Breakdown

Groundstrokes: 8.3

Maneuverability was the name of the game for this TF40 290g 16x19. Our testers were delighted by how the racquet handled on groundstrokes, and they found plenty of performance capability despite the lighter overall weight. Chris found success hitting a wide variety of groundstrokes with the TF40 290g 16x19. He said, "From the very first hit, the TF40 290g felt fast and maneuverable. I had fun whipping this racquet through my swing. Generating spin was not an issue, and that opened up opportunities for angles, lobs, rolling deep shots and drop shots. Needless to say, I had lots of options hitting with this racquet. Options were a good thing because I was missing the plow-through power I like from heavier racquets. To help the racquet out, I chose to have it strung with a multifilament. With a set of Tecnifibre Multifeel installed, I found a more forgiving response, more power and less flutter on off-center shots. Multifeel offers good access to spin, which meant it didn't impede on all the fun and variety I was enjoying hitting my groundstrokes." 

Brittany went into this playtest without any expectations due to this racquet's unique set of specs. She explained, “I found an easy-to-swing racquet with surprising control and great feel. As the playtest progressed, I enjoyed this racquet on the baseline the most during practice sessions. I was able to get into a good groove and loved hitting cross court. The TF40 290g 16x19 allowed me plenty of access to spin when I needed it, and I was able to generate racquet head speed with ease. Due to the lighter weight, there were times when the racquet got pushed around during points. When I consciously swung more aggressively I could eliminate or decrease the twisting of the racquet in my hands. My slices are not one of my strengths, and they were just OK with the TF40 290g. I needed a little more plow through from the racquet, and my slices were sitting up just a little bit."  

For Tiffani, the racquet's inherent control characteristics emphasized her ability to shape shots. She said, "As a fan of the TF40 line, I was curious to see how a lighter version would feel. I quickly found a nice groove from the baseline with this 290-gram version. I found it easy to hit with medium pace and felt like I could rally for days. The TF40 290g 16x19 was fast to swing, so I could add shape to the ball as needed, and I enjoyed coming around the ball to hit sharp angles, especially with my two-handed backhand. The control and feel met my expectations from a TF40 racquet, which I appreciated as I went for more precise placement. Also as expected, the TF40 290g was not as stable as the heavier models in the line, but the stability was in line with other racquets in this weight category. I noticed this the most when I was trying to block back hard hit shots." 

Oak especially enjoyed the speedy nature of the TF40 290g 16x19. He said, "This TF40 from Tecnifibre is on the lighter side, making it a great option for developing players or those looking to customize. The lighter construction makes for a very whippy frame, and I enjoyed the smooth nature of the racquet off both wings. I have always felt that Tecnifibre frames maneuver unlike any other racquets, so as far as the take back and prep were concerned, this was a very fun racquet to get into position and set up with. I never felt pressed for time, and I really enjoyed the precise nature of the box-beam geometry when swinging toward my targets. Topspin felt incredibly easy to access, and I really enjoyed rolling the ball cross court with both my one-handed and two-handed backhand. My forehand also felt clean, and I could easily manipulate the ball to do what I asked of it. Despite being lighter weight, the racquet felt surprisingly stable, largely due to Tecnifibre's foam-filled construction, I imagine."

Volleys: 8.0

Volleying and net play with the TF40 290g 16x19 proved a little more challenging for our team, largely due to the racquet’s lighter weight and its effect on stability. Despite this trait, the racquet still proved viable in terms of maneuverability and spin, which typically go a long way for volleys. Tiffani's experience was highlighted by the aforementioned characteristics. She described, "The standout features for me at net were the maneuverability and feel. I am not the most adept volleyer, and I typically like to keep it simple. However, this TF40 290g (16x19) felt pretty quick, and I enjoyed the response. I could feel enough pocketing to get the ball to drop short and mix up my net game plan."

Similarly, Oak appreciated the speed with which he could position the TF40 290g 16x19, although he did feel pushed around when trying to absorb heavier pace. He said, "At net, I would've appreciated a tad more mass throughout the hoop to absorb pace. Thankfully, the spin capability was plentiful, and the control allowed me to accurately target spots when volleying. The overall feel was quite pleasant, giving crisp feedback without feeling harsh. I typically went for more angled volleys as opposed to deeper ones, but that is my usual style of net play anyhow. I felt connected to the ball on medium to slower paced shots, but against heavier hitters I couldn't be as on top of the net as I would've liked to be."

Chris also enjoyed the racquet's handling at net, and in particular, the control and feel offered by the TF40 290g 16x19. He explained, "The TF40 290g felt very maneuverable at net, and I had no issues getting this racquet into position. I liked punching volleys the most because I found a firm grip and a bit of tip speed helped with stability. This racquet did have a tendency to flutter a bit when up against heavier hit passing attempts, but all in all, I was impressed with the response. I liked the controlled nature of the frame design and found my touch volleys working well." 

Brittany's said, "Up at net, the maneuverability and feel were the stars of the show. This TF40 290g was easy to get into position, and I felt confident hitting a variety of volleys because I felt very connected to the racquet. Due to the lighter weight, I made sure I added a little extra punch to my volleys to help add a little stability."

Serves: 8.2

When it came to starting off a point, our team was grateful for the sublime feel offered by the TF40 290g 16x19, which was somewhat offset by its lower mass. Despite this trade-off, great spin and aggressive targeting made for consistently successful serves, calling back to the reliable nature of the TF40 family. Chris found himself able to carve shots to a menacing degree, although with less venom than a racquet in his preferred spec range could provide. He said, "I was happy with the spin, direction and control I had on my serves with the TF40 290. I felt like I was getting solid pace too, but I found my serves were more attackable than usual if I left them too close to the returner's strike zone. My slice serve was working well, and I had success both moving the ball away from the returner and slicing it into their body." 

Brittany relied on her racquet head speed to make this a surprisingly consistent serving racquet, especially on second serves. She said, "I liked how easy it was to generate racquet head speed with this TF40 290g 16x19, and I was surprised I preferred hitting my second serve over my first. With my second serve, I was able to be consistent (few to no double faults!) and hit with plenty of spin for a kick serve that my opponent couldn't attack. I could also be pretty precise with my targets; I was able to mix them up to keep my opponent guessing. I felt like I was swinging fast and getting some power on my first serves, but they were sitting up for my opponent. My first serve percentage was also a little lower than I would have liked." 

For Tiffani, the TF40 290g 16x19's serving performance was a bit limited compared to a heavier setup. She said, "I wanted a bit more heft when I was serving to help the racquet fall more naturally through the hitting zone. If I didn't really go up and after the ball my serves tended to sit up, without much pace behind them. I found the most success with my slice serve. The spin was more than adequate, and smart placement put me in a good position to start off points."

Oak’s serving experience was defined by the TF40 290g's weight, but he could always rely on the racquet's control. He said, "Serving with a frame like the TF40 is always a pleasant experience because the control geometry emphasizes aggressive targeting, making wide or T serves feel very natural. This TF40 doesn't lack in the feel or spin department, which makes shaping the ball feel quite accessible. I would've liked a little more mass on my flatter serves, but the foam-filled frame helped make the contact feel primarily solid instead of flimsy. Despite its lighter weight, the TF40 290g 16x19 actually does have enough of a solid nature to be viable above the shoulders. I did have to shorten my overall motion to find a consistently workable service motion, which encouraged me to add more racquet head speed to offset the shorter swing path." 

Returns: 8.1

Our team struggled at times to redirect hard hit serves due to the lower mass of the TF40 290g 16x19. Thankfully, that sentiment was offset by the racquet's excellent feel. Tiffani felt confident swinging freely on her returns, utilizing her counterpunching style to make good headway early on in points. She noted, "I didn't have as many issues with stability as I would have expected. I really enjoyed the feel, so I could forgive the bit of instability I experienced when trying to return bigger first serves."

For Oak, the quick nature of this frame was its saving grace on returns. He explained, "The TF40 290g 16x19 was extremely fun to return with because the maneuverability allowed me to get into position very quickly, and I could align myself well in advance of the incoming serve. Again, some additional mass would've been most welcome, but the racquet still feels solid, which allowed me to block balls back and take bigger cuts if need be. On first serve returns, I had plenty of time to get where I needed to be. The lack of mass was a bit more noticeable when I was returning second serves, but once again, the foam rescued me here. The return experience on the whole was better than I expected." 

Chris also took advantage of the TF40 290g's easy speed to make his returns impactful. He said, "Being a lighter weight racquet, the TF40 290g was very easy to maneuver on returns. I had no issues taking the ball early and redirecting the incoming pace to my desired target. I liked to keep the tip speed of the racquet up because I found it helped with stability. Taking big cuts at returns was fun with this racquet since it was so easy to swing. Using the racquet strung with Multifeel resulted in a very comfortable response, with a nice blend of power, control and spin. I found the multifilament to give the racquet a more forgiving feel compared to hitting returns with a TF40 290g strung with Razor Code." 

Brittany's ability to swing out with this racquet was evident, and she easily blasted returns from one side to the other. She said, "I could swing through the ball and still have good control and precision, which I enjoyed. Like on my groundstrokes, I was able to gain a litter extra stability if I kept my swing speed up. The only tricky thing was adjusting to the timing. I got ahead of myself and was early to the ball at times. However, it didn't take me long to get dialed in, and I felt confident going for a variety of returns, like a deep-down-the-middle, a more aggressive down-the-line or even a short angled return."

Breakdown Summary