Intro
Dunlop has been making racquets since 1932. Driven by a love of the game, the brand continues to add improvements that create lighter, stronger, and faster products. Their newest series of racques, Dunlop SX, provides quick access to pace and spin. The lightest racquet in this line is the SX 300 Lite, featuring a 100 square inch head, a 16 x 19 string pattern, and a 302 swing weight. This racquet profits from Dunlop’s new Spin Boost Technology, which utilizes spin boost grommets at the top to further the string movement necessary for extra spin.
The SX 300 Lite also carries Sonic Core technology with Infinergy, an elastic material that conveys more distinct comfort. Its polished black and yellow frame will catch your eye on the court. Since I had never played with a Dunlop racquet before, I was anxious to see how this one tested.
Groundstrokes
The SX 300 Lite has a fast feel to it that other lightweight frames don’t. I’ve tested other light racquets, such as the Wilson Ultra 100L, that don’t have enough mass to hang against heavy hitters. The difference here is a fast, spin-friendly response from the baseline which allowed me to redirect heavy balls to different areas of the court.
I was more comfortable hitting forehands than backhands with the SX 300 Lite. On most of my backhands, I blocked the ball back over without much spin. However, when I produced a medium, moderate swing speed on my forehand, it resulted in tons of spin and controllable power. I also liked hitting topspin groundstrokes more than slices because I had trouble getting the ball deep with the backhand slice. With this racquet, baseline grinders have an easy route to pace and spin.
Volleys
The racquet is just over 10 ounces strung, but it didn’t feel like a featherweight on volleys. At net it was maneuverable and easy for me to make sound contact in the air. Whether I was charging forward after a serve or planted on the service line, I stood my ground knowing that I could reach for the ball in any direction, and still volley firmly. It delivered a crisp punch that not only kept the ball in the court, but also put my opponents on their heels. When you have the chance to rush the net, do it with the SX 300 Lite.
Serves
I was moderately surprised at how well this racquet performed on serves. The fast, crisp feel at impact applied to serving as well. Due to the light static weight, I achieved great racquet head speed. When I whipped it powerfully through contact, I was able to hit my targets fairly easily and consistently. Rising intermediates will appreciate the predictable response they get on serves because repetition grows confidence. Whether your strength is hitting flat serves, heavy kickers, or slice serves, the Dunlop SX 300 Lite doesn’t play favorites.
Overall
The Dunlop SX 300 Lite is a spin-friendly racquet designed for rising intermediates and enthusiastic beginners who want to add pace and spin to their shots. This tool has a fast feel on groundstrokes that permits easy targeting, and it produces solid, predictable serves. Plus, it’s maneuverable at net, allowing for smooth yet forceful contact on volleys. If you’re searching for a lightweight racquet packed with spin and power, you have to try the Dunlop SX 300 Lite!
NOTE: I playtested this racquet using Dunlop Silk Pro strung at 55 lbs.
About the Reviewer: Chris Griesedieck played high school tennis in the St. Louis area and competed in USTA junior tournaments in the Missouri Valley section. Today he is an active 4.5 USTA tournament player and is a PTR certified coach.
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