Tecnfibre TF40 305 18x20 Racquet Review

Groundstrokes - Score: 85

The stakes were high for this new member of the TF40 305 18x20 lineage, but Tecnifibre pulled it off again. Chris used the first version as his personal racquet, so he couldn't wait to get on court with this update. He said, "From the first hit, I noticed a slightly firmer, crisper feel to this new TF40 305 18x20 compared to my originals. Given that my racquets are getting old and have been on the stringing machine hundreds of times, I'd expect some frame fatigue and less frame stiffness, but it felt like the new TF40 305 18x20 was more responsive and got the ball in and out of the stringbed quicker. As with my previous version, my favorite shot to hit with this racquet was my backhand slice. I felt like I had total control over that shot. I also loved the control I had when driving through the ball as well as when brushing it with topspin. Despite this being a control-oriented racquet with a dense string pattern, I found ample power to help me finish off points."

The transition was seamless for Tiffani, who also playtested the original model. She said, "I really enjoyed the previous version of this racquet, so I was happy to get on court with the update. I found the play of the two versions to be very similar. I perceived a slight change to the feel, but that's about it. The new TF40 305 felt a hint crisper and more responsive, but It didn't change the comfort level of this racquet, which felt on par with the outgoing model. This racquet gave me good targeting and kept my flatter shots low over the net. This gave me confidence while playing my counterpunching style. I liked that I didn't need to change my stroke path to get this racquet to work. I wasn't hitting tons of topspin, but I don't rely on that anyway. I liked how the tight pattern could dig into the ball on a slice backhand and get it to stay low and skid through the court."

There was an adjustment period, but Sage eventually unlocked the best features of the racquet. He explained, "This racquet grew on me over the course of the playtest. Access to spin was lacking on some shots, but the combination of feel, control and comfort was superb. A shaped polyester string also helped lift the ball and gain more topspin. It was easy to construct points, stay patient and zero in on my targets. Tecnifibre did a great job with the balance of the frame. I love how it felt effortless to swing yet gave me a solid and stable response from the baseline. I was able to keep my shots low over the net and deep in the court. I've worked on my touch in recent months, and this was a perfect racquet to continue that trend. The confidence to mix in drop shots helped me open the court and avoid falling into predictable patterns during point play."

Mark could trust the placement of his shots with this update. He said, "I was able to play with both this updated 18-main TF40 305 and the new 16-main TF40 305. Compared to the prior TF40 305 18x20, this latest version provided my game with the same low launch angle from the baseline, requiring a shaped polyester to get the shot depth that I need off my forehand wing. Paired with a profiled polyester string, I was able to consistently hit toward the lines on either wing with a tight topspin rotation or slice on the ball. Lastly, I will comment on how darn solid and predictable this new version feels. Even when ball contact was outside its ample sweetspot, this was an outstanding frame for my game."

Volleys - Score: 85

Although our team members all have their own unique styles of play, the TF40 305 18x20 was unanimously loved at the net. Sage described, "The TF40 305 18x20 checked all the boxes I need checked at net. It's easy to get into position, forgiving and stable. In singles, the consistency from the baseline led me to finish points coming forward. Once at the net, the control off the stringbed made it simple to find the open court and execute a clean volley. I also played some great doubles, in large part thanks to the trust I had in my net game. I picked up shots at full stretch, and the racquet had a solid enough feel to keep the point alive. Usually, my mentality at net is to keep the ball in play, but I felt connected enough to place shots with confidence."

"The TF40 305 18x20 was a gem at net," added Chris. "The racquet felt very direct. My volleys zipped away to wherever I lined up the racquet face. I liked the blend of power and control. I felt confident adding some swing to my volleys to really slam them away, and my touch volleys were working well too. I was able to place the ball accurately and get enough spin to help cut a sharp angle. Again, the response felt a little firmer than the previous version, but what I could do with the ball in terms of accuracy and consistency pretty much remained the same."

Mark thought the TF40 305 18x20 felt extremely reliable up at net. He said, "I had zero stability issues at the baseline, or anywhere inside the service line for that matter. Volleying with Tecnifibre's new TF40 305 18x20 was exceptional. This racquet felt precise and predictable to the point where I felt pretty confident handling most any half volley."

Tiffani appreciated the feel of her volleys with this racquet in hand. She explained, "When approaching the net, I thought this TF40 305 was just speedy enough for me to get into position on time. Comfort was good on mis-hits, and the stability was good for me too. I enjoyed the direct response I got from this racquet, and the ball would go where I directed it. Of course, it was up to me to direct the ball into the court!"

Serves - Score: 85

The TF40 305 18x20 impressed our team on serves by providing improved feel and control while maintaining plenty of power. Chris was curious to see how this update would play compared to his personal TF40s. He said, "The playability of the racquet felt very similar to the previous version, so serving felt natural. I was able to step up to the line, go after my serves and expect the usual results. I like to hit slice serves. I have always found 18x20 stringbeds to complement that serve, and that remained true here. My slice serve away from the returner was working well, and I had good results on body serves, where I was looking to tie up the returner. I also liked the precision I had on my flat serves, where I found impressive consistency. The racquet came through contact easily, allowing me to generate ample racquet head speed for pace and spin."

Although he prefers more spin, Sage settled in and enjoyed the consistency of the TF40 305 18x20. He said, "Just like my groundstrokes, serving trended upward all the way through to the final day of hitting. The placement and power were more than enough to serve well. Even when I went for a big first serve, the feel made me confident I was going to hit my target. Second serves weren't quite as smooth to start. Though consistent and precise, they just didn't have the same ball bite I'm used to seeing. It was definitely coming off the strings flatter than usual. That said, there were very few double faults, and I actually didn't struggle to hold like I thought I would early in the testing."

Tiffani kept her opponents guessing on serve. She said, "I struggled a bit on serve with the last version, but I've been working to improve my swing speed on this stroke and found better success with this updated TF40 305 18x20. I wasn't getting huge spin — I never do — but it was enough to keep me starting points on neutral ground rather than being straight on the defensive. This racquet felt good with targeting on serve too, so I felt I could move my serve around the box effectively."

Mark felt dialed in as soon as he found the string that complemented the racquet and his game. He explained, "It was tough for me to decide whether I preferred the 16- or 18-main example of the TF40 on serve, as both were familiar and similar. I maybe preferred the 18-main version a bit more, especially if the string had some shape to it. With Tecnifibre Black Code 4S, I actually saw that my serve had more movement and variety to it."

Returns - Score: 86

With the TF40 305 18x20 in their hands, our playtesters always felt in control of their returns. Tiffani found that this racquet allowed her to attack incoming serves confidently. She explained, "When I can swing without worrying about sending my returns long, I'm a happy camper, and that's exactly what I got from this TF40 305. When I play with livelier, open-patterned racquets, I find myself adjusting to hit with more topspin, but I didn't have to do that with this 18x20 racquet. I felt confident swinging at incoming serves and being choosier with my targets because I liked the control."

"I have always found the previous version to be a great returning racquet, and I continued to do so with this TF40 305 18x20," added Chris. "I had fun going big with my forehand return because I was confident I would find the control needed to hit my targets. I was able to drive the ball flatly for maximum pace, give it decent margin for error over the net and still get it to drop within the lines. I also liked the blend of stability and maneuverability. The specs of this racquet perfectly aligned with what I look for. I could accelerate the racquet easily, and I also enjoyed the solid feel at impact."

Mark thought this racquet felt well balanced and primed for success on returns. He said, "I really enjoyed returning serve with the new TF40 305 18x20. It was nimble, yet stable, under the pressure of the type of serve I most often play against."

Sage was successful at mixing up the depth and angles of his returns. He explained, "I loved returning with the TF40 305 18x20. It gave me the freedom to swing big and put my opponents on their heels. I pushed the envelope with placement and was comfortable going down the line or cross court. The power was readily available when I had the opportunity to take a big rip at a weak serve. Returns stayed low over the net, and I found sharp angles against weak serves. Overall, this TF40 305 18x20 felt incredibly solid in hand."

Overall - Score: 85