Breakdown

Groundstrokes: 8.4

From the baseline, our playtesters found the CX 400 Tour intriguing because of its broader string pattern and control-oriented feel. Brittany really loved the spaced-out string pattern and reported that the spin potential was better than she expected. She said, "I was able to get into a good groove right from the very first hit. The CX 400 Tour was easy to adjust to, and I loved practicing with it. My first impression was that it did everything well. There was a nice balance of power and control (maybe leaning more toward the control side), and there was enough spin potential for me to hit a variety of spins with just a flick of the wrist. While I preferred to hit topspin, like I do with most racquets, I could rely on slice when needed. I found I just had to put slightly more effort into aggressive shots to get the pace and depth I wanted.”

Tiffani was surprised by the blend of control and power the CX 400 Tour offered. She said, "I love the feel of the CX line, but there are certain situations where I am looking for easier power. This is where the CX 400 Tour comes in. While I tend to lean toward control and feel racquets, if I'm honest, I need help in the power department. The CX 400 Tour blends those features so well. This racquet offers easier depth and access to pace than the CX 200. Although the CX 400 Tour has a slightly lower unstrung static weight than the CX 200 (300 grams versus 305 grams), there's enough weight in the hoop to keep it solid. I could play my counterpunching game and redirect pace, or throw in a slice to change up the pace of play."

On the other hand, Chris took full advantage of the racquet's maneuverability and got super crafty with his game. He said, "I had fun with the CX 400 Tour from the baseline. The racquet was fast and easy to maneuver, which allowed me to be very creative with it. I loved carving angles, taking a cross-court ball early and redirecting it down the line, sneaking in drop shots as well as faking a drop shot and instead hitting a deep chip approach. Getting spin on the ball was super easy because I could whip the racquet head through contact for spin, and the stringbed complied with ample bite when laced up with a co-poly string."

Taking a different approach with the CX 400 Tour's maneuverability, Jason went all out when it came to spin. He explained, "This racquet was ridiculously easy to generate racquet head speed with, especially since it is over 11 ounces. I felt like I was able to impart tons of spin on my forehand shots. I also was impressed by the net clearance and depth I was getting. The one downside here was the power level. I was expecting just a bit more pop, but with such a low swingweight, there simply wasn't enough mass behind the ball."

Volleys: 8.3

The maneuverability and feel of the CX 400 Tour on volleys really shone through for our playtesters. Jason also complimented the comfort of this racquet, but he again sought a little more weight behind his swings at times. He said, "I really loved how quick and nimble the racquet felt up at net. I was able to easily get the racquet into position whether I was pulled out wide or I had to quickly adjust to a body shot. I thought the feel was really good, and I was able to hit nice touch and drop volleys. Off-center volleys did suffer a bit though because of the lack of mass in the hoop. I was noticing some torsional stability issues when I was making contact anywhere outside the sweetspot."

For someone who isn't the biggest fan of coming to the net, Tiffani found that she could confidently depend on the stability and maneuverability of the CX 400 Tour whenever she did move forward. She said, "I try to come to net only when I've set myself up with a good chance at a put-away because I'm not 100 percent comfortable up there. I thought this CX 400 Tour was maneuverable enough at the net, with decent power and stability."

The biggest highlight for Brittany when volleying with the CX 400 Tour was the feel. She explained, "As I approached the net, the CX 400 Tour's standout feature was the feel. The racquet was very comfortable, even on off-center shots. I felt connected to the racquet and had a good feel for where the ball was landing on the stringbed. There was some noticeable weight toward the tip of the racquet, which made it slightly less maneuverable at times. Regardless, I was able to make some adjustments during my first hit to get used to that slightly heavier head feel. On the other hand, I thought the CX 400 Tour was very stable, which allowed me to execute my shots without any twisting."

Chris was also thoroughly impressed by the feel of the CX 400 Tour, but he noted that he might customize it with some weight to add more stability. He said, "The CX 400 Tour had me feeling very connected to my volleys. I was able to hit my targets with good consistency whether I was going for a short angle with some touch or looking to punch the volley deep with pace. Again, I was impressed by the comfort. The CX 400 Tour was very easy to maneuver, and I thought it could benefit from just a little bit of added weight to boost stability against hard-hitting opponents."

Serves: 8.3

On serves and overheads, the CX 400 Tour allowed our playtesters to hit their spots with great spin. Although this racquet doesn't have the power levels of the SX 300 or the FX 500 Tour, it definitely takes the cake when it comes to comfort and accuracy. Chris capitalized on the CX 400 Tour's open string spacing along with its whippy nature. He described, "I liked that I could easily generate racquet head speed, which allowed me to find ample spin. The pace I was getting on flat serves was also pretty solid. My favorite serve was a slice into the body. I found I was getting enough movement on the ball to jam the returner. On second serves, I could give the ball plenty of net clearance and still get it to drop nicely inside the box thanks to the spin I was getting."

Tiffani was grateful that the CX 400 Tour packed a little more power than its variants. Coupled with the comfort this racquet provides, she could serve effectively and consistently. She said, "Although I wasn’t getting power levels like I would get from a Pure Drive, there was enough of it for me to feel comfortable and confident when starting points. The pace comes easier with this CX 400 Tour than it does from the CX 200s in the line. I could also get my slice serves moving decently well, so although I still preferred returning to serving, I was overall happy with this racquet on serves."

Jason found success thanks to the maneuverability and open string pattern of the CX 400 Tour. He said, "I had no major complaints on my serves. The open string pattern, combined with the great maneuverability, meant I was hitting effective slice serves. I thought both the control and power levels were good, but not great."

Brittany was pleased to find a higher power level in a CX racquet, though she started having some arm fatigue later into sets. She said, "I was actually surprised by the decent amount of pace I was able to get with my first serve. While it took just a little bit more effort to get the racquet up and over my head, I was rewarded with some extra power. I could also mix it up and hit some slice out wide or into the body. However, I struggled at times with my second serve. At the beginning of a match or hitting session (when I was fresh), I had no issues. After about 30 to 45 minutes of playing, I definitely could feel some arm fatigue, which resulted in a couple more double faults than normal. I was having trouble rotating my wrist to get the ball to dip into the service box, and I hit quite a few second serves long."

Returns: 8.5

Our team found a magnificent combination of spin, agility, and control when returning with the CX 400 Tour. The playtesters were able to swing out thanks to the control-oriented frame design and open string arrangement. Jason was the biggest fan of the control this racquet provided. He said, "Swing away! I liked that I could take full cuts at the ball, whether it was on a slower second serve or a first serve. The easy access to spin helped me get enough topspin to get the shots to drop into the court. I thought slice shots tended to float a little higher than I would've liked, and off-center shots saw a decent drop in power."

Staying true to her typical preference for returns over serves, Brittany loved the CX 400 Tour's extra weight in the head for this shot. She explained, "I much preferred to return with this racquet. I felt like it was the opposite of serves, and I appreciated that extra weight in the tip. I could step in, take a compact swing and go after my return. The racquet felt solid, and I didn't have any issues with instability, even on big first serves."

The CX 400 Tour checked all the right boxes for Tiffani's returns. Thanks to the racquet's easy targeting and comfort, she was able to get into the point with confidence. She said, "This CX 400 Tour had a good blend of features for me on returns. I liked the comfort, feel and swing speed. When hitting returns, I felt like I could pick target zones and go for them. I don't recall any major issues with stability either, and I felt like I could confidently mix up my return tactics."

Chris thought the lighter weight, coupled with the comfort and spin potential of the racquet, was perfect for returns and helped him gain the upper hand earlier in the point. He said, "The easy-to-swing feel of the CX 400 Tour allowed me to step in and take returns early. I found I could redirect pace well with it and drive my returns with good depth. I wouldn't say I was hitting the heaviest returns, but my spin, pace and direction were all good. Again, I found the racquet comfortable, and even my slightly off-center returns weren't too jarring."

Breakdown Summary