Yonex V Core Tour F 93 Tennis Racquet Review
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The market for midsize frames has been consistently dwindling in the face of mass adoption of tweener frames. Yonex has stayed the course over the years and offered up a new entry in the category for 2015. While four additional inches bigger than the V Core Tour 89 it replaces, the all new V Core Tour F 93 retains its predecessor’s laser like precision, while the addition of Aero Fin Technology at the top of the hoop makes it even faster to swing. Here’s what I found when I hit the court with the Tour F 93.
Groundstrokes
Off either wing, the racquet hits an impressively accurate ball. I had no trouble placing the ball in any area of the court that I wanted. The Isometric head provides a sizeable sweet spot given the overall head size. On defense and shots where my timing was off, I did miss the added forgiveness a larger head size would have offered. The racquet is fast through contact and provides enough weight to do damage when flattening out balls. The tight 16x21 pattern in the small head made it a bit harder to add spin consistently and I felt like shots that did have more margin did not play with the same weight of shot as my usual frame. The low power of the frame allowed me to swing with confidence but made it a little difficult if I lost my focus on playing first strike tennis.
Volleys & serves
The Tour F 93 is an absolute scalpel at the net. Incredibly maneuverable, it has no problem with rapid fire exchanges. It also possesses exceptional touch and feel, allowing for execution of the full arsenal of power and touch volleys. There is enough weight to allow you to finish balls aggressively at the net and it is fast enough to dig out passing shots on defense. Players who like to move forward aggressively will really enjoy the response and lightening fast positioning this frame offers.
Serving with the racquet is an exercise in variety. It had great acceleration through the top of the swing, allowing me to go for big, flat serves to all areas of the box. The easy acceleration also allowed me to add in slice and kick serves as desired while still retaining exceptional directional control. The tighter string pattern didn’t produce the same level of kick that other frames have but when combined with the exceptional precision, it still proves to be a dangerous combo.
Feel/Comfort
The Tour F93 has a very crisp, well connected feel. It offers a very responsive string bed that is easy to predict, thanks in part to its enhanced sweet spot. I did find the racquet to play fairly firm and the comfort level did drop a bit outside of the sweet spot. The feel in the center of the bed makes it easy to execute a wide variety of shots with extreme confidence. The Black Micro Core in the hoop makes it play very stable, even against big hitters. Players after a soft, buttery response may not find what they are looking for, but the racquet does offer a blend of crisp, precise feel and comfort in the middle of the string bed.
Overall
Overall Any high aggression player should seriously consider trying out the V Core Tour F 93. It has incredible precision, excellent feel and enough power to make it dangerous. Its limited defensive capabilities make it a bit more difficult to wield if you play more passively. This is a frame built for first strike, attacking tennis and is a potent all court weapon in the hands of the right player.
.jpg) About the Reviewer: Matt Locke currently serves as the Junior Programs & Development Coordinator for USTA-Idaho and is an active USTA League and Tournament player.
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