Quality Index
A fairly reliable index of racquet quality is the ratio Mr2/I , which in spreadsheet cell formula is [(M*r^2)/I] . The variables in this ratio are the published racquet specifications for strung and gripped racquets. M is the racquet mass, in kilograms (e.g. 320 grams = 0.320 kg), r is the distance, in centimeters, from the butt to the balance point, and I is the swingweight about the standard 10 cm axis of rotation used for published swingweight measurements.
This site cannot be updated frequently enough to keep up with the new racquet models, so this quality index should be used for judging the new stuff. In the 2002 survey, when ranked by this index, 104 of the 167 racquets were within 10 places of their Expert ranking, and at most off by 31 at the extreme. The average ranks were almost the same. Using this formula, index values of 1.10 or less are good; 1.18 or more are bad. This index will quickly evaluate new racquets which have not been ranked yet here. Tennis Warehouse is a good source for new racquet specs.
For example, the Prince Graphite Classic OS has a mass of 348 grams, a balance of 30.8 cm, and a swingweight of 335, according to the USRSA database. Plugging these values into the formula:
Mr2/I = (0.348*30.8^2)/335 = 0.985
This value, or quality index, of 0.985 is extremely low, therefore good, consistent with the top rank of this racquet in the Expert rankings. Other racquets rank as follows:
Expert Rank |
Index
Rank |
Quality Index 2002 Mr2/I |
Index value |
|
8 |
5 |
Babolat |
Pure Control |
1.044 |
32 |
23 |
Babolat |
Pure Control + |
1.071 |
90 |
94 |
Babolat |
Pure Control Zylon 360 |
1.144 |
52 |
44 |
Babolat |
Pure Drive |
1.103 |
107 |
128 |
Babolat |
Pure Drive Zylon 360 |
1.171 |
39 |
54 |
Babolat |
Pure Power Zylon 360 |
1.112 |
65 |
78 |
Babolat |
Soft Drive |
1.131 |
71 |
79 |
Babolat |
Soft Power |
1.131 |
14 |
9 |
Babolat |
VS Control |
1.053 |
80 |
107 |
Babolat |
VS Drive |
1.155 |
160 |
157 |
Babolat |
VS Nanotube Drive |
1.221 |
164 |
159 |
Babolat |
VS Nanotube Power |
1.232 |
135 |
130 |
Babolat |
VS Power |
1.173 |
123 |
109 |
Blackburne |
DS-107 |
1.156 |
136 |
129 |
Blackburne |
Excalibur Ti 107 |
1.172 |
104 |
99 |
Blackburne |
Excalibur Ti 97 |
1.150 |
138 |
154 |
Cayman |
Airlite |
1.213 |
9 |
13 |
Cayman |
Catalyst II |
1.059 |
36 |
34 |
Cayman |
Catalyst II Pro |
1.094 |
49 |
11 |
Cayman |
Energizer II |
1.055 |
73 |
51 |
Cayman |
Energizer II Pro |
1.109 |
144 |
145 |
Cayman |
Energizer Ti |
1.196 |
45 |
28 |
Cayman |
Excel Comp II |
1.081 |
4 |
21 |
Cayman |
Pro Heat II |
1.067 |
23 |
25 |
Cayman |
Pro Smash II |
1.075 |
34 |
43 |
Cayman |
Pro Talis II |
1.102 |
28 |
6 |
Cayman |
Pro Talis II Long |
1.044 |
139 |
139 |
Cayman |
Sidewinder Ti |
1.190 |
129 |
126 |
Cayman |
Strike X |
1.168 |
108 |
93 |
Dunlop |
200G 95 |
1.144 |
26 |
36 |
Dunlop |
300G 98 |
1.095 |
143 |
146 |
Dunlop |
Inferno 104 |
1.197 |
134 |
150 |
Dunlop |
Inferno 110 |
1.203 |
118 |
124 |
Dunlop |
Inferno 118 |
1.167 |
102 |
102 |
Dunlop |
Spirit 100 |
1.153 |
96 |
119 |
Dunlop |
Spirit 110 |
1.164 |
97 |
104 |
Dunlop |
Vision 102 |
1.154 |
100 |
110 |
Dunlop |
Vision 110 |
1.157 |
62 |
72 |
Fischer |
GDS Rally FT Titanium |
1.126 |
124 |
127 |
Fischer |
GDS Spice |
1.171 |
128 |
142 |
Fischer |
GDS Spirit |
1.195 |
151 |
160 |
Fischer |
GDS Take Off 1210 |
1.241 |
141 |
133 |
Fischer |
GDS Take Off 710 |
1.177 |
159 |
161 |
Fischer |
GDS Take Off 910 |
1.242 |
77 |
83 |
Fischer |
Pro Extreme |
1.134 |
53 |
52 |
Fischer |
Pro No. One |
1.110 |
65 |
60 |
Fischer |
Pro Tour FT Air Carbon Ti |
1.116 |
125 |
136 |
Gosen |
Carbon 15 |
1.187 |
117 |
118 |
Gosen |
Carbon Plus I |
1.163 |
158 |
153 |
Gosen |
Tri Tube 400C |
1.212 |
87 |
73 |
Head |
Classic Mid |
1.128 |
6 |
14 |
Head |
Classic MP |
1.060 |
99 |
120 |
Head |
i.extreme MP |
1.164 |
3 |
2 |
Head |
I.Prestige Mid |
1.026 |
40 |
45 |
Head |
i.Prestige MP |
1.103 |
92 |
66 |
Head |
I.Prestige MP XL |
1.121 |
113 |
137 |
Head |
I.Radical MP |
1.188 |
69 |
97 |
Head |
I.Radical OS |
1.149 |
98 |
117 |
Head |
I.S10 |
1.162 |
129 |
141 |
Head |
I.S12 |
1.194 |
43 |
59 |
Head |
I.S18 |
1.116 |
59 |
65 |
Head |
i.S2 MP |
1.121 |
91 |
108 |
Head |
i.S2 OS |
1.156 |
103 |
111 |
Head |
i.S4 MP |
1.157 |
137 |
149 |
Head |
i.S4 OS |
1.202 |
149 |
151 |
Head |
I.S6 MP |
1.204 |
144 |
155 |
Head |
I.S6 OS |
1.217 |
41 |
50 |
Head |
i.S9 OS |
1.108 |
101 |
115 |
Head |
i.Speed MP |
1.161 |
75 |
70 |
Prince |
Graphite Classic MP |
1.126 |
1 |
1 |
Prince |
Graphite Classic OS |
0.985 |
106 |
89 |
Prince |
More Dominant OS |
1.143 |
132 |
116 |
Prince |
More Game MP |
1.162 |
116 |
105 |
Prince |
More Game OS |
1.155 |
126 |
121 |
Prince |
More Thunder OS |
1.164 |
48 |
32 |
Prince |
Triple Threat Attitude MP |
1.091 |
110 |
91 |
Prince |
Triple Threat Attitude OS |
1.143 |
95 |
74 |
Prince |
Triple Threat Bandit MP |
1.129 |
58 |
64 |
Prince |
Triple Threat Bandit OS |
1.121 |
30 |
42 |
Prince |
Triple Threat Graphite Mid |
1.100 |
20 |
12 |
Prince |
Triple Threat Graphite MP |
1.055 |
12 |
10 |
Prince |
Triple Threat Graphite OS |
1.053 |
50 |
19 |
Prince |
Triple Threat Hornet MP |
1.062 |
47 |
56 |
Prince |
Triple Threat Hornet OS |
1.113 |
19 |
24 |
Prince |
Triple Threat Rebel MP |
1.073 |
147 |
138 |
Prince |
Triple Threat Scream MP |
1.189 |
76 |
84 |
Prince |
Triple Threat Scream OS |
1.135 |
93 |
92 |
Prince |
Triple Threat Sovereign OS |
1.144 |
26 |
29 |
Prince |
Triple Threat Vendetta MP |
1.086 |
42 |
41 |
Prince |
Triple Threat Vendetta OS |
1.099 |
16 |
7 |
Prince |
Triple Threat Warrior MP |
1.047 |
15 |
18 |
Prince |
Triple Threat Warrior OS |
1.061 |
88 |
95 |
Pro Kennex |
Kinetic Pro 15g |
1.147 |
4 |
15 |
Pro Kennex |
Kinetic Pro 5g |
1.060 |
24 |
22 |
Pro Kennex |
Kinetic Pro 7g |
1.069 |
60 |
53 |
Pro Kennex |
Core 1 No. 20 |
1.112 |
131 |
132 |
Pro Kennex |
Core 1 No. 22 |
1.174 |
146 |
131 |
Pro Kennex |
Core 1 No. 24 |
1.173 |
78 |
67 |
Pro Kennex |
Ti Intensity PBT Reach |
1.122 |
122 |
122 |
Pro Kennex |
Type S |
1.165 |
44 |
37 |
Slazenger |
Pro Braided |
1.096 |
111 |
88 |
Topspin |
CL 603 |
1.139 |
133 |
103 |
Topspin |
CL 628 |
1.154 |
74 |
61 |
Topspin |
CL 633 |
1.116 |
63 |
63 |
Topspin |
TPC1000 |
1.120 |
21 |
26 |
Volkl |
C10 Pro |
1.076 |
112 |
90 |
Volkl |
C-10 Pro OS |
1.143 |
70 |
82 |
Volkl |
Catapult 1 |
1.133 |
86 |
87 |
Volkl |
Catapult 2 |
1.139 |
54 |
57 |
Volkl |
Catapult 3 |
1.113 |
11 |
20 |
Volkl |
Quantum 10 RAP |
1.066 |
55 |
62 |
Volkl |
Quantum 10 Tour |
1.118 |
72 |
71 |
Volkl |
Quantum 5 |
1.126 |
121 |
98 |
Volkl |
Quantum 8 RAP |
1.149 |
81 |
106 |
Volkl |
Quantum Force |
1.155 |
67 |
77 |
Volkl |
Quantum V1 MP |
1.130 |
37 |
35 |
Volkl |
Quantum V1 OS |
1.094 |
83 |
76 |
Volkl |
Tour 10 Mid |
1.130 |
89 |
75 |
Volkl |
Tour 8 |
1.129 |
38 |
38 |
Volkl |
V1 Classic |
1.098 |
10 |
3 |
Weed |
3/4 Weed XL |
1.038 |
79 |
101 |
Weed |
T-Zone |
1.153 |
115 |
96 |
Weed |
T-Zone Plus |
1.147 |
153 |
134 |
Wilson |
Hyper Hammer 2.7 |
1.182 |
152 |
147 |
Wilson |
Hyper Hammer 4.0 MP |
1.198 |
119 |
125 |
Wilson |
Hyper Hammer 4.0 OS |
1.167 |
85 |
81 |
Wilson |
Hyper Hammer 5.2 MP |
1.132 |
126 |
100 |
Wilson |
Hyper Hammer 5.2 OS |
1.151 |
81 |
68 |
Wilson |
Hyper Hammer 5.3 Stretch MP |
1.124 |
105 |
114 |
Wilson |
Hyper Hammer 5.3 Stretch OS |
1.159 |
148 |
144 |
Wilson |
Hyper Hammer 6.2 MP |
1.195 |
142 |
140 |
Wilson |
Hyper Hammer 6.2 OS |
1.192 |
120 |
123 |
Wilson |
Hyper Hammer 6.3 Light MP |
1.167 |
61 |
69 |
Wilson |
Hyper Hammer 6.3 Light OS |
1.125 |
114 |
113 |
Wilson |
Hyper Hammer 6.3 MP |
1.158 |
84 |
86 |
Wilson |
Hyper Hammer 6.3 OS |
1.138 |
57 |
39 |
Wilson |
Hyper Pro Staff 6.1 MP |
1.098 |
22 |
16 |
Wilson |
Hyper Pro Staff 6.1 MP Stretch |
1.061 |
46 |
58 |
Wilson |
Hyper Pro Staff 6.5 MP |
1.115 |
56 |
85 |
Wilson |
Hyper Pro Staff Extreme 6.7 |
1.137 |
51 |
55 |
Wilson |
Hyper Pro Staff Surge 5.1 |
1.113 |
13 |
27 |
Wilson |
Hyper Pro Staff Zone 7.1 |
1.076 |
64 |
47 |
Wilson |
Pro Staff Original 6.0 85 |
1.105 |
166 |
163 |
Wilson |
Triad Hammer 2.0 w/Rollers |
1.253 |
161 |
165 |
Wilson |
Triad Hammer 3.0 |
1.262 |
165 |
164 |
Wilson |
Triad Hammer 4.0 MP |
1.259 |
162 |
162 |
Wilson |
Triad Hammer 4.0 OS |
1.245 |
167 |
167 |
Wilson |
Triad Hammer 5.0 MP |
1.270 |
163 |
166 |
Wilson |
Triad Hammer 5.0 OS |
1.262 |
94 |
80 |
Wilson |
Triad Pro Staff 6.0 MP |
1.131 |
33 |
33 |
Yonex |
MP Tour-1 Mid |
1.092 |
68 |
49 |
Yonex |
MP Tour-1 MP |
1.108 |
2 |
4 |
Yonex |
Muscle Power 3i |
1.041 |
140 |
135 |
Yonex |
Muscle Power 5i MP |
1.186 |
155 |
156 |
Yonex |
Muscle Power 5i OS |
1.219 |
17 |
17 |
Yonex |
RD Ti-70 88 |
1.061 |
7 |
8 |
Yonex |
RD Ti-70 Long 98 |
1.051 |
25 |
31 |
Yonex |
Ultimum RD Ti-50 |
1.091 |
31 |
40 |
Yonex |
Ultimum RD Ti-50 Long |
1.099 |
29 |
48 |
Yonex |
Ultimum RD Ti-80 |
1.105 |
18 |
30 |
Yonex |
Ultimum RQ Ti-1500 Long 105 |
1.087 |
109 |
112 |
Yonex |
Ultimum RQ Ti-1700 Long 110 |
1.157 |
34 |
46 |
Yonex |
Ultimum RQ Ti-1700 Long 98 |
1.103 |
154 |
158 |
Yonex |
Ultimum RQ Ti-2000 Long 110 |
1.226 |
150 |
152 |
Yonex |
Ultimum RQ Ti-2000 Long 120 |
1.205 |
156 |
143 |
Yonex |
V-Con 20 |
1.195 |
157 |
148 |
Yonex |
V-Con 20 |
1.200 |