I too just switched from the blade to the ezone 98. Took a while to transition but after about 20 hours of play I am getting the hang of it. If you’re playing with a Wilson blade v7 and thinking about switching here are a couple of things you may want to consider: - are you a feel oriented player who enjoys and plays a great deal of touch shots e.g. drop shots, touch volleys etc. The ezone requires much adjustments from the blade as it is quite muted - you may need to consider adding some weight to the racket head for stability which the blade offers much more of. - are you a type of player who is prepared to commit to every shot, whether it be ground strokes or volleys. I find that with my blade, I could guide my shots when I feel less confident but with the ezone you really have to swing through and commit. You will be hugely penalized if you don’t. Appreciate this will differ depending on your style of play but hopefully some viewers may benefit from this.
Beckett my dude. This video is you at your absolute finest. Couple this with your top 10 reviews, your Pure Aero review and a few others, this is straight gold. You have a lot in common with the other good reviewers making your standard reviews good as well. Where you absolutely shine is your story telling abilities. There isn’t another name on my subscribed to list that could deliver this information in as clear, interesting and funny way. You’re the king of tennis story time.
This is very informative and just goes to show raquets do make a difference on your game at any level and for the pros it's not just about money. These highlights break many myths in the tennis community among rec players saying "oh raquets don't matter its just technique" BS! I switched from Babolat to Ezone and I noticed I have more control and spin that keeps the ball during tough moments. It's not a magical change but Ive seen improvement.
Thanks! I togtally agree. Even if you can find a 1% improvement from a racquet switch, and even if that's only mental (placebo), you are still getting benefits from the switch. With the way tennis is scored, 1% of points can easily be difference between winning and losing.
I switched to the VCore 98 a few months ago, and it completely unlocked my game. I'd resigned myself that to get excel in one thing you'd be sacrificing something else (i.e. the rigid Spin/Control/Power archetypes), but this frame truly does it all. The game of tennis is moving towards an all-court play style, and this is the racquet that gets it done. Whether you like swinging big and flat, or with whipped spin shots, you'll get it all with great feel and surprising stability. In 20+ years of playing, I've never tried anything like it. It's so liberating to just play tennis freely, and be confident that whatever you want to try, you'll have the right tool for the job.
I’m on the fence between the vcore 98 and ezone 98. Have you tried the ezone? I think both are perfect for the modern game, just for different naunces in play styles
Beckett… great video 👍…I actually will be getting the VCore 100 tomorrow… I’ve tried many rackets, but not Yonex, so I decided to give it a try. This is what I will look for: comfortable and swings easily, maneuverable, good for all court game including one - hander, touch shots, flat hitting… All the best, Ciao, John PS: Would have gone for the 98, but I’m just a 4.0 singles player who happens to be a million years old😂😂😂😂😂
Totally agree. I'm just an old man 3.0, but I went 2-14 in first half of 2022 in USTA playing with older Head Radical and Speed and Gravity--switched to VCore 98 then eZone 98 and have gone 27-10 since!
The yonex racekt uses alot of design features that can be seen in badminton rackets as they are the worlds premier badminton company. Hence their research in beam design and string layout from badminton can be corelated back to tennis rackets.
I have played with Vcore98 for the past 5 years. Only issues with '21 VC98 were hitting long when going for big serves and not the easiest to flatten out. Temporarily switched to the new Ezone in fall of '22 and loved the precision I was able to hit with and I still got plenty of spin. However, 2 issues gave me pause: 1) some arm pain & 2) opponents felt my ball was not as heavy, esp on serve, even if mph was same as VC98. Thus the new '23 Vcore comes in and kind of meets in the middle, so I sold my EZ and sticking with new Vcore! Just dialing in with different string setups and slight weight at 3/9 but may take it off and play stock. I do need to pick a slightly bigger target vs EZ, but the feel and heaviness I get with increased spin are a worthwhile trade off. Keep up the great content and good luck in your racket journey!
Thanks! I feel the same as you regarding the directional control challenges with the '23 VC 98. Nothing has played better for my than my initial setup, which makes me think I was honeymooning pretty badly.
@@TennComwhat did you find was the best string setup for the '23 Vcore 98? I'm using a full bed of Head Hawk at 45 lbs, haven't experimented much yet.
Thanks for your videos. I noticed the same stiffness with the Ezone and plush spring feel with the Vcore. I demoed both. As I'm getting older you convinced me to go with the Vcore 100 since I can have some issues with wrist and shoulder, especially after playing with Prostaff. As a former Pro Aero player, it had all the spin, and more, with less effort on part of my aging body. Thanks for you candid and thorough review and analysis. Appreciated
I know why they all switch. You can't describe it, but Yonex racquets have a unique feel. Although it must be said that the frames are VERY string sensitive. They seem to like soft strings, so the power level has to suit you very exactly.
@@TennCom Bought a roll of head lynx 1.25 green because it was cheap but never tried it. Fits the racket great, im breaking more often as its soft but the strings do move so the ball dips in. Was thinking of trying hyperg soft but this string is doing it for me. Best vcore 98 yet.
@@TennCom Ytex Quadro Twist at 23 kg (48 lbs I guess) on the Ezone Tour, 20 kg (44 lbs) on the Regna. Both are average, Mains more, crosses less. Other strings should be a little looser I guess, but the only one I tried apart from Quadro Twist was the Toalson Devil Spin on one of my Regnas. Toalson plays very controlled, Quadro Twist enables me to crush my shots with ease. Clay season is about to start in Germany, I guess they will both suit me better than my former 18 20 racquets of the last 25 years. On the Ezone I could litterally hear the strings snap on every shot, the Regna does not do that.
@@TennCom I have a friend who’s been playing tennis for 15 years and only uses Yonex his entire life. Has every racquet Yonex has ever produced. He’s used poly tour rev 125 51lbs in the mains and 4g soft in the cross 49lbs. I personally never tried either of these strings but he swears it’s the best setup for any Yonex racquet 🤷🏾♂️ I can’t really argue the man
For the last 2 years i used vcore 98 2021 and vcore 98 2023 and today i tried ezone 98 2024....I am switching for sure. More stable, very powerful, very predictable. Only con was that it felt way more heavier. One last thing, if you commit to your strokes, the ball is always in. tested with polytour pro. I believe the best string for yonex rackets
I absolutely love my ezone 98 and was my main racquet until i took someones advice and put lead at 3 & 9 on my blade. Serving and manoeuvrability probably still better on ezone, but groundstrokes are much more consistent now with customised blade
I used Babolat before it was hard on my arm. Now I have both Ezone and Vcore and love them all. Ezone feels more powerful, Vcore feels more comfortable. Spin is about the same with both to me.
@@ers87 Vcore 100 with hyperG 17G @48lbs - LA is high but spin is good enough to bring down the ball if you can generate good spin. Kinda risky in my hands I will play around with different string set up to tune it. Vcore98 with polytour Rev @48lb - LA is not too high, better control but less power. Ezone 100 confidential+velocity hybrid @53lbs- good power , comfort and decent spin when strings are fresh
I will echo gholland75. My feeling is that all these modern racquets are designed for poly strings (or hybrids). Therefore the control may not be exactly there when you switch to multis, which I have to do courtesy of my elbow. Getting the tension higher is the only remedy but that brings us closer to using poly strings (Head velocity strung at 58 or 60 is not that far away from a co-poly at 46 or 48). Another alternative going for the smaller head size, which hardly exists below 11.5 oz (Except Dunlop CX series, which are devoid of all notion of power). A third effort is to look frames from the antiquity (which I do currently) but that is not a sustainable way in the mid and long term.
Counter point, for the sake of argument, Osaka won the US Open with Rexis in the crosses. However, my curiosity on this subject has been ignited so I'll do some more research to see if I can dig up anything tangible for a potetial video.
@@TennCom Thank you for the reply. She might be using Rexis on the crosses (or not, acc. to Tennisnerd who claims that she was using natural gut Bab VS for crosses but that is not my point), her mains were Yonex Poly Tour Strike. Still 70 to 80% of the string characteristics come from the poly. I will be waiting for your coverage on the topic.
@@philanthropenos1074 A couple of points to consider -- 1) Even when stringing non-poly's high enough to where the dynamic tension (DT) roughly equals that of a poly strung lower, you're still going to get better shock absorption and vibration dissipation from the non-poly, so while the initial "thud" of ball impact may feel just as harsh, the amount of tissue protection on the back end is still eminently greater, even if it's imperceptible during play, so do keep trying to play as much non-poly in the string bed as possible, and 2) if you haven't yet considered one, you might try a ProKennex, whose frames use moveable microbeads that shift on contact to virtually eliminate all impact shock from reaching your arm, and are often so protective that you can even reintroduce poly, at least in a hybrid, if not full bed, while still healing. Just a couple things to try if you haven't already. Here's to healthy hitting!
Ben Shelton is a big spin player on his forehand. He’s always firing banana balls. Some ppl including myself believe ezone is a better spin racquet. After all power and spin are directly correlated, so if ezone is the power racquet, then it’s also the bigger spin monster
IMO a racquet's spin potential is largely dependent on the player that uses it. If you get more confidence from the tighter string pattern, you can swing harder, you can hit more spin. I was hitting more spin with the VCORE, but I'd say that's largely due to my preference for the racquet. Of course this cannot be scaled to every player, as there are ton's of EZONE users that hit tons of spin.
me tooo :'( he recently started a new job so has been quite exhausted after work. He told me he's been feeling more energized so will be ready for his big return soon! (aka this is not a Grisha/Areg situation)
Very new player here (5 months in) switched from Wilson Burn v4 to Ezone 98. The Burn made me throw rockets in through practice which was great but very difficult to manoeuvre and have good control. Now with the Ezone 98 about a month in, control is phenomenal. I can send the ball where I want (when my technique is 👌) but I lost SO much power at my shots. Both racquets are strung with Head hawk 1.20 at 21kg. I think the Ezone 98 probably has a narrow margin of forgiveness and it unleashes it’s full potential when shots are at the sweet spot and you can generate your own power (which I am not doing at the fullest). That or I have picket up the very wrong racquet and string for me 😅
As a newer player, I would recommend that you use a hybrid setup. This will give you more consistent depth control and for forgiveness off centre. At your level, its unlikely you are sacrificing that much spin. I recommend Head Velocity MLT 17 in the crosses and string the whole thing at 21kg.
I would love to see a parallel universe where Fraylor Titz plays an Ezone could try the Ezone 98 instead of that IG Radical. I think he’d benefit, but given how steady he’s been climbing, he just can’t justify a swap.
I think Taylor just needs a heavier racquet. He plays with one of the lightest setups on tour, and I think it played a big part of his loss to Sinner at IW. Sinner was hitting huge and Fritz would be there in time, but unable to control the ball off the string bed, like his racquet was being disturbed by the pace. EZ98 is more stable though, so I'm sure it would help too.
Switched to the ezone and absolutely loved it but grew to not like the VDM and finding that touch became very inconsistent as some balls would fly out off a light tap. Back to the head speed but recommend everyone to at least try the yonex sticks and see if they like them
Rec player here started playing tennis 7 months ago. Tried number of frames in the beginning and almost gave up tennis out of frustration. Settled on the Ezone 100sl and never looked back. Amazing stick for its weight class. In my opinion gear does make a difference. It could be the difference between giving up on a sport or loving it on the verge of addiction. Graduated now to the Ezone 100L and love the added stability and control. Play with a full poly bed and minimal arm issues. Would slowly graduate to the 100 as my technique and fitness improves.
Great story! I think having the right gear for your level can also really help you improve your game and it sounds like you've got a great handle on what works for you, as well as how you may need to adapt your equipment as you improve. Very rare skill to have as a beginner!
Babolat/Wilson/Head don't want to cough up the money for anyone who isn't a top 10 player or a generational player. Hence why we are seeing a lot of players going to Yonex and this is also the reason Dunlop is making a comeback amongst pros.
Nice review! As always! I’ve been dying to watch you first impressions on the Regna but unfortunately i’m still not Lord tier. How do you compare do Regna 98 with those 2? Good power, spin and control? AC Tennis seemed to love it! Cheers mate!
I'll put out a full Regna review soon for the general public. Its a great racquet that reminds me a lot of the SV95 from a few gens back combined with like a DR98. So much more connected and responsive than modern racquets with a truly special feel. Possibly in my Top 3 Racquets of all time.
I have been trying the ezone 98 tour for a while. The feeling is quite nice, but I am really struggling with the launch angle, soooo many balls that stay at the net. It is completely different compared to my prince phantom x100, which allows me to play with much more margin. I will be giving the ezone a try with a 1.20 string to see if it improves in the generation of spin, otherwise I will just have to sell the racquet. It is taking away a lot of confidence away from my game.
That is what exactly was happening to me but with the ezone 98. Loved so much de touch, power, sweet point, etc... with a 23.5kg-24.5kg, but the confidence was shit because each third ball to the net without explanation. Lowering the tension helped but power was reduced drasticaly and touch was too mushy. Any advise?
Obviously I liked everything about this video. But in all honesty this is a good characterization of two very prominent racquet series available on the market. It leaves me wondering what may happen in the future to the Vcore Pro series. Considering that the VCore series seems to be gaining traction and offers similar control benefits while perhaps being more suitable for a modern, spin friendly world. I think as Stan the man heads towards retirement, they may have to do something different with that series.
Ty my good friend. I guess right now Big Foe is carrying the line, but I think they’ll need a big power player if they want to do anything meaningful. I think the Prostaff X or TFIGHT ISO 305 represents the right move for this type of racquet. I’d like to see the VCP with a widened head like the VCORE, but with a denser string bed, and still in the 97 package for branding purposes.
@@TennCom Yeah it's probably good marketing wise to have something that aligns/stands with the Prostaff because of it's classical popularity. I could see that being the next push considering it didn't do too well against the last couple gens of prostaffs.
Great review my guy .But reasons why I didnt like vcore : 1. Being head light you have to generate your own power . Being a counter puncher this frame doesnt give you access to any sort of power . 2. The sweet spot is at the top of racquet and most of the time its a hit or miss. 3. Not for big hitters I wish they made a heavier vcore 98 atleast 10-15 grams. Tested vcore 98 with PT strike My main is ezone 98 with PT Rev
Hey Beckett, you’re more a wristy player. Do you fit the vcore 98 more than the ezone 98? I saw a video from karue about the ezone and it openend my eyes. He says ezone is for full swing hitters and vcore for more pushy wristy players. I’m on the fence between these rackets.
When I think about how certain racquets suit a certain type of swing, to me its more about the racquet's weight distribution. These Yonex's have a very neutral weight distribution. They weight the same, have the same balance, swingweights and twistweights, so the way they behave as you swing them is quite similar. Like I would call Tommy Paul a full swing player and Ben Shelton a wristy player, but that doesn't necessarily line up with the comments of Karue. It's more about how the frames behave on contact. The VCORE is more forgiving, feels softer and loops the ball more effectively, so it works better for a guy like Tommy who works the points a little more patiently. Ben needs big control and a lot of predictability, so the stiffer frame and tighter pattern means that the racquet behaves more consistently on contact, sacrificing some forgiveness.
@@TennCom Thanks for the reply! I knew I was lacking something. But now I’m back at zero again! Would you say the vcore is for more patient play and ezone aggressive? And what if you do both just as much in your gamestyle?
Great choice! Just like you wanted, more free power and forgiveness. Are you planning a review of Head Prestige MP Auxetic and Tecnifibre TF 40 18/20 305?
I'll probably be waiting for those racquets to be updated against before I review them. Since I missed the initial release, I also missed a huge portion of the views which means the videos isn't really financially viable.
In your opinion, if you had to choose one YONEX racquet to go to battle with for DOUBLES only, which would you choose? Would that change if you were 65 years old? I would be grateful for your thoughts.
I could never quite adjust to the feel Yonex has. Great racket and I feel like the rackets are extremely forgiving and have all the attributes I look for. But I don't feel confident I'm getting the feedback from my shots that I want, and that's why I've never made the switch. All that said, I understand why people are switching to them. Their 98s are as forgiving as many 100s, I think it's the sweetspot in their lineup. Yonex 100s feel oversized imo
I do not have his specs but I am sure its the 2023 VC98. When the racquet is pointing straight at the camera you can clearly see the wacky headshape of the new VCores.
Beckett, I know you like the VCore 98….. more than Ezone 98 or PA 98? Which one would you recommend to this 4.0 senior dude….What strings does Tommy use?
GLad you found some success with that stick! Not that this is the endorsement you are looking for, but Sock has been using the 97 as well (he dumped the EZONE).
Just curious why you didn't include the Percept 97, Wawrinka's racquet? I switched to Yonex after trying a friend's (older version) VCORE Pro 97. I was playing with a Head Gravity and having a lot of tennis elbow issues. I'm just a club player 3.5 level but play with a lot of 4.0 guys who are pretty heavy hitters. I have a one handed backhand and it seemed the gravity was transferring a lot of the force of those heavy balls to my elbow. I started playing with the Pro 97 at 330 g weight, I found that the heavier, stiffer frame helped me absorb the contact on my one-hander and I wasn't experiencing the pain anymore. Then one of the pros at my club was a Yonex rep and I tried out some of the new frames. I found the Percept 97H to be my favorite, after playing with the new VCORE and also the EZONE. However, the pro didn't have any of the heavier versions of the VCORE or EZONE for me to try, so maybe I just liked the 330 g weight. I narrowed it down to the Percept 97 and 97H, eventually purchasing 2 of the 97H Percepts. I noticed that you recommend a softer frame for people with elbow issues. I have found exactly the opposite works best for my elbow. The heavier, more solid frame plows through heavily hit balls, not transferring the energy to my elbow on the one-handed backhand. I strung with a softer string, the Yonex Poly Tour Pro, which provides a bit more power and also absorbs impact, but I am finding that I love it on my backhand, but it's harder to dial in on my forehand. I would love a different string recommendation if you have one.
I didn't talk much about Wawrinka because the racquet he uses is a Yonex 95D, which they don't make any more and I hadn't tried at the time (I have one now and its amazing). Still I think most players at all levels will benefit from more power and spin than the standard Percept 97 can offer and the 97D/H are out of the wheelhouse for many. This video was more about producing wide ranging recommendations and while I think the Percept line is awesome, the 100 and 100D are what I would recommend to most players at all levels (even pro's). In the Percept 97, my favourite string was Toroline Wasabi in the pomegranate red colour. Played very comfortable and well rounded, looks sick with the paint job as well!
@@TennCom I appreciate your feedback, thank you. I guess I've always liked the 16x19 string pattern but probably have never tried an 18x20 like the 97D. Thanks for the string recommendation. Coincidentally, this evening I played and went back to the VCORE Pro 97 for a while. I really like it on my forehand and backhand but volleys not as much. I still prefer the Percept 97H overall and went back to it after about 1/2 hour. Any take on why this feels so much better on my tennis elbow?
Funny you say this, I too have elbow issues and tried softer arm friendly rackets And I found the same thing you did when you play with heavy hitters your arm absorbs all of the power I'm currently looking for a stiffer frame for this offer string I think will solve the problem
@@whatsgoodmyguy4391 Yeah, the heavier racket does seem to help me on the backhand for sure. I also did a lot of research on strings and recently tried a hybrid setup with Wilson natural gut in the mains and the Luxilon ALU power rough poly in the crosses. Wilson sells it together as the "Champion's Choice Duo". It's a rather expensive setup but it also feels very good on my arm and helps give me much more feel and control. But it is more than twice the cost of the Yonex poly tour pro strings I was using before, so if cost is an issue probably not a great choice. I don't tend to break strings very often so I'm hoping it will last me a while. You might also try that new HEAD Auxetic Extreme Tour. The new vibration dampening technology is supposed to be pretty good.
Hmm wouldnt say the best, i have used yonex since i was little dating back to 1999 they make great quality but fischer has that title they literaly made frames for wilson babolat prince dunlop etc
Yeah the launch angle does affect half volleys and volleys a bit but i found it not as bad as something like the Boom Pro. I may try going to larger gauge to calm the launch a bit
Expect a significantly lower launch angle, so consider dropping tension by approx 15% and you will be rewarded with more control and a more connected feel
What do you do if you can’t stand the grip shape of yonex being so round? And little to no flare on the butt cap? I still love the first gen rad mp and rectangular grip shape.
There are gripping techniques you can try for flare! I use one where you double up the grip by finding it in half starting from the opposite end. Works really well
Beckett, love your videos as of late, but you need to turn down the background music and turn up your voice -- it's very hard to hear you in many of your latest vids. Keep up the good work in general, though!
Yo beckett I’ve decided to switch racquets and my main pick right now would be the 23 Rafa aero(290) with rpm blast 15-16 gauge at 55 lb. I play full court with good technique, high power and spin shots. Is it a good setup choice or should i change for normal 23 aero or even out to other brands
Yo @@TennCom I just got it 2 days ago and I'd say that it hits perfect for me. I decided against customising it since overgrips etc add enough handle weight and the raw feel of the racquet is too good. Compared to other racquets I've used it definitely has good control and the sw helps me with aggression and power. It's also a great racquet for serves because of the inherent power and spin. Would love to see a review on the racquet tho. Have a nice day :).
I thought the Bolt racquets were the most innovative racquet w/ secret shock absorbing spring technology that would revolutionize the game? Why is Beckett giving up on the bolt after just a few months?
@@TennCom lol....What I meant is; I want to buy an Ezone 98 tour 2023 for someone, but it sold out. Will Yonex make more 2023's or will we have to wait until 2024? Is there that much of a difference between the 2023 and the older model, which is still available: I think it is a 2022? I think you mentioned the waffle fiberglass technology, and the price difference was only like 10%, so probably worth the wait.
I've only hit it once so far and I liked it. More predictable stringbed and throat flex. Full review will be out later in the month and will feature the 2018 and SV versions
My case: im 33 Y.O 2.5-3 NTRP player with good baselane front and back-hand technique. Got both Ezones 98 and 100, tried 4 string setups: Technifibre X-one, Kirshbaum Black Shark, Solinco Confidential and Tour bite. At the end of 1.5 month of playing ezones i've got an arm issues. Took from GF old Radical (2010) and Clash to check my opinion - and bam, i do not have any issues and my arm and elbow is chilling. So anybody have same issues?
I’ve got videos on both EZone 100 v 98 and vcore 98 v 100. The VCORE is more straight forward as you mentioned, but the EZone is more complicated for sure
Id like to get an opinion, I played Babolat ever since I started and demoed bunch of rackets. I switch between aero VS and aero tour. I use aero tour if I know I can beat my opponent and the VS if I know I’m going to play at the same level. I tried ezone 98 before and didn’t really get the feel I have with my PAT, I tried vcore 98 as well and still. I did get a really good feel on the yonex vcore pro, Stan’s racket. I saw that there’s a lot of pros really have changed. I’m not really into rackets but I’d like to try another one to see if it up my game.
I didn't find the Extreme Tour Auxetic to offer any improvements to my game when compared to the 360+ version. I've got videos on the channel that go more in-depth to my feelings about it.
I like both quite a bit. More than their Babolat counter parts for sure and I think the marketing on them is correct as well. I think the EZONE is very viable for all levels but the VC100 kind of caps out at NTRP 4.5. EZONE will be best for flatter hitters, especially at lower levels, but a high level players could hit monster spin with it. VC100 makes it very easy to hit a lot of spin regardless of level, but the pattern is very open and its a bit launchy once you get to that NTRP 4.5 so it can make it tough to attack reliably, plus you break strings constantly.
What strings are you using for your ezone/vcore? Or do you use different strings for each of the rackets? Good video, first time on this channel and first impressions were good man
Huh. I actually find the Vcore and Ezone to be incredibly disconnected feeling rackets. To each his own. I haven't hit much with the current gen Vcore, to be fair. Maybe it's improved. As for pro switches, lets see how these pros are doing in a year. Pros aren't immune to the honeymoon phase with a new racket, and that honeymoon phase can increase confidence and encourage good results. Let's see them through the clay and grass seasons and see if the rackets are still producing "magic."
I agree with the disconnection, but I do think they are much more connected than the Pure Strike 98s or the Aero VS. I feel like I would use the EZONE 98 as my main racquet if it didn't have VDM. The new VCORE feels a lot better than the previous version, but a crisper string is needed to get the best out of it IMO.
To whom/what sort of playstyle would you recommend the Vcore Pro 97? Yonex has the 3 silos, with the Vcore Pro for 'control', Vcore for 'spin' and Ezone for 'power'. But in you mentioned that the Ezone offers surprising control. So while there is overlap, I wonder what you would say about the Vcore Pro that separates it from the other two?
Now that the VCORE has dropped so much in stiffness, there is more overlap. I've seen a huge variety of players have success with the VCORE. Big hitting Wawrinka types, Western forehand pushers, all court players, etc. That said, I've always felt that the VCP always plays best in the hands of those with long, powerful strokes. Not necessarily flat, but not super spinny, just big and heavy.
@@TennCom I've got the 100 for all three in their latest iteration, and to me it feels like the Vcore and VCP are very similar apart from the faster swing speed of the Vcore. The Ezone feels the most 'different', but one-handed backhands feel a bit weird. Not sure why but for what it's worth, I strung it with Poly Tour Pro. Maybe I need a stiffer string?
I felt the 98 had more speed through the air which helped me control the spin more easily. I’m in the midst of dialing in a weight setup that works for me. It’s between this and the Radical MP for my next racquet.
@@TennCom Beckett, would you say that the VCore 98 swings easier through the air than the VCore 100, and therefore easier to generate racket head speed? Racket head speed is a challenge for me… Ciao, John
I use an Ezone 98 2021 and sure its stiffer but I use a soft hybrid setup, Velocity on the mains and Element rough on crosses, but will change to poly pro tour on mains and velocity on crosses in order to control the power better and in future probably technifibre biophase or gut on crosses if I can afford it.
@@TennCom Yeah interesting point, but the name rough that Luxilon use is a misnomer since its not rough on feel at all but instead the string has indents that go into the string so that there is less surface area for the opposing string to rub against which allows for movement. I agree Yonnex should at least try but use a different name
Great video and thank you as always! You talked the Ezone 98 as a "control" frame, even with a high level of power. But regarding the strings, my tennis partner is of the strong opinion that modern frames like the Ezone 98 were designed for a full bed of Poly, while traditional "control" / player's frames were designed to come alive with Natural Gut in the mains or crosses. What are your thoughts on modern racquets (such as the Ezone 98) being designed with a full bed of poly? Versus adding Natural Gut to the mains of an Ezone 98 at a much higher tension to maintain control, but get the touch/feel that all-court players desire in a player's frame?
I think that's too much of a speculation for me to have any serious opinions on. I'm sure Yonex knows that EZONE/VCORE players are less likely to use natural gut than the VCORE Pro players, but this could also be more about the target demographic than the racquet itself.
@@CH-yp5by I keep hearing that the crappy Dunlop balls are causing people to move to gut hybrids due to wrist pain. Galds mentioned it in the Medvedev video
Pop trivia quiz question: who switches first, Beckett on his racquet, or Rune on his coach? Fantastic and nuanced review btw, I might also throw in the Percept 97 in the comparison too. EZone 98 sounds so tempting but the reports of arm pain scare me, and the VC98 has issues of being launch / hard to flatten out (why couldn't it be 16x20). Obv the Percept is either too underpowered, the 97H too heavy.
You all know that many of these pro players aren't actually switching racquets, they are just getting their old racquets with a new paint job for advertising, right? This has been going on for decades now. This is discussed ad naseum on the tennis forums.
Yonex doesn't let their players use other brand's models. Dunlop is the only company that I've heard of who will actually paint over another company's racquet. Companies don't do this anymore because Dunlop was sued for painting Safin's Prestige like a Dunlop as false advertising. Yonex is one of the only brands that requires new players to pick a current model in their lineup, unlike Head who lets their players try old molds or experiment with drill patterns and layups.
It almost definitely has to do with the money and deals rather than "superior rackets". Companies like Wilson will pay someone like Federer but the others just give them free rackets and bags. Outside of the top 30 or so the players will sell to the higher bidder as long as they can play with their rackets. Yonex has done a great job sponsoring the young players for sure. I see Dunlop at junior training centers, like IMG, Mouratoglou, etc. so you might see more of them in the future...
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I too just switched from the blade to the ezone 98. Took a while to transition but after about 20 hours of play I am getting the hang of it. If you’re playing with a Wilson blade v7 and thinking about switching here are a couple of things you may want to consider:
- are you a feel oriented player who enjoys and plays a great deal of touch shots e.g. drop shots, touch volleys etc. The ezone requires much adjustments from the blade as it is quite muted
- you may need to consider adding some weight to the racket head for stability which the blade offers much more of.
- are you a type of player who is prepared to commit to every shot, whether it be ground strokes or volleys. I find that with my blade, I could guide my shots when I feel less confident but with the ezone you really have to swing through and commit. You will be hugely penalized if you don’t.
Appreciate this will differ depending on your style of play but hopefully some viewers may benefit from this.
I strongly disagree
@@Official.tadiwa sarcasm? or actually disagree?
Couldn’t agree more. I switch back to wilson
Beckett my dude. This video is you at your absolute finest.
Couple this with your top 10 reviews, your Pure Aero review and a few others, this is straight gold.
You have a lot in common with the other good reviewers making your standard reviews good as well.
Where you absolutely shine is your story telling abilities. There isn’t another name on my subscribed to list that could deliver this information in as clear, interesting and funny way.
You’re the king of tennis story time.
Hahaha thanks man! We can all thank Simon for the idea behind this video and my parents for reading me bedtime stories as a kid!
This is very informative and just goes to show raquets do make a difference on your game at any level and for the pros it's not just about money. These highlights break many myths in the tennis community among rec players saying "oh raquets don't matter its just technique" BS! I switched from Babolat to Ezone and I noticed I have more control and spin that keeps the ball during tough moments. It's not a magical change but Ive seen improvement.
Thanks! I togtally agree. Even if you can find a 1% improvement from a racquet switch, and even if that's only mental (placebo), you are still getting benefits from the switch. With the way tennis is scored, 1% of points can easily be difference between winning and losing.
@@TennCom yup..if it wins you more points or big points then its totally worth the change. A mental boost is huge in tennis
You forgot to mention current top womens tennis players such as Rybakina, Garcia, Pegula and Bencic have been repping Yonex since day 1
😮
I switched to the VCore 98 a few months ago, and it completely unlocked my game. I'd resigned myself that to get excel in one thing you'd be sacrificing something else (i.e. the rigid Spin/Control/Power archetypes), but this frame truly does it all. The game of tennis is moving towards an all-court play style, and this is the racquet that gets it done. Whether you like swinging big and flat, or with whipped spin shots, you'll get it all with great feel and surprising stability. In 20+ years of playing, I've never tried anything like it. It's so liberating to just play tennis freely, and be confident that whatever you want to try, you'll have the right tool for the job.
I’m on the fence between the vcore 98 and ezone 98. Have you tried the ezone? I think both are perfect for the modern game, just for different naunces in play styles
Beckett… great video 👍…I actually will be getting the VCore 100 tomorrow… I’ve tried many rackets, but not Yonex, so I decided to give it a try. This is what I will look for: comfortable and swings easily, maneuverable, good for all court game including one - hander, touch shots, flat hitting… All the best, Ciao, John PS: Would have gone for the 98, but I’m just a 4.0 singles player who happens to be a million years old😂😂😂😂😂
i think you will really like the VC100. Best of luck for when it arrives!
Never underestimate an old man with a racket 💪 I just started playing again at 65 👊 torn between VCore 100 and Head extreme tour 🤷♂️
Totally agree. I'm just an old man 3.0, but I went 2-14 in first half of 2022 in USTA playing with older Head Radical and Speed and Gravity--switched to VCore 98 then eZone 98 and have gone 27-10 since!
Yonex Domination!
Were you 27-0 before the switch?
The yonex racekt uses alot of design features that can be seen in badminton rackets as they are the worlds premier badminton company. Hence their research in beam design and string layout from badminton can be corelated back to tennis rackets.
I have played with Vcore98 for the past 5 years. Only issues with '21 VC98 were hitting long when going for big serves and not the easiest to flatten out. Temporarily switched to the new Ezone in fall of '22 and loved the precision I was able to hit with and I still got plenty of spin. However, 2 issues gave me pause: 1) some arm pain & 2) opponents felt my ball was not as heavy, esp on serve, even if mph was same as VC98.
Thus the new '23 Vcore comes in and kind of meets in the middle, so I sold my EZ and sticking with new Vcore! Just dialing in with different string setups and slight weight at 3/9 but may take it off and play stock. I do need to pick a slightly bigger target vs EZ, but the feel and heaviness I get with increased spin are a worthwhile trade off.
Keep up the great content and good luck in your racket journey!
I think you can add heavy on your shots using strings 1.30 mm
Thanks! I feel the same as you regarding the directional control challenges with the '23 VC 98. Nothing has played better for my than my initial setup, which makes me think I was honeymooning pretty badly.
@@TennComwhat did you find was the best string setup for the '23 Vcore 98? I'm using a full bed of Head Hawk at 45 lbs, haven't experimented much yet.
@@The4.0Guy The string I liked the most was the now discontinued Lynx Edge. After that, I loved Confidential in this.
@@TennCom ok cool i'll give that a try
Thanks for your videos. I noticed the same stiffness with the Ezone and plush spring feel with the Vcore. I demoed both. As I'm getting older you convinced me to go with the Vcore 100 since I can have some issues with wrist and shoulder, especially after playing with Prostaff. As a former Pro Aero player, it had all the spin, and more, with less effort on part of my aging body. Thanks for you candid and thorough review and analysis. Appreciated
Thanks so much for watching! I predict the VC100 will help destroy opponents, not shoulders
I know why they all switch. You can't describe it, but Yonex racquets have a unique feel.
Although it must be said that the frames are VERY string sensitive. They seem to like soft strings, so the power level has to suit you very exactly.
do you have a preferred string setup for Yonex?
@@TennCom Bought a roll of head lynx 1.25 green because it was cheap but never tried it. Fits the racket great, im breaking more often as its soft but the strings do move so the ball dips in. Was thinking of trying hyperg soft but this string is doing it for me. Best vcore 98 yet.
@@TennCom Ytex Quadro Twist at 23 kg (48 lbs I guess) on the Ezone Tour, 20 kg (44 lbs) on the Regna. Both are average, Mains more, crosses less.
Other strings should be a little looser I guess, but the only one I tried apart from Quadro Twist was the Toalson Devil Spin on one of my Regnas. Toalson plays very controlled, Quadro Twist enables me to crush my shots with ease.
Clay season is about to start in Germany, I guess they will both suit me better than my former 18 20 racquets of the last 25 years. On the Ezone I could litterally hear the strings snap on every shot, the Regna does not do that.
@@leonardoramirez7667 lynx is a pretty underrated string imo. Pretty consistent performance in a nice all around package with epic colour options
@@TennCom I have a friend who’s been playing tennis for 15 years and only uses Yonex his entire life. Has every racquet Yonex has ever produced. He’s used poly tour rev 125 51lbs in the mains and 4g soft in the cross 49lbs. I personally never tried either of these strings but he swears it’s the best setup for any Yonex racquet 🤷🏾♂️ I can’t really argue the man
For the last 2 years i used vcore 98 2021 and vcore 98 2023 and today i tried ezone 98 2024....I am switching for sure. More stable, very powerful, very predictable. Only con was that it felt way more heavier. One last thing, if you commit to your strokes, the ball is always in. tested with polytour pro. I believe the best string for yonex rackets
I absolutely love my ezone 98 and was my main racquet until i took someones advice and put lead at 3 & 9 on my blade. Serving and manoeuvrability probably still better on ezone, but groundstrokes are much more consistent now with customised blade
Nice overview. As always, thank you Beckett...
thanks for watching Walter!
That "It's red!" joke absolutely killed me, lol. Fantastic video, Beckett
i switched from an aero pro drive to ezone 98 in 2017 and havent looked back once. love the touch and solid feel
I used Babolat before it was hard on my arm. Now I have both Ezone and Vcore and love them all. Ezone feels more powerful, Vcore feels more comfortable. Spin is about the same with both to me.
which one would you use in a match to save your life?
And about launch angle of both?
@@ers87 Vcore 100 with hyperG 17G @48lbs - LA is high but spin is good enough to bring down the ball if you can generate good spin. Kinda risky in my hands I will play around with different string set up to tune it.
Vcore98 with polytour Rev @48lb - LA is not too high, better control but less power.
Ezone 100 confidential+velocity hybrid @53lbs- good power , comfort and decent spin when strings are fresh
@@TennCom it varies. If the opponent has a good pace I like ezone( hybrid string). Against pushers vcore (poly tour rev) to send high heavy balls
Switched to Head extreme 2022 -Best racket I've ever played with. Im a 4.0 player, it handles everything pretty good especially servers and forehands!
I will echo gholland75. My feeling is that all these modern racquets are designed for poly strings (or hybrids). Therefore the control may not be exactly there when you switch to multis, which I have to do courtesy of my elbow. Getting the tension higher is the only remedy but that brings us closer to using poly strings (Head velocity strung at 58 or 60 is not that far away from a co-poly at 46 or 48). Another alternative going for the smaller head size, which hardly exists below 11.5 oz (Except Dunlop CX series, which are devoid of all notion of power). A third effort is to look frames from the antiquity (which I do currently) but that is not a sustainable way in the mid and long term.
Counter point, for the sake of argument, Osaka won the US Open with Rexis in the crosses. However, my curiosity on this subject has been ignited so I'll do some more research to see if I can dig up anything tangible for a potetial video.
@@TennCom Thank you for the reply. She might be using Rexis on the crosses (or not, acc. to Tennisnerd who claims that she was using natural gut Bab VS for crosses but that is not my point), her mains were Yonex Poly Tour Strike. Still 70 to 80% of the string characteristics come from the poly. I will be waiting for your coverage on the topic.
@@philanthropenos1074 A couple of points to consider -- 1) Even when stringing non-poly's high enough to where the dynamic tension (DT) roughly equals that of a poly strung lower, you're still going to get better shock absorption and vibration dissipation from the non-poly, so while the initial "thud" of ball impact may feel just as harsh, the amount of tissue protection on the back end is still eminently greater, even if it's imperceptible during play, so do keep trying to play as much non-poly in the string bed as possible, and 2) if you haven't yet considered one, you might try a ProKennex, whose frames use moveable microbeads that shift on contact to virtually eliminate all impact shock from reaching your arm, and are often so protective that you can even reintroduce poly, at least in a hybrid, if not full bed, while still healing.
Just a couple things to try if you haven't already. Here's to healthy hitting!
Ben Shelton is a big spin player on his forehand. He’s always firing banana balls. Some ppl including myself believe ezone is a better spin racquet. After all power and spin are directly correlated, so if ezone is the power racquet, then it’s also the bigger spin monster
IMO a racquet's spin potential is largely dependent on the player that uses it. If you get more confidence from the tighter string pattern, you can swing harder, you can hit more spin. I was hitting more spin with the VCORE, but I'd say that's largely due to my preference for the racquet. Of course this cannot be scaled to every player, as there are ton's of EZONE users that hit tons of spin.
I noticed that too! Ruud is another example with crazy spin and an ezone
Simon, we miss you!
me tooo :'( he recently started a new job so has been quite exhausted after work. He told me he's been feeling more energized so will be ready for his big return soon! (aka this is not a Grisha/Areg situation)
Very new player here (5 months in) switched from Wilson Burn v4 to Ezone 98. The Burn made me throw rockets in through practice which was great but very difficult to manoeuvre and have good control. Now with the Ezone 98 about a month in, control is phenomenal. I can send the ball where I want (when my technique is 👌) but I lost SO much power at my shots. Both racquets are strung with Head hawk 1.20 at 21kg. I think the Ezone 98 probably has a narrow margin of forgiveness and it unleashes it’s full potential when shots are at the sweet spot and you can generate your own power (which I am not doing at the fullest). That or I have picket up the very wrong racquet and string for me 😅
As a newer player, I would recommend that you use a hybrid setup. This will give you more consistent depth control and for forgiveness off centre. At your level, its unlikely you are sacrificing that much spin. I recommend Head Velocity MLT 17 in the crosses and string the whole thing at 21kg.
I would love to see a parallel universe where Fraylor Titz plays an Ezone could try the Ezone 98 instead of that IG Radical. I think he’d benefit, but given how steady he’s been climbing, he just can’t justify a swap.
I think Taylor just needs a heavier racquet. He plays with one of the lightest setups on tour, and I think it played a big part of his loss to Sinner at IW. Sinner was hitting huge and Fritz would be there in time, but unable to control the ball off the string bed, like his racquet was being disturbed by the pace. EZ98 is more stable though, so I'm sure it would help too.
Switched to the ezone and absolutely loved it but grew to not like the VDM and finding that touch became very inconsistent as some balls would fly out off a light tap. Back to the head speed but recommend everyone to at least try the yonex sticks and see if they like them
I agree VDM is lame
what's a VDM?
Should try some of the versions before VDM became a thing. Xi, Ai, DR, or the one after the DR. All solid frames.
Just don't use a dampener or use a rubber band only which stops the noise but keeps most of the feel
@@CH-yp5by played with no dampener the whole time. Just don’t like how muted the racket is
Rec player here started playing tennis 7 months ago. Tried number of frames in the beginning and almost gave up tennis out of frustration. Settled on the Ezone 100sl and never looked back. Amazing stick for its weight class. In my opinion gear does make a difference. It could be the difference between giving up on a sport or loving it on the verge of addiction. Graduated now to the Ezone 100L and love the added stability and control. Play with a full poly bed and minimal arm issues. Would slowly graduate to the 100 as my technique and fitness improves.
Great story! I think having the right gear for your level can also really help you improve your game and it sounds like you've got a great handle on what works for you, as well as how you may need to adapt your equipment as you improve. Very rare skill to have as a beginner!
Great choice on the Vcore 98 Beckett
Great video, helped me tremendously on my decision for my next racket. Ezone 98 is the ticket.
It can have good effects too, as you learn things from different racquets
the polytour yonex string is good, and very strong, so sometimes u forgot to change it and its can hurt arms etc
Is the VC98 your racket of choice right now? If so, would love to hear your string setup
No I'm still using the Whiteout 18x20. I couldn't get strings to last much longer than 3 hours in that stick sadly
PLEASE!! Video comparing VCORE 98 and Radical MP 2023. please please pleeeeease!
Its coming
@@TennCom
Babolat/Wilson/Head don't want to cough up the money for anyone who isn't a top 10 player or a generational player.
Hence why we are seeing a lot of players going to Yonex and this is also the reason Dunlop is making a comeback amongst pros.
I am about to switch to the VCore 98 coming from Pure Aero 98.
What made you switch?
Nice review! As always! I’ve been dying to watch you first impressions on the Regna but unfortunately i’m still not Lord tier. How do you compare do Regna 98 with those 2? Good power, spin and control? AC Tennis seemed to love it! Cheers mate!
I'll put out a full Regna review soon for the general public. Its a great racquet that reminds me a lot of the SV95 from a few gens back combined with like a DR98. So much more connected and responsive than modern racquets with a truly special feel. Possibly in my Top 3 Racquets of all time.
I have been trying the ezone 98 tour for a while. The feeling is quite nice, but I am really struggling with the launch angle, soooo many balls that stay at the net. It is completely different compared to my prince phantom x100, which allows me to play with much more margin.
I will be giving the ezone a try with a 1.20 string to see if it improves in the generation of spin, otherwise I will just have to sell the racquet. It is taking away a lot of confidence away from my game.
I've worked with a lot of EZONE players who have this same problem and dropping tension by about 15% usually fixes the problem.
That is what exactly was happening to me but with the ezone 98. Loved so much de touch, power, sweet point, etc... with a 23.5kg-24.5kg, but the confidence was shit because each third ball to the net without explanation. Lowering the tension helped but power was reduced drasticaly and touch was too mushy. Any advise?
Great video! Thank you so much!,,
thanks for watching!
Did you switch to the Core 98 or 98 Tour?
What’s the difference between 95-98 VCore? I really like the 95 should I consider other?
What racquets would you say gives a lot free pace on the forehand maybe top 5
Obviously I liked everything about this video. But in all honesty this is a good characterization of two very prominent racquet series available on the market.
It leaves me wondering what may happen in the future to the Vcore Pro series. Considering that the VCore series seems to be gaining traction and offers similar control benefits while perhaps being more suitable for a modern, spin friendly world.
I think as Stan the man heads towards retirement, they may have to do something different with that series.
Ty my good friend. I guess right now Big Foe is carrying the line, but I think they’ll need a big power player if they want to do anything meaningful. I think the Prostaff X or TFIGHT ISO 305 represents the right move for this type of racquet. I’d like to see the VCP with a widened head like the VCORE, but with a denser string bed, and still in the 97 package for branding purposes.
@@TennCom Yeah it's probably good marketing wise to have something that aligns/stands with the Prostaff because of it's classical popularity. I could see that being the next push considering it didn't do too well against the last couple gens of prostaffs.
Great review my guy .But reasons why I didnt like vcore :
1. Being head light you have to generate your own power . Being a counter puncher this frame doesnt give you access to any sort of power .
2. The sweet spot is at the top of racquet and most of the time its a hit or miss.
3. Not for big hitters
I wish they made a heavier vcore 98 atleast 10-15 grams.
Tested vcore 98 with PT strike
My main is ezone 98 with PT Rev
VCORE Tour is coming out (there are a few reviews out already by others)
@@TennCom Finally , yesss💪💪💪
can your made a video about how you customize your vcore?
Yeah I will once I get me set up fully dialed in
Hey Beckett, you’re more a wristy player. Do you fit the vcore 98 more than the ezone 98?
I saw a video from karue about the ezone and it openend my eyes. He says ezone is for full swing hitters and vcore for more pushy wristy players. I’m on the fence between these rackets.
When I think about how certain racquets suit a certain type of swing, to me its more about the racquet's weight distribution. These Yonex's have a very neutral weight distribution. They weight the same, have the same balance, swingweights and twistweights, so the way they behave as you swing them is quite similar. Like I would call Tommy Paul a full swing player and Ben Shelton a wristy player, but that doesn't necessarily line up with the comments of Karue. It's more about how the frames behave on contact. The VCORE is more forgiving, feels softer and loops the ball more effectively, so it works better for a guy like Tommy who works the points a little more patiently. Ben needs big control and a lot of predictability, so the stiffer frame and tighter pattern means that the racquet behaves more consistently on contact, sacrificing some forgiveness.
@@TennCom Thanks for the reply! I knew I was lacking something. But now I’m back at zero again! Would you say the vcore is for more patient play and ezone aggressive? And what if you do both just as much in your gamestyle?
Great choice! Just like you wanted, more free power and forgiveness. Are you planning a review of Head Prestige MP Auxetic and Tecnifibre TF 40 18/20 305?
I'll probably be waiting for those racquets to be updated against before I review them. Since I missed the initial release, I also missed a huge portion of the views which means the videos isn't really financially viable.
In your opinion, if you had to choose one YONEX racquet to go to battle with for DOUBLES only, which would you choose? Would that change if you were 65 years old? I would be grateful for your thoughts.
V core 95 I’m really liking! Is the 98 better? I’m planning on buying a 95
What string set up have you tried out with this? Didn’t hear/missed it in this video. Excited for your continued r&d
In the EZ98: 4G, Hyper-G, PTP 1.25, Tour Sniper and the VC98 Lynx Edge, Tour Sniper, Confidential and ReString Zero
Very good quality on the racquets, unfortunately I could not get used to the Ezone I bought, I absolutely hated it and had to sell it😢
I could never quite adjust to the feel Yonex has. Great racket and I feel like the rackets are extremely forgiving and have all the attributes I look for. But I don't feel confident I'm getting the feedback from my shots that I want, and that's why I've never made the switch. All that said, I understand why people are switching to them. Their 98s are as forgiving as many 100s, I think it's the sweetspot in their lineup. Yonex 100s feel oversized imo
try to demo the Yonex percept feels more lively "sensitive"
You get feedback by watching the ball going over the net
Do you recommend these 2 Yonex or the wilson rf01 pro?
the Yonex for more players
Already tried both series many times and decided to give up, they just don't suit me, truly sad 😢
Hey! How does the Vcore 98 compare to blade 98 V8 16*19?
A little less controlled, but way more powerful and spin friendly and better comfort
I like my Ezone 98 and i can generate as much spin or more than the Vcore 98 with more power and precision.
Are we sure that Tomy Paul uses the current vcore 98 stock? Also does he customise his racket?
I do not have his specs but I am sure its the 2023 VC98. When the racquet is pointing straight at the camera you can clearly see the wacky headshape of the new VCores.
Beckett, I know you like the VCore 98….. more than Ezone 98 or PA 98? Which one would you recommend to this 4.0 senior dude….What strings does Tommy use?
I think Tommy is using ALU/Gut hybrid. I like the VC more than the EZ98, but I haven't tried the PA98 yet.
@@TennCom sounds like champions choice strings… I use the Babolat gut / rpm…
I know it doesn’t get as much hype but I moved to v core pro 97 from babolat and feel great. Esp on the 1 handed backhand
GLad you found some success with that stick! Not that this is the endorsement you are looking for, but Sock has been using the 97 as well (he dumped the EZONE).
Just curious why you didn't include the Percept 97, Wawrinka's racquet? I switched to Yonex after trying a friend's (older version) VCORE Pro 97. I was playing with a Head Gravity and having a lot of tennis elbow issues. I'm just a club player 3.5 level but play with a lot of 4.0 guys who are pretty heavy hitters. I have a one handed backhand and it seemed the gravity was transferring a lot of the force of those heavy balls to my elbow. I started playing with the Pro 97 at 330 g weight, I found that the heavier, stiffer frame helped me absorb the contact on my one-hander and I wasn't experiencing the pain anymore. Then one of the pros at my club was a Yonex rep and I tried out some of the new frames. I found the Percept 97H to be my favorite, after playing with the new VCORE and also the EZONE. However, the pro didn't have any of the heavier versions of the VCORE or EZONE for me to try, so maybe I just liked the 330 g weight. I narrowed it down to the Percept 97 and 97H, eventually purchasing 2 of the 97H Percepts. I noticed that you recommend a softer frame for people with elbow issues. I have found exactly the opposite works best for my elbow. The heavier, more solid frame plows through heavily hit balls, not transferring the energy to my elbow on the one-handed backhand. I strung with a softer string, the Yonex Poly Tour Pro, which provides a bit more power and also absorbs impact, but I am finding that I love it on my backhand, but it's harder to dial in on my forehand. I would love a different string recommendation if you have one.
I didn't talk much about Wawrinka because the racquet he uses is a Yonex 95D, which they don't make any more and I hadn't tried at the time (I have one now and its amazing). Still I think most players at all levels will benefit from more power and spin than the standard Percept 97 can offer and the 97D/H are out of the wheelhouse for many. This video was more about producing wide ranging recommendations and while I think the Percept line is awesome, the 100 and 100D are what I would recommend to most players at all levels (even pro's). In the Percept 97, my favourite string was Toroline Wasabi in the pomegranate red colour. Played very comfortable and well rounded, looks sick with the paint job as well!
@@TennCom I appreciate your feedback, thank you. I guess I've always liked the 16x19 string pattern but probably have never tried an 18x20 like the 97D. Thanks for the string recommendation. Coincidentally, this evening I played and went back to the VCORE Pro 97 for a while. I really like it on my forehand and backhand but volleys not as much. I still prefer the Percept 97H overall and went back to it after about 1/2 hour. Any take on why this feels so much better on my tennis elbow?
Funny you say this, I too have elbow issues and tried softer arm friendly rackets And I found the same thing you did when you play with heavy hitters your arm absorbs all of the power I'm currently looking for a stiffer frame for this offer string I think will solve the problem
@@whatsgoodmyguy4391 Yeah, the heavier racket does seem to help me on the backhand for sure. I also did a lot of research on strings and recently tried a hybrid setup with Wilson natural gut in the mains and the Luxilon ALU power rough poly in the crosses. Wilson sells it together as the "Champion's Choice Duo". It's a rather expensive setup but it also feels very good on my arm and helps give me much more feel and control. But it is more than twice the cost of the Yonex poly tour pro strings I was using before, so if cost is an issue probably not a great choice. I don't tend to break strings very often so I'm hoping it will last me a while. You might also try that new HEAD Auxetic Extreme Tour. The new vibration dampening technology is supposed to be pretty good.
Best racquet brand.
Elite brand
Hmm wouldnt say the best, i have used yonex since i was little dating back to 1999 they make great quality but fischer has that title they literaly made frames for wilson babolat prince dunlop etc
The new Dunlops are amazing. If you are a fan of Yonex, go demo a Dunlop CX 400 tour. You will thank me later!
Definitely has the best manufacturing standards
Thanks for thiis, it's a good and helpful review. A good watch too. 4 months on, which one did you eventually stick with?
I went to the Solinco Whiteout 18x20. VCORE 98 was very tempting but I couldn't quite make it work with my game.
How are they at net? Is the launch angle a problem?
Not on EZONE, yes on VCORE
Yeah the launch angle does affect half volleys and volleys a bit but i found it not as bad as something like the Boom Pro. I may try going to larger gauge to calm the launch a bit
Great info. In my case vcore seems stiffer and packs more punch.
I want to switch from pure drive to ezone 100. Any thoughts?
Expect a significantly lower launch angle, so consider dropping tension by approx 15% and you will be rewarded with more control and a more connected feel
@@TennCom thank you so much 😊
@@TennCom got a recommendation for tension? Stringing at 52 at the moment. Could probably go way lower. Mid 40s?
@@stephenericwalsh yeah start at 45 and see how you like it!
@@TennCom Excellent. Thank you.
I would love to see your review of furi arma pro 98 and 101
sadly, its unlikely to happen due to shortage of funds here at TennCom
Can you do a review on the new Yonex Astrel 100?
I kind of want to because it's a pretty unique frame, but it's so far out of my spec range so I'm not sure I'll have anything useful to say
What do you do if you can’t stand the grip shape of yonex being so round? And little to no flare on the butt cap? I still love the first gen rad mp and rectangular grip shape.
You can try going down a size and build up the butt with hockey tape. That are no easy fixed for turning a round shape rectangular sadly.
There are gripping techniques you can try for flare! I use one where you double up the grip by finding it in half starting from the opposite end. Works really well
Beckett, love your videos as of late, but you need to turn down the background music and turn up your voice -- it's very hard to hear you in many of your latest vids. Keep up the good work in general, though!
Thanks for the feedback! Last one was to loud for sure. Learning some new audio techniques to try to clean things up on that front.
Yo beckett I’ve decided to switch racquets and my main pick right now would be the 23 Rafa aero(290) with rpm blast 15-16 gauge at 55 lb. I play full court with good technique, high power and spin shots. Is it a good setup choice or should i change for normal 23 aero or even out to other brands
I think that is a good setup but you might want to add a bit of weight if you even find the racquet feels unstable against hard hitters.
@@TennComI was also thinking that i could use some weight but I'm not sure where and how. Could you possibly help with that?
@@shreyanbose6953 this should help to start: ua-cam.com/video/HJZMuGgtQVE/v-deo.html
Yo @@TennCom I just got it 2 days ago and I'd say that it hits perfect for me. I decided against customising it since overgrips etc add enough handle weight and the raw feel of the racquet is too good. Compared to other racquets I've used it definitely has good control and the sw helps me with aggression and power. It's also a great racquet for serves because of the inherent power and spin. Would love to see a review on the racquet tho. Have a nice day :).
I thought the Bolt racquets were the most innovative racquet w/ secret shock absorbing spring technology that would revolutionize the game? Why is Beckett giving up on the bolt after just a few months?
My opponents were accusing me of cheating because I was destroying them so bad
Hi they sold out of exone 2023 will they make some more or will i have to wait one year. They still have 2022
I've had a lot of fun playing with Head Hawk Power lately. Plus I think it would look great in the 95.
@@TennCom lol....What I meant is; I want to buy an Ezone 98 tour 2023 for someone, but it sold out. Will Yonex make more 2023's or will we have to wait until 2024? Is there that much of a difference between the 2023 and the older model, which is still available: I think it is a 2022? I think you mentioned the waffle fiberglass technology, and the price difference was only like 10%, so probably worth the wait.
What do you think about the new Vcore 95? Is it much different to the 98?
I've only hit it once so far and I liked it. More predictable stringbed and throat flex. Full review will be out later in the month and will feature the 2018 and SV versions
Where would you add some weight?
I’ve played around with this a bit and 3 and 9 worked best for me
Love their rackets! Can't say the same about their sportswear designs 🤣
I want them to bring back Wawrinka's plaid shorts hahaha
What I dislike most about ezone 98 is the power level, which I consider high. If it had a lower power level, it would be an excellent control racket.
what would happen if you switch from pure drive to yonex? pros and cons of each? i play with a pure drive plus today
which Pure Drive and which Yonex?
@@TennCom 2022 PD Plus.
@@dmf30 which yonex are you liking the look of?
@@TennCom That is one of the questions i have. Probably VCore and 98 or 100. Dont want to lose much power vs my pure drive.
@@dmf30 If you’re looking for familiarity I’ve found the Ezone 100 to play closest to a Pure Drive in the Yonex lineup. Just my opinion.
My case: im 33 Y.O 2.5-3 NTRP player with good baselane front and back-hand technique. Got both Ezones 98 and 100, tried 4 string setups: Technifibre X-one, Kirshbaum Black Shark, Solinco Confidential and Tour bite. At the end of 1.5 month of playing ezones i've got an arm issues. Took from GF old Radical (2010) and Clash to check my opinion - and bam, i do not have any issues and my arm and elbow is chilling. So anybody have same issues?
2010 Radicals are soft and I think Fritz still uses his MP.
@@TennCom Thinking to take new Gravity MP or Extreme MP for use. I really feel surprised about ezones :
"It all started with Stan the Man almost ten years"
World #1 Lleyton Hewitt enter the chat.
Martina Navratilova likes this comment
And we should call Nalbandian if somebody said he could not play good double-handed with Yonex
Is there a big difference between 100 and 98? or is the 100 just a bit more forgiving?
I’ve got videos on both EZone 100 v 98 and vcore 98 v 100. The VCORE is more straight forward as you mentioned, but the EZone is more complicated for sure
launch angle & margin for error. I'd say try both.
Id like to get an opinion, I played Babolat ever since I started and demoed bunch of rackets. I switch between aero VS and aero tour. I use aero tour if I know I can beat my opponent and the VS if I know I’m going to play at the same level. I tried ezone 98 before and didn’t really get the feel I have with my PAT, I tried vcore 98 as well and still. I did get a really good feel on the yonex vcore pro, Stan’s racket. I saw that there’s a lot of pros really have changed. I’m not really into rackets but I’d like to try another one to see if it up my game.
What happend to the radical that you said you were switching too or the prostaff that you loved ?
the Prostaff isnt cool and i do love the Radical, hence only 90% sure
@@TennCom Were any of the recommended channels helpful to you ?
great video beckett! what made you choose the vcore 98 over the extreme tour auxetic?
I didn't find the Extreme Tour Auxetic to offer any improvements to my game when compared to the 360+ version. I've got videos on the channel that go more in-depth to my feelings about it.
What would you say vcore 100 vs ezone100 ?
I like both quite a bit. More than their Babolat counter parts for sure and I think the marketing on them is correct as well. I think the EZONE is very viable for all levels but the VC100 kind of caps out at NTRP 4.5. EZONE will be best for flatter hitters, especially at lower levels, but a high level players could hit monster spin with it. VC100 makes it very easy to hit a lot of spin regardless of level, but the pattern is very open and its a bit launchy once you get to that NTRP 4.5 so it can make it tough to attack reliably, plus you break strings constantly.
@@TennCom Thank you i will try the ezone 100 then =)
Nalbandian, Vaidosova, Hewitt and Dementieva were the only yonex absodors who used old molds
What strings are you using for your ezone/vcore? Or do you use different strings for each of the rackets? Good video, first time on this channel and first impressions were good man
Solinco confidential 1.20 at 52 lbs
Did you test the ezone 98 or the ezone 98 tour?
normal 98
Huh. I actually find the Vcore and Ezone to be incredibly disconnected feeling rackets. To each his own. I haven't hit much with the current gen Vcore, to be fair. Maybe it's improved.
As for pro switches, lets see how these pros are doing in a year. Pros aren't immune to the honeymoon phase with a new racket, and that honeymoon phase can increase confidence and encourage good results. Let's see them through the clay and grass seasons and see if the rackets are still producing "magic."
I agree with the disconnection, but I do think they are much more connected than the Pure Strike 98s or the Aero VS. I feel like I would use the EZONE 98 as my main racquet if it didn't have VDM. The new VCORE feels a lot better than the previous version, but a crisper string is needed to get the best out of it IMO.
Would the restring zero pair well with either yonex in your opinion?
@@TennComwhat is VDM?
@@DjokovicIsOurLordAndSaviour Vibration Dampening Mesh
@@jodi3694 Thanks Jodi.
To whom/what sort of playstyle would you recommend the Vcore Pro 97? Yonex has the 3 silos, with the Vcore Pro for 'control', Vcore for 'spin' and Ezone for 'power'. But in you mentioned that the Ezone offers surprising control. So while there is overlap, I wonder what you would say about the Vcore Pro that separates it from the other two?
Now that the VCORE has dropped so much in stiffness, there is more overlap. I've seen a huge variety of players have success with the VCORE. Big hitting Wawrinka types, Western forehand pushers, all court players, etc. That said, I've always felt that the VCP always plays best in the hands of those with long, powerful strokes. Not necessarily flat, but not super spinny, just big and heavy.
@@TennCom I've got the 100 for all three in their latest iteration, and to me it feels like the Vcore and VCP are very similar apart from the faster swing speed of the Vcore. The Ezone feels the most 'different', but one-handed backhands feel a bit weird. Not sure why but for what it's worth, I strung it with Poly Tour Pro. Maybe I need a stiffer string?
@@TennCom *Safin* would´ve been interesting to see using a VCore Pro
@@livingtribunal4110 they probably would have called it the VCore Pro 97 Big D just for him hahahaha
@@SaberShirou I would agree. I like a stiffer string in the VC100 and a softer one in the EZONE100
American players love those heavy hitter , heavy spin, racquets.
Beckett… I might try the 98… I’m sending the 100 back… the 98 is more head light… How do you compare the two?
I felt the 98 had more speed through the air which helped me control the spin more easily. I’m in the midst of dialing in a weight setup that works for me. It’s between this and the Radical MP for my next racquet.
@@TennCom Beckett, would you say that the VCore 98 swings easier through the air than the VCore 100, and therefore easier to generate racket head speed? Racket head speed is a challenge for me… Ciao, John
@@johnnacke2017 i would definitely say that is true
I use an Ezone 98 2021 and sure its stiffer but I use a soft hybrid setup, Velocity on the mains and Element rough on crosses, but will change to poly pro tour on mains and velocity on crosses in order to control the power better and in future probably technifibre biophase or gut on crosses if I can afford it.
Unrelated, but you make me think that I’d like to see Yonex do a Polytour Rough
@@TennCom Yeah interesting point, but the name rough that Luxilon use is a misnomer since its not rough on feel at all but instead the string has indents that go into the string so that there is less surface area for the opposing string to rub against which allows for movement. I agree Yonnex should at least try but use a different name
Great video and thank you as always! You talked the Ezone 98 as a "control" frame, even with a high level of power. But regarding the strings, my tennis partner is of the strong opinion that modern frames like the Ezone 98 were designed for a full bed of Poly, while traditional "control" / player's frames were designed to come alive with Natural Gut in the mains or crosses. What are your thoughts on modern racquets (such as the Ezone 98) being designed with a full bed of poly? Versus adding Natural Gut to the mains of an Ezone 98 at a much higher tension to maintain control, but get the touch/feel that all-court players desire in a player's frame?
I think that's too much of a speculation for me to have any serious opinions on. I'm sure Yonex knows that EZONE/VCORE players are less likely to use natural gut than the VCORE Pro players, but this could also be more about the target demographic than the racquet itself.
@@TennCom there have been players on tour like casper rude using an Ezone that experiment with gut on the crosses
@@CH-yp5by I keep hearing that the crappy Dunlop balls are causing people to move to gut hybrids due to wrist pain. Galds mentioned it in the Medvedev video
Dude I have 6 Ezone 98s and 10 sets of grommets. This video better not be bashing it.
worst. racquet. ever.
Pop trivia quiz question: who switches first, Beckett on his racquet, or Rune on his coach?
Fantastic and nuanced review btw, I might also throw in the Percept 97 in the comparison too. EZone 98 sounds so tempting but the reports of arm pain scare me, and the VC98 has issues of being launch / hard to flatten out (why couldn't it be 16x20). Obv the Percept is either too underpowered, the 97H too heavy.
haha thanks! VC98 in 16x20 probably would have been a go for me.
You all know that many of these pro players aren't actually switching racquets, they are just getting their old racquets with a new paint job for advertising, right? This has been going on for decades now. This is discussed ad naseum on the tennis forums.
Yonex doesn't let their players use other brand's models. Dunlop is the only company that I've heard of who will actually paint over another company's racquet. Companies don't do this anymore because Dunlop was sued for painting Safin's Prestige like a Dunlop as false advertising. Yonex is one of the only brands that requires new players to pick a current model in their lineup, unlike Head who lets their players try old molds or experiment with drill patterns and layups.
It almost definitely has to do with the money and deals rather than "superior rackets". Companies like Wilson will pay someone like Federer but the others just give them free rackets and bags. Outside of the top 30 or so the players will sell to the higher bidder as long as they can play with their rackets. Yonex has done a great job sponsoring the young players for sure. I see Dunlop at junior training centers, like IMG, Mouratoglou, etc. so you might see more of them in the future...
The main difference between the EZONE 98 and EZONE 98 Tour is the weight. That is why I might pick the EZONE Tour. What are your thoughts?
I think most players are better off buying the normal version and adding weight to suit your game
Yonex is the only racquet company that has their own company that makes them as well so no differential in weight from racquet to racquet.
I have the vcore 100 and you're giving me fomo
im convinced 100% you will like the 98 a lot hahaha. I might go to the Radical instead tbh so I can send you the VCORE back
V core is great
fueled by that D1 college BDE hahahah
Idk am I the only person who thinks the racquet doesn’t matter that much it’s mostly the strings the makes the difference?!
Which string does ben shelton use? Is it poly Tour fire or poly Tour rev?
Rev