Just got a hit with the Tour F 93, and since there's been a dearth of reviews I thought I'd do a small write-up. Keep in mind that these thoughts are very preliminary, and I'll update them as I go along. For reference, I currently use the Yonex EZONE Ai 98, with 4g total added to 3&9, playing at a 4.0 level.
I bought the racquet used off of TW, and had it strung up with Volkl Cyclone at 50/48. Taking it out of the box, the paintjob is awesome, and the racquet feels high quality (as Yonex sticks do). Dry swinging the racquet, the balance felt good. It's a really maneuverable stick for sure, but I have my doubts about how it'd stand up to pace in stock form. I added 8g (total) in 4 inch strips at 3&9 and 2.5g of blu-tack to the buttcap (FINALLY a trapdoor for Yonex!). After adding OG and rubber band, I the customization worksheet told me I was sitting around 12.1oz, 7.5 HL, 330 SW.
On the string pattern. I think worries about the string density are overblown. Compared to the Ai98 (a 16x19 in a 98 sq in head), the string densities are virtually the same in the sweetspot. However as you travel away from center, the Ai98 definitely opens up more, whereas there's very little string density change in the F93 until you're really off towards the frame. However, compared to something like the Head GPMP, the pattern is way more open even with the extra cross.
Another note: Like the Tour89, Yonex elongated the handle/throat and shortened the head in this mid. Thus, the racquet face just a wide as most larger frames, but is shorter vertically. If you tend to hit lower in the stringbed, it'll probably take some adjustment.
I was actually playing a match, so it wasn't really ideal situation for testing out a new stick. It was also super windy, which never helps. That said, the response is definitely crisper than the Ai98, but not in a harsh way. I have some wrist issues and am very cognizant of bad vibes coming from a stick, and I liked the feel here a lot. You can feel some flex, but it's not all in the throat like in the Ai98. The feedback was much more direct/less muted, and I felt more connected to the ball. Like others have said, the ball gets in and out of the stringbed quickly, but not in a way that feels uncontrolled in the least.
Groundstrokes took a bit to dial in, though the wind probably played a factor. I was reminded of Troy's comments in the TW review - my 2-handed backhand was doing really well, but it took longer to dial in the depth of my forehand. Many of my initial forehands were landing short or in the net, though they did improve as the match went on. In comparison, I did find better directional control off of both wings compared to my Ai98 - perhaps a combination of a smaller headsize and improved feel. "Free" power is definitely down compared to the Ai98, but there's definitely power available if you want it (the lead probably helped a lot with this). Spin was decreased, but still accessible. Where with the Ai98, I feel like I almost have to really spin the ball to keep it in on a full stroke, the F93 puts out what you put in, and if you want to hit a spinny short angle it's certainly do-able with this stick. Unsurprisingly, this racquet isn't as forgiving as the Ai98 - a combination of a smaller head and increased string density away from center. I could definitely tell when I wasn't in the middle, and my mishits tended to land short. Given that this stick is a 93, that's not too surprising, and I think given the headsize the forgiveness is sufficient.
Probably the area where I ran into the most trouble with this stick were low short balls that I wanted to attack. I found that with the lower launch angle, I was putting a lot of them in the net, and when I tried to compensate I started to sail them long. Probably an adjustment issue - I don't see why I wouldn't be able to dial these shots in with time, but at least today I had some difficulty.
Volleys were great. The added lead really helped with stability, and the direct/crisper response made me feel more connected compared to the Ai98. Point and shoot, though I think the net game would be tougher with this racquet in stock form, particularly dealing with hard-hit shots landing off-center.
On serve, the control is extremely evident. Flat serves had good juice (not as much as with the Ai98, but I didn't feel handicapped in that regard). Not as much movement on sliders and kickers, but more control. Really nothing too surprising compared to my other stick.
I ended up losing the match in two tight sets, and I probably would have won with the Ai98. That said, I definitely want to give this one more time. Tennis isn't as "easy" with this stick, but I feel like once I get dialed in, I'll have more options on court due to the increased control and crisper, more direct feel. Time will tell. I do plan on changing the lead slightly - I think that putting the lead in 2 4-inch layers made the center of the racquet a little too "hot" relatively to the rest of the stick. This may have contributed to my impression of a significant dropoff in power outside of center. I'm planning on reapplying the lead in longer strips, which might even out the response a bit.
Look for updates once I get more time to hit with this stick.
