Author: Liga Dekmeijere

The Yonex Ezone SL 100 is one of the best performing light weight racquets on the market. It is a full-size racquet weighing only 270g. It is ideal for young competitive players who have graduated to full court competition level (ages 9-12).

While the 27 inch length provides players with the full swing of an adult racquet, it is still very easy and comfortable to maneuver as kids are still developing their technical skills and racquet head acceleration.

For the same reason, this racquet also suits recreational players who prefer to have a lighter racquet.

Yonex is most popular for its larger sweet spot with its isometric shape concept. The racquet head is 100 square inches, so it provides a large area for clean contact.

Most lightweight racquets will have a more centered balance point, but because of the lightness of the SL 100 racquet, players can still generate a lot of topspin and fast shots. However, these shots will not have quite the same power as slightly heavier racquets.

This frame come in grip sizes 0-4.

All in all this is a wonderful frame for any beginner and most preferred racquet for high level U 10 players.

The crème de la crème of tennis balls. Wilson US Open tennis balls are considered among a lot of tennis players to be the best tennis ball on the market. Whether you pick the Wilson us open regular duty ball or extra duty ball, both variations are top notch.

This high-quality ball is known to be used in most pro level events across the USA and belong, as well as most high-level junior tournaments. The ball gives of a precise bounce and a crisp feel on the contact point. It holds its integrity for a long time, allowing players to enjoy the game to its fullest.

There are some differences between the Regular Duty and the Extra Duty balls, which most recreational players are not aware of.

The Regular Duty ball, commonly referred to as women’s ball is a bit lighter and feels like it has less fuzz. And if that isn’t true, I can at least with some certainty say that the fuzz wears off faster than the extra duty ball. This ball feels lighter on the impact and seams to travel through the air faster with a slightly higher bounce. Lots of female athletes prefer this ball since it feels easier on the shoulder and the hitting arm.

The Extra Duty ball, commonly referred to as the men’s ball, is heavier and feels thicker with its fuzz fluffing up more and thus makes you think that the ball is bigger. In my opinion the extra duty ball has longer longevity then the regular duty ball, and this might be the reason it is more broadly preferred amongst clubs and recreational tournaments. Also, in sporting goods stores you will rarely find the Regular Duty ball in stock, especially if you specifically want the women’s ball. It’s best to order it online.

These tennis ball rock! Enjoy your game.

The Yonex Polytour Pro string seems to be the most popular amongst all Yonex string.  This string provides a lot of comfort, it is great for players with all swing speeds. It provides a great amount of control and durability through its monofilament core and polymer polyester finish.

While the packaging shows lower on the spin scale, I would like to add that the amount of spin that can be put on a ball are more attributed to the players technical abilities and style as well as the racquet frame. The string holds up the tension well and doesn’t need to be restrung very often. If players do not break string on their own, I would recommend for recreational players to restring about every two months.

The Polytour Pro string comes in different diameters (gauges): 1.15mm (18g), 1.20mm (17g), 1.25mm (16Lg), and 1.30mm (16g).

The thicker the string, the more durability it will have. The thinner the string the more spin and more responsive feel it will have.  Most commonly chosen is the 1.25mm diameter as it provides the most sought out attributes: comfort, control, and durability.

While I personally would love to play with 1.20mm, this would mean for me the string would break very often making it less cost effective. The 1.25 still is a wonderful choice and I get more life out of the string.

Throughout my Career I have been using Yonex racquets mostly switching back and forth between the Ezone and Vcore models. The racquets tend to improve from year to year as Yonex is always looking to stay on top of the game.

Over the last decade I have been leaning more towards Ezone model as it would provide a more comfortable feel for me. Specifically, the Ezone 98 model is a frame that can be used by very broad audience from the highly skilled pro players on the ATP and WTA tour to your recreational Club player or a competitive junior player.

Its weight is 305g swing weight which gives it a nice and solid feel when you strike the ball, and minimal vibration. Especially with Yonex isometric racquet head shape which provides and increased sweet spot, players can have very controlled and precise shots. The balance on this racquet is set to be at ___. Which mean more weight is shifted into the handle of the racquet.

I personally like this, because it allows me to accelerate the racquet head faster and be quicker with my swings and wrist. It takes a little bit away from the Power of the racquet, however, I make up for it by having the ability to initiate and swing faster, which in turn allows me to generate more topspin.

This racquet comes in grip sizes 1-4. My recommendation for this racquet would be for competitive kids ages 12 and up, any recreational players ages 15 and up, though some aspects of the players game style need to be considered when choosing the perfect racquet.

This racquet pairs very well with the Yonex Polytour Pro strings.

The Gamma Cart is a must have for every independent tennis coach. It is easy to carry it to practice on your shoulders. While the legs are in a separate bag from the balls, you can choose when you need the ball bag only or when you need the legs as well.

Super easy to open and collapse the rolling legs. If there is a paved walkway, a good option is to unfold it and put it ready for use before getting on the court, as it is easy to push or pull over even ground. It is possible to buy the legs and the ball basket separate, in case one of them would need a replacement.

The basket holds up to 150 tennis balls, which is a great number for training alone or in a small group. This Cart is highly chosen amongst private coaches and more and more noticeable on court amongst parents working with their own kids and even recreational players.

The EZ Travel Cart Pro comes in 250 ball capacity.