The past 2 weeks Mike has been testing the Prince Phantom 107G ! This 'cousin' of the Prince Original Graphite offers fine control and great ball feel combined with a very forgiving 107 sq/inch blade size!
Tested racket/specifications:
Brand: Prince Model: Phantom 107G Headsize: 107 sq/inch Weight: 305 gr Balance: 31.0 cm Stringing pattern: 16×19 Length: 27 inch RA: 63 Beam: 21.5/20/17.5 mm Swingweight: 319 Powerlevel: 850 Stringing: Dunlop Explosive Speed 1.25 black at 23/23 kg.
Tester:
Name: Mike Playing strength: 4/4 Player type: somewhat classic player, flat groundstrokes, doesn't generate a lot of spin himself. Had shoulder problems in the past. Player's racket history: Head Ti Fire, Babolat Pure Drive, Prince EXO3 Rebel Team, Wilson Steam 100 BLX2, Head Graphene Radical MP, Prince Textreme Warrior 107 , Diadem Elevate 98. Other favorite rackets at the moment: Head Graphene 360+ Speed MP and the Babolat Pure Strike 100 .
Test scores Prince Phantom 107G:
Power: 7.5 Control: 8.5 Spin: 7.5 Comfort: 8.5 Agility/Speed: 8.5 Touch: 9
Technology:
The Phantom 107G from Prince has the Textreme material lay-up combined with Twaron. This material mix is known from other Prince frames and gives a solid, stable playing feel without feeling stiff. The ATS (Anti Torque System) technology has also been added to the shaft and at 2 and 10 o'clock at the top of the racket blade. This ensures a very solid playing feel, where the fine and relatively low RA of 63 provides the racket with touch and feel. The Phantom 107G is one of the few oversize rackets with a flat, slim frame construction. On the one hand, this gives the racket a generous, forgiving sweet spot. On the other hand, you keep the feeling and connection with the ball of a classic control racket. I dare say that the Phantom 107G is the most control-oriented oversize tennis racket currently available on the market.
Baseline:
The strokes from the baseline immediately felt very full and with more than enough control. In the recent past I also played the Prince Textreme Warrior 107 , a model that will soon make its comeback under a different name. The Warrior 107 offered much more free power and therefore compromised on control. This Prince Phantom 107G clearly offers more control. Actually typical Phantom control I would say, as I have also experienced with the other Phantoms (100X and 93P 18x20). The Phantom 100X to a lesser extent, but especially the Phantom Pro 93P was extremely low-powered. You have to generate all the speed yourself with these rackets. In that respect I personally like this 107G a lot better. The racket is significantly more forgiving and offers a bit more free power, without flying off the bend. The control (and touch!) is definitely guaranteed.
I was able to confidently follow through on my groundstrokes, with the racket feeling very solid. The racket felt secure and comfortable, without being too soft and losing the connection with the ball. The racket also has a neat RA (stiffness) of 63. I found the rotation (spin and slice) solid, not extreme as with many other oversize rackets. This racket therefore works with a 107 sq/inch head size. In terms of forgiveness you definitely notice that, but in my opinion the racket does have the direct control that a smaller head offers.
Service:
In terms of service, I would have liked a bit more 'free power'. I got the balls deep against the service line easily, with also more than enough kick or slice. The services felt very controlled, only I didn't get many free points from my service. This is also a personal thing: I'm not exactly a service cannon, so to speak.
Just:
Lovely! The racket is fast and stable and that combined with a 107 sq/inch blade size makes it almost feel like cheating at the net. Another unique point of this racket is the touch. There is an incredible amount of feeling in this Phantom 107G, which was certainly an enrichment with stop volleys! I have put away a few wonderfully.
Power/control Prince Phantom 107G:
As crazy as it may sound for an oversize racket, the 107G is nicely balanced in terms of power and control. You actually experience the typical Phantom control, where the 107 sq/inch blade size in combination with the 16x19 stringing pattern offers a right portion of power. In addition, the racket is easy to get around quickly.Comfort/arm friendliness :
Comfort is without a doubt one of the biggest plus points of the Phantom 107G. Even with a fairly direct string like the Dunlop Explosive Power in a full bed poly string setup, comfort was still very good. It may not be the most comfortable racket on the market, but it is the most comfortable control oriented oversize racket on the market. What I mean by this is that the 'competition' in this head size is purely based on power and ease of play, with control clearly leaving much to be desired. That is absolutely not the case with this 107G. That gives this racket a unique blend of control, sufficient power and excellent comfort and forgiveness.