Yonex Ezone 98 Tour Tennis Racquet Review & Buying Guide (India)
A heavy, stable frame built for players who hit flat and hard. Who the Ezone 98 Tour actually suits — and who should buy the lighter 98L instead.
Yonex Ezone 98 Tour review: a heavy frame for players who hit flat
The Yonex Ezone 98 Tour Tennis Racquet at ₹14,868 is one of the more misunderstood frames in Yonex's line. The Ezone name carries a reputation for comfortable, accessible power — and then the Tour version turns up at roughly 332g strung and demands considerably more of you than that reputation suggests.
This is a specialist racquet, and it is excellent for the specific player it is built for. Here is whether that is you.
What the Ezone 98 Tour actually does
The defining number is the weight: around 332g strung, with a 4-point tip-light balance and a swingweight in the region of 330. In practical terms, this is a frame with real mass behind the ball.
That mass buys you stability. Against a hard hitter, a lighter racquet gets pushed around — the frame twists and deflects, and your reply lands short. The Ezone 98 Tour absorbs incoming pace and stays planted. Reviewers describe it as an absolute rock when deflecting heat, and note you can return a hard serve with little more than a jab swing, because the racquet is doing the work.
You also get plough-through: the sensation of the racquet driving through contact rather than being deflected by it. For a flat hitter, that is the whole appeal.
What it asks in return
Effort. A 332g frame is heavy, and if your technique or fitness is not there, it will find out. Late preparation is punished, and a long match will tire your arm in a way a 285g racquet never would.
It is also not a spin racquet. It takes extra work to put heavy topspin on the ball because it is not a whippy frame — it wants to drive through rather than brush up the back. Flat hitters love this; players who rely on spin for net clearance find it unforgiving.
| Racquet | Price | Character | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| YONEX Vcore 98L (Sand Beige) | ₹11,109 | Light, spin-oriented | Spin players wanting manoeuvrability |
| Yonex VCORE 98 305g | ₹13,419 | Spin-focused, advanced | Heavy topspin games |
| Yonex Ezone 98 Tour | ₹14,868 | Heavy, stable, flat-hitting | Advanced, flat, hard hitters |
| Yonex EZone 98L (285g) | ₹15,535 | Light, easier to swing | Club players wanting Ezone feel |
Ezone 98 Tour vs Ezone 98L: the decision most buyers face
This is the comparison that matters. The Yonex EZone 98L at ₹15,535 is 285g — roughly 47g lighter than the Tour.
Note the pricing quirk: the lighter 98L is actually the more expensive of the two here. So this is purely a question of which frame suits your game, not your budget.
Be honest about your level. The 98L is easier to swing and far kinder over three sets, and most Indian club players will play better tennis with it. The Tour rewards a specific player — grooved technique, real racquet-head speed, and opponents hitting hard enough that stability becomes the limiting factor. If you are unsure which you are, you want the 98L.
What about the VCORE frames?
If you read the section above and thought "but my game is built on topspin", you are looking at the wrong family. The Yonex VCORE 98 305g at ₹13,419 is Yonex's spin-focused line, and at 305g it is a more manageable weight than the Ezone Tour. The YONEX Vcore 98L at ₹11,109 is the cheapest way into that family.
Ezone for flat and stable. VCORE for spin. That is the short version of Yonex's whole range.
The verdict
The Yonex Ezone 98 Tour at ₹14,868 is a genuinely good racquet aimed at a narrow audience: advanced players who hit flat, hit hard, and need a frame that will not get bullied. For everyone else — and that is most people reading this — the 98L or a VCORE frame will produce better tennis and a happier elbow. Buying a professional's racquet does not deliver a professional's game; it usually just delivers a tired arm by the third set.
Shop the gear
- Yonex Ezone 98 Tour Tennis Racquet — ₹14868
- Yonex EZone 98L Unstrung Tennis Racquet (Blast Blue, G2 - 4 1/4 Grip, 285g) — ₹15535
- Yonex VCORE 98 Tennis Racquet 305g | Grip G2 – Beige — ₹13419
- YONEX Vcore 98L Tennis Racquet (Sand Beige, Unstrung) — ₹11109
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Frequently asked questions
Who is the Yonex Ezone 98 Tour for?
Advanced players who hit flat and hard, against opponents hitting hard back. At roughly 332g strung it is a heavy frame, and that mass is the point — it stays stable against pace and lets you block back a big serve with a short swing. If you play once a week socially, it will tire your arm out.
What is the difference between the Ezone 98 Tour and the standard Ezone 98?
The Tour adds around 10g and shifts the balance slightly more towards the head. That gives a heftier, more planted feel with more plough-through, at the cost of manoeuvrability. If you are between the two, the standard frame is more forgiving for most club players.
Is the Ezone 98 Tour good for topspin?
It is not the natural choice. Reviewers note it takes extra effort to generate heavy topspin, because it is not a whippy frame — it wants to drive through the ball rather than brush up the back. If your game depends on spin for margin, a VCORE frame is designed for that instead.