Yonex VCORE Pro 97 (330) Racket Review

Groundstrokes - Score: 87 / 100

The heaviest spec in its series, the VCORE Pro 97 (330) tempted our team with stability and plough-through power. Compared to the previous Duel G version, the playtesters found a crisper feel and better manoeuvrability. They also noted the change in string pattern to a 16x19 pattern with Yonex dropping a cross string. With a 346 gram strung weight and 330 swingweight, this racket falls right into Troy's preferred spec range. He detailed, " During my first session with the VCORE Pro 97 (330) I found that the weight felt natural, like an extension of my arm. I noticed a slight drop in the swingweight compared to the previous two iterations of this racket (Duel G and Tour G); this minuscule increase in manoeuvrability allowed me to achieve easier racket head speed, which was especially beneficial while hitting on the run. This racket offered enough plough through to hold its ground even when fending off laser-like forehands and backhands from Michelle. I also really appreciated the crisp, responsive feel on contact. The VCORE Pro 97 (330)’s stiffness is pretty similar to the previous version, but I felt like I was getting a bit more pop on the ball this time around. My slice backhands were driving through the court and skidding low off the bounce. The new 16x19 string pattern helped me find easy access to spin."

Volleys - Score: 88 / 100

Just as a player's racket should, the VCORE Pro 97 (330) stood its ground at net. It offered a rock solid yet firm feel and the playtesters continued to be impressed with the stability when ending the point with a volley. They also felt connected to the racket, allowing them to hit a variety of volleys while the extra mass allowed them to punch volleys deep with good pace. Nonetheless, the racket wasn’t the quickest feeling, especially for Sean. He said, " When I got the VCORE Pro 97 (330) into position it performed marvelously. With the caveat that it is a heavier frame and thus is harder to manoeuvre, I thought it performed about as well as a racket could for its weight. It was everything I wanted and more: great feedback at impact, good heft and stability to handle pace and spin, and a nice option for touch; the sweet cosmetic was the icing on the cake. "

Serves - Score: 87 / 100

The praise for the VCORE Pro 97 (330) kept coming as the squad moved on to serving. They complimented the rackets ability to hit a variety of serves and appreciated the ability to add some spin on second kick serves. The racket surprised the playtesters, who could tap into some power thanks to the heavier weight and still be precise and aim for riskier targets. The weight of the VCORE Pro 97 (330) definitely came into play for Chris. He explained, " Heavy rackets usually help my serve, and the VCORE Pro 97 (330) was no exception. I put the weight to good use and let it do a lot of the work for me. My first serves had some nice pace to them. I was able to add some spin to boost my consistency and help me find my targets. On second serves, I couldn’t get quite the brush on the ball that I get from my much lighter Tecnifibre TFlash 300 PS. Still, I found ample spin to get my serves to drop inside the box."

Serve Returns - Score: 85 / 100

The VCORE Pro 97 (330) once again delivered an impressive performance when our playtesters were returning serves, so they put it to good use. The playtesters were unanimous in their comments and found the racket offered excellent stability on returning both first and second serves. On first serve returns, they found the most success when they were taking compact swings and blocking back the ball. On second serves, they could step in and be more aggressive and be confident in picking a target and going after it. Michelle found that she could use the VCORE Pro 97 (330) to immediately take control of points. She wrapped up the playtest, " This racket had everything I needed to be effective with my returns. It was stable enough to block big first serves back, yet it still allowed me to step up and return with authority. I could go from defense to offense seamlessly. The VCORE Pro 97 (330) allowed me to pick my target, return deep and set up to move forward offensively. It was also stable when I was pulled out of my strike zone, so I could block balls back and give myself time to get back into the court and into the point. It had enough power to do some serious damage on returns."

Overall - Score: 88 / 100