Pro Kennex produces high quality racquets that emphasize arm friendliness and performance. The newly refreshed 2019 Q+ Tour Pro 325 is perfect for pig hitters who want to emphasize precision and playability. This model has classic player frame traits like a thin beam, beefy overall weight and a maneuverable headlight balance. Pro Kennex leverages their innovative Kinetic Quadfocus technology in the frame as well. This places 25% larger kinetic microbearing chambers at the corners of the frame for improved power transfer and shock absorption. SpiralTech Carbon is also utilized in the frame’s construction to remove impurities for more uniform response. All of this technology comes packaged in a retro, race car inspired cosmetic for 2019. With its classic sensibilities locked and loaded, I had to take the Q+ Tour Pro on court for myself.

Groundstrokes
The Q+ Tour Pro wasted no time putting its authority on display from the baseline. At a hefty 12 oz strung weight, I found plenty of mass for hitting deep, penetrating off of both wings. The thin 19.5 mm beam didn’t pack much easy power, but I was able to use the mass of the frame to consistently put the ball into the back of the court. At times the head was a bit sluggish coming through the contact zone so I was behind on some groundstrokes. This was likely a combination of the Kinetic chambers placed at the top of the head and me just not being used to a racquet of this weight. Directional accuracy was very impressive. The 98 inch head and thin beam made the frame incredibly precise and I could pull the trigger on lines and aggressive targets at will. Spin production was a little harder to come by with the 18 x 20 string pattern. The racquet got the play deep with sheer mass as opposed to using spin to create depth. The tighter pattern was most appreciated when I stepped into the middle of the court to flatten out short balls. Another major highlight with this frame was its impressive level of stability. It absorbed the best punch from anyone and was capable of sending the ball pack with interest. When faced with a big hitter, I was consistently able to shorten up and use their pace against them with quick, redirect shots. When on defense, it would have been nice to have a little more quickness and easy power, but I spent so much time playing offensively with the Tour Pro that I was never really bothered by it.

Volleys & Serves
The old school roots characteristics of the Q+ Tour Pro were on display at the net. It put away anything left sitting thanks to its mass. The headlight balance made it maneuverable for its weight although I again noticed a little bit of sluggishness. The tighter string pattern and responsive feel allowed me to pick aggressive targets with minimal chance of floating the ball. The racquet was impressively accurate at net, allowing me to direct volleys to both corners and create angles. The frame left me wanting a bit more feedback when executing delicate volleys as the muted response was a little too vague for my taste. The stability of the Tour Pro was also on display at net. I could deflect hard hit balls with no twisting and the racquet did a good job of soaking up pace and feathering the ball back over the net.

Serving with the Q+ Tour Pro was a master class in power hitting. The higher mass in the racquet made it routine to hammer home big flat serves from both sides. The racquet seemed to accelerate smoothly at the top of my motion, producing a consistent level of pace. The precision nature of the racquet was also a huge asset for serving. I was consistently able to move my serve around the box and keep opponents off balance. The spin on my kick serve was lower in comparison to open pattern frames but there was still enough to make it effective enough. Slice serves were my most effective second serve. The extra weight in the Q+ Tour Pro kept them low and skidding out way wide, opening up the court for a thunderous first strike.

Feel/Comfort
The Q+ Tour Pro was one of the cleanest feeling frames in recent memory, which almost worked to its detriment. While it felt firm on contact, it was also very muted. Personally, I would have preferred a bit better connection to the ball. The reduced feedback made it harder for me to mix touch shots into rallies confidently. The positive to all the dampening was that the Tour Pro was outstandingly comfortably. There was never a hint of harshness outside the sweet spot and the frame soaked up impact every single time. Any player with a sensitive arm would be able to pick up this racquet and feel right at home.

Overall
The Q+ Tour Pro is an excellent choice for advanced players looking for the mass it holds. It has a dynamic mix of heavy shotmaking, court controlling accuracy and maneuverability. It has the ability to finish points from anywhere on court and enough firepower to put free points in your pocket on serve. While it may lack the raw horsepower of some of its modern counterparts, the racing inspired 2019 Pro Kennex Q+ Tour Pro belongs in the hands of a skilled driver and will have no problem helping them cross the finish line in first place.

About the Reviewer: Matt Locke formerly served for 3 years as the Junior Programs & Development Coordinator for USTA-Idaho. He is a PTR certified coach and is an active USTA 4.5 League and Tournament player.