PRICE $209
HEAD SIZE 110 sq. in.
LENGTH 27.5 in.
WEIGHT 9.8 oz.
FLEXIBILITY Firm
BALANCE 3/10 in. head heavy
BEAM WIDTH 26-28 mm
IDEAL SWING Medium
NTRP 3.0–4.0FIRST TAKE:
One way to increase a racquet’s power is to build a stiff frame that bends less on impact and transfers more energy to the ball. Problem is, a stiff construction can transmit shock to your arm. This intermediate’s racquet is designed to avoid that trade-off.

COMPARE TO:
Dunlop 700G

HOW IT TESTED:
The light game-improvement M-Fil 7 Hundred is forgiving thanks to two soft multifilament materials, chromium and fiberglass, that Dunlop has incorporated into the head. That’s also where the racquet has extra weight. Although this reduces maneuverability, the frame is hardly a frying pan, so you shouldn’t have trouble reacting to volleys. At the baseline, the M-Fil 7 Hundred is powerful, but it has enough control for when you need to move your opponents around. You’ll find, as our playtesters did, that medium-length strokes produce the best blend of power and control, though you can take a longer cut and keep the ball in bounds if your technique is solid. The racquet’s sweet spot is big, and hitting with spin is easy. Just don’t get cute with the slicing, because truncated strokes will cause your shots to land short.

BOTTOM LINE:
If your performance curve is starting to decline, you would do well with this potent racquet.

PRICE $169
HEAD SIZE 95 sq. in.
LENGTH 27 in.
WEIGHT 11.9 oz.
FLEXIBILITY Flexible
BALANCE 9/10 in. head light
BEAM WIDTH 20 mm
IDEAL SWING Long
NTRP 4.5–7.0FIRST TAKE:
If there’s been a weakness in Dunlop’s racquets of late, it’s that some have tended to be jarring on off-center hits. The company has addressed this issue with a technology called M-Fil, which is shorthand for the soft multifilament materials used to make their new frames, including this advanced-player’s stick, easier on the arm.

COMPARE TO:
Dunlop 200G

HOW IT TESTED:
The popular Dunlop 200G is a flexible racquet for advanced players. This update has an even softer feel due to the addition of two materials, magnesium and fiberglass, in the head. While the construction requires you to take a faster swing to generate power than with the stiffer racquets that dominate the pro-shop wall, it also helps your feel on finesse shots. When you’re called upon to hit a drop volley that dies like a rotten peach, the M-Fil 2 Hundred has your back. It’s got a small sweet spot and it’s heavy, but the heft doesn’t become an issue until the third set, when you and your string-bean arm may resolve to spend more time in the gym. Although you might lose a little pace off your serve, playtesters said, control is never in doubt.

BOTTOM LINE:
It’s too demanding for most rec players, but it will appeal to high-level warriors who want a flexible frame.

PRICE $160
HEAD SIZE 98 sq. in.
LENGTH 27 in.
WEIGHT 11.3 oz.
FLEXIBILITY Stiff
BALANCE 1/5 in. head light
BEAM WIDTH 21 mm
IDEAL SWING Long
NTRP 4.0–7.0FIRST TAKE:
You may remember the wood Maxply McEnroe, named after the game’s former enfant terrible. Mac has grown up—sort of— and he asked Dunlop to build a graphite version that’ll help him keep up with whippersnappers like Jim Courier on the senior tour.

COMPARE TO:
Dunlop 200G

HOW IT TESTED:
Think of the Maxply McEnroe as three Dunlop racquets in one. It’s heavy like the 200G, has the mid-plus head size of the 300G, and is stiff like the 500G. These attributes give the frame a high degree of stability and power without sacrificing much control; the only issue was with the biggest hitters, who said that the stick had too much pop, often causing shots to land long. But for a stiff racquet, it has enough feel for touch volleys at net. Paying homage to its predecessor, Dunlop wrapped the handle in leather. The Maxply McEnroe is a throwback in another respect: It takes some muscle to bring through the strike zone. The heavy swing weight can make it difficult to generate racquet speed, and therefore topspin, with a Western grip. But if you drive through the ball with an Eastern forehand grip, your shots will have more sting.

BOTTOM LINE:
Stiffness and weight make it a good choice for older tournament players who want to hit harder.

Price: $219
Head Size: 113 sq. in.
Length: 27.5 in.
Weight: 9.7 oz.
Flexibility: Extremely stiff
Balance: 1/4 in. headheavy
Ideal Swing: Short to medium
NTRP: 3.0–5.0SALES PITCH:
The biggest, most powerful racquet in the Dunlop Aerogel line is designed to give a boost to players with compact, slower swings.

COMPARE TO:
Dunlop 900G

HOW IT TESTED:
Looks are deceiving when it comes to the Aerogel 9Hundred. Given its thick beam, large face, half-inch of extra length, and unusual V-shaped string pattern, you might think it’s simply a big-bopper racquet meant for folks who bunt the ball. While it will appeal to those players, the 9Hundred is more advanced than it appears. It generates plenty of pace off of short swings, but the ball doesn’t fly away if you go after a shot. And the open string pattern allows for plenty of spin potential on those bigger cuts. The Vibrocore System, which has been put in the throat to cut down on vibration, gives the frame a comfortable, solid response. Playtesters heaped extra praise on the 9Hundred’s huge sweet spot. And while it could be better for touch shots around the net, punching volleys with authority is not a problem.

BOTTOM LINE:
Club doubles players who like fairly powerful oversize racquets will find this to be a great addition to the category.

Price: $209
Head Size: 108 sq. in.
Length: 27.25 in.
Weight: 9.7 oz.
Flexibility: Stiff
Balance: 1/5 in. head heavy
Ideal Swing: Medium
NTRP: 3.0–4.5SALES PITCH:
A lightweight oversize that offers plenty of power without sacri? cing control.

COMPARE TO:
Dunlop 700G

HOW IT TESTED:
Although Dunlop is known more for its advanced-player racquets, like the 200 and 300 series, it may have a hit with the intermediate-level 7Hundred. It’s easy to swing, very comfortable, and packs plenty of pop without sacri?cing control. At just under 10 ounces, it’s certainly light, but the slightly head-heavy balance gives the frame some heft. Plus, by putting Aerogel, a nearly weightless but extremely strong material, throughout the frame, Dunlop is able to give the racquet some backbone without slowing down your swing. It’s a snap to pick up speed on your strokes, yet big cuts don’t cause you to mis? re. The racquet also has the new Vibrocore System inserted into the throat of the racquet, which acts as a shock absorber. Unless you’re so used to a vibration dampener that you can’t play without one, you really don’t need one with this frame, which is not typical of lightweight, game-improvement racquets.

BOTTOM LINE:
Players looking for controllable power in a very comfortable frame would be wise to test-drive this racquet.

PRICE: $199
HEAD SIZE: 100 sq. in.
LENGTH: 10.3 oz.(standard); 11.1 oz. (Tour)
WEIGHT: 10.8 oz.
FLEXIBILITY: Stiff
BALANCE: 1/5 in. head light (standard); 3/5 in. head light (Tour)
IDEAL SWING: Medium to long (standard); long (Tour)
NTRP: 3.0–4.5 (standard); 3.5–5.5 (Tour)SALES PITCH
The standard model is a lightweight racquet with plenty of power, while the Tour has more weight for added stability and control.

COMPARE TO
Dunlop M-Fil 4Hundred

HOW IT TESTED
Unlike previous 100-squareinch models, this one has a more tapered frame for easier handling and an open string pattern (16×18) to promote spin and controllable power. The standard model is a ’tweener racquet: It’s lightweight and comfortable yet has some of the versatility of a more demanding frame. The Tour 5Hundred, on the other hand, has extra weight, which will give those who can handle it added power and stability. (Dunlop is positioning the Tour as a rival to the popular Babolat Pure Drive.) Both 5Hundreds have plenty of power, particularly on the serve. Some testers found control to be an issue, mostly on the standard, where the lack of
heft can be a detriment to stability, especially at net.

BOTTOM LINE
The standard model has plenty of pop and forgiveness, while the Tour version should appeal to aggressive players who like to rip their serves and ground strokes.

PRICE: $199
HEAD SIZE: 98 sq. in.
LENGTH: 27 in.
WEIGHT: 10.8 oz.
FLEXIBILITY: Flexible
BALANCE: 1/2 in. head light
IDEAL SWING: Medium to long
NTRP: 3.5–5.5SALES PITCH
An ideal racquet for serious club players looking for slightly added comfort in a player’s frame.

COMPARE TO
Dunlop M-Fil 3Hundred

HOW IT TESTED
Say you’re a good player but you don’t want a racquet with too much heft and a tiny sweet spot. The Aerogel 3Hundred might be for you. It doesn’t have the control of a traditional player’s racquet, but it’s easier to handle and has a smaller learning curve. The addition of Aerogel, the world’s lightest solid material, provides stiffness, stability, and plenty of pop without making the racquet cumbersome and head heavy (the traditional way of beefi ng up a racquet’s power). This keeps the weight more than manageable, allowing you to take big cuts at the ball. If you’re a high-level player who must return big power shots, keep in mind that the frame can be unstable on off-center hits. Those looking for a little extra sturdiness might want a touch more weight, which makes the Aerogel 3Hundred a good candidate for some lead tape.

BOTTOM LINE
If you want a racquet that’s player-oriented, but you need more juice and less weight, this is an excellent option.

PRICE: $189
HEAD SIZE: 95 sq. in.
LENGTH: 27 in.
WEIGHT: 11.9 oz.
FLEXIBILITY: Flexible
BALANCE: 9/10 in. head light
IDEAL SWING: Long
NTRP: 4.5–7.0SALES PITCH
Designed for high-level tournament players who don’t need extra power but crave pinpoint control.

COMPARE TO
Dunlop M-Fil 2Hundred

HOW IT TESTED
The Dunlop 2Hundred series has always been designed with the most discriminating and talented players in mind. Though the latest version, the Aerogel, is more user-friendly than its predecessors, it’s no exception. It’s slightly lighter than the M-Fil 2Hundred, plus the addition of Aerogel (an extremely light and strong material) to the top and bottom of the racquet face enhances power and playability. Still, you’ve got to be able to handle the weight, provide your own pace, and routinely fi nd the sweet spot in order to appreciate this frame. Players who can will be rewarded with a consistently solid response from all parts of the court. Those who aren’t as profi cient with their mechanics should look elsewhere. Spin production is moderate, but that’s to be expected with a dense (18×20) string pattern. But free-swinging baseliners who appreciate knowing when they miss the sweet spot will like the frame’s feedback.

BOTTOM LINE
If you’ve got a big-time game, this racquet will measure up to your standards.