Michael Lesbowicz
Banned
I decided to publish my review in a new thread, instead of in my previous thread.
I was worried if I bumped the other thread with my review, most people would not notice or bother clicking, since they would
probably think it is just that thread again with the pictures. No pictures this time. For new pictures of the strung racket,
please see my initial thread:
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=507021
The Regna is never going to generate the same level of interest as other rackets, mainly due to the high price,
availability being limited to the Japanese market, and the fact that no pros play with it. It is marketed as a concept racket for the luxury market.
Total price paid including shipping from Japan, forwarding service fee, customs, sales tax, string, stringing and shipping to and from stringer:
390 Euros / $525 USD.
Someone living in the U.S. would end up paying less than that, since the U.S. does not charge sales tax on imported goods, and only a customs fee.
String: Kirschbaum Max Power Rough 1.25 mm @ 24 kg / 23 kg (53 lbs / 51 lbs).
I have so far played with the following Yonex rackets:
*VCORE Xi 100
*EZONE Xi 98
*EZONE Xi 100
*EZONE Ai 98
*EZONE Ai 100
*VCORE Tour G 330
The Regna has its own unique feel and sound that sets it apart from all the above rackets.
It does not have the heavily dampened feel of the EZONE Ai 100 for example, and does not make a cute "ping" sound like the EZONE Xi 98.
The EZONE Ai 98 has the same unstrung weight, headsize and string pattern as the Regna, so it would make sense to compare the two.
Despite my Ai 98 beng strung with natural gut at a low tension at the time, the Regna with the poly string at a higher tension,
feels more comfortable, powerful and the sweetspot feels bigger too. That is how big the difference is between the two rackets.
I do not know the actual stiffness rating (RA value) of the Regna, as it is not published by Yonex. While it does not feel as flexible
as the Tour G, it is not a stiff feeling racket either. While it might not feel as comfortable as the Ai 100, it is still a very comfortable
racket. I played a long three hour match and did not experience any arm discomfort.
I did not add any weight tape to the racket. Apart from the overgrip tape, I used it stock. It does not need any extra weight, since it
already feels heavy enough. The racket is easy to swing, helped by the new aerodynamic shape, which according to Yonex reduces air
resistance by 9%. Swingweight was not an issue.
The Regna is a confidence booster. I was able to play better with it than with any other racket. Control is excellent.
It almost feels like an 18 by 20 string pattern, and not 16 by 19. The racket allowed me to take a good whack at the ball
and really send my shots where I wanted them to go. It is also great for serving. The maneuverability and stability allowed
me to hit serves with speed and precision. Combined with the textured polyester string, spin potential was impressive.
I was able to hit shots with a lot of spin and low net clearance.
My conclusion is that the Regna has a perfect blend of power, control, stability, comfort and spin potential, and is capable of satisfying
a wide variety of players. While it might not score a perfect 10 in each and every of those categories, it is overall the best and most
balanced Yonex racket I have played with.
Is it the holy grail of rackets and worth its high price? For my taste, yes.
But if you have a few hundreds of Dollars to spare, I would recommend you get one and find out for yourself.
I was worried if I bumped the other thread with my review, most people would not notice or bother clicking, since they would
probably think it is just that thread again with the pictures. No pictures this time. For new pictures of the strung racket,
please see my initial thread:
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=507021
The Regna is never going to generate the same level of interest as other rackets, mainly due to the high price,
availability being limited to the Japanese market, and the fact that no pros play with it. It is marketed as a concept racket for the luxury market.
Total price paid including shipping from Japan, forwarding service fee, customs, sales tax, string, stringing and shipping to and from stringer:
390 Euros / $525 USD.
Someone living in the U.S. would end up paying less than that, since the U.S. does not charge sales tax on imported goods, and only a customs fee.
String: Kirschbaum Max Power Rough 1.25 mm @ 24 kg / 23 kg (53 lbs / 51 lbs).
I have so far played with the following Yonex rackets:
*VCORE Xi 100
*EZONE Xi 98
*EZONE Xi 100
*EZONE Ai 98
*EZONE Ai 100
*VCORE Tour G 330
The Regna has its own unique feel and sound that sets it apart from all the above rackets.
It does not have the heavily dampened feel of the EZONE Ai 100 for example, and does not make a cute "ping" sound like the EZONE Xi 98.
The EZONE Ai 98 has the same unstrung weight, headsize and string pattern as the Regna, so it would make sense to compare the two.
Despite my Ai 98 beng strung with natural gut at a low tension at the time, the Regna with the poly string at a higher tension,
feels more comfortable, powerful and the sweetspot feels bigger too. That is how big the difference is between the two rackets.
I do not know the actual stiffness rating (RA value) of the Regna, as it is not published by Yonex. While it does not feel as flexible
as the Tour G, it is not a stiff feeling racket either. While it might not feel as comfortable as the Ai 100, it is still a very comfortable
racket. I played a long three hour match and did not experience any arm discomfort.
I did not add any weight tape to the racket. Apart from the overgrip tape, I used it stock. It does not need any extra weight, since it
already feels heavy enough. The racket is easy to swing, helped by the new aerodynamic shape, which according to Yonex reduces air
resistance by 9%. Swingweight was not an issue.
The Regna is a confidence booster. I was able to play better with it than with any other racket. Control is excellent.
It almost feels like an 18 by 20 string pattern, and not 16 by 19. The racket allowed me to take a good whack at the ball
and really send my shots where I wanted them to go. It is also great for serving. The maneuverability and stability allowed
me to hit serves with speed and precision. Combined with the textured polyester string, spin potential was impressive.
I was able to hit shots with a lot of spin and low net clearance.
My conclusion is that the Regna has a perfect blend of power, control, stability, comfort and spin potential, and is capable of satisfying
a wide variety of players. While it might not score a perfect 10 in each and every of those categories, it is overall the best and most
balanced Yonex racket I have played with.
Is it the holy grail of rackets and worth its high price? For my taste, yes.
But if you have a few hundreds of Dollars to spare, I would recommend you get one and find out for yourself.
Last edited:
