Prince Textreme Tour 100P Review
Currently the Prince Textreme Tour 100P, the "little brother" of the Textreme Tour 95, is scoring extremely well in various reviews. So it's time for test player Stephan from mijnracket.nl to experience it for himself.
Racket tested :
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Brand: Prince
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Model: Textreme Tour 100P
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Head size: 100 sq/inch
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Weight: 305 g
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Balance: 31.0 cm
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String pattern: 18/20
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Length: 27 inch
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RA: 62
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Power level: 800
The Prince Textreme Tour 100P is the slightly more accessible little brother of the Prince Textreme Tour 95, which we tested previously. Both rackets feature a striking black-and-green color scheme and belong to the same Prince racket family. This review will refer to the Textreme Tour 95 quite often. For an overview of all the technologies used in the Prince Textreme Tour 100P.
Tester:
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Player's name: Stephan Couzijn
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Level: 5
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Player type: 40-year-old all-courter, eastern grip, one-handed backhand, fairly flat strokes
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Current racket: Wilson Juice Pro, 96 sq/inch, 324 g, 31.0 cm, 16/20 string pattern
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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
Baseline:
From the baseline, this racket plays just like the Prince Textreme Tour 95: very stable. It's a true precision tool. The larger head size gives you a little more power, but that is balanced by the control of the 18x20 string pattern. The racket is quite forgiving on off-center hits, and you can easily generate spin without sacrificing control. Groundstroke slices are razor-sharp and can be placed right on the lines. Under pressure, the Tour 100P performs slightly less well than the Tour 95 because of its lower weight. However, the Tour 100P makes it easier to get enough length on your shots. Compared with other frames with a 100 sq/in head size, the Tour 100P is much more stable, with slightly less power.
Serve: Serving with the Tour 100P is very easy. Compared with, for example, the Tour 95, you can generate a little more pace with the Tour 100P. As with the Tour 95, serves can be placed very accurately thanks to Prince's unrivaled feel.
Net play: This Tour 100P is a phenomenal racket for volleys. It's at the net that you really notice the racket's tremendous feel for the ball. Thanks to the large sweet spot and the racket's balance you can place shots with great precision. Off-center hits are even more forgiving than with the Tour 95. This Tour 100P is a real pleasure at the net. It offers an incredible amount of feel and enough punch to put the ball away crisply or kill it with a drop shot. In my opinion, the Tour 100P really comes into its own in doubles, with plenty of volleying.
Power: The Tour 100P gives you slightly more free power from the racket itself than the Tour 95. That's sometimes nice when you're put under pressure and your shots start landing shorter. Even so, the Tour 100P is still a racket that requires you to generate your own power with a long, full swing.
Control: Unmatched control for a racket with a 100 sq/in head size. The frame also offers a wonderfully direct, dampened feel for the ball, just like its heavier brother, the Tour 95.
Comfort/Arm-friendliness: The racket feels comfortable, partly thanks to its relatively thin box-beam frame. The impact of the ball is barely noticeable in the arm. Players who find it difficult to generate their own pace and have to hit with force will probably find the Tour 100P easier to play with than the Tour 95.
Overall impression: The Prince Textreme Tour 100P is the lighter brother of the Textreme Tour 95. In my review of the Tour 95, I was particularly impressed by the racket's tremendous feel. So, when testing the 100P, I was very curious to see whether that feel would still be just as phenomenal. After eight hours of playtesting, I can say that for the first time in my tennis career, I've played with a 100 sq/in racket head without feeling that I was losing control. Once again, Prince has delivered a brilliant feel. Like the Tour 95, the Tour 100P offers razor-sharp feel, and slices and volleys can be placed with centimeter accuracy. Compared with the 95, this 100P gives you a little more power without any loss of control. The P, which stands for power, is certainly fitting! The control is probably due in large part to the 18x20 string pattern. In my opinion, this is the perfect setup for a 100 sq/in head to create a perfect mix of power and control. Combined with its tremendous feel and direct ball contact, the 100P is a real winner from Prince. Thanks to its head size and excellent weight, this racket is suitable for a wide range of players. Despite the 18x20 string pattern, spin enthusiasts won't be left wanting. In short, the 100P does justice to the 95's reputation with its performance, while offering players a little more power and maneuverability. Prince's classic feel is especially apparent when hitting volleys and slices. The 100P is an all-round racket for players looking for a classic feel and a refined mix of power and maneuverability. Highly recommended for competitive doubles players. Volleys are almost impossible to miss with this 100P.
