Yonex Ezone 98 2022 Review

Over 2022, Yonex began updating one of their main racket lines – the Ezone. The weapon of choice for Nick Kyrgios, Naomi Osaka and Belinda Bencic, the Ezone is meant to be an all-around racket for all skill levels.

The Ezone is now in its 7th generation, providing plush comfort and effortless power. It can be a popular choice for club players due to its versatility, suiting most playing styles.

The New Ezone Rackets

GET THE EZONE 98 2022

From the Spring to the late Summer of 2022, Yonex released a new range of Ezone rackets with light, ultra-light and junior variants. The main ones were:

Recent developments in the construction of the Ezone include 2G-Namd² Speed graphite (carbon nanotubes in the throat of the racket), which give a softer feel and increased ball speed.

A new Aero Shape frame gives more flexibility, while a thicker beam maintains stability on contact.

Ezone Cosmetics

Compared with the 6^th generation of Ezones, the 7^th uses a darker pallet of blues as the primary colours, with a hint of shimmering turquoise to give it a classier look.

The lighter colours are cut with bold navy-blue lines as the turquoise fades towards the bottom of the frame. Small details like the fins at the base of the throat, and the angles around the frame, portend to speed and manoeuvrability, which we’ll get to later but give the racket a sharp, sword-like style.

I love the bright silver Yonex stamps that adorn the base of the frame and the butt cap with the brand’s signature green. Even the vibration-dampening mesh on the underside of the frame appears sleek, with a gently opaque cover that neatly covers the exposed strings.

The frame and throat have a matte feel that is nice to hold when volleying or changing grip, with no chance of slipping.

Altogether, the racket looks luxurious and precise. The main physical difference between Yonex rackets, in general, and other brands, is their “Isometric” or oval-shaped frames that are supposed to increase the sweet spot by up to 7%.

Specifications and Setup

As usual, excellent quality control from Yonex here, and when a racket comes out of their factory in Japan, it is invariable close to the target specs.

Where the Ezone 98 Fits Within the EZONE Range

The Ezone 98 racket for this playtest was strung with Yonex Poly Tour Rev, with a 1.30 mm gauge at 44 lbs.

First Impressions

Immediately noticeable was how plush and smooth the racket felt from the 2G-Namd² technology and dampening mesh.

Rallying from the back of the court was a dream, as my strokes were met with apparently little or no resistance while I made contact with the ball. This small change made me less drained as play went on since I was confident that I would not be tired from shot fatigue alone during lengthy exchanges.

The smoothness naturally encouraged me to follow through and make a complete stroke wherever possible. Yonex’s more prominent sweet spot from its Isometric frame also boosted confidence. Even if I didn’t make a full swing, enough power would come from the racket to keep me at the point without causing a shorter ball and making me vulnerable to my opponent’s attacks.

A slightly larger head size than what I was used to (95 in²) meant that I lost some accuracy and initially found it challenging to aim for lines or take more risks. But as time went on and I got used to the racket, I was able to make more precise shots. For most players, I wouldn’t suspect a 98 in² would cause a significant difference from what they’re used to in terms of accurate directional control and placement.

I particularly appreciated the flared grip at the bottom of the handle. More often these days, whenever I peruse tennis shops and browse the gear, I find new releases of rackets that have straight handles instead of flared ones.

For me, the flared grip helps control, as I can feel more of which part of the racket I am holding onto and which bevel my knuckle is resting on. This not only helps me slot into the proper grip for my intended shot but also provides more friction between my hand and the handle for greater energy transfer.

I have found in the past that straight handles can slip out of position easily, so the maintenance from Yonex of this type of handle removed any doubt from my mind that I could easily misfire the ball out of court.

Full Ezone 98 Review

Groundstrokes

The large sweet spot again provided reliable access to power in my groundstrokes. The oval frame also offered a stable spring bed, where I felt comfortable enough to hit flatter shots and topspin. On the forehand side especially, the amount of topspin generated was significant, partly thanks to the fins or notches at the base of the throat and the angled frame.

Similar to the Babolat Aero, these features help reduce drag when swinging through the air, resulting in more incredible racket-head speeds, which in turn means more topspin. During most exchanges, I could generate a satisfying arc on the ball because the racket was so manoeuvrable when I was on or just behind the baseline and had sufficient time. But if I received a short ball and had to use a shorter takeback, the oval shape felt a little cumbersome as I tried to get the ball over the net.

The access to punchy, flat shots was welcome on the backhand side, especially when attempting a backhand down the line. While I had lost a little accuracy, a topspin crosscourt backhand groundstroke was easy enough to aim, clearing the net’s height.

One area where the Ezone excelled was slicing. The wide frame meant I had confidence in making enough contact with the ball to impart the necessary spin to keep it low on my opponent’s side of the court. The racket would produce a deep backhand slice even if I stretched to make the shot. The angles cut into the racket’s throat, made it even more evident where I was holding it, and facilitated an efficient grip change.

Due to the racket being head-light and the little extra weight I was used to (+10 g), my wrist began to ache after 2 hours of play. To be sure, the comfort of the string bed was still there, but I had to limit the power with which I hit a little to avoid further discomfort.

Volleys

Nevertheless, a lighter head gave me considerable control over the racket when volleying, either punching the ball away for a winner or a Federer-like punch-slice volley that skidded to the surface on contact with the ground.

As with the groundstrokes and slices, even if I did not make complete contact, the racket’s sweet spot was forgiving and offered the necessary power to maintain dominance at the point. The feel was so smooth that part of me felt in the more delicate volleys and moments around the net; I didn’t have enough feedback for executing a drop-shot, for example. It was certainly doable, but the control I was used to was not there as much. A full volley was more straightforward to pull off than a gentle half volley in the forecourt.

Returns

On the return of serve, if I took a couple of steps behind the line and faced average ball speeds, the racket glided through the air and made a satisfying “thud”.

However, because of the lightness of the head, against faster-serving opponents, my shorter takeback did not produce the same result, and block returns often found themselves landing into the net.

I found many of my balls not making it over on the backhand side, especially where block returns are more common, especially with one-handed players. Either I would have to take a step back (giving more time to my opponent) to make a more leisurely return with topspin, or I would have to run around the ball and hit an inside-out forehand, which was not sustainable over time. My opponent would figure out what I was doing and aim for broader and wider angles when serving into the ad court.  

Serving

I can’t easily separate Kyrgios from his iconic Yonex racket when he’s serving, either being used to bomb down unreturnable aces or as an outlet for anger by hitting it into the ground.

Like his mix of serving styles, from flat, kick, slice and even reverse kick, the Yonex is a versatile instrument.

Not that I can yet do a reverse kick, but hitting down the “T” was a joy with flat serves, while again, the oval shape was wide enough to generate lots of spins when attempting a slice or kick serve.

Like the Head Prestige MP L I reviewed this time last year, the weight of the handle while I was in the trophy position, helped me sense precisely where the racket was when it was standing upright in my grasp and helped me angle the racket’s face to control where I wanted the ball to land accurately.

Who is this Racket For?

While the racket does indeed have some versatility, it does not outperform in every area. I would say the players who would get the most out of the racket would be sorted by playing style more than ability.

Any skill level would benefit from this racket – the smooth comfort and power are welcomed by all, especially if players suffer from or are prone to wrist, arm and shoulder injuries from repetitive strain.

However, the racket suits players who like to hit from behind the line and don’t come too far forward.

A measured groundstroke from any other racket with time for a full swing would turn into a powerful shot if executed by the Ezone.

Players who like to take the ball on the rise, come forward and have moments of gentle touch in the forecourt may feel the racket is lacking in some areas. But those elements are still not impossible to pull off.

Final Thoughts

I like the way the Ezone 98 initially plays. The easy access to power and its multiple offerings of topspin, flat and slice shots encourage tactical variation and experimentation from the baseline, vital for keeping matches interesting and your opponent on their toes.

The best feature has to be the comfort when hitting, as it feels so good to swing through the ball when you have time. But if you have to take a shorter swing or find yourself in the forecourt, the head’s wide shape can be challenging to manoeuvre.

The stable string bed makes for reliable hitting, and the large sweet spot also makes half-contacted shots turn out good, with enough power on the ball.

But, the strain on my wrist towards the end of play and the lack of touch regarding drop-shots made me wonder if the Ezone was the right racket for every situation.

Pros

Cons

Have you tried the EZONE 98 or other rackets in the EZONE line? Let me know what you think in the comments.