The new Ezone has some design updates which makes the racquet play surprisingly solid yet very comfortable. My current racquet the Yonex Vcore Pro weighs in at 12.2 oz. A full ounce heavier. After playing with the Ezone for a few hours it becomes a much more intuitive racquet. What I mean by intuitive, the racquet wants to get out in front of the ball with ease, and you find yourself striking the ball much earlier and with a lot more confidence. I didn’t notice any power or feel drop off with the lighter Yonex Ezone 100
Here is a quick review. For more in-depth review, please watch the video.
Forehand: Very smooth and plush to hit, the racquet likes to get out in front of shot, so your shots are clean and crisp. Good access to spin and direction, hitting out on a flat ball goes where you want, and depth of shot is easily obtained. Hitting targets on the court was very easy.
Backhand: Like the forehand, very good access to spin and the ability to flatten out the shot while keeping the ball in court was a plus. My down the line backhand is back with this racquet. I lost the ability to accurately hit down the line with my Vcore Pro, but I am happy to say, the Yonez Ezone 100 had no problems sticking that backhand down the line.
Volleys: The Yonex Ezone is very maneuverable at the net. I didn’t really get to stick some hard returns, but I believe in time, the racquet will be very solid at the net.
Serve: The serve was the most pleasant surprise. The racquet really delivers on the serve. My first serve, which is flat had enormous pop and movement. Velocity was the same as my Vcore Pro. The ability to slice my second serve was so easy and the second serve with this racquet has both spin and depth.
Final Thoughts:
The 2025 Yonex Ezone 100 racquet was a pleasure to hit with. The comfort level was amazing. The feel of the racquet was smooth and it only felt better each time I used it. The best part of this racquet is the ease to find the sweet spot. For a 100 square inch racquet, it is usually not this easy to find the sweet spot.
Do you have a favorite racquet? Please leave in the comments. Like and subscribe if you found this article and video helpful.
As a coach, the most difficult shot to master is the Serve. There are many reasons this shot is difficult. One the main reasons it is so difficult, is because the serve is the only shot in tennis that you have 100% control over. This causes you to have really good mechanics on the many aspects and movements required to hit a strong, consistent serve, over and over again.
There is a training video at the end of this article. I made this video for a Tennis Coaching APP I am developing. I hope you enjoy.
1. Perfect Your Grip
Use the continental grip for more control and power. This grip allows you to hit different types of serves (flat, slice, topspin) effectively. Hold the racket like you would an axe, with the V-shape of your thumb and index finger resting on the top of the handle.
2. Focus on Your Stance
Position your feet shoulder-width apart, with your front foot pointing toward the net post and your back foot parallel to the baseline. This will help you generate power and maintain balance.
For a more effective serve, slightly lean forward and transfer your weight from your back foot to your front foot as you make contact with the ball.
3. Use the Right Toss
A consistent toss is key. Toss the ball slightly in front of you and to the right (for right-handers) or to the left (for left-handers). The toss should be high enough to give you time to reach up and make contact at the highest point.
Keep your tossing arm straight and release the ball at the peak of your toss for better control.
To correctly hold the ball, use your finger and thumb pads to act as prongs to support the ball away from your palm. When you release the ball, extend your fingers and thumbs simultaneously and let the ball lift from your finger tips with no spin on the ball.
I will say, that this is one of least practiced motions in tennis, and without a consistent smooth toss, that places the ball at the exact same point of contact every time, you will never have a consistent, powerful serve.
4. Focus on Ball Contact
Hit the ball at the highest point you can reach to maximize power and control.
Aim to make contact with a flat racket face for flat serves, or slightly brush up on the ball for topspin or slice serves to add spin.
5. Use Your Legs
Bend your knees and use your legs to push up and into the serve. This will help generate more power and give your serve a higher trajectory.
Explode upward with your legs as you swing, which will help transfer more energy into your serve.
6. Accelerate Through Your Swing
Increase your racket head speed as you swing toward the ball. Snap your wrist at the point of contact to generate more power.
Follow through completely, allowing your racket to swing across your body, which will add control and spin to your serve.
7. Practice Different Types of Serves
Flat Serve: Focus on hitting the ball with a flat racket face for maximum speed. Ideal for first serves.
Slice Serve: Brush the ball from right to left (for right-handers) to create a curving effect. This can help pull your opponent wide off the court.
Topspin Serve: Brush up on the back of the ball to generate topspin, which makes the ball dip into the service box and bounce high. Great for second serves.
8. Work on Your Rhythm
Develop a consistent pre-serve routine to get in the right mindset and help you stay relaxed.
Focus on a smooth rhythm throughout your serve—don’t rush. A relaxed motion allows for better control and power generation.
9. Practice Placement Over Power
Instead of always trying to hit the ball as hard as you can, work on aiming for specific targets within the service box. Placing your serves accurately can be more effective than just relying on power.
10. Record and Analyze Your Serve
Use video recordings to review your serve technique and identify areas that need improvement. Watching your form in slow motion can help you see what adjustments are needed.
Take a look at this training video I am developing for my TennisCoach APP. Please leave comments, good or bad.
Tennis is a unique sport in that players are isolated on the court and responsible for their performance. I often refer to tennis as a gladiator sport. Two people walk on to the court, one winner walks off. As a result, developing a strong mental game becomes essential to achieve peak performance. This article explores the key elements of the mental game in tennis, providing strategies to build mental toughness and maintain focus during matches.
1. The Importance of the Mental Game in Tennis
The mental game in tennis refers to the psychological and emotional aspects that impact performance. It includes a player’s mindset, confidence, focus, ability to handle pressure, and emotional regulation. While technical skills like serving, forehand, and backhand are fundamental, it is often a player’s mental state that separates the good from the great. Mental strength helps players stay calm under pressure, bounce back from mistakes, and maintain composure in tight situations.
2. Common Mental Challenges in Tennis
When I walk on to a court to compete, play a fun game, or even practice, there is a certain level of pressure that I feel. The pressure to win, the pressure to look good, the pressure to not embarrass myself. This pressure can manifest itself in several ways, and if you don’t know how to deal and manage this pressure, it can make for a frustrating time on the tennis court.
Nerves and Anxiety: Feeling nervous before or during matches is natural, but excessive anxiety can impair performance. Players may experience tight muscles, racing thoughts, or a lack of focus.
Self-Doubt: Many players struggle with self-doubt, especially after losing points or matches. Negative self-talk can undermine confidence and lead to poor performance.
Handling Pressure: The pressure to win, especially in important matches or critical points, can be overwhelming. Managing this pressure effectively is a key component of the mental game.
Frustration and Anger: Players may become frustrated after making unforced errors or losing points, leading to negative emotions that can disrupt concentration and affect subsequent points.
3. Strategies for Strengthening the Mental Game
Improving the mental game requires practice and self-awareness. Here are some strategies to build mental toughness:
a. Develop a Pre-Match Routine
A consistent pre-match routine helps players get into the right mindset before competing. This routine might include warm-up exercises, visualization, meditation, or listening to music.
My routine is pretty simple. It starts when I am putting my tennis clothes and shoes on. I begin to focus before I get to the court. I focus on how I want to play, what I want to accomplish, and set my mind to do my best to win the match. When I get to the court as I am warming up, I make sure I take nice deep breathes as I feel the ball hit the strings. I don’t try to do too much, I focus on feeling the ball and smoothly hitting the ball back to my opponent. After warm ups I have routines developed for serving, for striking the ball, for getting ready to strike the ball.
The goal is to create a sense of familiarity and comfort, preparing your mind and body for competition. A well-established pre-match routine , and routine while playing, can reduce anxiety and help players feel more confident stepping onto the court.
b. Practice Mindfulness and Focus
Mindfulness involves staying present and fully engaged in the current moment. In tennis, mindfulness can be applied by focusing on the feel of the racquet, the sound of the ball, or the breathing pattern. This practice helps players avoid overthinking and reduces distractions. I find it amazing that even though you are playing a match or game, it is easy to lose focus. The mind seems to drift at certain parts of the game. A good trick is to train the mind to focus on one point at a time, this will help you maintain concentration throughout the match, even during high-pressure situations.
c. Use Positive Self-Talk
Positive self-talk involves using encouraging and constructive language to motivate oneself. When faced with adversity, replacing negative thoughts with positive affirmations can shift the mindset. For example, instead of thinking, “I always miss my backhand,” a player can think, “I will improve my backhand by focusing on my footwork.” Positive self-talk helps in building confidence and maintaining a resilient attitude. I used to say to myself, “Steve, you are so dumb”, “How can you make such a stupid shot”. I replaced those sayings with “You can do it”, “Focus”, “Move your feet”. I only use positive affirmations now.
d. Set Process-Oriented Goals
It is important to remember that winning isn’t everything. I have played some really good matches and lost, and played some really bad matches and won. Try focusing on how you play instead of did I win. Goals such as “focus on deep groundstrokes” or “maintain a consistent first serve percentage” can help you concentrate on your performance rather than the outcome. This approach reduces the pressure associated with winning and allows you to stay engaged in each point.
e. Visualization and Mental Rehearsal
Visualization is a powerful technique where you can mentally rehearse specific scenarios, such as serving an ace or hitting a forehand winner. One way I use visualization is on my serve. I visualize the toss going to the exact spot my racquet will strike it exactly where it needs to be. Visualization can be used both before matches and during breaks to reinforce positive outcomes.
f. Embrace the Pressure
Pressure is an inherent part of competitive tennis, and learning to embrace it can be a game-changer. Instead of fearing pressure, players can view it as an opportunity to showcase their skills and rise to the occasion. Practicing under simulated pressure, such as playing tie-breakers in practice sessions, can help players adapt to high-stakes moments during actual matches.
Tennis is an emotional sport, and you must learn to manage emotions effectively before the match gets away from you. Try these tips when you are feeling a little nervous on the court.
Deep Breathing: Taking deep breaths between points can help calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety. It allows players to reset and regain focus for the next point.
Body Language: Maintaining positive body language, such as standing tall and avoiding slumped shoulders, can boost confidence and convey composure to both opponents and oneself.
Accepting Mistakes: Mistakes are a natural part of the game. Instead of dwelling on errors, players should acknowledge them, let go, and refocus on the next point. Accepting that mistakes will happen allows players to stay composed and resilient.
5. Building Mental Toughness Through Practice
Mental toughness is not something that develops overnight; it requires consistent effort and practice. Here are some training methods to improve mental strength:
a. Simulated Match Play
Anything you can do to simulate a match will help you get over your fears and anxiousness. You can add some playing with scoring, adding consequences for losing points, or incorporating sudden-death scenarios can make practice more challenging and prepare you for real match conditions.
b. Mental Conditioning Drills
Mental conditioning drills, such as practicing under fatigue or simulating high-pressure points, can help build resilience. The goal is to replicate challenging match situations to teach players how to handle stress and stay focused under difficult conditions. When I am doing service drills with students, I run a few cardio drills to get them breathing a little harder. I then immediately put them on the service line and have them serve a simulated game with scoring. The goal is to have the student serve a complete game and keep track of 1st and 2nd serve percentages, and double faults.
c. Post-Match Reflection
After a match, reflect on your mental performance, noting what worked and what did not. Keeping a mental game journal can help track progress, identify patterns, and set goals for improvement.
6. The Role of Coaches in Developing the Mental Game
Coaches play a crucial role in helping players develop the mental aspect of tennis. They can encourage players to adopt positive habits, reinforce mental toughness strategies, and provide feedback on handling pressure. Mental training should be integrated into regular practice sessions to ensure that it becomes a natural part of a player’s development. I have my students reflect to me, what worked and didn’t work during their match play.
7. Conclusion
The mental game is an integral part of tennis, influencing performance just as much as physical skills. By focusing on building your mental toughness, you can enhance your ability to stay calm under pressure, recover from setbacks, and maintain concentration. Whether it’s through positive self-talk, visualization, or simulated match play, strengthening the mental aspect of your tennis game, will lead to more consistent and confident performances on the court.
If you have any comments or suggestions please leave a comment.
To hit a tennis forehand properly, with spin, power, control, it is important to understand what preparation is required before you actually get ready to swing. Our prior articles explain these and are listed below in sequential order. If you are struggling with power, spin, or control on your current forehand , refer to the sequential list below to ensure you are preparing properly.
Forehand Grip: Semi Western Grip
Ready Stance:
Split Step
Unit Turn
Racquet in Power Position ( This article )
Step forward ( Closed Stance )
Step and twist ( Open Stance )
Racquet head drop below the wrist
Step forward and pull racquet with handle butt facing net
Make Contact with ball in front of your front foot/body
Follow thru with swing over shoulder, or across the chest around backside.
Leg swing to return to ready position ( closed stance )
To find the forehand grip, the forehand grip is a semi-western grip in my example. The semi-western grip is powerful because it places the racquet pointing down, which ensures when you make contact with the ball, you will instantly have access to spin and control. To find the Semi -Western grip, place your racquet flat on the ground, and pick it up as you see in the picture. That is the semi-western grip! It might be easier to pick up the racquet than to find the bevel on the grip. To find the correct bevel for the right handed player, you want to place your index finger knuckle pad and heel pad on bevel #4. For a left handed player, you want to place your base index finger knuckle and heel pad on bevel #6.
The Ready Position, Split Step and Unit Turn
The Ready Position is exactly what it sounds like. You are preparing yourself, ready to strike;
You are facing the net
Feet shoulder length apart
Knees slightly bent
Racquet in forehand grip, head slightly above your wrists
Eyes on your opponent
After opponent strikes ball ( example on forehand side )
Perform split step, a slight hop forward landing with both feet
When landing, right foot should be pointing towards moving to forehand side ( right-handed player ). Opposite for left handed player. Left foot pointing towards forehand side.
Perform the unit turn, left shoulder now pointing to the net. ( right-handed player ) Opposite for left-handed player, right shoulder pointing toward the net.
Racquet head drops below the wrist, racquet face is closed. Racquet butt end is facing net. Player is in closed stance. Ball strike takes place in front of front foot. Left arm extended as counterbalance.
You now have a roadmap to your tennis forehand. What’s next? Get out there on the courts and try this out. Be patient, it takes time to learn all of these steps, and then put it all together into one awesome forehand shot.
Leave a comment if you have any tips to add. Please like and subscribe if you got some value from this article.
Tennis is a complex sport, but when broken down into small bite sizes, it becomes easier to learn and memorize.
Why is the Grip so important?
If you don’t use the proper forehand and backhand grip, you will not be successful. Without the proper grip, your forehand, backhand, serve and suffer the following;
Lack of Control
Lack of Power
Lack of Spin
Lack of depth on shot
What are the two grips I should use
The two grips we are going to use are called the Semi Western for the Forehand Grip and the Continental for the Back Hand Grip. These are the only two grips you need for a well rounded tennis game. This is how I teach my students, and this makes it very easy to remember. I say easy to remember, but often hard to find the two grips at the right time.
What does the semi western forehand grip look like?
A really simple way to find the semi western forehand grip is to lay the racquet flat on the ground. Simply pick the racquet up off the ground, and you now have a semi western forehand grip! This is a very popular grip, and one used by a high percentage of professional tennis players today. It feels a little awkward to use on the forehand, but only for a short time. When you get the feel of this grip related to the forehand, it forces the racquet face to be closed and keeps it marginally closed at the contact point of the ball. This closed face contact is what creates the natural topspin with the semi western grip.
What does the backhand grip look like?
The backhand grip is referred to either the Continental Grip or the Hammer Grip. An easy way to find this grip is to hold the racquet in your left hand, and place your right hand face on the face of the strings. Simply let your hands slide down the strings, down the racquet and onto the grip. You are now holding the racquet grip in the continental grip. To get a feel for the continental grip, hold the racquet like a hammer, and strike the racquet like you are driving a nail through a wall, you will get the feel of the grip and why it is called the hammer grip.
What grip do I use for the serve and volley?
The backhand grip is also used for your serve, and when you volley at the net. The backhand grip is also used as a slice backhand grip.
How to practice finding these grips while you are playing
The best way to find these grips while you are playing is to teach yourself to always hold the grip in the forehand grip. If you always hold the grip in the forehand position, you only need to practice flipping the racquet from the forehand to the backhand grip. I instruct my students to do this while relaxing and watching tv. Hold the racquet in the forehand position and flip the racquet to the backhand grip. Continue going back and forth, and randomly look down and make sure you are holding the racquet correctly.
Repeat these steps, until you can switch from forehand to backhand naturally without looking down.
The Grip is critical to obtaining proper forehand, backhand, serve, volley, and slice backhand.
Spend some time on the court when practicing. Ensuring you have the proper grip for either the forehand or backhand shot. We will spend a lot more time on this grip when we look at the forehand, backhand, serve, and volley shots.
Please let me know if you have any suggestions or comments in regards to this article.
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In this series, we are focusing on the Kaizen Standard Work process of preparation before you strike the ball. In our last series, we looked at the Kaizen Standard Work process for the ready position. When we break these moves and positions down into individual steps, it becomes clear what is required from a standard work process. If we are not successful in the proper execution of these steps, it will greatly effect the next sequence of moves to have a successful forehand strike.
Standard Work Sheet Split Step and Unit Turn
The importance of the split step and unit turn are paramount.
Let’s begin with the split step. The split step or jump step is performed right after your opponent has struck the ball. After the opponent strikes the ball, you are to:
Jump slightly forward after opponent has struck the ball
Determine if the ball is hit to your forehand or backhand
Your front foot is to point in the direction you are planning to move
Land from your jump and immediately start the unit turn.
Perform the unit turn. Turn your shoulder to face the net.
The shoulder turn will be either for the forehand or backhand
As your shoulder turn is starting, prepare your racquet in the ready or loaded position
Racquet slightly above your wrist
Racquet grip correct for either forehand or backhand
As your shoulder turn is rotating, begin to bring the forehand to the power position.
Note: The power position is where the racquet is in loaded position. See example of power position for the forehand
When looking at any tennis stroke, it is important to break the stroke down into smaller, bite size chunks of instruction. To do this I am using a process called Kaizen. I explain the Kaizen process as continuous improvement through standard work, or standard process. The idea is to make the instruction simple enough to follow, but also simple enough to remember. The instructions are to the point and focus on key steps to deliver the desired outcome.
Kaizen Work Sheet
The above is a Kaizen Standard Work Sheet I use with my students in person, and for online training. The students actually recognize when they have missed a Standard Work Step, and in many cases they can self correct themselves while playing. Combining the Kaizen Work Sheet method, with Video lessons, or in person one on one, is a powerful way to quickly develop good form and good habits.
The Goal
The Goal of the Standard Work is to be clearly set and the instruction is to be clearly identified.
The Best Practice Image
The Best practice image is to supply the student/player of the image they should attain when following the Standard Work Steps are followed precisely.
The Standard Work Steps
The Standard Work Steps are the details in step by step order to perform the Goal. Each step builds on the next, until the Goal is achieved. If any of these steps are missed, or done incorrectly, it may put the next Goal in the process in jeopardy.
Key Takeaway
The Key Takeaway depicts the importance of the standard work steps, as it relates to the next standard work movement or shot.
Why is the ready Position so important?
Without the ready position being performed correctly and consistently, all of your shots, whether it be a forehand, backhand, volley, will lack balance, fluidity, power, and control. The ready position is used when:
Returning Serve
After you have hit your shot and waiting for the return
After you have served and waiting for the return
When ever you retrieve a ball, return to center of court in the ready position
If you are at the net, you are in the ready position.
Try this Standard Work. Repeat the steps over and over until the ready position becomes automatic. Without the proper, fundamental ready position, the rest of your game will suffer.
Be ready to explode into our next section in this forehand series. We will be looking at the split step and the unit turn in our next Standard Work.
Kaizen is a Japanese term that means “continuous improvement” or “change for the better.” The philosophy and approach to life and in this case, tennis, is to focus on small incremental improvements over time. This leads to greater efficiency, quality and success.
How I use Kaizen to teach tennis
As a tennis coach, I try to break down each shot, and each movement pertaining to a particular shot or stroke. What is really helpful to me, is to have a reference book to use with the student, to help them follow along with the flow and visual aids for a particular shot or stroke. It is also helpful if you are using video analysis of a player, you can quickly compare the students stroke with the best practice example in the Kaizen playbook. Of course I demonstrate the stroke with shadow swings when I am doing individual coaching, but If I am doing remote on line lessons, it is very easy to compare the strokes with the students video and give instant feedback, and the player has a copy of the standard work playbook to refer to. The playbook also works well with my online training courses.
13 steps to get ready to hit your forehand
Almost all shots in Tennis, require multiple movements, multiple positions, multiple patterns, which can lead to a wide array of standard steps in one process, such as a swing on a forehand.
In the photo above, the player is running towards the ball to strike a forehand. In this photo, the player has performed 13 steps to get into this position, and she hasn’t even struck the ball yet. The steps she has taken to get to this point of her shot are;
Standard Work Forehand Preparation
Ready Position
Visually tracked the ball to determine if the ball will be to her forehand or backhand.
Performed a split step
Stepped towards her forehand side out of the split step
Rotated her shoulder to face the net
Changed her grip to forehand
Tilt the racquet above her wrist, position racquet in power position
Bring her right arm up to track the ball and provide balance
Perform long stride cross over steps to quickly get to the ball
Begin her forehand backswing
Let the racket head drop below her wrist as she starts her swing
Keep her eye on the ball
Begin to slow down as she approaches the ball with small shuffle steps
Kaizen Standard Work/Work Flow
In the Kaizen world, these 13 steps would be characterized as Standard Work, or Work Flow. In the tennis world this is known as preparation before the shot. The positive side about looking at Tennis as standard work, is it helps a coach teach with consistency, the student will learn a consistent method, the player can refer to standard work when shots stop being consistent, or you want to add spin or power to your shot.Learning or improving tennis can be simplified with Kaizen methods. If you look at the 12 steps, it is imperative these steps are performed, but it is even more important, these steps are performed correctly.
Try this standard work for the ready position the next time you take the court. Use the standard work as a best practice to follow. You might be surprised there may be a few things missing from your ready position stance. If you are struggling with your forehand, start with the ready stance. It is extremely important as are all positions in tennis.
We will start a Kaizen series on the forehand!!! Follow along and enhance your game.
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I have spent years looking for a replacement tennis racquet. I may have finally found one.
My old racquet is shown below. If you’re not familiar with the 2016 Babolat Aeropro here is a picture and the Specifications. I actually enjoyed this racquet. I usually strung it at 58 pounds, with Babolat Hybrid set up of Babolat RPM Blast and Babolat Touch VS Natural Gut. The strung weight was 12.1 ounces, but didn’t feel heavy at all as it was 4 points head light. I had plenty of access to spin and my lefty forehand spin to a righty’s backhand keeps opponents off balance for an entire match. My spin serve was also very effective and could occasionally crack a big flat first serve, but most of the time I was spinning the serve. Volleys were solid and my one handed backhand was solid.
Technical Specifications
Length
27 in
69 cm
Head Size
100 sq in
645 sq cm
Weight
11.3 oz
320 gm
Balance Point
13 in 33 cm
4pts Head Light
Construction
23mm / 26mm / 23mm
Composition
Graphite
String Pattern
16 Mains / 19 Crosses
Babolat RDC Ratings
Score
Grade
Flex Rating
69
Range: 0-100
Swing Weight
327
Range: 200-400
I was on Facebook marketplace looking for a used 2016 Babolat Aero. I saw an ad for the Rafa Origin for sale for only $150.00. I thought for that price I could purchase it and keep it as a souvenir racquet. When I was texting with the seller, I asked him why he was selling and he said “It was too heavy.” Out of curiosity I asked him what racquet he replaced the origin with.” He said the Yonex V Core 95. I went to my pro-shop to demo this racquet, but they didn’t have the racquet. I ended up demo’ing the Yonex Percept H. Here is a photo and the specs. By the way, the “H” means heavy.
Specifications
Head Size: 97 in² / 625.81 cm²
Length: 27in / 68.58cm
Strung Weight: 12.2oz / 346g
Balance: 12.59in / 31.98cm / 7 pts HL
Swingweight: 333
Stiffness: 62
Beam Width: 21mm / 21mm / 21mm
Composition: NAMD-2G/H.M.Graphite
Yonex Percept 97 H
I instantly fell in love with the racquet. The racquet was solid, it was smooth, and although it had a smaller head size 97 I had no problem finding the sweet spot. The racquet actually weighed 12.5 oz strung, but it felt as light as my old 2016 Aero Pro. Although 7 pts headlight, the racquet felt very balanced. The 333 swing weight allows me to whip the forehand or the one handed backhand through with ease. The serve was the most interesting aspect of this racquet for me. When bringing the racquet up to the striking position it seemed the racquet would almost automatically get into the position and allow me plenty of time to hit either a nasty slice serve, or a remarkable big flat serve. The volleys were solid and I had no issues when quick responses were required at the net. I would say I wasn’t crazy about the color, but to finally find a racquet that checked all of the boxes, I was willing to buy the racquet, until I found out about the 2021 Yonex, Vcore Pro H racquet.
Specifications
Head Size: 97 in² / 625.81 cm²
Length: 27in / 68.58cm
Strung Weight: 12.3oz / 349g
Balance: 12.59in / 31.98cm / 7 pts HL
Swingweight: 337
Stiffness: 61
Beam Width: 21mm / 21mm / 21mm
Composition: NAMD-2G/H.M.Graphite
2021 Yonex Vcore Pro H racquet
I discovered the 2021 Yonex Vcore Pro H by accident. I saw it listed on Tennis Warehouse and noticed it was marked down 50% from the price of the Percept. When I started to look at the specifications of the Vcore Pro H, I noticed they were almost identical to the Percept. I checked with my local pro shop and they had two of the Vcore Pro H. I bought them both. I had them strung with Babolat RPM Blast 17 gauge at 50 pounds. I am trying not to be overly dramatic, but I really enjoy playing tennis with the Vcore Pro H. When playing big hitters, the racquet absorbs their power and spin and allows me to either return the ball with their pace, or with very little effort apply more power and spin myself. I hit the sweet spot more than 50% of my shots and the serve is just a terror now. I have seen other reviews where some play tester say the racquet is too heavy. I would still give it a try before you make a decision based on the overall weight. I really believe the Yonex engineers spend a lot of time developing these racquets and they are also the manufacturer of the racquets. I think it makes a difference with the overall quality and feel of the racquet. I hope your racquet is working awesome for you, but if you are looking for a new stick, at least try the Yonex Percept, or Yonex Vcore Pro. Would you like to share your favorite racquet and why it is your favorite. Please let us know. Thank you.
At the beginning of every year I venture to try a new tennis racquet. I am currently playing with the 2016 Babolat Aero Pro Drive. This is the fluorescent green model and was a heavier version of the regular Aero Pro Drive that year, weighing in at 12.3 oz strung. Wow, that seems like a heavy racquet!!
I like the stability of the 2016 model, but it is a 2016 frame and I am sure it has lost some pop being that it is now 8 years old. I am an NTRP 4.5 Singles and Doubles Player and a full time Tennis Coach. I play 2 to 3 matches a week on top of a full tennis coaching calendar. I hit with a heavy topspin forehand, but can also flatten it out if necessary. I have a top spin one handed backhand and it is a little more challenging to flatten it out, but I will tend to slice for position off the backhand if I can’t get under the ball enough. I also have a pretty good slice serve and a moderately good kick serve. I can hit the big flat serve when necessary. I am giving you a point of reference for my game when I am discussing the test play of the Rafa Origin Racquet. The Rafa Origin is Rafa Nadal’s spec racquet, meaning it is the specification of his actual racquet. Here are the specs below.
I have highlighted 3 areas on the racquet specifications that really make this racquet standout from most racquets. On the balance, the racquet is only 1 point Head light, meaning the racquet carries a lot of weight in the head/hoop. The 1 point head light explains why the swing weight is so high at 371. As a comparison to my 2016 model, my racquet is 4 point headlight and has a swing weight of 327. The stiffness on the Rafa origin is 70, which means you are going to feel the shots as there is very little dampening in the frame. My racquet has a stiffness of 69, which is pretty close to the Origin. The big difference with the Rafa Origin to mine, and other racquets is the high swing weight of 371 and the weight of the racquet in the hoop area. In all honesty I have demoed this racquet twice. The first time the demo racquet had an unknown poly string and unknown tension. And while I really liked the racquet, I did feel it was a bit heavy and returned it shortly. But I was itching to play with the racquet again, and this time on my demo, I kept it a full two weeks and had the racquet strung with Babolat RPM Blast with 50 pounds of tension and 17 gauge string. I really wanted to put the racquet through its paces this time with my string and tension. After 2 weeks of play here is what I found. Forehand: Hitting a forehand with this racquet is pretty simple if you let the racquet take the lead, and don’t try to put too much arm into it. I have never hit a more stable, solid forehand, and every ball had power and depth. The more I played and hit with the Rafa Origin, the more comfortable I became. After about 5 straight days of hitting with it, my forehand felt great, but I couldn’t put the normal massive top spin on the ball, either hooking the ball in the corner, or inside out. The ball was flatter, but really jumped off the racquet with good power and depth. Backhand: This was probably the craziest part of my play-test. I could not miss my one handed backhand if I tried. I could place the ball anywhere, with any spin and the slice was devastating. The power and depth was again easy to find, but I had to really try to miss on my backhand side. The interesting part is normally when playing a match, if I get pushed deep on my backhand side, I will usually revert to a hard slice to put the ball back to neutral. But with the Origin, I found myself just hitting through the ball so easy that I never even used one slice on my backhand. Volley’s: The volley’s were mostly crisp and penetrating, but with the added head weight, I wasn’t as quick with variety at the net as with my old racquet. I like to make angle shots up at the net, and found it a little challenging to maneuver the racquet around the net. The volley’s had solid punch, but I was surprised the racquet, just with its sheer weight, didn’t provide a more solid volley. The overhead was fine, but again, getting the Origin up quickly for a volley, is a little more challenging with the added head weight. Serve: This is probably the shot I noticed the weight in the head the most. Because I take a pretty good size loop on my backswing, getting the racquet up to the power position and then to the head drop and swinging upward, I could definitely feel the weight of the racquet on this stroke. It wasn’t too bad on the flat serve, and when letting the racquet get out in front of you on the serve, the racquet again does the heavy lifting on the flat serve. It was on the slice and the kick serve that I started to feel some pain in my outer wrist. Because of the heavy acceleration required for a slice and kick, my wrist couldn’t handle bringing the Origin up and through during an excruciating match. But even before the pain, I wasn’t getting the crazy amount of spin on my slice or kick serve that I am used to. It was very similar to my experience with the forehand, where I could not get that crazy forehand topspin shot. Summary: There is a reason I demoed the Origin racquet twice. I really wanted to get the racquet! There is something almost magical when hitting with the Rafa Origin racquet. It is like you are trying to control a wild horse in the beginning, but once under control it is a smooth and powerful hitting weapon. I really loved hitting the ball with that racquet. I was even getting used to those wild colors. I can truly say, I have never enjoyed hitting a ball more than with that racquet. It was the last day for my demo and I chose to play a match with a speedy opponent. I was hitting with both depth and power on my forehand and backhand, and even without access to my heavy topspin, I was still dictating play with the heaviness and depth of the ball. It was during the second set that I noticed the pain in my wrist while serving. I tried to stretch it out, but it was still hurting. I switched racquets and won the match, but there was still some pain in my wrist. For the next few weeks it hurt pretty bad. After taking a few weeks off and a month of playing in a wrist brace, and taking it easy on match play’s, the pain is finally gone, after about 6 scary weeks. I will say that other play testers have also said the racquet plays heavy and their arm gets tired faster. I also have not seen anyone playing with the racquet out on public or private courts, probably for the same reason, it is just too darn heavy.
Only one man can hit with the Rafa Origin Racquet. And that man is the GOAT RAFA NADAL. Vamos RAFA.!!!
