YONEX EZONE DR 98 REVIEW
Upsides
- Blend of power and precision
- Feel
- Upgrade in stability
Downsides
- Nothing we could agree on
Summary
Given how much we enjoyed the EZONE Ai line of rackets, we couldn't wait to get to get the updated EZONE DR 98 in our hands and on court -- and it certainly didn't disappoint! Our playtesters found the infectious blend of power, control, spin and manoeuvrability that we liked in the Ai 98 to be even better in this update. The racket's feel and stability were improved while playability and performance remained very similar. More than once the racket was referred as a “magic wand” from all areas of the court. Experienced players looking for a blend of modern power and forgiveness with traditional precision and feel owe it to themselves to give this racket a try!
Groundstrokes – Score 88
All of our playtesters really enjoyed hitting with the EZONE DR 98 from the baseline, finding a nearly perfect blend of power and control. Everyone found the racket very easy to pick up and use with little to no adjustment period. The balance of manoeuvrability and heft was also there, and the racket was easy to move through the air quickly yet solid and stable enough to stand up against big hitting opponents. Spin potential was good, but not extremely so. Ultimately, everything we liked on our groundstrokes in the previous Ai version we liked even more in this update.
Volleys – Score 85
The glowing reviews of the EZONE DR 98 continued as our playtesters approached the net, where the manoeuvrability and ultra responsive feel left our team feeling totally connected and in control of their volleys. We found improved stability and feel over the previous version that we already really liked. Tough volleys were easy to punch back deep in the court while the great feel made it easy to produce effective drop volleys too. One of our testers even felt “inspired”to explore the versatility of his net game.
Serve – Score 87
For the most part our playtesters were finding success utilising the all-around playability of the EZONE DR 98 when serving. Everyone found the blend of power, control, spin and manoeuvrability to be very effective when going for any type of serve, and our team felt very confident using their full arsenal of serves. While the power and spin potential were sastifactory, the blend of attributes was what ultimately proved successful.
Returns – Score 84
It was no surprise that our team continued to enjoy the EZONE DR 98 when they used it for their return game. The blend of attributes once again translated well, allowing us to feel confident going for aggressive returns while at the same time providing the control and heft to block back more defensive returns. The racket's manoeuvrability made it easy to get it around the body quickly to catch up to harder hit first serves or take second serve returns inside the baseline.
Overall - Score: 88
Playtester Profiles
Andy: Open level all court player with a semi-western forehand grip and a two handed backhand. Andy currently using a Yonex EZONE Ai 98.
Chris: 4.5 all-court player currently using the Wilson Six.One 95S. Chris uses a full-western forehand grip, has a fast swing style and hits a one-handed backhand.
Michelle: Open level baseline player with a semi-western forehand and a two handed backhand. She currently plays with the Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph.
Marco: Open level lefty aggressive baseliner with a semi-western forehand and a one-handed backhand. He currently plays with a Wilson Blade 98 16x19.
Likes
Chris: “I loved the control, feel, comfort and forgiving response. This racket felt fast yet solid. At times it felt magical on groundstrokes. ”
Andy: “A nearly perfect blend of modern power and forgiveness with traditional precision and feel. Improved stability and a more solid feel than the previous version. ”
Michelle: “Loved the feel of this racket on contact. It is solid yet plush; it just offered a great hitting experience. I could drill all day with this racket. Also really enjoyed this one a lot up at net. ”
Marco: “Easy access to power and control. A good-sized sweetspot and comfortable feel. ”
Dislikes
Chris: “A tad underpowered compared to the rackets I've been using lately. However, I could fix that by stringing lower and possibly increasing the tip weight. ”
Andy: “Nothing. This is one of my favorite rackets I've ever playtested at TW. ”
Michelle: “I was looking for a tad more control in this racket, but that could be due more to the string setups we used. With a deader poly strung a bit higher, I think it would have resolved my issue. ”
Marco: “Nothing that stands out, perhaps slightly unstable on certain shots. ”
Comparing it to other racquets they've used, our testers said:
Chris: “Everything I could do with the previous version carried over here but the feel was just better. I felt very connected to the ball. The EZONE DR 98 offers more power than a traditional control-oriented racket such as the Wilson Pro Staff 95, while offering more control than a modern player's racket such as the Babolat Pure Aero. ”
Andy: “The DR 98 performs very similarly to the Ai 98 from every area of the court - they are both great all-around rackets. However, I did find the DR 98 to have a slightly crisper feel than the Ai 98 with a bit more power and stability. I would put this among my favorite modern player's rackets on the market with the Wilson Blade 98 and Babolat Pure Control Tour. ”
Michelle: “Yonex made an already great racket even better with this update. Compared to the previous version, I found it to be more stable and I enjoyed the feel even more. ”
Marco: “I definitely felt the similarities to the Pure Drive with the way this racket generates power and control from any position on the court. Also, the manoeuvrability of both frames to get the frame snapping quickly on the ball was desirable. I also felt as though the comfort and generous sweetspot fell in line with my current Blade 98. ”