Heysil Tour 98 16/19 Review

Heysil is a boutique manufacturer in Australia run by Master racquet technician Jeffrey Heh. They have a new racquet out called the Heysil Tour 98 16/19.

We had Jeffrey on the Tennisnerd Podcast some years ago and we have reviewed the Heysil racquets before. Before the Heysil Tour 98 16/19, you could only get the 100 16/19 or the 98 18/20. The new Heysil racquet has perhaps one of the most popular specifications in the racquet market. As you could see from the sales numbers from Tennis Warehouse in a post we called the Best Racquets of 2024, the Wilson Blade 98 V9 16/19 was the bestselling racquet of this past year. The specs are made for intermediate to advanced players that crave control, but want a bit more pop and lift of the 16/19 string pattern compared to the dense 18/20.

What is kind of refreshing is that there is little tech going on in the Heysil racquets. It is just a solid graphite frame without dampening tech, which makes the impact feel enjoyable and connected. Still, there was no shock or arm discomfort when playing with the Heysil Tour 98 16/19. We will talk about this more in our upcoming video review on our YouTube channel.

A noticeable benefit of Heysil racquets is that you can get your specifications. They also add a set of string and an overgrip with your racquet and a vibration dampener.

Price: 300 AUD, which approximates 180 euro (by today’s exchange rate) and 187 USD. You can check out the racquet on their official website. Use the code TENNISNERD10 to get 10% off your purchase sitewide.

Specifications

Playability and performance

Jeffrey was kind enough to send two demos for the test. One customized to my preferred specs for this type of frame, which is 350g, 32 cm balance, and 330 SW strung. The racquets were strung with a hybrid of two Heysil Tour strings at 53 lbs / 24 kg and 51 lbs / 23 kg (crosses). I also got one frame with lighter specs, 326.5g, 32,7 cm balance and 310 SW. I think the optimal specs for my game was somewhere in the middle, so I added some weight to the handle and a few grams to the hoop of the lighter one and it played very nice at 335g, 32 cm and 325 SW strung.

I would also recommend stringing a bit lower than 53/51 lbs unless you are a very strong player who can generate loads of pace on the ball. But even with a poly strung at 53, there was no discomfort, which is a great thing.

This is not a huge difference in performance from the Heysil Tour 18/20, but I enjoy the slightly higher launch angle and more spin potential. This is simply a very good control racquet and for me it plays better than many racquet of similar specs on the market that comes with some kind of dampening tech that, in instances, ruins some of the sensation and connection to the racquet.

If you are playing with more powerful and modern racquets, the Heysil Tour 100 is a better choice, but if I would wish another Heysil frame into existence, it would be that racquet with a denser string pattern because that has a quite open 16/19.

Competitors to the Heysil Tour 16/19: Wilson Blade 98, HEAD Radical MP, Solinco Whiteout V2, Babolat Pure Strike 98, Yonex Percept 97, etc.

Pros and cons

Let us look at some pros and cons of the Heysil Tour 98 16/19.

+ No frills performance

+ You can get it customized to your specs

+ Control

– Low powered compared to modern 98s like ezone 98 and pure aero 98, but it is a control racquet.

– A glossy cosmetic would make it stand out more

Summary

The Heysil Tour 98 16/19 is a solid racquet. I would consider playing with it as a match racquet if I was still into this type of control frame because it does most things well. However, I want more power on my shots these days and are going for a more powerful racquet. But if you are a playing that likes to be in complete control and enjoys the a thinner beam and lower power level, then the Heysil Tour 98 16/19 should be considered.

The price is competitive and if you have a desired spec, I am sure Jeffrey can customize and match the racquets for you at a small charge, which is a big benefit considering that companies still struggle with some quality control issues.

Overall a positive experience and I wish Heysil all the best in a very competitive racquet market.

If you have had any experience with Heysil racquets, please comment below and let us know your opinion. My friend Ryan, who is an excellent player, uses the Tour 98 18/20, so they can for sure be used on a high level.