Jayce
Certainly! Here is the translation of the provided text:
This isn’t exactly niche, so I’ll get that out of the way first.
Thanks to a friend’s borrowed racket. Since the Rio Olympics in 2016, the price and popularity of the “Watermelon Knife” have remained high. Compared to the early days when many players complained about its wooden feel, hardness, and difficulty to play, the racket has significantly improved in reputation over time and has become a favorite for many enthusiasts. Even after several re-releases, it remains hard to find.
The JETSPEED series’ third model, JS10, it’s time to meet a legend.
Specifications: 3UG5, full-spec without base, total weight 90.7g, balance point 292mm, High Modulus Carbon shaft, extremely stiff, 9-3 o’clock string groove, Aero-sword frame, warranty 28 lbs, stringing 25-27 lbs XB63.
Being so well-known, there’s little need for extensive descriptions of its appearance and technology. The overall red, green, and black color scheme with layered stickers indeed makes one think of a sliced red melon. The black paint has glitter, giving the racket a high recognition factor. The new color is also attractive, though the old colors likely hold more nostalgic value. However, the paint quality is concerning, as it’s very easy to chip off the stickers and paint, especially at the wind-breaking area. Even with careful maintenance, the cone cap and T-joint are prone to paint cracks.
The weight in hand feels solid. Despite the actual balance point being 292mm, it still feels somewhat head-heavy. The swing speed is very fast, and as a 3U racket, it exhibits clear characteristics of a speed racket, even though the swing weight is not small. Although I have handled many 3U rackets, I generally prefer 4U equipment for daily use. However, the 3U Watermelon Knife is something I am willing to accept.
Clarifying a feature of the Watermelon Knife: small frame. Compared to the string bed area of the Victor JETSPEED series, it can be considered a small frame, but compared to YY’s small frames, it is less extreme, being 1-2mm wider radially compared to the ZF2. Therefore, the feel of hitting the ball does not have a strong small-frame sensation.
During warm-up high clears, you can clearly feel that the power comes more from the frame and strings’ elasticity. With a shaft length of 220mm, the feel of leveraging is good, and the power feel is excellent, allowing the shuttle to be sent far. Before adapting, there were frequent cases of over-hitting and out-of-bounds shots. As marked on the shaft, the racket’s stiffness is the hardest level, but since the borrowed racket had already been broken in, the actual trial showed excellent elasticity and directionality in handling shots and drives. The ball’s output was crisp and precise, and the sweet spot was quite forgiving, higher than that of most small frames, and the initial impression wasn’t as unfriendly as expected.
The Watermelon Knife’s swing speed is genuinely fast. Although not as surprisingly light and fast as the HX800LTD-C in the same weight class, it offers superior swing speed when dealing with chasing, receiving smashes, overhead escapes, backhand, and flat drives. The improved frame makes it easier to handle urgent situations without having to overly compress the power. Compared to YY’s small frames, the Watermelon Knife has a notable advantage in this aspect.
However, I was surprised that I struggled with backcourt smashes using the Watermelon Knife. In the 6-7 matches I tried, none of the smashes were satisfactory, for several reasons. First, XB63 is a hard string, and the Watermelon Knife is also a very hard racket, making the driving threshold quite high. Therefore, smashes with insufficient preparation relied more on the string rather than the shaft’s elasticity. Second, with its high swing speed, the racket’s face reaches the hitting point faster after rotating, and during fast-paced matches, it sometimes led to inaccurate hitting points and mishits. In other words, I didn’t even figure out the racket’s limit for smashes. The consistent ball output, precise direction, and explosive shaft make the Watermelon Knife’s attacking potential very high, motivating me to find a better condition to test it further. It’s a racket that makes you want to improve. The smashing feel is very good, but currently, I can only say it doesn’t have the diamond strength to handle delicate tasks.
The front-court drops are average, reflecting my tendency to hit them too high and get intercepted. However, compared to many small frames, it handles these situations more comfortably due to its friendly frame size. The backcourt experience with slicing, net play, and blocking is still quite good.
It’s indeed a great racket, with highlights in its fierce and fast ball characteristics while maintaining swing speed and flexibility. Some might think it competes with the ZSP, but apart from the heavy smash capability, the Watermelon Knife is more suitable for various doubles situations. However, it must be said that as a flagship hard racket, even though it drives well, the energy expenditure during use is quite significant. After playing four consecutive matches, I needed to rest and recover, and I could feel the strain on my wrist and arm after returning home. Its feel, attack, and swing speed are very appealing. Despite the high usage threshold, it deserves its place as a top-performing speed and attacking racket from the previous generation, still at a leading level today.
Of course, the issue of insufficient production capacity at the Taiwanese factory has not been resolved. Currently, it is hard to find and expensive. Even if a reasonably priced channel is found, the racket may still face a potential collapse issue. For a flagship 3U racket, its 28 lbs warranty may not be enough for stronger amateur or professional players. For players with slightly lower abilities, I recommend stringing it 1-2 lbs lower than usual to make the Watermelon Knife more manageable.
