Prince Shark Racquet Review

Just when you thought it was safe to venture out on the court, Prince lets a Shark loose in the tennis world. It didn't take long for this predatory racquet to take a chunk out of its competition, as it took the TENNIS Magazine's Editors' Choice award in the Season's Best Sticks of 2004 issue, immediately after its launch.

Available in two head sizes, the Shark racquets feature tapered beams, Triple Threat Tungsten technology and open, spin friendly string patterns. The Shark Midplus is the racquet of choice of 2004 Wimbledon Champion, Maria Sharapova. It features a 100 sq. inch headsize, a standard length frame and an almost even balance (2 points head light, strung). The Shark Oversize is noticeably lighter than the Midplus at 10.4 ounces (compared to the Midplus at 11.1 ounces), features a 110 sq. inch headsize and an extended 27.5 inch frame length. Although the Oversize has a lighter weight, the even balance and extended length makes both racquets swing with an almost identical, mid 320s (RDC) swingweight.

We strung both racquets two pounds above mid recommended tension and then hit the courts for a three-week playtest. Read on for the results.

Prince Shark Midplus

Groundstrokes

Our team found the Shark Midplus to offer some nice heft, stability and control when trading groundstrokes. Chris said, "I was pleasantly surprised to find some good weight and stability from the Shark Midplus. While it may not be a heavy racquet to hold (static weight), the swingweight was adequate and I could tell there was plenty of weight in the head. On slower swings, I found plenty of feel and control, helping me push the ball deep to a corner or float an angled drop shot. I was able to generate a lot of topspin on faster swings off both wings. I found the stringbed to offer a consistent feel that got gradually firmer higher up in the hoop. However, no matter where on the stringbed I made contact with the ball, this racquet offered plenty of comfort. I definitely feel this racquet will appeal to players looking for a racquet bordering the 'tweener and player categories. I thought there was plenty to be had for both the intermediate and the advanced player with this one." Don was also surprised by the solid feel offered by the Shark Midplus. "My first impression of the Shark Midplus was that it had more heft than I had expected, based on its specs. I found this to my liking, as it provided good stability and allowed the racquet to plow through the ball better than some other 'tweeners. It also has a very firm upper hoop, which I found less appealing. I prefer a racquet that has some flex during ball contact. The Shark Midplus doesn't have this, although a benefit was, again, good stability. It just wasn't as comfortable as I had hoped for. During play, I found a nice blend of power, control and spin. There were few surprises, and I was able to play at the top of my game with this racquet. I felt quite confident going for my shots, without fear of the ball flying. Slice backhands were enjoyable, and I could alternate hitting them cross-court or down the line, with surprising accuracy and consistency."

Josh found good spin potential and power with the Shark Midplus. "Players looking for power and spin potential should enjoy playing with the Shark. My backhands and forehands felt good with this racquet, but I over-hit a ton of balls from the forehand side. Because I like to take chances hitting down the line, I'm always looking for racquets that offer enough control to pull off the difficult shot. The Shark, unfortunately, didn't have what I was looking for." Finding better control was Wendi. "What can I say, but that the Shark Midplus is a very easy racquet to pick up and play with. From the first swing, I knew this racquet would be well suited to many different players. At the baseline the power level is easy to keep under control, yet it has some serious pace behind it. The weight gives it a very solid feel with great flexibility. I was able to produce good topspin and slice as well. The control aspect was decent, definitely not a control racquet but still manageable. I found the Shark to have a real dampened feel making it again so comfortable, even on off-center hits."

Casey and Granville also found the Shark Midplus well suited to a variety of play. Casey said, "this is a good solid frame from the baseline. I got good feel from the racquet, and was surprisingly able to control the power. The open string pattern generated great spin, which really improved the type of ball I hit off my backhand side. It is a more compact stroke, so I really benefited from the additional spin and power. I am used to playing with a low power, heavy racquet, but with a little weight on this it might be a great racquet for a baseliner looking to add some pace to their game. I would put it in the same category as the Babolat Pure Drive. It can work for a 5.0+ player, but also be a great stick for a 3.0-5.0 player." Granville said, "the Shark Midplus is a nice racquet. The 100 sq. inch head is on the large size for a Midplus, but it creates a very solid feel with good control. I was able to hit out with no fear of hitting the ball long. It also provides a good 'pop' off the stringbed giving me the ability to add the 'exclamation point' on a shot when needed. Not too light, not too heavy, the Shark Midplus should have a good following across several playing styles. I liked it very much."

Volleys

Our team had mixed results at net with the Shark Midplus. Wendi, Granville and Chris found the racquet to be a good fit for their net games. Wendi said, "at net the Shark Midplus felt very maneuverable and I adjusted nicely at to reaction volleys. I found good pop off the strings and it was quite easy to place my volleys where I wanted. Again, comfort was incredible and I had no hesitations about charging to the net." Granville enjoyed volleying with the Shark Midplus. "The Shark is a threat at the net. I was able to move the racquet side to side with ease. I was volleying with good power and control and found the stringbed provides the 'thwap' sound that I look for in any proper racquet. Nice soft feel with crisp response at impact. Serve and volleyers will like this racquet." Perhaps finding the Shark Midplus the best fit for his game was Chris. "I thought this racquet was a real winner at net. It was very easy to get around, had pretty good stability and the power level seemed well suited to my volleys. It was easy to give the ball a little bit of stick when I wanted to finish the point off, while I also found plenty of control when I needed to be more careful or defensive."

Josh continued to find the Shark Midplus a bit too powerful for his style of play. "The Shark was a bit powerful for me at net. Most of my volleys seemed to trampoline off the racquet, which put a bunch of balls deep and not necessarily in the place I wanted to put them. I also had trouble handling balls hit below my waist. The resulting volleys tended to pop up and give my opponents clear passing shots. Having said that, the pop off the volleys was great in doubles play because players across the net had less time to react." Casey found the Shark Midplus' power to be complimented by a large feeling sweetspot on the volley. "I didn't have quite the control I wanted due to the extra pop, and the lighter weight, but in general it was solid at net. I really had to keep my volley short and compact to hit my target. However, the sweetspot felt huge, and seemed to trampoline the ball anywhere on the strings. This was nice when I did not catch the volley perfectly. For the weight, it felt more stable than the majority of similar weighted 'tweener racquets, which made the sweetspot feel even larger still." Don felt in control at net with the Shark Midplus. "I found the Shark MP very solid and predictable at net. Mobility was a little less impressive, probably due to the almost even balance. Still, I volleyed well and felt in control in almost every situation. Whether fielding high backhand volleys or digging out low passing shots, the Shark Midplus performed well for me at net. Here again, the only real downside was that I found the frame a bit stiff for my liking."

Serves and Overheads

The Shark Midplus proved to be a popular racquet on the serve. Even though no two players on our team have a similar service motion or style, the Shark Midplus seemed well suited to whoever was serving. First up was Granville. "The Shark Midplus is a solid performer on serves. I could place the ball on any spot in the square. When needed I could turn up the heat and power the ball past my opponent. Crisp response throughout the sweetspot and a natural fit for the serve and volleyer." Wendi quickly found the groove when serving with the Shark Midplus. "On serve, the racquet performed well for me. I found fairly good pace and precision in my placement, which helped my game quite a bit. My serves definitely didn't blast through my opponent, but I could mix it up enough to keep them guessing. Again the comfort was key, and the swing speed I was finding felt so natural and easy to serve with."

Both Josh and Chris found good placement and consistency with the Shark Midplus. Josh said, "I was able to hit an array of serves successfully with this racquet. I was able to slice first serves or hit them flat, and my second serves were kicking up towards the shoulders of my opponents. While I didn't blow the ball past my opponents too many times, placement was a nice substitute for power. I was most impressed with the consistency at which I could locate second serves out wide to the Ad side. This helped create plenty of net opportunities against opponents with weaker backhands." Chris said, "again, I found this an easy racquet to use. I could hit a good kick, slice and flat serve, which seemed to stem from the fact that I was finding good racquet head speed. I also found good direction with my serves, and while I missed the weight of my regular racquet, I could move the ball around the box to keep the returner honest."

Also finding plenty of consistency was Don. "I enjoyed serving with the Shark Midplus, and don't think I double faulted once! As with volleys, the racquet was very solid and consistent on serves. I found good pace when hitting flat, first serves and nice spin on slice and topspin serves." Like Don, Casey found good power and zip when serving with the Shark Midplus. "I found this to be one nasty weapon on the serve. I could generate a lot of spin and a ton of power. I had a lot of fun hitting the ball flat, and kicking it out wide. It took some time to get used to the power, but if I strung this racquet at 65lbs plus, it would have been easier to adjust to. Basically, if I were going to play with this one, I would pull an Andy Roddick, and string it super tight with a poly hybrid. That would be a lethal combination."

Serve Returns

Both Chris and Wendi got into predator mode with the Shark Midplus when returning second serves. Wendi said, "I was very happy with my returns with the Shark. The large sweetspot worked to my advantage in getting back most of the serves I was faced with. I blocked several hard serves and my results were great. On second serves, I was able to really step in and take a whack at the ball. I felt very mobile with this racquet on the return and last minute adjustments didn't give me any problems." Chris offered, "I was finding enough control from this racquet to be aggressive on the return. Stepping in and taking a cut at a second serve was not a problem. When up against a hard first serve, I also found enough control to float the ball back deep to help neutralize the point. The only downside on the return was when up against a heavy hitting server where the racquet's lack of weight would result in some racquet torque. However, a little lead tape would turn this one into a fine player's racquet."

Granville found the Shark Midplus well suited to hitting a variety of returns. "Once again the Shark Midplus provided a solid platform to do just about anything I wanted to do with a serve return. Defensively, I was able to block the ball cross court, down the line, or bleed some power and drop the return at the server's feet. Offensively, I could hit out with confidence and pick my targets. I don't think I was getting any more power than I generate with my normal racquet, but there was power with this one unlike some other 'tweener racquets." Josh had an opposite experience to Granville. Josh said, "I struggled the most with serve returns. I was either under or over-hitting forehand returns and never really threatened to break serve against my opponents. Despite my lack of a return game, the Shark was maneuverable and my slice backhand returns were consistent." With a short and compact swing, Casey had good results returning with the Shark Midplus. "It has good feel and power, so for a short compact return this racquet is perfect. I had some trouble when I went for a big return. The power was a bit too much to control off the pace of a serve. However, it has the makings to be good on returns. It has a nice size head, a huge sweetspot, and the feel to place the ball accurately. It would just take me some time to get used to." Don found the Shark Midplus to offer a solid and stable feel on the return. "As with most 'tweeners, the Shark Midplus gave me choices on serve returns. Against all but the hardest serves, I was able to take a swipe at the ball and hit fairly aggressive returns. When returning the heater, I could block or slice the ball back with sufficient pace and depth. The racquet's stability really shined here, where mis-hits are most common. The result was a higher percentage of returns in the court."

Overall

With the Shark Midplus, Prince has created a racquet which appeals to a broad range of playing styles and levels. While the racquet is both lighter and more powerful than a traditional player's racquet, our advanced players were able to play with their usual aggressive swing speeds. The level of power also offered players with slower swing speeds consistent depth and some solid pace. No matter what your style of play, if you are looking to add a little extra bite to your game, the Shark Midplus could be the racquet for you.

(Scores are determined by averaging individual play test scores)

Prince Shark Oversize

Groundstrokes

Rallying from the baseline our team noticed how much lighter the Shark Oversize felt compared to the Midplus. Don found a good level of comfort when hitting with the Shark Oversize. "Although a bit light for my taste, I really enjoyed hitting with the Shark Oversize. It provided the comfort I was expecting from this model, along with good pop and spin control. String tension can tame the extra power, and a little lead tape would make this racquet very playable for me. As is, I found excellent maneuverability, a generous sweetspot and sufficient stability. The open string pattern allowed me to generate good topspin, while slice backhands were a dream. It's a true 'tweener in an oversize head." Chris found the Shark Oversize best suited to moderate paced hitting. "The Shark Oversize felt much lighter and more like a bona fide 'tweener from the baseline. The feel from the stringbed was more lively, and as with the Midplus, there was good access to spin. The Shark Oversize is an easy racquet to use when hitting at a moderate pace. However, it doesn't quite make the transition to hard hitting as well as the Midplus. During more aggressive points, the Shark Oversize tended to feel a bit light and I felt like the racquet was being overpowered by the ball. At a more moderate rally pace, this racquet felt very comfortable and offered a bit more spring off the stringbed compared to the Midplus." Casey said, "this racquet has a ton of power off the ground. It is a good racquet for a short compact backswing. I had a lot of fun slicing and dicing with this racquet, and it made tennis feel very effortless. It is a great 3.0-4.5 level racquet. It offers good spin and maneuverability. Just as the Midplus version can double as a player's racquet, this can double as a game improvement racquet." Wendi said, "after playing with the ease of the Midplus, I had some adjustments to make with the Shark Oversize. It is much lighter, almost too light, I might say. At times it almost seemed squirly because of its weight, and my shots were all over the place. The power was there, but I had issues with control. I found it to offer the same level of comfort as the Midplus, but it was not the racquet for me. Although I don't hit a lot of slice, spin was not a problem with this racquet. I can imagine this racquet being a dream for those who utilize the slice."

Josh took it easy with the Shark Oversize, and let the racquet do the work. "Much like any other oversize racquet, the less effort I put into a stroke, the better. Because the Shark Oversize had enough power on its own, I focused more on applying topspin to my forehands, forcing my opponents to either return the ball on the rise or drop behind the baseline a bit more than they were used to. My backhands weren't overly impressive, but I could take the ball early or late and still let the racquet do the work." Granville found the Shark oversize to be "noticeably lighter than the Midplus." He said, "the Shark Oversize offers less punch than the weightier Midplus. However, it does offer a solid, generous and forgiving stringbed. Perhaps best suited for the club doubles specialists, the Shark Oversize also provides good depth on the groundstrokes."

Volleys

Our team found the Shark Oversize a useful and maneuverable racquet at net. Chris said, "for me, this is where the Shark Oversize shone. The racquet was maneuverable and the sweetspot felt large and forgiving on the volley. I really liked the pop I was getting on tough, low volleys. During doubles play the racquet felt great on fast exchanges. I hit some nice angles and managed to find plenty of control even though this one packs more pop than the Midplus." Don had a similar experience. He offered, "the Shark Oversize is a natural at net. The 1/2 inch extra length, 110 sq. inch headsize and 10.4 ounce weight were almost ideal for me when volleying. Again, I would only add about 10-15 grams of weight for some added heft and stability. On most volleys, the Shark Oversize performed impressively. I was hitting strong drive volleys, as well as short, angled drop-volleys with equal ease. Against hard-hit passing shots, though, the racquet did get pushed around a bit. Still, I'd pick this racquet for serve/volley singles or doubles any day."

Wendi found the large sweetspot helped her make solid contact at net. "At net the Shark Oversize performed well, very maneuverable and quick in response. I had a little bit of trouble keeping the ball under control, but the large sweetspot ensured good contact on most balls." Like Wendi, Granville also found good maneuverability with the Shark Oversize at net. "One of the best features of this racquet is its maneuverability. Add to that the subtle teardrop head shape and you have a dynamite doubles stick offering good stability even at the top of the stringbed." Josh found some surprising control volleying with the Shark Oversize. "My forehand volleys actually felt a bit more controlled and crisp compared to the Midplus, and the larger headsize wasn't an issue because the racquet was so light. I was able to slice the ball when necessary and I had enough touch to play a few sharp angled returns." Casey agreed. He offered, "this racquet offers a lot of pop and decent feel at the net. It is light and maneuverable, making it easy to adjust quickly. I found that I really needed to keep my form ultra compact, and barely punch the volley to stay accurate."

Serves and Overheads

Our team had mixed results on serve with the Shark Oversize. First up was Chris. "I was able to hit some good spin with the Shark Oversize", said Chris, "but I failed to generate any real kick or jump on the ball. I had the best results hitting a low and dirty slider wide to the deuce side. The racquet's light weight enabled me to take a lot of pace off the slice, keeping it low, short and wide. While this worked well for the slice out wide, the lack of weight made my kicker a bit of a sitting duck. The lack of weight also had me hitting a little short, especially when trying to kick a serve wide to the ad side. I had to be careful to aim deep and high, otherwise my serves were finding the net." Casey found good access to spin, having success hitting both the kicker and the slider. "This racquet can put a lot of junk on the serve. It can generate a mean slice and good kick on the ball. It feels a bit light, but if you have a medium to slow swing it is a perfect choice." Also finding good access to spin was Josh. "As with the Midplus, I had several different serves at my disposal and used them all. Adding slice to first serves gave me an edge on the deuce side, and my flat first serves generated a fair amount of speed. My second serves had a little more spin compared to the Midplus, but they weren't as heavy." While Granville found good control, he would have liked a little extra weight when hitting the heater. Don and Wendi agreed. Wendi said, "although my serves were in play, the Shark Oversize did not impress me. The head is just so big I couldn't get into my swing. I felt myself compensating for the weight, it was really throwing me off. Perhaps I could have used some more time serving with the oversize to get into the groove." Don offered, "similar to many other oversize racquets, the Shark OS provides good spin and decent power. However, I wasn't overpowering my opponent with big first serves as I might (emphasis on might) have with the Shark Midplus. I relied more on placement and spin, and the racquet worked out just fine. Slice serves out wide were particularly effective, as were kick serves to the backhand corner."

Returns

Overall

The Shark Oversize is a light and manageable 'tweener that our team found easy to play with - most likely a result of the large sweetspot and spin friendly stringbed. While the Shark Oversize makes it easy for 3.5 level players to rip groundstrokes, our team found the feel and control at net well suited to more advanced play. So, whether you are a net charger or a baseline spin maestro, the Shark Oversize will appeal to your predatory nature. Just ask Maria Sharapova.

(Scores are determined by averaging individual play test scores)

Review date: August 2004. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.

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