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The Wilson K Factor line has been the leader in racquet lines in the past few years. This particular frame features the Karophite Black technology that increases the longevity of the frame as well as the stiffness, which is achieved through a tighter braid of fibers within the frame. This particular racquet is equipped with a light 9.9 oz unstrung weight and a 105 sq inch headsize. That being said, this racquet is a great choice for players that have a relatively short swing and a high control level.

Ground Strokes

I found that the stiffness of the frame really helps with the ground strokes, and allows for more control when rallying during match play. On the forehand and backhand, this beast permits easy access to power with relatively little effort whatsoever. The only problem I could see was that with all that power, you need to apply more spin, and maybe move your grip farther towards the western if you want to keep your game at the highest level. I seldom change my grip for my forehand or backhand - always semi-western, so it took some getting used to.

At the net

From the specifications, I wouldn’t have guessed that this racquet would perform well at the net, but it does better than I expected. Even though the frame was stiff, I still had to keep my arm more solid than usual. It wasn’t an amazing performer, yet it still played better than your average lightweight, oversized racquet. I still could hit my usual winners, backspin drop shots, or deep volleys out of reach or at their feet. I feel that urge to serve and volley, but I also did not hesitate to come in and finish points off.

Serve Return

When returning serves, I found that it was much easier to block hard serves back than with other racquets I have played with. I decided not to take full swings with this frame due to the high chance of over-hitting the ball. I did manage to sneak in a couple winners a set, not bad for my standards. There were no disappointments with this racquet, just improvements. I found I never really shanked anything during serve returns and pretty much kept the contact clean, even on my opponents hardest serves.

Serve

This racquet drips with power that can be harnessed on the serve (with some practice.) I first started hitting my serves wide or long until I could truly control my motion. I decided if I used a little more spin, I could make my efforts more worthwhile… and it worked. I did have to fight to hold my serve, and it was a pretty even match throughout. I wouldn’t say that the serve is this racquet’s strong point, but it’s surely not a drawback.

On the Whole…

This racquet is a pretty good racquet that allows for easy power capabilities. Once you can control the ball and are used to the lightweight, you should be able to play your game of tennis pretty much how you want to. The Karophite Black incorporated into the frame also enhances the stiffness and durability, translating into a perfect frame for players with short, relatively moderate swing rates.