This recent racket test brought back memories of my youth. In my twenties, Prince rackets were all the rage. Today, Prince rackets are experiencing a major revival in the USA. So I was all the more delighted when our partner, Tennis Warehouse Europe, sent me two Prince rackets for playtesting. I took a closer look at the Prince Tour 98 and the Prince Tour 100 in our "Triple T - TennisTraveller Tests" section – or rather, put them in my hands. While the Prince Tour 98 is a classic performance racket for ambitious players, the Prince Tour 100 is designed as a lighter, more comfortable all-rounder with plenty of spin potential. Both utilize the new 2026 construction with Textreme, Zylon, ISO-Fiber, and the revised anti-torque system, but they differ significantly in feel. We'll reveal exactly what's behind these impressive specifications and which racket is best suited for which type of player in our playtest. And as always, we're giving away both rackets so you too can experience their excitement. Enter by July 19, 2026, and take one of the two Prince rackets home.
With its new Tour series, Prince continues to pursue its proven philosophy: excellent ball feel, high comfort, and controlled play. Nevertheless, the two models tested are aimed at different types of players.
The Tour 98 (305 g) is the classic tournament racket for experienced players with long, fast swings. The Tour 100 (290 g), on the other hand, focuses on high maneuverability, easy acceleration, and a larger sweet spot – ideal for ambitious recreational players and team players up to the higher performance levels.
The Tour 98 feels like a classic player's racket from the very first swing. With its 98cm head size, 305-gram weight, and open 16x19 string pattern, it's designed for players who want to actively accelerate the ball and dictate the pace.
Its greatest strength lies in the combination of precision and spin. The ball stays in contact with the strings for a long time, allowing for excellent control of both length and direction. At the same time, the open string pattern generates plenty of rotation, making aggressive topspin shots easy to execute. Despite its control, the Tour 98 never feels sluggish. Quick changes of direction and playing from a defensive position are surprisingly effortless.
The Tour 98 impresses with its high precision when serving. Flat first serves generate good speed, while kick and slice serves gain plenty of spin thanks to the open string pattern.
The racket also scores points at the net with its direct feedback. Volleys can be placed cleanly and the frame remains pleasantly stable even during fast rallies.
In short: The better the technology, the more the Tour 98 demonstrates its advantages.
Head size: 632 cm²
Length: 68.5 cm
Weight (unstrung): 305 g
Balance: 31.5 cm
Swing weight: 323
Frame stiffness: 64 g
Frame thickness: 23 mm / 23 mm / 20 mm
Material: Textreme / Twaron / Graphite
String pattern: 16 mains / 19 crosses
String tension: 22-26 kg
Price at Tennis Warehouse Europe: €239.90
Weighing in at just 290 grams unstrung, the Tour 100 follows a different concept. The larger 100-size headstock, the open 16x18 string pattern, and the lighter weight make it significantly easier to handle. It's no wonder Prince calls it the entry-level model in the Tour series.
This is where the Tour 100's greatest strength comes into play: it accelerates extremely easily. This allows for high clubhead speed, which automatically leads to more spin. The larger sweet spot also forgives significantly more off-center hits. In a direct comparison, the Tour 100 delivers slightly more free distance and power than the Tour 98, while remaining pleasantly controllable.
Kick and slice serves in particular benefit from the quick handling. While the maximum top speed is slightly lower than that of the Tour 98, it achieves a high degree of consistency over longer matches.
The low weight is particularly noticeable during quick reactions. The racket is extremely maneuverable. However, it lacks the mass of the Tour 98 against very heavy balls – a point also highlighted by several playtesters. Many therefore see it as an ideal base for individual tuning with a little added weight.
Many club and team players should feel comfortable with him right away.
Head size: 645 cm²
Length: 68.5 cm
Weight (unstrung): 290 g
Balance: 32.5 cm
Swing weight: 316
Frame stiffness: 64 g
Frame thickness: 22 mm / 23 mm / 20 mm
Material: Textreme / Twaron / Graphite
String pattern: 16 mains / 18 crosses
String tension: 21-26 kg
Price at Tennis Warehouse Europe: €229.90
| Characteristic | Tour 98 (305 g) | Tour 100 (290 g) |
|---|---|---|
| control | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| power | ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| Spin | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| comfort | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Forgiveness | ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| stability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| Maneuverability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Although both models share the same name, they follow different concepts. The Prince Tour 98 (305 g) is the more classic tournament racket. It rewards clean technique with excellent control, plenty of spin, and an exceptionally direct feel. The Prince Tour 100 (290 g), on the other hand, is the more versatile all-rounder. It accelerates much more easily, is more forgiving of errors, and offers an impressively comfortable feel. Those looking for a modern performance racket that requires little effort yet still offers ample control will likely find it more enjoyable. The 290 g model is also frequently recommended as an excellent platform for individual customization.
My personal impression: The Tour 98 is aimed at players who want to fully master their racket. The Tour 100, on the other hand, is the more straightforward option – easier to play, more versatile, and suitable for a significantly wider range of players.
Bring home one of the two Prince rackets and experience the spin power for yourself. All you have to do is tell us here by Sunday, July 19, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. which of the two Prince rackets you want and whether you have any fond memories associated with the Prince brand.
Both rackets were used by us for the playtests and have a grip size of two.
The test products are kindly provided to us free of charge by Tennis Warehouse Europe.
By the way, you can get exclusive promo code TRAVELLER10 a 10% discount. That makes shopping even more fun!
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