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's 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 Prince Synergy 98 is now available in our webshop, with free stringing of your choice!Intro Prince Synergy 98
As a racquet tester, I've tried dozens (if not hundreds) of racquets over the years, so I'm always excited when I get my hands on something extraordinary. The Prince Synergy 98 is just that!
In the slipstream of the colorful power beast the Prince Ripstick, which immediately took on a new family name, Prince also released something new and special, namely: the Prince Synergy 98. Prince once again throws something different into the battle with a racket of 98 sq/inch, 60 RA stiffness and a striking 18×18 string pattern. Prince also writes a new paragraph in the chapter aerodynamics of a tennis racket that reminds me of that of a golf ball.
Specifications
Brand: Prince Model: Synergy 98 Head size: 98 sq/inch Weight: 305 gr Balance: 32.0 cm Stringing pattern: 18×18 Length: 27 inch RA: 60 Swingweight: 330 Frame thickness: 21/23/25 mm Stringing: Diadem Solstice Power 17 / Flash 17 at 22/22 kg
Baseline
I tried the Prince Synergy 98 for two weeks and enjoyed every minute! From the first ball contact the Prince Synergy 98 felt super stable with a large sweet spot and nice length in my strokes. And to think that my first ball contact was against a twenty years younger former ITF player from Spain. He had not played for a year and had undergone three operations on his knee. But he could still hit flawlessly. Beautiful to watch but a challenge to face. I deliberately gave him the heaviest "old school" racket from my collection, the Head Pro Tour 2.0. He could easily turn it. I anticipated that it would be a tough morning. But I had not taken into account the exceptional power of the new Prince Synergy 98. Even in my hands the Synergy 98 was not impressed by the sparkling spin balls of this Spaniard.
The Prince Synergy 98 reminds me a bit of the Tecnifibre T-Fight 305 in the way that it is quite maneuverable despite the heavy mass. I do think that players who like a more “whiplash” racket might find the Synergy 98 a bit too demanding to get around quickly. Personally, I am one of those players who often play with a low balance point and yet I had no trouble with the considerably higher swingweight. Could this have something to do with the “golf ball effect”? The side of the frame has dents that resemble the dents in a golf ball. Why is that again? Let’s look it up:
Aerodynamics
"As the ball speeds up, a zone of lower pressure is created behind the ball: the air flowing around the ball is not fast enough to reach the back of the ball and a negative pressure is created behind the ball, which in effect sucks the ball backwards and causes it to lose speed. You notice something similar when you try to cycle quickly: doubling your speed clearly requires more than doubling the effort. You drag a zone of negative pressure behind you that you are constantly trying to slow down (anyone cycling just behind you can take advantage of this). By making the surface of the ball more irregular by means of the dents, the air will no longer be able to flow nicely around the ball, but turbulence will be created. The result of this turbulence is that the low-pressure zone becomes smaller. The braking force of this low-pressure zone is therefore reduced and the ball experiences less resistance and flies further."
In short, the frame experiences less air resistance when you try to accelerate it. My impression is that Prince has figured this out quite well and that racket speed can indeed be achieved more easily with the Prince Synergy 98. Everything in me wants to believe it and also grants Prince a bestseller. In my eyes, Prince is undervalued due to the lack of Tour players who play with Prince. But make no mistake: Prince makes top quality rackets that are comparable to Yonex, which operates at a lonely height.
I could easily handle the rallies from the baseline with both my (one-handed) backhand and my forehand. Creating spin and slice also went well with the 18x18 string pattern. In short, from the baseline this is a very comfortable control frame with more than enough power, without the balls flying off. In my opinion, this puts the Synergy 98 between the Phantoms and the Ripstick / Beast collection. I also think that this racket can compete well in the 98 sq/inch market where other frames such as the Wilson Blade 98 and Babolat Pure Strike rule. The big difference with these frames is that the Synergy has a nice low RA value and a unique string pattern.
Volleys
When we move the game to the net, the spacious sweet spot and precision of the Synergy 98 really come into their own. I immediately thought back to the Prince Textreme Tour 95 with which I could not miss a volley. I have that feeling with the Prince Synergy 98 too. Despite the fact that it is slightly less manoeuvrable, all volleys come off my blade very nicely and that is quite a gift for a player who does not always volley easily. I can also easily parry hard incoming balls with the spicy swing weight of the Synergy. I never have the feeling that I am being pushed away. The Synergy 98 has saved me from many a dangerous situation at the net. I almost got a bit too big for my boots by really wanting to catch all the balls at the net. Fortunately, I was subtly corrected by my doubles partner ('you can also exaggerate, mate'). In short, a big thumbs up for the Prince Synergy 98 at the net!
Serve
When serving, I had to get used to the high swingweight. I felt like I couldn't serve as hard as with my Wilson Pro Staff 97. On the other hand, I could serve very precisely against the lines or even let them bounce off, frustrating my opponent. That was very entertaining. Kick and slice also work well with the 18x18 string pattern. I do notice that the balls bounce a little less, but I still hit my serve flat more often than with a lot of kick. So when it comes to serving, the Prince Synergy 98 requires a little more muscle power than another 98 sq/inch racket.
Conclusion
The Prince Synergy 98 allows you to hit the ball hard thanks to the high swingweight. The 18x18 string pattern offers a good mix of control, spin and comfort and is quite reminiscent of what you normally get from a 16x20 pattern with maybe a bit more spin potential / higher launch angle.
It is a solid and control oriented racket with a chic but spin friendly look. I find it hard to name something I don't like about the Prince Synergy 98. If I have to name something it might be the high swing weight that can be a problem for some players at the net. From the baseline however this Synergy 98 plays like a dream!
The Prince Synergy 98 is now available in our webshop, with free stringing of your choice!