Review

Groundstrokes - Score: 81

Our playtesters noted several changes with the updated Yonex VCORE 95, first and foremost being the feel. Michelle has playtested the last two iterations of the VCORE 95, and even a modified version made for a current pro player. She said, "I remember not loving the previous version of this racquet, so I wasn't sure what to expect. However, we recently tested the Marcos Giron spec, and I found it to be better suited to my game. With that being said, I really liked this update. I instantly noticed a new feel at contact. It was more muted and a bit more powerful, and it was easy to groove with from the baseline on both sides. The racquet was quick through the air yet stable at impact. The smaller head size felt fairly forgiving as well. The 16x20 pattern was nice, but at times, I did feel a tiny bit limited with net clearance. Aside from that, I felt dialed in with my shots. I also took advantage of the lower swingweight to work on opening up the court more by pulling my opponents off the court rather than hitting through them. I loved that I could find a consistent rally ball but could also step up with enough power to drive through the ball when needed."

"The more I traded groundstrokes with the VCORE 95 in my hands, the more I enjoyed the racquet," continued Chris. "I found the response to be very comfortable and solid compared to the outgoing version. While I felt a slight loss in the connection to the ball from the more muted response, I didn't experience any drop in control or confidence. On the contrary, the solid feel of this VCORE 95 had me swinging with aggression and trusting my shots. The emphasis from the stringbed was control, but I still found ample power to push my opponents around. Both my topspin and slice shots had lots of bite. All in all, I found myself hitting consistently well off the ground with this racquet."

It took a small adjustment period for Mark to find his rhythm with this racquet. He said, "I have been playing with lots of tight 18x20 patterned frames lately, so I expect a low launch angle and less frame power as a result, but I was surprised that the 16x20 pattern of the VCORE 95 challenged my groundstrokes (mainly my forehand) to the degree that it did. Using my loopy swing path, developing spin was never an issue, but shot depth was. Once I began to lower the finish angle of my low-to-high swing, I was able to get my groundstrokes landing closer to the baseline and sidelines more consistently. Toward the end of this test, I felt like the VCORE 95 did exactly what I wanted it to do, which is to help make it easier for me to change the direction and pace on the ball and aim my groundstrokes toward the corners to get my opponent on the run."

Volleys - Score: 82

From the aggressive baseliner to the counterpuncher to the all-court player, each playtester had success using the VCORE 95 up at net to close out points. Chris liked the blend of stability and maneuverability this VCORE 95 provided. He said, "I felt like I reacted well with it in my hands and felt quick at net. At contact, the racquet felt more solid, firmer and slightly more muted compared to the previous VCORE 95. When punching volleys deep I liked the way the racquet didn't flutter, and I found the response to feel very accurate. I also found the touch I needed to dial in my drop volleys and angles."

"The volley was one of two shots that did not require any adjustment," added Mark. "As long as I got it into position on time, the Yonex VCORE 95 took care of the rest. The weight and balance, paired with the semi-tight 16x20 pattern and 95-square-inch head size, helped make the volley my most reliable shot to hit with this racquet."

Like the rest of the team, Michelle found just what she needed for volleying success. She said, "I had no issues with volleying and found the VCORE 95 to hold up well when approaching the net. It was stable and had just the right amount of touch to let me be effective ending the point at the net.”

Serves - Score: 81

Our playtesters noted precision and feel when it came to serving with the Yonex VCORE 95. Mark served confidently right from the very start. He said, "Overall, I like playing with Yonex's latest iteration of the VCORE 95, but I felt like I had to make adjustments to most every shot, with the exception of my serves and volleys. Serving with this racquet came naturally for me, and although I am not pinpoint with my serve, it was pretty easy to aim first and second serves to the middle or to either sideline of the service box."

Michelle felt like she could place the ball right where she wanted it with the VCORE 95. She described, "I liked how precise I felt when serving with this racquet. I loved swinging the T serve into the ad side by scooping around the ball to get it moving away from my opponent. It was easy to serve consistently, and I felt like I got exactly what I asked for when going up to the line to serve. I can't say it was the most powerful frame, but I never felt limited with the movement on my serves."

The specs of the VCORE 95 fit Chris' preferences on serves. He explained, "I like the way racquets with smaller head sizes cut through the air on serve, and I could feel that benefit here. I liked how I could snap my wrist and get the head of the VCORE 95 through contact quickly. Accessing pace felt pretty easy, and I was happy with the amount of heat I could generate. As I typically find with Yonex racquets, the sweetspot felt like it extended nicely toward the tip of the racquet, resulting in a comfortable and forgiving feel."

Returns - Score: 81

Even when facing the toughest of serves, the VCORE 95 allowed our playtesters to return aggressively thanks to its maneuverability, stability and feel. Michelle felt dialed in when returning with this racquet. She said, "Even when I was pulled wide, I felt I could still take a solid swipe at the ball and turn a defensive situation into an offensive one. It was stable when blocking big balls back too."

Chris noticed some improvements in this update, especially on his return. He said, "The forgiving feel of the VCORE 95 was especially nice to have when returning against bigger serves. The racquet felt comfortable and very controlled. I found the response to be more predictable than the previous version, and that allowed me to take a bigger swing and be more aggressive in general."

Mark continued to be impressed by the stability of the VCORE 95. He wrapped up the playtest, saying, "I play a lot with the Wilson Blade SW102 Autograph (28-inch length), which provides me a level of stability that rivals the Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph. That said, even against heavier serves, the new VCORE 95 did not quiver or flinch at all through contact."

Overall - Score: 83