Breakdown

Groundstrokes: 8.6

At the baseline, our team instantly found that the overall playability of the Clash 100 Pro v3 combined the best features of both the original and the second version. Chris explained, "I got the sense the frame was flexing and breathing more similarly to the first Clash Pro, which is a feel I enjoy. I also like that the more controlled 16x20 string pattern of the second version has remained because it gives me a better connection to my shots. I liked the blend of maneuverability and stability I found from the response of this racquet. I was able to snap the racquet through contact to inject some pace to my shots, and I really enjoyed the way the racquet responded. It was the same story with spin. I not only found ample spin to help me control my shots, but I was also able to find lots of spin to bend the ball around a net player, to dip an angle inside the lines or to get a knifed slice skidding nice and low."

Initially, Michelle was told this racquet might not be the best fit for her swing style and speed, so she wasn't sure what to expect from the playtest. However, she was feeling pretty confident after her first session with it. She said, "I was instantly brought back to the very first time I hit a Clash racquet, and all the fun I had with the pocketing, the swing sensation and crafting points. I would say this racquet works for long, fast swings, but if you have a more vertical (upward, modern) swing, it might not work as well. The Clash 100 Pro v3 was simple to swing at any speed, and I found quick and easy depth, good targeting and access to all the angles I wanted, which I miss when using heftier racquets like the Wilson Pro Staff RF97. There was also enough plow-through power and mass to end points quickly and attack with authority. I was a bit in shock to be honest, and after several playtest sessions I checked the swingweight. I was happy to find it right where I like it, around 330. I think some of my colleagues thought I was joking, but the Clash 100 Pro did everything really well for my game. I could absorb pace, I could add pace, I could change directions, I could attack, I could defend, I could slice, I could flatten balls out or add tons of spin! Coming from the demanding RF97, it was a nice change of pace to find such a forgiving racquet that still let me dictate points."

"I would say the overarching theme with the Clash 100 Pro v3 was how easy and comfortable it was to play with," added Troy. "There is a big sweetspot, and the feel is very plush and comfortable. Considering how flexible this racquet is, I was surprised to find easy access to depth and power. I wouldn't say the Clash 100 Pro v3 is quite as lively as the Babolat Pure Drive, but it provides easier power than racquets like the Head Speed MP. I enjoyed the 16x20 pattern on this Clash 100 Pro; with the power level and very dampened feel, the slightly dense stringbed gave me back some control and feel for the ball. I found a good blend of topspin and slice capabilities. If I had a knock on this racquet, it would be that I felt like it was lacking a bit in the feedback or feel for the ball, and I wanted a bit more precision. From the baseline, this racquet was great to rally with, and I enjoyed counter-punching with it, but I didn't always feel confident when attacking or hitting close to the lines."

Munish found the best results at the baseline by focusing on his spin. He described, "The Clash 100 Pro v3 comes loaded with a lot of power. At the baseline, I felt like I had more success whipping up through the ball to generate more spin rather than just plowing through the ball with a flatter stroke. By the end of the first week of playtesting, I was hitting a lot more spin than I usually would. The racquet is quite stable thanks to its weight, but that doesn't take away from the maneuverability. I can still whip the racquet around to get ample spin. This was very new for my game style; the free power and whippy nature allowed me to get more crafty with the ball. I was hitting drop shots and wider angles from the baseline, which was fun."

Volleys: 8.1

When it came to volleying, our team liked the easy power, big sweetspot and comfortable feel the Clash 100 Pro v3 provided. However, Troy wanted a bit more mass built into the racquet when facing big hitters. He said, "I know this is the heavier Pro model and the heaviest racquet in the Clash line, so the mass and the stability were good for the most part. However, it did still feel a bit light for my taste. Against hard hitters, I wanted more beef for some added stability (for reference, my Yonex EZONE 98+ is weighted up to about 12.3 ounces and a 340 swingweight, so I am used to a heavier spec). For the most part, I enjoyed using this racquet while playing doubles because it was easy to maneuver when volleying, and I appreciated the comfort and plush feel on my wrist. The feel was on the muted side, so I could still hit my drop volleys, but I didn't feel as connected to the ball as I do with a racquet like the Wilson Blade Pro 98 16x19 v9."

On the other hand, Munish thought the Clash 100 Pro v3's weight made for a great balance of speed and stability. He said, "I was able to take on some really fast shots up at the net with ease because the weight gave the racquet a lot of stability, and the racquet was still maneuverable enough to get ready for the next shot. Again, I had to be mindful of the power level because I found myself hitting drop volleys that sometimes would sit a bit too high in the air, which gave my opponent a chance to hit a passing shot."

Michelle continued to find the fun (sometimes maybe a little too much fun) when she took this racquet to the net. She explained, "Swinging volleys were always tempting; this is the one spot I felt the racquet sometimes got ahead of me. I would get a bit excited and overhit, but they were sure fun to swing at! I could also volley with touch. Although there isn't a ton of traditional feel from this racquet, there is a lot of dwell time, which let me hold the ball on the strings and drop balls over the net. It was stable and maneuverable against big hitters, and it was fairly simple to place first volleys deep."

Chris played a lot of doubles during this playtest, and the Clash 100 Pro v3 was a willing partner at net. He said, "I found enough power to help me put volleys away. Getting depth on my volleys was also easy, and I was able to keep volleys deep even when I had to hit off balance. I found decent feel on my touch volleys. I was able to cut a nice angle and get ample underspin to help get the ball to drop out of my opponent's reach."

Serves: 8.8

Our playtesters continue to tap into that easy power and spin when serving with the Clash 100 Pro v3. The racquet's forgiving nature made for successful serves for Michelle, who said, "I was swinging freely and enjoyed going for big serves with this racquet. I had that slingshot sensation from the baseline, and it was similar on serves. If my timing was right, my serve just came together perfectly! Kick serves were really fun to hit, as well as sliders and slices. Even if I felt a bit off with my toss, the racquet was so forgiving that I could manipulate it last-second to still do what I wanted to do, and the ball would go in."

Troy found better-than-average power paired with effortless maneuverability when serving with the Clash 100 Pro v3. He described, "I could pop flat first serves easily, and the maneuverability factor made it simple to execute slice and kick serves. I wouldn't say this racquet was a spin monster on my kick serves, but the 16x20 pattern felt controlled and predictable. The control was good; when I attacked the ball with pace and spin my serves were landing in the service box with good consistency. I didn't feel super precise with my targeting like I do with the Wilson Ultra Pro 16x19 v4, but I was content with how well I could control and place my serves."

Serves were the part of this playtest where Munish felt the most in control of the power this racquet offered. He said, "I could place the ball wherever I wanted and hit whichever type of serve I wanted. I was able to hit some of the most ridiculous kick serves with this racquet. The spin potential and power make it an amazing weapon."

Like the rest of the team, Chris found reliable pace and spin on his serves. He said, "My serves had enough arc to clear the net comfortably, yet drop well inside the lines thanks to the spin I was able to generate. My flat serves felt controllable too, which is not the case for me with every racquet. While I usually like something a little heftier to hit my biggest serves, I liked the comfort level this racquet afforded because it never felt tiring during long service games."

Returns: 8.7

The Clash 100 Pro v3 was easy for our testers to maneuver when hitting returns. Directing returns off first serves wasn’t too difficult for Munish. He said, "Because of the power, I was hesitant to try anything too risky when returning. To get the ball back deep and center, I used spin and made sure to clear the net with a good margin, and I was able to neutralize my opponents’ serves and stay in points more frequently than not because of this. Attacking second serves was much simpler since I could use the racquet's power to forcefully return the ball."

Michelle felt like she had a whole arsenal of returns available to her with the Clash 100 Pro v3 in her hands. She said, "I really enjoyed alternating between hitting angles and drilling returns through the court. Or, if I was facing a bigger server, I could add a bunch of arc to the ball and get myself back into the point with a good offensive return. I know I have said it a few times, but it was just fun to rip balls and see them go in! The RF can be so demanding at times that it was a nice break to swing and consistently find success."

Chris could take returns early and redirect the pace of the incoming serve with ease. He said, "I was very happy with the pace, spin and control of my forehand returns, and I felt like I was hitting a decently heavy return. On my backhand side, both my slice and topspin returns were working well. Again, I was getting ample spin to let me return aggressively while still being consistent."

Similar to his experience with volleys, Troy thought the racquet was easy to use, super plush, and comfortable on returns, but he still wanted a bit more plow through. He explained, "I would say I returned well with this racquet for the most part. I liked being aggressive on my returns because the soft feel and big sweetspot made the Clash 100 Pro v3 very forgiving. The 16x20 pattern let me hit hard and flat (much of the reason I think Michelle loved this racquet), and I never felt like the ball was launching sporadically. The racquet held up well when I faced big servers, but I think with a bit more weight it would play more to my liking, giving me that added plow through and stability against big servers. With some added mass for plow through, it would offer me more confidence on my slice returns, as well as my chip backhand lob (my bread 'n' butter in doubles)."

Breakdown Summary