The Yonex control line VCORE Pro is now called Percept. It is the same mold, but a new layup. Here is our Yonex Percept 97 Review.

Yonex Percept 97 Review

The Yonex Percept 97 will most likely be the bestseller of the Percept line of racquets, similar to what the Pro Staff 97 is for Wilson. It is relatively user-friendly but still offers the control that the player demographic seeks. It also comes in at a low stiffness, which makes it a pretty arm-friendly racquet, but not one where the power or spin levels are specifically generous.

It’s worth reiterating the Percept line of racquets is for players searching for maximum control. Compared to the Yonex Percept 97H, the Percept 97 is 20 grams lighter and it feels like quite a whippy racquet.

When I tried the frame in Sweden earlier this year, it was closer to the average spec from Tennis Warehouse. This demo that I got from Tennis Warehouse Europe was lacking in mass in the hoop of the racquet. This resulted in a swing weight strung with Yonex Poly Tour Pro 1.20 at 303 SW. This is far too low to get any stability and power from the frame.

After adding about four grams to the head of the racquet, it played much better and shows why it is, and will remain, one of the best control racquets on the market. However, the quality control issue regarding swing weight is an issue that all manufacturers need to deal with. Most players are not used to customizing racquets and getting a racquet lacking the weight in the hoop will make the racquet a lot worse than it is. I wish that in some years, this simply shouldn’t happen for racquets retailing at around 250 euros or dollars.

Specifications

The average swing weight is relatively low and I think the racquet plays better around 320-325 strung SW. It remains fast to swing but then has more mass and plowthrough.

How does it play?

I said in my Yonex Percept video review that I preferred the stability and forgiveness of the Percept 100, especially when they both were uncustomized. But after adding some weight to the hoop, it’s a tighter race between them. The Percept 97 offers better control and a slightly faster feel than the 100. But the 100 allows more mishits thanks to the larger head and a higher power level. It all depends on your needs and wants. Both racquets are good overall, and I could switch between them relatively effortlessly.

So, despite being disappointed about the quality control issue and the low swing weight, I really enjoyed the Percept 97 after adding some weight. I will start playing them side by side in some match play and see which performs best for me. If you are the kind of player who gravitates towards smaller head sizes, the 97 makes sense. If you prefer getting more forgiveness and power from your racquet but still want better control than an Ezone 100, the Percept 100 is worth a demo.

Summary

The new Percept racquets are excellent. They are not far different from the VCORE Pro racquets, but play a bit more stable and with a slightly higher stiffness in the hoop without being harsh. I still like the 100 best for my game, but with some customization, the 97 is also a very nice racquet for the advanced player seeking control.