GAMMA RZR 98M Tennis Racquet Review
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Groundstrokes
The Gamma RZR 98M builds, and improves, on the original RZR frames. The feel of the 11.4 ounce (strung) frame is more solid/substantial than previous generations, provided a good amount of plow through contact. When timing the ball well, and hitting with the center of the string bed, the resulting ball is on par with what I expect from a player’s frame: I was able to hit both offensive and neutral shots deep into the court. The 16x18 string pattern works well to help generate spin, and the frame swings nicely when approaching the ball at an angle (with the top edge of the frame leading the stroke). On defense, however, I found the flex of the frame had the potential to hinder my ability to stay in the point. There isn’t much forgiveness on off-center hits, but then again, there are 98 square inches to work with.
Volleys
My results at the net with the RZR 98M were similar to those on groundstrokes: shots hit with the sweet spot felt great, while shots outside of the sweet spot were significantly weaker. The mass of the frame helped to pull the ball forward, even when missing the ideal contact zone, which I appreciated. However, the frame might feel cumbersome for someone not accustomed to a heavier racquet. One of the benefits of a less active string bed is great ease in deadening incoming shots, allowing for easier dropshots and short angles. The 98M provided a good amount of feedback, and I could predict how the ball would travel after leaving the strings.
Serves
The RZR 98M excels on serves. The weight of the frame let me maintain the fluidity of my service motion, while the plow through the contact zone simply annihilated the ball. As with volleys, the feedback created from contact gave me strong sense of where the ball would land, so placing serves to specific locations within the service box felt straightforward. The 16x18 pattern helped to amplify the break on my spin serves, particularly the sliding slice out wide on the deuce court. Also, slices to the T on the ad side curved violently away from my opponent, resulting in aces and weak replies. Kick serves, like the slices, had great movement.
Overall
While the flex of the frame is great when striking the ball well, the frame does not return much energy to balls outside of the sweet spot. Additionally, the feedback the frame creates from contact feels a bit raw: somewhere between plush and crisp. However, I feel that this is an improvement from the previous versions, which always felt a little tinny to me. Another enhancement is the increased in plow through. String selection will play an important role in achieving the right amount of pocketing from the string bed. While I used a combination of Gamma Moto 16 (mains), and Gamma Live Wire XP 17 (crosses), I wouldn’t mind trying a lower tension, or softer set-up. Low level intermediates might struggle with the lack of forgiveness, but more advanced players will appreciate the less powerful response.
About the Reviewer: Mitch Case is the Tennis Director at Woodridge Lake in Connecticut. He is also a PTR pro and a USRSA master technician.
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