The Six- One tour is clearly a player frame. With its thin flat beam, relatively high swing weight and head light balance this frame screams aggressive all courter. While it is more forgiving than the original Six- One tour retail frame it still demands long fast fluid groundstrokes, and efficient service motion, and clean volley execution to get the most from it.

 

 

So is there more to the changes in this racket than a paint job? The surprising answer is yes.
You can sum this racket up in 3 words Touch, Precision, Spin. This may be the most linear racket on the market. There is a perfect progressing of power that is directly linked to how hard you hit a shot. A lot of non player frames that provide extra pop are harder to control on touch shots. This racket allows you to hit drop shots consistently just a few feet from the net if your technique allows. The spin production makes these shots even more deadly. It appears that the sweet spot is slight larger that the K-factor but this may be the Basalt fibers at work removing harsh unwanted vibration

 

Serving requires solid technique and requires you to make all of the power. Accuracy is incredible. It is possible to hit all of the angles and to do so consistently with this frame. But if your technique falters it is not going to be pretty. If you are looking for extra heat on your serve don’t expect this frame to give it to you.

 

At the net the maneuverability is very good despite the frames weight. Bad volley technique such as long backswings will be an issue for all but very physically strong players. The nearly perfect feel of this racket allows you to absorb the power of hard hit passing shots and take the offensive. It is great at drop volleys as well.

 

From the baseline the spin capabilities and precision allows you to dictate play from the first shot. The ability to hit with lots of topspin, chip, slice and flatten out shots is very nice and quite predictable. This is where the Basalt fibers are most evident. The feel of the ball on the strings is a good as ever but the frame is better damped. One of the few rackets that does not need a string damper. Along with good topspin generation, this is a perfect frame for hitting low biting slice shots as well.

 

Make no mistake about it the Six-One tour is a bit like taking a Mercedes -MacLaren F1 Car for a spin. If you are highly skilled, this racket gives to superb feedback on every shot and the things you can accomplish with it are nearly limitless. If not, your best bet in both cases is to sit and pose, at least that way you can look the part.

 

While this is one of the best frames on the market, it is tailor made for an advanced player with nearly perfect technique. If you have a tendency to hit the ball a little late but still would like a BLX tour frame, look at the review for the BLX tour 95. Due to the small head size it is wise to string (especially with poly strings) at the lower end of the tension range as a starting point.