TW Playtesters’ Favorite Reviews of 2023

We tested more than 40 tennis racquets in 2023, and our playtesters picked these as their favorite racquet reviews this year.

The Head Prestige Classic 2.0 is the most recent edition of an iconic racquet with a history spanning more than 30 years. The classic Prestige is renowned for its feel, plow through power and pinpoint precision. Chris has played with several of the previous Head Prestige mids and this playtest did not disappoint him.

"I have so much fun every time I hit the Prestige Classic 2.0. I love the feel and precision it has brought to my game. I also grew up playing Prestige mids so it's both fun and nostalgic to be playing with one again." - Chris

With its lighter weight and 16x19 string pattern, the Head Prestige MP L delivers the signature Prestige control and feel to a wider audience. The 6-points head-light balance makes this racquet whippy and maneuverable, the Auxetic 2 in the yoke and handle adds a flexible feel, and the Graphine 360+ strengthens the frame for increased power and stability.

"First off, I love the color of the new Prestige line. It looks so sharp! Although the MP L is not weighted like a traditional Prestige, this racquet fit right into what I like. It's a lighter weight frame that emphasizes feel and control, allowing me to play my counterpunching game and move the ball around the court. The racquet feels super maneuverable for me, but that also means there's plenty of room for bigger hitters to customize to their liking." - Tiffani

A review that stood out to Brittany this past year was testing the Yonex VCORE 100 2023. Yonex made some changes this year to the frame geometry and grommets of this racquet that resulted in a more stable, powerful, and spin-friendly response.

"The Yonex VCORE 100 is an easy to use racquet offering plenty of power, depth and spin. To my delight, this 2023 update feels the closest to the VCORE 100 S (which was my racquet of choice 12+ years ago) and offers a more connected, responsive feel." - Brittany

Being an avid Rafa enthusiast, Troy really appreciated playtesting the Babolat Pure Aero Rafa Origin for the review this year. It has the closest specifications to Rafa's customized racquet. It also features no dampening technology, enabling direct ball feedback that advanced players value and its high swingweight (in excess of 365) gives outstanding plow through power on ground strokes and serves while delivering excellent stability at the net.

"Vamos Rafa! It has been unfortunate with Rafa not being able to play most of this year due to injury, but when this racquet launched back in the spring, I felt a reconnection to Rafa (as a big fan) and felt inspired to generate more spin and racquet speed! Other than being a big Rafa fan, and the very vibrant and fun cosmetic that this Rafa Origin Racquet possesses, the hitting experience is unmatchable with anything else on the market; it just mashes the ball! With massive plow through and with the uniquely high swingweight, it has the built-in stability to hang in there when facing big time hitters (like Michelle!)." - Troy

Zsofi enjoyed playtesting the Wilson Pro Staff X v14 so much that it is now her go-to weapon of choice on the court. The unique Paradigm Bending technology allows for more flex in the shaft, delivering precision along with power. Coupled with the slightly larger head size, this racquet is now more user-friendly and offers good spin, stability and depth.

"I feel like this racquet is the perfect intro into the Pro Staff line! If you are like me and always wanted to be able to swing one but couldn't find a racquet that would match your game well enough, you will really enjoy this new version. It's stable, comfortable, has the right amount of spin and looks amazing! I am officially switching to it!" - Zsofi

The amount of spin he achieved with the Wilson Blade 100 v8 really impressed Jason during this playtest. In addition, this racquet offered plenty of stability, maneuverability and control as well as a unique, color-changing chameleon cosmetic.

"The Wilson Blade 100 is the most user-friendly Blade I've ever tested. With its excellent maneuverability and great access to spin, this is an ideal racquet for the modern game. I loved that I could swing big and have the confidence knowing that the spin generated would help keep the ball in the court. Plus, it's a Blade, so that means great feel from all areas of the court." - Jason

Mark enjoyed hitting with the Solinco Whiteout XTD 18x20 so much during the playtesting, that it is now his racquet of choice. This is the only extended frame currently available with an 18x20 string pattern and it delivers a great combination of power and precision.

"I can break this racquet down in to where the sources of power and control are, which just fits my game." - Mark

Our playtesters put more than 25 tennis shoes to the test this year. They wear the shoes for about a month of playing tennis to come to their conclusions. These shoes were among their favorites to wear this year.

Nike has updated a game-day favorite by adding an Air Zoom unit to the forefoot of it Vapor Pro 2 giving them more cushioning and a more responsive feel on the court, while keeping them lightweight and speedy. These shoes occupy a top spot for Brittany in their weight category and this review was one of her highlights from this past year.

"The Vapor Pro 2s are lightweight and offer a speedy, low to the ground feel. They are a great match day shoe option that are comfortable with no break-in period." - Brittany

Designed with the help of Daniil Medvedev, the Lacoste AG-LT23 Ultras are now lighter and more breathable than previous versions without sacrificing the level of stability these shoes offer. It's no wonder that this review was one of Tiffani's favorites.

"These are my favorite new shoes of 2023. I found these AG-LT23 Ultras comfortable from the get-go. Along with the comfort, I enjoyed the blend of features. These shoes were supportive and stable, and I also liked that they didn't weigh me down. The range of color options is great too!" - Tiffani

Designed for Novak Djokovic, the Asics Court FF 3 shoes bring an excellent combination of support, stability, comfort and traction for aggressive movers on the court.

"Just when I thought the Court FF2 couldn't get any better, Asics went ahead and released the Court FF3! The overall performance of the Court FF 3s is second to none. The stability, the traction and the support are all top-notch. They are my favorite shoes of the year." - Jason

Designed for dynamic movers, the Mizuno Wave Enforce Tour shoes are loaded with support, stability and comfort. They are one of the more lightweight shoes to offer a six-month outsole durability guarantee, and they have a unique Enerzy midsole with plush cushioning designed for maximum energy return and responsiveness on court. This is one of the main reasons it was one of Troy's favorite reviews.

"When it comes to my footwear, comfort has become a key factor for me. These Mizuno Wave Enforce Tour shoes definitely deliver in the comfort department. For me, I find them slightly less supportive and stable compared to shoes like the Asics Gel Resolution 9 or adidas Barricade, but still plenty enough for my needs and they are one of the best in-class for the comfort and cushioning. Also, for those team or tournament players who put in the hours, these shoes are backed by a six-month outsole durability guarantee." - Troy

We tested just over 10 different strings in 2023. These stood out from the rest for a variety of reasons.

It should come as no surprise that the Yonex Polytour Air 16L/1.25 string made it onto Chris' short list of favorite reviews for 2023. This string was the softest co-poly our playtesters have evaluated. Besides getting the highest comfort score ever for a polyester string, our team also gave it high marks for control, spin, feel and playability.

"I love the control and spin I found with this string. POLYTOUR AIR plays with a very soft and plush feel. Often, that kind of response results in a very lively and tough to control string, however POLYTOUR AIR offers tons of control. My shots dip nicely inside the lines and I feel confident taking big cuts at the ball." - Chris

Outstanding control, good spin, and this Luxilon ECO Power 17/1.25 string is made entirely from 100 percent recycled plastic. It's no wonder this review was a standout for Michelle who also appreciated the firm, low-powered construction and good tension maintenance with very little drop-off in playability over a multi-week playtest.

"This string is made 100 percent from recycled materials, plus it is control oriented, offers easy spin, awesome durability and I love the color. What's not to like? I'd recommend Eco Power to anyone who loves a bit of a story to tie into their gear and is looking to save the world one forehand at a time! But really, this is such a cool concept, and the string is good too. It would be a great option for any player comfortable with the world of polys looking for some control. Plus, it has a great price point for the Luxilon brand. I'd put ECO Power up against Solinco Hyper-G. It's even worth trying if you are a Luxilon ALU Power player looking for something new and different." - Michelle

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