Volkl V-Sense 10 Mid Racquet Review

Groundstrokes - Score: 81

From the baseline, the V-Sense 10 Mid offered solid pace and a generous sweetspot. Chris started off the playtest saying, "I was surprised at how light and fast this racquet felt from the baseline considering it comes in around 12 oz strung. I thought the sweetspot felt generous thanks to the open string spacing, which created a lively feel and high launch angle. I got the best results from the racquet when I was hitting aggressive topspin groundstrokes. I found solid pace and depth, and plenty of spin. When hitting flatter I struggled to get fully dialed in and my play was slightly more erratic. I wasn't getting the control I would expect from a Volkl mid, and my slice backhand had a tendency to float on me a little. When driving topspin backhands I had much better success, so it quickly became my preferred shot with this racquet off that wing."

Granville found the V-Sense 10 Mid to be a very comfortable racquet. He stated, "This racquet was easy to swing. Players with slower swing speeds will find a good response and a big comfortable sweetspot waiting for them. For players like me, who generate their own power, there wasn't any extra power. The racquet did what I expected it to do whether I was hitting out for pace and depth or blocking back a heavy shot. The V-Sense 10 Mid helped get the ball back with consistent feel, touch and response, but nothing extra. I was always struggling when I tried to crush a high forehand deep, and I wasn't able to get over the top of the ball."

"From the Volkl V-Engine Mid to the Power Bridge 10 Mid to the current Super G 10 Mid, I have enjoyed playing with them all," said Mark. "This time around I was already aware of the V-Sense 10 Mid's specs and pretty curious to feel the differences between it and the Super G 10 Mid 320. After just a few minutes of play from the baseline I was able to hit larger targets and had determined that the new Volkl V-Sense 10 Mid complemented my ground game nicely, which is based on keeping the ball deep and away from my opponent. Relative to the Super G 320 Mid, the V-Sense 10 Mid's rounder hoop shape, wider 16x18 string spacing and more forgiving layup of graphite afforded me more comfort."

While Jason had some success in stock form, he felt that some customization was necessary. He offered, "I found this racquet to swing easily through the air. It certainly doesn't feel like a racquet that weighs nearly 12 oz. because of how whippy and maneuverable it felt. I was definitely getting some really good pop and spin on my groundstrokes. The V-Sense 10 Mid also provided a softer response, even with a full bed of polyester string. Even though the static weight is higher than I typically like it, I found myself wanting to add more weight in the hoop.The racquet felt like it got pushed around a bit and needed help with off-center shots."

Volleys - Score: 82

The TW playtesters had mixed reviews when it came to finishing a point at the net with the V-Sense 10 Mid. Having mostly positive things to say when it came to net play, Jason shared, "The combination of weight, swingweight and string pattern made this racquet pretty versatile up at net. It felt quick and responsive enough for reaction volleys, and the weight and string pattern provided the needed pop to put shots away. I would have appreciated more weight in the hoop to help with torsional stability."

The Volkl V-Sense 10 Mid was fantastic anywhere near the net for Mark. He noted, "The smaller 96 square-inch head size, 12 oz strung weight, substantial 320 range swingweight and firm beam made even off-center volleys pretty darn effective."

"The V-Sense 10 Mid was easy to maneuver at net," added Chris. "It also felt adequately solid. Punching volleys deep was relatively easy, and it felt like I got some nice jump off the stringbed even with a deader poly string. I liked the grip I could get on the ball when cutting under it, and it helped me get some good spin on my drop volleys."

Usually at home while covering the net, Granville wasn't impressed. He said, "I never felt like I was dictating points with the V-Sense 10 Mid, and this sensation was amplified at net. Yes, it was solid and stable, but I rarely 'punched' the ball into the open court. Instead, it just seemed to be pushed in that direction. While only one point off on balance from my Wilson Pro Staff 97, the V-Sense 10 Mid felt sluggish to me on volleys."

Serves - Score: 79

The pattern continued with the TW playtesters on serves, where they couldn't agree on the power and spin potential that the V-Sense 10 Mid offered. Chris continued to have success, saying, "The easy access to pace and spin I found elsewhere transitioned to serves. For a control-oriented racquet, the V-Sense 10 Mid allowed for better than expected heat on my first serves. While I lost some pace compared to my Yonex EZONE DR 98+, I served more aggressively than I can with many other mids. The V-Sense 10 Mid possessed enough mass to help me get some pace, but it was also super easy to whip this racquet through contact. The lively string pattern helped me get some additional zip and spin on my serves."

"I enjoyed the spin I was getting from the open string pattern," praised Jason. "I was able to spin in my serves with a high level of consistency. The low 320 swingweight was key in helping me accelerate through contact over and over again without feeling like it was too cumbersome. I was a little surprised that I wasn't getting the pop on my serve that I was getting on all my other strokes."

Granville was hoping for a little more pace on his serve than he gets with his current racquet of choice, saying,"I was able to hit my spots without much difficulty. Again, with beam shape and width (1.5 mm wider beam than my Pro Staff 97) I thought I'd get a bit more power, but it eluded me. I was still topping out around 105 MPH."

Mark wasn't finding his groove when it came to serves, either. He explained, "This was one part of the playtest where the V-Sense 10 Mid didn't entirely complement my game. I don't impart much spin on my serves, and for whatever reason, I never felt confident with the V-Sense 10 Mid on this particular shot."

Returns - Score: 80

For the most part, the TW playtesters found success returning serves with the V-Sense 10 Mid whether they were blocking back a serve or taking a full swing. Granville said, "Like most racquets with mass (11+ oz), if you get the V-Sense 10 Mid into position you will have a stable platform to work from, allowing you to take the offensive or block back a big serve with direction. This V-Sense 10 Mid should provide comfort when you're up against a big server."

"I got the best results from the V-Sense 10 Mid when I took a good rip at my return and went for a lot of spin," explained Chris. "I had fun coming over my backhand. I liked the way the racquet came through contact on that shot; the stringbed offered the required grip on the ball and everything seemed to come together for some solid backhands. Off the forehand wing I was redirecting pace well. Again, I had to be careful not to hit too flat. As long as I added ample spin to my forehand it felt like I could be as aggressive as I liked."

Jason was hitting his returns with solid depth and pace. He described, "The open string pattern allowed me to be a bit more aggressive on my returns, since the spin I was generating helped get the ball down within the lines. I was also getting decent depth when I blocked a serve back."

Mark had mixed feelings about his returns. He said, "I didn't struggle on the return of serve, but I did have a hard time keeping my chip return low over the net, which may have something to do with the slightly wider spacing of the V-Sense 10 Mid's 16x18 pattern."

Overall - Score: 81