Description
Fitting neatly between our menacing TC95 options and our serving monster TC100″, the new TC97 V5 is primed to continue being the racket of choice for a wide audience of players. Enhanced feel and stability come from the box section design, whilst the hoop beam thickness is slim to allow plenty of flat shots without the fear of framing.
With its bold orange and red inner hoop, its a serious style contender, but with more substance than its competitors can offer thanks to the unique way each frame is configured to meet the needs of the player. The TC97 V5 custom racket is the perfect frame for everyone, just build it how you like it.
Unstrung Specifications
Key Features
PERFORMANCE DRIVEN TECHNOLOGY
Our focus has always been to deliver quality products that are built to the highest standards and incorporate technology that benifits players. Nothing else.
HOT MELT XT
We have turned up the heat on our raw materials to lower the viscosity of the resin used to coat our High Modulus fibres. The result is “Total Coverage” or as we like to call it, “Perfection Manufacturing”.
MICRO BRAID
Heat and pressure are used to mould our carbon frames into shape. Our MICRO BRAID layer minimises resin flow out of the frame structure resulting in a more consistent product.
FOAM CORE
All Angell custom models are filled with our unique Foam Core to provide a high level of dampening and the unmistakable feel of a solid filled frame.
OPTIONS GALORE
Looking for something slightly different to match your style? Build your own TC90 with our industry leading CUSTOM system
Hideo (verified owner) –
TC 97 (16×19)
Unstrung Weight / Balance:320g)/ 305mm
With Leather Grip/Angell
The best frame I’ve ever met. For me, I won’t be able to find a racket of 16×19 or higher of TC97. It’s a racket that I love that much. I think you will feel it once you use it. The feeling of an unwavering frame when volleying. And in every shot, I know that it will be utilized.
Mike Feely (verified owner) –
I started looking at new raquets a few months ago having played with a Wilson Clash Tour and finding that it lacked control in a big way. I am an intermediate to advanced player but I do suffer from tennis elbow occasionally.
I tried numerous raquets, the best being the Dunlop CX 200 Tour and the Yonex Vcore 97 but then found out about Angell on a forum.
Paul was very helpful and suggested the TC97 would be right for me. I have had it a few weeks and it is great. Enough power for me (the Dunlop was under powered in comparison), great feel and comfort – my tennis elbow is disappearing. The control is great and its rare now that I hit the ball long.
Overall really happy with this raquet and would recommend it to someone looking for a good balance of control, power and comfort.
For reference I tried Yonex Vcore pro 97 & 100, Dunlop CX 200 Tour, Head Speed Pro, Prokennex Black Ace, Wilson RF v13 and TC97 is the clear winner.
Justin (verified owner) –
Used to play the V2 of the TC97. Found the V4 more solid and stable due to what feels like a slight increase of stiffness.
This control frame produces a decent amount of spin with precision that is top class.
The new cosmetic is stunning setting it apart the other brands.
The TC97 is a high quality racket that will reward an advanced player looking for more control while maintaining a decent amount of comfort.
Eliott Kuchera (verified owner) –
Coming from the EZone Tour and RF97 while also being a fan of the VCore Pro and even before that the Volkl VSense8, I too fell into the vortex of racket uncertainty. Having to ask myself if the Ezone was stable enough against heavy hitters, if the RF or VCP were maneuverable enough, and not to mention all the different feels each of these rackets bring.
The TC97 pulled me out of this spiral and has given me a true inner peace. I can not imagine ever playing another competitive match without reaching for this stick and knowing that it can do everything I ask of it and more. The ability to generate power, redirect pace, manufacture spin when needed, all while feeling so uniquely crisp on contact has cemented this as my go-to stick.
The specs may not be the racket for everyone, but this is the racket for me.
Aaron (verified owner) –
I have just recently purchased my second TC97. They are fantastic rackets and the quality is top notch.
It really helps to feel confident and comfortable with your racket and I feel that I am playing my best tennis ever with this frame.
I can swing freely with confidence with the TC97 and know exactly where the ball is going. This frame has amazing feel and control on the volleys and I have zero trouble generating power on the serve and ground strokes.
I purchased the custom spin string and I think it suits my game really well. I will be switching to this string from now on.
The customer service from Angell was excellent and Paul was very helpful with his advice.
Thank you guys, another very happy customer.
luicwadrian (verified owner) –
Bought 2 TC97s 16×19 320g 30.5cm unstrung specs, w/ leather grip B. Coming from an RF97 and previously the Prostaff 90, I was looking for a lighter frame that had the same balance and feel and this pretty much hits the spot. I’ve tried to use a Dunlop CX 200 tour 18×20 315g but that caused me some wrist and elbow problems like someone previously mentioned here. The CX 200 tour was just a tad too underpowered and the launch angle was too low for my liking as well.
Playing stock TC97 with just an overgrip, everything started to click again and adding 2g of lead at the head helped to add that extra plow through. Definitely recommend a try for those looking for a lighter RF97.
Tim Callanan (verified owner) –
Bought 2 TC97s 16×19 325g. Lovely frame. Beautifully weighted with plenty of mass but easy to handle even at that weight. The foam core gives it a solid, plush feel on impact, even towards the top of the string bed. My only complaint would be the lack of options on the paint job. Would be nice to have more choice.
luka1806 (verified owner) –
Perfect racquet. Ordered 2 custom V97 racquets, they came with the same specs in one gram. High quality racquet. Good job!
Strayfire (verified owner) –
Angell Custom TC97 Review (from Yonex Vcore Pro 97 HD/Wilson Asian Prostaff 90)
String:
Tecnifibre Multifeel Pink at 24kg/53lbs
Spec:
16×19, 320g unstrung, measured (335g strung), 315mm theoretical unstrung balance (319mm measured), 300 SW unstrung (326 SW strung/measured, 325SW requested), Octane, Grip Type B
Background:
I switched from the Wilson Asian K-Factor Prostaff 90 (AK90) to the Yonex Vcore Pro 97 HD (VCP HD) to escape arm issues with my extensor muscle. While the switch worked well, the VCP HD lacked dictating power and had a very low launch angle, leading me to switch to the Angell TC97.
Serves:
The TC97 hits a truly amazing serve. Previously with the VCP HD I had to overswing and overhit my serves to get an acceptable amount of pace. Otherwise I was locked into craftier serves that hit the extremities of the service box. Keep in mind that I have a relatively small build. If I was Wawrinka I might be okay with this. For me, the TC97 is better because the frame does a lot more work for me and even my second serves seem to fly with the TC97. Because I’m not overswinging, my stamina seems to hold up better on the TC97. I’m still capable of doing my craftier serves on the TC97.
Volleys:
The TC97 is good with volleys, playing similarly to the AK90 but with much more forgiveness. The TC97 with my setup favours a direct “punch” style volley that hits hard. However, the VCP HD, with its plushness and touch is still possibly the nicest volleying stick I have ever played with. It makes it absurdly easy to remove pace and drop shot. I still say that the TC97 is still good because can punch much harder with less effort. Sometimes “power is a strategy too”.
Groundstrokes:
The TC97 has a lot of pop in a small frame. With the VCP HD I missed the pop and power of having a stiffer frame. Balls regularly land deeper in the court whereas they would land short with the VCP HD. This is not a problem with the VCP HD, rather that I still struggle with the 18×20 string pattern. If you come from an 18×20 heritage, you may be better off with the TC97 18×20 as you may find your shots sailing long with the 16×19 string pattern.
In terms of launch angle, the TC97 is slightly higher than the AK90, so I will need some time to adjust to it. However, I feel a lot less vulnerable than playing with the VCP HD because of the dictating power that the TC97 brings to the table.
In terms of groundstrokes, I can achieve a similar amount of power from a more modern frame like the Ezone 98 with higher racquet head speed, however my brain struggles with “understanding” those types of frames. Hence, I tend to gravitate towards box-beam style “control” frames, particularly around 320g.
Comfort/feel:
Larger head sizes mean that if I slightly mishit the ball I won’t be subjected to the frame spinning out of control. This really helps with calming the extensor muscle. The VCP HD has a vibration dampening mesh in the handle to enhance comfort whereas the TC97 has foam in the construction of the frame, much like the AK90. Dampening is a double edged sword because I really like crisp feeling frames. I still get the best feel out of the AK90, but the TC97 is a very good alternative. Unlike the VCP HD and its dampening mesh, the TC97 still gives a nice rewarding feeling when you hit the sweetspot. I will say that the TC97 is beaten by the Dunlop CX 200 Tour (2018) in feel and VCP HD in terms of absolute comfort, however I have arm issues with the CX200T and the VCP HD does not feel as nice. The Yonex Ezone 98 (2107/2020), while it has a similar amount of comfort, also have zero feel and make me feel like I have no idea what my shot was or is going.
Other:
The TC97 eats strings alive. I’ve played a little over 2 hrs and my Multifeel is fraying. That’s usually the 2 week mark for my VCP HD/AK90. We’ll see how quick strings get eaten later on.
Type B handle has a nice amount of flair at the end of it, resembling the Wilson handle. This flair is noticably absent from Yonex frames. Gosh I missed this. If you are a Yonex user, this may annoy you if you aren’t used to it.
Verdict:
I finally feel at home with the TC97. For me it’s a direct upgrade from the AK90 in a way that the VCP HD was not. They say that people tend to enjoy the kind of frames that they grew up with because their games naturally evolved around that type of frame. It allows me to get the comfort and forgiveness of a 97” frame without giving up any of the qualities that made my AK90 so beloved by me. It is a traditional stick with modern forgiveness and comfort while retaining enough similarities to the AK90 to still play that same way. ProStaff 90 refugees should really give this a go.
nostro (verified owner) –
TC 97 (16×19)
Unstrung Weight / Balance:310g(11oz) / 315mm(9ptsHL)
With Leather Grip/Wilson Pro overgrip
(No Mods)
This is an early review after playing with this amazing frame on consecutive days; once singles – solid hitting (training) for 2+ hours & the following day a competitive doubles match. I mention this as I was able to really gauge the performance of this racquet under different circumstances & combined it enabled me to get a real sense of this racquet’s versatility. Further, I was so impressed I felt the need to review this now!
First up, I immediately noticed the feel of the racquet, even during a half-court warm up. There was that old school feel, yet it didn’t feel particularly soft or flexi like some of the racquets I gravitate toward, such as Head Prestige mp or Yonex Vcore 97HD. The feel is quite hard to put in words as really there’s nothing like it on the market currently. The sound from the racquet is like a thud (& I don’t use a dampener).
Groundies: surprisingly powerful. In fact, it had the sort of power I’d expect from a racquet with a 100sq” headsize, not 97sq”. This wasn’t a negative at all – it was very controllable and I see this ‘added’ power as a real bonus – I wasn’t expecting it.
Volley’s: Absolutely rock solid, totally point and shoot. No instability whatsoever from hard-hitting both in training and in match play (vs two State ranked juniors). It was also fairly fast through the air, again somewhat surprising as I was led to believe foam-filled racquets were a tad slower with their higher swing weights. All of my racquets are thin beamed ~20mm, so no real difference to this TC 97. This was definitely not sluggish in the slightest, it was smooth.
Serve: Pace, spin (kick second serve) & ample control.
Confort (very important to me): Top of it’s class, easily on par (or better) than my PK KiQ+ Tour Pro (315).
Quality: appears to be first class, unlike some frames that clearly lack quality control.
So, I am personally pleased beyond expectations and I have only heard great things about Angell racquets.
The only thing I can say that may be of interest to readers is that my hitting partner (& fellow coach), wasn’t enamoured like I was from his very brief hit; perhaps that’s because he quickly fell in love with my K7 Lime. Yup, they are totally different feeling racquets & perhaps I’ll review mine at a later time when I actually play properly with it.
I string all poly & used for this play test Yonex Poly Tour Fire 16L (~48lbs), which is somewhat softer and more powerful than some of my other go to poly’s. I certainly do not think this needs a shaped poly for those who think that will give them additional spin. However, I will certainly try other polys and gradually increase the tension as required. I may also try a little lead tape @ 3 & 9, but don’t overly think it is required, at least not for stability purposes. However, I do like to tinker to see how some tweaks affect performance.
Overall: Highly recommended 5/5 stars!
(I bought 2).
Thank you Paul.
dave007gould (verified owner) –
I am a 13 year old junior performance player, I recently purchased 2 X TC97 16.19 (290gm) and I love them… After having a few arm issues with my previous racket I decided to switch and have had no issues since. I string my rackets with technifibre razor code carbon at 48lb and it gives me the perfect combination of power,spin, comfort and durability. The foam core really seems to give it a unique solid feel compared to other rackets I’ve used. I also love the cosmetics and the fact it’s a little different from all my friends rackets. I really cannot recommend this racket highly enough.
paulinhobraz –
Excellent racket, very balanced in power, control and spin. Compared to tc95 16×19 63ra, the tc97 provides better control, volleys, greater stability and comfort, losing only in the power and spin. The power in the tc97 requires a faster swing, and when this is done there is plenty of power in the frame. I really like the racket, especially in the extremely high control aspect for a 16×19 standard.
karl (verified owner) –
I have played with my new TC97 for a month. After have a rest for 6 months due to tennis elbow this frame suits me very good. The spec is 310g, 9 HL & 66 RA. No lead. After some adjustments with the strings I playing with Technifiber mains 53 lbs and Goosen 51 lbs. I played with Head Speed pro 18×20 / TC97 18×20 previously, but the TC97 swings very easy, gives plenty of spin and better speed. Good speed and control on both on groundstrokes. I play tournaments on a high level. On my serve I still need some more practice and adjustments, especially on my 1st serve. 2nd serve gives plenty of kick. A very recommandable racket for us who likes thinner frames but not compromising the speed.
akglobalanalyst (verified owner) –
I love this frame. I own two of them and they’re hands down the most comfortable racquets I’ve ever hit with. I never have any arm or shoulder pain when playing with my TC97’s. Feel, control, and comfort is top notch. Spin and power are good as well, but you need to provide your own of both. I’ll never buy another frame again.
hein.hermes (verified owner) –
I received my racket almost a month ago.
The racket specs I ordered were spot on as the following:
Head size: 97
Weight (unstrung): 310g
Lenght: 27.25
Balance: 7 points head light
String pattern: 16×19
Stiffness: 66 ra
Grip size: 4 ½
Handle shape: B
Leather grip.
I strung it with my usual setup: Yonex Poly Tour Pro 1.20 at 24 kg mains and 22.5 crosses. And put a Wilson Pro overgrip and a Yonex dampener. No lead tape was required.
First of all, I have to admit that I fell in love with this racket from the first swing. I used to be a hardcore fan of Yonex rackets (I still own some Yonex Ai, Dr and Dr plus), but this racket is just better in almost every way. It´s definitely the best racket I´ve ever owned for competitive matches. It is a great blend of control, power, solidness and feel. Even the paint job quality is top-notch.
I found plenty of power for my serves and groundstrokes (even more than Dr plus) without sacrificing any control. On the contrary, the control was outstanding.
It might be the foam filled of the racket, but the feeling and comfort is amazing, without any vibrations. It is just so easy on the arm (even with a full bed of poly) and the racket urges you to make touch shots and come to the net. The racket is also very maneuverable (even at 27.25 length) which helped me a lot with volleys and smashes.
If a have to point out a minor flaw it would be that the spin has been a tad off on second serves, but it is probably my fault because I still have to get used to the balance of the racket on that shot.
This was my first experienced with Angell and will definitely not be the last one.
PS: I also ordered a V3 100 16X19, 63 ra, 290g for my girlfriend and she also love the feel and control of the racket.
rjent4 (verified owner) –
Before I get started with this review, I want to verify that I played with the 10.6 ounce unstrung frame with a 4 1/8 Type B pallet.
Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I want to comment about how well the Custom V3 played! Strung up, the racquet has a 330 swing weight and weighs right at 320 grams. This spec was right in my wheel house.
On groundstrokes I felt that I destroyed the ball. It had enough stability against bigger hitters that virtually nothing pushed the frame around. The racquet took little effort as I felt there was plenty of free power. The spin potential was amazing! It seems the string bed is slightly more open than the average 97/98 square inch racquet. This lends itself to exceptional spin. As long as I was accelerating upwards the racquet was giving me plenty of spin which directly correlates with control. Also, the ball was climbing up higher on my opponent which was nice!
The return of serve was great. As long as you got the racquet out front on the return, there was enough mass to deflect oncoming serves. However, with the extra pop from the frame I felt that I could take advantage of second serves very easily enough.
Volleys were so buttery with this frame. Though the RA is 66, Angell racquets always feel more flexible than what is advertised. That flexibility is a huge plus on the volleys as you feel totally comfortable being more aggressive, but have the confidence that every ball will hang in. One of the problems with the stiffer racquets of today is that they have too much power for volleys. The volley with this frame just feels extraordinary and gives you desired results.
The serve was where I thoroughly enjoyed the frame. I felt the 97 square inch frame gives you pin point control as I’m able to move the serve around the box. Though I wouldn’t say its a powerful racquet on serve, I feel you can get the accuracy to have effective serve games. Sometimes with stiffer racquets that hits huge serves, I do hit some bigger serves. However, I feel that my first serve percentage dips too much. I never have to worry about first serve percentage dipping and I still get desired results on serve!
All in all, this racquet is highly recommended for anyone who is looking for a great mixture of power and comfort!
Mark (verified owner) –
By far, repeat, by far the best racquet I’ve ever owned! It’s almost “magic”! Add that along with the friendly and knowledgable customer service and you’ve got a win-win situation!
I’ve recently gotten back into playing regularly, and at my age (60) I’ve had trouble finding a racquet with the performance/comfort combination. This is it .. the search is over! I play with Luxilon natural gut mains and Luxilon Element crosses .. that combination with this racquet has me 100% pleased. Now, to get my game up to the level this racquet holds!! Thanks to everyone at Angell!
george.apo (verified owner) –
I was thinking to try Angell rackets for almost a year now and last month I finaly deside to give a try with a TC97 (300g, 6 pts HL). Playing for more than 20 years with heavy, control oriented racquets I was looking for a little lighter – easier on the arm package without compromising feel. I decided to choose the TC97 300g 6pts HL version so if needed I could have space for “corrections”. Well….after almost two months hitting with this frame I have to say that this is the most perfect tennis racket I have ever had! And believe me I had a lot! No exaggerations at all. The feedback I am taking on every shot is amazing. Easy to swing, create spin and get power of it. The flex feels great and ball pocketing comes easily with depth. And all those meanwhile being very arm friendly. A very noticable detail to mention is that the racquet although the 300g feels and plays like a heavier racquet, wich is a great advantage for many advanced players that play for many hours per week. TC97 feels and plays just great and really I think that you can’t ask more from a tennis racket. I allready ordered another one! Thanks Paul!
Piyush Lakhawat (verified owner) –
Been playing with this racket for a few months now. I have the heaviest and most HL version. I have added a bit of (4.5 gms) of weight at 12 o clock, I like the stringbed response better after doing that. Its a really good racket. Nice power, spin, comfort, stability and feel. Usually there is a compromise in rackets over these attributes for one over other. Not in this one. The best part of this racket for me has been that at 330 gms unstrung plus 4.5 gms added by me at the tip, the racket is still pretty maneuverable. I tend to like stiff and round polys in this one.If you play with 97-98 sq inch rackets, give this one a try. It will be a unique experience (in a good way), that’s for sure.
h.scuoteguazza –
I had tried the TC95, TC97 and TC100 before ordering the 97. I’ve been playing with my two TC97s since last May. It was love at first swing! I ordered it with 330 gram weight but added lead tape at the 3:00 and 9:00 position, increasing the weight to 350. Using Babolat RPM Blast 18 gauge strings. The TC97 feels very solid and is easy on my arm. It’s also very versatile; I can hit with power yet throw in touch shots or heavy slice with it when necessary. The TC97 does it all! (I’m a 66 year old, 4.0 player.)
Thanks Paul for a great racket!
Mark Sunzeri (verified owner) –
Awesome frame!!!! I have the TC97 16×19 310 grams unstrung balance 325mm. Coming from a Technifibre Tfight 315, which is a soft players racquet modded to the same specs as the TC 97. The TC 97 is a better racquet in every way. Easier to swing, create topspin, hit flat, etc etc….. The flex in this stick is excellent. My hitting coach has commented how my ground strokes have become much more consistent especially in heaving exchanges whereas before the TC 97 they would break down. Great product and needless to say, I will have to order a second to put in my bag…….I’m a USTA 4.5 singles player.
Thanks Paul and company for an excellent product!!!!!!!!!!
ervins.elksnis (verified owner) –
Only about month ago I did not even know “Angell” existed, and today I own three beautiful “Angell” frames, TC 97 being my favorite one. At age 45 I am still pretty much a beginner(3.0 – 3.5 level), because I had never swung a tennis racket until I turned 41. I’m in a good shape for my age but developed tennis elbow and shoulder pain playing with stiff frames. What a relief – TC97 has everything I can ask for and more. The build quality is top-notch, easy on the arm it has power and it has control. Easy access to spin. The feel and touch is outstanding. Thank you Paul.
brian buckley –
what can u say about an owner who answers your questions quickly and helps u find the specs that best match what u are looking for. then after i ordered my TC97 on a thursday and it comes to my home in florida on a monday. just blown away by Paul and the quality of the frame. the foam filling gives it that solid feeling missing from most frames sold out there. The power / spin and control superb. Serves, well my friends are telling me its coming at them like a bullet. comfort for days (shoulder surgery/elbow trouble) so this really is a revelation to have feel as well. mine was tested 2 ways for RA and it came out as 61. i went with the 320/305( finished at 7pts headlight) using VS gut mains 16g and 17g ashaway zx pro monogut at 54lbs. LOVE THIS FRAME. Thank u Paul .
Mike (verified owner) –
After talking with Paul via email I ordered a TC97 with his suggested addition of 5 grams of weight to increase HL. I wanted to have a frame close to the Pure Storm/Control frames I’ve been using the last ten years but with a little more pop. (After over 50 years of tennis and a spinal problem I needed to give my body some relief) My TC97 arrived a week after I ordered it and I was pleased with the finish when I pulled it out of the box. Weight and balance were spot on. The biggest surprise came when I took the frame out on the court. It not only had that little extra pop I was looking for but also it was smooth, solid, and had great feel. I play mostly doubles these days and the TC97 provided a nice ease to serves, volleys, and ground strokes. My body appreciated it. I happened to play some strong players the next few days and the TC97 was a consistent pleasure compared to my previous frames. Over my many years of tennis including competition in college, USTA, teaching in clubs, and working in a tennis shop I’ve used many frames and the Angell has been the most impressive. I ordered another TC97 from Paul and when it arrived I found the specs matched perfectly and I could not tell the two frames apart – perfect. Throughout this experience Paul has been quick to respond, understanding, helpful with suggestions, and a pleasure to work with. Creator and creation are a perfect match and a gift to tennis players.
Craig (verified owner) –
Having never played with an Angell racquet before but having read quite a bit about them I decided to get the TC97. I chose one of the lighter options – 300g 325mm – so it would give me room to make further adjustments as desired. After some experimentation with lead it turned out that all I ended up doing was changing the grip to leather which brought the static weight up to a desired 338g. When I open the box and got the racquet out the first thing that struck was that it was beautifully produced. In terms of performance, there is no shortage of power. Furthermore, the 16×19 string pattern is quite open and allows massive spin to be generated off the ground, however, for such an open pattern directional control is superb. Serving is easy with this racquet with power tapped easily for flat serves and spin easily generated for good movement off the court. Overall, I am very very satisfied with the Angell TC97. Finally, I should add that Paul was a pleasure to deal with during the whole process.
Gloria (verified owner) –
I’m embarassed to admit just how many frames I’ve used in my tennis career, searching for a racquet that provided classic flex and feel. You can feel the quality and the care that goes into this frame — it’s so solid, so comfortable without being mushy. The TC97 is surprisingly easy to swing given its more-than-respectable swingweight. The comfortable flex results in generous dwell time and gives me the confidence to swing out, particularly on my one-handed backhand. I’ve never had so much fun playing as when I swing the TC97.
Paul (verified owner) –
In the old days I started with wood, and played with any kink of pro staff rackets for many years (mostly the 85). Tried many rackets these days to find something that fitted my old classic game style. This racket plays excellent. Compared to the Wilson RF pro staff 97, that I recently used (good racket but quit a lot of power), it is slightly lighter also in swing weight I guess but not much, and a bit more flexible in the hoop which I like a lot, – which results in slightly more dwell time and also a bit better ‘touch’. All in all excellent racket for a player with classic loopy strokes.
Fatih Selekler –
Imagine having a racquet that feels as a natural extension to your arm fitting perfectly like a glove; that’s the Angell TC97 I have the pleasure to use, two of them. After trying out two dozen racquets and not being fully satisfied in one way or another, I was reluctant to try out the TC97 thinking I have a sickness and cannot be satisfied with anything. After exchanging few short emails with Paul, he recommended to me what he thought might be a good fit; I relied on his experience and knowledge, and I was not disappointed. I have been using the racquets for nearly 5 weeks and ~40 hours of playtime, I just cannot find any shortcomings. It is generally believed that no racquet will improve one’s game, but once you find the racquet that really is the perfect fit, it does improve the game; you no longer have to think about the weight being too high or low, the balance being a little off here or there, the length or head size being the culprit for missing certain type of shots, etc. My entire focus is now just on the shots, the points and the game, never have I thought if my racquet is the right one for me or if there is a better one out there since I have been using the TC97s.
The quality of the frames are far better than what I have used previously, the paint and finish are top notch, and stay that way through many matches, always shiny new. These racquets also seem not to be too sensitive to the string type, I tested couple of different strings that are my favorites at different tensions and they all play pretty much the same at the same tensions. Now I picked my favorite combination and not looking back any further.
I sincerely recommend these frames to anyone that is looking for their partner on court and haven’t found them yet, your search should be over.
Jeff (verified owner) –
I’ve been playing tennis for 30 years and I’m an advanced player (5.3). I wanted to play with a 27.5in and nothing on the market came close to the specs I wanted. The new TC97 was a solid base to build my new extended frame with. I talked with Paul Angell to make sure my new frame would fit my game and my needs, he knows his stuff as I got exactly what I wanted, meeting all specs I was looking for. With that being said, the frame plays as well as you would expect from a players’ frame: soft touch, great feel and a lot of control. It has solid power and good access to spin with the 16×19 pattern. I feel like I can’t miss a shot with it. Truly confidence inspiring. The foam filled frame is also really effective at absorbing vibrations. I play with a full bed poly and don’t even consider adding a damper while I absolutely need one with my other regular frames (Head Graphene Prestige Pro). Great quality frame, I will order more in the near future for sure. Thanks Angell!
Eric –
Fantastic frame. I’ve used over 30+ frames over the past 2 years after returning back to the game of tennis. I play at a USTA 4.5 level (USA ranking). This racket is all around great. Previously owned Paul’s rackets, so I knew I could expect quality. The TC97 is extremely solid, yet easy to swing and generate spin and pace. Touch shots are great, and the racket possess a more classic feel compared to stiffer modern frames. Have not found a downside to the frame. I love the paint job as well. If you are looking for a classic feeling frame (think Dunlop MW200G, Pro Staff 85, Pacific frames, Older Head Prestige Models) but with a bit more access to power, look no forward. Highly recommended!