Intro

Tecnifibre is bringing some weight to the fight with the introduction of the newly revised and heaviest option in the T-Fight line, the Tecnifibre T-Fight RS 315. Just like its lighter weight siblings, the RS 315 deploys an innovative, 5 sided “R” shape that matches the power of an elliptical beam with the exceptional control of a box beam construction. Tecnifibre takes bigger steps to ensure the frame is comfortable by injecting foam in key hoop and handle locations. The brand brings back prior T-Fights’ XTC (Xtreme Touch Construction), which uses graphite, alloy and polyester fibers in the frame’s layup for better flex and stability, Dynacore HD also returns in the RS 315 layup to maximize the frame’s blend of power and feel. All of this gets a refined, French themed paint scheme that also has some slick brand highlights. Having enjoyed the lighter RS 300, I was eager to get my hands on the 315 to see how it would measure up.  

Groundstrokes

From the back of the court, I felt the RS 315 played very similar to its RS 300 brother. Both sides of my groundstrokes benefited from the power provided by the firm 22.5mm constant beam. The 11.7oz weight and 320ish swingweight put ample weight behind my shots, creating solid depth and pace. The hoop of the 315 felt a little faster than the 300 or 305 models despite the added weight, likely due to the head light balance minimizing the impact of the added weight. I found plenty of racquet head speed to whip the head through contact, generating plenty of pace and spin. Like other T-Fights, I was impressed by the sweet spot of the 315. It felt generous and the power level stayed consistent even in the top of the hop where I tend to make contact. The combination of mass and a thin, control focused beam also gave the frame excellent accuracy. I felt I could pick aggressive spots and hit to them consistently, opening the court for me to play attacking tennis. The 16x19 pattern provided plenty of spin and the smooth acceleration ensured I could get plenty of margin on both wings whenever I needed it. Stability was very similar to the RS 300 and not quite as rock solid as the RS 305, as that frame had a beefier swingweight. On the run the RS 315 was quick but over time the extra static weight felt a bit heavy at the end of long sessions. With performance very similar to the RS 300, I was not entirely convinced the added handle mass of the 315 would have long term benefits for my game style.

Volleys

At net, the RS 315 had plenty of classic player frame attributes. The head light balance made it very maneuverable for its weight, ensuring I could stay ahead of rapid-fire exchanges. There was power on tap for finishing volleys, but I enjoyed how easily controlled the power was. I never felt in danger of overcooking my shots at net. Accuracy was another strong point of the racquet in the front of the court. I easily directed balls to the sidelines and into the corners, putting myself in winning position frequently. When it came to touch volleys, I have always felt most at home with frames in this weight/balance class and the RS 315 was no different. Despite the firm build, I found it easy to feather the ball over the net and execute delicate volleys with ease. Like I found with the 300 and 305 variants, the RS 315 felt very stable at net. It blocked back body shots with ease and was rarely troubled by hard hit balls.

Serves

The skill set of the RS 315 on serve was very wide ranging. The balance allowed me to really accelerate through the top of my motion, putting solid amounts of pace on my serve. The weight of the racquet also seemed to really drive my serve through the court, making it a bit tougher to try and attack. I also enjoyed the very precise nature of the racquet on serve. I reliably hit spots in all four corners and was able to mix up my serving patterns frequently to keep returners off balance. The more open 16x19 pattern brought plenty of spin to my second serve. Kick serves got plenty of action and had enough height that they were very difficult to attack. The added mass of the RS 315 also gave extra bite to my slice serve. It swung wide in the ad court and stayed really low, proving to be a powerful tool for opening the court and attacking behind it. Overall, the T-Fight RS 315 had a variety of serving options, making it a lot of fun to mix things up while playing aggressive, first strike tennis.

Feel/Comfort

Overall

The on-court performance of the T-Fight RS 315 is really splitting hairs with the 300 version so it will likely come down to how much someone wants the extra mass and a more headlight balance point. The racquet provides exceptionally well controlled power and plenty of spin from the baseline. It also has classic levels of net performance and feel, all while being comfortable and smooth feeling. The Tecnifibre T-Fight RS 315 is a strong option for players looking for an impactful, well balanced racquet that can attack from anywhere with a mix of creativity and power.    

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.