Breakdown

Groundstrokes: 8.2

The Phantom 100X 18x20 proved solid, dependable and accurate on groundstrokes. Our team found excellent control and a low power level, which allowed nearly all of our testers to hone in on what defines their various swing paths. Our resident counterpuncher, Mark, was able to make the Phantom 100X 18x20 functionally obedient after dialing in the string setup. He explained, “My first session with the 2024 Phantom 100X 18x20 was matched with a round, smooth polyester, and from the baseline I can say I liked it. For the second round, and the rest of this playtest, I used an edgy polyester, and I loved it. When the Phantom 100X 18x20 was set up this way I was able to easily grip the ball for creating topspin, and my backhand slice was as effective as ever. Combined with its hefty 320-gram weight and softer layup of graphite, this racquet felt like it was designed for directional control and absorbing pace from the baseline."

The Phantom 100X 18x20’s natural combination of heft and precision proved immensely satisfying for Chris during his testing. He said, "I liked the solid and very controlled feel of the Phantom 100X 18x20 2024 on groundstrokes. The dense string pattern made it easy for me to control the depth of my shots. I felt very comfortable taking a full cut at the ball and trusting my shot would stay within the lines. The grip from the stringbed was also perfect on my backhand slice. I was able to use the weight of the racquet and its controlled response to knife through my slice and drive the ball hard and low.The racquet's mass helped me find depth on my shots."

Michelle had to make certain adjustments to the Phantom 100X 18x20, but she found success with enough determination. She said, "I had the chance to playtest this racquet alongside the lighter, more open 16x19 string pattern, and I enjoyed this heavier, tighter pattern because it felt just a bit more solid and had a little more plow through. However, like the lighter one, it did seem to have a specific sweetspot that was a little demanding, and any ball that hit outside the sweetspot did seem to result in a tiny flutter. That being said, I use one of the most stable racquets on the market, so it's tough to compare anything to the incredibly stable Wilson Pro Staff RF 97. I think the thin beam also played a part in some stability issues. This was a good racquet to work on my cross court shots because I could really focus on my footwork and try to hit the sweetspot over and over and over again, but it was obvious this racquet did not come with much built-in power or spin. It was work to get a point going and rip a winner, and it took more patience to construct points, which isn't always my forte. I would string the 16x19 up with a tighter, dead poly, but that wouldn't work well here. I would probably go the opposite direction with a shaped thin string strung looser for more pocketing and some free power." 

Troy felt like he was able to lock in and trust this racquet not to hit long. He said, "With my first swings from the baseline, I found a nice mass to the Phantom 100X 18x20. The weight and maneuverability are right at that point where it has good plow through, but it still felt maneuverable enough for me and was never sluggish. For reference, I come from a racquet spec that is close to the Yonex Percept 97H or Wilson Pro Staff Six.One 95 v14 (about 12.3 ounces and roughly 330 swingweight). The Phantom 100X 18x20 has a very plush feel and good comfort, and the flexible frame design let me swing freely without fear of the ball flying on me. With the forgiving 100-square-inch head size and the nice soft feel, I liked stepping up to the baseline and taking the ball on the rise. I wasn't getting much in terms of added power, so I had to take the ball early and take my opponent's time away to be effective."

Volleys: 8.2

The Phantom 100X 18x20's unique blend of characteristics worked well for our testers during net play. The denser pattern allowed for great placement and precision, and the slice and spin capabilities of the racquet proved to be extremely practical as well. For Michelle, volleys required a good deal of intentionality. She said, "I enjoyed volleying with this racquet. I did feel like I had to stick my shots (echoing my comments on the 16x19), but I found a bit more access to touch and more confidence in hitting with finesse, as there was more mass behind the ball. There was loads of feel and lots of flex." 

Troy was also a fan of the Phantom 100X 18x20 up at net, despite a touch of instability when the best contact wasn't made. He noted, "My favorite aspects of this Prince Phantom 100X 18x20 2024 were the plush feel and the mass built in for stability. I had a lot of touch and feel for the ball, and when my opponents were hitting the ball hard at me, this racquet did a good job of absorbing the shock. My only slight knock was that there was a little bit of instability and a dead feel when I hit a volley a bit off-center. To help with that, I would likely add some weight to the hoop of the racquet at 3 and 9 o'clock. Besides that, this racquet didn't give me much help in terms of power, but it made up for it with its touch, feel and placement."

For Mark and Chris, the frame's inherent control made volleying extremely natural. Mark said, "I have to say that the Phantom 100X 18x20 was ideal for me at net! I didn't have to alter anything about my volley technique to produce effective volleys with this update in hand." 

Chris likewise noted how "the feel and control of the Phantom 100X 18x20 2024 was superb at net." He continued, "At impact, the sensation was very plush and comfortable. I was able to volley with a high level of accuracy with this racquet. I felt very connected to my touch volleys. At contact, the Phantom 100X 18x20 2024 offered a solid and stable response. I was able to relax and let the mass of the racquet do the work, which allowed me to focus on placing my volleys." 

Serves: 8.2

The Phantom 100X 18x20 maintained its superb control and placement abilities when our team stepped up to serve, but our testers had to supply most of the power themselves. For Troy, the mass and plow through of the racquet encouraged going after bigger serves. He explained, "As I have mentioned previously, there wasn't much help in terms of power. That said, the mass of this racquet did give me a bit more power and help on my flat first serves, at least compared directly to the Prince Phantom 100P 2024 that I also reviewed. The 18x20 pattern gave me a lot of connection to the ball, so I was able to place my serves and hit my spots with good precision and consistency. I was surprised by how well I was hitting my spin serves; I wasn't getting the easy arc on the ball that I do with a more open string pattern, but I could generate some pretty sharp angles."

Michelle was also pleasantly surprised by the spin she could achieve on serves with the 100X 18x20. She said, "I'm having a moment with these 18x20s on my serve! It's been so fun to be able to go all out on first serves and be rewarded. This racquet swings flawlessly up and over my head, and if my timing was dialed in, I could hit my targets and find successful first serves. The past few months I've just loved hitting first serves and leaning into my timing to make it all come together, and this racquet was one I enjoyed serving with. Second serves weren't as effective, so I added more pace than I normally would and leaned into some slices and body serves to be more effective. While this was a low powered racquet for me, I didn't feel as limited in this category when unleashing serves." 

This racquet struck a good balance of power and precision for Chris. He described, "While the Phantom 100X 18x20 2024 is a very controlled racquet, there was enough mass present to help me generate ample pace. I liked the way the racquet head went through contact, and I felt like I was hitting a decently heavy serve. I also liked the control I had on my slice serve. I was able to hit my targets with solid consistency, and I felt like I was serving to the best of my ability with this racquet." 

While Mark found himself having to up the power input, he ultimately found success serving with this racquet. He said, "The flexibility of the Phantom 100X 18x20 demanded a little more effort from me to get some decent pace on my serves, but even with less racquet head speed applied, a heavier ball was coming off its tight stringbed." 

Returns: 8.0

The Phantom 100X 18x20 2024 made returning an easy endeavor for our playtesters, allowing them to emphasize their preferred return style. Chris was encouraged by the variety afforded to him on his return. He said, "My confidence with the Phantom 100X 18x20 2024 continued on returns. I liked the plush and comfortable response. Again, control was excellent, and I felt comfortable going for aggressive returns. I quickly found the groove on my backhand slice return. I had fun slicing the ball low and angled to steal the advantage away from the server by giving them a ball they couldn't do much with."

Similarly for Mark, the slice options at his disposal proved too tempting to resist. He said, "No doubt, my half volley, chip style of service return was complemented by the Phantom 100X 18x20. However, the same weight that made the chip return easy to control challenged me when trying to hit a more offensive topspin service return."

Michelle found herself having to hone in on ball-striking for her returns. She explained, "The flexibility of this frame challenged me with my return. It's no secret I like stiffer racquets, but I love taking whacks at returns with an18x20 stringbed, and I appreciated the control, precision and low-powered feel when attacking. This racquet allowed me to focus on targeting more than anything, and I tried to put the ball specifically where I wanted it."

Troy noticed an uptick in effort required for hitting returns, but he was still able to make the racquet work for (instead of against) him. He said, "I found a nice solid and plush feel when striking my returns. I found decent depth on my returns from the mass of this racquet, but I felt like this low-powered response required me to step in and be aggressive. The 18x20 pattern worked well when I was taking a big swing on my returns and going for flat forehand returns; I could be really aggressive and rip my returns without fear of spraying the ball. I had plenty of touch and feel for those chip lobs that I like to use on my returns in doubles. The only downside was when I wasn't being aggressive or couldn't get a good clean hit on the ball; sometimes my returns were lacking depth and pace." 

Breakdown Summary