Diadem Nova V3 Review

I have been testing the new Diadem Nova racquets and it’s been a nice experience. Here is my Diadem Nova V3 Review.

The Nova is Diadem’s power racquet, ready to compete with frames like the Babolat Pure Drive, Wilson Ultra and Yonex Ezone. You can find out more about power racquets in the Tennisnerd Guide. There, you will also find easy access and an overview of other racquet reviews.

We are always trying to help tennis nerds get better deals, and Diadem Sports now offers 15% off on all tennis products using the code TENNISNERD15. You can find other discounts on our Tennisnerd Deals page.

What is new in the Nova V3?

As they did with the new Diadem Elevate V3, the new NOVA v3 100 features the addition of Kraibon, a revolutionary elastomer commonly used in motorsports and aerospace engineering that dampens harmful vibration while maintaining the distinctive NOVA power.   

There is also the Flex Stabilization System (FS), which has been further refined in the NOVA v3 100 according to Diadem. They describe FS2 as follows: an innovative technology that utilizes a double rib structure within the frame, skillfully combining HMT Carbon and high-density foam in strategic locations.

Which Diadem Nova should I choose?

There are five Diadem Nova models, except the Plus version, which is longer (27.5 inches), they all have the same mold and layup. What differs is weight and balance. You can see an overview of all the racquets in our Diadem Nova V3 preview and see the specs there as well.

The NOVA v3 Lite is the optimal choice for a junior transitioning into an adult racket or players just looking for a player-friendly racket. The NOVA v3 Team is for intermediate players looking for a lighter, more maneuverable racquet that still offers good stability and power. The NOVA v3 is the racquet with the broadest appeal as it is in that standard 300-gram category, while the NOVA v3 Tour is the heaviest and more suitable for intermediate to advanced players that want a very solid feel and prefer heavier racquets.

How do they play?

We have tried the Nova racquets with a bunch of different players. The overall response was positive, with many being surprised by the combination of power and comfort. We believe the Kraibon is doing good work without making the racquet overly dampened, resulting in an impact where you can’t really feel the ball. The sensation on impact reminds me of the Pure Drive and Ezone combined. Somewhere in between, where you get the superior dampening of the Ezone, but a little crisper feel like in the Pure Drive.

Like most racquets in the power category, you get a good amount of responsiveness from the string bed in the Nova racquets. The ball comes off with a solid amount of power and a nice sound. You do need to put a little bit of shape on the ball to achieve control. The launch angle is not as high as with your typical spin racquet, though, which works for a flatter hitter like me.

The power level is not quite Pure Drive-high, but very close. The comfort is better, though and I think this is currently my favorite power racquet alongside the Ezone 100, but on a personal note I prefer the grip shape of the Nova, which is closer to a Wilson or HEAD TK82S.

Of all the racquets in the NOVA line-up, I gravitated the most towards the Tour model. It has a nice solid feel to it, but most of the weight is in the handle, so it is still maneuverable for its weight. This is a switchable racquet for me as I am trying to transition to more powerful racquets.

Summary

It’s difficult to find any faults in this Diadem Nova V3 Review. The racquets are excellent, the dampening works, the power and spin potential is there. The only area where I found myself struggling was at the net where, like with most power racquets, you don’t find the most refined feel and control. But this is a general issue in the category and something you get used to as you play more and more with the racquet.

Some players might find the racquet a bit too dampened as is also the case with many Yonex racquets, but most will appreciate the comfort. Other players will find the racquet too powerful, but that is just the nature of the this type of racquet. But if you learn how to tame and control the power, you can really dominate your opponent with the Nova 100 V3 racquets.

It’s a very impressive review. Two thumbs up for me.

Ps. Remember to use the discount code TENNISNERD15 for 15% off if you consider purchasing tennis products from Diadem’s official website. Ds.