Yonex EZONE 98
- Price: $279
- Head Size: 98 sq. in.
- Length: 27 in.
- Weight: 11.4 oz.
- Balance: 4 pts. HL
- Swingweight: 318
- RA Rating: 62
- Beam Width: 23.8 mm / 24.5 mm / 19.5 mm
- String Pattern: 16×19
What’s New
The top of the hoop of the Yonex EZONE 98 is slightly wider and thicker. This increases the power and—according to internal testing—gives it the largest sweet spot in franchise history. Changes to the inner structure 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—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
If you’re a solid player in the market for a new racquet and are unsure where to begin, the EZONE 98 is as good as any place to start. The racquet has gained an avid and growing following thanks to its combination of accessible power, forgiving playability and comfortable response. There are other frames that excel are delivering some of those qualities, but few capture all or do it as well.
This eighth and latest version further refines the winning formula. Yonex almost always does a commendable job of trying to inject new wrinkles into its frames, even when it’s as popular as this one. The updates here are evolutionary, meant to give the frame a bit more punch and a softer, plusher feel than the previous generation. But overall, the performance isn’t too dissimilar from the outgoing model, which isn’t a knock. For any current users, it should be a relatively seamless and enjoyable transition.
