Tester
Player name: Stephan Couzijn Level: 5/6 Player type: 44-year-old, all-courter, eastern grip, one-handed backhand, fairly flat strokes Own racket: Yonex EZONE DR 98, Wilson Clash 100, Head Graphene 360+ Gravity MP Player racket history: Wilson Pro Staff 6.0 95, Wilson Six-One 95, Head Radical, Dunlop Aerogel 300 Tour, Babolat Pure Storm Tour GT, Wilson Pro Staff 95, Wilson Juice Pro, Yonex EZONE DR 98, Wilson Clash 100, Head Gravity MP, Wilson Pro Staff 97 CV. The Dunlop FX 500 is now available in our webshop, including free stringing of your choice!Intro and specifications Dunlop FX 500
It has been a while since I had the chance to test a Dunlop racket. The last time was pure enjoyment with the CX 200 tour. Pure quality reflected in a beautiful control frame. However, this FX series is mainly focused on power. Normally not a frame I would quickly go for. At the moment I am playing with a Wilson Pro Staff 97 CV. I am very curious how this Dunlop FX 500 compares to the other power frames in this category such as the Babolat Pure Drive 2021 and the Wilson Ultra 100 V3.0. The specifications are as follows:
Brand: Dunlop Model: FX 500 Head size: 100 sq/inch Weight: 300 gr Balance: 32.0 cm String pattern: 16×19 Length: 27 inch RA: 71 Swingweight: 314 Stringing: Dunlop Explosive Speed 1.25 at 24/23 kg
Racket review
Many (older) tennis players know Dunlop from the famous Dunlop Max 200G and know that Dunlop has made great frames over the years. Younger players have mainly grown up with Babolat and Wilson. Not so strange of course when you consider that Nadal and Federer have been appearing on camera with these frames for years. Still, I think Dunlop Srixon deserves to refresh faded memories and adjust preconceived opinions about Dunlop tennis rackets, because the (now Japanese) manufacturer has released a flood of new racket series that are endorsed by renowned names such as Patrick Mouratoglou. That does not say everything of course. The “proof of the pudding is in the eating”. In short, test it out and experience it for yourself. First came the CX 'control focussed' range, then the SX range which focused on spin and now the FX range which wants to deliver 'controlled power' (the 'F' in 'FX' stands for 'force').
Baseline
After the first rally, it is clear that Dunlop is throwing down the gauntlet with the FX 500 to challenge the throne of the Babolat Pure Drives. I felt that this racket has a great balance between spin and power, and that both are manageable. This makes the claimed “controlled power” absolutely true. It felt very easy to hit deep against the baseline from the baseline. However, I do notice that, just like with all other power frames, you also have to be careful with the Dunlop FX 500 not to get out of control. A little more spin helps keep the balls in the lines. Furthermore, the FX 500 feels remarkably solid from the baseline. Slice balls also come off the head perfectly. I think that from the baseline the Dunlop FX 500 certainly poses a formidable challenge to the Babolat Pure Drive. However, I advise players who quickly suffer from tennis elbow to use a slightly softer string. By the way, I hardly feel any vibrations in the frame on impact. I can play this racket perfectly without a dampener.
Volleys
At the net, it was easy to get used to the FX 500; due to the relatively light weight, it was not difficult to maneuver the racket quickly. The racket feels solid, allowing me to 'drive through' and put away the volleys well. On smashes, you feel the “Force” of this racket. The balls explode off it. Honestly, it was easier to get used to than expected. My expectation of a power frame is that it is less stable than my own Wilson Pro Staff 97 CV, but that was hardly the case. An absolute plus point of the Dunlop FX 500.
Serving
As expected, serving was very easy with the Dunlop FX 500. Even when I did not try to hit the balls that hard, I felt that I got enough power from the racket to hit the corners. Similar to the baseline strokes, I had more than enough controlled power with serving. I had the feeling that even if I did not hit the ball completely in the center, I could still produce a good serve and lose little power.
Dunlop FX 500: the bottom line
Although it may not be the most exciting racket to look at, I was pleasantly surprised and even a little shocked right after the first rally about how much I could enjoy a power frame. Especially because I always lean towards more control-oriented rackets. Dunlop has clearly put a lot of effort into creating the nice power feel. The racket gives you a wonderful dose of power to hit winners. I think this FX 500 will mainly impress players who usually play with other power frames such as the Babolat Pure Drive, Wilson Ultra 100 V3.0 or Diadem Nova FS 100. The Dunlop FX 500 feels really incredibly stable and is virtually vibration-free. This also makes the stiffness of the frame much less of a problem. Aside from all the techno-mumbo-jumbo, the confidence that this racket gives on all strokes from both the back and at the net is what stands out. Therefore, a “must” demo for players looking for an easy frame with more than enough power that is perfectly controllable.
The Dunlop FX 500 is now available in our webshop, including free stringing of your choice! This racket can also be requested as a demo from us.
