P98 vs P100: A Racquet Review for Players Who Thought They'd Never Switch

You're three games into the second set and you've hit four rally balls that landed a foot short of the service line. Good swings. Clean contact. The ball just… sat up. Your opponent stepped in and took time away from you on all four. You know the feeling because it keeps happening.

Your current racquet — Blade, Pro Staff, something in that 18x20, sub-330 swing weight, control-oriented family — gave you everything you wanted for two years. Precision on first serves. Knife-like slice. The confidence to aim at a line and hit it. But lately, every rally feels like you're working harder than the other guy to produce the same depth. You can't tell if it's your legs or your frame, and you're tired of guessing.

This racquet review is for that exact moment. The moment your current stick feels maxed out and you start wondering if a different beam, a different pattern, a different weight distribution can give you back the depth you're missing — without turning your game into a spin-happy spray-chart.

The P98 and P100 are two answers to that question. One of them is probably right for you. The other one will make you work harder than you already are.

Where the belief came from

There was a time when players who wanted control bought thin-beamed, dense-pattern, heavy racquets, and players who wanted power bought thick-beamed, open-pattern, lighter ones. The line was clean. You chose your trade-off.

That binary started cracking around the time polyester strings became universal and players realised they could generate spin that older equipment never anticipated. A 16x19 pattern that used to mean "I'll take the power and accept the inconsistency" could now produce controlled, high-rpm balls that landed deep and kicked. The Blade 98 16x19, the Pure Aero 98, the Ezone 98 — these frames began to blur the line. Control players started asking: Can I get the manoeuvrability and spin of a 305-gram, 16x19 frame without the erratic launch angle that used to come with it?

Racquet companies answered by designing frames that felt solid at impact, had sub-66 RA numbers for arm comfort, and offered enough flex to keep the ball on the string bed long enough for the player to direct it. The old assumption — that spin is something you get by sacrificing control — started to look like a marketing convenience rather than a physics law.

The P98 and P100 belong to this newer generation of frames. They are not pure control racquets. They are not pure power racquets. They are spin racquets built for players who come from a control background and don't want to feel like they've switched teams. Whether they succeed depends entirely on which one you pick.

What you're actually looking at

Both frames share a family resemblance. Same PJ family — matte finish, minimal flash, paint that photographs orange-brown and looks better in person. Same grip shape, which is a Wilson-derived rectangle with slightly flat faces; if you're coming from a Head or Yonex grip, the bevels will feel different for the first few sessions. If you're coming from a Blade or Pro Staff, the shape is basically home.

The real differences are in the beam and the pattern.

The P98 has a constant beam — same thickness from throat to tip — which gives it a more connected, traditional feel through contact. The P100 uses a tapered beam, thicker in the hoop, which adds pop on off-centre hits and gives the frame a slightly more explosive response when you catch the ball late.

Both frames use a fairly dense 16x19 spacing. The P98's pattern is noticeably tighter than the standard 16x19 found on something like an Ezone 98; the P100's is closer to what you'd find on a Blade 100. Neither frame sprays. That's the first thing you should know.

The P98: for the player who wants to work for it

I have to be honest: the stock P98 did not impress me. Out of the box, strung with a generic multi at mid-tension, it felt boardy. Low launch angle. Not much free depth. I had to swing deliberately to get the ball past the service line, and when I did, the ball had a flatter trajectory than I expected from a 16x19 frame with that beam profile.

Then I added weight.

This is the part where I admit the P98 is not a straight-out-of-the-box racquet if you're coming from a Blade 98 or Pro Staff. The stock swing weight (~324 strung) is manageable, but the balance point — roughly 32.5cm unstrung — means the head feels present but not whip-like. You get decent plough through on neutral balls. But if you're trying to execute a heavy topspin rally ball from behind the baseline, the stock frame will feel like it's running out of mass.

The fix is 3-4 grams of lead at 12 o'clock and maybe 2 grams in the throat. That raises the swing weight to roughly 332-335 and transforms the frame. The launch angle lifts. The ball starts to leave the strings with visible rotation instead of a flat push. The racquet becomes a spin machine that still lets you aim at a line, because the constant beam and tight pattern keep the response predictable.

Here's the thing: if you're willing to modify, the P98 is excellent. It rewards a full swing. It absorbs heavy ball better than any 98 I've tested in this weight class — the feel at impact is solid without being dead. Slice stays low. Volleys feel stable because the head doesn't flutter on mis-hits.

But if you're the kind of player who buys a racquet and strings it and never touches lead tape, the P98 will leave you underwhelmed for the first two weeks, and you'll probably put it down before it gets good.

Drill it — one way to know if the P98 has enough mass for you

Go to a wall. Hit ten forehands from a low-prep position — ball below the net, no time to load your legs. After contact, check the ball's trajectory off the wall on the rebound.

• If the ball comes back flat and shallow, the racquet is not doing enough work for you.
• If the ball comes back with noticeable rotation and a higher bounce, the mass and pattern are working together.

Do this with the stock frame first. Then do it after you've added lead. The difference will tell you whether the P98 is worth the effort.

The P100: the one I actually recommend

The P100 does not need lead. It does not need a setup session. It comes out of the bag and works.

The tapered beam gives it roughly 5-8% more free power than the P98 on identical swings. That doesn't sound like a lot, but when you're half a step late and you need the ball to land at the baseline instead of the service line, that margin is the difference between neutralising the point and losing it.

The launch angle is higher than the P98 by a noticeable margin. Your rally ball will have more arc, more spin, and more net clearance for the same swing. This is the racquet that fixes the frustration I described at the top — the ball that keeps landing short. The P100 puts that ball deep.

What it loses compared to the P98:

• Feel on touch shots. The tapered beam transmits less vibration, which means you get less feedback on drop shots and angled volleys. You can still hit them, but you have to trust the string bed more than your hand.
• Directional precision on flat drives. The P98 lets you paint lines with a flat ball. The P100 will push slightly wider on aggressive inside-out forehands. Not by much — maybe 30cm — but if you're a line-hitter, you'll notice.
• Stability on heavy incoming balls. The P100 is 5 grams lighter and has a slightly lower swing weight. Against a big first serve or a heavy topspin ball, you'll feel a hint of torsional flex that the P98 handles better.

None of these losses are dealbreakers. They're trade-offs for the extra power and spin that the P100 gives you on the shots that matter most — rally depth, defensive passing shots, second-serve returns.

How I'd actually decide

You're not buying a spec sheet. You're buying a solution to a specific problem. Here are the five criteria that matter:

1. How much swing weight can you handle?

If you've been playing a stock Blade 98 (18x20, ~326 strung swing weight) and you're comfortable with it, the P100 at ~327 will feel normal. The P98 at 324 feels lighter until you add lead, then it becomes heavier. If you're already playing a racquet above 330 swing weight and you're comfortable there, the modified P98 is worth trying.

2. Are you willing to modify?

If you answer yes, you should strongly consider the P98. It's the better frame once dialled in. If you answer no — you want to string it and play it — get the P100. The P98 stock is not a good enough frame for the money.

3. What's your natural ball trajectory?

If you hit a flat-to-moderate topspin ball and you want to add arc without changing your technique, the P100 gives you that. If you already hit with heavy topspin and you want more weight and precision on that ball, the modified P98 will serve you better.

4. Do you have any arm sensitivity?

Both frames are comfortable. The RA numbers (65 and 66) are moderate. The P100 is slightly more forgiving on off-centre hits because the tapered beam absorbs shock better. If you have a history of elbow or wrist issues, the P100 is the safer choice.

5. How do you feel when you're stretched out?

Think about the shot you hit when you're late, off-balance, and trying to defend deep. With the P100, that ball has a good chance of landing past the service line because the hoop gives you free pop. With the stock P98, that ball lands short. With the modified P98, that ball might land deep — but only if you've added enough weight.

Who this is for

• P98: Players coming from a Blade 98 or Pro Staff who want more spin and are comfortable adding 3-5 grams of lead. Players who value feel and directional precision over free power. Players who hit a full, complete swing on most shots and want a frame that rewards full swings and punishes half-swingers.

• P100: Players coming from a Blade 100, a Speed MP, or any control-oriented 98 who want more rally depth without changing their technique. Players who want a spin-friendly frame straight out of the box. Players who share a court with big servers or heavy topspin hitters and need help neutralising pace on defensive shots.

Who this isn't for

• P98: Not for you if you're unwilling to modify. Not for you if your rally ball already has enough depth and you want something that improves feel or touch. Not for you if you're coming from a 305-gram, 100-square-inch, thick-beam power racquet and you're hoping the P98 will be an upgrade — it won't.

• P100: Not for you if you're a line-hitter who values directional precision above all else. Not for you if you're coming from a 18x20 and you want a similar feel with more spin — the P100's launch angle will feel too high. Not for you if you hate the Wilson grip shape.

String pairing — a quick note

Both frames respond well to a 1.25mm shaped poly strung in the 22-24kg range.

• P98 with a shaped poly (Tour Bite, Hyper G, Razor Code): The tight pattern and constant beam give you enough control to use a lively string. The shaped poly maximises the spin potential. This is the combo that makes the P98 feel like a spin racquet that also lets you aim.
• P100 with a round poly (Lynx, ALU Power, Ice Code): The P100 already has a higher launch angle. A shaped poly in a 100-square-inch head can push the trajectory too high on low-to-high swings. A round poly keeps the ball slightly flatter and gives you more control on aggressive shots.
• P100 with a multi: Works fine for arm-friendly play, but you'll lose some spin and the launch angle becomes unpredictable on heavy topspin swings. If you're playing a P100, you're probably looking for spin — stick with poly.

The honest rule of thumb

Here it is, the one you can carry to the court tonight:

If you want the racquet to do the work, get the P100. If you want to do the work yourself, get the P98 and spend the extra money on lead tape.