Topspin Doctor
David A. Dodson

NXGraphite Mid Plus Racquet

If you follow pro tennis, you may have noticed a few players back in the fall of 2003 hitting with a mysterious black racquet. It was later released that the dark stranger was part of a project headed by Prince Tennis and simply referred to as the "Experiment 1". After much speculation it was finally revealed that these were prototypes of Prince's new line of racquets. One of the offspring of the Experimental project is a series of racquets now known as the Tour NXGraphite. Available in three head sizes, the Tour NXGraphite utilizes several of Prince's latest proprietary technologies to forge one of the liveliest and most responsive racquets on the market.

To insure that the Tour NXGraphite has the strongest, stiffest frame available, Prince used their patented MORE framing technology. The big idea: No Drilling. They use a Fusion of Structure process that eliminates the holes and grommets in the frame. Instead, two molded racquet halves are permanently fused together, creating Prince's patented PowerLock Construction. The fused frames have molded string channels in the head interface area, so there is no drilling required. This produces a stiffer and stronger frame that is 15% more torque resistant than conventional racquets. It results in off center hits responding with greater power and directional control. In addition, because there is no drilling, 100% frame fiber integrity is maintained.

We tested a Mid Plus sized Tour NXGraphite racquet with a #4 grip size. The first thing I noticed after a few shots was that Prince's Air+ Comfort handle really made a difference. With the Air+ Comfort, four air-filled quadrants move independently to allow superior shock absorption and grip ventilation. In short, it feels real nice. Able to handle the fastest serves, this racquet performs well at both the baseline and the net. Control with the Mid Plus was phenomenal, slices had plenty of bite and topspin came easily. Overall, the Mid Plus Tour NXGraphite is a strong all-court racquet. Shots reacted cleanly and predictably; you actually do feel a bit more in touch with the ball. But don't take my word for it. Pro tennis players Juan-Carlos Ferrero and Guillermo Coria used it at the U.S. Open and had nothing but good things to say about it.

Bottom line is the Tour NXGraphite from Prince Tennis is the ideal racquet for both rookies and ringers. Beginners will love the forgiveness; experienced players will love the power and control. Prince has undoubtedly raised the bar on racquet quality and construction. Available in Mid, Mid Plus and Oversized, for about two hundred and change you can pick one of these beauties up at any major sporting goods store or at one of the retailers listed at PrinceTennis.com.