Yonex Ezone +

[Wheelz]

Today this happened! I love this racquet!

https://flic.kr/p/2k4h1s9

BEAST !

 

[flex]

Today this happened! I love this racquet!

https://flic.kr/p/2k4h1s9

How is adding lead at 10&2 different from 9&3?

 

[AMGF]

How is adding lead at 10&2 different from 9&3?

A bit more SW and a bit less tw at 10/2 than 9/3. The reason is purely personal preferences. I moved the weight a bit until I thought this was the right set up for me.

 

[Tmano]

To whom used to play with the DR 98 and switched to the I believe the 2020 ezone 98, how's the power comparison between the two first and then to the Ezone 98+.
I play with the DR 98.
Thanks

 

[Tmano]

Maybe I should write a thorough review of the Ezone98+, but it's a fantastic frame. I switched to it even though I didn't want to.

Anyway, to your question, the EZ98+ will provide everything your asking: power, stability and better control than 100. Here's how I view each of these characteristics:
-power, I hit my fastest flat serve average ever with it and was only 1mph below my max top speed ever which was the Prince Beasner. I hit some of my best 2hbh ever with that frame. Power on flat strokes is great.
-Stability, is very good. Is it as stable as the VCPro 330g or RF97, not quite. But not far. The advantage is a bit more maneuverability so in my opinion it's a very good compromise. I also play double and it's great at the net for sure.
-control, it's a 8main in the throat 16x19. So not as control oriented as a 18x20, but better than 6main in the throat 16x19. Again great compromise.

I like this frame more than my old VC98+ because it is more comfortable and is much more stable. I like it better than my old DR98+ because it is as comfortable but has more power and stability. Finally I love that my best shots are better (serves, volleys and slice) but it made my weaker shots (flat bh and return of serves) much better than any frame before.

I didn't want to love this frame. I wanted to go back to 27in (more choices), I wanted to change brand as I have been playing with Yonex for 4 years and wanted to move to something else. So I did try the Ezone98+ just so I could scrath it off the list (especially because the 2018 Ezone98+ was a move in the wrong direction compared to the Dr98+) but man, this is such a great frame. I'm not surprised that the Tour is getting rave reviews as it is very similar to the EZ98+ but used weight instead of length to improve on the ezone.

My personnal EZ98+ have leather grip, 2 g at 2 and 10, gut/poly, weighs 343g, 32.6cm, 346sw.

AMFG, i liked your review about the EZ 98+ and it definitely sounds a sweet frame. However, now i have a couple of questions about the ezone 98 and the 98+ compared to the DR98 which is the racquet i use. The first question would be if both the EZ98 and the EZ98+ are more powerful than the DR 98. The second instead would be if the EZ 98+ and the EZ98 flex in the throat like the DR.
Thank you!

 

[AMGF]

AMFG, i liked your review about the EZ 98+ and it definitely sounds a sweet frame. However, now i have a couple of questions about the ezone 98 and the 98+ compared to the DR98 which is the racquet i use. The first question would be if both the EZ98 and the EZ98+ are more powerful than the DR 98. The second instead would be if the EZ 98+ and the EZ98 flex in the throat like the DR.
Thank you!

I can’t speak for the regular size Ezone or Dr as I never tried them. But the new Ezone98+ does flex in the throat like the DR. It’s been a few years since I played with the DR+, but from what I remember, the DR+ flexes maybe a bit more.

The Ezone98+ definitely is more powerful than the DR+. The VC98+ is more powerful than the DR+ and the new ez98+ is at least as powerful as the VC98+. I think it is even more powerful but my frames were modified so hard to say with definitive confidence but my serves are more powerful with the Ez98+ so I believe overall power is up vs vc98+ as well.

 

[Power Player]

Ez98+ is more powerful than the regular dr and the regular ezone as well.

 

[Tmano]

I can’t speak for the regular size Ezone or Dr as I never tried them. But the new Ezone98+ does flex in the throat like the DR. It’s been a few years since I played with the DR+, but from what I remember, the DR+ flexes maybe a bit more.

The Ezone98+ definitely is more powerful than the DR+. The VC98+ is more powerful than the DR+ and the new ez98+ is at least as powerful as the VC98+. I think it is even more powerful but my frames were modified so hard to say with definitive confidence but my serves are more powerful with the Ez98+ so I believe overall power is up vs vc98+ as well.

Thank you!
When you talked about the DR 98 i assumed it was the regular 27 inch...my bad!
However, you gave me a good info about the flex!!

 

[Tmano]

Ez98+ is more powerful than the regular dr and the regular ezone as well.

Thanks Power Player for confirming!!!

 

[AMGF]

Honeymoon period over.

This frame is still brilliant. I never hit with a better frame. I'm seriously thinking of buying 5 or 6 and keeping them as my lifetime frame. It's that good.

 

[Tmano]

Honeymoon period over.

This frame is still brilliant. I never hit with a better frame. I'm seriously thinking of buying 5 or 6 and keeping them as my lifetime frame. It's that good.

You are making me thinking to sell one of my DR to get one EZ 98+!!!!

 

[AMGF]

You are making me thinking to sell one of my DR to get one EZ 98+!!!!

It has more power and stability the DR can only dream of. The extra stiffness gives the Ezone the edge but the new M40X mesh makes it as comfortable as the DR.
The only thing is stock, I think the Ezone98+ is not HL enough. A bit of sillicone or in my case, a leather grip, brought the balance a bit more headlight and really made it shine.

 

[PMF]

I've had my sights set on the Ezone Tour, but I've also been thinking about the 2020 Ezone 98+ as well.

For the better part of two years, my go-to-racquets were the DR98 for doubles, and the DR98+ for singles. It would be great if this new plus version is the best of both worlds.

 

[Tmano]

It has more power and stability the DR can only dream of. The extra stiffness gives the Ezone the edge but the new M40X mesh makes it as comfortable as the DR.
The only thing is stock, I think the Ezone98+ is not HL enough. A bit of sillicone or in my case, a leather grip, brought the balance a bit more headlight and really made it shine.

I can't imagine how it is like playing with the EZ 98 + considering that I felt no issues with the DR of any kinds besides being a little too flexy in the throat.
I only need to find one EZ98+used now.

 

[skeeter]

Another hitting and playing session this morning against a very, very good player and strong baseline player. I had previously played this same opponent a few weeks ago with the 98 tour, so this was a great comparison. Long story short, just placed an order for the 98+. I know this is different than where I was leaning before, but following are the reasons:
The forehand with the 98+ is just ridiculous. I got pushed around when I was using the tour (which felt heavier and lacked the pop of both the 98+ and 100). But, with the 98+ I was able to go on offense the second I got a forehand. I had a fantastic number of ripped crosscourt forehand winners. The racquet was incredibly comfortable, stable, massive power with excellent control. I was able to play fantastic offense while still not worrying about hitting long.
Serve was fantastic. I took a couple of tiebreakers that we played. Out of about 14 service points between the two tie breaks had a couple of aces, no double faults, and a really dangerous and high kicking second serve. I was simply not able to control the 100 on my second serve. Having not to worry about going for it on the first serve because I knew I was going to get the second serve in was great.
Service returns were a really pleasant surprise with 98+. Incredibly stable. Felt really good to swing away on forehand returns and crush second serve returns. The stability and weight of the racquet helped me when blocking back backhand returns.
Backhand was still a bit problematic. But, was better than before. I was still late sometimes winding up the longer and heavier racquet. I played around with choking up a tiny bit on the one handed backhand to offset the length of the racquet and this was a pretty good temporary solution. With the 100 I had trouble controlling the backhand power or getting quite enough topspin so ended up hitting a lot of balls long. Slight edge to the 100 though.
Volleys were solid, but still prefer the 100. The 100 was lighter, more maneuverable but still managed more pop. Definite edge to the 100.
Overall, decided on the 98+ for the forehand and serve which were significantly superior for me with the 98+, the service return which was better with the 98+. These factors overcame slight underperformance (which I will adapt to) at net and on the backhand.

Nice comparison review. I just finished a demo of the EZ 100 with the Vcore Pro 100 and Strike v3100. The EZ came out on top but really enjoyed the plushness of the VCP100; just lacked power. Though the EZ has a high RA, it felt comfortable, not harsh at all; just wished it had the plushy feel of the VCP. I'm a very similar player style as you based on your earlier description, including 1hbh, but about 10 yrs older. I haven't demo'd the 98+ yet but plan to now based on the positive things I'm hearing from you, AMGF, and PP (both here and in the Diary thread), and sounds like it has that plush feeling I was missing from the 100. Only question I have is would I be losing a little forgiveness by dropping down in headsize, and moving up a bit in SW, with the 98+? I'm in good shape and exercise a lot, but no spring chicken. Does the 98+ feel ok in the maneuverability department? Sweetspot generous?

 

[Power Player]

Nice comparison review. I just finished a demo of the EZ 100 with the Vcore Pro 100 and Strike v3100. The EZ came out on top but really enjoyed the plushness of the VCP100; just lacked power. Though the EZ has a high RA, it felt comfortable, not harsh at all; just wished it had the plushy feel of the VCP. I'm a very similar player style as you based on your earlier description, including 1hbh, but about 10 yrs older. I haven't demo'd the 98+ yet but plan to now based on the positive things I'm hearing from you, AMGF, and PP (both here and in the Diary thread), and sounds like it has that plush feeling I was missing from the 100. Only question I have is would I be losing a little forgiveness by dropping down in headsize, and moving up a bit in SW, with the 98+? I'm in good shape and exercise a lot, but no spring chicken. Does the 98+ feel ok in the maneuverability department? Sweetspot generous?

im still working that out myself.

Sweetspot is generous. Its a maneuvable frame but not like the 100 where you can do mean things to the ball.

that said i have no issues generating spin off both sides, and on serve. Id give the whippiness an 8 compared to other xls and probably a 6 compared to a standard length.

 

[gutfeeling]

I just listed my 98+ on the classifieds but of course reach out to me via private message if you are interested before the listing is posted.

 

[Tmano]

Did anyone use or try out the previous 2018 EZ 98 +? Was it much different?

 

[rader023]

Did anyone use or try out the previous 2018 EZ 98 +? Was it much different?

I use a DR98+, a 2018 98+ and a 2020 Ezone Tour, but from this thread maybe i should have bought the plus. Currently play the best with the 2018 98+. It plays really well but is harsh in the upper hoop, but now that i found the right strings it is great.

 

[skeeter]

I just listed my 98+ on the classifieds but of course reach out to me via private message if you are interested before the listing is posted.

What is it about this frame that didn't work for you?

 

[gutfeeling]

What is it about this frame that didn't work for you?

It's not the 98 Tour or the Extreme Tour and I have been grooving with those lately.

 

[Tmano]

I use a DR98+, a 2018 98+ and a 2020 Ezone Tour, but from this thread maybe i should have bought the plus. Currently play the best with the 2018 98+. It plays really well but is harsh in the upper hoop, but now that i found the right strings it is great.

Nice rader023......Is the EZ 2018 98+ much stiffer than the DR98?

 

[rader023]

Nice rader023......Is the EZ 2018 98+ much stiffer than the DR98?

Slightly stiffer on normal shots, very stiff/harsh on shots hit in the upper part of the hoop. It's still my favorite racquet right now, which is crazy because i though the DR 98+ was unbeatable. I just needed to find the right strings..My wife has the ezone 2020, i will try to check it out for comparison!

 

[Tmano]

Slightly stiffer on normal shots, very stiff/harsh on shots hit in the upper part of the hoop. It's still my favorite racquet right now, which is crazy because i though the DR 98+ was unbeatable. I just needed to find the right strings..My wife has the ezone 2020, i will try to check it out for comparison!

I see....thanks!!
I don't know if you play full poly or not but have you tried using Head Lynx? I like the yellow which seems a little stiffer but still soft, and the blue one.

 

[briancheng]

I hit with the Ezone 98 + for the first time this week and I agree with the general feedback on this thread that its a very nice racquet. For context, I've enjoy all of the modern extended length Yonex racquets I've hit with, and at one time or another I've used the DR 98+, SV 98+ and the Vcore 98+ as my racquets of choice. I would be happy to play with any of these racquets, but based on first impressions, the Ezone 98+ could be the goldilocks frame among them all.

As everyone has said, the Ezone 98+ has a very nice feel - not as flexy or plush as the DR 98+, but definitely more comfortable that the Vcores (both the SV and the current red version). The racquet is very stable in stock form - definitely more stable than the DR 98+ and current Vcore 98+ and about equal to the SV 98+. Power level and spin potential is very good - I do think I get slightly more pop and spin from the Vcores, but not by a significant margin. The launch angle is fairly neutral - I have come to enjoy the higher launch angle of the Vcores and the CX200 Plus, but I assume that there is better control potential with the Ezone once I get it dialed in. While I don't think there was one area where the Ezone 98+ particularly stood out (I have not been able to serve in the 120s with this or any other racquet), this blend of feel, comfort, control power and spin made for a really enjoyable hitting experience. Not saying that I will definitely switch, but I do plan on playing with it for awhile to see if I can use it effectively in match play.

One other point - the main reason I decided to try this frame out was that I've developed some elbow pain after recently demoing the 2013 Babolat Aeropro Drive Plus for about a month. The APD+ is actually a great and fun racquet if you can withstand the stiffness, but my elbow starting hurting after a few weeks and actually even when switching back to the CX200 Plus and Vcore 98+, the pain has persisted. I wanted to try a softer racquet to see if it could help - after about 2 hits, its clear to me that the comfort of the Ezone noticeably reduced my arm irritation both while playing and the next day. The added comfort is real!

 

[rader023]

I see....thanks!!
I don't know if you play full poly or not but have you tried using Head Lynx? I like the yellow which seems a little stiffer but still soft, and the blue one.

Thanks, have been thinking about Lynx. I had hyper G in the 2018 EZ+ for a while. Played great but felt awful. I switched to Volkl V-Square and its been great. Similar performance but no pain!

 

[Tmano]

Thanks, have been thinking about Lynx. I had hyper G in the 2018 EZ+ for a while. Played great but felt awful. I switched to Volkl V-Square and its been great. Similar performance but no pain!

I'm glad you found the string that works for you!!!

 

[Wheelz]

Ive been spending more time with the ezone 98+ lately. Its definitely a smooth feeling racquet. The string pattern gives good control on height, depth and spin you want to put in. Ill put more time with it in the next few weeks indoors to get to know it. Obviously serves are good and getting better as I learned to not force it and let the body and racquet do its thing. I feel its a racquet that comes around easily if you stay loose, maybe the mix of specs.

I have not mod it like AMGF but since I have another extended with higher swingweight I can see why he did. Just adds power and stability at net. For now since I am switching to indoors where i find it faster I keep it stock.

 

[Tmano]

Ive been spending more time with the ezone 98+ lately. Its definitely a smooth feeling racquet. The string pattern gives good control on height, depth and spin you want to put in. Ill put more time with it in the next few weeks indoors to get to know it. Obviously serves are good and getting better as I learned to not force it and let the body and racquet do its thing. I feel its a racquet that comes around easily if you stay loose, maybe the mix of specs.

I have not mod it like AMGF but since I have another extended with higher swingweight I can see why he did. Just adds power and stability at net. For now since I am switching to indoors where i find it faster I keep it stock.

Nice keep it up and keep us informed!!!
What's the AMGF?
Do you play any league indoor?
Funny, the facility where over the winter i play tennis which belongs to the university is now a Covid testing site for the students !!!

 

[Wheelz]

Yes indoor league and since nets were still outside last week i was alternating. I was not expecting that to throw me off when alternating, but 1-2 sessions and it<s better. Players are good in that league so I like the control and ball movement with the ezone.

AMGF is a beast, but he goes something like 2g at 10-2, leather grip. I think he posted his spec here or another ezone thread. 345sw, 343g and 32.6 bal something around that.

Id like to get a radar gun like he does because I bet the ball comes out faster from the ezone then it feels.

Funny, the facility where over the winter i play tennis which belongs to the university is now a Covid testing site for the students !!!

thats one of the biggest downers ever.... our indoor facility has gym, pool, squash and everything is closed except for Tennis ! saved !

 

[briancheng]

Played with my Ezone 98+ again today. Put some extra weight on it for the first time, some lead at 3/9 and blutac in the buttcap. Minor improvement at best - added a bit of smoothness but not much in terms of playability. Don’t think the added weight in this setup is worth it. However, halfway through the session, I figured I would move the weight up to 2/10 and it actually made a huge difference - felt like much easier power and higher launch. Serves has more snap and groundstrokes had more pop. Not sure if it’s overly helpful on volleys although I’m not much of a net player. Overall I think I like weight on the racquet closer to the upper hoop rather than on the sides.

Comfort level is still really good. When I switched to my usual racquet midway through I could immediately feel it in my arm (even with it strung with a multi). Love the comfort of this frame.

 

[Tmano]

Yes indoor league and since nets were still outside last week i was alternating. I was not expecting that to throw me off when alternating, but 1-2 sessions and it<s better. Players are good in that league so I like the control and ball movement with the ezone.

AMGF is a beast, but he goes something like 2g at 10-2, leather grip. I think he posted his spec here or another ezone thread. 345sw, 343g and 32.6 bal something around that.

Id like to get a radar gun like he does because I bet the ball comes out faster from the ezone then it feels.


thats one of the biggest downers ever.... our indoor facility has gym, pool, squash and everything is closed except for Tennis ! saved !

Cool, i'm glad you can still hit!

 

[Wheelz]

Groundstrokes are gelling better every session with the ezone 98+. Played indoor league play almost night first match against a good serving lefty. It's probably just me but my returns are bad. Haven't broken many guys indoor so far! In any case he was not breaking me and once the ball was in play the groundstrokes were dominating. First serve % was high and got free points on 2nd serve. Happy with that game.

Then I had to play this younger university open guy, too good for me. It was his first match of the night, I was tired but got some good fun rallies with him. He did mention my ball was heavy and then said my spin overwhelming. I noticed him switching to his leaded up racquet at the warmup, made me feel like a king for a second. Another plus for the 98+! Oh yeah, I got beagled. It's like I was waking up the bear. The better and stronger I was sending him balls the better and closer to the lines they were coming back. Definitely had to take advils after last night.

Overal I'm getting to know the ezone. How to swing it. Flatten shots when I want to go down the line or top spin cross court when I want to open the court. Serves, like groundstrokes, I try to resist to not muscle it and get some reach on my swing path to take advantage of the added length. It is still stock but I might add weight 1g at a time. Maybe at the top of handle and then see at the head.

 

[Phantasm]

Got some decent enough time with both the VC98+ and Ezone98+ to share my impressions. I'm a 4.0 lefty and I play with mostly other 4.0 players (some may be borderline 4.5) and the occasional lower level players if I go to meetups to play some doubles. I've been trying to be a bit more attack first style as I play against better people over a more grindier patient style, waiting for more chance balls and opponent errors since I'm not winning as many points that way lately. I get easier depth, spin, and pace with the VC98+ but lose some consistency with balls sailing long compared to the EZ98+, so I'm still having to reign it in a bit. My backhand slice is also struggling, so I have to make an adjustment there. Managed to take sets off some a couple people I haven't beat before.

Overall, I think the Ezone98+ is a more balanced all around package (50/50 Offense/Defense) if I had to put some quantification on it) and the VC98+ is more around of an attack/offense oriented package (60-65/40-35 Offense/Defense package) and the higher SW/lower TW sort of reflects that. I think the VC98+ isn't that much harder to swing than the EZ98+ but I definitely feel a bit more tired at the end of a session with the VC98+. Think I'm going to lean more towards the VC98+ as my main stick of choice but have the Ezone in the bag as well. Tempted to pick up a 2nd vcore but I know they might be announced 2021 vcores soon around AO time so I dunno if I want to wait for price drops or just pick one up before stock disappear...

Thanks to @AMGF for his input as well when I was contemplating if I wanted to try the VC98+. Wish yonex made a vcore 97 pro+ so I could try that in extended length too.

 

[briancheng]

Totally agree with Phantasm's assessment. The Ezone 98 Plus is a great all rounder - excellent feel, control and stability combined with solid power and spin. On the other hand, I played with the Vcore 98+ for two years and for me, it has bigger power and spin off both sides, at the expense of some feel, control and stability - I think the differences in power, control, spin, feel etc are subtle between the Vcore and Ezone and they more/less share the same DNA with slightly different flavors (I'd be happy to play with either one), that can allow you to prioritize some things over others, to your liking. As someone who has lost a step or two over the years, I love the put-away ability of the Vcore and the ability to really go for my shots in almost any situation. I probably play smarter overall tennis with the Ezone - not as many clear winners, but also fewer errors and more options (i.e. improved my drop shot, nastier slice and better net play) which helps offsets the loss in pure power. All things being equal, if I were going to prioritize offensive play, then I would choose the Vcore 98+ by a slim margin. However, right now, with my ailing arm, the improved arm comfort is my central priority right now and the Ezone represents a real improvement in that category. Both racquets are great!

 

[Wheelz]

Extended will have less maneuverability but that ezone 98+ is a joy on return of serve. The more I get to know that racquet the more I want to slap it down the line on serve returns and from the baseline. Like a drug I'll have to dose it.... but Ill give it a good solid grade on serve returns ! Leverage power !

 

[jriddy35]

Normally play a VC 98, but while getting restrung I pulled out Pure Drive Tour+ 2015 that a friend gave me for my first racquet and was hitting really well with it now that my strokes are better and I can control the power with some spin. Really enjoyed the session I had.

I was thinking about waiting for the new Vcore line to come out (and still will to demo at least) to either switch to the new line or just get a 2nd of the current VC98.

Curious if anyone here ever played that and thinks it's a similar play to the EZ98+?

I think I wouldn't be getting as much weight as the PDT+ (but same as my VC), but the other specs in terms of beam width and swing weight would be pretty similar so wonder if it would be worth adding to my demo list, and I'm using a 1HBH, so the 98 vs. 100 head sounds appealing as well.

 

[Syeven Johnson]

Did anyone use or try out the previous 2018 EZ 98 +? Was it much different?

I got a new 2018 this past Friday, couldn't resist the deal especially after reading all the positives on this forum. I've been playing with mostly Angell frames the last few years and have several other brands but no Yonex. Added some weight to 10 & 2, an overgrip and dampener to bring it to 11.7oz, hit some serves and groundstrokes this afternoon and will use it in a doubles match tomorrow. I'm encouraged after hitting today and will see how it does as far as maneuverability is concerned in the doubles.

 

[mimo]

Just picked up my first 98+ and I noticed that the length is 27.25” as opposed to the listed 27.5”. This seems like a significant difference from the spec length and Yonex is usually pretty good with their tolerances. Has anyone else encountered this?

 

[AMGF]

Just picked up my first 98+ and I noticed that the length is 27.25” as opposed to the listed 27.5”. This seems like a significant difference from the spec length and Yonex is usually pretty good with their tolerances. Has anyone else encountered this?

Strung or not? Unstrung that’s very unusual. Strung, blame your stringer.

 

[mimo]

Strung or not? Unstrung that’s very unusual. Strung, blame your stringer.

Strung by TW. That’s concerning! Is it ok to play with or should I cut the strings out? Don’t want to cause any more damage to the frame.

 

[Power Player]

Strung by TW. That’s concerning! Is it ok to play with or should I cut the strings out? Don’t want to cause any more damage to the frame.

It’s fine. Frames can handle way more than a string job.

 

[mimo]

It’s fine. Frames can handle way more than a string job.

First time I’ve encountered this so thank you for letting me know. Does compressing the head down like that change how the racquet will play? I imagine it must have some affect like moving the sweet spot higher?

 

[AmericanTwist]

new or used? Else bad quality control.

Just picked up my first 98+ and I noticed that the length is 27.25” as opposed to the listed 27.5”. This seems like a significant difference from the spec length and Yonex is usually pretty good with their tolerances. Has anyone else encountered this?

 

[Power Player]

First time I’ve encountered this so thank you for letting me know. Does compressing the head down like that change how the racquet will play? I imagine it must have some affect like moving the sweet spot higher?

Honestly I dont know. I would not worry too much about it. If you want you can cut out the strings and measure, but I’d suggest hitting with the frame and enjoying it.

I just measured mine (strung) and it is not fully 27.5 either. It’s a little below that. YY has been known for the lengths being a bit off. I will measure it again when the strings are out and see.

Measured my PA+ and its dead on 27.5

Regardless, go hit with it - nothing bad will happen.

 

[AMGF]

Strung by TW. That’s concerning! Is it ok to play with or should I cut the strings out? Don’t want to cause any more damage to the frame.

Yeah probably the frame was loosely mounted or maybe you have a big difference of tension between mains and crosses. It also tends to happen more often with gut/poly hybrid.

It is not a big deal, you can play with it, it won't break the frame or anything. You just lost a bit of SW and gained a bit TW as the head is compressed a bit. I string myself and it is not unusual to be 1/16 shorter even though a well mounted racquet should not compress. However, I don't think I ever had a frame compress 1/4in that's quite a lot. I personally would just re-string my own racquet if I ended up with a 1/4in shorter frame. But in the case of Tennis Warehouse, they probably do a ton of frames a day and probably just didn't bother checking it.

Keep in mind it is still possible that the frame was cut to 27,25in by Yonex. It would be quite unusual, but they have had a bad bunch of Dr back in the days that were a bit shorter. You'll only know when you cut the strings.

Edit to add: Maybe you should contact someone at TW to see what they think. Let us know.

 

[mimo]

Yeah probably the frame was loosely mounted or maybe you have a big difference of tension between mains and crosses. It also tends to happen more often with gut/poly hybrid.

It is not a big deal, you can play with it, it won't break the frame or anything. You just lost a bit of SW and gained a bit TW as the head is compressed a bit. I string myself and it is not unusual to be 1/16 shorter even though a well mounted racquet should not compress. However, I don't think I ever had a frame compress 1/4in that's quite a lot. I personally would just re-string my own racquet if I ended up with a 1/4in shorter frame. But in the case of Tennis Warehouse, they probably do a ton of frames a day and probably just didn't bother checking it.

Keep in mind it is still possible that the frame was cut to 27,25in by Yonex. It would be quite unusual, but they have had a bad bunch of Dr back in the days that were a bit shorter. You'll only know when you cut the strings.

Edit to add: Maybe you should contact someone at TW to see what they think. Let us know.

Took your advice and called TW. They recommended I cut out the strings and sure enough when I did the racquet is now 27.5". I had it strung at 50/48 and those don't seem high enough tensions to cause that kind of deforming. Apparently not securing the lock bar can also cause this so they think that's what happened here. They were very accommodating and wanted to correct the error. Now I just have to wait for new strings that they comped and will go to my local stringer. I was dying to get out and play with it but will just have to be patient for a few more days! Thanks all for the help.

 

[Power Player]

Took your advice and called TW. They recommended I cut out the strings and sure enough when I did the racquet is now 27.5". I had it strung at 50/48 and those don't seem high enough tensions to cause that kind of deforming. Apparently not securing the lock bar can also cause this so they think that's what happened here. They were very accommodating and wanted to correct the error. Now I just have to wait for new strings that they comped and will go to my local stringer. I was dying to get out and play with it but will just have to be patient for a few more days! Thanks all for the help.

Shame you cut out the strings. You could have hit with it and it would have returned to size after.

 

[mimo]

Shame you cut out the strings. You could have hit with it and it would have returned to size after.

Yeah I was hoping to play with it and even asked if I could, but I think the issue was they wanted to know if it was in fact caused by stringing or if it was a manufacturing defect.

 

[hadoken]

So after finally doing extensive demo, I am selling my Ezone 98+ and sticking to my DR98. I setup the 98+ exactly the same as my DR98...Babolat Skinfeel grip, Tourna Powercap but had to add 2 grams of lead under the butt cap to get the balance closer to my DR98. The Ezone 98+ "feel" is very good...I could see myself easily swapping to the std length version. The 98+ hits like a dream on my 2 hand BH, and is great for serving. Backhand slice was so-so but I could probably adjust to that. The biggest issue was the sluggishness on my forehand. I just couldn't get the timing right and needed to prepare far earlier. I could probably adjust to the 98+, but I don't see the point since I was happy with the DR98's.

I toyed with the idea of cutting the 98+ down to 27.25" but that would kill the resale value so I decided for now I will stick to the DR98s. Maybe I will do that down the road