Groundstrokes 88 Volleys 84 Serves 82 Returns 83 Power 85 Control 87 Maneuverability 85 Stability 86 Comfort 86 Touch/Feel 85 Topspin 88 Slice 86 Show If to err is to be human, we are lucky the VCORE Pro 97 (310) is a tennis racket. To create this exceptional offering Yonex dropped a cross string and crisped up its Duel G predecessor, sparking some magic with our playtesters. Although this updated Pro 97's swingweight comes in at 317, it was more than stable enough to hold up against groundstroke bashers and serve crushers alike. The more open 16x19 string pattern increased the ball's trajectory and added some rotation, letting our playtesters swing away comfortably with an assured sense of confidence. Like an extension of your arm, the 20mm straight beam, reinforced with Namd, produced a solid and responsive feel that dissolved boundaries between racket and body, leaving our playtesters feeling totally connected to the ball. Although this lighter version doesn't pack the same punch as the VCORE Pro 97 (330), there is room aplenty to customize it for the player who likes to experiment with different setups. Ultimately, our playtesters agreed that the VCORE Pro 97 (310) is one of the stronger all-around rackets they have tested in recent memory. Upsides
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Bottom LineThe Yonex VCORE Pro 97 (310) is a solid all-around player's frame that has the potential to suit a variety of playing styles. AbilityIntermediate to advanced Groundstrokes - Score: 88 / 100It's always a positive sign when a racket starts a playtest on a good note. The baseline performance of the VCORE Pro 97 (310) was exceptional, and our playtesters raved about the versatility of this racket, from defense to offense and everything in between. The racket felt solid on contact giving the playtesters accurate feedback and enhanced precision. The sweetspot was forgiving and consistent. It even exceeded Chris’s expectations who had playtested the previous model. He elaborated, "I was a big fan of the Duel G 97 310, so I had high hopes for this racket. The VCORE Pro 97 (310) didn't disappoint. It felt very well weighted for my game. I liked how I could easily accelerate it through contact, yet it also had enough mass to feel pretty solid. Getting spin was easy, and I found it more topspin friendly than its predecessor. The VCORE Pro 97 (310) felt firmer at impact and offered a much crisper feel compared to the Duel G version. As much as I liked the feel of the Duel G, I much preferred the response of this racket. I liked how quickly the ball got in and out of the stringbed. My shots felt precise as a result. I also felt there was ample room to add a little weight to beef this racket up and give it a little more punch, like the 330 version." Volleys - Score: 84 / 100When you throw manoeuvrability, solid responsiveness and good control into the cauldron, the concoction is sure to please players who like to come to the net. The crisp feel combined with the quick handling of the racket allowed the TW playtesters to transition to the net and end the point with ease no matter their playing style. Sean was more than a little satisfied with this racket's performance at net. He offered, "The VCORE Pro 97 (310) felt surgical up at net and did just about everything I wanted. It was good from the midcourt when I was serving and volleying, and when I was in need of more touch and feel up closer to the net." Serves - Score: 82 / 100If you were looking for a chink in the VCORE Pro 97 (310)'s armour, this is going to be as close as you get. However, we might add that we had mixed results on serve; some of our playtesters enjoyed the ease of upward mobility, and some found it to be a little underpowered. Regardless, they all found access to spin allowing them to hit both slice and kick serves with ease. Mark was still able to find success. He explained, "My serve, like the rest of my game, was at least slightly enhanced playing with the VCORE Pro 97 (310), and again, I have to point to its combination of specs as to why it benefited me so well. I wasn’t getting that guilty pleasure level of cheap power on my serves that you can get from a modern player's frame; this racket leans more toward a precise and control-oriented form of power. That said, I did get away with plenty of cheap points when serving with this stick." Serve Returns - Score: 83 / 100Due to the high marks it received on groundstrokes, it should not come as a shock that the VCORE Pro 97 (310) continued to live up to the high expectations on returns. The TW playtesters found a solid combination of power and control allowing them to feel confident on their returns. The racket was easy to get around the body and into position providing the playtesters with the ability to start off the point on the offensive and go after their targets. Hannah reinforced the group's sentiments, saying, "It wasn't too much of a surprise that everything I loved about this racket on groundstrokes remained true for returns. When balls were out of my reach I could still get a good stab at the ball. When I stepped into serves, especially second serves, I could really drive the ball with nice pace and control, either up the middle or with some direction. My returns never felt out of control, and I could add as much spin as I wanted to hit a desired target. The solid feel gave me extra confidence on returns, and just like on groundstrokes, it was so easy to find the sweetspot. This frame did a good job of absorbing incoming pace without being too firm or harsh." Is vcore pro 97 arm friendly?The VCORE Pro 97 offers good stability, superb racquet head speed, and an arm-friendly feel. What is the best Yonex tennis racket ever?The Yonex EZONE 98 racquet has become the Japanese brand's most popular, and most iconic frame, at least in recent history. Is Babolat better than Yonex?It is difficult to choose between two iconic brands like Yonex and Babolat, as they both offer high quality rackets that cover a range of needs. Whilst Yonex arguably produce more performance focussed rackets, Babolat manage to cover more bases with their line up. What strings to use for Yonex VCORE 98?VCORE 98. |
