DUNLOP F 4.0 Tour Tennis Racquet Review
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Groundstrokes
The Dunlop F4.0 Tour offered more of a control-oriented ride than expected, especially considering it came strung with a full stringbed of Dunlop Silk. The low-medium power level of the frame allowed me to take aggressive swings without the ball sailing long. Due to the low launch angle off the racquet face, my shots didn’t require an excessive amount of spin to stay in the court. The ability to mix both flat and spin shots with ease was reflected in my shot selection, as the frame didn’t interfere with my preferred playing style. While my strokes didn’t require high levels of topspin to stay in the court, the spin potential on groundstrokes was not as high as I would have liked. As the stringbed softened up, I did lose some control over the depth of the ball (as to be expected), but this could be remedied with string choice and/or string tension. My only complaints revolve around the feel of the frame, which can be both unstable and tinny/harsh. While shots inside the sweetspot felt fine, shots outside of the middle of the strings felt a more little dead than usual.
Volleys
Based on the feel at contact on groundstrokes, I thought I would strongly dislike the F4.0 Tour at the net. This was not the case at all. Though I did experience some vibration while volleying, I didn’t find it to be as excessive at I anticipated. On off-center shots, the frame still twists and produces a tinny vibration, but not to the same degree as with groundstrokes. The top of the hoop does not supply much power at all, which may hurt players reaching for a passing shot, but will help those that like to deaden the ball and hit drop volleys and soft short angles (like me). The weight of the frame was not problematic when it came to maneuverability, and I felt that the head of the racquet moved quickly into position. Shots in the sweetspot had good pop, as well as control. Like on groundstrokes, my main issue with the frame at the net is stability. If I were to switch to this frame, I would definitely add some lead to the hoop.
Serves
When it comes to serves (and returns, for that matter) the F4.0 Tour is a winner. The frame’s weight, balance, and distribution of mass just seemed to work with my swing mechanics, resulting in massive flat serves and biting spin serves. The ball traveled off the stringbed in a predictable way, allowing me to confidently attempt hitting to smaller targets and more difficult locations. I found my flat serve out wide on the ad court to be particularly consistent and with more speed than with my usual racquet. Spin serves out wide on the deuce side, as well as to the “T” on the ad side, opened up the court and produced a weak reply from the returner. Again, my only issue is the feel/comfort at contact, which is not as plush as I would expect from an 11.4 ounce, 100 square inch frame. This aspect, however, is less prevalent on serves than on groundstrokes and volleys. I would still rate this frame a 9/10 on serves.
Overall
While this is not a frame that I would immediately choose to switch to, I could most definitely play with it, if need be. Coming from a heavier, thin-beamed player’s frame, I was greatly surprised by this, as I thought the F4.0 Tour would be too powerful for my style of play. I found that my serve and return game were just as good, if not slightly better, than with my current frame. I could get used to how the F4.0 Tour performs from all other areas of the court, especially with a little customization and the right string job. However, for me, the frame is a little too modern in response, and not as plush and stable as I would like. Though some strong 3.5 level players could handle this frame, 4.0 level players and stronger will be better equipped to get the most from the F4.0 Tour.
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