Guest blogger Bart tested the Prince Phantom 97P . Read his extensive review of this ultimate precision instrument with a buttery soft feel!
Tester:
Bart Pijls, 49 years old, Almere, level 5/5. Played and trained tennis in my youth, from about age 10 to 16. After that, I didn't touch a racket for almost 25 years. Since 2010, I've been playing tennis again. In addition, I'm also busy as a stringer (via my own company @istring4all) and also as a linesman at the tennis association. All in all, everything that makes tennis such a fun hobby.
Intro:
Since I started playing tennis again, I have had quite a few rackets again. What has been a common thread here is that they are (have been) arm-friendly rackets. I get a sensitive elbow quite quickly. I have developed a preference for Prince and Pro Kennex. A selection from my (recent) racket history: Prince O3 Tour Team MP 18x20, Prince Speedport Tour 97 16x18, Prince Tour 16x18 (latest version with O-ports), Prince Textreme Warrior 107 16x19, Völkl Powerbridge MP 325 18x20. Now I have been playing with the Pro Kennex Kinetic Q Tour 300 16x19 for quite some time. Fairly standard, only leather grip and a little bit of lead at 10 and 2 o'clock.
Racket:
Let me start, this racket is a gem to see and feel. Lovely thin frame with a pleasant balance. Came unstrung, but with a set of Diadem Flash 17/1.20 strings in white. I strung these at 21 kilos in length and 22 kilos in width. This resulted in a comfortable DT of 35. Also placed the supplied Diadem overgrip, just like the dampener from mijnracket.nl.
Specifications Prince Phantom 97P:
Brand: Prince Model: Phantom 97P Headsize: 97 sq/inch Weight: 320 gr Balance: 31.0 cm Stringing pattern: 16×18 Length: 27 inch RA: 58 Beam: 20.5/19.5/16.5 mm Swingweight: 320 Powerlevel: 700.
General impression:
I have played this Prince Phantom 97P 4 times in total, 3 times in a training / double setting, and 1 time in a training / single setting. The impression that has stayed with me the most is that the racket is absolutely vibration-free and mega comfortable! Not surprising, considering the RA value of this racket. You won't find them much softer these days. In addition, the stability has stayed with me, another big plus of this racket. I was a bit afraid of the unstrung weight of 320 grams, but that was (fairly) unjustified fortunately. Due to the balance, the racket remains easy to handle and maneuver. I have played quite a few Prince rackets with the O3 ports before this. They felt a bit faster to get moving, but this racket is not far behind. It may also have to do with the thin frame. The only disadvantage that I have experienced is the varying outcomes of the strokes. That may of course have to do with the fact that I don't know the racket well enough yet, but it did strike me. I think next time I would string this racket (even) softer, more like around 19/20 kilos, expecting the sweet spot to be a bit bigger and the outcome a bit more predictable.
Services:
I am not a service cannon, but I had the feeling that I had a bit more power with this racket than my own racket. Pay attention to your technique and to hit the ball in front of you, otherwise you will feel the weight of the racket.
Forehand:
This is where I had the most mixed results. In rallies, for example, 5 went really well, came within half a meter of the baseline, while the next 5 barely came over the service line. A slightly more extreme grip (not very natural for me, I have a much more flat stroke) did give better results.
Backhand:
With my one-handed backhand I generally prefer thinner, heavier frames. Well, I can be brief about this. Make sure you prepare in time, and let the weight of the racket do the work for you. Absolute plus of this racket.
Returns:
See everything I've written about backhand, enjoy blowing. Very stable and if everything is right the return will be back on your opponent's feet in no time.
Volleys:
Again, only positives. The balance makes the Prince Phantom 97P easy to handle and the weight makes it very stable. Wonderful!
Spin/Slice Prince Phantom 97P:
I am not an extreme spin player, but this racket performs in that area comparable to my current racket, perhaps a fraction less. Slice was variable, sometimes the balls sailed up or too deep. But there were also regular balls that passed the net super tight.
Extra:
I also gave the racket to a teammate. He plays with a Babolat Pure Aero and has an extreme forehand (in terms of spin). He was pleasantly surprised by this racket, especially in terms of stability, comfort and control. The slightly smaller head did not really lead to more frame balls. It feels more solid than his current racket.
