New Yonex VCORE 2023 rackets revealed
The seventh generation of Yonex VCORE rackets have been unveiled, with the 95, 98 and 100 versions all making a return for 2023.
The rackets this year have a different frame shape to 2022, including different technologies. Despite the 95, 98 and 100 all having different qualities, they weigh about the same with the Japanese manufacturer keeping them all within a gram of each other.
The beam at the top of the racket head is slightly wider and thinner at the bottom this year, making the racket more aerodynamic. This allows players to increase their swing speed, as the frame moves quicker through the air.
ATP No.18 Denis Shapovalov is the line’s main ambassador and uses the VCORE 95, which he customises to fit his specifications.
The VCORE 95 is said to feel like an 'extension of your arm', allowing players to have more weight of shot.
For someone like Shapovalov, who has a lot of power, this is hugely beneficial as he can use the racket’s sweet contact point to help him create the type of form that enabled him to reach the 2021 Wimbledon semi-final.
There is also a plethora of players on the WTA tour who use the VCORE range, specifically the VCORE 100. World No.4 and WTA Finals champion Caroline Garcia is perhaps the highest profile of those players that endorse the line.
The VCORE 100 is more frequently used by female players, due to the power that the racket can generate. This racket has a larger racket head, and therefore provides a greater sweet spot.
The VCORE 98 is the other racket in the range, which is a sort of in-between the two. It is a good racket for players who have a lot of power, as it provides more control over shots.
A huge differential between the sixth and new seventh generation is the added spin. There is a new technology in the frame called 'liner tech' which elongates the main strings making them straighter, therefore giving more bite on the ball and more dwell time.
This is something that all of our professional tennis player testers picked up on. World No. 735 Alice Gillan, who currently uses the VCORE 100 sixth generation, was one of those,
“I really like the spin that it gives you, I have always used spin friendly rackets and I felt like this gave me more spin.”
Sahej Maker does not actually play with a Yonex racket and is currently using the Babolat Pure Aero Plus. However, he did like what he found when he tested the VCORE 100,
“I tried the Yonex 100 and it was like what I am more used to. I got a lot of spin with it and it gave me more control of the ball. It was also very flexible, and I was able to loosen my wrist easily."
Junior player Hayden Davey currently uses the sixth generation of the VCORE 98 and was impressed with the new upgraded version,
“It definitely had a lot more spin, I felt like I could rely on racket to give me that extra spin and power that I am not usually getting from my old version.”
The new Yonex VCORE range comes out on 13th January 2023, with the extended versions expected to come out later in the year.
Check out our full range of Yonex rackets
