Yonex Vcore Tour 97 Lite Tennis Racquet Review
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The VCore 97 Tour Light has been released into Yonex's “player” line and sets up an exciting offering for a range of players.
Groundstrokes
When first hitting with the 97 Tour Light, I was thrilled with the amount of power I felt from the get go. Hitting out and driving the ball deep into the court is never a problem. It's 11.5 ounce strung weight feels very maneuverable and easy to handle, but I’m also used to a slightly heavier frame. While having more power than some of its predecessors, I still felt a great amount of control. Despite its 67 flex rating (implying relative stiffness), this frame gave me a more soft, toned down feel.
One of the big things that I noticed about this racquet is the increase in spin on all of my groundstrokes. It produced a very comfortable feel when choosing to create a more heavy topspin ball. In fact, it took me a little extra time to get used to the added spin I was getting on the ball – I had to drive my shots a bit more.
The 97 Tour Light felt quite stable on off center hits. From deep behind the baseline and in defensive positions, I found a lot of value in the extra power I could feel from this frame. With its 7-points head light balance, generating fast racquet speed was quite easy, and I never felt like the weight of the racquet was a factor.
Volleys
The control that I felt with this racquet when volleying was superb. From hitting touch drop volleys to hitting driven shots to the corners, the 97 Tour Light performed well. I noticed a very soft feel unlike many other racquets that I have used as of late. It didn't feel very stable when miss hitting a volley, although the 97 square inch head provided a reasonable amount of room for error. Like many Yonex racquets, the sweet spot tends to feel bigger than the dimensions generally entail.
Serves
When serving with this racquet, it took me a little bit of time to find my range. But once I found my rhythm, I really enjoyed the added slice and topspin I could impart on the ball. The 97 Tour Light felt relatively lightweight on the delivery, and hitting powerful serves was never a problem. Intermediate to advanced players will enjoy the combination of power and spin that this racquet offers while still feeling in control.
Overall
The Yonex VCore 97 Tour Light is a great racquet for an advanced player looking to use a lighter “player’s” racquet for more power, or an intermediate player in search of a comfortable racquet with plenty of control. As with many Yonex racquets, the 97 Tour Light has a very dynamic string bed that suits a wide range of playing styles. Flat hitters to heavy spinners can all enjoy how this racquet performs. In fact, three words that best encompass this racquet would have to be control, spin, and power. Having a soft and comfortable feel, those who enjoy a more classic control racquet should give this modern frame a try. Volleying came easy, and the sweet spot for this model felt much larger than its advertised sizing. Although initially taking some time for me to get used to, serving with the 97 Tour Light felt easy and efficient. Serving hard flat serves, cutting slices, or biting kick serves were all very accessible. Yonex has come out another with a great racquet to complement the VCore line.
.jpg) About the Reviewer: Brandon Arradaza is a Tennis Professional at the Chris Lewit Tennis Academy in New York City. He is a graduate of the Professional Tennis Management Program at Ferris State University, a USPTA Elite Professional, PTR Professional and USRSA Master Racquet Technician.
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