Price: $175

Head Size: 100 sq. in.

Length: 27.3 in.

Weight: 11.9 oz.

Balance: 6 pts. HL

Swingweight: 353

RA Rating: 66

Beam Width: 23.5 mm / 26 mm / 23 mm

String Pattern: 14x19

NTRP: 4.0+

We’re always trying to present the latest products here at The Pro Shop, and occasionally we come across a brand that’s even new to us. One Strings is an Italian tennis equipment manufacturer that only this month started offering their racquets here in the States. One of our racquet testers, Mark Avedekian, did most of the legwork himself and got the company to send us one of their new models.

The Spin Deeper 315g 14x19 we received is an extended version—it actually measured closer to 27.5 in.—and has a heavier swingweight and softer flex than the models currently being offered to American consumers (as of this posting exclusively at Tennis Warehouse). The thick profile and easy power reminded me a little of a Babolat Pure Drive or Wilson Juice, with a slightly cushier response. It’s firm, but there’s still enough feel at contact. The unique 14x19 string pattern offers plenty of access to spin without robbing shots of penetration. I found ample pace and placement on serves and ground strokes, with plenty of backbone and direction on volleys.

However, for a more thorough review I’ll turn things over to Mark. The former standout at Georgia Tech and ATP tour player is also a skilled racquet customizer. Here are his impressions of the new Spin Deeper 315g:

Mark Avedikian: I’m always looking for that new product that is a little different from the normal fare, and I kept hearing about a string company that has a strong following with the Italian Tennis Federation and tour players. I discovered the company—One Strings—and searched its website to see if I could get more information on their strings. Low and behold I found a full range of products, including some really cool looking frames. One Strings uses high end Japanese graphite in all of their frames, but the style is completely Italian.

One frame that stood out was the Spin Deeper 14x19 pattern. I have been testing all of the new open pattern frames and this one was one I had to try. A few emails later—the company was very responsive—I had a few frames sent from Italy to my doorstep to test. They arrived in three days in a box that was strong enough to handle a hurricane. When you’ve been demoing frames as long as I have, it’s the small things that make a difference; if the racquets were as nice as the packaging, then this would be one high quality frame. And upon first inspection it did not disappoint—it looked like I was holding a Ferrari.

But it was time for the real test: The courts.

I used three different types of One String strings in the three demo racquets: Carbon NRG Poly in a 1.35 gauge, 1.30 gauge, and a hybrid. With some additional grip tape the frame weighed in at 12 oz. strung. (They have multiple weights and string patterns in their racquet line). The quality of the frame was high, as there was some definite thought in what they wanted to accomplish in this racket—a controllable spin frame that had more plow through and less loop on the ball. The frame was very solid and felt like you could handle any kind of pace. It has a firm RA rating, but plays softer due to the open pattern. The spin production was plentiful, but not as much as a 16x15 or 16x16 patterned frame; more like an 18x16 model.

The Spin Deeper is a third of an inch longer than standard (ours was slightly longer) but is balanced to feel like a regular length racquet. The frame was a little heavy for me as I am used to racquets in the 11-11.5 oz. range. But it did not feel sluggish, just beefy. Serves were heavy with spin and volleys were solid as a rock. I found I was back to hitting my ground strokes a little flatter and hard (my normal play before the spin effects), as I could not whip the racquet up to generate the same spin as I would with a lighter frame. Again, for players who use 12+ oz. frames this will not be a problem and probably welcomed as the frame is well-balanced.

The full poly set-up definitely pushed the ball deeper and with more spin. The hybrid had lower ball height but very good control. With the 19 crosses you can actually play with a hybrid in this frame and keep a set in there for a while before breaking a string. This gives the user a little more flexibility in terms of string choice when compared to some of the more extreme open patterns. And for players who even like to experiment with grips, the handle uses the same pallet system as Head frames, though they are not the same shape.

Bottom line: A great new addition style-wise and play-wise to the tennis market.