Over the past few weeks, our regular tester Stephan has been testing the new Yonex EZONE 98 2022. This racket offers a perfect mix of power and control, with impressive stability and great comfort. In this review, he compares the latest version with previous models of the EZONE 98.
Tester
- Name: Stephan Couzijn
- Level: 5/6
- Player type: 44 years old, all-court player, one-handed backhand, flat shots, eastern grip
- Own racket: Yonex EZONE DR 98 , Wilson Clash 100 , Head Graphene 360+ Gravity MP
- Racket history: Wilson Pro Staff 6.0 95, Wilson Six-One 95, Head Radical, Dunlop Airgel 300 Tour, Babolat Pure Storm Tour GT, Wilson Pro Staff 95, Wilson Juice Pro, Wilson Pro Staff 97 CV, Prince Synergy 98
The Yonex EZONE 98 2022 is now available in our webshop, including free stringing of your choice!
Intro
The Yonex EZONE 98 2022 is the latest version in the popular EZONE series. Stephan had the privilege of testing this racket on a crisp, sunny day on clay, together with Mike, who took the EZONE 100 in hand. Both rackets were strung with the Yonex Poly Tour Pro 1.25 (yellow) at 23/22 kilos. Stephan has played almost every version of the EZONE 98, and Yonex continues to surprise him with improvements and unprecedented quality.
Specifications Yonex EZONE 98 2022
Racket review
Yonex is constantly refining their showpiece, just like a Formula 1 team optimizes their car. After the DR version of the EZONE 98, Yonex has made subtle adjustments in the subsequent versions, with each new model bringing improvements compared to the previous one. Stephan therefore had high expectations for the 7th gen EZONE 98 2022.
Baseline
From the first ball it felt like coming home for Stephan. The racket offers a huge dampening feeling, without vibrations. This, combined with the generous sweet spot, made it easy for him to get length in his strokes, which was sometimes a challenge with his DR 98. Strokes landed deep on the baseline and Stephan noticed that he achieved much more consistent results with the EZONE 98 2022 .
While the racket is not a powerhouse, it offers enough power, with a bit more power than the DR version and more control at the same time. For Stephan this was a welcome improvement, as the extra stiffness and power was exactly what he was missing from his DR 98. The slice balls felt sharp and precise, and the shape of the head now seems less rectangular, reminiscent of the old DR version.
Service
The EZONE 98 2022 offers a lot of precision when serving. Although you have to generate the power yourself, the better racket head speed makes this easy. Kick and slice serves are also easy to control. Stephan noticed that the consistency when serving is the biggest asset of this racket, and the feeling that he would never hit a double fault gave him extra confidence.
Volleys
At the net, the EZONE 98 2022 feels stable and comfortable. The frame absorbs hard balls well, which makes the racket arm-friendly. Volleys were easy to place, partly thanks to the generous sweet spot. Although Stephan indicated that a traditional racket such as the Wilson Pro Staff 97 produces volleys more easily, the EZONE 98 performs more than decently at the net.
Conclusion
The Yonex EZONE 98 2022 is an excellent choice for players who can generate topspin and power themselves, with a nice mix of stability and control. The racket feels crisp but offers enough softness for comfort. For fans of the more flexible DR and AI versions, this latest EZONE 98 is another step closer to that feeling.
Stephan is very pleased with this update and recommends the racket to advanced players looking for a fast, powerful racket that will allow them to do a lot of damage from the baseline. Touch players and net players may not find the finesse they need, but the racket offers enough stability for solid volleys.
The Yonex EZONE 98 2022 is now available in our webshop, including free stringing of your choice!