Buttery flex. Raw speed. Spin-friendly precision
Defined by raw speed and spin-friendly targeting, the Percept 97 is perfect for those who want a user-friendly player's racquet with great feel. Boasting a zippy sub-320 swingweight, this stick delivers easy spin from the backcourt and swift reactions at the net. In addition to its buttery flex point, the Percept also packs a surgical 97in² head, resulting in the kind of control that inspires confidence on full cuts. 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, the Percept 97, with its seductive combination of speed, spin and feel, is a great option for those who want a light and spin-friendly player's racquet with impressive control and feel.
Specifications
| Head Size: 97 in² / 625.81 cm² | ||||
| Length: 27in / 68.58cm | ||||
| Strung Weight: 11.5oz / 326g | ||||
| Balance: 12.59in / 31.98cm / 7 pts HL | ||||
| Swingweight: 315 | ||||
| Stiffness: 60 | ||||
| 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
Nice racquetWas a gift for my son and he’s very happy with it. Order fulfilled quickly Just one thing. Should be better packaged inside the box with extra cardboard cushioning - it came unharmed but was loose in the box and you know how packages are handled sometimes…
Amazing racquetI was a high school first seed in singles and doubles. Have not really played since 25. I am in my early 40s. I had a 2 handed back hand as a young man and I find it necessary and beneficial to convert to a one hand backhand now. Not really knowing what kind of racquet that I would like I wasted a lot of money buying racquets that did not seem to fit. I tried the Pure Aero, the Head Extreme MP and the Head Speed MP. All of those racquets I found were too head heavy and were too slow for one handed backhand and lacked whippiness. I also struggled hitting flat shots with those racquets. I might have gave up too early on the Pure Aero but I could not find the right string set up and the feel of the Percept far surpasses the Pure Aero. The Percept 97 is great for a one handed backhand. It’s fast, whippy, and has great feel. I can hit with spin well enough and can flatten it out. I have greater confidence on changing directions by going for that passing shot. It feels like I can hit almost as hard as my Extreme MP except the ball more often goes in. I think I can hit hard with the Percept because the sweet spot is higher in the hoop, giving me more leverage. It does not feel as heavy as it really is and you can add some weight if you need to but I am not sure if it is needed. The only other racquet that I have demoed that I have thought about pairing with this one is the Vcore 95 because the sweet spot is at the same place and the weight distribution is the same but it has slightly more pop and more spin. I would recommend the Percept 97 racquet for a player with a one handed backhand that likes to swing hard and who likes to hit both flat and spin. If you just want to hit with spin then buy one of the many spin monster racquets out there. If you want to just hit flat then try something with 18/20 racquets. If you want to hit with both spin and flatten it out then give the Percept 97 a try
Great racquetI first played with it stock, not very impressive, just mediocre at best. I then added a leather grip and two grams of lead at 12 O'clock and it significantly improved the racquet. So much more stable and plush. I am really loving it now! I then checked some reviews on YouTube and most agree that this racquet goes from average to rock star with just a little bit of customization.
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MattThis has been one of the best racquets I have played with in years.
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Percept 97Great feeling, manoeuvrable, precise. Not a lot of free power as expected, but a lot more forgiving than expected. For me it's almost perfection.
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User friendly modern control racquetThis racquet has many excellent attributes and provides slight improvement to its predecessor. I am a 4.0 NTRP league player, so intermediate adult player with a one handed backhand, big serve, aggressive style and mostly play doubles. I played with the VcorePro97 a few generations ago (blue/red) and loved the feel, versatility and control. The only issue I had with that frame was as an intermediate player when my footwork was poor, swing was late or on defense it left the ball short due to zero free power. I switched to the regular Vcore98 for many years and that gave me more free power and forgiveness but was a downgrade in feel and I felt I had to find control with spin. All shots seemed to require spin and big targets or too many balls went long. Now enter the tweaked Percept 97! With the slight increase in beam and technology to add some stiffness to the head I have found that the Percept 97 gives me a little more for free when needed while maintaining the excellent feel and control that is intoxicating and gives me the confidence to swing big at times. I can hit with spin or flatten the ball out with confidence and the maneuverability is great at net or for some use some crazy angles on groundstrokes. Unlike most racquets that give a honeymoon period and then fade I had an opposite experience with the Percept. With this stick the first hit was inconsistent until you adapt to the weight and dynamics a bit. The more I play with it the better it gets!!
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Great dwell/control; customize for powerThis racquet should be sold with a strip of lead tape. It is far too light in swingweight in stock form, yet has a fairly high twistweight (14.6, versus the Ezone's 14.0). I assume this is because Yonex sees it as a genuine pro stock racquet for which players may differ about where they want to put the lead. I added weight only at 12 to bring the swingweight to about 327, and it now plays beautifully. If you like the Ezone, this plays very close to it, but with much more dwell time. It took me a while to figure the racquet out but I can now hit the same MPH on my forehand and flat serve as I do with the Ezone; in fact, my three fastest ever serves were with the Percept because it really encourages you to go for bombs. The Ezone is an easier racquet to play, and I defend better with it, which matters even for advanced players (I'm 4.5). But the Percept is slightly more precise and makes flat shots deadly, and if I'm 100% on, hitting out with arrogance, and able to attack, the Percept makes me more dangerous. Which one is better? For 4.0 and below, the Ezone. For 4.5 and above, maybe the Percept but it will depend on your play style. Also, this is a noticeable difference from the VCore Pro 97, which felt mushy to me. This is plush but I don't feel like it robs you of power the way I felt the VCore Pro did.
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In love from the startOnly logged about 10 hours with the Percept 97, strung mine with X-One BiPhase and Head Lynx at 48/46. This racquet has the sweetest sweetspot feel out there, together with the relatively low launch angle, it gave me all the confidence to go for my shots from the baseline, it can probably just a tad more weight up at net, and it serves like a dream. Highly recommend.
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Day 200If you are a 7.0-11.0 UTR like me, I had to make the Percept 340 grams, with power strips at 9ish-2ish… just where I hit. I haven’t messed with the handle. My serve has improved drastically since customizing. It was nowhere near the quality of my strike. The added 10 grams hasn’t drastically changed my game, 10 grams in my strike at 9 & 2 may make it too head heavy. 340 static is just enough to make it 11.0 IMO.
A bit disappointingI have been playing with the 2021 VCP97 for the past two years. Although I have generally been happy with this racquet, I felt that it could use a little more power and more stability against faster balls, especially at the net. I thought that the Percept 97 would suit me well with its added stiffness in the hoop. My Percept 97 came in about three or four grams under spec, which was a little disappointing, given Yonex’s general reputation for quality control. The racquet was fine on groundstrokes but felt a bit anemic on serves. Compared to my VCP97, I just couldn’t get enough pace and spin on my serve, which is normally my best shot. This may be an issue with the swing weight of the Percept 97 being too low. Paradoxically, the racquet felt as if it was heavier to swing than its actual swing weight. I suspect this has to do with the weight distribution. I have experimented quite a bit by adding weight at different places. I ended up with three grams total at 3’ and 9’ and another four grams around the handle, with a total static weight of 342 grams. The racquet feels more playable that way, but it still feels a bit sluggish on my OHBH. I recently tried the Percept 97D. Interestingly, it is easier to swing than the 97 regular, despite the higher static weight, and it is more stable, as you would expect. Overall, I like the Percept 97D significantly better and am switching to it.