Tecnifibre TF40 315 16x19 Racquet Review

Groundstrokes - Score: 86

Deceptively fast for its weight, the Tecnifibre TF40 315 16x19 was easy to accelerate from the baseline and brought big-time spin with the new open string pattern. Chris appreciated the balance of the racquet. He explained, "The TF40 315 offered a nice, plush feel on my groundstrokes. With the updated open string pattern, the ball felt like it was sinking deeper into the stringbed for better pocketing and comfort. Along with the softer feel came a higher launch angle for easier depth. Despite the racquet being very head light and fast to maneuver for its weight, I felt like I was hitting a heavy ball. My thoughts were confirmed by my opponents, and I was often able to draw a weak reply or even an error when driving my slice backhand. I liked hitting topspin with this racquet as well. With a full bed of Tecnifibre Razor Code, I was able to get excellent bite on the ball for topspin. I found this an easier racquet to rally with, but when playing points, I missed the precision of the denser 18x20 string pattern. I was committing too many errors when looking to put the ball away with this racquet and found those errant shots to quickly disappear when I switched back to the 18x20 string patterns of either my TF40 305 or the Head Graphene 360+ Speed Pro."

Michelle loved controlling points and staying aggressive with this racquet. She said, "Hearing that Tecnifibre decided to go with an open string pattern for the heavier TF40 made me very excited to try the racquet. This update felt fast (in a good way) from the very first hitting session. I've been hitting a bunch of racquets that fall into this category of controlled power lately, and I really liked the response and the feel at contact off groundstrokes that I got with this racquet. The ball pocketed well, yet the racquet felt stable and firm. The response from the stringbed felt precise, and I was enjoying easy depth. My favorite aspect of this racquet off the ground was that it allowed me to hug the baseline and easily handle deep balls. Even if a ball was deep and pushing me back, I could accelerate and swing quickly through the ball without losing court. I also thought it was really fun to swing and sometimes even slap at balls on the run and turn a potentially defensive shot into an offensive winner. While there wasn't a lot of mass behind the ball, I never felt like my opponent was taking advantage of me. Instead, I felt like I could dictate points well with this racquet. When comparing it to the previous 18x20 version, I'd take the faster feel and the 16x19 string pattern and would even entertain the idea of customization. My one little critique - occasionally if I mis-hit or missed the sweetspot, the grip did swirl around in my hand and offered a tiny amount of instability, which is easily fixed with some weight."

Like Michelle, Troy couldn't wait to give this open pattern a try. He said, "For a 315-gram unstrung frame, this racquet maneuvered relatively easily. It felt solid on contact and didn't seem to get pushed around against hard hitters, so I could tell there was a decent amount of mass built into the frame. At the same time, the swingweight was very manageable, so I found this racquet easy to manipulate and whip through the contact zone. I also appreciated the new 16x19 pattern, which made for much easier spin and a higher launch angle. I loved hitting the forehand cross-court angle shot. The combination of the open pattern with that fast, maneuverable feel made it easy to find those angles. The 16x19 pattern gave me the added spin that I wanted from the previous version, but I still found plenty of control."

"Surprisingly maneuverable considering the weight of the frame, the TF40 315 16x19 whipped through contact," Sage added. "My biggest takeaway was that it remained stable despite having a significantly lower swingweight than I normally prefer. With that came the option to use angles, create smooth changes in direction, and hit a big forehand when I saw an opportunity. The open pattern gave me a high launch angle and great ball bite that I could use to dip my shots into the court. I also looked to use drop shots, since the ball felt like it hovered on the strings and gave me great touch. All those traits came together in a comfortable, arm-friendly racquet. I'll be using this TF40 315 16x19 long after the playtest ends."

Volleys - Score: 87

At the net, our team couldn't stop talking about the versatility of the TF40 315 16x19. Troy described, "This racquet felt solid when I went to the net, and it was also easy to maneuver. Typically, one of those traits will be sacrificed for the other, but in this case, I found the best of both. This somewhat reminded me of the old Head YOUTEK IG Prestige Midplus, which felt pretty solid and stable on the volleys but had a pretty low swingweight. This maneuverable, head-light feel made it easy to defend myself when the ball was being ripped right at me. It also made it easy to get the racquet in place during quick exchanges while playing doubles or dingles. I enjoyed the touch and feel; I could place the ball well, and I was getting plenty of feedback from the contact point. I might add a bit of weight to the hoop to create just a bit more punch on the ball and easier depth to my volleys, but overall I thought the stability was sufficient."

"The volley was one of my favorite shots to hit with the TF40 315," added Chris, who often looks to come forward. "I loved the blend of stability and maneuverability the racquet offered. It just felt right in my hand, and volleys quickly became a natural and almost subconscious behavior. I was able to place my shots well thanks to the very connected response I found on every shot. My deep punch volleys had some nice pace to them, enabling me to put the ball away cleanly. I loved the feel I found on my touch volleys as well. I had zero complaints with this racquet at net."

The TF40 315 16x19 also shone at net for Sage. He explained, "Volleys with this TF40 315 were crisp and easy to control, and the racquet gave me the stability I was looking for. I could feel the ball come off the strings, making placement super reliable. On the other end of the spectrum, if I wanted to drive the ball, I was equally happy with the result. The maneuverability gave me that split second of extra time that makes returning reaction volleys more effective. The racquet did want I wanted it to and didn't get pushed around at all."

Good things were happening to Michelle's net game with this racquet in her hands. She said, "This racquet felt crisp and precise at net. It got into place quickly and easily, and it held up against big hitters. While I noted some stability issues at times off the ground, it was not happening at net. There was good feel, good power and good control."

Serves - Score: 86

Our team agreed that serving was one of the TF40 315 16x19's strongest attributes. Sage found success with all types of serves. He explained, "This was one of the best serving playtests I've ever had. Something clicked during the first hitting session, and I never looked back. Flat first serves were firing down the T and to the body. My slice out wide had a lot of movement. Once overhead, the racquet was easy to snap through contact and had enough mass to generate big power and spin. The placement was top notch as well. This encouraged me to hit big second serves with confidence."

Everything came together on serve for Michelle. She said, "This was my favorite shot of the playtest. I felt really connected to my targets and appreciated how fast the racquet cut through the air. With a more open string pattern, I often assume I'll sacrifice precision for spin and power, but I never felt limited with my targeting here. Spin and speed were both available. Although I was craving mass in the previous version, the speed of this racquet did the trick and didn't leave me wanting anything more."

"I loved the control and spin I was getting on my serves," added Troy. "When aiming for the corners of the service box, this racquet provided me with a lot of precision, hitting my spots on a consistent basis. The relatively low swingweight and easy maneuverability allowed me to generate racquet speed without trouble. I felt like I could snap my wrist, flex and pronate with ease, so my flat first serves had some extra zip on them, and my spin serves were moving with a lot of action. I wouldn't say this is the kind of racquet for easy serve power, but then again, I was kind of expecting that based on the design (relatively thin beam, lower flex). I think this racquet is a great option for servers who rely on accuracy and utilize a lot of spin and kick on their serves. For those seeking easier access to power, I think the Tecnifibre TF-X1 would be the better option."

Chris found excellent racquet head speed through his service motion. He said, "I tend to prefer serving with heavier racquets because the weight helps me produce pace. Since this racquet has a decent amount of heft but is also head light and maneuverable, I was able to swing it quickly and put the mass to good use. The open string pattern provided some nice bite on the ball, and I was getting lots of spin. My serves were consistent and effective. I was generating ample heat, yet I was getting enough shape on the ball to arc it over the net and keep it well within the lines."

Returns - Score: 82

The TF40 315 16x19 provided controlled depth for our team on returns. The racquet's feel gave Michelle the green light to swing through with confidence. She said, "The one place I tend to prefer tighter string patterns is returning, thanks to that built-in control for my big swings, so I wasn't sure if I would find too much power in the 16x19 version. Luckily, that wasn't the case. The speed and stability of this racquet kept me in control of my return, and I could consistently rip balls to my targets. It was fun to step up against weaker second serves or kicks that sat up high and take an offensive swipe at the ball. The racquet also did the trick against tough body serves. I could stab shots and get them back in play due to how maneuverable the racquet was. I found that I could reliably open up the court with angles as well, especially in doubles."

Chris felt like he could target anywhere on the court and hit his spot. He described, "The TF40 315 didn't feel quite as fast and easy to maneuver as my TF40 305, but it did offer better stability and a more forgiving response. I liked the comfort the racquet offered, and the sweetspot felt generous. As from other areas of the court, I was able to generate spin easily. Both my slice and topspin returns were working well. I enjoyed doing some chip 'n' charge return plays with this racquet because I could place my chip returns well to help set up a put-away volley."

Sage was impressed with the TF40 315 16x19's balance of power and control. He said, "Returning was all about timing. Because the racquet came around so easily, I could tee off on the ball when I timed a forehand return properly. It was also maneuverable enough to recover if I was out of position. Still comfortable and forgiving in hand, I never worried about fatigue or discomfort. The way the ball exited the strings made me confident that I could place it effectively, whether on offense or defense. In other words, I had a great idea of where the ball was going to land as soon as I hit it."

While he thought the racquet's maneuverability and speed were top notch, Troy was left wanting more power. He said, "Once again, the control, feel and maneuverability were the aspects that stood out when returning serves. I felt as though I could be aggressive and attack serves without fear of hitting long. The maneuverability was a benefit when I was stretched out. I could flick the racquet at the ball easily and get the ball back into play. If I could take a decent swing at the ball, my returns were effective, but I did notice that control was the key factor. The overall power was somewhat minimal. If I didn't get a clean swipe on my returns, the ball was landing shorter than I would like. I was left wanting a bit more plow through on my backhand slice or chip returns; the ball just wasn't getting the depth or the court penetration I was hoping for. This is where I felt strongly that this Tecnifibre TF40 315 16x19 could benefit from some added weight near the tip of the frame. I was craving that higher swingweight that I have become accustomed to over the years from racquets like the Yonex VCORE PRO 97 330 and Yonex EZONE 98+."

Overall - Score: 85