Yonex VCore Si 98 Racket Review
Summary
Stable, speedy and spin friendly, the Yonex VCORE Si 98 is a modern feeling racket with a firm, crisp response. An update to the previous VCORE Xi 98, this racket introduces Yonex's Spin Impulse technology featuring strategically shaped grommets for optimizing string movement. Our playtesters felt very dialed in from the baseline and enjoyed the pace the racket could generate on groundstrokes. Our team agreed that the standout feature of this racket was how it performed on slices; the testers were in awe with the way they could take cuts at the ball when slicing off both wings. At net, the point and shoot simplicity of this racket shone, and it was easy to control the point in an aggressive way. When it came to serving, some of our team felt this one lacked on big first serves, while others struggled to get the ball jumping enough on kick and slice serves. Despite finding this maneuverable racket to suit everyone's game fairly well, our team did struggle with some comfort issues from the RA rating of 70 on this racket. Taking everything into consideration, we think players looking for a quick, precise racket loaded with controllable power will enjoy the performance from this flashy racket from Yonex.
| Yonex VCore Si 98 Racket Scores | |
|---|---|
| Power | 83/100 |
| Comfort | 71/100 |
| Touch/Feel | 74/100 |
| Serves | 77/100 |
| Groundstrokes | 80/100 |
| Returns | 80/100 |
| Slice | 88/100 |
| Topspin | 86/100 |
| Volleys | 84/100 |
| Overall | 78/100 |
Overall - Score: 78/100
Groundstrokes - Score: 80/100
Loaded with spin and speed, the VCORE Si 98 swung quickly from the baseline. With a firm and crisp response, the racket felt too firm for some of our testers, and the team agreed a multifilament string or even a hybrid would pair best with this racket. The quickness of the racket made it easy for our team to find success early in this playtest. Michelle and Karly noted how simple it was to accelerate the racket and find power with their groundstrokes. Meanwhile, Andy and Chris noted how easy it was to hit with heavy spin and agreed this racket performed flawlessly when slicing form the baseline.
Volleys - Score: 84/100
A crisp and clean response is what our players found at the net with the VCORE Si 98, and it was easy for them to take control of the point and remain aggressive up there. For Chris, this racket felt far removed from recent Yonex offerings such as the VCORE Tour G 310 and Tour 97 310, and he compared it to the older RDS 001. With it being so quick to manoeuvre, Michelle found she could easily dig out balls at her feet and take control of the point with her volleys, and Andy found the racket to offer him point and shoot precision at the net. Karly liked how easy it was to get the racket in position at the net, yet struggled with some jarring and lack of shock absorption.
Serves - Score: 77/100
Serving with the VCORE Si 98 received mixed reviews. Each player on our team of four had a little different experience. Chris struggled to get enough movement on his kick second serve, although he could hit big first serves effectively. Michelle wanted a bit more behind her big, flat first serve but enjoyed hitting second serves with the racket. Karly enjoyed the power she accessed but was looking for a bit more precision, and Andy could serve effectively when being offensive but noted a lack of control.
Serve Returns – Score: 80/100
Our testers were quick to generate racquet head speed with the VCORE Si 98, which translated to big returns. With such a fast response, Michelle found her offensive game but realized with a lighter spec than what she is used to, she was overhitting off her forehand wing. Chris found a blend of pace and control with his topspin returns that worked well for his game. Placement was a small issue for Karly, but she felt confident returning against big servers. Andy echoed and was looking for more control when flattening out his returns.
Likes:
Chris - "I liked the control, the direct feel and the ability to hit very aggressive slice backhands without losing control."
Michelle - "So quick and fast off the baseline. The 16x20 string pattern allowed me to hit big with some control and precision. Easy to volley with. I found most of my success with this racket off my backhand wing and enjoyed the playtest."
Andy -"Very easy to use, tons of spin potential, great on slices and at net, and I felt pretty connected to the ball even though the racket is quite stiff."
Karly - "I loved hitting the ball early and on the rise, and how easy it was to do it. It swung so fast that it was almost difficult to swing late."
Dislikes:
Chris - "Too stiff and brassy feeling with a poly-based string for me."
Michelle - "I would prefer just a tad more weight and a higher swingweight, but customization can get that done. Also, I struggled with comfort and wish Yonex had added some more technology to help with that."
Andy - "I had some control issues on flatter shots, and it's a little too stiff for my liking. It can get a little jarring outside the sweetspot."
Karly - "I wish the frame absorbed shock better. There were no bells and whistles to the dampening technologies, it felt exactly like its high RA rating implies."
Comparing it to other rackets they've used, our testers said:
Chris - "I'm reminded of the RDS 001 Midplus. While this one has a lighter and faster feel, the response from the frame is very similar in its feel. Both are crisp playing rackets, and I think this one could benefit from some of the softer grommets Yonex have utilized in rackets of the past."
Michelle - "I found this to be similar to a Babolat AeroPro Drive, possibly faster off the ground, though! The access to spin and power seemed pretty comparable."
Andy - "This reminded me of a more powerful Dunlop F3.0 Tour and a more controllable Babolat AeroPro Drive. It's crisp, stiff and lively and is certainly easy to use. While it's a bit too stiff and lively for my liking, I think it would still suit a wide variety of players."
Karly - "The Yonex Si 98 played really similarly to the Dunlop iDapt Force 98. Both are firm, lively rackets that are very easy to maneuver. For me the biggest difference between the two was the control. I was able to control my shots better with the Dunlop, but the Yonex generated more power."
Playtester Profiles:
Andy- Open level all court player with a semi-western forehand grip and a two handed backhand. Andy currently using a Wilson Blade 98 18x20.
Karly- 4.0 baseline player currently playing with the Volkl Organix 10 Mid. She hits with a semi-western forehand grip and uses a two handed backhand.
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 Babolat Pure Drive Roddick.
Review date: October 2014. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us. information.en@tenniswarehouse-europe.com.
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