Tennis Warehouse Playtest: Tecnifibre TFight 2025
- Thread starter TW Staff
- Start date
Noted. All the more reason that I may cut out Co-Focus 1.23 mains / 1.18 crosses, which added exactly 30pts of SW (going from 294 to 324) and try a straight-up full-bed of 1.18, in the hopes of a little less face weight and maybe 28-29 pts of SW, before throwing in the single demo set of Razor Soft White 1.25.
EggSalad
Hall of Fame
I also agree that the 305S is a very comfortable frame. I played last night in 45 degree weather with a full bed of Hawk Touch 1.25 @ 48lbs and had no discomfort at all. I’d imagine it is the foam, as those types of frames are always comfortable to me.
But it’s significant because I’ve been battling tightness in my forearm and inflammation for months, trying to keep TE from developing. Since playing with the 305S, all of that is basically gone.
FoldingChair
Semi-Pro
Hello and thank you @Djinn!
Yes I measured it multiple times because I didn’t feel like it added up either but those were the numbers it kept producing. To be honest though, this kitchen scale I was using is rather old and has been through a few home moves. It may very well be off but I can’t imagine it’s off by much. I also don’t cut my overgrips. I’ve been flipping them upside down lately and going to the top with the tapered sticky end (tf overgrip that was provided). Also a tourna o damp. Not sure how heavy that is. It’s been on there every time I measured weight... I have neglected some details, my apologies all!
FoldingChair
Semi-Pro
I believe the email said March 14 or so but yes @TW Staff please update if possible! Thank you!
Looks like @TW Staff forgot to update the original post. In the selection notification email, there is a deadline of Friday, March 14 by 5PM PST.
That said, I never received my frame until 2/20, so I'm hoping they'll give me an extra week (will email on that shortly).
Vicious49
Legend
So you want a lower SW than the 324 you're at now? Mine came in a bit lower than yours to begin with at 288/289 SW. I added 1g of lead at 12 to get them to 323 and another 1g to get them to 326. I found my sweet spot was 323. I could feel the power difference with each change. Stock felt a bit underpowered and 326SW felt amazing but as I got tired I was late with it. I settled in at 323 which is pretty much were you're at now. But try the lower SW and let us know what you think.
@Vicious49 - At 294sw unstrung, my copy feels like it has plenty of hoop mass, and not once during my initial session did I feel like I would want to add lead. On the contrary, it has enough stability baked into the frame itself, that I was curious as to how much face weight I might be able to remove, to potentially gain even more racquet head speed, without losing too much plow-through and/or overall stability. Thus my wonderment about thinner/lighter poly and/or a hybrid, to get SW down from 324-325 to more like 321-323, to see if the above is still possible. So yeah, that's my reasoning, up until now anyways.
Please, there’s absolutely no need to apologize! I was just curious. I think the full length overgrip + dampener + a scale that may be slightly off are perfectly good explanations. Thanks for the clarification!
Again, thanks for the review, it was great.
DF tennis
New User
I've got a 305S with Razor code soft. Defiantly not my favourite string.
My go to is usually Head Lynx Tour at around 46lbs, but it's pretty stiff (and thick even in 1.20 gauge) string, and temperatures are very low here. Wondering if anyone has any suggestions for something a bit more cold weather friendly.
My go to is usually Head Lynx Tour at around 46lbs, but it's pretty stiff (and thick even in 1.20 gauge) string, and temperatures are very low here. Wondering if anyone has any suggestions for something a bit more cold weather friendly.
Razor Soft White? It's pretty comfortable to me, I strung it at 47/45.
smithie
Professional
I found Razor Soft (White) to be uncomfortable in very cold weather (I wrote about it in my review) but found it comfortable for the rest of the time. ReString Sync is somewhat similar but I personally prefer Razor Soft (White)
smithie
Professional
@Trip luckily for me I was happy at my normal reference tension of 48/46 so will just string back at that next (which won’t be too long now as I’ve given up on Tour Sniper and just passed 8 hours with ReString Sync). The only caveat would be that I would drop it a 2-4 lbs if the really cold weather comes back to try and elevate the discomfort.
Last edited:
ChrisJR3264
Hall of Fame
I am going to string this up in either razor code /multi hybrid or full bed of ice code.
Ice code has been a great string to use in the tfight 305 ‘s. Hoping this works as well.
Ice code has been a great string to use in the tfight 305 ‘s. Hoping this works as well.
adchris2
Rookie
taking it out for a spin tomorrow with 7g of lead tape added. 6 in the handle and 1 in the upper hoop. Will report back. The frame feels a bit anemic in stock form.
A quick bullet point recap on 305S session #2 today, a quick 45 minute hit with it the semi-fast indoor hard courts:
- Co-Focus Red 1.23/1.18 is probably ready to come out. I think the frame needs something a bit more supple in feel, and more equal gauge in mains and crosses. Might string full bed Swift White 1.25 or Razor Soft White 1.25 next.
- Stability-to-swing-weight ratio is very high, and precision for the amount of power you get has to be close to class-leading.
- Strongest shots are probably first serves and returns, for their zero-to-moving acceleration ability couple with how much stability can be deployed on both types of shots.
- Grip shape issue reared its ugly head again, this time making it mainly hardest to sit properly in the hand on a few forehands, where today the backhand was working a bit better. That flip-flop tells me there is probably work to be done on the grip pallet, to optimize it to my needs. We'll see if I actually choose to pursue that with the playtest sample.
That's all I've got for now. Planning another hit tomorrow morning. Will update again afterwards.
- Co-Focus Red 1.23/1.18 is probably ready to come out. I think the frame needs something a bit more supple in feel, and more equal gauge in mains and crosses. Might string full bed Swift White 1.25 or Razor Soft White 1.25 next.
- Stability-to-swing-weight ratio is very high, and precision for the amount of power you get has to be close to class-leading.
- Strongest shots are probably first serves and returns, for their zero-to-moving acceleration ability couple with how much stability can be deployed on both types of shots.
- Grip shape issue reared its ugly head again, this time making it mainly hardest to sit properly in the hand on a few forehands, where today the backhand was working a bit better. That flip-flop tells me there is probably work to be done on the grip pallet, to optimize it to my needs. We'll see if I actually choose to pursue that with the playtest sample.
That's all I've got for now. Planning another hit tomorrow morning. Will update again afterwards.
DF tennis
New User
It's funny so many people mention the grip shape as Iast year I interchanged with an ezone 100 (didn't like) and a 300 RS. The grip shape difference wasn't even noticeable in the hand without thinking about it.
When testing my 305S, I borrowed a Speed MP for 10 mins. The grip shape was noticeably worse on the Speed leading it to feel more like it was twisting. I know the twist weight is lower on the Speed, but my partner wasn't exactly hitting bombs.
When testing my 305S, I borrowed a Speed MP for 10 mins. The grip shape was noticeably worse on the Speed leading it to feel more like it was twisting. I know the twist weight is lower on the Speed, but my partner wasn't exactly hitting bombs.
For this morning's session, slapped on a quick 5g of .25g/inch lead tape at palm-center on the base grip (will cover with over grip), to lower the balance point for easier pivoting on the OHBH (hopefully) and increase recoil weight closer to my preferred. Spec is now 333.3g/31.4cm/324sw/20.5mgr/i/171rw:
MGR/i is still lower than I'd ideally like, but I'll roll with it for now. 90 minute session coming up. We'll see how she plays.
Yeah that can work, too.
PrinceYonex
Semi-Pro
Review of the Tecnifibre Tfight 300S
Thanks @TW Staff for giving me a chance to playtest this frame.
Unstrung specs:
Static weight: 299g
Swingweight: 286
I have played the racquet without modifications for the duration of the playtest.
String and tension used for test: Gut main 1.3 / Ghostwire cross 1.22 (53 lbs)
Tennis experience/background: Played through high school, stopped playing entirely for 20+ years, been back playing for the past 6 years. UTR 7, USTA 4.0, have also played both doubles and singles in 4.5 leagues.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I aspire to be an all court player, comfortable grinding from the baseline but like closing out points at the net. I go through periods of time where I dream of being a hardcore S/V player.
Current racquet/string setups: Have been playing with the Blade Pro 16/19 for the past two years, mostly with gut/poly string set ups.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? ~15
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes:
I love this racquet on my backhand. Feels like I can take the ball early and just rip. On my forehand, I also feel the power of this racquet but maybe too much so. On the forehand side, the ball sometimes gets away from me. One issue is that the swingweight of this frame is considerably lower than my normal frame, and so I am swinging a lot faster, and it will take some more time to fully adjust to this.
-Serves:
The racquet comes through so fast. It definitely feels like I am generating more pace and spin with this racquet than my regular frame. I’ve been a little inconsistent at times, but it’s worth noting that I have been coming back from a shoulder injury. Usually the serve is what takes longest to get back into shape.
-Volleys:
This racquet is ultra maneuverable and yet oddly stable for its weight. It is easy and fun to use up at net, even if it isn’t as rock solid as one might want for volleying. It is incredibly easy to hammer overheads with this frame – and I’m normally pretty inconsistent on those. Alongside the backhand, I would say that the overhead is the most fun to hit with this frame.
-Serve returns:
RoS is probably the one main weak spot for this frame. It’s here more than elsewhere where I notice that the racquet is not as stable as my normal Blade Pros. Against heavy serves, anything that isn’t hit very cleanly tends to wobble a bit, and I do not have the same confidence that I have with my normal frame.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- The 300S has really nice power. It does not take a lot of effort to hammer the ball, but the downside is that (especially on my forehand wing) I do sometimes lose confidence in swinging out, and that leads me to lose control.
Top Spin/Slice- Because of the maneuverability of the frame, it’s easy to generate spin. I have been surprised by how nicely I can cut through slices. Normally I much prefer a heftier frame to knife slices, but somehow this frame, at a low swingweight, does a good job with it.
Comfort/Feel- I’ve seen others comment on this frame feeling too stiff. With gut mains, I have found the frame to be firm but not uncomfortable. I have, at times, found the firmness to leave my shoulder a little sore, but I think that is because I’m swinging a lot faster with this frame than with my normal Blade pros, and I’m still adjusting to that. The racquet does not have that sort of muted feel of racquets with damping-tech (e.g., Yonex’s VDM), so it tends to have a somewhat more classic/raw feel.
Maneuverability- Tremendously maneuverable. I’ve generally played with racquets with significantly higher swingweights, so the contrast is very evident. The maneuverability is one of the gold stars for this racquet.
Stability- Certainly this racquet won’t have the stability of a Blade Pro – or even a Pure Aero 98, for that matter. But it is surprisingly stable for the relatively low static weight and swingweight of the frame. The only place where the 300S felt a little lacking in this category was on return of serve.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This racquet is incredibly fun to play with. It might even be the most fun I’ve ever had with a racquet. Hyperbole? Perhaps. But it absolutely flies through the air, generates ridiculous power for its weight, gives you occasions where you just marvel at what you’ve been able to do with the ball. I also like the fact that, for a tweener-type frame, the beam is still not all that thick; it feels relatively thin in hand; and it’s the same thickness across its length.
That said, I don’t think this frame ultimately is the best for my own performance. I get more consistency from the Blade Pro (which, of course, I’ve spent two years habituating to). I’ve also been messing around with a Pure Aero 98 lately, and I find that frame is less maneuverable than the 300S but has better plow and gives me better control (that is, I feel less erratic with my shots) – must be that 20th cross! Overall, then, the 300S will stay in my bag for now because it continues to be a wonderfully fun racquet to play with
Thanks @TW Staff for giving me a chance to playtest this frame.
Unstrung specs:
Static weight: 299g
Swingweight: 286
I have played the racquet without modifications for the duration of the playtest.
String and tension used for test: Gut main 1.3 / Ghostwire cross 1.22 (53 lbs)
Tennis experience/background: Played through high school, stopped playing entirely for 20+ years, been back playing for the past 6 years. UTR 7, USTA 4.0, have also played both doubles and singles in 4.5 leagues.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I aspire to be an all court player, comfortable grinding from the baseline but like closing out points at the net. I go through periods of time where I dream of being a hardcore S/V player.
Current racquet/string setups: Have been playing with the Blade Pro 16/19 for the past two years, mostly with gut/poly string set ups.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? ~15
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes:
I love this racquet on my backhand. Feels like I can take the ball early and just rip. On my forehand, I also feel the power of this racquet but maybe too much so. On the forehand side, the ball sometimes gets away from me. One issue is that the swingweight of this frame is considerably lower than my normal frame, and so I am swinging a lot faster, and it will take some more time to fully adjust to this.
-Serves:
The racquet comes through so fast. It definitely feels like I am generating more pace and spin with this racquet than my regular frame. I’ve been a little inconsistent at times, but it’s worth noting that I have been coming back from a shoulder injury. Usually the serve is what takes longest to get back into shape.
-Volleys:
This racquet is ultra maneuverable and yet oddly stable for its weight. It is easy and fun to use up at net, even if it isn’t as rock solid as one might want for volleying. It is incredibly easy to hammer overheads with this frame – and I’m normally pretty inconsistent on those. Alongside the backhand, I would say that the overhead is the most fun to hit with this frame.
-Serve returns:
RoS is probably the one main weak spot for this frame. It’s here more than elsewhere where I notice that the racquet is not as stable as my normal Blade Pros. Against heavy serves, anything that isn’t hit very cleanly tends to wobble a bit, and I do not have the same confidence that I have with my normal frame.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- The 300S has really nice power. It does not take a lot of effort to hammer the ball, but the downside is that (especially on my forehand wing) I do sometimes lose confidence in swinging out, and that leads me to lose control.
Top Spin/Slice- Because of the maneuverability of the frame, it’s easy to generate spin. I have been surprised by how nicely I can cut through slices. Normally I much prefer a heftier frame to knife slices, but somehow this frame, at a low swingweight, does a good job with it.
Comfort/Feel- I’ve seen others comment on this frame feeling too stiff. With gut mains, I have found the frame to be firm but not uncomfortable. I have, at times, found the firmness to leave my shoulder a little sore, but I think that is because I’m swinging a lot faster with this frame than with my normal Blade pros, and I’m still adjusting to that. The racquet does not have that sort of muted feel of racquets with damping-tech (e.g., Yonex’s VDM), so it tends to have a somewhat more classic/raw feel.
Maneuverability- Tremendously maneuverable. I’ve generally played with racquets with significantly higher swingweights, so the contrast is very evident. The maneuverability is one of the gold stars for this racquet.
Stability- Certainly this racquet won’t have the stability of a Blade Pro – or even a Pure Aero 98, for that matter. But it is surprisingly stable for the relatively low static weight and swingweight of the frame. The only place where the 300S felt a little lacking in this category was on return of serve.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This racquet is incredibly fun to play with. It might even be the most fun I’ve ever had with a racquet. Hyperbole? Perhaps. But it absolutely flies through the air, generates ridiculous power for its weight, gives you occasions where you just marvel at what you’ve been able to do with the ball. I also like the fact that, for a tweener-type frame, the beam is still not all that thick; it feels relatively thin in hand; and it’s the same thickness across its length.
That said, I don’t think this frame ultimately is the best for my own performance. I get more consistency from the Blade Pro (which, of course, I’ve spent two years habituating to). I’ve also been messing around with a Pure Aero 98 lately, and I find that frame is less maneuverable than the 300S but has better plow and gives me better control (that is, I feel less erratic with my shots) – must be that 20th cross! Overall, then, the 300S will stay in my bag for now because it continues to be a wonderfully fun racquet to play with
Last edited:
315S Mid-playtest review
About me:
I'm a 4.0 right handed all-court player with an extreme eastern forehand and one handed backhand. My racquets of choice are the Pro Staff 85, Pro Staff 90, and Pro Staff RF97 (insert poser Federer fanboy jokes here). I string my Pro Staffs with 1.30mm gut mains and 1.25mm prestretched Wilson Revolve poly crosses: PS85 at 48lbs/45lbs, PS90 at 50lbs/47lbs, and RF97 at 59lbs/56lbs. My biggest weapons and favorite shots are my inside out/in forehand and my knifing offensive backhand slices. What I'm looking for in this playtest is if the 315S in its much lighter package gives me more forgiveness without sacrificing too much on feel and precision. I've been hitting with the 315S for about 8 hours now which is about half as much as I'd have liked thanks to work, rain, and a week where I was out sick. In that time though I feel like I got a decent amount of variety for a first impression. The 315S is strung up with X1 Biphase 1.34mm in the mains at 59 lbs and 1.25mm Razor Soft White at 56 lbs in the crosses.
Groundstrokes: My god what a massive launch angle compared to my Pro Staffs. On my very first rally ball forehand I got stupid amounts of lift on the ball with effortless heavy spin. I normally clear the net by about 1.5-2.5 feet on my strokes with the Pro Staffs, but with the 315S I was easily getting over 3.5ish feet with the exact same stroke. The forgiveness is there too. Oodles of power with a generously sized sweet spot. Even on off-center shots I was getting a lot of spin and decent pace. The only thing I was losing out on was depth when stretched wide, but I still got more competitive balls back in play than I normally do with my Pro Staffs in the same situation. The racquet feels very point-and-shoot on groundstrokes, and it swings freely through the air, actively encouraging you to go for a little more pace, spin, or placement. On the backhand wing it feels pretty good on the rally ball, but I'm still dialing in the flat shots and the slice. I don't know why but it's an adjustment hitting a running knifing slice with this racquet. My RF97 feels like a magic want on the backhand slice, and the 315S just doesn't have the same level of feel/confidence and mass. Overall if I change my game to a more suffocating heavier topspin type of game, I think I'll be very successful with this racquet.
Volleys: Feel is more vague compared to the Pro Staffs, but it still gives enough feedback to tell me what I did right or wrong. It has enough mass to handle some heavy balls, and it's tip light enough that it feels very fast at net. Very happy overall with this racquet on volleys.
Serves: Hands down this is the most powerful racquet on serve I've used in nearly a decade. The ball explodes off the racquet on slice and flat serves. I still like my RF97 more on kick serves, but that may just be a comfort thing. Overall high marks here.
Point play: I've had to change my all-court style from blasting flat shots on neutral balls to more spin-based point construction just because I don't have the feel down on the flat shots. Serve and volley works well because of the extra heat I can put on my serves. On offense I can hit tight angles and tight margins thanks to the free spin, but I wish I could penetrate the court a little better. Again, I put the blame on myself here because it's likely just an adjustment issue on my part and no fault of the racquet's.
I'll add a little more context when I write my final review, but overall I'm very impressed with the 315S. It's living up to the hype despite its cumbersome grip shape.
About me:
I'm a 4.0 right handed all-court player with an extreme eastern forehand and one handed backhand. My racquets of choice are the Pro Staff 85, Pro Staff 90, and Pro Staff RF97 (insert poser Federer fanboy jokes here). I string my Pro Staffs with 1.30mm gut mains and 1.25mm prestretched Wilson Revolve poly crosses: PS85 at 48lbs/45lbs, PS90 at 50lbs/47lbs, and RF97 at 59lbs/56lbs. My biggest weapons and favorite shots are my inside out/in forehand and my knifing offensive backhand slices. What I'm looking for in this playtest is if the 315S in its much lighter package gives me more forgiveness without sacrificing too much on feel and precision. I've been hitting with the 315S for about 8 hours now which is about half as much as I'd have liked thanks to work, rain, and a week where I was out sick. In that time though I feel like I got a decent amount of variety for a first impression. The 315S is strung up with X1 Biphase 1.34mm in the mains at 59 lbs and 1.25mm Razor Soft White at 56 lbs in the crosses.
Groundstrokes: My god what a massive launch angle compared to my Pro Staffs. On my very first rally ball forehand I got stupid amounts of lift on the ball with effortless heavy spin. I normally clear the net by about 1.5-2.5 feet on my strokes with the Pro Staffs, but with the 315S I was easily getting over 3.5ish feet with the exact same stroke. The forgiveness is there too. Oodles of power with a generously sized sweet spot. Even on off-center shots I was getting a lot of spin and decent pace. The only thing I was losing out on was depth when stretched wide, but I still got more competitive balls back in play than I normally do with my Pro Staffs in the same situation. The racquet feels very point-and-shoot on groundstrokes, and it swings freely through the air, actively encouraging you to go for a little more pace, spin, or placement. On the backhand wing it feels pretty good on the rally ball, but I'm still dialing in the flat shots and the slice. I don't know why but it's an adjustment hitting a running knifing slice with this racquet. My RF97 feels like a magic want on the backhand slice, and the 315S just doesn't have the same level of feel/confidence and mass. Overall if I change my game to a more suffocating heavier topspin type of game, I think I'll be very successful with this racquet.
Volleys: Feel is more vague compared to the Pro Staffs, but it still gives enough feedback to tell me what I did right or wrong. It has enough mass to handle some heavy balls, and it's tip light enough that it feels very fast at net. Very happy overall with this racquet on volleys.
Serves: Hands down this is the most powerful racquet on serve I've used in nearly a decade. The ball explodes off the racquet on slice and flat serves. I still like my RF97 more on kick serves, but that may just be a comfort thing. Overall high marks here.
Point play: I've had to change my all-court style from blasting flat shots on neutral balls to more spin-based point construction just because I don't have the feel down on the flat shots. Serve and volley works well because of the extra heat I can put on my serves. On offense I can hit tight angles and tight margins thanks to the free spin, but I wish I could penetrate the court a little better. Again, I put the blame on myself here because it's likely just an adjustment issue on my part and no fault of the racquet's.
I'll add a little more context when I write my final review, but overall I'm very impressed with the 315S. It's living up to the hype despite its cumbersome grip shape.
3rd Session in the books for the 305S. 45 more minutes (now ~3 hours total). Hit with a fellow gear head, so got to mix in some A-vs-B testing with the Auxetic 1.0 Radical MP, 2024 Phantom 100X 18x20, Steam 100 pro stock with Blade v9 paint job in gloss and Strike 100 16x20. The contrast of frames definitely highlights the 305S's high level of solidness and surprising amount of power for 324sw strung. Today was just rallying groundstrokes, where the 305S felt as good as ever. Still surprised by the amount of shot curvature and spin level achievable. All around solid performance from both wings. No serving today, but I didn't mind at all.
As for the current spec, as I said above, I added 5g of lead tape at ~2" up the handle, to lower the balance point and boost recoil weight more into the zone I'm used to. Current strung spec with Co-Focus 1.23/1.18 is 333g/31.4cm/324sw/20.5/mgr/i/171rw. Higher recoil definitely felt better, the racquet felt more naturally balanced between hoop and handle as it swung through, and the combined effect allowed me to loosen my wrist coupling. With that, most of the bevel seeking / grip issues from before went away, plus the backhand felt a lot more dialed in general, so that +5g mod was all green lights on ground strokes. Just need to see what it does for serving, if anything.
As for strings, I think I've seen all I need to see from Co-Focus 1.23/1.18 for 3 hours, so next will probably be MSV Swift White 1.25 full bed in the upper 40's. Going to save Razor Soft White 1.25 for later.
More updates to come. So far, still very encouraging overall. Too early to say if it's switchably good, but it's not far off.
As for the current spec, as I said above, I added 5g of lead tape at ~2" up the handle, to lower the balance point and boost recoil weight more into the zone I'm used to. Current strung spec with Co-Focus 1.23/1.18 is 333g/31.4cm/324sw/20.5/mgr/i/171rw. Higher recoil definitely felt better, the racquet felt more naturally balanced between hoop and handle as it swung through, and the combined effect allowed me to loosen my wrist coupling. With that, most of the bevel seeking / grip issues from before went away, plus the backhand felt a lot more dialed in general, so that +5g mod was all green lights on ground strokes. Just need to see what it does for serving, if anything.
As for strings, I think I've seen all I need to see from Co-Focus 1.23/1.18 for 3 hours, so next will probably be MSV Swift White 1.25 full bed in the upper 40's. Going to save Razor Soft White 1.25 for later.
More updates to come. So far, still very encouraging overall. Too early to say if it's switchably good, but it's not far off.
Last edited:
Tennisist
Professional
TECNIFIBRE T-FIGHT 315S 16x19 (2025)
String: PolyStar Turbo 1.25 / Isospeed Cream 1.23 -- 47 / 45 lbs. This is a soft poly combination geared for spin and feel. I use it often.
Tennis experience: recreational player, 30+ years of playing, USTA 4.0 ranking, 90% singles.
Playing Style: whippy strokes, heavy spin, one-handed backhand.
Current racquets: Tecnifibre TF40 315 16x19, Angell TC97 320/310 16x19
How many hours you played with the racquet: 36 hours
Groundstrokes: Excellent
It does everything I need a racquet to do. I found no flaws. It is fast. It is very exact. It does not spray the balls. It holds up to heavy hitters. It generates heavy spin. It fits my swing style very well. It swings very naturally to me – on the forehand and backhand. I do not have to fight it, like I do with some other racquets, or have to adjust myself. It swings and flows identical to TF40 315, if somebody needs a reference. I felt right at home from the first stroke, and did not have to do any adjustments.
One of the biggest strengths of this frame - is the ability to take balls on the rise. You need agility (super fine timing) and you need stability — and TF315s provides both. The results are better than any other racquets I own, except RF97.
Serves: Excellent for my style
My serves are built on directional control and heavy spins. This racquet swings fast and delivers ample spin. It is also very exact. I can hit my targets with no surprises. My serves are as good as ever.
Volleys: Excellent
It is fast, and it is stable. No issues with slowness or stability.
Serve Returns: Excellent
This is where my softer, comfort racquets get me in trouble. Against big servers, I struggle with soft racquets. I spay the balls. Not with this one. Blocking is excellent. Always goes in. No spraying and frustration associated with it.
Power: medium.
Definitely higher than TF40 and many other soft racquets.
Less than bona-fide “power racquets”, such as Pure Drive, Pure Aero, Solinco Blackout.
TF315s == Angell TC97 320/10 16x19.
More than Wilson ProStaff 97 315.
More than Head Speed Pro, but less than Head Speed MP. Less than Head Extreme MP (100).
Control: superb
TF315s >> TF40 315 significantly. It is particularly noticeable when heavy hitting begins.
TF315s > Angell 97 16x19. Control is better than the Angell, even with soft poly at 47 lbs. With Angell, I have to rachet up the tension to 51 lbs and use 16GA strings to gain comparable levels of control. In doing so, I am sacrificing a lot of comfort.
TF315s == Head Speed Pro 18x20
Another note: it has a very uniform stringbed. No sharply-defined “sweetspot” in the middle. No dead zones on the edges. It has some small drop off towards the tip, as expected, as all racquets do. Response from the stringbed is very uniform. No hot-spots, no surprising launches. I was very happy about that.
I tried some “power” racquets before, but could not reign them in. Control was way off for me, so I had to give up on them.
Topspin / Slice: Excellent
The stringbed is very grabby. No impediments at all to spin generation. This is very important for my game. Spin is superb. So is slice. I did not have a single glitch. I do not have a single complaint. Everything works as expected. It is excellent.
Comfort: low
This is not a comfort racquet.
Feel: ceramic
Its stiffness is listed as RA65, but it plays a lot stiffer than that. It plays a lot firmer than TF40.
TF40 is listed as RA64, 315S is listed as RA65, but they are worlds apart.
The 315S plays stiffer than my Angell 97 that has RA67.
TF40 plays nice and soft even with stiff polys ( Alu Power, Kirschbaum Max Power ), but TF315S feels rather firm even with the soft poly I am using right now. It is not jarring, there are no bad vibes. Dampener is not needed, but the feel is firm / crisp / “ceramic”. For myself, I would not be putting any stiff polys in it. As far as tension, with the PolyStar Turbo 1.25, I would go even lower – probably to 44 lbs next time.
Maneuverability: Very High
SW = 323 strung. It is a very fast and agile racquet. You can play the “wristy slap” style with it – no problem.
Stability: Excellent
Its stiffness gives it great stability.
315S >> TF40
315S > Angell 97
Very noticeable in heavy hitting and blocking fast and loaded serves. In this regard, it behaves better than other racquets I own.
General comments on overall performance:
When TF315S was announced, it caught my attention, because it mirrored the specs of my beloved TF40 almost exactly, with just a slight bump in stiffness RA64 -> RA65. In my mind, that was exactly what I needed. I played all last year with TF40, and love everything about it – how it swings, how it feels. I do not have to fight it. To me, it is a perfect spec. The only thing about it was a certain lack of “sting” that I needed in serious matches. ( This is what I have been using the Angell 97 for.) Well, TF315s certainly took care of the “sting”. The shots are much more penetrating, and precision went up a level. Under pressure ( from heavy hitters ), or on the run, I tend to spray the balls. This racquets reigns that in significantly. In other words, TF315s addressed the weaknesses of TF40 and Angell 97 and other soft racquets really well. For my style -- "angles and spins", with an occasional wrist snap -- it fits really well.
It will be a natural transition for people who enjoy TF40, but wish it had a little more “sting”.
The only drawback so far is its feel. It may work just fine for people who use multies or natural gut. It may completely mask the firm feel of the frame. I love them, but do not use them – I break them in 2 days, and it is not economical for me. I also need the extra spin, and I find that specialized polys excel in this department.
String: PolyStar Turbo 1.25 / Isospeed Cream 1.23 -- 47 / 45 lbs. This is a soft poly combination geared for spin and feel. I use it often.
Tennis experience: recreational player, 30+ years of playing, USTA 4.0 ranking, 90% singles.
Playing Style: whippy strokes, heavy spin, one-handed backhand.
Current racquets: Tecnifibre TF40 315 16x19, Angell TC97 320/310 16x19
How many hours you played with the racquet: 36 hours
Groundstrokes: Excellent
It does everything I need a racquet to do. I found no flaws. It is fast. It is very exact. It does not spray the balls. It holds up to heavy hitters. It generates heavy spin. It fits my swing style very well. It swings very naturally to me – on the forehand and backhand. I do not have to fight it, like I do with some other racquets, or have to adjust myself. It swings and flows identical to TF40 315, if somebody needs a reference. I felt right at home from the first stroke, and did not have to do any adjustments.
One of the biggest strengths of this frame - is the ability to take balls on the rise. You need agility (super fine timing) and you need stability — and TF315s provides both. The results are better than any other racquets I own, except RF97.
Serves: Excellent for my style
My serves are built on directional control and heavy spins. This racquet swings fast and delivers ample spin. It is also very exact. I can hit my targets with no surprises. My serves are as good as ever.
Volleys: Excellent
It is fast, and it is stable. No issues with slowness or stability.
Serve Returns: Excellent
This is where my softer, comfort racquets get me in trouble. Against big servers, I struggle with soft racquets. I spay the balls. Not with this one. Blocking is excellent. Always goes in. No spraying and frustration associated with it.
Power: medium.
Definitely higher than TF40 and many other soft racquets.
Less than bona-fide “power racquets”, such as Pure Drive, Pure Aero, Solinco Blackout.
TF315s == Angell TC97 320/10 16x19.
More than Wilson ProStaff 97 315.
More than Head Speed Pro, but less than Head Speed MP. Less than Head Extreme MP (100).
Control: superb
TF315s >> TF40 315 significantly. It is particularly noticeable when heavy hitting begins.
TF315s > Angell 97 16x19. Control is better than the Angell, even with soft poly at 47 lbs. With Angell, I have to rachet up the tension to 51 lbs and use 16GA strings to gain comparable levels of control. In doing so, I am sacrificing a lot of comfort.
TF315s == Head Speed Pro 18x20
Another note: it has a very uniform stringbed. No sharply-defined “sweetspot” in the middle. No dead zones on the edges. It has some small drop off towards the tip, as expected, as all racquets do. Response from the stringbed is very uniform. No hot-spots, no surprising launches. I was very happy about that.
I tried some “power” racquets before, but could not reign them in. Control was way off for me, so I had to give up on them.
Topspin / Slice: Excellent
The stringbed is very grabby. No impediments at all to spin generation. This is very important for my game. Spin is superb. So is slice. I did not have a single glitch. I do not have a single complaint. Everything works as expected. It is excellent.
Comfort: low
This is not a comfort racquet.
Feel: ceramic
Its stiffness is listed as RA65, but it plays a lot stiffer than that. It plays a lot firmer than TF40.
TF40 is listed as RA64, 315S is listed as RA65, but they are worlds apart.
The 315S plays stiffer than my Angell 97 that has RA67.
TF40 plays nice and soft even with stiff polys ( Alu Power, Kirschbaum Max Power ), but TF315S feels rather firm even with the soft poly I am using right now. It is not jarring, there are no bad vibes. Dampener is not needed, but the feel is firm / crisp / “ceramic”. For myself, I would not be putting any stiff polys in it. As far as tension, with the PolyStar Turbo 1.25, I would go even lower – probably to 44 lbs next time.
Maneuverability: Very High
SW = 323 strung. It is a very fast and agile racquet. You can play the “wristy slap” style with it – no problem.
Stability: Excellent
Its stiffness gives it great stability.
315S >> TF40
315S > Angell 97
Very noticeable in heavy hitting and blocking fast and loaded serves. In this regard, it behaves better than other racquets I own.
General comments on overall performance:
When TF315S was announced, it caught my attention, because it mirrored the specs of my beloved TF40 almost exactly, with just a slight bump in stiffness RA64 -> RA65. In my mind, that was exactly what I needed. I played all last year with TF40, and love everything about it – how it swings, how it feels. I do not have to fight it. To me, it is a perfect spec. The only thing about it was a certain lack of “sting” that I needed in serious matches. ( This is what I have been using the Angell 97 for.) Well, TF315s certainly took care of the “sting”. The shots are much more penetrating, and precision went up a level. Under pressure ( from heavy hitters ), or on the run, I tend to spray the balls. This racquets reigns that in significantly. In other words, TF315s addressed the weaknesses of TF40 and Angell 97 and other soft racquets really well. For my style -- "angles and spins", with an occasional wrist snap -- it fits really well.
It will be a natural transition for people who enjoy TF40, but wish it had a little more “sting”.
The only drawback so far is its feel. It may work just fine for people who use multies or natural gut. It may completely mask the firm feel of the frame. I love them, but do not use them – I break them in 2 days, and it is not economical for me. I also need the extra spin, and I find that specialized polys excel in this department.
Last edited:
@Tennisist - Nice review! Curious: did you ever try the preceding 315 ISO, and if so, how does it compare to the 315S? Thanks in advance!
hdjs94
Rookie
Never heard someone describe a racket as such but I’d say a perfect way to describe it!
Tennisist
Professional
No: high swingweight + high stiffness is a no-starter for me. I was not even tempted.
Fighting phoenix
Professional
The previous 315 did not have a high swing weight, the 305 did.
Per @Fighting phoenix's reply, I think you might be crossing your wires regarding the 305 ISO and 315 ISO – the 305 had higher swing weight (usually) and the 315 higher stiffness but not much swing weight (often high 280's unstrung SW). Comparatively, the 315S on paper at least is a bit softer and a bit more swing weight than the 315 ISO, so that's why I was curious.
hdjs94
Rookie
Posting this here as it was in the other tfight thread as it would be very helpful for almost everyone here. All credit to @ACT for this recommendation .
For a lot who do not like the rectangular grip shape of technifibre rackets, this mod makes an enormous Improvement.
Essentially, remove all grips and cut out four rectangular pieces from an overgrip (Wilson pro overgrip) to fit perfectly on bevels 3 and 7 (the widest bevels). You can stack two on each bevels. Then rewrap your racket with the normal grip tightly over this light mod And voila, no more awkward rectangle grip. Feels very similar to my babolats. Would’ve never known there was a rectangular grip if someone just handed this me randomly.
A must do mod for all remotely wary of rectangular grip.
For a lot who do not like the rectangular grip shape of technifibre rackets, this mod makes an enormous Improvement.
Essentially, remove all grips and cut out four rectangular pieces from an overgrip (Wilson pro overgrip) to fit perfectly on bevels 3 and 7 (the widest bevels). You can stack two on each bevels. Then rewrap your racket with the normal grip tightly over this light mod And voila, no more awkward rectangle grip. Feels very similar to my babolats. Would’ve never known there was a rectangular grip if someone just handed this me randomly.
A must do mod for all remotely wary of rectangular grip.
galapagos
Hall of Fame
I use the same trick with thicker OG
305S setup update:
- String Job #1 Cut Out (Co-Focus 1.23/1.18 @ 48/46 lbs lockout) - 3hrs playtime; solid feel, little more dead than ideal; tension drop from 48.0 lbs to 39.2 lbs (decent, not perfect)
- Unstrung Spec w/ 5g lead tape @ 2" up the base grip + 1 Pro Player Feel White over grip: 316.76g / 30.4cm / 294.4sw
- String Job #2: MSV Swift White 1.25 @ 48/46 lockout, strung spec: 334.54g / 31.5cm / 324.4sw / 14.2tw
This will be my first time playing Swift — based on positive accounts of it from those including @TennisJrDad, @sajlent555, @legcramp, @Notorious_Junkballer, also @libel saying it played great in the preceding ISO 305, I'm optimistic, and can already tell it more than passes the bouncy ball test. Very close to IsoSpeed Cream, but ever-so-slightly less rubbery and more crisp/transmissive in feel. Big pluses in my book. Aiming to give it a good 1.5hr+ thrashing tomorrow morning. Will update afterwards.
- String Job #1 Cut Out (Co-Focus 1.23/1.18 @ 48/46 lbs lockout) - 3hrs playtime; solid feel, little more dead than ideal; tension drop from 48.0 lbs to 39.2 lbs (decent, not perfect)
- Unstrung Spec w/ 5g lead tape @ 2" up the base grip + 1 Pro Player Feel White over grip: 316.76g / 30.4cm / 294.4sw
- String Job #2: MSV Swift White 1.25 @ 48/46 lockout, strung spec: 334.54g / 31.5cm / 324.4sw / 14.2tw
Last edited:
305S setup update:
- String Job #1 Cut Out (Co-Focus 1.23/1.18 @ 48/46 lbs lockout) - 3hrs playtime; solid feel, little more dead than ideal; tension drop from 48.0 lbs to 39.2 lbs (decent, not perfect)
- Unstrung Spec w/ 5g lead tape @ 2" up the base grip + 1 Pro Player Feel White over grip: 316.76g / 30.4cm / 294.4sw
- String Job #2: MSV Swift White 1.25 @ 48/46 lockout, strung spec: 334.54g / 31.5cm / 324.4sw / 14.2tw
This will be my first time playing Swift — based on positive accounts of it from those including @TennisJrDad, @sajlent555, @legcramp, @Notorious_Junkballer, also @libel saying it played great in the preceding ISO 305, I'm optimistic, and can already tell it more than passes the bouncy ball test. Very close to IsoSpeed Cream, but ever-so-slightly less rubbery and more crisp/transmissive in feel. Big pluses in my book. Aiming to give it a good 1.5hr+ thrashing tomorrow morning. Will update afterwards.
I would be happy to know what you think about Triax in the 305... I'v noticed the 300 and 305 ISO were really a great fit for "control" multis like those... currently have HDMX in my 305 ISO and it plays like a dream!!
As a side note I'm not a multi lover and I usually play with soft polys but the 305 is great with this setup, maybe because of the tight string pattern...
305S session #4 complete – 2 hours of 4.0-ish ball bashing on outdoor medium-paced hard court, in 48-50 degrees, light wind (first time outside this year; felt so good to get some fresh air and sun!). 4 sessions and 5 hours total played now. Fresh bed of MSV Swift White 1.25 @ 48/46. Ready-to-play spec: 336g/31.5cm/326sw/14.2tw/20.6mgr/i/170.7rw.
MSV Swift White 1.25 (full bed) – Versus Co-Focus 1.23 mains / 1.18 crosses at 324sw, I could definitely feel the bit of extra face weight, thicker overall string, less easy lift and spin, but higher predictability. Full-bed Swift was less impressive than I hoped it would be. Initially playability was sluggish, probably due to the moderately cold temps. Snapback was also mediocre at best, with mains sticking out of place often. It also notched about 10-20% in the sweet spot in about 2 hours, so durability less than normal. It also took a while to open up (played three sets; wasn't until midway through the second set that it really started to soften and pocket as I thought it would when fresh). I'd hesitate to think I strung it too high at 48/46 lockout (~46/44 constant-pull), but if I did restring, I might try 46/44 or 45/43.
305S – At 326sw (with 1/2 a neck band as a dampener), it felt slightly more sluggish than I think I'd ideally like. I think I may give Swift one more hit, but I think I'll probably pursue the idea to lighten some face weight and do a controlled hybrid for extra string bed pop (to counter the loss of swing weight) and more grip and snapback. At 326sw, though, the 305S felt as absolutely stable as I think most would ever need. Never once did I even wonder about having to add lead; it was that rock solid. The highlight was probably return of first serves; slapping some winners that were made very much easier by such a stable hoop. The feel on contact is, as @Tennisist said in his 315S review above, very ceramic – in other words, almost like hitting with a china plate in a way; they're that crispy, chalky, crackle-ingly solid, with a bit of back-end thud/muffle from the foam fill. A very unique feel for the segment. As for general playability, highlights continue to be the level of precision attainable at such a power profile; quite possibly the highest mix of the two of anything on the market currently, save for maybe the EZone 98, but I find the 305S to be more controllable when forced to make a swing under pressure, but that probably just comes down to a higher compatibility with more Eastern and less Western mechanics as well.
Hoping to get in several more hits and hopefully a few days longer review time than 3/14, as I never got my frame until 2/20 (emailing TW on that shortly). More updates to come.
MSV Swift White 1.25 (full bed) – Versus Co-Focus 1.23 mains / 1.18 crosses at 324sw, I could definitely feel the bit of extra face weight, thicker overall string, less easy lift and spin, but higher predictability. Full-bed Swift was less impressive than I hoped it would be. Initially playability was sluggish, probably due to the moderately cold temps. Snapback was also mediocre at best, with mains sticking out of place often. It also notched about 10-20% in the sweet spot in about 2 hours, so durability less than normal. It also took a while to open up (played three sets; wasn't until midway through the second set that it really started to soften and pocket as I thought it would when fresh). I'd hesitate to think I strung it too high at 48/46 lockout (~46/44 constant-pull), but if I did restring, I might try 46/44 or 45/43.
305S – At 326sw (with 1/2 a neck band as a dampener), it felt slightly more sluggish than I think I'd ideally like. I think I may give Swift one more hit, but I think I'll probably pursue the idea to lighten some face weight and do a controlled hybrid for extra string bed pop (to counter the loss of swing weight) and more grip and snapback. At 326sw, though, the 305S felt as absolutely stable as I think most would ever need. Never once did I even wonder about having to add lead; it was that rock solid. The highlight was probably return of first serves; slapping some winners that were made very much easier by such a stable hoop. The feel on contact is, as @Tennisist said in his 315S review above, very ceramic – in other words, almost like hitting with a china plate in a way; they're that crispy, chalky, crackle-ingly solid, with a bit of back-end thud/muffle from the foam fill. A very unique feel for the segment. As for general playability, highlights continue to be the level of precision attainable at such a power profile; quite possibly the highest mix of the two of anything on the market currently, save for maybe the EZone 98, but I find the 305S to be more controllable when forced to make a swing under pressure, but that probably just comes down to a higher compatibility with more Eastern and less Western mechanics as well.
Hoping to get in several more hits and hopefully a few days longer review time than 3/14, as I never got my frame until 2/20 (emailing TW on that shortly). More updates to come.
Last edited:
hdjs94
Rookie
I agree about the 305s being one of the most power/control mixed racket even though those two characteristics seem to be opposite at times. As a semi-westerner, I feel the ezone just leans more into the power while 305s leans more into control. 305s more maneuverable than ezone. The feel between the two rackets are polar opposites and is the deciding factor for which to choose.
Great continuous session updates sir!
ChrisJR3264
Hall of Fame
I had another hit tonight with the tfight 305S.
I will say I’m liking it a bit more than the first time I hit it. Ironically that first time playing where I disliked was on clay. Medvedev endorsed racket + clay = so bad man?
Anyways, I can confirm the feel is great. I’ve always enjoyed the TF foam rackets feel. It does give me more feedback than the current gravity pro I am playing with.
I did remove some weight I had in the head and now only have 2 grams right at 12. I’m not sure it needs much more. I did the ACtennis thickening the bevels at 3 and 7 and no twisting. Felt my kick serve was more consistent.
Backhand - I will say I was hitting this quite flat and enjoying it. Got quite a bit more top spin on the forehand. I think I’m going to string this up with focus hex soft next to see if I can dial in the control. I was also considering the **** leather grip which wouldn’t add much weight if any. But tbd.
I will say I’m liking it a bit more than the first time I hit it. Ironically that first time playing where I disliked was on clay. Medvedev endorsed racket + clay = so bad man?
Anyways, I can confirm the feel is great. I’ve always enjoyed the TF foam rackets feel. It does give me more feedback than the current gravity pro I am playing with.
I did remove some weight I had in the head and now only have 2 grams right at 12. I’m not sure it needs much more. I did the ACtennis thickening the bevels at 3 and 7 and no twisting. Felt my kick serve was more consistent.
Backhand - I will say I was hitting this quite flat and enjoying it. Got quite a bit more top spin on the forehand. I think I’m going to string this up with focus hex soft next to see if I can dial in the control. I was also considering the **** leather grip which wouldn’t add much weight if any. But tbd.
FuzzyYellowBalls
Legend
I got a 305s demo in last night, Yonex user, I had no idea the grip shape was different lol.
TECNIFIBRE T-FIGHT 300S 16x19 (2025)
Unstrung specs:
Static weight: 298g
Swingweight: 280
Balance: 31.4cm
I played with this racquet in stock for 2 sessions (3 hours), then added 1g at 10/2 each (2g total) and 4g tungsten tape on the handle.
Modified spaces: 304g, 286 sw, 31.3cm
String and tension used for test: Wasabi Pink (47/45), Otoro Green/Absolute (48/46), Razor Soft White (46/44), Mach-10 (46/44). Wasabi Pink plays the best for me, Razor Soft White was the runner-up.
Tennis experience/background: USTA 4.0, hitting partners varies from 3.5-5.0. 100% singles play.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Aggressive baseliner, trying to get to the net as more as I can. I like to attack and finish points fast. Flat/Spin(for control) forehand, 2HBH. Semi Western/Western forehand grip: My index finger knuckle is on the edge between bevel 4 & 5. I'm not sure what the name of that grip is. No issue about the grip shape after a little mod, and quickly adapted to it.
Current racquet/string setups: Ezone 98 Aqua Night, MSV Hex Soft Yellow 120/Bussard 125 (46/44)
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 16
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes:
Excellent on groundstrokes. Easy to find depth and not over shooting to much. With my string setup, the balls landed just a foot or two in front of the baseline, and directional control is great. not much to complain there. It’s good on defense because of the stiff hoop and power nature, I can put the ball back deep and buy some time. When you’re in position, you can absolutely crank a heavy forehand as long as you put your weight behind it. So it’s a stick easy to play with and also rewards good footwork and technique. Easy to create the short angles and shape the ball, and passing shots are fun to hit. The one stroke I feel like I was losing a little control with was the inside-in forehand, but I think that’s my user error; I need more time to dial that in.
-Serves:
Serving is not my strongest attribute; I am still a work in progress. But 300s is very maneuverable, which makes the serve easier to hit. I still feel more natural with my Ezone 98, but 300s is not far behind. I wanted more plow on my serve. That was one of the reasons I added some weight later on, but my copy came with 280 sw, which was a little under-specced.
-Volleys:
Since it’s very maneuverable, it feels easy at the net. The stability for this weight class is insane. It has a very crisp response from the string bed as well, with no trampoliny feels.
-Serve returns:
Overall great. same good stability there. The only downside I noticed was that the power response for the serve return was a little lacking. Sometimes, I made good contact, but the return was not as deep as I thought. It could be the lower SW compared to my Ezone (323 sw). The best return stick for me is Pure Strike 98, but that one also has higher sw, so I might add some more weight and see how it goes.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- The 300S has a really good Power/Control ratio, and that’s what Tfights are about. Easy depth for rally balls. Enough spin control when I was trying to hit more linear attacking balls. not much to complain about in this department.
Top Spin/Slice- Very good spin potential, not like PA 100, Vcore 100 leve spin, but more than enough to manipulate the balls to create shape and angles. Passing shots are very good with this stick. The slices are amazing; it's probably one of my favorite racquets to slice with. The racquet cut through the air very natural, effortless slicing with a good precision, rarely floating. A+++ on slice.
Comfort/Feel- Interesting story here. I have a sensitive elbow, so I’m extra careful about comfort. I bought 305s when the new Tfights came out, but it hurt my arm. After two sessions of play, I quickly sold it. I don’t want to risk it and I don’t particularly feel connected to the 305s either. Then I got the 300s from the playtest, I was worried about the comfort based on my experience with 305s. It has a similar crisp response, but surprisingly, it didn’t cause too many issues for me. I don’t know why, but this 300s is comfortable for me. Feel is great, I usually like more muted racquets, it took me some time to get used to the crisp/direct feel of the 300s, but after I adapted to it, I found it’s exceptional for touch shots, especially drop shots, easy to hit them even from the baseline.
Maneuverability- Very maneuverable. My racquets are mostly with a 32cm balance, this one feels very quick. With a lower swingweight than my usual, no issue here at all. Creating short angles and dig out low balls, no problem.
Stability- It’s very stable, especially considering the weight class. My only complaint is the return of the serve, not really because of the stability. I just can’t get enough depth on my return, more on my backhand side. For the rest, it’s incredibly stable.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
It’s a super fun racquet to play with. I like it way more than 305s. It suits my playing style better, and I feel like it enhances the variety of my game. It performs great in stock (mine was under speced with sub 300g unstrung and 313 sw strung) against the players who are 4.0 or below. When I face 4.5 players, I feel like I need a little more weight in the hoop to push them back. It’s still very stable when hitting against them, but the balls are a little weak for them, hence I added some weight.
I think it’s a very versatile racquet that can suit different playing styles. You can play ‘lazy’ tennis with it, it will send balls deep. But when you have good footwork and weight transfer, it becomes an attacking machine, and it's very rewarding when you hit it right. The lightness and the maneuverability make sure you can swing fast and easily inject the pace during the point play. That also helps to take the ball early on the rise.
Compared to my main Ezone 98, I think 300s gives me more net clearance and maybe a bit more margin. I’ve been testing out Vcore 98 recently, I found it very underrated for my style of hitting, which is lower trajectory through the court balls with spin for added control. And 300s seems to be sitting right in between Ezone 98 and Vocre 98, I think that’s why I like it so far. I have better consistency with Ezone 98 for sure, but I’m willing to trade a little bit of consistency for more actions on the balls. My match results show I’m getting good results from 300s. So, I’m making a half switch to 300s! I’m not completely convinced yet, but I will play with 300s for my next month's league matches and see how it goes.
Thank TW for this opportunity. I’m happy to answer the questions regarding the 300s.
(No 300s listed in classifieds yet! Either no one buys it, or it’s too good a racquet; whoever has it just keeps playing it like me lol)
Unstrung specs:
Static weight: 298g
Swingweight: 280
Balance: 31.4cm
I played with this racquet in stock for 2 sessions (3 hours), then added 1g at 10/2 each (2g total) and 4g tungsten tape on the handle.
Modified spaces: 304g, 286 sw, 31.3cm
String and tension used for test: Wasabi Pink (47/45), Otoro Green/Absolute (48/46), Razor Soft White (46/44), Mach-10 (46/44). Wasabi Pink plays the best for me, Razor Soft White was the runner-up.
Tennis experience/background: USTA 4.0, hitting partners varies from 3.5-5.0. 100% singles play.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Aggressive baseliner, trying to get to the net as more as I can. I like to attack and finish points fast. Flat/Spin(for control) forehand, 2HBH. Semi Western/Western forehand grip: My index finger knuckle is on the edge between bevel 4 & 5. I'm not sure what the name of that grip is. No issue about the grip shape after a little mod, and quickly adapted to it.
Current racquet/string setups: Ezone 98 Aqua Night, MSV Hex Soft Yellow 120/Bussard 125 (46/44)
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 16
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes:
Excellent on groundstrokes. Easy to find depth and not over shooting to much. With my string setup, the balls landed just a foot or two in front of the baseline, and directional control is great. not much to complain there. It’s good on defense because of the stiff hoop and power nature, I can put the ball back deep and buy some time. When you’re in position, you can absolutely crank a heavy forehand as long as you put your weight behind it. So it’s a stick easy to play with and also rewards good footwork and technique. Easy to create the short angles and shape the ball, and passing shots are fun to hit. The one stroke I feel like I was losing a little control with was the inside-in forehand, but I think that’s my user error; I need more time to dial that in.
-Serves:
Serving is not my strongest attribute; I am still a work in progress. But 300s is very maneuverable, which makes the serve easier to hit. I still feel more natural with my Ezone 98, but 300s is not far behind. I wanted more plow on my serve. That was one of the reasons I added some weight later on, but my copy came with 280 sw, which was a little under-specced.
-Volleys:
Since it’s very maneuverable, it feels easy at the net. The stability for this weight class is insane. It has a very crisp response from the string bed as well, with no trampoliny feels.
-Serve returns:
Overall great. same good stability there. The only downside I noticed was that the power response for the serve return was a little lacking. Sometimes, I made good contact, but the return was not as deep as I thought. It could be the lower SW compared to my Ezone (323 sw). The best return stick for me is Pure Strike 98, but that one also has higher sw, so I might add some more weight and see how it goes.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- The 300S has a really good Power/Control ratio, and that’s what Tfights are about. Easy depth for rally balls. Enough spin control when I was trying to hit more linear attacking balls. not much to complain about in this department.
Top Spin/Slice- Very good spin potential, not like PA 100, Vcore 100 leve spin, but more than enough to manipulate the balls to create shape and angles. Passing shots are very good with this stick. The slices are amazing; it's probably one of my favorite racquets to slice with. The racquet cut through the air very natural, effortless slicing with a good precision, rarely floating. A+++ on slice.
Comfort/Feel- Interesting story here. I have a sensitive elbow, so I’m extra careful about comfort. I bought 305s when the new Tfights came out, but it hurt my arm. After two sessions of play, I quickly sold it. I don’t want to risk it and I don’t particularly feel connected to the 305s either. Then I got the 300s from the playtest, I was worried about the comfort based on my experience with 305s. It has a similar crisp response, but surprisingly, it didn’t cause too many issues for me. I don’t know why, but this 300s is comfortable for me. Feel is great, I usually like more muted racquets, it took me some time to get used to the crisp/direct feel of the 300s, but after I adapted to it, I found it’s exceptional for touch shots, especially drop shots, easy to hit them even from the baseline.
Maneuverability- Very maneuverable. My racquets are mostly with a 32cm balance, this one feels very quick. With a lower swingweight than my usual, no issue here at all. Creating short angles and dig out low balls, no problem.
Stability- It’s very stable, especially considering the weight class. My only complaint is the return of the serve, not really because of the stability. I just can’t get enough depth on my return, more on my backhand side. For the rest, it’s incredibly stable.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
It’s a super fun racquet to play with. I like it way more than 305s. It suits my playing style better, and I feel like it enhances the variety of my game. It performs great in stock (mine was under speced with sub 300g unstrung and 313 sw strung) against the players who are 4.0 or below. When I face 4.5 players, I feel like I need a little more weight in the hoop to push them back. It’s still very stable when hitting against them, but the balls are a little weak for them, hence I added some weight.
I think it’s a very versatile racquet that can suit different playing styles. You can play ‘lazy’ tennis with it, it will send balls deep. But when you have good footwork and weight transfer, it becomes an attacking machine, and it's very rewarding when you hit it right. The lightness and the maneuverability make sure you can swing fast and easily inject the pace during the point play. That also helps to take the ball early on the rise.
Compared to my main Ezone 98, I think 300s gives me more net clearance and maybe a bit more margin. I’ve been testing out Vcore 98 recently, I found it very underrated for my style of hitting, which is lower trajectory through the court balls with spin for added control. And 300s seems to be sitting right in between Ezone 98 and Vocre 98, I think that’s why I like it so far. I have better consistency with Ezone 98 for sure, but I’m willing to trade a little bit of consistency for more actions on the balls. My match results show I’m getting good results from 300s. So, I’m making a half switch to 300s! I’m not completely convinced yet, but I will play with 300s for my next month's league matches and see how it goes.
Thank TW for this opportunity. I’m happy to answer the questions regarding the 300s.
(No 300s listed in classifieds yet! Either no one buys it, or it’s too good a racquet; whoever has it just keeps playing it like me lol)
Last edited:
Great review of the 300S! I have the Iga 298, 300RS, and 300ISO and the only issue I have with these racquets is comfort and the white colorway. I've heard rumors of an alternate colorway coming in the summer, so might wait till then to pick up the new one! Can't agree more that this racquet model is the most fun racquet that I've ever played with, super whippy yet stable. My current gamer is the Blade 100 and I think overall I play better with the blade (and my elbow likes it more), but I have way more fun playing with the Tfight 300/298 series.
FuzzyYellowBalls
Legend
Handed my demo to two people last night, within 2 minutes, "what is with this grip"? I'm curious, is this a new thing with Tecnnifibre or just this new model, quite interesting they have such a noticeable grip difference for some.
Nope, not a new thing. That's been Tec's grip shape for a while now, and the last thing they need to update to fully bring their stuff into the 21st century... That said, the easiest fix is unwrapping the stock base grip to just below where the top of the butt cap taper meets the foam grip mold, and up and down bevels 3 and 7, layering a couple pieces of your tape of choice, or if you want to get fancy, a single piece of pre-glued veneer banding or cutting and adhering a strip of .030 polystyrene – and you'll effectively turn the grip in to a makeshift Yonex, Babolat or Head TK-82S. Then re-wrap the base grip and you're good to go.
In other news, thank you to @TW Staff (Brittany) for permission to take a few extra days on my review, as I live on the "right coast" and didn't get my frame until 2/20. Planning on hitting the 305S on Sat AM, potentially with yet another new string bed, then hopefully one or two more times, before submitting my review on 3/20.
