PRICE:

COMPARE TO:
Yonex RDX-300

HOW IT TESTED:
One of the knocks on previous Yonex performance frames was that if you’re not tour ready, you might want to look elsewhere. The sweet spot rewarded your effort, but discovering it on a consistent basis required a surgeon’s precision. This Yonex is a welcome break from that pattern. In fact, TENNIS racquet adviser Bruce Levine called the RDS-003 “the best stick Yonex has put out in a while.” Although the sweet spot still isn’t as large as some playtesters would have liked—you definitely know when you miss it—you don’t need to be a pro to find it, either. Soft grommets at the four corners of the frame help reduce the shock on off-center hits. The result is good control and generally a nice feel on ground strokes. There isn’t much heft at the top of the frame, so you’d better provide your own power on serves and ground strokes. But its headlight balance and maneuverability should make the RDS-003 appeal to players who like to frequent the net.

BOTTOM LINE:
Solid juniors or advanced seniors who take a full cut at the ball might want to give this frame a try.