Racket review: Prince EX03 Warrior 100

 

Originally published on: 29/05/12 00:00

Name: Prince EX03 Warrior 100
Suitable for: Intermediate to advanced players
Used by: John Isner
RRP: £180
Head size: 100sq.in
Unstrung weight: 300g
Length: 27 inches
String pattern: 16×19
Balance: 32cm
Beam: 22-26mm

Hold off on the technical jargon – what will it do for my game?
“Your best defence is a fierce offense,” advises Prince, and this new for 2012-model certainly has the potential to put your opponent on the back foot. Easily the most powerful racket we tested in the advanced category this year, this is a beast of a frame when you really let go and should really come with headgear, chest pads and leg protection, not for the person who’s holding it but for the poor soul down the other end of the court. The 100-square-inch head, relatively open string pattern and a beam that widens to a healthy 26mm combine to offer a ball-busting racket. From the back it’s brutal, and up at the net equally intimidating so long as you don’t overdo it. Overheads melt into the open court and on serve you should be able to keep even the best returners on the back foot. Just one piece of advice: proceed with caution!

Go on then, give us the technical bit
Prince’s patented EX03 string technology liberates the string bed from restrictive, response-strangling grommets, allowing the strings to respond more freely – even at the outer edges of the string plane for balls you may hit off-center. The technology also provides a larger, more consistent hitting area.

In English? You will quite simply punish the ball. Boom.

Where can I find out more? www.princetennis.com

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