Introducing the most control-oriented member of the Percept family
With the Percept 97D, Yonex adds another chapter to its most classic player's racquet (the VCORE PRO 97D). Featuring a control oriented 97in² head and a dense 18x20 string pattern, the Percept 97D gives intermediate and advanced players the ability to hit an extremely accurate ball. It also packs a flexible 21mm beam, giving it phenomenal ball feedback. Although it has a near 12 ounce static weight, this racquet's head light balance keeps it fast enough for whipping up spin or reacting quickly in the front court. Notable features include an elongated shaft to enhance pocketing, flexibility and control, along with a stiffer racquet face for extra stability and power. To help with comfort, Yonex adds a Servo Filter, which utilizes a thin elastic layer in the shaft to filter out harsh vibrations. Similar to its predecessor, this racquet's graphite layup is enhanced by 2G-NAMD Flex Force, a material technology that enables the frame to flex optimally upon impact. Ultimately, with some incremental updates to the frame geometry and feel, the Percept 97D continues to be an obvious option for players who want maximum control and feel.
Specifications
| Head Size: 97 in² / 625.81 cm² | ||||
| Length: 27in / 68.58cm | ||||
| Strung Weight: 11.9oz / 337g | ||||
| Balance: 12.59in / 31.98cm / 7 pts HL | ||||
| Swingweight: 329 | ||||
| Stiffness: 62 | ||||
| Beam Width: 21mm / 21mm / 21mm | ||||
| Composition: NAMD-2G/H.M.Graphite | ||||
| Power Level: Low | ||||
| Stroke Style: Full | ||||
| Swing Speed: Fast | ||||
| Racquet Colors: Mint | ||||
| Grip Type: Yonex Synthetic | ||||
String Pattern:
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| String Tension: 45-60 pounds |
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Customer Reviews
Outstanding control, power, and precisionI have been searching for that perfect balance between control and precision and power and the Percept 97D has nailed it. This racquet has the control and precision of the Head Prestige Tour blended with the right amount of power similar to the Ezone but with more control. It volleys great and is just an overall outstanding players racquet. I opted to try the Toroline K-Pop as others have said it's similar to Hyper-G, which was my previous string of choice. I really like the feel and can confirm its similarity to Hyper-G but feel that the K-Pop lasts a bit longer in terms of snap back. If you're looking for the great blend of control, precision, power, and all court playability, I highly recommend trying the Yonex 97D with the Toroline K-Pop. I'm 47 years old, tension at 54 pounds. No elbow issues with this full Poly bed.
Excellent racquetI used Yonex VCORE Pro 97D 320 for about 1.5 years and loved it. After demoing the Yonex Percept 97D, I feel that the new racquet is more solid, provides more power, and still feels comfortable to my arm. Yonex did an amazing job on improving this racquet model.
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.]
Percept 97 A+ Percept 97D A++This is a very good racquet. I was nervous about the 18x20 string pattern but it great. I also have the 97 Percept which has a lot of control as well. The 97D has more control. 97 is better for sliced serves hands down. The 97 also has more power to ground strokes & serves. Good control. Good volleys. The 97D is better for flat serves & kick serves. The 97D gives precision ground strokes, & nice crisp volleys. Even though I mainly use slice serve, for my play style and ability, the 97D is the better stick. The 97D has a lower launch angle it seems & I don’t hit long nearly as often as I do with the 97 or an Ezone 98 Tour. Plus it’s nice to have a more secure second serve. Side note the 97D is heavier & more stable. The 97 needs a bit of weight to help with stability at 9 & 5.
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.]
The best players' frame out thereControlled but still powerful, plenty of spin and feel. No real weaknesses. I've played with just about everything on the market, including the regular Percept 97, 97H, and the 100D. This is the best of those for me—97H is too unwieldy, the 97 needs customization to be playable (stock swingweight is simply too low), and the 100D is good but a bit worse for feel (higher RA) and needs just a bit more weight to be fully stable. I'd say that, besides the other Percepts, it's most similar to the Ezones (but with better spin and precision), the Technifibre TF40, the Solinco Whiteout 18x20, and the Speed Pro—all excellent frames—but the 97D is the best of the bunch. The thing that most surprised me was the spin. It's a very precise frame but it somehow doesn't really lack for spin in spite of the string pattern density (I think it's a matter of the wider spin grommets towards the outside and the open spacing at the edges). Feel is great, though it's probably the weakest part—I know of several other frames that feel more satisfying (first among these is the Blade Pro). If you've played with a Head Auxetic frame, this is a similar crisp (but not uncomfortable) feel. My arm is a bit sensitive and it's been plenty happy with the frame. Power isn't overwhelming but if you're looking at this frame, you should know how to generate plenty of your own. And since you're working with a dense pattern, you can always go down in tension and still maintain most of your control. Haven't felt the need to make any customization (which is rare—companies usually don't sell fully playable players' sticks). My background: 5.0 doubles specialist who likes testing racquets too much
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.]
Feels So PlushI previously played with the Ezone 98 which is a great racquet. However, I found myself over hitting too often as it provided easy power. Once I tried out the Percept 97D, I found my ball was instantly more controllable. I could apply spin to the ball while also keeping power in check with precise shots. It's very well molded to my game and it doesn't hurt that it looks exceptional as well.
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.]
Exceptional Racquet Best 18x20 in the Market!I recently purchased three matching Percept 97D racquets through Tennis Warehouse. They are exceptional and better than the previous models. More power, crisper and the same great control. I’ve had the Vcore Pro 97HD, the Vcore Pro 97D and now the Percept 97D. Highly recommend it. Yonex has great quality control compared to its competitors. Probably the best 18x20 currently in the market and has awesome spin despite the tight string pattern. Must be the head shape. Strings have good amount of spacing in between them. I strung mine with a 17g string. Hope this review helps.
New Go-To RacquetI'm an intermediate player and have played with Yonex rackets for about 20 years now. I tried out the lineup of new Percept rackets through the demo program and really appreciated the 97D for its stability and control. The other Percept models were great but this one stood out a bit for its feel of control. Only thing that maybe made me question the 97D model is that I usually play with a 310g racquet and this model only comes in 320g.
StunningThis is easily one of the best racquets Yonex has ever made, and also the best 18x20 stick currently on the market in my opinion. It actually doesn't feel like an 18x20 in terms of pop and launch angle, but, it still has all the control benefits of a denser string pattern. I'm not sure how Yonex did it, though I suspect it has to do with the overall spacing of the strings, particularly in the middle of the frame.
One thing that really surprised me is how maneuverable it is given its stock weight. It simply feels lighter, yet it's beefy enough to plow through just about any shot. It's really hard to compare this racquet to any I've hit recently. The closest I can come up with is the Head Prestige Pro (formerly MP), which had more power and spin. The feeling on contact is super plush without feeling soggy. Just stunning in all aspects. I would highly recommend demoing it.
Customized for plush ploughStrung with Solinco Confidential 18 gauge, the mains @47lbs and crosses @45lbs. At the next stringing, I'll try the mains @49lbs and crosses @ 47lbs for a bit more control.
In stock form with an overgrip this racquet felt pretty good, but too light for me.
On the second day out, I used four 5-inch strips of 1/4-inch lead tape @ 2 and 10 and extra overgrip to build up the butt cap grip flare a la Gasquet, but not as extreme. Now it weighs in around 12.2oz and feels very solid.
I was previously using the 1st gen TF40 305 18x20 leaded up with 12 grams on the handle and 3 grams total @ 4 and 8. It also weighs in at about 12.2oz and is very solid, but less head light than this custom Percept.
At the time, I was trying to get a slightly lighter and more comfort-flex racquet to replace my longtime 1st gen RF97 Autograph. And now with this customized Percept 97D, I seem to be even closer to getting that classic Pro Staff line of control, plush feel, and plow.
Precision with a kick!Being a VCP ‘19 H and more recently ‘21 D, I was hoping that the latest Percept 97D wouldn’t stray far from its roots. Fortunately it hasn’t and, much like the 97H comparison, is near 1:1 as far as all around playability goes. That said, the added firmness in the hoop may or may not be to one’s liking. If you prefer a flexier feel on contact, the ‘21 VCP 96D may be your choice. However, if you’ve liked the previous D’s but felt it could use a touch of firmness and a hair more pop, then the Percept has the clear advantage. Though still quite muted overall in feel thanks to Yonex’ Servo-filter technology, it’s quite similar to the outgoing ‘21 version. Where it changes is the added stiffness in the hoop. This aids in reducing excessive twisting at contact for a more direct response off the stringbed. It did take a little getting used to at first but once dialed in, all that we enjoy in the prior D’s come to for with that added little bit of zip and stability. Great off the 1HBH wing as I felt you could go after the ball. Whether top or slice, it compels you to go after and swing through the shot. The results are predictable with far fewer surprises as with say the more open patterned 97 & 97H. Percept 97D continues the lineage on style and substance!
