You might know Functional Tennis from the Saber. Now they are releasing a full-sized racquet called the FT99 and here is our review.
We have tried the Functional tennis racquet, the FT 99, for a few months and it has been a pleasant experience. It is a control racquet in the vein of the HEAD Radical, but has a little more forgiveness and power than the HEAD Radical MP.
You can check out the FT99 at the Functional Tennis website. Right now, it is 199 euro and you get FT99 tennis racket, pre strung, FT99 fleece bag, FT99 stencil. However, the first 100 orders get a bonus pack:
- Extra set of strings to suit the FT99 from Luxilon
- The new Functional Tennis Serve Sock
- Functional Tennis vibration dampeners
Our video review of the FT99 below, from our YouTube channel.
Specifications
The FT 99 has the following specifications:
Head size: 99 sq in
Unstrung weight: 305 g
Balance (unstrung): 315 mm
Length: 27 in
String pattern: 16 × 19
Beam: 20–23–22 mm
Stiffness (RA): 70
RDC / swingweight : 285 (unstrung)
Grip sizes: 2, 3, 4
The grip shape is similar to Prince racquets, so more rounded, not rectangular like Tecnifibre and Volkl, for example.
How does it play?
Many players tend to exaggerate the importance of the RA value. When they see 70 they think the racquet is uncomfortable and stiff. This is not necessarily true. It comes down to dampening, layup and many other things. The RA value does not tell that much of a story anymore and in the case of the FT 99, it plays more like a soft racquet than a firm one. Not ultra-plush, but like a Radical MP 99.
The power level is decent, but I felt it needed a bit more swing weight for plow-through and shot weight. It is easy to swing in stock form, but it lacks a little bit of punch and stability. I added 1.5-2 grams at 12 to bump up the swing weight and the racquet instantly played better. At least to me and Adam, who tested the frame.
Adding weight is a personal thing and not for everyone. The racquet plays fine in stock form, but I felt like it needs a swing weight close to 330 strung (295+ unstrung) to be more of a weapon against high-level players.
But there is a lot to like in the racquet. Plush feel, good control, a pretty forgiving sweet spot for a control racquet, enough spin potential to shape the ball. It’s a versatile frame for sure.
Who is it for?
The Functional Tennis 99 is a control racquet that suits players who want a little more pop and forgiveness than the Radical or Blade 98 provides. It is not giving you heaps more power, as it is still a control frame, but if you want to stay within the control segment, the FT 99 will feel right at home.
Pros and cons
+ Whippy
+ Nice feel
+ Specs allow for customization
– needs a bit of weight for stability and plow
It is difficult to find many cons with this frame. At the same time, it does not have quite the pop of racquets like the Yonex Ezone 98 or Babolat Pure Aero 98, so if you are already playing racquets like that, the FT99 will feel a little low-powered.
Summary
A solid control frame. It does not stand out in any category, but offers balanced performance and a good sensation when hitting the ball. A versatile racquet in the control segment. After adding some weight it still felt whippy, but had a little more power and stability.
If you want something different, perhaps a racquet that matches your Saber, check out the FT99.
Can’t really see how a light stiffer racket (despite what the article says, RA is a product of layup etc etc , not peripheral to it) with stability issues qualifies as a “control” racket just because it lacks power.