PRICE $190
HEAD SIZE 96 sq. in. (MP); 107 sq. in. (OS)
LENGTH 27.5 in. (MP); 28 in. (OS)
WEIGHT 11.5 oz. (MP); 10.4 oz. (OS)
FLEXIBILITY Firm
BALANCE 9/10 in. head light (MP); 2/5 in. head light (OS)
BEAM WIDTH 22 mm
IDEAL SWING Long (MP); medium to long (OS)
NTRP 4.5–7.0 (MP); 3.5–7.0 (OS)

FIRST TAKE:
If you’ve hit with last year’s Diablo, you know that while the control is superb, you need to supply your own power. You can relax with the new Diablo XP (“extra power”). 

COMPARE TO:
Prince Precision Equipe  

HOW IT TESTED:
The mid-plus is a half-inch longer than the original Diablo, providing more leverage and pop on serves and ground strokes. You still need a long, fast stroke to hit with power, but putting the ball away is less labor intensive. The extra length also helps you retrieve more shots, though on rally balls it may take you time to adjust to the contact point, which is farther away from your body. There’s an even bigger adjustment to be made with the oversize, which is an inch longer than the original. Some playtesters who use standard-length racquets found themselves getting jammed, while others had to choke up. But for those who could handle the extra length, the oversize provided a power boost. Serve-andvolleyers will probably find the length too cumbersome at net, and controloriented players should stick with the mid-plus or even the original mid.  

BOTTOM LINE:
There’s not quite as much control as the first Diablo, but once you adjust to the length you’ll hit groundies and serves harder.