I got a couple of hourse in with my new tc99`s and I am really happy with them. They are pretty much everything that I hoped for and I am very impressed.
Compared to the TC100 70RA that I have played they are a bit less powerfull, bit smaler sweetsport and quite a lot lower launch angle.
They are much more controlled, though and the amount of controllable power is amazing. Better than anything that I have ever played with, I think.
The TC100 is probably on the same level but you have to learn to control the power somehow and I think although its def. worth it for some people thats not as easy. The TC99 everyone should be able to pick up an play good tennis with. Feels like a control racket that somehow has more power than most tweeners. Dont know how Paul did it..
My only complaint with the TC100 was always that I broke strings too quickly. 1.35mm poly lasted for only ~3 hours. With the TC99 thats fixed and I get a lot more control with only sacraficing a tiny bit of power. Thats worth it for me.
In my opinion a 70RA version of the TC99 would be perfection. With the 18/19 pattern I have no doubt that it would have all the control one could ask for and I dont see a downside to it, because the 70RA of Angell frames is so comfy still. But until then, I will not look at any other racket, ever. Its 99% perfect for what I am looking for
Couple more observations:
-Like all Angells I have tryed so far (Vantage 95 16/19, 63RA; TC95 18/20 70RA; TC97 18/20, TC100 70RA and React 18/19) They are very string sensitive. Maybe even more so because you can fine tune them to be either quite powerfull/spinny/launchy by going with a shaped main and thinner/softer crosses or make the racket into a classic players racket with round strings a bit higher tension. Or anything in between. Its very very versatile, but also sensitive to small changes.
I strung two rackets with the same basic poly. One racket I put 4g of lead at 3&9 and strung the crosses only 0.5kg lower than the mains, the other I put 3g of lead at 2&10 and strung the crosses 1kg lower than mains. And the result was a drastically different launch, feel, everything. Similar variations in the TC100 that I tried when I was dialing those in had a much smaler effect.
To me that is a big plus. I will tinker a bit and I like that there is a lot of leeway to dial it in. To some people it might be a downside though.
-Controlling depth and heigth is the standout feature for me with the TC99. Changing the height of my shots mid rally was not always the easiest with the TC100 because it has the tendency to launch everything a bit. With the TC99 its ridiculous how easy it is to adjust. It was the most notable for me on lobs. I was going for lobs in situations where I should just played a passing shot, just because it was so easy and fun. With the TC100 this would have involved a degree of unnecissary risk but with the 99 it was just easy.
-The racket that I would compare it too would probably be the Aero98. They feel very different, but I think they are both in the same category of great all around rackets that are very balanced in everything they provide. The TC99 feels more direct and connected, and just a bit better at everything that both rackets do.