prince ats textreme tour 98 racquet review

Prince ATS Textreme Tour 98 Racket Review

Prince ATS Textreme Tour 98

• Head Size: 98sq in / 632.26 sq cm
• Length: 27 in/ 68.58 cm
• Unstrung Weight: 10.8oz /305g
• Strung Swing Weight: 325g
• String Pattern: 16x19
• Strung Weight: 323g / 11.4oz

The Prince ATS Textreme Tour 98 tennis racket is designed for players seeking a blend of control, precision, and stability. With advanced technologies and a focus on performance, this racket is a favorite among advanced and competitive players. Here’s a comprehensive review of its features, performance, and overall value.

Learn more tennis racket reviews here: https://baseplaytennisacademy.com/category/tennis-racket-reviews/

Design and Build

The high-quality finish ensures durability and a polished look, maintaining its aesthetic appeal over time.

Grip and Comfort

Advanced materials and technologies reduce vibrations, offering a comfortable feel during groundstrokes.

Design and Appearance

• Professional Appearance: The combination of a modern color scheme, subtle graphics, and a high-quality finish gives the Prince ATS Textreme Tour 98 a professional and stylish appearance.
• Visual Appeal: This racket is designed to look great on the court, instilling confidence in players through its aesthetic appeal. 

Color Scheme

• Primary Colors: The racket features a sophisticated blend of black and green, with touches of white.
• Accents: Green accents are strategically placed, adding a touch of vibrancy without overwhelming the design. 

Graphics and Branding

• Clean and Subtle Branding: The Prince logo and model name are tastefully integrated into the design, maintaining a clean and professional look.
• Minimalistic Design: The graphics are understated, contributing to a sleek and modern appearance. 

Build Quality

• Durability: The high-quality paint and finish are designed to withstand regular play, ensuring the racket maintains its aesthetic appeal over time.
• Smooth Surface: The polished surface adds to the overall refined look of the racket. 

Overall Aesthetic Rating

The Prince ATS Textreme Tour 98 tennis racket’s design effectively balances modern style with professional elegance, making it visually appealing to players who appreciate a high-quality, attractive racket. 

Groundstroke

The Prince ATS Textreme Tour 98 excels in delivering controlled and precise groundstrokes, making it a top choice for advanced players. Here’s a detailed assessment of its groundstroke capabilities:

• Comfortable Feel: The incorporation of advanced materials and technologies helps reduce vibrations, providing a comfortable feel during groundstrokes. This enhances player comfort and reduces the risk of arm fatigue or discomfort during long matches.
• Textreme Technology: Contributes to a softer feel without compromising on performance. 
• Exceptional Control: The racket offers excellent control, which is one of its standout features. Players can place their shots with precision, making it easier to execute strategic and tactical plays from the baseline.
• Stability: The stable frame ensures that control is maintained even during high-intensity rallies. 

Overall Groundstroke Rating

The Prince ATS Textreme Tour 98 excels in providing a balanced performance for groundstrokes, combining moderate power, high spin potential, exceptional control, and a comfortable feel. It is particularly well-suited for advanced players who prioritize precision and tactical play from the baseline. Whether you’re hitting powerful, deep shots or delicate angles, the Textreme Tour 98 delivers reliable performance that can elevate your groundstroke game. 

Maneuverability

• Quick Maneuverability: The racket’s weight and balance make it highly maneuverable, allowing for quick adjustments and fast reactions at the net. This agility is essential for players who frequently approach the net and need to respond swiftly to passing shots.
• Lightweight Design: Its lightweight construction aids in rapid racket head speed, making it easier to handle fast-paced exchanges at the net.

Control and Precision

• Exceptional Control: The racket’s design ensures precise volley placement, crucial for effective net play. Players can direct their volleys with precision, making it easier to execute both drop volleys and deep, penetrating volleys.
• Feel and Feedback: The Textreme technology enhances feel and feedback, allowing players to make subtle adjustments and execute delicate touch volleys. 

Overall Volley Rating

The Prince ATS Textreme Tour 98 excels in providing a balanced performance at the net, combining controlled power, exceptional control, quick maneuverability, and stable volleys. This makes it an ideal choice for players who frequently approach the net and rely on precise, confident volleying. Whether you’re executing delicate touch volleys or putting away powerful shots, the Textreme Tour 98 delivers reliable performance that enhances your net game.

• Moderate Power: The racket offers a good amount of power on serves without compromising control. It allows players to generate a solid pace, making it suitable for both flat and spin serves.
• Consistent Performance: The frame design ensures that power is consistently delivered, helping players to maintain a high level of performance throughout their serve. 

Spin Potential

• Spin Potential: The 16×19 string pattern enhances spin potential, making it easier to execute kick serves and slice serves. This spin capability allows players to add variety to their serves and keep opponents guessing.
• Textreme Technology: Contributes to better ball pocketing, enhancing spin production on serves. 
• Exceptional Control: The racket excels in providing control, allowing players to place their serves with precision. This is particularly beneficial for targeting specific areas of the service box and executing strategic serve patterns.
• Consistency: The frame stability and design ensure that control is maintained, even during high-speed serves.
• Comfortable Feel: Advanced materials and technologies reduce vibrations, providing a comfortable feel during serves. This comfort is crucial for maintaining consistency and reducing the risk of arm fatigue or discomfort during long matches.
• Textreme Technology: Enhances the overall feel of the racket, contributing to a comfortable serving experience.

Overall Serve Rating

The Prince ATS Textreme Tour 98 delivers a well-rounded performance on serves, combining moderate power, high spin potential, exceptional control, and a comfortable feel. This makes it particularly suitable for players who value precision and variety in their serving game. Whether you’re hitting powerful flat serves, spinning kick serves, or slicing serves, the Textreme Tour 98 provides the necessary tools to serve effectively and confidently.

• Exceptional Control: The Textreme Tour 98 excels in providing control, which is crucial for precise and strategic returns. Players can place their returns accurately, directing the ball to less defensive positions on the court.

The stable frame ensures that control is maintained even when returning powerful serves, making it easier to keep the ball in play.

• Quick Maneuverability: The racket’s weight and balance allow for quick reactions and fast adjustments, essential for handling a variety of serves. This agility helps players respond effectively to both flat and spin serves.
• Lightweight Design: The lightweight construction aids in quick racket head speed, facilitating rapid adjustments during returns.
• Controlled Power: The racket offers enough power to respond to fast and aggressive serves while maintaining control. This balanced power allows players to generate strong, effective returns without overhitting.
• Consistent Response: The frame provides a consistent response, ensuring that power is delivered predictably, helping players return serves with confidence.

Overall Return Rating

The Prince ATS Textreme Tour 98 delivers a strong performance when returning serves, combining controlled power, exceptional control, quick maneuverability, and stability. These attributes make it a reliable choice for players who need to respond effectively to a wide range of serves. Whether you’re aiming to hit aggressive returns or place the ball strategically, the Textreme Tour 98 provides the necessary tools to enhance your return game.

The Prince ATS Textreme Tour 98 is a high-performing tennis racket that excels in providing control, precision, and comfort. Its balanced performance across all aspects of the game makes it a versatile choice for advanced players and competitive athletes. Whether you’re hitting groundstrokes, volleys, serves, or returns, the Textreme Tour 98 delivers reliable performance that can help elevate your game to the next level. 

• Exceptional Control: Ideal for players who value precision and accuracy.
• Comfortable Feel: Advanced materials reduce vibrations and enhance comfort.
• Spin-Friendly: Open string pattern aids in generating spin.
• Maneuverability: Lightweight and balanced for quick adjustments.
• Moderate Power: May not provide as much power as some players prefer.
• Advanced Players: Best suited for advanced players; may not be ideal for beginners.

Groundstrokes

Similar to the Rebel 98, the Prince Tour 98 sticks with EXO3 technology to create an expanded sweet spot and a responsive feel. Built for comfort, control and spin, this frame is great for players with longer, loopier swings.

Groundstrokes The Tour 98 gave me good control on my groundstrokes. The 16x20 string pattern really helped with creating just the right amount of spin. Even though this racquet is flexible (flex rating of 59) and geared primarily toward providing control, I got a sufficient amount of depth as well. I can attribute that to Prince’s EXO3 technology, which gives a nice trampoline effect on contact. The flexibility of this racquet definitely helped make it more arm friendly compared to some stiffer frames on the market, but make sure you’re comfortable with a racquet weighing over 11 ounces before you buy.

Volleys & Serves I thought the racquet was pretty easy to maneuver around the net (4 points head light), so it performed well on my reflex volleys. The only downside was the stability. The racquet twisted in my hand on slightly off-center volleys on fast incoming shots, which is somewhat expected. I think a little more weight at the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock positions could give it a more solid feel – an easy fix with a little lead tape.

The low flex rating, while great in the comfort department, made it tougher to get pop on my flat serve. I often caught myself going for more than I normally would to make up for the soft feel. On the other hand, it was relatively easy to generate spin. If you’re okay with that tradeoff, this could be an ideal frame for you. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

Fine Points The square-feeling, 21.5mm straight beam throat felt very nice in my hand. It had a sleek look to it with the yellow and black paint job. This racquet has the potential to be a great tweener option for players who can handle the 11.1-ounce strung weight.

Overall Prince has provided a very solid racquet with good feel and spin potential. I found that it plays similar to the Head Radical MP and Wilson Blade 98 16x19, and with the low flex rating, the racquet was very easy on the elbow. This racquet is best for 3.5+ players with power to spare.

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Prince ATS Textreme Tour Racquets

There are new Prince ATS Textreme Tour racquets available for pre-sale right now. Let’s have a look at them!

The Prince ATS Textreme Tour racquets are the update to the 2019 Textreme Tours, but there is also a new stick that joins the gang – a 98 sq inch version. For me personally, this is the most exciting racquet of the bunch, but looking at the specs and the design makes me very curios about all of them.

ATS = anti-torque system, supposed to increase stability, despite a generous flexibility of these racquets.

The new Prince ATS Textreme Tour racquets can be bought on pre-sale at Tennis Warehouse , Tennis Warehouse Europe and Tennis Only . At the time of writing, they don’t seem to be available yet in Europe and AUS, but that should be changing soon.

In recent years, Prince have become bolder with their racquet designs. Just look at the Ripstick , the Twistpower  and the Vortex as examples. The new ATS TT racquets follow a more daring trend, but doesn’t go all the way of the Ripstick for example. Still, it’s a pretty clear step away from predominantly black design of the previous generation.

What do you think about it?

The specifications of the new Prince ATS Textreme Tours are all showing lower stiffness ratings, balanced swing weights and otherwise pretty similar specs to previous generations.

Prince ATS Textreme Tour 95

Prince ats textreme tour 98, prince textreme tour 100p.

Prince Textreme Tour 100 310

Prince textreme tour 100 290.

Which Prince Textreme Tour model are you most interested in and why?

Jonas Eriksson

Jonas has been known as "tennis nerd" mainly for his obsessing about racquets and gear. Plays this beautiful sport almost every day.

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The 95 looks a dream racquet but like most of us I think the next racquet should be one to help play better now not one I would have used a few years back. The Tour 98 looks on paper a perfect stick for that. I’m intrigued by the beam and the layup. It seem like as J mentioned in the video a 98 speed which is fantastic as I’m still in my head not ok with 100s. The feel of Prince has always been great and if the stability is there (Michelle at TW saying the stability wasn’t missing from her RF97…) then what more is there to want… Could be the one. Haha. Looking forward to the review on here, whilst a pester the dealers here for a demo)

I had two 209 TT100 310, sold one and regret :). With the remaining one I am playing when I cannot play good with PS97, but still a 100 inch head is not really in my taste. I tried Blades, countervail or V8, picked the 18×20 for the higher SW, but that blade is not so friendly with 33cm balance and 324SW. I tried to customize blade to be more HL but that stick is not so heasy to be fooled :) being heavier in the throat. Its characteristic. Bad one. LOL. Sild the blades. Aweful sticks :). So now Price came with TT98, with SW325 and balnce 32.5 strung and 32 with overgrip. Thats fantastic! Cannot wait to buy one.

Happily surprised to see Prince return to the lower stiffness of the original 2015 Textreme Tour line. Very interested to see what you think of the new Tour 98, Jonas. I wonder if the 16 x 19 string pattern plays more open than the 18 x 20 of the 100P? The 16 x 18 of the 310 was too open for my taste— lots of spin, but a high launch angle and less control. Please keep the reviews coming! Thanks.

It looks like Prince “tweaked” the Beast 98 to create the new tour 98. I own both the TT310 and the Beast 98, love them and was very sorry and surprised to see the Beast disappear. I will definitely buy the new tour 98!

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Tennis Tribe

Tennis Racquet & Gear Reviews, Doubles Lessons & News

Prince Racquet Reviews: Compare Prince’s 4 Best Tennis Racquets

Will Boucek · July 16, 2024

When you buy a product through our links below, we may earn money from our affiliate partners to help support the site. However, this does not affect our evaluation or recommendation of each product.  See our list of partners & how we get paid here . You can also learn our process for reviewing tennis gear here .

Prince has been one of the most well-known tennis racquet brands for decades. Although they’ve become slightly less popular in the past ten years or so, they still offer very high-quality racquets. Several professional tennis players still use Prince racquets and other tennis gear as well.

There are four main models of Prince tennis racquets, and within each model, there are several variations. This can be confusing, but below we will make it simple so you can understand and choose the best tennis racquet for your ability and game style.

Overview of Prince Tennis Racquets

The main four models of Prince tennis racquets are the Tour, Ripstick, Warrior, and Phantom. We will briefly review each model below.

Click the links below to order your racquet from Tennis Warehouse.

3 Steps to Find the Perfect Tennis Racquet for Your Game

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Prince Tour Review: The Best All-Around Prince Racquet

The Prince Tour is a racquet built for the modern game. The Tour is a well-balanced racquet built with great power, comfort, and feel. It comes in several frame sizes and has an open string pattern for plenty of spin.

We recommend the Prince Tour tennis racquet for any intermediate or advanced players who need a balanced racquet that excels in several areas.

This racquet really doesn’t have any weaknesses, and I was super impressed when I played with it. I found it has very easy power from the baseline, good feel on transition shots, and solid stability on volleys.

While it didn’t excel in any one area, I loved this racquet’s all-around playability, especially the 98 version.

Pros, Cons, & Ratings for the Prince Tour

See our ratings, plus the pros and cons of the Prince Tour below for a quick glance at how it performs compared to other tennis racquets.

Our Ratings for the Prince Tour

• Groundstrokes: 9
• Very few weaknesses
• Easy power from the baseline
• Stability on volleys
• Good spin potential
• Flexible, arm-friendly frame
• Doesn’t excel in any one area
• Not great for beginners

Different Models & Specifications of the Prince Tour Tennis Racquet

Here are the different available models of the Prince Tour.

• Best for advanced players seeking maximum control and stability.
• Best for intermediate to advanced players who want a more balanced racquet.
• Best for intermediate and advanced players who want to maximize feel & control.
• Great for high-level intermediate players who want added spin to their groundstrokes.
• A lighter version of the 100, this racquet is for lower-level intermediate players.

Prince Ripstick Review: Master of Spin & Power

The Prince Ripstick can create massive amounts of spin and power on groundstrokes.

The open string pattern (16×18) helps beginners and intermediate players learn topspin. This racquet has an easy-to-swing frame with O-Ports that improve racquet head speed. You’ll generate effortless power on groundstrokes and serves.

To prioritize all that spin and power, Prince had to sacrifice some control and stability. Still, it is one of the best tennis racquets for power on the market.

We recommend the Ripstick for beginner and intermediate players who want added spin and power from the baseline.

When I tested the Ripstick, I found it super easy to hit the tennis ball with good depth on my groundstrokes. I was able to create more topspin than normal on my backhand as well. From the baseline, this racquet is a great choice for intermediate players and athletic beginners.

However, I don’t recommend it for advanced players or people who like to get to the net. It didn’t perform quite as well on volleys or defending against pace. The ball seemed to fly when I missed the sweet spot on hard-hit shots.

Overall, it’s still a great racquet for a good price.

Pros, Cons, & Ratings for the Prince Ripstick

See our ratings, plus the pros and cons of the Prince Ripstick below for a quick glance at how it performs compared to other tennis racquets.

Our Ratings for the Prince Ripstick

• Groundstrokes: 8
• Great topspin on forehands & backhands
• An easy-to-swing frame
• Easy power on groundstrokes & serves
• Allows for fast improvement for beginners & intermediate players
• Lacks some control & stability, especially against pace
• Can be lackluster at the net

Different Models & Specifications of the Prince Ripstick Tennis Racquet

Here are the different available models of the Prince Ripstick.

• Best for intermediate players looking to add spin and power to their baseline game, especially singles players.
• Best for beginner or lower-level intermediate players who need a lightweight version.

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Prince Warrior Review: A Balanced Power Racquet

The Prince Warrior is designed for players looking for a superior blend of power, spin, maneuverability, and feel.

The 100 square-inch head and Textreme material give this new version added stability without increasing frame stiffness. Still, this racquet is more known for being headlight allowing for good maneuverability. It has nice pop on serves and provides lots of spin.

With this racquet, players are able to land groundstrokes deep into the court while also coming in and finishing volleys easily. This is because the racquet is easy to maneuver from any position on the court.

We recommend the Warrior for players who want a balanced racquet that is geared towards power.

I found the Warrior to have similar power and spin to the Ripstick, but with slightly less comfort. I found it easier to swing and maneuver, but more difficult to generate depth on my shots. I liked how it was so easy to control, so can definitely see how it’s a great choice for older players who need something lightweight.

I don’t recommend it for younger, strong adults because of its lack of stability against pace.

Pros, Cons, & Ratings for the Prince Warrior

See our ratings, plus the pros and cons of the Prince Warrior below for a quick glance at how it performs compared to other tennis racquets.

Our Ratings for the Prince Warrior

• An easy-to-maneuver racquet
• Good power on serves and from the baseline
• Great for learning topspin
• Reasonable price
• Not great for control at the net
• Not great stability for high-level players

Different Models & Specifications of the Prince Warrior Tennis Racquet

Here are the different available models of the Prince Warrior.

• Best for older, intermediate players looking for a good all-around racquet that prioritizes maneuverability.
• Best for intermediate players looking for an all-around racquet that’s heavier with a closed string pattern.
• Best for lower intermediate players looking for a racquet that provides easy power and spin while being arm-friendly.
• Best for beginner and intermediate players looking for a larger sweet spot without losing too much control.

Prince Phantom Review: An Advanced, Control-Oriented Racquet

The Prince Phantom is designed for advanced players looking to harness their skills with a control-oriented racquet.

The thin beams and low flex points gives these racquets a classic, direct feeling unique among modern racquets. While these aspects also give this racquet excellent control, Prince also combines them with open string patterns to give the racquet a little extra power and spin.

These racquets do suffer from a lack of stability which can make serve returns a challenge, but they also provide great feedback so you know exactly where on the racquet face you hit the ball and can adjust accordingly.

We recommend the Phantom for advanced players who prefer old-school tennis racquets with a classic feel and like to attack the net.

Pros, Cons, & Ratings for the Prince Phantom

See our ratings, plus the pros and cons of the Prince Phantom below for a quick glance at how it performs compared to other tennis racquets.

Our Ratings for the Prince Phantom

• Precise control & feel
• Arm friendly racquet
• Easy to land groundstrokes deep in the court
• A solid finishing racquet at the net with good touch
• Great spin for a control-oriented racquet
• Old-school feel
• You need to be able to generate your own power
• Not great for non-advanced players

Different Models & Specifications of the Prince Phantom Tennis Racquet

Here are the different available models of the Prince Phantom.

• Best for intermediate players looking for a larger frame to help with power on their shots.
• Best for advanced players looking for a control-oriented racquet.
• Best for advanced players looking for a control-oriented racquet that’s a little lighter.
• Best for advanced players looking for an old-school racquet with a thin box beam.
• Best for advanced players looking for the added control that comes from a tight string pattern.

Other Prince Tennis Racquets

• Prince Twistpower – A racquet with a twisted shaft that has excellent feel and power while being arm-friendly.
• Prince Hydrogen – A racquet that combines good power and spin with a nice cosmetic.
• Prince Synergy – A racquet that specializes in controllable power and great feel with an 18×18 string pattern.
• Prince Vortex – A racquet with a unique “v” throat and a unique 14×21 string pattern.
• Prince Classic – A racquet made to increase power, stability, and maneuverability.
• Prince Legacy – A racquet made for beginners and intermediates who want comfort and power.
• Prince Juniors – Racquets that are shorter in length and designed for competitive juniors.

Choosing the Best Prince Tennis Racquet for You

When choosing a tennis racquet that fits your skill level and playing style, you have to consider what areas you need the most help with.

If you’re an athletic, physically strong adult with big groundstrokes, you probably don’t need help with power. If however, you’re a USTA 3.5 tennis player who plays for fun on weekends and has a compact swing, a racquet with added power is exactly what you need.

The Tour is Prince’s best all-around tennis racquet. It works for a wide range of players at any skill level. However, if you know you’ll need more help with control, the Phantom is going to be a better racquet. The Ripstick and Warrior are the best Prince racquets for intermediate players or seniors who want to create more spin and power to control the point.

The Prince racquet you choose should be specific to your game. For more tennis racquets, check out our reviews and buyer’s guides below.

• Best Beginner Tennis Racquets
• Best Tennis Racquets for Intermediate Players
• Best Tennis Racquets for Advanced Players

About Will Boucek

Will Boucek is the Founder & CEO of Tennis Tribe. With over two decades of experience playing & coaching tennis, Will now works as a doubles strategy analyst for ATP & WTA tour players and coaches. Will helps tennis players at every level play better doubles through smarter strategy. He also has expertise in tennis racquets & gear, testing the latest products from Wilson, Babolat, Head, Prince, and other tennis brands.

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Prince ATS Textreme Tour 98 Racquet

We will match or beat any posted overall price advertised in-store or online on in stock items.

This new addition to the Prince Tour line combines controllable power with outstanding feel

With the Prince  ATS Textreme Tour 98 , Prince adds a new member to the Tour family. With its 98in² head, this racquet offers a tad more power than the Tour 95 but still manages to deliver surgical targeting on full cuts. The signature technology is Prince's  Anti-Torque System (ATS)  which features Textreme and Twaron in both the shaft and upper hoop. The upshot is less frame torque through impact, resulting in a more stable hitting experience. On groundstrokes the Tour 98 feels fast, spin-friendly and accurate. Although it errs on the side of control, there is definitely enough pop to get the ball moving through the court, and the buttery 62-RA stiffness delivers an arm-friendly ride with great feedback. Ultimately, this is an impressive addition to the Tour franchise. Intermediate and advanced players looking for easy targeting and great feel will love this one. 

Specifications

Similar racquets.

Previous Feedback  

Comments: I had played the original Yonex Ezone DR 98 for years and was ready to try something else. Hit a few demos of various frames and then read the review on this Prince. Based upon the review I bought it without a test run. It's not bad, and I'm trying to make it work. Serves have good pop and I like it on volleys. Up to this point my groundstrokes are not where they were with the DR 98s. Hopefully I'll get it dialed in by changing string tension and finding what works. I've had some solid workouts with it, but also have had some bad days. Trying to stick with it and see if I can adjust, but I would not have bought it if I would have hit it as a demo first. Just don't have the control on groundstrokes I had before with the Yonex. From: Lynn - ARK, United States. August 08, 2022

Comments: This is an excellent racquet for power and control. It feels so good to strike, stroke, slice, overhead, and serve the balls. It can penetrate the short ball. From: B. John - VT, United States, July 29, 2022

Comments: Control, feel, speed and spin at your command with this racquet. It is very comfortable to hit with this racquet. Every shot you want to make is easier with this. Amazing really. Like the Babolat Pure Strike only much more comfort without sacrificing anything. From: Guy Who Loves Tennis - CA, United States, July 28, 2022

Comments: Strung with Prince Tour XP (Green string) @ 52 lbs, consistent, good power, good spin, arm friendly. This racquet feels so darn good, I'm so happy. It really suits my aggressive play style (counterpunchers, I would recommend the Pure Aero or something like that). Serves, volleys and groundstrokes all feel good. Thank you Prince for helping me enjoy the game of tennis a little bit more :) From: Anonymous - OK, United States, July 24, 2022

Comments: I play with a Prince 93P and 97P. The head shape, technology, thin beam, buttery feel and control from those racquets is superb. A winning combination. Literally! Notice I did not mention power. After two hours of play I wasn't as sharp with my shots and my play not as crisp and why were lesser players getting more power from their shots than I? This racquet gives me all of what I ask for from my 93 and 97Ps, with a slightly bigger head size, less weight and more power. It has just as much control (on all strokes) and just a bit more power, but not too much. I don't want a racquet I have to think about when I'm playing. I want a racquet that does what I'm thinking. This is my Excalibur. - Brad (55+ league player) From: Brad - PA, United States July 17, 2022

Comments: From the first ball you just feel how solid this racket is. It feels more like a 100 than a 98 and even with the relatively thin beam this racquet crushes the ball. It also has the classic Prince feel and is arm friendly, couple this with the ease of use and weight of ball and you have a winner. Spin is easy to produce and although the ball might not move as quickly through the court as it did with some other 98's it is definitely a heavy heavy ball. No issues flattening it out either. Overall a great frame from Prince and the flowing ratings from the play test team are accurate. From: Anonymous - NY, United States, July 15, 2022

Comments: I am a lifetime Prince user (4.5 level player). I was very exited about this racquet. I have been however a little disappointed with it. Compared with my current racquet (Textreme Beast 98), its much more head heavy and does not move through the air as easily. The power is very good and spin is ok. I get more power on serve. Control is very good overall except for the volley. I found I just have to change my swing timing with this racquet and I have not been able to be as aggressive from the baseline. I have it strung with Solinco Revolution which I don't really like. I am going to re-string it with Hyper G which I like much better. Hope it will play better. I think that the Beast plays better personally. From: Anonymous - OH, United States, July 15, 2022

Comments: Been hitting for a solid 4 weeks. Just a fantastic all around racquet. Strung it way too low and it was overly powerful, so controllable power from the play testers is contingent upon racquet set up. I have adjusted, however the high launch angle is something you have to get used to. I am now missing long rather than short which was the opposite issue I was having with the Pro Staff Six One 100. The frame hoop in the Pro Staff wasn't as stable and it was harder to get depth when playing defense. The Prince ATS 98 is super stable and it's easy to hit a deep ball both offensively and defensively. Love the racquet. Likely better for intermediate to advanced players. From: Anonymous - TX, United States, July 15, 2022

Comments: I agree with the other reviewers this a stable frame with great access to spin but I thought it was slow to swing through the air and a bit clunky feeling compared to the Blade or Prestige. I didn't find great precision and actually thought it played a bit launchy. The balance felt off to me, too much in the throat and lower hoop, adding weight at 12 helped with that but made the frame tough to maneuver quickly. There are many other frames I prefer to this one. From: Chris - FL, United States, July 15, 2022

Comments: This racquet feels as solid as the Prince Graphite 107. It took me some time to get accustomed to the racquet which was a surprise as I did not expect this based on the TW reviews. The changes made were to get the static weight up to 320+ (unstrung) and make the racquet further headlight. Serves are solid, ground strokes have sufficient depth and I did not face the "launch angle issue" that the testers faced. Was able to switch between flat stroke and topspin with confidence. Volleys are really the standout for me as my volleying skills are poor, yet I was able to consistently place balls back in the opponents side. That's a first for me. On hard hits it has the "Thwack" that you get from the Head Prestiges. It really is amazing value for the price point. From: Sunil - TN, India, July 06, 2022

Comments: I'm really happy with this racquet. I bought this based on reviews and it pretty much is what I was hoping. Feels really solid, power when wanted, good spin, good serves and great control. I just wish it wasn't white. From: Tom, Sydney, 7/8/22

Comments: I am a huge Prince fan! I used the OG throughout high school and am always a sucker for new Prince frames. This is not a racquet for beginners or intermediate players. This racquet also has more power than your traditional players frame. It is overly boasted as controllable power. It is controllable if you are extremely solid with your groundies. There are a multitude of other frames if you are looking for controllable power.' The sweet spot is absurdly small so again, if you aren't more advanced, you will not enjoy the feel of this racquet. Unfortunately, this along with the 3rd generation of the Pure Strikes have been the most disappointing misses in recent history. From: Anonymous - WA, United States. June 22, 2022

Comments: I bought this racquet based on the outstanding TW reviews and because I'm a big Prince fan. I've played with Prince Graphite racquets my whole life and was looking for an alternative with that same Prince feel that's easy on the arm. The racquet certainly has great feel but felt light in stock form -- so I added 2 grams of lead at 9 and 3 along with a leather grip. That seems to have done the trick and now it has incredible plow through and controlled power. Just wish I didn't have to modify it for it to suit my game. It's also quite string sensitive, needing a fairly stiff poly to offset the low 62 flex rating. I strung it at 53 main and 51 cross with prince tour xp 17. I'm a 4.5 tournament player and HS coach. From: Andy - MA, United States. June 14, 20221

Comments: I once used the RF90 and 97...then the Blade v7. I realized after a while I needed something a bit lighter with a bit more power. I moved to the TF40 305 16x19 which I found was more comfortable than the Blade, but had less spin due to a rather tight string pattern. This Prince, gives me the spin and slight increase in power I was looking for in the TF40 but with the comfort. That combined with the control of a players frame. Just a great stick more people should use than will. Take it for a spin, you won't regret it. From: Pistol - WEL, New Zealand. June 06, 2022

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• Tennis Equipment

Pure Aero VS or Prince ATS 98?

• Thread starter patrickluvsoj
• Start date Aug 9, 2022
• Tags ats 98 pavs pure aero vs
• patrickluvsoj
• Aug 9, 2022
• Background: 30-ish 5'6 male. Decent court coverage/speed.
• Level: 4.0 NTRP in Northern Cali
• Play style: Good amount of serve and volley. At the baseline, I am more counter punch-y but looking to become more aggressive.
• Racket preference: Currently play Prince Textreme Tour 310. I like the racket but a bit launchy and slightly stiff. Looking for something w/ a bit more control without significant trade-off in power, spin, comfort.

I've been using TT 310 and recently bought a ats 98. The power difference is quite noticable. The ATS 98 does provide better control especially for serve and DTL forehand.  

Hall of Fame

• Aug 10, 2022

If it doesn't have to be a 98, how about the Textreme Tour 100P? Same mold, 5g lighter, similar swing weight and 18x20, so it's more controlled and less launchy on more flat impact, yet also retains good access to spin and power as the 18x20 is fairly open. I would at least consider a demo if you haven't already.  

Professional

If you don't have the funds to purchase both for long term testing, demo. I haven't tried the PAVS, always wanted to, but I have tried the ATS 98 and man it's a nice racquet. I really enjoyed playing with it and it felt excellent for my playstyle and also a one handed backhand... it just got slightly outshined by the VCore Pro 97D. If the 97D didn't exist or I never tried it, I would've went with the ATS 98, it does EVERYTHING well and is very control oriented but still has a good amount of power.  

Trip said: If it doesn't have to be a 98, how about the Textreme Tour 100P? Same mold, 5g lighter, similar swing weight and 18x20, so it's more controlled and less launchy on more flat impact, yet also retains good access to spin and power as the 18x20 is fairly open. I would at least consider a demo if you haven't already. Click to expand...

I haven't tried the ATS 98, so I can't comment definitively, but I would imagine power level will be similar, with perhaps a slight edge in additional power to the 100P.  

patrickluvsoj said: Love to see if anyone can recommend the Pure Aero VS (PAVS) or new Prince ATS 98 based on my background. Open to other recommendations if you think something fits me better. Background: 30-ish 5'6 male. Decent court coverage/speed. Level: 4.0 NTRP in Northern Cali Play style: Good amount of serve and volley. At the baseline, I am more counter punch-y but looking to become more aggressive. Racket preference: Currently play Prince Textreme Tour 310. I like the racket but a bit launchy and slightly stiff. Looking for something w/ a bit more control without significant trade-off in power, spin, comfort. Would either of these two rackets be too low powered? Looking at different threads etc I can see that the PAVS is much stiffer but if I string it with a natural/poly hybrid would it fit the bill? Click to expand...

• Apr 11, 2023

I own both. Recently I strung the PAVS with a multi cross (volkl) and Black Widow main.this took out some of the stiffness. I find it a very rewarding racquet. Killer spin, lots of energy for speed/power, and after a period of time to get acquainted, the accuracy (control) does improve greatly. The stiffness does make it feel more solid for net play and serves. It is slightly more demanding than the ATS, but rewardingly so. The PAVS is quite string sensitive, and the hybrid multi /poly is the best set up I have had to date. The Prince is comfortable. It plays like an extension of my arm. However it is less powerful, and the control is not massively better than PAVS. Though it is quite powerful with a gut hybrid and less vibrationing on the arm than the PAVS, whole letting you use nearly ant string. I've gone back and forth for about a month and just this week decided the PAVS is better for me that ATS. I play in Taipei, it is between 15-30C here.  

• Nov 6, 2023

@Sughaclef , did you end up demoing them both. If so, what happened?  

TennisHound

I like TT 100 310 more than ATS 98. ATS 98 is more head heavy and produce less spin than TT 100. I have sold my ATS 98. I am currently also using Artengo TR960 control tour 16x19, easier transition from TT 100.  

• Nov 7, 2023

Any comparisons between the ATS 98 and the new Pure Aero 98?  

• Jan 12, 2024

I currently play with the PAVS and enjoy it. I did find a good price on the Prince ATS 98 and it should come in next week. I will be able to compare the two. If there is one thing that I am hoping the Prince ATS 98 can offer slightly more, it would be a more penetrating cross-court shot. I find the PAVS gives me this but with an inherent top-spin that often takes away from the "sting" of the shot.  

Brando said: Brando said: @Sughaclef , did you end up demoing them both. If so, what happened? I used the ATS for a few months, stringing it with gut cross and rpm main. But oddly, I developed arm pain, which I now put down to technique (lack thereof) from over-arming/shouldering when using the ATS and pushing for power instead of good body flow for power. But at the time I couldn't figure out why I was getting pain (shoulder cuff and forearm below the elbow). I put a multi/poly on the PA98 (a replacement to the PAVS which cracked after a bad (but legit not angry) hit). The strings are Dunlop Touch (x) and BlackWidow (m). After an hour or so the bed really softens up and gets cush, no arm pain. The topspin is better (balls just fall in at the line) and thbh are impressive. I don't find a major power difference, but accuracy is lower, comparatively. However that crosscourt shot Pico mentions is a favorite of mine with the PA98, less sting but a great and almost cinematic arc. Shots with the PA have great pace. Also, and perhaps naive to say, but the PA responds well to changing the handling including gripping modern forehand, to bring the ball flatter and with more sting (more of a flat pull swing than an arced swing). I can change grip styles in play and see the effect more readily. Your may tell by now the PA is getting more time in my bag despite the Investment into gut for the ATS. Also of note, a friend sold me a Blade 98 v.8 (19x16) and it is worth considering if you like both the ATS and PA and seek an arm friendly stick. It has less spin, more accuracy and is soft on the arm with reasonable power but also good touch. Similar to the ATS, it feels like an extension of my arm, but more user friendly (by example on days with bad technique). The right word may be reliable for the Blade. BTW I play largely doubles due to the nature of the courts here. For that reason I'd prefer PA or the Blade. If in singles against intermediate players (giving me more time to prepare) I'd use the PA or ATS, but against higher levels I'd use the Blade or PA to offset lower time for preparing g shots or hitting cleanly. I'm an intermediate level player. Were I more advanced the ATS would shine more. Note also, I find the strings in the PA notch more (I had to add spacers) but retain movement longer in the ATS and Blade. Also I have found mishits in the PA have twice broken strings (usually hitting a lower corner, oddly). Hope that helps. Click to expand...

• Jan 17, 2024

Yes, that DOES HELP, @Sughaclef ! I couldn't have asked for a clearer breakdown of the differences between the PA98 and the ATS98. And I dig how you threw in the Blade for context.  

• Jan 30, 2024

pico said: I currently play with the PAVS and enjoy it. I did find a good price on the Prince ATS 98 and it should come in next week. I will be able to compare the two. If there is one thing that I am hoping the Prince ATS 98 can offer slightly more, it would be a more penetrating cross-court shot. I find the PAVS gives me this but with an inherent top-spin that often takes away from the "sting" of the shot. Click to expand...

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