Dunlop Improves Comfort On Power-Focused FX Tennis Racket

The goal of the revamped Dunlop FX tennis racket line is to increase comfort while improving the already established power of the frame. To make it happen, Dunlop added a Power Boost+ Groove grommet technology, adjusted the stiffness and updated the frame construction.

Last refreshed in 2020, the 2023 FX series, which will launch Jan. 12 with five premium models, is the frame of choice for quick-rising British star Jack Draper, currently ATP #42, along with 2020 Wimbledon Men’s Doubles champion Max Purcell and American Ann Li.

Keith Lloyd, Dunlop Sports Americas product manager for tennis rackets, says the Power Boost+ Groove improves on previous versions with a deeper and wider groove to create greater deflection of the frame and strings at impact. “Our testing shows an increase in rebound properties and vertical and horizontal impact positions,” he says, “by an average of 5.1%, which translates to more power.”

The frame construction features the carbon fiber taking a new direction in the throat and the head to create a more comfortable playing experience, Lloyd says. “By adjusting the frame stiffness in these key areas, we were able to achieve a face stiffness feeling that is 5% less stiff than the previous version,” he says, “and a throat stiffness feeling that is 25% less stiff than the previous version.”

Additional tweaking of the specifications across the entire series, the stiffness rating for the FX drops. “The lower RA [flex] with the combination of the improved Power Boost+ Groove and the frame stiffness adjustment allowed for us to increase the comfort of the FX series without losing any power potential,” Lloyd says. “So, the rackets still deliver incredible power.”

The new Power Boost+ Groove technology is a first for the brand, making its debut in the 2023 FX line. The FX series also has a unique construction compared to other Dunlop silos, with a wider throat meant to increase racket stability.

Dunlop continues to feature its Sonic Core technology in the frame, using the BASF-made Infinergy foam to enhance comfort, touch and vibration dampening. The Powergrid string technology is designed to more evenly distribute power, spin and control.

Throughout the testing process, Dunlop relied both on professional player feedback and that of players at key academies the brand works with, such as the IMG Academy in Florida and the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in France.

With the fresh launch of the FX silo, which includes Dunlop pro players switching to the new model, comes a new look. While still relying on the brand’s key Flying D logo, the 2023 FX highlights arrow graphics on the frame, meant to indicate the power concentration in the middle of the racket. Dunlop uses an “on-trend metallic chrome blue color.”

The five premium models include the FX 500, the all-round racket in the range; the FX 500 Tour, the heaviest in the lineup; the FC 500 LX with a lighter weight; the FX 500 Lite comes even lighter with a 100-square-inch head; and the FX 700, the largest head in the series. The silo will also include two team, two junior and one aluminum frame.

“Players will notice,” Lloyd says, “when comparing the 2020 FX to the 2023 FX how much more comfortable the new version is without the loss of any power potential.”