours and I replaced it with the same string at lower tension. When I initially tried adding weight to the 107G, I took off the trap door and found that one side of the divided opening was foam filled, while the other side was empty but irregularly shaped due to the middle wall having a bump in it. I placed all of the handle weighting externally.
I recorded my first hit with the Phantom 107G against a ball machine, where I also used a mid 1980's POG OS and a mid 1980's Precision Graphite.
Racquet performance - groundstrokes: In stock configuration, the Phantom 107G is a low powered racquet, especially when combined with a low powered string like Confidential. It takes a committed swing to generate good ball speed. The open string pattern generates a high launch angle, which combined with the lower powered nature had me hitting higher shots that landed slightly shorter in the court. The sweetspot is good sized but lower on the stringbed, being centered a little bit below the center of the hoop. The sweetspot doesn't extend high on the stringbed but you get good response almost all of the way down to the bridge. It took a bit of adjustment since I use an extended length and stiffer racquet with a sweetspot that is centered and extends up 2/3's of the way towards the top of the hoop. I consciously tried to hit the ball about two inches closer to my body.
I found that trying to increase my swingspeed when hitting topspin resulted in less ballspeed than I expected. In stock configuration, it feels like there isn't enough mass in the hoop, and the flexible frame bends away from contact, minimizing the ballspeed though spin generation is very good. I tended to swing more flat at the ball with the 107G, to get back the ball depth that I usually get.
I had problems initially with underspin backhands floating high on me, or I would try to adjust and pull them into the net. Normally, racquet with high launch angle easily generate low, biting slices but that wasn't the case with the 107G. I never got comfortable hitting underspin shots and resorted to a flatter bunt shot when I was rushed. This added to my problems playing defense with the 107G. Low powered means I had to be able to get some racquet head speed and that wasn't possible if I was really in a bad position and off balanced. Low speet spot location means balls that were far away from me that I mis-hit usually didn't make it to the net or resulted in an easy sitter. And my inability to figure out how to hit a defensive slice when under pressure prevented me from getting back to neutral once my opponent had me at a disadvantage.
After adding weight to the racquet, power levels increased and the sweet spot did raise slightly, though balls off the top of the hoop surprisingly felt worse. I could sort of feel the racquet flutter and bend in the middle when my opponent hit a hard shot and I caught the ball in the upper third of the hoop. The lower string tension on the second stringing also helped generate more ball speed on heavier topspin and underspin shots, and I was better able to hit an underspin backhand using my normal stroke.
Racquet performance - Serves: I didn't serve a lot with the 107G but I did find that I had to adjust my contact point downward to match the sweetspot. Once I did that, I found really good ability to generate spin in both stock and weighted configurations. Flat serves had a lot more speed when weighted, but that's also due to better timing because I'm swinging a familiar weight. The lower contact height and lower powered nature made my flat serves slower and lower bouncing.
Racquet performance - Volleys: Volleys are an area where the 107G really performed well for me in both stock and especially in weighted configurations. The lower sweetspot means a closer contact point to my hand and that increases control and accuracy. The 107G in stock configuration also feels very evenly weighted along the entire length of the racquet, so swings where the racquet moves as a whole without rotation feel solid and stable. The softer flex let me more easily take speed off and hit short angled volleys, but the evenly distributed weight always felt like a volley had some mass behind it so I could still put it away. After weighting up the racquet and making it more polarized, that feeling didn't disappear. It became more powerful but I still felt very comfortable aiming at smaller targets, and I have never felt as comfortable with any racquet at sharply angling off volleys. In both stock and weighted configurations, the 107G was more sensitive than average to incoming spin. I had to manipulate the stringbed angle more to compensate for topspin and underspin, but the 107G was also really, really good at letting the underspin bite into the string and deaden the ball speed. I hit some fantastic drop volleys off underspin shots and I am a mediocre touch volleyer.
Racquet performance - Serve returns: I didn't hit a lot of serve returns but did test it against two good servers, one righty and one lefty. In both cases, the 107G felt much better hitting flatter through the ball or chipping it back like a slightly extended volley. The 107G's flex made it easier to take speed off a fast serve than to add speed to a slower serve. I tried a few returns where I was well inside the baseline and just blocked it back and that works well with the 107G. I had pretty significant problems returning serve against the lefty. I never got fully comfortable hitting underspin backhands, and if I made contact higher on the stringbed, which was fairly often if the serve to my backhand had a lot of movement, the poor response off the top of the hoop and spin sensitivity usually popped the ball up short to a lefty's forehand for an easy sitter.
Continued in next post.
Injured Again
Hall of Fame
My review of the Prince Phantom 107G, part 2:
Power/Control: The 107G is a low powered racquet, and is still lower powered than average in weighted configuration. Power seems to drop off more than in stiffer racquets when trying to apply heavier spin. Control is very good because the sweetspot is closer to the hand so it's easier to have finer control. The 107G seems oriented towards control players who hit the ball relatively flat and win by placement rather than power.
Topspin/slice: I found with the 107G that when I tried to apply heavier spin, that the ball speed decreased more than expected. The open pattern on the 107G generated a high launch angle on topspin shots but I had difficulty in using that launch angle to generate biting underspin shots, especially at stock weight. With added weight, power levels rose on flat shots but ball speed seemed to increase to a greater extent on shots I tried to more heavily spin. The open string pattern makes the 107G very capable of generating spin, and even with a flat stroke trajectory, it is able to reverse incoming spin and generate slight topspin on groundstrokes.
Comfort: The 107G is a fanastically comfortable racquet! Balls hit in the sweet spot create almost no vibration. It has a very old school, almost wood racquet feel but with modern racquet levels of control. I never had any twinges after hitting with the racquet, even during sessions where I mis-hit more balls than usual. Shots that I did contact high on the stringbed had lower than average levels of impact shock, even with the stiff Confidential string that I used.
Feel: The 107G has an old school, almost wood racquet feel on clean shots. There's practically no vibration on clean contact, and a string dampener removes the last hint of the ball pinging off the strings so there is almost no high frequency harmonic to the impact noise. There's a strong sense of dwell time and pocketing, and the solid thud noise reinforces that sensation. The feel when volleying is exceptional, and it is immediately comfortable at net where it encourages touch volleys and aiming at smaller targets.
Maneuverability: I am fairly sensitive to static weight and swingweight, but not to twistweight. The 107G feels like it is very evenly weighted along the length of the racquet so it may be slightly less maneuverable than a more headlight racquet. Even in weighted configuration which increased the polarization of weight, I never felt the 107G was sluggish in any time. Being used to an extended length racquet, standard length racquets of the same static and swingweight just feel different and easier to swing and maneuver, and I found that to be the case with the 107G.
Stability: The 107G is typical of oversized racquets in terms of stability on off-axis hits. The sweetspot is wide and it doesn't twist an exceptional amount, and the wide string spacing seems to help launch the ball higher when I catch the ball off axis on the lower side of the hoop. That helped get the ball back a bit deeper into the court and keep me in the point at least one shot longer. In stock configuration, the lighter weight did make the 107G's sensitivity to incoming spin pretty noticeable, and that could be interpreted in instability as I could feel the racquet being jerked by that incoming spin. That feeling decreased with added weight to the hoop.
General comments: I have a POG3 from the mid 1980's and I compared the two. I restrung my POG with the same Confidential string at the same tension. Before hitting, I could see that the string spacing was much more open on the 107G, and that the 107G was nearly 60 grams lighter. They may share the same hoop shape and cross bridge, but other than that old school impact feel, they perform quite differently. The 40 year old POG is much more powerful but feels tired and flexy. The 107G feel stiffer and more modern.
The impact feel of the 107G should appeal to older players who may have used wood racquets. It has the same muted, solid, and long dwell time feel of a flexible wood racquet, but with better control and forgiveness of a stiffer, modern racquet. The 107G feels better suited to players who hit the ball flatter, and rely on placement rather than power. Lower string tensions seem to work better despite the very open string spacing, and a more powerful, more elastic, crisp feeling string than I used might be a good match. Older players, and especially older doubles players, who have joint or injury concerns will love the buttery feel of the 107G.
The 107G is hard on strings. I got seven hours out of my usual string whereas I typically get twelve hours in my normal racquet. Even a string with high surface hardness like Confidential notches within the first hour, even though that doesn't seem to affect ball response. The strings start moving and end up out of place within the first couple of hitting sessions.
The 107G is not a good match for my current playing style. As an age group competitive player, my strengths compared to my peers are generating ball speed and spin off the ground. I rarely play doubles, and when I volley in singles, I depend on having a relatively easy shot due to hitting a good approach shot. The 107G excels in accurate placement with moderate power shots, and has excellent control and feel on volleys. The 107G would be a good choice for a doubles specialist or a defensively oriented player who relies on pinpoint control to outlast opponents. It would also be a good choice for any player returning from an injury or while nursing an injury.
Thanks to Prince and Tennis Warehouse for allowing my participation in the test of the Phantom 107G.
Power/Control: The 107G is a low powered racquet, and is still lower powered than average in weighted configuration. Power seems to drop off more than in stiffer racquets when trying to apply heavier spin. Control is very good because the sweetspot is closer to the hand so it's easier to have finer control. The 107G seems oriented towards control players who hit the ball relatively flat and win by placement rather than power.
Topspin/slice: I found with the 107G that when I tried to apply heavier spin, that the ball speed decreased more than expected. The open pattern on the 107G generated a high launch angle on topspin shots but I had difficulty in using that launch angle to generate biting underspin shots, especially at stock weight. With added weight, power levels rose on flat shots but ball speed seemed to increase to a greater extent on shots I tried to more heavily spin. The open string pattern makes the 107G very capable of generating spin, and even with a flat stroke trajectory, it is able to reverse incoming spin and generate slight topspin on groundstrokes.
Comfort: The 107G is a fanastically comfortable racquet! Balls hit in the sweet spot create almost no vibration. It has a very old school, almost wood racquet feel but with modern racquet levels of control. I never had any twinges after hitting with the racquet, even during sessions where I mis-hit more balls than usual. Shots that I did contact high on the stringbed had lower than average levels of impact shock, even with the stiff Confidential string that I used.
Feel: The 107G has an old school, almost wood racquet feel on clean shots. There's practically no vibration on clean contact, and a string dampener removes the last hint of the ball pinging off the strings so there is almost no high frequency harmonic to the impact noise. There's a strong sense of dwell time and pocketing, and the solid thud noise reinforces that sensation. The feel when volleying is exceptional, and it is immediately comfortable at net where it encourages touch volleys and aiming at smaller targets.
Maneuverability: I am fairly sensitive to static weight and swingweight, but not to twistweight. The 107G feels like it is very evenly weighted along the length of the racquet so it may be slightly less maneuverable than a more headlight racquet. Even in weighted configuration which increased the polarization of weight, I never felt the 107G was sluggish in any time. Being used to an extended length racquet, standard length racquets of the same static and swingweight just feel different and easier to swing and maneuver, and I found that to be the case with the 107G.
Stability: The 107G is typical of oversized racquets in terms of stability on off-axis hits. The sweetspot is wide and it doesn't twist an exceptional amount, and the wide string spacing seems to help launch the ball higher when I catch the ball off axis on the lower side of the hoop. That helped get the ball back a bit deeper into the court and keep me in the point at least one shot longer. In stock configuration, the lighter weight did make the 107G's sensitivity to incoming spin pretty noticeable, and that could be interpreted in instability as I could feel the racquet being jerked by that incoming spin. That feeling decreased with added weight to the hoop.
General comments: I have a POG3 from the mid 1980's and I compared the two. I restrung my POG with the same Confidential string at the same tension. Before hitting, I could see that the string spacing was much more open on the 107G, and that the 107G was nearly 60 grams lighter. They may share the same hoop shape and cross bridge, but other than that old school impact feel, they perform quite differently. The 40 year old POG is much more powerful but feels tired and flexy. The 107G feel stiffer and more modern.
The impact feel of the 107G should appeal to older players who may have used wood racquets. It has the same muted, solid, and long dwell time feel of a flexible wood racquet, but with better control and forgiveness of a stiffer, modern racquet. The 107G feels better suited to players who hit the ball flatter, and rely on placement rather than power. Lower string tensions seem to work better despite the very open string spacing, and a more powerful, more elastic, crisp feeling string than I used might be a good match. Older players, and especially older doubles players, who have joint or injury concerns will love the buttery feel of the 107G.
The 107G is hard on strings. I got seven hours out of my usual string whereas I typically get twelve hours in my normal racquet. Even a string with high surface hardness like Confidential notches within the first hour, even though that doesn't seem to affect ball response. The strings start moving and end up out of place within the first couple of hitting sessions.
The 107G is not a good match for my current playing style. As an age group competitive player, my strengths compared to my peers are generating ball speed and spin off the ground. I rarely play doubles, and when I volley in singles, I depend on having a relatively easy shot due to hitting a good approach shot. The 107G excels in accurate placement with moderate power shots, and has excellent control and feel on volleys. The 107G would be a good choice for a doubles specialist or a defensively oriented player who relies on pinpoint control to outlast opponents. It would also be a good choice for any player returning from an injury or while nursing an injury.
Thanks to Prince and Tennis Warehouse for allowing my participation in the test of the Phantom 107G.
Hansen
Professional
if there is a chance i would get at least one, because it is the ultimate comfort and rehab frame. soft, muted and you can use soft strings and still have enough control and pretty good spin potential. that is the one frame i personally newer gonna sell
Gee
Hall of Fame
Yes I think so. However I also really love how easy it is hitting touch shots like half volleys, stop volleys and dropshots with the PP100x because of the big sweetspot and thin tapered beam.
The Head PP has more of a raw feel and feels more like an extension of my arm. I can exactly feel how I shape my swing and where the ball will land. A very satisfying experience!
The feedback of the HPP is also better as I clearly notice when I don't hit the sweetspot perfectly.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
My playtest review for the 2024 Phantom 100P:
Tennis experience/background:
49-yr-old 4.5 doubles player. Played as a junior; took a ~12 year break after high school, picked up again around 30; took another break after we had our 2nd son; picked it up again when the kids asked for tennis racquets for Christmas presents when they were 6/8; been playing w/ my sons for the last 8 years. Picked up TE about 4 years ago, seeking soft frames and low-tensioned string setups ever since.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
Usually s&v or approach on the +1; aggressive net player, lots of poaching, i formation, angles, touch volleys, etc.
Current racquet/string setups:
Powerflex 90, 93p, 97p, Phantom Pro 100, in order from current to past (I know I've been going down in head size, haha); recently Isospeed Cream poly 30 lb mains x Monogut ZXP 26 lb crosses, before that natural gut 40 lb mains x 36 lb ZXP crosses
How many hours did you play with the racquet? ~16 hr in doubles live ball clinics, son's private lessons (returning serve/point play), and a few sets of doubles.
Unmodified vs. modified:
308 g unstrung, didn't measure the balance (the racquet says 31.5 cm unstrung balance); but strung, it felt too close to even for me, as I prefer head light racquets.
My elbow felt a little sore after playing two consecutive days, but was fine the next day. I massaged it a little after playing yesterday. Prior to this playtest, I've been hitting the much heavier Powerflex Pro w/ leather grip, so I think the missing ~20 g and slightly stiffer (I know this sounds funny when talking about the phantom line) frame are to blame. W/o mods, this frame feels a little too light, too head heavy for my liking.
Fitted w a full leather grip and tungsten putty in the cap to 350 g. I like the head light balance and stability after modification. No more soreness in the elbow.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: Having played w/ 93 sq in for a few months now, and 97 sq in before that, I struggled w/ the larger headsize. Balls that usually drop in deep were sailing just a little long. Spin is easy w/ the 16 x 18 string pattern and the fast head speed needed for a thin-beamed stick like this. I probably need to hit w/ a 100 sq in racquet for a longer time period to dial in the extra power, most likely by adding more topspin. Oddly, I don't feel like I'm mishitting any less frequently than w/ my 93s.
-Serves: I'm not a big server. Both my shoulders are wrecked from a lifetime of surfing. I hit slow slices and kicks. The 100p feels very similar to the other racquets I normally serve w. I don't notice any increase in power from the bigger head size, mainly b/c I don't hit power serves.
-Volleys: The 100p is a typical Phantom: Great for volleys and any net play, in general. If you like feel/touch at the net, this is probably one of the top lines of racquets for you. This is me b/c that's my game in a nutshell. The thin, flexible frame coupled w/ a low tension string setup (extremely low in my case), maximizes feel and touch on volleys. Doubles is all about hitting to the empty court. If an opponent is playing back, you hit touch volleys that land short. This frame is perfect for doing just that. What about sticking deep, penetrating volleys, you ask? That's on you (and your technique). This racquet can do both, magnificently.
-Serve returns: Last week, my son and I played a couple sets w/ a coach (former D1 player) and a former D3 player. The coach suggested I take a step back on the returns to compensate. This works, as long as the serve kicks up high enough. Serves that land short, make me hit up, which induce a long return. Same as w/ groundstrokes, I probably just need a little more time to get used to the extra sq in head size.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- Sounds weird, but for me, this racquet lacked the control I'm used to (see current racquets for reference). Too much power during the playtest, but something that I could get used to w/ more playing time.
Top Spin/Slice- Easy spin, both top and slice from this frame. I love hitting low, penetrating approach slices and the 100p is perfect for this. The thin beam and head light balance (after mods) doesn't feel clunky and whips through the air easily.
Comfort- If you can't get comfort out of the Phantom line, you'd better outbid me on the Powerflexes, haha. This frame didn't feel any different than the previous Phantoms. Excellent comfort. My only complaint would be the light stock weight hurt my elbow before modding. After adding some weight, no issues.
Feel- This! If you want feel, buy this racquet. Feel to me is a result of dwell time and touch at the net (or maybe on drop shots, also). If feel to you is how much you can feel the shock of the ball hitting groundies, then that's not what this stick is about.
Maneuverability- Thin beams, head light racquets are the top echelon of maneuverability. Even weighted up to 350 g, this frame cuts through the air and is fast at the net.
Stability- Needs more weight than stock, in my experience. I guess it's dependent on your level and how hard your opponent hits, but I need more weight. My 17-yr-old son hits a big heavy ball. And he likes to try to peg me when I'm at the net, so you need some weight to reflex volley those big shots. I didn't notice any twisting problems.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
I played w/ my old Phantom Pro 100 the second half of my son's lesson today. I strung it w/ the same Cream/ZXP setup as the 100p. They feel so similar, it was a seamless transition between the two. The new 100p is a welcome update and continues to follow in the hallowed tradition of the Phantom line. If you're after a thin, flexible racquet for touch at the net, there aren't many better choices. For doubles, this is one of the best of the bunch. If you have had TE in the past, this is one of the softest current offerings.
However, if you lack your own power, I would look at one of the bigger head sizes or stiffer lines.
Lastly, the color is hideous compared to the classy paint jobs of the past iterations. I would not upgrade my current frames b/c of this current color. Maybe if we got the sparkly complex blue that Japan is getting later this year, I would buy an updated 93p or 97p.
Thanks to TW for the opportunity to playtest this new update to the 100p. I look forward to Prince releasing an updated 93p and 97p (Tim?) and would love to be part of the playtest.
Line up shot:
Tennis experience/background:
49-yr-old 4.5 doubles player. Played as a junior; took a ~12 year break after high school, picked up again around 30; took another break after we had our 2nd son; picked it up again when the kids asked for tennis racquets for Christmas presents when they were 6/8; been playing w/ my sons for the last 8 years. Picked up TE about 4 years ago, seeking soft frames and low-tensioned string setups ever since.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
Usually s&v or approach on the +1; aggressive net player, lots of poaching, i formation, angles, touch volleys, etc.
Current racquet/string setups:
Powerflex 90, 93p, 97p, Phantom Pro 100, in order from current to past (I know I've been going down in head size, haha); recently Isospeed Cream poly 30 lb mains x Monogut ZXP 26 lb crosses, before that natural gut 40 lb mains x 36 lb ZXP crosses
How many hours did you play with the racquet? ~16 hr in doubles live ball clinics, son's private lessons (returning serve/point play), and a few sets of doubles.
Unmodified vs. modified:
308 g unstrung, didn't measure the balance (the racquet says 31.5 cm unstrung balance); but strung, it felt too close to even for me, as I prefer head light racquets.
My elbow felt a little sore after playing two consecutive days, but was fine the next day. I massaged it a little after playing yesterday. Prior to this playtest, I've been hitting the much heavier Powerflex Pro w/ leather grip, so I think the missing ~20 g and slightly stiffer (I know this sounds funny when talking about the phantom line) frame are to blame. W/o mods, this frame feels a little too light, too head heavy for my liking.
Fitted w a full leather grip and tungsten putty in the cap to 350 g. I like the head light balance and stability after modification. No more soreness in the elbow.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: Having played w/ 93 sq in for a few months now, and 97 sq in before that, I struggled w/ the larger headsize. Balls that usually drop in deep were sailing just a little long. Spin is easy w/ the 16 x 18 string pattern and the fast head speed needed for a thin-beamed stick like this. I probably need to hit w/ a 100 sq in racquet for a longer time period to dial in the extra power, most likely by adding more topspin. Oddly, I don't feel like I'm mishitting any less frequently than w/ my 93s.
-Serves: I'm not a big server. Both my shoulders are wrecked from a lifetime of surfing. I hit slow slices and kicks. The 100p feels very similar to the other racquets I normally serve w. I don't notice any increase in power from the bigger head size, mainly b/c I don't hit power serves.
-Volleys: The 100p is a typical Phantom: Great for volleys and any net play, in general. If you like feel/touch at the net, this is probably one of the top lines of racquets for you. This is me b/c that's my game in a nutshell. The thin, flexible frame coupled w/ a low tension string setup (extremely low in my case), maximizes feel and touch on volleys. Doubles is all about hitting to the empty court. If an opponent is playing back, you hit touch volleys that land short. This frame is perfect for doing just that. What about sticking deep, penetrating volleys, you ask? That's on you (and your technique). This racquet can do both, magnificently.
-Serve returns: Last week, my son and I played a couple sets w/ a coach (former D1 player) and a former D3 player. The coach suggested I take a step back on the returns to compensate. This works, as long as the serve kicks up high enough. Serves that land short, make me hit up, which induce a long return. Same as w/ groundstrokes, I probably just need a little more time to get used to the extra sq in head size.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- Sounds weird, but for me, this racquet lacked the control I'm used to (see current racquets for reference). Too much power during the playtest, but something that I could get used to w/ more playing time.
Top Spin/Slice- Easy spin, both top and slice from this frame. I love hitting low, penetrating approach slices and the 100p is perfect for this. The thin beam and head light balance (after mods) doesn't feel clunky and whips through the air easily.
Comfort- If you can't get comfort out of the Phantom line, you'd better outbid me on the Powerflexes, haha. This frame didn't feel any different than the previous Phantoms. Excellent comfort. My only complaint would be the light stock weight hurt my elbow before modding. After adding some weight, no issues.
Feel- This! If you want feel, buy this racquet. Feel to me is a result of dwell time and touch at the net (or maybe on drop shots, also). If feel to you is how much you can feel the shock of the ball hitting groundies, then that's not what this stick is about.
Maneuverability- Thin beams, head light racquets are the top echelon of maneuverability. Even weighted up to 350 g, this frame cuts through the air and is fast at the net.
Stability- Needs more weight than stock, in my experience. I guess it's dependent on your level and how hard your opponent hits, but I need more weight. My 17-yr-old son hits a big heavy ball. And he likes to try to peg me when I'm at the net, so you need some weight to reflex volley those big shots. I didn't notice any twisting problems.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
I played w/ my old Phantom Pro 100 the second half of my son's lesson today. I strung it w/ the same Cream/ZXP setup as the 100p. They feel so similar, it was a seamless transition between the two. The new 100p is a welcome update and continues to follow in the hallowed tradition of the Phantom line. If you're after a thin, flexible racquet for touch at the net, there aren't many better choices. For doubles, this is one of the best of the bunch. If you have had TE in the past, this is one of the softest current offerings.
However, if you lack your own power, I would look at one of the bigger head sizes or stiffer lines.
Lastly, the color is hideous compared to the classy paint jobs of the past iterations. I would not upgrade my current frames b/c of this current color. Maybe if we got the sparkly complex blue that Japan is getting later this year, I would buy an updated 93p or 97p.
Thanks to TW for the opportunity to playtest this new update to the 100p. I look forward to Prince releasing an updated 93p and 97p (Tim?) and would love to be part of the playtest.
Line up shot:
I didn't post a detailed review of it. I hadn't played Volkl frames until this year when I traded for two C10 Pros and 2 PB10 Mid. They're both great frames. C10 Pro is definitely the easier of the two to play with.
My current bag load out is Angel Lime XL,PB10 Mid, C10 Pro, PC2.0, PK7G and currently the Prince ATS 95.
Also have a modded CX200 in there, but I have 2+ of all the other frames, so im probably gonna sell the CC and Boom Pro.
pedrogcr
Semi-Pro
Quick notes about the new Phantom 100x 290. I've been hitting with it (in stock form) exclusively for the last couple of weeks, mostly with the ball machine, but also a few hitting sessions with 2 of my usual hitting partners.
As expected, the racquet is fast! What was not expected is how stable it is for the weight. I was able to play with a lot of consistency, keeping a lot of balls in play for long rallies.
It's solid on both wings but, especially on my backhand, I kind of had to hit with a lot of topspin as the racquet in stock form (mine weights 300g strung) lacks the plow through to play a more attacking game and really flatten out shots from the baseline.
I'm going for another hit today and plan to customize it to match my old 100x 290 (gray/purple) extending it to 27.5 inches and adding about 20g to the handle and another 5g in the hoop to bring it to a still very fast 325g.
The idea is that the extra length and weight, coupled with the new layup, will give it the extra power and stability to improve the stick's serving and overall attacking ability while keeping it maneuverable enough due to the still lower weight.
Here are some pics of the racquet in stock form:
As expected, the racquet is fast! What was not expected is how stable it is for the weight. I was able to play with a lot of consistency, keeping a lot of balls in play for long rallies.
It's solid on both wings but, especially on my backhand, I kind of had to hit with a lot of topspin as the racquet in stock form (mine weights 300g strung) lacks the plow through to play a more attacking game and really flatten out shots from the baseline.
I'm going for another hit today and plan to customize it to match my old 100x 290 (gray/purple) extending it to 27.5 inches and adding about 20g to the handle and another 5g in the hoop to bring it to a still very fast 325g.
The idea is that the extra length and weight, coupled with the new layup, will give it the extra power and stability to improve the stick's serving and overall attacking ability while keeping it maneuverable enough due to the still lower weight.
Here are some pics of the racquet in stock form:
pedrogcr
Semi-Pro
And here is the Phantom with my older models 100x 290 and 305g, and the crown jewels of my Prince collection:
Sharapova's and Hantuchova's personal TX182p-100 SM4A 27.38" 18x19.
The Sharapova one is brand new (never strung) but I had just started using the two Hantuchova's as my main sticks before I got hurt in April, and they play great! More power than the old O3 Tour MP due to the wider beam (probably 22 or 23mm), but great control due to the 18x19 pattern.
Sharapova's and Hantuchova's personal TX182p-100 SM4A 27.38" 18x19.
The Sharapova one is brand new (never strung) but I had just started using the two Hantuchova's as my main sticks before I got hurt in April, and they play great! More power than the old O3 Tour MP due to the wider beam (probably 22 or 23mm), but great control due to the 18x19 pattern.
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pedrogcr
Semi-Pro
I hear you, but that's why I kept 2 of my original ported Phantom 100s!
Also, I'm sure I can find something else if I really look in my closet.
I've got anything from Ported, Classic, Twist power, Longbodies, Asia-only models, Pro Stocks...
Headsize: 100 - 107 (sold my only 93)
Length: 27 - 27.25 - 27.38 - 27.5 - 28"
Pattern: 16x16 - 16x18 - 16x19 - 18x19 - 18x20
That's only from Prince and I kept the multiples out of the picture (I know, I need help).
Hansen
Professional
i see you are good
Fed Kennedy
Legend
The 320 is GTG
Depends on what you're used to. I like the stability of a frame around 350 g. Head light balance keeps it maneuverable at the net and whippy off the ground.
Fed Kennedy
Legend
I’m on my third stringjob with the 320g 18x20. Fullbed Prince Tour XP 17 @45#
Played this morning and gutted out a W with this setup.
This racquet has no flaws and is a perfect fit for my game. Will be typing up my full review this week.
Played this morning and gutted out a W with this setup.
This racquet has no flaws and is a perfect fit for my game. Will be typing up my full review this week.
Nope. The 100P is playable stock, I think it's better with about 6-8g on the hoop tho.
BenC
Hall of Fame
I have a leather grip (+7g) and 3g of tungsten tape at 11/1 on my 107G and no plans for more weight (yet)
pedrogcr
Semi-Pro
The main thing I'm getting from your post is that you are trying to generalize comments from players with completely different backgrounds and, most importantly, about 5 different frames, with very different characteristics.
Yes, for ME, the 100x 290 (mine is 300g strung) will need at least 20g (most likely 25) to get to a weight level I'm used to. Actually most of my frames are around 340g strung, so this one will still be one of the lightest in my bag.
But I took advantage of TW's Father's Day 30% sale on Prince and have a 18x20 coming next week. That one starts at 320g, so I don't expect to have to add much (if any) weight to it.
codonnell
Semi-Pro
Prince phantom playtest 100x 305g Part 1
This was my first playtest from tennis warehouse and I would just like to say thank you! It’s been incredibly fun to play test and review a frame!
String and tension used for test:
Poly Tour Strike (pre strung Mid-tension by TW (55?) The Prince Phantom 100x 305 was played in stock form for its entirety.
Tennis experience/background:
-25 years old, 3.5-4.0 rating, I played 3 years of varsity high school singles 1 and 2 with a very small sample of men’s and mixed doubles for USTA when I was younger. I also took summer tennis camps every year from 7ish-13.
-I play in a singles winter men’s league, & during the summer I usually have a large group of guys play doubles most Saturday mornings.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
-Primarily a single’s player and growing into doubles. I tend to be an all around baseliner (both offensive and defensive who will grind from the back until I get a weak enough ball to go for a winner.
-I have a strong spiny forehand with good clearance and a very consistent backhand that’s flatter with a lot of pop.
-My volleys tend to be hit or miss, my touch volleys are better than my normal volleys.
-My flat serve has decent power but tend to sacrifice the placement and my slice serve is great when it’s on.
-My return game typically consists of flatter blocks to get the point started, but I would not call it a strength.
- I do rely quite a bit on my movement and decent speed to keep getting to balls and staying in the point for as long as possible.
Current racquet/string setups:
-My current frame is Babolat Aero Storm Gt weighted (currently experimenting) to about 11.6 332 sw 6 pts hl strung with Tourna Silver 7 tour @45ibs.
-I do have some history playing with prince which was my favorite brand as a kid before my teenage years and served as my transitional titanium frames to Carbon fiber (prince rage to prince prince air o thunder 100). I have also played with the beast 98 quite a bit which is a very solid frame.
How many hours did you play with the racquet?
-I played about 9 - 10 hours with the frame including a few hours of ball machine hitting, a couple hours of light hitting with friends and family, and a solid 4-5 hours of doubles with a bit of singles.
Groundstrokes:
-I felt the Phantom 100x 305 was very solid from the baseline , felt very whippy, and pretty stable for the weight. At no point was it hard to swing even during longer sessions. The racquet thrived when you committed to your mechanics and put a hard fast swing on the ball.
-Overall the response from the forehand was consistent and provided decent pace and definitely didn’t have anything fly out unpredictably. I felt the launch angle was really good and by no means super high for a 16-18 100 head size, especially on the forehand side. I thought the inside out forehand was one of the best shots for this frame due to the nice action and angle over the net and made hitting that far right corner easier than most frames.
-The backhand for me was less consistent for the flatter hitting side and the way the frame flexes just didn’t give me the same confidence and predictability. However, I thought what the frame did best on the backhand was neutralizing pace and when hit with the right conviction, was great for tighter angles (especially cross court). I also felt the Phantom 305 was also very good for backhand slices and finding depth was not difficult. The slice felt like it competed in the line of less headlight and solid weighted stock racquets in that regard.
Serves:
-The Phantom really surprised me on serves, being a thin, headlight, more traditional players frame I was not expecting it to offer a plus serve.
-Flat serves had plenty of pace, despite not being your stiffer power frames, gave me some free points, and provided a fantastic plush response on how clean I was hitting my serve, which you don’t always get in power frames.
-The slice and topspin serves were even better then flat. I felt like the frame really allows for easy racquet head speed in getting up and into the ball. At some points I felt like I couldn’t miss and got plenty of clearance over the net.
I feel like the Phantom 305 really took advantage of its 100 head size in this category and ran with it, giving it an enjoyable serving experience.
Volleys:
-The Phantom 305 was easy to move around the net on volleys, and was great for put aways and doubles.
-I could not quite dial in the drop shots but with some time I think they definitely have potential to be a positive for the racquet. I just felt that the frame kept pushing them too far away for the net than what I am used to.
-I typically prefer the backhand volley but due to the thin beam and mobility of the frame, getting around on forehand volleys was overall a great experience and easier to set up for. I think the Phantom could definitely provide some great volleys for frequent doubles players in the long run once getting more used to its responsiveness.
Serve returns
-The racquet was great on returns! It provided me with quite a few forehand down the line winners in singles and was able to slice and block back the backhands enough to get into the points. I felt like the racquet did great with neutralizing some power but also felt the frame could dig down for skidding slices, which was my favorite serve to return with this frame. The thin frame just really felt like you could wrap around the ball and with plenty of preparation. Gearing up for returns lets you be more creative with your shotmaking.
This was my first playtest from tennis warehouse and I would just like to say thank you! It’s been incredibly fun to play test and review a frame!
String and tension used for test:
Poly Tour Strike (pre strung Mid-tension by TW (55?) The Prince Phantom 100x 305 was played in stock form for its entirety.
Tennis experience/background:
-25 years old, 3.5-4.0 rating, I played 3 years of varsity high school singles 1 and 2 with a very small sample of men’s and mixed doubles for USTA when I was younger. I also took summer tennis camps every year from 7ish-13.
-I play in a singles winter men’s league, & during the summer I usually have a large group of guys play doubles most Saturday mornings.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
-Primarily a single’s player and growing into doubles. I tend to be an all around baseliner (both offensive and defensive who will grind from the back until I get a weak enough ball to go for a winner.
-I have a strong spiny forehand with good clearance and a very consistent backhand that’s flatter with a lot of pop.
-My volleys tend to be hit or miss, my touch volleys are better than my normal volleys.
-My flat serve has decent power but tend to sacrifice the placement and my slice serve is great when it’s on.
-My return game typically consists of flatter blocks to get the point started, but I would not call it a strength.
- I do rely quite a bit on my movement and decent speed to keep getting to balls and staying in the point for as long as possible.
Current racquet/string setups:
-My current frame is Babolat Aero Storm Gt weighted (currently experimenting) to about 11.6 332 sw 6 pts hl strung with Tourna Silver 7 tour @45ibs.
-I do have some history playing with prince which was my favorite brand as a kid before my teenage years and served as my transitional titanium frames to Carbon fiber (prince rage to prince prince air o thunder 100). I have also played with the beast 98 quite a bit which is a very solid frame.
How many hours did you play with the racquet?
-I played about 9 - 10 hours with the frame including a few hours of ball machine hitting, a couple hours of light hitting with friends and family, and a solid 4-5 hours of doubles with a bit of singles.
Groundstrokes:
-I felt the Phantom 100x 305 was very solid from the baseline , felt very whippy, and pretty stable for the weight. At no point was it hard to swing even during longer sessions. The racquet thrived when you committed to your mechanics and put a hard fast swing on the ball.
-Overall the response from the forehand was consistent and provided decent pace and definitely didn’t have anything fly out unpredictably. I felt the launch angle was really good and by no means super high for a 16-18 100 head size, especially on the forehand side. I thought the inside out forehand was one of the best shots for this frame due to the nice action and angle over the net and made hitting that far right corner easier than most frames.
-The backhand for me was less consistent for the flatter hitting side and the way the frame flexes just didn’t give me the same confidence and predictability. However, I thought what the frame did best on the backhand was neutralizing pace and when hit with the right conviction, was great for tighter angles (especially cross court). I also felt the Phantom 305 was also very good for backhand slices and finding depth was not difficult. The slice felt like it competed in the line of less headlight and solid weighted stock racquets in that regard.
Serves:
-The Phantom really surprised me on serves, being a thin, headlight, more traditional players frame I was not expecting it to offer a plus serve.
-Flat serves had plenty of pace, despite not being your stiffer power frames, gave me some free points, and provided a fantastic plush response on how clean I was hitting my serve, which you don’t always get in power frames.
-The slice and topspin serves were even better then flat. I felt like the frame really allows for easy racquet head speed in getting up and into the ball. At some points I felt like I couldn’t miss and got plenty of clearance over the net.
I feel like the Phantom 305 really took advantage of its 100 head size in this category and ran with it, giving it an enjoyable serving experience.
Volleys:
-The Phantom 305 was easy to move around the net on volleys, and was great for put aways and doubles.
-I could not quite dial in the drop shots but with some time I think they definitely have potential to be a positive for the racquet. I just felt that the frame kept pushing them too far away for the net than what I am used to.
-I typically prefer the backhand volley but due to the thin beam and mobility of the frame, getting around on forehand volleys was overall a great experience and easier to set up for. I think the Phantom could definitely provide some great volleys for frequent doubles players in the long run once getting more used to its responsiveness.
Serve returns
-The racquet was great on returns! It provided me with quite a few forehand down the line winners in singles and was able to slice and block back the backhands enough to get into the points. I felt like the racquet did great with neutralizing some power but also felt the frame could dig down for skidding slices, which was my favorite serve to return with this frame. The thin frame just really felt like you could wrap around the ball and with plenty of preparation. Gearing up for returns lets you be more creative with your shotmaking.
codonnell
Semi-Pro
Prince phantom playtest 100x 305g Part 2
Power/Control
Power
-At first I thought the power levels of the Phantom was quite low and I think for a 100 definitely sits toward the bottom in the pop category (minus the serves). But once I got more momentum I figured out that the frame definitely demands big cuts at the ball to get the most out of its power levels. It is not a frame you can simply bunt the ball back and have it land in.
-I had a friend of mine play with it for a session, she is an ultra flat ball power hitter that played for a (D2 or 3 college team), and she had plenty of power and painted lines perfectly. One shocking hiccup I had was that the top of the frame was quite dead and definitely did not have much energy return. However the power and sweet spot can easily be counteracted by dropping the tension (for power) or adding some weight around the 11 and 1 to 12. I will add that depth was not too difficult to find when swinging and did not result in too many high bouncing short balls, so despite the Phantoms lower power levels, if your taking full swings you will not get beat on.
Control
-I thought the Phantom definitely excelled in the control category. Placing serves and returns were easier and pulling shots wide was one of the racquets strengths. The consistent nature and feedback of the frame combined with the lower power lets you swing out and not worrying about hitting anything long.
-I do think there are better players frames that will give you that more precision surgical knife feeling but that typically will result in dropping the head size to a 98 or 95. Overall for a 100 head size 16-18 control is definitely above average but not the best around.
Top Spin/Slice
-Topspin was not bad on the Phamtom 305, but really only felt like a total positive from the baseline on the forehand side due to the nice launch angle and good reverse kick on the inside out forehand. I struggled a bit to generate spin on my already flat backhand and made it feel like my backhand could float more when trying to accentuate more of a spinner shot. Topspin serves were excellent allowing for more kick and clearance them usually and definitely less framed hits on my higher risk spin serves.
-Slice was good for the high headlight balance and low stock weight, typically I find that the lighter frames tend to struggle in this category. I had no problem with the mixing up the slice variety on the backhand whether it as tight knifing slices close to the net or higher popped up slices with good back spin, the Phantom can do it both. The slice serve may have been my favorite shot the Phantom 305 due to the action, placement, and forgiveness I could get with it.
Comfort
-It’s no surprise that the Phantom 305 was extremely comfortable hitting experience all around with a 59 flex. Even when I passed the racquet around for multiple other people to give it a try (comfort and feeling were the 2 most discussed and praised points of the frame). For me this was a completely different feeling from any of my main frames which have always been at or above a 65.
-My shoulders are not fantastic and had labrum and biceps tenedesis surgery on my left shoulder 7 months ago. I did not have any aches or pains when playing with this frame, not even any odd feelings on jarring hits. So I would definitely recommend it to people with arm sensitivity at least to demo to see if it works for you.
Feel
-The Phantom 100x 305 is a fantastic feeling stick, from the leathery feeling grip to the semi vibrations in the handle, it felt amazing. I will also comment the frame makes a very satisfying popping thumping sound and has no tininess or high pitched sounds. There was solid pocketing even from a higher strung tension and felt the racquet provided good feedback without being too raw, which can be a hard balancing act. It felt great from all areas of the court, but I think comparison to my own frames, the returns were just much more comfortable for receive and feel. For a small negative, I didn’t feel like the way the frame flexed at the top always agreed with me in the upper hoop , but anything middle to low was a solid response and almost felt like I was playing with a 98. To reiterate I had about 3-4 other people say just how much this racquet just feels good and nice.
Maneuverability
-The Maneuverability was excellent for the Phantom 305, at no point did I lose a rally due to not being able to prepare and get the frame around the ball. I think I would lose some of that if I added some lead tape even with some minor counterbalancing and would recommend new users at-least try it in stock a couple times if your spec range is sub 12. I loved the headlight balance of this frame and my try to even bring it over to my aero storm. This shined the most on serves and volleys but at the detriment of some extra power from the baseline which may force some to adjust their swing and timing.
Closing Thoughts
-The Prince Phantom 100x 305 is a very unique racquet which tries to do a lot of different things well. Some aspects it succeeds in more than others like comfort and feel, while others it falls short like power and touch shots. I do think this frame plays more like a 98 when it comes to live play besides the exception of serving and returning.
-I would recommend this to:
Power/Control
Power
-At first I thought the power levels of the Phantom was quite low and I think for a 100 definitely sits toward the bottom in the pop category (minus the serves). But once I got more momentum I figured out that the frame definitely demands big cuts at the ball to get the most out of its power levels. It is not a frame you can simply bunt the ball back and have it land in.
-I had a friend of mine play with it for a session, she is an ultra flat ball power hitter that played for a (D2 or 3 college team), and she had plenty of power and painted lines perfectly. One shocking hiccup I had was that the top of the frame was quite dead and definitely did not have much energy return. However the power and sweet spot can easily be counteracted by dropping the tension (for power) or adding some weight around the 11 and 1 to 12. I will add that depth was not too difficult to find when swinging and did not result in too many high bouncing short balls, so despite the Phantoms lower power levels, if your taking full swings you will not get beat on.
Control
-I thought the Phantom definitely excelled in the control category. Placing serves and returns were easier and pulling shots wide was one of the racquets strengths. The consistent nature and feedback of the frame combined with the lower power lets you swing out and not worrying about hitting anything long.
-I do think there are better players frames that will give you that more precision surgical knife feeling but that typically will result in dropping the head size to a 98 or 95. Overall for a 100 head size 16-18 control is definitely above average but not the best around.
Top Spin/Slice
-Topspin was not bad on the Phamtom 305, but really only felt like a total positive from the baseline on the forehand side due to the nice launch angle and good reverse kick on the inside out forehand. I struggled a bit to generate spin on my already flat backhand and made it feel like my backhand could float more when trying to accentuate more of a spinner shot. Topspin serves were excellent allowing for more kick and clearance them usually and definitely less framed hits on my higher risk spin serves.
-Slice was good for the high headlight balance and low stock weight, typically I find that the lighter frames tend to struggle in this category. I had no problem with the mixing up the slice variety on the backhand whether it as tight knifing slices close to the net or higher popped up slices with good back spin, the Phantom can do it both. The slice serve may have been my favorite shot the Phantom 305 due to the action, placement, and forgiveness I could get with it.
Comfort
-It’s no surprise that the Phantom 305 was extremely comfortable hitting experience all around with a 59 flex. Even when I passed the racquet around for multiple other people to give it a try (comfort and feeling were the 2 most discussed and praised points of the frame). For me this was a completely different feeling from any of my main frames which have always been at or above a 65.
-My shoulders are not fantastic and had labrum and biceps tenedesis surgery on my left shoulder 7 months ago. I did not have any aches or pains when playing with this frame, not even any odd feelings on jarring hits. So I would definitely recommend it to people with arm sensitivity at least to demo to see if it works for you.
Feel
-The Phantom 100x 305 is a fantastic feeling stick, from the leathery feeling grip to the semi vibrations in the handle, it felt amazing. I will also comment the frame makes a very satisfying popping thumping sound and has no tininess or high pitched sounds. There was solid pocketing even from a higher strung tension and felt the racquet provided good feedback without being too raw, which can be a hard balancing act. It felt great from all areas of the court, but I think comparison to my own frames, the returns were just much more comfortable for receive and feel. For a small negative, I didn’t feel like the way the frame flexed at the top always agreed with me in the upper hoop , but anything middle to low was a solid response and almost felt like I was playing with a 98. To reiterate I had about 3-4 other people say just how much this racquet just feels good and nice.
Maneuverability
-The Maneuverability was excellent for the Phantom 305, at no point did I lose a rally due to not being able to prepare and get the frame around the ball. I think I would lose some of that if I added some lead tape even with some minor counterbalancing and would recommend new users at-least try it in stock a couple times if your spec range is sub 12. I loved the headlight balance of this frame and my try to even bring it over to my aero storm. This shined the most on serves and volleys but at the detriment of some extra power from the baseline which may force some to adjust their swing and timing.
Closing Thoughts
-The Prince Phantom 100x 305 is a very unique racquet which tries to do a lot of different things well. Some aspects it succeeds in more than others like comfort and feel, while others it falls short like power and touch shots. I do think this frame plays more like a 98 when it comes to live play besides the exception of serving and returning.
-I would recommend this to:
- Doubles player/specialist rather than a singles player due to its excellent headlight balance and decent stability for it’s weight
- Atleast a 3.5 level, but the racquet would do more damage and really start to unlock its potential at 4.0 and above since it takes some effort to get the power and consistency going
- People with arm sensitivity looking for a comfortable players frame due to its sub 60 stiffness
- Players looking for a more forgiving players frame and who are possibly looking for more consistency on serves and return games
- Players who like camouflage themed paint jobs or the color green
- People who enjoy thin beamed frames low powered frames for a 100 head size (percept 100 and blade 100 come to mind as good frames to demo with the Phantom 305)
aussie
Professional
Agree. I've got 2 (one 18x20 and one 16x18) and I've not found better racquets for your arm. But more than just comfort they are superb to play with offering spin, control, ample pace and great racquet head speed due to the ports. My Phantoms are the backups to my 9 year old Tours.
tennis1111
Semi-Pro
One question for you who played with new and old 305g Phantom. Are the grips same size?
I'm playing with old Phantom X 305g L4 but other brands (Babolat or Yonex) with L3, so Prince grips runs little bit smaller for me. Thanks!
I'm playing with old Phantom X 305g L4 but other brands (Babolat or Yonex) with L3, so Prince grips runs little bit smaller for me. Thanks!
loosegroove
Hall of Fame
In my opinion the grip continues to feel a tad smaller than other brands. The new Phantom in L3 feels smaller than I’m accustomed to, yet I don’t feel that way about my L3 Yonex Vcore. My main rackets the past few years have been a pair of previous iteration L4 Phantoms.
codonnell
Semi-Pro
I agree, I have not played with the older model but to me it plays on the smaller end once compressed a bit, they are closer to my
Older l2 babolats compared to the newer models which I find thicker. I do like the prince grip shape compared to other brands.
Fed Kennedy
Legend
Prince pricing is righteous right now on TW. So cool that they are doing this.
Fighting phoenix
Professional
Prince Phantom 100X 305 Playtest / Review
String and tension used for test: I used the strings provided (already strung on arrival), which were Poly Tour Drive at around 45 lbs (typically I string my racquets around ~50 lbs, which is where these I believe were strung, but on arrival I measured and is seemed to be in the lower 40s)
Tennis experience/background: Former Junior/College player, didn't play very much until around 3 years ago, and since then I've been playing on 4.0/4.5 teams, mostly singles but also more doubles recently. 52 yrs old, very familiar with Prince legacy frames, and in my 20s I mained the white Tripe Threat Warrior for a couple of years.
Describe your playing style: all court player, crafty lefty spin / kick serves and slice backhands, very comfortable at the net, mix up longer rallies with attacking tennis when appropriate.
Current racquet/string setups: Pure Strike 100 16x20 (gen 4), full poly (typically Lynx Tour or RPM Blast orange/rough) at around 50 lbs.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 10+ hours in singles, doubles, and drills.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke:
-Groundstrokes: felt really great rallying from the baseline - easy depth, fairly high launch angle for the type of racquet that it is (higher than my Pure Strike). Not a ton of easy put away power, but very comfortable and control oriented - even though I didn't feel like I could crush the ball like I sometimes due with my Pure Strike on the forehand size, I could easily dictate rallies with the easy depth I was getting. Fairly forgiving on mishits, backhand slices and two-handed top spin shots felt great, overall I felt like this racquet was great at the baseline.
-Serves: serves were average for me, with the biggest strength being directional control - really point and shoot in terms of placement. However, I wasn't getting the easy kick and power I get from my regular Pure Strike. Overall, I would say that it's an average serving frame.
-Volleys: volleys felt very comfortable - forgiving on off center shots, great depth and ability to place volleys where I wanted them, and nice touch / feel around the net in general. Put away volleys and overheads were just fine, but regular volleys and touch shots were where this racquet really shined.
-Serve returns: as stated above, stability was great, as was ability to get easy depth on my returns. I would also say that this racquet felt very maneuverable and quick to adjust when needed on returns. However, I really had to go all out if I wanted to attack on returns (not a lot of help / free power in that regard).
Comments on racquet performance in each area:
Power/Control- power wasn't great, as I mentioned, but I felt that the higher launch angle and easy depth compensated for that. Control was great - definitely a point and shoot racquet from my perspective.
Top Spin/Slice- the string bed is fairly open, which allowed me to hit with topspin and slice with no issues whatsoever. Not necessarily a signature strength of the frame, but in my view very good and wouldn't hold me back in any way.
Comfort- definitely a signature strength of the racquet. It felt plush and comfortable, and no arm issues at all (I can get some early tennis elbow when playing with too stiff of a set up, and shoulder pain at times, but didn't get any of that from the phantom). Although I'm not planning on switching to this, it's definitely a good frame for me to hold onto in case I get arm issues in the future.
Feel- although I like the flex and feel around net, and it feels plush from the baseline, I didn't love the muted nature of the feel. I know this is where most racquets are at these days, but I definitely feel that the Gen 4 strikes are crisper and more solid feeling. I also think I would have enjoyed the feel a bit more if it was slightly stiffer.
Maneuverability- no issues with maneuverability at all - I could definitely feel that this racquet was 6-7 pts head light stock, which was great especially given that it was in the low 320s swingweight (strung) range. Easy to whip around from the baseline and adjust quickly at the net or on return of serves.
Stability- very stable on off center shots, again I felt like this was a real strength of the racquet.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: although I wouldn't switch to this, I think it's a winning racquet - very high quality feel, great from all areas of the court, in general just a very solid stick and would be an excellent option for someone looking for a more comfortable 100 sq in frame. The two main reasons I wouldn't switch to this would be 1) given my age, I need a little more help in the power department, and 2) feel was just OK for me. I'm really happy Prince is back making very high quality racquets, and loved the opportunity to be a part of this play test! Thank you TW and Prince!!
String and tension used for test: I used the strings provided (already strung on arrival), which were Poly Tour Drive at around 45 lbs (typically I string my racquets around ~50 lbs, which is where these I believe were strung, but on arrival I measured and is seemed to be in the lower 40s)
Tennis experience/background: Former Junior/College player, didn't play very much until around 3 years ago, and since then I've been playing on 4.0/4.5 teams, mostly singles but also more doubles recently. 52 yrs old, very familiar with Prince legacy frames, and in my 20s I mained the white Tripe Threat Warrior for a couple of years.
Describe your playing style: all court player, crafty lefty spin / kick serves and slice backhands, very comfortable at the net, mix up longer rallies with attacking tennis when appropriate.
Current racquet/string setups: Pure Strike 100 16x20 (gen 4), full poly (typically Lynx Tour or RPM Blast orange/rough) at around 50 lbs.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 10+ hours in singles, doubles, and drills.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke:
-Groundstrokes: felt really great rallying from the baseline - easy depth, fairly high launch angle for the type of racquet that it is (higher than my Pure Strike). Not a ton of easy put away power, but very comfortable and control oriented - even though I didn't feel like I could crush the ball like I sometimes due with my Pure Strike on the forehand size, I could easily dictate rallies with the easy depth I was getting. Fairly forgiving on mishits, backhand slices and two-handed top spin shots felt great, overall I felt like this racquet was great at the baseline.
-Serves: serves were average for me, with the biggest strength being directional control - really point and shoot in terms of placement. However, I wasn't getting the easy kick and power I get from my regular Pure Strike. Overall, I would say that it's an average serving frame.
-Volleys: volleys felt very comfortable - forgiving on off center shots, great depth and ability to place volleys where I wanted them, and nice touch / feel around the net in general. Put away volleys and overheads were just fine, but regular volleys and touch shots were where this racquet really shined.
-Serve returns: as stated above, stability was great, as was ability to get easy depth on my returns. I would also say that this racquet felt very maneuverable and quick to adjust when needed on returns. However, I really had to go all out if I wanted to attack on returns (not a lot of help / free power in that regard).
Comments on racquet performance in each area:
Power/Control- power wasn't great, as I mentioned, but I felt that the higher launch angle and easy depth compensated for that. Control was great - definitely a point and shoot racquet from my perspective.
Top Spin/Slice- the string bed is fairly open, which allowed me to hit with topspin and slice with no issues whatsoever. Not necessarily a signature strength of the frame, but in my view very good and wouldn't hold me back in any way.
Comfort- definitely a signature strength of the racquet. It felt plush and comfortable, and no arm issues at all (I can get some early tennis elbow when playing with too stiff of a set up, and shoulder pain at times, but didn't get any of that from the phantom). Although I'm not planning on switching to this, it's definitely a good frame for me to hold onto in case I get arm issues in the future.
Feel- although I like the flex and feel around net, and it feels plush from the baseline, I didn't love the muted nature of the feel. I know this is where most racquets are at these days, but I definitely feel that the Gen 4 strikes are crisper and more solid feeling. I also think I would have enjoyed the feel a bit more if it was slightly stiffer.
Maneuverability- no issues with maneuverability at all - I could definitely feel that this racquet was 6-7 pts head light stock, which was great especially given that it was in the low 320s swingweight (strung) range. Easy to whip around from the baseline and adjust quickly at the net or on return of serves.
Stability- very stable on off center shots, again I felt like this was a real strength of the racquet.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: although I wouldn't switch to this, I think it's a winning racquet - very high quality feel, great from all areas of the court, in general just a very solid stick and would be an excellent option for someone looking for a more comfortable 100 sq in frame. The two main reasons I wouldn't switch to this would be 1) given my age, I need a little more help in the power department, and 2) feel was just OK for me. I'm really happy Prince is back making very high quality racquets, and loved the opportunity to be a part of this play test! Thank you TW and Prince!!
jonestim
Hall of Fame
I am testing the 107g, which has similar specs (weight and swingweight) to my Gen 2 100x 305. On both I added 2 grams at 12 and that's it. It wasn't unplayable stock, but I do prefer it with a touch of lead. They do not need 20g.
tennis1111
Semi-Pro
Great review. Glead you compared it with new PS 16x20 so we can get better picture.
Can you please compare little bit more PS 16x20 with Phantom 305 in terms of comfort, meneuverability, power and feel? Do you consider switching to Phantom 305 from PS 16x20?
Fighting phoenix
Professional
The racquets aren't that different w/r to balance and swingweight, so similar in terms of maneuverability. The PS 100 16x20 has more power and a firmer, more direct feel. I would not switch to the Phantom as I like the more direct, crisp feel and the extra power I get from the Pure Strike, but the Phantom is a very good racquet and if I ever have arm issues down the line I'd re-consider switching to it.
Injured Again
Hall of Fame
The 107G is playable at stock weight but in my opinion has some limitations. Adding weight may minimize those limitations but create others.
In the end, it’s really about what you are used to and if you want to make the 107G into a facsimile of that. Even though I’m one of those who added more than 20 grams, my opinion is that wanting to add that much weight probably means there are other racquets that would be a better starting point if you were to switch racquets.
aussie
Professional
Strangely, I find that opposite to be the case with Prince. For me the grip sizes are running bigger than the old Prince grip sizes. The new size 3 seems as big as the old size 4 and new size 2 is as big as the old size 3. I prefer size 4 and picked up a size 2 Phantom 100X 290 which with one overgrip seems to be a size 4.
Main thing for me is I've always loved the Prince grip shape - and I've always struggled with Volkl grips and to a lessor extent Pro Kennex. I like all 8 bevels to be approx the same size.
tele
Hall of Fame
I think the perceived size difference may be due due to the new resi tex grips. I have princes in size 3 from 2009, 2012, and 2022, and I did not find a noticeable difference when the same replacement grip was used.
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