At 95 square inches with a really tight string pattern, 18 x 20, this racquet may not have a pretty paintjob but it sure has power and control. Gael Monfils plays with this frame, and after hitting 4 balls I can see why anyone would make the switch.

 

 

On serve, don’t expect much spin from this racquet but the placement and control is there. For those who serve and volley, this racquet is worth a try. I was confident on second serve as the racquet gives that extra power even though I took a little off.

 

On returns this hefty racquet, 12.3 oz strung, will put any ball back into play, no matter how fast or slow the serve. On block shots you will rarely get blown away as this frame can take some rocket serves, possibly even Roddick’s.

 

At the net this racquet is very nice. It doesn’t lack any power at all, it could easily push the ball deep into the court. The placement with volleys is exceptional. You could aim directly at your opponent’s feet and he’ll mostly likely step on the ball. For angle volleys it is like cutting a cake, in one swift motion you get an angle. Drop shots required more focus than other volleys. Due to the tight string pattern it was hard for me to have a good feel for the ball and I hit the cord most of the time going for the drop.

 

For ground-strokes this racquet excels in this category above all others. You could hit extremely flat and hard and your opponent will be blown away. Although due to the tight string pattern you may have to work extra hard to get that spin you wanted. If you’re a Murray fan and like to hit drop shots from behind the baseline, you may want to give this racquet a try. For some odd reason this racquet is better at hitting drop shots from behind the baseline than at net or mid-court. Mishits may even look like drop shots.

 

The Rebel is a new addition to the already nice lineup of Prince frames, and due to Monfils sponsorship it may ne a mainstay in the Prince racquet family. This is also one of very few racquets Prince has come out with that is 95 square inches or under, so I’d demo it to see what prince can offer with smaller head sizes.

 

WARNING: Once you hit with this racquet you may not want to put it down until the strings pop or your arm becomes too tired to pick it up.