Racquet Review: Yonex EZONE 98 Tour

• Price: $305
• Head Size: 98 sq. in.
• Length: 27 in.
• Weight: 11.7 oz.
• Balance: 4 pts. HL
• Swingweight: 334
• RA Rating: 62
• Beam Width: 23.8 mm / 24.5 mm / 19.5 mm
• String Pattern: 16x19

What’s New

The top of the EZONE’s hoop has been made slightly wider and thicker. This increases the racquet’s power and enlarges the sweet spot. Changes to the layup also increases the racquet’s flex at impact compared to the outgoing model for greater ball pocketing and longer dwell time. A completely new material, Minolon—a soft, smooth, net-like structure made from bagworms—has been added to throat. Combined with the VDM dampening mesh within the handle, it gives the frame an even cushier, more arm-friendly response.

What Works

The EZONE 98 Tour is a big hitter’s dream. Compared to the standard 98, the Tour adds 10 grams to the scale with the weight balance shifted more towards the head. The result is a heftier feel and additional swingweight that makes it more ponderous than its lighter, nimbler sibling, but it benefits the racquet in a couple of attractive ways.

First, it soaks up pace like a cornflower-colored sponge. The racquet is an absolute rock when deflecting incoming heat, sending back hard-hit serves with nothing more than a jab swing. And second, the promise of delivering more punishing shots of your own. The thickening of the top of the hoop has improved the response on the upper portion of the string bed—it's almost as if there's a second sweet spot. If you find the EZONE 98 lacks some muscle when trafficking in the faster ball speeds of advanced circles, the Tour version is all brawn.

Many frames with similar labels in this weight class (315g unstrung) tamp down the power with a smallish sweet spot, and shift the focus to greater command. That’s not the case with this EZONE. It lives up to the line’s heritage of doling out easily repeatable ground strokes with serious pop. With its weight, balance and swingweight, it naturally powers through contact for penetrating depth and plow through. The 16x19 string pattern offers plenty of spin potential to provide coverage and extra weight to shots. Control isn’t as pinpoint as other options in the category, but the racquet is by no means wild.

Serving in particular was a real treat with the Tour. It doesn’t have the easy acceleration of the standard model, but advanced players with long, fluid deliveries can get the weight moving up through the hitting zone to deliver piercing serves. Opponents are put on their heels by the pace and struggle to hit returns with any interest. The weight is more of an adjustment on kick serves, but if you generate enough swing speed the jump on the ball can be significant. It’s a real gem for the serve +1 crowd.

At contact the racquet offers a soft, comfortable feel with limited feedback. The new Minolon material added to the racquet amplifies the arm-friendliness if at the expense of some ball connection. The unusual beam shape variance of the Tour—thin in the throat, thick in the middle—also creates less predictability in the response. This makes it a bit more challenging to hit the in-between and finesse shots. However, it’s not hopeless when it comes to touch and seems like it could be more than serviceable in that department with increased repetitions.

At net the Tour doesn't budge. Some of the stability issues that can pop up with the standard model, particularly on balls contacted in the lower part of the hoop, are cured with the additional mass. Just get the frame in front of the ball, give the handle a squeeze and it owns contact. And the low flex in the throat offers decent feel on drop volleys and other clever tactics. Handling won’t be stellar in a quick exchange, but overall shouldn’t be an issue for its intended audience. At its heart the racquet has baseline tendencies, but can certainly function in all-court settings.

What Needs Work

Because of its weight distribution and unique nature of its variable beam, the Tour can feel clunky through the air. It’s less noticeable when there’s opportunity to set up and take a full cut, but it’s not nearly as smooth when rushed and technique is compromise. It helps to be fit and strong with lengthy, sound strokes. It also wouldn’t be the worst idea to add some weight to handle or a swap in a leather grip to give the frame a more head-light balance.

Similarly, it takes extra effort to put lots of topspin on the ball. It’s not a whippy frame and wants to drive through the ball. This works well for flatter hitting, but not as effective when needing spin for added safety on shots. Which can be an issue given the racquet’s robust power supply. Highly offensive players probably won’t mind, but steady counterpunchers may want to stick with the easier spin generation of the standard version.

The same could be true of more refined shot-makers. Compared to other frames in the category, all the dampening tech can make this one feel a little overengineered. There’s not a great deal of ball connection when it’s on the string bed, making it more of a challenge to manipulate shots.

Bottom Line

The EZONE 98 Tour is a beefy, powerful and comfortable frame for aggressive players who want to bully their opponents all over the court.