Price: $259
Head Size: 97 sq. in.
Length: 27 in.
Weight: 12.2 oz.
Balance: 8 pts. HL
Swingweight: 332
RA Rating: 61
Beam Width: 21 mm
String Pattern: 16x19
What’s New
For those familiar with the brand’s racquets, the Percept is taking over for the VCORE Pro line. While the name is new, the design focus of top-notch control, connected feedback and all-court versatility remains the same. The updates underwent three principal updates to improve its playability. First is Servo Filter, a transparent film placed between the graphite that enhances flexibility and dampens unwanted vibration. Next is the FlexCon System, located in the tapered and elongated box beam shaft, which adds flex at contact to extended ball pocketing and enhance control. The final addition is Stiffer Racquet Face Design, an increase in graphite in the face of to give it more backbone. In the case of the 97H, the swingweight has also been lowered to improve its handling.
What Works
The “H” on the Percept 97H stands for heavy. And with more than 12 ounces of strung weight—a rarity in today’s marketplace—it’s certainly a fitting label. Some frames are like sports cars, capable of producing swing speed and power with minimal effort. The different iterations of this 97 model have always behaved more like trucks that need a little time to get into top gear. But once there, the frame barrels through contact and delivers a stinging punch.
Fortunately, when compared to its predecessor, the Percept 97H hides its weight more effectively. This is primarily due to a noticeable lowering of its swingweight. It still feels beefy and arguably remains the defining characteristic of the frame, but it’s much less cumbersome than the previous version.
Which means faster swings that can put all that mass to good use. When properly positioned with time to step into a ground stroke and give the ball a rip, you’re rewarded with that great pancake feeling; the ball compresses on the stringbed and shoots off with easy depth and substantial plow-through. Serves also carry extra weight when you accelerate the head through the hitting zone. It’s still not whippy, though, favoring drives and penetrating slices over loopy topspin and kick serves.