meametz
New User
Hi All,
I tested the above mentioned rackets for a week and would like to chime in with my feedback. All 3 were strung with Isospeed Black Fire at 25 kgs all around.
For reference: i am a relatively new player. Been playing for around 2,5 years. Didn't have proper training other than videos, reading, feedback sessions with friends, wall etc. Level is R7 in Switzerland so i think around 4.0 USTA? Also i used all 3 in match play against an opponent i often lose to as well to see how i would perform under pressure.
I've been happily using Blade V7 18x20 with Hyper G 17 for the last year but wanted to venture off to see if a more open pattern would give me more power especially with serves.
- Speed MP: It took some time to get used to since it's quite different from my Blades. It's a very user-friendly racquet and i think anyone who's trying to improve could use this with a lot of success. I didn't hate anything about it and i didn't get overwhelmed by heavy shots of the opponent but i thought a bit of lead tape to the hoop could be experimented with. I'll try and update if i can have that done. Planning to keep this for an extra 10 days when my renting period ends so overall happy with it.
- Vcore Pro 97: I wasn't even planning to get this initially but ended up going for it to try. I had never used a 97 sq inch racket before but i loved it initially. Felt great control and accuracy with forehands. Also it was very fun to slice with even though i saw some people rated slices as a week point. I felt like it was a very stable and solid racket. The dealbreaker for me is the backhand. I feel like i cannot generate enough power with my 2HBH with this one. I am sure that could be overcome with better technique but not sure if i'm willing to put the effort when i can perform much better with other rackets. I still want to try the 330 gr version to see if more heft would help with that.
- Vcore 98 Black: This one performed good overall in all areas i tried. It's a nice middle of the road racket. I think it's solid for any intermediate player and wouldn't disappoint much in any area. As a downside to that: i didn't feel like it's great for any particular thing and felt no attachment to it. Feels solid like any Yonex but the cosmetics are not great and it felt a bit muted.
- Blade V7 98 18x20: I've been using these for a year and i think they're great overall. After all the testing i might still stay with them. The reason i started searching for options was that i sometimes felt like i would appreciate a bit more easy power especially when tired or tight/under pressure. I feel great with this racket when things are going good and my strokes are fluid and confident but if/when my technique starts to break down, it's as easy to "make-do" like, say, the speed would be. This is of course %100 on me and not racket's fault but i a more headlight racket could possibly help get over those moments easier for someone at my level whose technique breaks down when under pressure.
Overall: i'm just enjoying testing different sticks and trying to see what would be best for me right now. The idea i have currently is a headlight 98" with relatively low flex ratings and a bit more heft than, say, 310 grs. Any suggestions are appreciated.
This is kinda my first post here so sorry for the text wall but i've been reading and learning a lot from here so wanted to contribute a bit going forward and i hope it helps to some of you even if a bit.
I tested the above mentioned rackets for a week and would like to chime in with my feedback. All 3 were strung with Isospeed Black Fire at 25 kgs all around.
For reference: i am a relatively new player. Been playing for around 2,5 years. Didn't have proper training other than videos, reading, feedback sessions with friends, wall etc. Level is R7 in Switzerland so i think around 4.0 USTA? Also i used all 3 in match play against an opponent i often lose to as well to see how i would perform under pressure.
I've been happily using Blade V7 18x20 with Hyper G 17 for the last year but wanted to venture off to see if a more open pattern would give me more power especially with serves.
- Speed MP: It took some time to get used to since it's quite different from my Blades. It's a very user-friendly racquet and i think anyone who's trying to improve could use this with a lot of success. I didn't hate anything about it and i didn't get overwhelmed by heavy shots of the opponent but i thought a bit of lead tape to the hoop could be experimented with. I'll try and update if i can have that done. Planning to keep this for an extra 10 days when my renting period ends so overall happy with it.
- Vcore Pro 97: I wasn't even planning to get this initially but ended up going for it to try. I had never used a 97 sq inch racket before but i loved it initially. Felt great control and accuracy with forehands. Also it was very fun to slice with even though i saw some people rated slices as a week point. I felt like it was a very stable and solid racket. The dealbreaker for me is the backhand. I feel like i cannot generate enough power with my 2HBH with this one. I am sure that could be overcome with better technique but not sure if i'm willing to put the effort when i can perform much better with other rackets. I still want to try the 330 gr version to see if more heft would help with that.
- Vcore 98 Black: This one performed good overall in all areas i tried. It's a nice middle of the road racket. I think it's solid for any intermediate player and wouldn't disappoint much in any area. As a downside to that: i didn't feel like it's great for any particular thing and felt no attachment to it. Feels solid like any Yonex but the cosmetics are not great and it felt a bit muted.
- Blade V7 98 18x20: I've been using these for a year and i think they're great overall. After all the testing i might still stay with them. The reason i started searching for options was that i sometimes felt like i would appreciate a bit more easy power especially when tired or tight/under pressure. I feel great with this racket when things are going good and my strokes are fluid and confident but if/when my technique starts to break down, it's as easy to "make-do" like, say, the speed would be. This is of course %100 on me and not racket's fault but i a more headlight racket could possibly help get over those moments easier for someone at my level whose technique breaks down when under pressure.
Overall: i'm just enjoying testing different sticks and trying to see what would be best for me right now. The idea i have currently is a headlight 98" with relatively low flex ratings and a bit more heft than, say, 310 grs. Any suggestions are appreciated.
This is kinda my first post here so sorry for the text wall but i've been reading and learning a lot from here so wanted to contribute a bit going forward and i hope it helps to some of you even if a bit.
