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Dunlop Maxply McEnroe

Dunlop Maxply McEnroe  
Maxply McEnroePRICE $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 4.0–7.0
FIRST 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.

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