Price: $180
Hitting area: 105 sq. in.
Length: 27 1/4 in.
Weight: 9.9 oz.
Swingweight: 288
Balance: 5/8 in. head light
Beam width: 24 mm
String Pattern: 16 x 19
Flexibility: Flexible
Ideal swing: Long
NTRP: 3.0-4.5
The Wave BLX (both "Wave" racquets are identical except for the blue cosmetics on the Tidal and the pink on the Coral) is the most maneuverable racquet we’ve seen in years, as energy-efficient on the court as a Mini Cooper is on the highway. You can swing away all day without running out of gas. But you’ll need a full swing to coax the power out of the Wave. Its extremely low swingweight helps increase racquet-head velocity, allowing you whip through the ball with less effort to create vicious topspin. It also adds a few more miles per hour to your serves. It does better than most featherweight head-light frames in taking punches from hard-hitting opponents, but it requires meeting the ball in the lower part of the frame, where most of its mass resides. “I loved how quickly I could take the racquet back, especially when I was a little off-balance,” said one 4.0 playtester after returning a series of blazing serves. “It felt great and responsive in the sweet spot, but dead in the upper part of the racquet and I kept shanking my returns.”
Bottom line: For baseliners looking to trade some stability for the ultimate in maneuverability, consider the Wave. Just make sure to strike the ball low on the racquet face.