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With more than 15 years of experience as a professional tennis player, Boris Becker brings a new aspect to the game of tennis: his own line of racquets. As a co-owner of the Volkl tennis division, Becker’s tennis racquets utilize the famed DNX material for stability and the Sensor Plus technology for comfort. From the great mind of Becker comes the BB V1, a user-friendly racquet that focuses on comfort. The Oversize version of this racquet, with a 110 sq. in. headsize, weighing at 10.1 oz. unstrung, and an extra 0.6 in. on the handle, proved to be a solid racquet with great feel and stability during play.

Groundstrokes

From the baseline, the BB V1I could combine spin and power with maneuverability. With a 110 sq. in. headsize, the racquet has an even larger sweetspot than the mid-plus version and is very forgiving on off-center shots. I was able to return miss-hits with fairly good directional control so I would stay in the point. The comfortable response from the racquet was very nice as well. The lightweight of the BB V1 allowed for easier maneuverability and a faster swing, allowing me to generate more spin or power, whichever I chose. I got extra pop on my groundstrokes that allowed me to add more depth to my shots. The racquet was veryeasy to swing. With a livelier stringbed and larger sweetspot, slices and dropshots required some time to develop the feel for, but in the end I was able to manage. In terms of power, the larger sweetspot and lively stringbed added some power to my shots while still being quite controllable.

Volleys

At the net, the BB V1 maintained the same comfortable and solid feel I experienced from the baseline. Again, the larger sweetspot with its greater forgiveness and the lively stringbed combined to make this a good frame for volleyers. I added punch to my volleys while hitting with the racquet. Deep volleys were easy to hit and place. At the net, the clean and crisp response was very comfortable and easy on my arm. The maneuverability of the racquet allowed me to execute a variety of shots at the net, from drop shots to slices. Despite its lightweight, the BB V1 proved to be very stable and comfortable.

Serves

Serving with the BB V1 required some adjusting, but it did not take long for me to find a good groove. The maneuverability and lightweight of the racquet presented an opportunity to try a variety of serves. With the extra 0.6 in. length, I had a better reach on my serves, making it easy to generate spin and power. It was easy to mix up my serves to keep my opponent guessing. When I needed a big serve, the BB V1 supplied me with the power I needed, but it did take away from my control and placement of the serve.

Serve Returns

On returns, the BB V1 was a satisfactory performer. On the big serves, I was able to deflect them back to my opponent with fair directional control due to its forgiving headsize. The racquet was easy to maneuver, and the extra length helped a lot when reaching for the wide serves. On shorter shots, I was able to rip through them with spin and power with the additional head speed I could generate. When my opponent decided to rush net, angled passing shots proved to be a bit more challenging.

Overall

The Boris Becker V1 Oversize was a great performer from all parts of the court and impressed me with its great maneuverability and ability to generate both power and spin. I was able to produce a wide range of shots with the racquet with a solid response from each one. One of the most appealing characteristics of this racquet was the comfortable feel on all shots without tiring my arm. The BB V1 Oversize is definitely fit for a player seeking a forgiving racquet that blends both control and power, while providing great feel and comfort on all shots.

Reviewed by: Michael Tan

To purchase the Boris Becker V1 OS click here