Review

Groundstrokes - Score: 85

Added length often means added power, and our playtesters found that the Yonex VCORE 100+ put some more juice into their groundstrokes. Tiffani explained, "This VCORE 100+ certainly delivered on the power front. The standard version felt quite powerful to me, and with the extra length, this version had even more power. I could easily hit with depth, and my shots penetrated through the court better than usual. Spin was easier to come by with the standard version, which I really noticed during point play. In pressure situations with the 100+ I hit the ball long more often, and I was having trouble hitting the cross-court angles I like to use to pull opponents off the court, oftentimes missing those wide. Still, it was fun to crank up the power during baseline rallies. I also appreciated that this VCORE 100+ felt quicker through the air than the previous version, and I didn't find myself getting caught late quite as often."

Also picking up on the improved maneuverability, Jason added, "I immediately noticed that this racquet was easier to swing and generate racquet head speed with compared to the previous version, but it's still not as whippy as I would've liked since the swingweight is still in the 330s. I found it very easy to hit with depth and power with this VCORE 100+ — sometimes a bit too easy, as I was overhitting more often than usual. I was a big fan of the racquet on my backhand slice, though."

Mark tends to enjoy extended-length racquets, and this VCORE 100+ fit his game well. He said, "My game plan is to change the direction of the ball, often maintaining or absorbing shot pace rather than increasing it. After 20 minutes of getting used to the way this racquet swung, the combination of the 3-points head-light balance, 333 swingweight, 66 RA and 11.2-ounce weight definitely catered to my style of play. Of all the extended-length frames available right now, the new VCORE 100+ allowed me to use the most variety, from flattening out a groundstroke to shaping my shots with lots of topspin and slice."

Volleys - Score: 84

With extra length comes pros and cons. On volleys, it means added reach and stability, but it can also make a racquet feel less maneuverable. With the VCORE 100+, our team enjoyed more positives than negatives. Mark described, "The firm but not stiff layup of graphite and the high swingweight offered great feel and comfort, even when I was at full stretch or making contact off center. For me, this racquet never felt clunky inside the service court, but it did offer a level of stability at net typically reserved for heavier racquets."

Tiffani got better results than she expected at net. She said, "I didn't struggle as much at net as I did with the previous version of this racquet. I usually struggle with longer racquets on volleys because it's easy for me to get jammed or hit the ball late. I enjoyed a more stable response at net with this racquet. I like to keep it simple and just block the ball back, and this VCORE 100+ was great for that style of play."

Although Jason prefers the baseline, he found success at net with the VCORE 100+. He said, "Even though it wasn't as quick and maneuverable as I would've liked due to the 330 swingweight, I did appreciate the pop and stability I found up at net. I thought it was easy to punch volleys and put away overheads."

Serves - Score: 86

The VCORE 100+'s extended length and considerable swingweight gave our playtesters a boost in power that really came into play on serve. Jason put it simply, saying, "Ah, the benefits of added length: added pop! I was definitely serving harder with this racquet than with the standard-length version. It took a little time for me to acclimate to the length, but once I did, this racquet felt good! I wasn't as consistent, but the results were better when I got my serve in."

This VCORE 100+ may just land on top of Mark's list for favorite serving racquets. He said, "I liked this racquet so much that it is difficult for me to decipher where I played the best with it. Out of several racquets I have played with lately that seem to complement my serve, the VCORE 100+ takes the cake. Similar to the effect this racquet had on my game from the baseline, I could also flatten out or shape my serves to consistently keep my opponent guessing."

Tiffani usually feels more comfortable starting points on the return than the serve, but that was not the case with this racquet. She explained, "The VCORE 100+ is the rare racquet that I prefer to serve with rather than hit returns to start off the point. This racquet just helped me amp up the power on my first serves. It wasn't all bliss, though. I wasn't as consistent with it, and I missed serves long more than I would like. Still, when I connected, I loved the pop I could get with this racquet."

Returns - Score: 79

Our playtesters had mixed opinions when it came to the VCORE 100+'s return-of-serve performance. This category is where Tiffani started to have a few issues with this racquet. She said, "Comparing it to the previous version, the new VCORE 100+ came around a bit quicker, so I didn't find myself late as often, which is a good thing. I struggled most with kickers up high to my backhand side, where I felt late and vulnerable with this racquet since I couldn't confidently get it around in time to take the ball earlier. Aside from that, I liked the stability and power this racquet offered."

Jason described his ups and downs on returns, saying, "I felt like I was overhitting on my returns more than any other shot. When trying to attack a return, I had to be very conscious of adding topspin to my shot for it to drop in. On the other hand, when chipping or slicing a return back, the easy depth and power made it really easy to get my shots to land deep."

It was all systems go for Mark, though. He said, "This was yet another part of the playtest where the weight and balance offered me the right combo of stability versus maneuverability. I have been relying less on a chip return and trying to improve my topspin return, and I probably have made the biggest gains playing with this racquet."

Overall - Score: 84