Jayce
I didn’t like the Falcon too much, although it combines high swing speed and strong downward pressure, but at that time, its mid-range was slightly strange to me, flexible but without significant explosive power, it seemed to be a breath away from being a proper attacking racket. In doubles, I preferred a stiffer, lighter and more flexible racket, and the Black Falcon’s performance was not as crisp as it could have been, making it a bit awkward to be caught in the middle.
First impressions have been formed, but I still hope that the two later special editions will be more in line with my own aesthetic, one of which is today’s SE.
Parameters: 4UG5, with sole, total weight of 92.08g in used condition, balance point 302mm, 6.5mm center shaft, length 212mm, hardness on the high side, 3-in-1 frame, 76-hole string bed, 9-3 point string groove, 31 lbs. warranty, stringing 25-27 BG80.
The racket is a model that has been on the market since 2021, when the signature edition appeared there were questions about the lack of sincerity for two reasons. One is that the sleeve that comes with the racket is a slightly skimpy velvet bag with the signature, and the other is that there is no difference in the appearance of the regular and SE rackets after removing the signature at the cone cover. For the SE version of the appearance of the Black and Gold Falcon I will not repeat, the same black primer gold stickers, also a little bit of luxury feeling, but the style has not changed. And it is worth noting that for one thing the SE version is only available in 4U size.
A number of players have already shared the differences between the regular and signature versions, and one thing I can say for sure is that the SE is more lightweight in terms of tuning, both in terms of balance and its own weight, and has the color of a significant speed racket. Despite the increase in swing speed, the weakened feel will make the racquet a little more difficult to adapt to, and the same overhand handling will feel like the SE’s mid-stem deformity is not as large, with a slight difference in drive feel. At the same time, the center stick has been updated to have a more pronounced ejection feel, with stronger feedback on small, short power shots.
At least in the fast-paced matchups in the center court, the SE is a level better than the regular version for me, and the SE takes care of the situations where the regular version can’t make a power shot or can’t come over to the head of the ball.
I hadn’t previously thought that a TK series would feel so fast out of the midfield, even organizing a net of firepower in my hands to cover the front court when in good shape. This kind of fast feeling is different from the TK-15, which is just a light and fast product, and obviously has a more powerful feeling. The combination of a good forehand and backhand smash block, a great rail or unloaded soft block, and a large sweet spot make the combination of Hendra’s god-like play at the net and the racquet’s performance very convincing.
However, this makes the SE a racquet that emphasizes blitzing more than attacking. With the lower swingweight, the SE doesn’t feel as solid on kills as the regular version, and the ball path is certainly not as down and sharp as the regular version. Although the mid-range explosiveness was improved in my opinion, and the ball speed on heavy kills was good, it is still not very common to see a one-tap kill in the middle and back of the court in a matchup between two players of a similar level.
This is still a cost-effective adjustment, as the consistent feel of the SE makes up for the missing corner of the heavy kills, and with the SE’s quicker racket swing, the downward pressure that avoids a large rise and fall of the center of gravity becomes a means of controlling the change of position on the court better when the opponent is well-prepared for the consistency. This feeling is especially clear in the stalemate situation where the opponent repeatedly picks both sides of the line, and it is clear that you need to move laterally to hit the ball, but it is not uncomfortable.
At the same time, the SE’s catch-and-hold feel is much crisper than the normal version, and the feeling of bouncing the ball off the ground is much more pronounced, making it easier to simply play defense. However, it requires more small power or finger grip when catching the ball, and it’s a little bit harder to pick up the ball after losing physical strength or energy. In terms of passive ball handling, the normal version and SE have their own challenges, the former is a little higher swing weight, the latter is more demanding of power, compared to the SE is better, after all, when you can’t get the power of the soft gears of a shot over can also get good results.
This is one of the most obvious TKs in terms of speed, which is by no means limited to such simple dimensions as fast swing speed or fast ball exit, but is also reflected in the adaptation and control of the confrontation speed in doubles situations.SE is said to have had a price difference of 300 or so between the regular version and the SE back in the day, and although the SE has a much more distinctive character that is more in line with the author’s needs, it is not a cost-effective choice. At the same time, only 4U version will also disappoint many players who pay attention to the offensive experience, so it can be said that the SE is not the best form of falcon.
So, is there a fully-formed Hayabusa? Yes, and we’ll see.
