Ciao John! I’m going to have the the review of the 2023 coming out next month so keep your eye out for it. I’ll try to hit one hand backhand in the video just for you 😜
I am thinking the exact same thing, going to pick up a demo and try it out. the ezone has too much power for me. have you tried the old Vcore ? how does it compare to the 2021 version ? thanks
@@chordsq1067 I haven’t tried the old Vcore, but I’ve heard from multiple sources that the new one has less feel/more muted but feels more stable & little more power. I definitely prefer the Vcore 95 over the ezone 98 tour as it is a lot more maneuverable due it being more headlight/the balance of the racket.
@@gregiffer thanks for the insight, went to my local store today and they didn't have the racquet for demoing. Might just have to pick one at random and hope I like it.
Hi mIke is it possible to get shop links for a Yonex the Vcore 95 Red the previous version to the 2021 I want to use them for my game but the shop links don't have it do you have any other shops that can ship to Uganda in Africa the Yonex Vcore 95 Red
Hi Mike, i’m a one hand backhand player and i want to buy a new raquet. My two options are the wilson pro staff 97 v13 (315gr unstrung) or the babolat pure strike tour(320gr unstrung). What would you recomend me?
Between the two I would go with the pro staff. Even if you wanted a bit more weight on it you could always add weight to get some of the drive you may feel you miss compared to the babolat. Hope that helps Daniel and thanks for watching! Also hit me up on insta and I’ll send you my referral code to RacquetGuys so you can snag a good deal on your gear! Or use my link in the description.
Hey Mike. I wanted to ask, how much of a difference is there between the old 95 and the newer one in terms of feel. I cannot find the older version so the only option is 2021 model. I like to have feel for the ball from my racket. So will the 2021 model feel too disconnected to me or can that problem be fixed with a crisp poly such as alu power or tour bite. Unfortunately i cannot demo rackets in my city so i have to do a lot of homework before buying new racket. Also between the radical Pro 2021 and this one, which would be better? . Thanks a lot. Great review.
The difference is very small and that’s with me going straight from one to the other. Definitely not something I would think is a deal breaker. Haven’t tried the radical yet. Hope that helps Muhammad!
Hi Benjamin, I personally prefer the vcore 95 over the ezone 98. I felt the maneuverability of it paired with the fast swing speed made it grade for transition game and a beast at the net. I suggest test both if you can as preferences are all unique. Hope that helps!
Great video my friend, thanks for your insight! I already have a few racquets in the MP range, 100-102 in.² head size, so I’m leaning towards purchasing the 2021 95 in.². I do not possess a long fast stroke, so you may be inclined to recommend the 98 for my swing style. However wouldn’t it be safe to say I could negate my lack of power by using a livelier string such as the Technifibre X-one biphase 17-gauge or nat gut? Also, I have demoed this Yonex racquet line in the 95, 98 and 98L. The 98L immediately gave me fits so I can disqualify that one straight away. I actually did enjoy the 95 though, especially on volleys and overheads.
Thanks for the kind words! The main thing I say to people that ask is to go with what’s comfortable, feels good, and gives you confidence. In your case if that’s the 95 then that’s the one! You can definitely up the power a bit with your string choice too
Thanks for review. I just started about 1 year ago, so working toward intermediate level - not easy with covid. I have plenty of power and strength (6'4") but just turned 60. Debating 98 vs 100 for a bigger sweet spot. First racket (I'm still using) is 105. Trying to demo, but in Sydney during lockdown is difficult.
I would recommend the 100. You get the same great maneuverability, lots of spin while being a bit more user friendly with the larger sweet spot. Thanks for watching David!
Just subscribed! How does the 98 compare with the ProStaff. I’m a 3.0 and been practicing with a 2015 ProStaff; enjoy the way it feels but stringbed is a little erratic. So I’m looking for something with similar feel with a bit more power and predictability. Would you recommend the VCore 98 for someone who mains an older ProStaff like myself who looking for a more forgiving upgrade? Your reviews make it challenging to decide between the two! Also if I was going for the VCore 98, is it worth shelling out the extra cash for the 2021 version? A used all-red version is cheaper and more accessible to me atm and so I’m wondering what the differences between the two versions are. Very helpful vids btw. Really enjoy your assessments of racquets.
Thanks Marty 🙌🏻 From what you described I think you’d love the new vcore 98, definitely worth testing out! Test it back to back with the new pro staff since they started using string mapping it should feel more predictable than the one you have. As for new vs old the differences aren’t huge so if you’re on a budget I’d say go with the old one. If comfort is a top priority go with the new one, that is the biggest difference imo that the new one excels at. Hope that helps!
@@MikeKomen Absolutely. It's settled - my eyes are set on the Vcore 98! The specs seem right in the wheelhouse of my liking and it seems the most balanced. Plus, I've warmed up to Yonex as a brand. I don't need a magic stick, just one that's dependable enough for me to focus on improving my game. Thanks for your help!
Another comment on price… this racquet is made in Japan as well. We should be rewarding companies for not sending their manufacturing to China. If we constantly push them to lower their prices, that is an inevitability.
I agree that quality needs to be maintained, but I’m not sure that the price is because of manufacturing since even companies manufacturing in China have raised their prices considerably over the years. I just want the sport to be more accessible and affordable to all :) thanks for watching!
Great vid .. if you overlay the 95 over the 98, where do they put the extra 3 inch on the 98? Is the Length longer on the 98 and the width the same ??? Tnxx
You Americans and Canadians are weird. No way is the Vcore 98 considered a 3.5-4.0 player racket or light in Europe, it’s actually more popular with good players in Germany that are high up in the rankings even in the itf. Just my thoughts not hating tho.
I'm canadian and I completly agree. I feel like he is used to racket that are for way better player than him. He should use a racket that is 300g and 98/100 sq max but now that he is used to heavy rackets it's gonna be tough for him to come back to a racket for his level. That's why he think it's for 3.5/4.0 players
Thanks for the comments Sebastian and Alex! The reason I say to go a little heavier for advanced is because it adds a lot of stability through heavy groundstrokes and serves. Nothing wrong with going lighter at any level, all about personal preference at the end of the day! Thanks for watching guys!
The sv has a thicker beam and feels a bit stiffer which is great for more pop but it drops a bit on spin, and maneuverability+ swing speed compared to the new ones. Fun fact too, I believe Shapo is still using the SV under new paint.
@@MikeKomen do you like more the new vcore 95 or the sv? People say that the sv give more feel but also the stiffnes is very high compared to the 2021 version
Personally I like the new ones better. Suits me better as I spend a lot of time on court coaching in the summer. I need something a bit more arm friendly.
Great review! I got the 95 and while I have no issues generating power when I'm fresh and relaxed I struggle on forced shots on the run or when I'm tired and my footwork is lagging and end up playing mini tennus 😞... I might get the 98 to see if it help in this area.
Hi, Mike. Thanks for the great review! May ask if you noticed a major difference on serving and front-court motions b/w them? I tend to play in a more "old-fashioned" way - serve & volley/half-volley. It has been hard for me to find a new frame and my Prince Ozone Pro Tour has almost reached its end of lifespan. Does their head size & string pattern difference impact the serving quality, especially for flat and slice serving? Is there a major touch or maneuverability difference between them? Thanks!
Hey Monsoon, thanks for the kind words! The 98 had a bit more pop on serve and a bit more kick on the second serve, but I found I was hitting my spots easier on the serve with the 95 and volleys were a dream with the 95. For the old school game I think the 95 would be a better fit since it’s all about maneuverability and precision, great combo for serve and volley play. Hope that helps!
Hey Fabiano! Hope you’re enjoying the weather in Brazil my friend, already starting to freeze up here in Canada 🥶 I took a break on reviews to try some other tennis video ideas but I’ll be on it sometime over the winter holiday. Thanks for watching!
@@MikeKomen the weather is great. Middle of spring. Can play tennis every day. Thanks for the answer. I've just buy a Vcore Duel G 97 310g and what to know how it plays before hit with the stick
Hoping to get it done this summer. Had to stay off the court for a while because of a knee injury but I’ll be back to racquet reviews next week :) Thanks for watching Steven!
@@MikeKomen I only needed to add 1gram at 12 O clock position thats basically 5mm of tape on either side of the string, it increased the swing weight by 10 points which is a lot and it has provided heaps more power /pop and I also added 1.5g at 9 and 3 position for added stability so thats 4g added all up in the hoop (counter balance with 4gs in the handle) and I replaced the 5g dampener with a 1g rubber band to keep it as light as possible and provide more feel and its plays so much better now! My string set up its a hybrid with Luxilon Element on the mains at 48 and Alu power on the cross at 47. An amazing racket!
Thanks for the review. I have a question for your perspective. Everybody on the internet seems to agree that more advanced players should use smaller head sizes and it's a badge of honor for some to say they use a 95. But VCORE is very popular on the WTA and they all use the 100 (Garcia, Kerber, Vekic, Rybakina, Bouchard). These players are amazingly good. I know Serena still uses >100 and back in the days, Agassi and Chang used oversize. The pros are in the business of using anything to help them win. You noted that shapovalov just moved up to a 98. For us mere mortals, could it be that while smaller racket sizes make you feel better when you hit it right, but their lack of forgiveness especially when receiving really fast balls may not be the best to win more matches?
@@Alberto.stegeman Happy to help! It's got good spin potential. For most spin you could try a "shaped" poly. The sharper edges will give a ton of spin. Solinco Hyper G is a good one to try too.
I did some experiments with my old head speed pro (have a video up about it if you want to see what I did to it) but decided to leave my 95 alone lol. Found it was great for me as is. All the play tests are with head hawk touch at 52lbs to keep it fair. Thanks for the comment betraya!
It is funny how you mentioned the level :D I can play 4.5 when I didn´t touch a racquet for 12 weeks, but man the VCore 98 is still the better racquet in my eyes. You just need some lead tape on 3 and 9 o`clock and 2 and 10 for more stability and a little bit of weight at the handles to even things out. That thing is around 320g unstrung after the adjustments and an absolute beast ^^ I personally don´t think it depends on the level. It depends on the playstyle. I am playing on clay 95% of the time with an heavy and aggressive topsin. That 95 wouldn´t fit. It makes it even worse on clay, when you have to adjust to balls missbouncing. Still a great video, though :) And sorry for my english sometimes. I am not a native speaker.
Thanks for your comment, I agree the smaller headsize makes the timing just a touch more difficult and I’m sure that’s more pronounced off a bad bounce
Had been playing for 2 years with 2018 Vcore 95 and tried 2021 version, and really enjoyed higher stability at a similar swingweight, and better for my volleys and slices, and still very comfortable I agree. Since you liked prestige pro which has some similar specs to new VC95 (beam thickmess, stiffness etc),I would have thought you would really like this update...
Hey Mike, from the footage alone seems you hit much better with the 98. Deeper shots and more net clearance. Lots of shots were landing short with the 95. I own a pair of DR98s and don’t love them. Actually feel like they are a bit stiff, RA doesn’t tell the whole story. Guessing the Vcore won’t be more comfortable?
Hey Bruno, thanks for the comment! Definitely found easier depth with the 98. The 95 for sure requires more effort to get power and depth. I forgot to mention in the video that slices were awesome with both. I’ve never played with the DR98 but I can tell you that comfort on these new vcores was very nice. If you’re looking for a comfortable frame definitely worth trying!
