It’s that time of year again. For those of us in the colder climes there’s a gradual thawing in the air bringing the promise of warmer temperatures. The clocks get pushed forward, a crippling evening for those short on sleep, but the extra sunlight is a welcome result. Yes, we’re creeping ever closer to Spring. Soon we’ll be able to take our games out from under the harsh, flickering fluorescent bulbs of indoor venues and relocate them to the more pleasant confines of natural light. Perhaps the move is purely symbolic, but for many it’s the start of a new tennis season.

This is also the occasion when we make our tennis resolutions. We’ll cut down on unforced errors, attack net more, incorporate a slice backhand, or finally master that kick serve. Those looking for an entirely fresh start may even decide now is the time to get a new racquet. If you need help deciding, in the April issue of TENNIS we reviewed 15 of the latest models in our Spring Racquet Guide, which you can also find here. Below are evaluations of three racquets you’ll only see on this website.

I’m curious, are many of you in the market for a new racquet? If yes, let me know which of this season’s sticks are you’re excited to read about it and potentially take for a test drive.

Dunlop 4D 5Hundred

Price: $179
Head Size: 100 sq. in.
Length: 27 in.
Weight: 10.3 oz. (standard); 11.1 oz. (Tour)
Flexibility: Stiff (standard); Very stiff (Tour)
Balance: 1/10 in. head heavy (standard); 2/5 in. head light (Tour)
Swingweight: 285 (standard); 315 (Tour)
Ideal swing: Medium to long (standard); Long (Tour)
NTRP: 3.0-4.5 (standard); 4.0-7.0
Compare to: Dunlop Aerogel 5Hundred

How It Tested: There’s nothing overly subtle about the 4D 5Hundred. If you really like to crack your serves and go after your ground strokes, it has a lot to offer. The low swingweight on the standard model makes it easy to generate a lot of racquet head speed, and when combined with the open string pattern (16-by-18) it’s very inviting for putting spin on the ball. The racquet has a touch more weight in the head than it’s predecessor giving it a bit more juice, while still maintaining a reasonable level of control. The balance also helps with stability as does the 4D Braiding, strong aluminum pieces placed at four strategic spots on the face to prevent twisting. With almost an ounce more in weight, the Tour version provides more stability and absorbs more shock than the standard, something that appealed to the more advanced playtesters. Some felt, though, that the stiffness and power of the frame took away from their ability to hit touch shots.

Playtester Comments: “Could hit deep without a ton of effort”; “Able to get more pop off my serve”; “Struggled to control angled shots.”

Bottom Line: If your style is to stand at the baseline and let it rip, you’ll want to take this racquet for a spin.

Prince EXO3 Rebel Team

Price: $180
Head Size: 95 sq. in.
Length: 27 in.
Weight: 10.6 oz
Flexibility: Flexible
Balance: 1/10 in. head light
Swingweight: 315
Ideal swing: Medium to long
NTRP: 3.5-5.0
Compare to: N/A

How it tested: The Rebel Team is a much lighter, more user-friendly version of the new standard Rebel. In fact many of our playtesters, even highly skilled ones, found it to be more to their liking than its heavier namesake. It has the same midsize head and dense (18-by-20) string pattern for a nice measure of control, but the more manageable weight allowed for greater swing speed, giving it a good deal of pop on ground strokes and serves. With the tight pattern, though, it can be a little challenging to put spin on the ball, so players won’t get much help in that department. The nearly even balance gives the frame more substance at contact than you would expect from a relatively lightweight racquet with a smallish head size. That comes in handy at net where playtesters found a solid response, making the Rebel Team an all-court performer.

Playtester comments: “When needed, you can really generate an awesome amount of power”; “Minimal loss of stability on off-center shots”; “Good base for customizing”; “Difficult to generate spin on serves.”

Bottom line: Has everything for the talented junior who’s not quite ready for the demands of a heavy player’s frame.

Yonex RQiS 1 Tour XL 100

Price: $230
Head Size: 100 sq. in.
Length: 27 in.
Weight: 10 oz.
Flexibility: Firm
Balance: 3/10 in. head heavy
Swingweight: 295
Ideal swing: Medium to long
NTRP: 3.0-4.0
Compare to: RQiS 2 Tour

How it tested: The Aero Shape technology in the RQiS 1 Tour XL 100 gives the frame a thicker profile in the head and a thinner, more flexible shaft to promote better power without sacrificing any spin or control. Playtesters certainly found a high level of power with this racquet, and a comfortable response on shots hit in the sweet spot. Serving was particularly noteworthy as many testers felt they could crack huge bombs with this stick. Putting a decent amount of spin on your shots was also not a problem, but control from the baseline wasn’t quite as reliable. Volleys, on the other hand, were much more dependable and drew the highest praise. At exactly 10 ounces it’s lightweight and easy to handle, yet the head heavy balance gives the racquet plenty of backbone. If you make contact off-center there can be a bit of twisting, but otherwise it’s not a problem.

Playtester comments: “Easy to play with”; “Large sweet spot with a comfy feel”; “More stability at net than the baseline”; “Couldn’t anticipate what my shots were going to do at the baseline.”

Bottom line: Control could be better, but intermediate doubles players will really like serving and volleying with this frame.