Since he didn't compare the new (purple) version in the 18x20 string pattern, I'll offer my 2 cents. I'm a 4.5-5.0 player. I play a lot with an ex-varsity guy who's 30 years younger than I am and occasionally get a set. I take full swings and hit the ball as hard as I can as often as possible. I've played for 6 months with the 2018 (green) version. I love it. A week ago I bought the new (purple) version. I notice more power and less control in the new one. A lot of serves and groundstrokes are going long. Maybe it's the Twaron. I've been playing a different guy recently, same level as I am. Set 1, purple version: 1-6, errors and DFs everywhere. Set 2, old version: 6-2, banging the ball with spin and control. This happened twice, on two different days. That's my anecdotal, unscientific review.
I think the older layup is better. I have the green 93p 18x20 - my most comfortable and consistent frame. I bought the new 100x 290 and didn't like it at all. I didn't find it comfortable despite the low RA, and it was very erratic. I suspect the twaron isn't helping. Another unscientific comment.
Excellent video! As a Prince fan and general racquet-holic I've tried a ton of Phantoms and I agree on all your points about these frames. I learned to play as a teenager in the early days of graphite racquets when box beams with 80 - 90" heads were the typical setup. Thus I feel right at home using these frames, particularly the 14x18 which suits my topspin-oriented game. But there's a constant voice in the back of my head telling me I would be an idiot play this spec full time in 2020. My one tip for you would be to be adventurous and string the 18x20 down in the mid-40s before you give up on it.
Thanks for the comment, and the stringing tip! 😀. I do string and I find it very therapeutic so I will happily invest 25 mins in that experiment for sure!
I just had a chance to hit with the 18x20. Coming from prestige mid (93, 16x19) and I have to say I love the 18x20. Strung with full multi which is not what I usually hit with and found plenty of access to pace and spin though the racket lends itself more to placement and using a mix of shots rather heavy topspin baseline rallies. Really a joy to hit with and makes me play a more artful and creative (old school) style of tennis which I love. And yes the launch angle is low but it forces you to really engage your legs and use good technique. Slices are wicked.
Been loving my 18x20 but recently started to really feel what it lacks on windy days with strong players using 100sq in babolats, for example. The only thing I've demoed that has come close to the feel of the prince in the vcore97hd which I know you also enjoyed, so I think I'm going to have to pick one up and start my racquet transition once again!
Hey there. Try the purestrike 18x20. Tremendous feel. Better feel even than the vcore hd. Just played best sets of my life with it. Everything fell in just about. Many sportscenter moments
Thank you for your detailed review of the 93p. Somehow I’ve got to know about this racket series and I’m almost driven crazy to want to know how the 93p would be. On one side, I’d like to try using this unique racket, but on the other side, it looks too extreme for a beginner level player. There are only either Wilson users or Babolat users around me, so I am so curious about how Prince, especially the 93P, is different from other popular big brand rackets. I really enjoyed this review video.
Its going to disappoint a beginner. Just imagine a racket that is hard to hit the sweet spot, offers no power, and hurts your elbow lol. Superior options for new players are wilson blade, bab pure strike, or head speed.
I think it would be good to mimic the older string pattern of the prince diablo mid and have 1 phantom 93p with a 16x20 string pattern. I have been messing around with a head prestige mid 16x19 and its a lot of fun to attack with it. I usually play with the phantom 100p. I am interested in trying out the 93p 14x18. Thanks for the review.
I've got the lastest 14x18 version. I play with a lot of spin and a western grip. This rackets creates amazing spin, but I am framing the ball more due to the smaller head. I think I'd need to adjust my swing to play with it more effectively.
Beautiful traditional box beam design. In fact, traditional in every way to the extent that it’s a racquet my dad (who is 78yrs) would recognise! That’s a good thing!! Great review with excellent insights as always. Fully agree with the 18x20 and 16x19 comments. It seems Prince is out of step with current modern trends, and 18x20 in a 93 is probably a step too far back even for a traditionalist 50yr old like me who still uses a PT600 regularly. Regarding your comments about the Gravity shape and higher sweetspot, my own experience from regular play with a Gravity Tour suggests that the weakness with HEAD’s Gravity design for some players is not so much the higher sweetspot. Rather, a disconcertingly much smaller sweetspot in the lower face where the hoop is correspondingly narrower. I find that in the lower hoop, any contact even just a little off the centre axis feels dramatically unstable and the ball dies into the bottom of the net. It’s not even a gradual difference but a sharp fall off in stringbed response. Since most of my contact is just above centre (visible from obvious string wear), this isn’t a major issue for me. A bit of lead at 8 and 4 might reduce this, but equally, I don’t want to lower the sweetspot (for my use). Stay safe and hopefully the vaccine program roll out helps us back to normality soon.
This rackets small head.... needs a lower tension. Try 42lbs... it really brings to life what the frame was intended for. got 3 of these frames in 14x18 and I absolutely love them.
The combination of weird head-sizes and string patterns make it hard to evaluate without playing, since the precise density of the bed can stil vary. That's why I developed a string density calculation where if you take a cross of 9x9 cells around the central cell on any racket and measure you'll get something like 11cm x 10cm typically. Then if you divide by 81 you've got a figure for the average size of the central cells that are most often used. I found a range from a tight stringbed like the Ultra Tour that comes in at 1.1cm2, to a Pro-Staff 97 that is 1.5cm2. In fact I have found some 100sqi 16x19 frames have tighter central cells to 95 sqi 18x20 frames. So it would be interesting to know how big the average cell in the 93P 14x18 is? Is it really open like a Six-One 95S (1.65cm2) or is it more in the 'normal' range (1.3-1.4cm2)? Cheers.
Happy new year Andy. Just wondering your take is on a potential switch from Yonex Vcore 98(2018/9) customised with 6 grams of lead tape at 3,9 positions to tecnifibre tf40 305. 1) would I lose a lot of free power ; 2) would I be able to gain noticeably more control; 3) would the lower launch angle be adaptable. Many thanks :-)
How would u compare this racket 18x20 to the Head Pro Tour 2.0... Im playing with the p93 18x20 for a while now, but thinking its a little bit underpowered, and a bit small headsize for me :)
There's only a 2 sq in difference in head size between the two rackets (93 vs 95), so if you're struggling a little with the 93 then the Pro Tour 2.0 won't be much, if any, of an improvement.
I have both and like them a lot. Yeah, the 93p is not a high power frame, but if you hit it right, you get loads of power. The pt2.0 has more power but a lower launch angle and so for me waaaaay less control. With the 93p you always know where the ball is going and if you treasure this, there is actually no other comparable racket when it comes to control on the market right now! For most match situations it is important to have confidence in your shots and to make fewer mistakes than your opponents. So the 93p is still a very viable racket for lots of players who rely on consistency and ball placement.
Hi, yes it is on the list but new yonex vcore 95, head radical pro and Wilson pro six one 95 are before it as soon as u k courts open . Thanks for the comment, saw the other one about Agassi technique - ha ha! Probably makes sense he was my idol growing up (although I had a one hand backhand as a junior). Cheers
