Yonex Vcore Pro 97 Review and Playtest

Yonex Vcore Pro 97 has been around for a while now, and I finally got to try it myself. The famous brand promised some important technological updates and perfomance improvements when this model finally hit the market. Needless to say, there was a lot of hype from tennis fans, who, just like me, are excited about innovation in tennis rackets.

However, I do take big brand promises with a pinch of salt because there are times when the sales are pushed by a good marketing strategy instead of the quality of the product. If you are wondering if this is also the case with Yonex Vcore Pro 87, keep reading because I do have some strong opinions about it, and I don’t intend to hold back.

Yonex Vcore Pro 97 Specifications

The racket was exactly how I expected it to be when I first opened the box. It has the typical boxy design of the Vcore line, with an isometric shape and popping colors. Yonex Vcore Pro features a rather small 97 in² head, with an open 16×19 strings pattern that can easily generate heavy spin. The racket’s beam has a slightly thicker construction, which adds an extra pop and prevents the frame from bending. It falls in the heavy rackets range, weighing 10.9 ounces or 310 grams. Yonex Vcore 97 Pro is made for stability and control; it is perfect for high, intermediate, and advanced players that are aggressive in their game and aim for precision and full powerful swings. 

To enhance the racket’s features, the Yonex brand has used several new technologies; 

• 2 G Namd Flex Force – helps the frames to flex and snap back quickly so that they can generate extra spin and faster ball acceleration. 
• Flex Fuse – increases the racket’s flexibility and helps to deliver a soft, plush feeling by integrating shock-absorbing polymer in the frame. 
• Flexon system – enhanced control levels by elongating and tapering the shaft. 
• Vibration Dampening Mesh – reduces harsh vibrations and shock impact while it maximizes energy transfer. 
• Isometric Shape – provides many benefits, including bigger sweet spot size, optimization of the string movements, and increased control without sacrificing power. 

Yonex Vcore Pro 97 Specs 

• Head size: 97 in²/ 625.81 cm²
• Length: 27in / 68.58cm
• Weight (strung): 10.9 oz / 310 g
• Balance: 10 pts HL 
• Swingweight: 317
• Stiffness: 64 
• Beam width: 21mm / 21mm / 21mm
• Composition: H.M Graphite 
• String pattern:16 mains / 19 crosses 

Groundstrokes – Score: 8.6

From the baseline, Yonex Vcore Pro 97 310 delivered an overall good performance. I loved how much control this racket had to offer; it was easy to hit targets with precision and redirect the ball. With such a small head, generating heavy spin comes naturally, allowing the player to add more depth with each shot. Forehand slices were my favorite, while I was able to go for full, powerful swings. I loved the clean, plush feeling this racket has to offer and the extra pop of the frame.

While I wouldn’t say this is a forgiving racket, despite the brand’s claims, it still allows a reasonable margin of errors. The sweet spot is of decent size, and even if you miss the center-off shots, you won’t feel the harsh vibration as much, thanks to the new technology updates. It feels solid and even delivers some controllable amount of power, despite being oriented towards control.

While I was able to generate crazy speed with the Vcore Pro 97, keeping pace often was a struggle. This was my biggest disappointment with the racket because, at times, it ruined the rhythm and made the response feel rushed. Other than that, it worked perfectly fine, and at the end of the playtest, I felt satisfied with its easy playability.

Volleys – Score: 8.6

Up in the net, Yonex Vcore Pro 97 310 came shining through in its full potential. The racket was stable and solid, which boosted my confidence and allowed me to be more aggressive. I loved how responsive and lively it felt, helping the player to close off points effortlessly. With this racket, you can hit all types of volleys; drops, swings, lobs, punches, black, half volleys… you name it.

Flat, forehand slices were a delight, and I also had enough leverage on the court to hit even the most difficult angles. It provides precision and control to hit targets successfully. This Yonex tennis racket has incredible spin potential and can generate serious speed, allowing fast swings. Surprisingly, up in the net, I didn’t struggle to keep pace as I did with strokes. The open string pattern offers some controllable power, enough to help the player put the volleys away without becoming overbearing. It has a clean feeling at impact and does a great job at transferring energy, putting less stress on the arm and shoulder.

While it’s not the most maneuverable racket ever, it still adapts well considering the weight, and most importantly, it’s easy to switch positions. Overall, I would say that the racket performed great at volleys, and it literally gave me nothing to complain about. 

Serve – Score: 8.6

When it comes to serves, I have some mixed feelings about the Yonex Vcore Pro 97 racket. Due to the thicker beam, the racket provided high levels of control which helped me to hit the target accurately without fail. The extra pop and the clean feeling of the racket on impact combined were just what I needed for a boost of confidence. It was easy to generate heavy spin, which put my opponent in a defensive mode more than once.

Flat serves were my favorites, while I was able to go for full, powerful swings. Despite the heavyweight, I had no problem whatsoever with maneuvering the racket or switching positions. However, there were many times when I wished for more free power, and I had to rely on precision throughout the game for successful serves. Kick slices were also a struggle sometimes, for which I had to put in some extra effort.

While the brand has done some important updates to make the racket more comfortable, I did feel the harsh vibration on my arm every time I missed the sweet spot. It is clearly a racket suitable for advanced players who have the skills and experience to take full advantage of the Vcore Pro 97 without being bothered by its drawbacks. 

Returns – Score: 8.6

As I expected, Yonex Vcore Pro 97 performed really well at returns. The combination of control and stability was perfect, allowing full swings with ease. I was able to hit all my targets with precision and add more depth to the ball. This racket is well-balanced and quite adaptable on the court, so I was able to switch positions fast. Even during heavy serves, or heated exchanges, the rackets offer enough time to at least turn back into a neutral position without making you feel rushed.

I had no problems with the low-powered racket at serves since I didn’t have to worry about overhitting the ball during full swings. It generates a heavy spin and speeds effortlessly, which can turn the racket into a true weapon, especially during those second serves. However, it might take some extra effort to maintain pace, so it’s mandatory for the player to have the right skills, or the performance might become erratic.

As already mentioned above, the frame of Vcore Pro 97 is not very forgiving, so it doesn’t allow a margin of error either. While it’s not the most comfortable racket to play with, at least at returns, I think that it did a pretty good job of reducing harsh vibrations. 

Overall – Score: 8.6

I can see why Yonex Vcore Pro 97 strongly appeals to advanced and high intermediate players. This racket combines all the right features and can easily transform into a true weapon. It delivers high levels of control and stability, which makes hitting the targets with precision, or redirection of the ball deep into the other side of the court effortless.

The heavy spin and controllable power are perfect for those with a more aggressive game style and aim for full swings. I really liked the plush touch and the clean feeling on impact, which helps the player to connect better with the racket. This racket delivers easy playability and can work well all around the court, but it truly excels at volleys.

On the downside, there were times when I craved more free power or struggled to keep pace, but I wasn’t surprised, considering the technicalities. This is, after all, a players’ racket, and it requires skills and experience. While I wouldn’t say that the brand fully delivers the promises for a comfortable frame, the racket still does a descend job at reducing harsh vibrations and shock impact. What Yonex got right were the high performance and easy playability; overall, this is a great addition to their Vcore Pro line.

Different Models

I bought and tested some other hyped models of the Vcore Pro line, just for the sake of comparison. By also reviewing these rackets, I could tell the difference between the newest update of the famous brand. If you are also wondering, take a look at my revisions below. 

Yonex VCORE Pro 97 HD

Yonex Vcore Pro 97 HD is suitable strictly for advanced and professional players. This is a high-performance racket, but it requires a skill set and physical strength to play with it. It has an astonishing weight of 11.9 ounces and features a small head size, with a dense 18×20 string pattern. The racket can provide incredible control and stability, but this comes at the expense of maneuverability and power. It works well. You won’t be pushed around with this racket and will have a great time hitting all the targets.

It delivers a clean feeling at impact and can somewhat reduce the harsh vibration due to the integration of new technology. When compared with Yonex Vcore 97 Pro, it is noticeable that this model is heavier, extremely low powered, and less forgiving. However, on the bright side offers way more precision and more powerful swigs. 

Specs 

• Head size: 97 in²/ 625.81 cm² 
• Length: 27in / 68.58cm
• Weight (strung): 11.9oz / 337g
• Balance: 7 pts HL 
• Swingweight: 326
• Stiffness: 59
• Beam width: 20mm / 20mm / 20mm
• Composition: H.M Graphite 
• String pattern: 18 mains / 20 crosses

Yonex VCORE Pro 97 330

Yonex Vcore Pro 97 330 is another great option for advanced players. This model has the same head size and string pattern as Yonex Vcore 97, with the main difference in weight. This model is heavier; however, they provide very similar performances on the court. The combination of control, stability, and spin allows the player to weaponize this racket, especially back at the baseline.

The brand has integrated the same new technology to enhance control and dampen the harsh vibrations. I loved the nice, clean feeling at the impact of the Yonex Vcore Pro 97 330, even though it doesn’t feel as plush as its sister model. This is also a low-powered racket and is not always easy to maneuver. The margin error is also low, even though the frame is somewhere forgiving and has a nice sweet spot.

Specs 

• Head size: 97 in²/ 625.81 cm²
• Length: 27in / 68.58cm
• Weight (strung): 11.6 oz / 330 g
• Balance: 7 pts HL 
• Swingweight: 337
• Stiffness: 61
• Beam width: 21mm / 21mm / 21mm
• Composition: H.M Graphite 
• String pattern: 16 mains / 19 crosses 

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would say that the Vcore Pro line stays true to Yonex’s legacy of delivering high-quality rackets. All of the rackets delivered a great, consistent performance making it hard for me to pick a favorite. The models were pretty similar in features and combined all the right features; spin, precision, and stability.

These are control-oriented rackets made for highly skilled players; however, this comes at the expense of power, which is only fair trade. The drawbacks were only minimal and came as no surprise considering the technicalities of each.

The brand has integrated new technology to enhance comfort and reduce harsh vibrations too. I would recommend these models for competitive players that have an aggressive approach to their game style.