Intro
In this review I discuss the new Tecnifibre T-Fight RS 305 as a successor to the XTC version of the same name. This T-Fight RS 305 is similar in terms of specifications to the Prince Synergy 98 that I recently reviewed. With its 18x18 string pattern it is very comparable to the 18x19 string pattern of the T-Fight RS. The biggest difference is the stiffness of the frame. The Prince Synergy 98 is a lot less stiff than the T-Fight RS 305. Since I have been having elbow issues lately, I am somewhat concerned about the stiffness. On the other hand, the Tecnifibre is filled with foam in some crucial places, which should ensure a comfortable playing feel.
The Tecnifibre T-Fight 305 RS comes in a black, white color scheme with blue and red details on the sides. It is a simple but beautiful design. Especially the matte finish feels nice in the hand, especially when I hold the racket neck with my other hand during my one-handed backhand.
The T-Fight RS 305 from Tecnifibre is now available in our webshop, including free stringing of your choice!Specifications Tecnifibre T-Fight RS 305
- Brand: Tecnifibre
- Model: T-Fight RS 305
- Blade size: 98 sq/inch
- Weight: 305 gr
- Balance: 32.5 cm
- Stringing system: 18×19
- Length: 27 inches
- RA (Stiffness): 67
- Swingweight: 333
- Frame thickness: 23/23/22.5 mm
- Stringing: Diadem Flash 17 on 23/22 kg
Baseline
I have to say that I have rarely played with a Tecnifibre. I therefore have no specific expectations. The first balls feel very direct with a “full bed” of Diadem Flash strings. I also immediately feel the spicy swing weight and a light response on my elbow. I clearly have to warm up quietly. After fifteen minutes I start to warm up nicely and I notice that I can get the Tecnifibre T-Fight RS 305 around very easily. Even easier than my Prince Synergy 98. The difference in stiffness is mainly felt in the directness. With the T-Fight you get a very predictable result with both the backhand and the forehand. With my forehand I can attack very easily. And more than just power. Even if I need a higher ball I find that just as easy as spin and slice. Especially the slices were great with this Tecnifibre. A striking difference with the Prince Synergy 98 was that I could get my one-handed backhand around much easier with the Tecnifibre. The Tecnifibre T-Fight RS 305 is a very versatile racket from the baseline and feels lighter and faster than the Prince Synergy 98.
Stiffness
At first I thought it would be a much stiffer racket, but that was not so bad. The T-Fight RS 305 is a relatively soft racket with a direct feel. That is a nice combination to play with. The foam fillings probably help absorb vibrations. My Prince Synergy 98 is still much softer, but the difference is much smaller than I expected based on the RA value (60 vs. 67).
Spin
Furthermore, I thought beforehand that I would get little spin potential with an 18×19 string pattern, but the spin potential is quite good. I had the same experience with the Prince Synergy 98. Even with a high swingweight, it is an easy racket to handle and it is a fast racket. That surprised me a bit! The only adjustment I had to make in my stroke was on the backhand side by opening my grip a bit more to prevent the balls from falling too deep.
Just
I mainly played doubles with the Tecnifibre T-Fight 305 RS, and despite the weight and swingweight as I said, it is a very fast racquet that responds very well. This racquet is both stable due to the high swingweight and fast and easy to handle at the net. This combination of swingweight and speed resulted in very solid volleys. Similar to the Prince Synergy 98 I could also easily put away hard incoming balls.
My volley is not my best shot, but I could handle the Tecnifibre very easily at the net. With this racket I felt safe and solid at the net and I had more confidence to get in there and finish the points and create a situation to surprise the opponent.
Service and returns
When returning the serve, the Tecnifibre excels in the combination of stability and speed. Moreover, I did not have to make a full swing, because with a short rotation of the handle in the forward direction I already got enough direction and speed. But when I had more time to make a full stroke on a second serve, really heavy balls came off the racket. The serve was another thing that surprised me with this racket. I could hit my serve very solidly with enough power and precision. Some of my forays into more spin and more slice I also managed well with this racket.
So my double fault rate was very low and I felt very confident to go for a solid and stronger second serve than I normally would.
Conclusion Tecnifibre T-Fight RS 305
In short, I found all the basic strokes with the Tecnifibre T-Fight RS 305 very enjoyable, it is a super balanced racket and very comparable to the Prince Synergy 98 that I praised. The T-Fight RS 305 is definitely in my top 3 of rackets of this year.
The racket has a soft touch despite the high RA value, in my opinion it is much nicer to play than the other frames in the 98 inch spectrum. Apart from the Prince Synergy 98 and the new Wilson Blade 98 there are few frames that can compete with this Tecnifibre in terms of touch and feel. The T-fight is a racket that combines special properties: stability with a high swing weight so that you can hit a heavy ball with a full swing, but is also forgiving if you cannot hit a full swing. Then you still get enough length in your strokes.
Anyway, this racket was an absolute surprise for me. I highly recommend anyone looking for stability and enough power to try the Tecnifibre T-Fight RS 305!
The T-Fight RS 305 from Tecnifibre is now available in our webshop, including free stringing of your choice!