Stephan has extensively tested the Yonex VCORE 98 , and here you can read all about his experience with this impressive racket.
Tested racket:
- Brand: Yonex
- Model: VCORE 98
- Blade size: 98 sq/inch
- Weight: 305 gr
- Balance: 31.5 cm
- Stringing system: 16x19
- Length: 27 inches
- RA (stiffness): 65
- Stringing: Yonex Poly Tour Fire 1.25 on 23/22 kg
Tester:
Intro:
New this summer is the long-awaited YONEX VCORE 98, successor to the YONEX VCORE SV 98 that I also tested . This middle blade in the new YONEX VCORE series was launched on August 25th, I believe – just before the start of the US Open. I was one of the few who had the privilege of testing this beautiful update. I was already very enthusiastic about its predecessor and am very curious how this Ferrari red edition plays. YONEX has dropped the "SV" names, similar to dropping "DR" from EZONE, and has simplified its racket lines as follows: "VCORE Pro", "VCORE" and "EZONE". Personally, I think it has become quite clear this way. I didn't think sticking new technology behind the name as a nickname was a success. In short, it's fine!
Aesthetically, these are beautiful frames. The paint is a matte Ferrari red with subtle burgundy tints, highlighted with metallic silver logos. In my opinion, they are much more attractive than the VCORE SV models. The "95", "98" and "100" labels are easier to read and identify at a glance compared to the SV models. The newly applied technology is fully focused on the mission of the VCORE 2018: Maximum Spin.
Baseline:
This blade is solid! The YONEX VCORE 98 is reminiscent of the classics from the early 2000s and has both feel and control. The 2-3 points lower RA than the VCORE SV 98 has a lot to do with this and if you prefer stiff blades with less feedback, you might not be crazy about this update. Although the blade is relatively flexible and feels, it is still crisper than the EZONE DR 98 (RA 62). As the mission statement goes, the spin potential is definitely there and very noticeable. I normally hit quite flat balls with a long and fairly fast Eastern grip. With this YONEX VCORE 98 however, I get a lot more ball spin with my grip. I can see the balls ricocheting away on the other side of the court. During my playtest I tried to hit higher deep spin balls. I could see from the grimaces on the faces of my opponents that I was hitting annoyingly heavy spin balls. A real treat for someone who normally hits hard but generates little spin. In short, I am completely in my element from the backfield.
Both my backhand and forehand hit the back line hard. I noticed in the beginning that my balls landed a bit shorter due to the high spin content. A bit more height in my strokes solved that perfectly. I hit my targets with spin and tempo on both sides and could also hit flat balls with a lot of margin. More than with my EZONE DR 98, the balls stay within the lines more easily. The YONEX VCORE 98 is a blade that I could play almost unchanged. I would add a leather grip and some lead to get the (strung) weight around 340g, just like my EZONE. The VCORE 98, which previously had a 16x20 string pattern in the SV version, now has a more open 16x19 string pattern which of course also contributes to the spin potential. This makes it more comparable to my EZONE DR 98.
Volleys and service:
About the volleys I can be brief. They go fantastic! Better than with my EZONE 98. The narrow more box beam like frame is very easy to maneuver. Also the service with the VCORE 98 goes just a bit harder and with much more spin than with my EZONE. Creating rackethead speed was probably even easier due to the extra Aero Fin technology. I already experienced that with its heavier brother the YONEX VCORE 95. But that certainly also applies to the VCORE 98.
Comfort:
Compared to its predecessor, the Yonex VCORE SV 98, this frame is a bit more flexible, which makes it a lot friendlier to my arm.
Conclusion:
Add it all up and you get a frame that is designed to impart a lot of spin to the ball. Not only have the Yonex family names become much clearer, there also seems to be a lot more purpose behind the families. The EZONE is friendly and powerful, the VCORE Pro has the most feel and control, and the VCORE is crisp and full of spin potential. This new YONEX VCORE 98 is with its lower RA value and enormous spin potential an absolute must for the serious baseliner. In my opinion a qualitatively very high-quality competitor of the Wilson Blade 98 or the Babolat Pure Strike . I liked the Yonex VCORE 98 so much that I played an official match with it. We are now used to the quality that Yonex shows. This update is certainly again of a high standard and has almost tempted me as a YONEX EZONE DR 98 player to switch. In short, a must demo!!