Yonex VCORE Pro 97 (330) Racquet Review

Groundstrokes - Score: 87

The heaviest spec in its series, the VCORE Pro 97 (330) tempted our team with stability and plow-through power. That sentiment was not lost on Michelle, who loves to play big-hitting tennis, but she also noted some changes from the preceding VCORE Duel G version. She said, "This was the first racquet we playtested after the Prince Beasts, so I was happy to get back to a heavier, more stable spec with more plow through. However, I realized my stroke needed some adjusting, and initially I was struggling with this Yonex update. In all honesty, I was a little upset with Yonex for removing that twentieth cross string. That was one of the things I felt set the VCORE Duel G apart from my Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph, and I really liked that added control and precision. My first impression was that the VCORE Pro 97 (330) played stiff, but we were able to try this racquet with different strings, and I felt like it was pretty string sensitive. We strung stiffer strings in the low 50 lbs. range, and they played like they were strung up in the high 50s, feeling tighter than the same strings in my RF97. It seemed like Yonex added a tiny bit of stiffness to the frame, removed a cross string and lowered the swingweight to be slightly less demanding, and the result was easy depth and spin, and the ability to rev up the pace and dictate points seamlessly. The more time I spent with the VCORE Pro 97 (330) the more I grew to love it. It had great plow through on backhand slices and was good defensively when I was pulled out wide. However, I'm still not sure I like it more than the previous version, which I think has a tad bit more feel and felt a bit more dampened."

Chris couldn't help but compare the VCORE Pro and Duel G versions. He noted, "The VCORE Pro 97 (330) felt nice and solid from the baseline. I immediately noticed a crisper, more responsive feel from this racquet compared to the previous version. It also felt a little easier to swing and more user friendly. This update gives the racquet an even more solid feel, and I really like how it plows through the ball. Getting depth was easy when I took a full swing; all I had to do was let the racquet flow through the shot, and it did the rest. Getting spin was also pretty straightforward. The stringbed offered plenty of grip, and the racquet swung fast enough to generate ample topspin. The VCORE Pro 97 (330) drove through the ball really well, and I was able to hit a low-skidding slice that slid quickly off the court."

As a player who relies on his variety and consistency, Sean was unsure how this racquet's spec would suit his game. He explained, "I'm always chirping on about how important maneuverability and tight string patterns are for my playing style, so if I'm being honest, I began this playtest a little reluctantly. However, as soon as I started hitting with the VCORE Pro 97 (330), I quickly realized how heavy the ball was coming off of my strings. The weight of my ball was pushing my opponents deeper in the court, and I was playing much more offensively without a lot of extra effort. I noticed that the sheer weight of the VCORE Pro 97 (330) forced me to play a more simple game, and I didn't need to use as much variety to win points."

With a 12.2-ounce strung weight and 330 swingweight, this racquet falls right into Troy's preferred spec range. He noted, "During my first session with the VCORE Pro 97 (330) I found that the weight felt natural, like an extension of my arm. The Wilson Six.One 95 (18x20), a racquet I used for roughly five years, is my reference when judging other player's racquets. The VCORE Pro 97 (330)'s overall mass, balance and swingweight felt very close to the Six.One 95 (18x20), so I was right at home. I noticed a slight drop in the swingweight compared to the previous two iterations of this racquet (Duel G and Tour G); this minuscule increase in maneuverability allowed me to achieve easier racquet head speed, which was especially beneficial while hitting on the run. This racquet offered enough plow 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

Just as a player's racquet should, the VCORE Pro 97 (330) stood its ground at net. While volleying, Chris took full advantage of this racquet's versatility. He said, "The VCORE Pro 97 (330) was a great racquet to volley with. Just as from the baseline, it felt rock solid at net. The balance felt spot on, and it kept the racquet feeling plenty mobile on compact volley strokes. My touch volleys were finding their targets, and there was ample mass to help me punch volleys with depth and pace."

The VCORE Pro 97 (330) also impressed Troy as he moved forward to the net. He said, "When I consider the previous versions of this racquet, it's no surprise the VCORE Pro 97 (330) offered great stability and easy depth on my volleys. What makes this racquet my favorite version so far is the responsiveness on contact. From the first time I hit volleys with this racquet, I felt dialed in and connected to the ball. There was a firm, comfortable feel on contact. The inherent mass of this racquet made it easy to place my volleys deep in the court. I felt connected to the ball, so I could place my drop volleys on a dime. When it comes to the performance on volleys, I can't find much to complain about with the VCORE Pro 97 (330). I wasn't quite as connected to the ball as I was with racquets like the Wilson Pro Staff 90 and Volkl Power Bridge 10 Mid, but I still had plenty of control and a more forgiving sweetspot compared to those scalpel-like mid-size racquets."

Unlike his groundstrokes, Sean got what he expected from the VCORE Pro 97 (330) at net. 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 maneuver, I thought it performed about as well as a racquet 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."

Michelle concurred with the team, adding, "The VCORE Pro 97 (330) felt firm and maneuverable at net. It was easy to be aggressive, and I could effectively block fast balls right back. It felt very stable for me, which is always something I look for in a racquet at net. I could hit with good depth on first volleys, and I could absorb pace and redirect it or take a bit off the ball and drop touch shots over the net."

Serves - Score: 87

The praise for the VCORE Pro 97 (330) kept coming as the squad moved on to serving. As a lefty, Troy appreciated the spin he could generate on his serves. He said, "I was able to implement a variety of serves and locate my targets consistently with this racquet in hand. The primary benefits on my serves were control and spin. The control, along with the open string pattern, allowed me to generate some heavy topspin and kick serves. I wouldn't say this racquet was loaded with power on serves, like a Pure Drive Tour Plus, but considering the headsize and thinner beam, I found good pop. I appreciated the slight increase in maneuverability over the previous version. I could pronate my wrist a bit easier when I was hitting my serves, which added some power and spin. Although I wasn't getting as much power on my flat first serves, I found my placement and heavy spin serves were enhanced with the VCORE Pro 97 (330)."

Michelle had no complaints, but also nothing surprising to report. She elaborated, "I was finding good precision with the VCORE Pro 97 (330) when serving, and I had no issues getting pace and movement. I felt confident serving with it, which allowed me to hit bigger first serves or aim for smaller targets. The VCORE Pro 97 (330) never felt too cumbersome to swing either, so that was a positive. I didn't find my serving experience to be anything earth shattering, though. I liked that it was predictable and reliable, but I wouldn't say it was better than my RF97."

The weight of the VCORE Pro 97 (330) came into play for Chris. He explained, "Heavy racquets 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."

Sean touched on how all 12.2 ounces of this racquet broadened his serve vocabulary, saying, "Once I got the VCORE Pro 97 (330) going it didn't stop for traffic, Sunday mass or even a government shutdown. There was a ton of oomph behind my serves, and I found myself racking up a surprising number of free points. I usually view my serve as one of the weaker parts of my game, but with the VCORE Pro 97 (330), I started to grow in confidence. I even felt like my serve was a strength, and that's not something I'm accustomed to saying."

Returns - Score: 85

The VCORE Pro 97 (330) once again delivered an impressive performance when our playtesters were returning serves, so they put it to good use. Sean already has a strong return game, and he found that the VCORE 97 (330)'s stable power complemented it well. He said, "The stability on serve returns really shined through. I had to remind myself that the VCORE Pro 97 (330) was going to do a lot of the heavy lifting here, and that sometimes it was better to get the swing started and then let the racquet do the work. I was often surprised by the explosive sound coming off the strings, and all I could do was look down at the stringbed and think to myself, 'Did I do that?'"

Always looking to get on the offensive quickly, Michelle found that she could use the VCORE Pro 97 (330) to immediately take control of points. She said, "This racquet 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."

The VCORE Pro 97 (330) was more than just a powerhouse on returns, according to Troy. He said, "Most racquets with more than a 12-ounce static weight and a swingweight in the ballpark of 330 feel pretty solid returning serves. As I expected, this racquet was very stable, even against 100-MPH serves. I found easy depth on my backhand chip return. The VCORE Pro 97 (330)'s mass helped me knife my slice backhand return low and deep. A compact swing on my forehand returns yielded a deep, penetrating shot. When I was stretched out on a return, I found enough maneuverability to allow me to flick the tip of the racquet. I was also grooving on my two-handed backhand return, especially the cross-court return in doubles. The sweetspot felt forgiving, which made it easier for me to hit clean strikes on my two-hander. There was enough control to take a big rip at serves left hanging in my strike zone. When I was lucky enough to receive a torso-high serve on my forehand side, I could take a big cut at the ball and put the server in a defensive position. There was enough comfort to block back big serves with minimal shock, too. That said, the VCORE Pro 97 (330) wasn't as plush and smooth on contact as the Prince Phantom Pro 100P. Overall, I loved the stability on contact, the easy depth and the control that allowed me to take aggressive swings on my returns."

Chris discovered success when he let the VCORE Pro 97 (330) do its job. He said, "As long as I kept my backswing compact, I could return very well with the VCORE Pro 97 (330). It continued to impress me with its stable response, and I liked driving through the ball and hitting heavy returns. My slice returns were also working well. I could direct the ball, focus on my targets and let the racquet provide the depth and pace. Yes, this update offers a firmer, crisper feel compared to the Duel G version, but there's still lots of comfort to be had."

Overall - Score: 88