By Robert Martin

(December 29, 2011) By now it is no secret that I am a Yonex user. I have been since being swayed over by the RDS001 Mid in 2007, and despite trying nearly every racquet available in the United States I have not been convinced to switch away.

As racquets are always very personal choices, one player sees an odd rectangular head shape while another sees innovation that creates a larger sweet spot and more consistent performance for those of us that do not hit every ball within a dime-sized circle in the center of the string bed. It was nearly five years ago when I had that first hit with Yonex that told me I would be switching to that frame.

Since then, I have tried a number of frames and never found something that replicates that same feel, but the game has evolved and a low-powered 90 square inch frame is simply not a feasible choice for someone that is not spending 20 or more hours each week on court. While my current RDiS200 320 definitely has a softer feel, it serves the purpose of being more forgiving.

As is the world of tennis, racquets come and go, and it is time for my racquets to leave the Yonex line, leaving me in limbo. Luckily for me, the timing is perfect as many major brands are releasing new frames within the next few months, giving me more options to choose from.

While most of the tennis playing population will choose a racquet based on their own preferences, or based on their favorite player, or for some other reason, professionals have a much more personal relationship with their racquets. For that reason many do not change their actual racquet throughout their entire career.

When the 2012 season starts, Ana Ivanovic should be seen on court with new racquets from the EZONE Xi line. Former World No. 1 and French Open champion Ivanovic will begin the new season with the EZONE Xi 98, which comes in at 10.9 ounces unstrung and features a tapered beam that ranges from 19mm at the throat to 24mm at the sides of the head.

While this racquet haa a number of technologies packed into it, there are only a few new ones, which is exactly what makes it unique. The Xi part of the name stands for Extra Isometric, which is a design to increase the sweet spot size to an even greater degree than the standard Isometric head.

The most noticeable change is a restructured Oval Pressed Shaft, which introduces a rounded throat beam which increases the repulsion for greater power. Another addition is the SD Grid that is placed between the tubes of the racquet in the handle area and helps to decrease the amplitude of incoming vibration for better comfort.

With that out of the way, let us get on to the actual play test. Following standard testing procedures, the frame was strung with my hybrid of Tecnifibre X-One Biphase 1.24mm and Yonex Poly Tour Pro 1.25mm at 26/24kg.

EZONE Xi 98
Head Size: 98 Square Inches
Length: 27 Inches
Weight: 11.6 Ounces Strung
Flex: 67

Initial Thoughts

After testing the VCORE line earlier this year, I did not find quite what I was looking for. The racquets overall were very good, but I liked pieces of each racquet, but none of them stood out as a racquet that I just had to switch to immediately.

With my current choice being discontinued, I hoped that the new EZONE Xi line would answer the problem. With the smallest frame of the line being a 98 head size, it was the one I anticipated the most.

As one of my many quirks, I spend a fair amount of time holding the throat of the racquet with my off-hand, and thicker racquets have never felt quite right, so I was happy with the 19mm thickness in the throat area. The cosmetics are fairly simple, with a flat black paint that is accented with white, grey, and copper tones that I must say I enjoy in this day of outlandish appearances.

On Court

In comparison to the VCORE line, the EZONE family has been known as a more powerful racquet, and this still applies thanks to the thicker beam at the sides of the head. The power level was definitely higher than my current frame, but not by enough that it merited a long adjustment period.

The stability was excellent and it felt nearly impossible to miss the large sweet spot. One aspect of the frame that I was a little disappointed with was that the balance felt too far head light. At 10.9 ounces unstrung, the balance is listed at nearly 11 points head light, which resulted in a swing weight too low for my swing.

This is my own personal preference, and the frame works well in stock form for all court players that are moving in, but I do prefer a bit more heft for playing at the baseline. Even with a lack of weight in the head, the results on the forehand side were great, but I would not have minded some extra pace from the backhand side.

The head light balance made the racquet incredibly maneuverable, especially on the return which helped my biggest weakness. Combined with the stability of the frame, returns were easy to direct and get the points started on the right foot.

Final Thoughts

A jack-of-all-trades racquet, this one is a solid option for anyone looking for a frame that can do it all. It is capable of generating incredible spin, but also of hitting laser-like winners. The frame has no glaring weakness, and the only flaw I could find is a spec that does not fit my own personal preference.

The feel is softer than the flex rating would seem to indicate, and I was able to hit some sharp angles and deft touch shots. While this racquet is not designed to create the same kind of spin as the VCORE 100S, it is a perfect platform racquet and will respond to whatever kind of shot you are trying to hit.