Review by Manny N. de los Reyes
The Prince Shark OS tennis racket is not the newest racket around; but it's undoubtedly one of the most visible, thanks to its effective use in the hands of 2004 Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova (who debuted the new Prince O3 White racket for the 2006 Australian Open). And since this is our Sports Issue and the P9,400 Shark is still on the market, we simply had to put it to the test and see for ourselves how much of the drop-dead gorgeous Russian player's achievements can be attributed to her on-court prowess and how much to her
weapon.
Wimbledon champion endorsement aside, the Shark managed to gain no less than the Editor's Choice Award by America's Tennis Magazine when it first came out over a year ago. And those guys test nothing but tennis rackets. (But, hey, I was a varsity tennis player in my quite recent youth so I should know.)
With a Power Level rating of 1000, the OS is right at the midpoint of the 5-model Shark series. The Shark project was inspired by Prince's desire to maximize racquet stability in a mid-widebody design that had enhanced feel and control. And in that respect, the Shark delivers, making it a great weapon for baseliners and net-rushers alike. Prince's Triple Threat weight distribution, which uses Titanium Tungsten Carbon on the head, is more concentrated than on any other models, endowing this racket with solid power and control.
The test racket supplied had a 4 3?8" grip size; a size smaller than my preferred 4 1?2" size. Still, the DuraTac grip offered excellent tackiness even when your hands get all sweaty.
The racket features Dynamic Braid technology in the shaft area to enhance feel. The Sweet Spot Expansion System, wherein the grommets are slotted to increase sweet spot size and damp vibrations, gives the Shark a quiet sound when you hit the ball. The handle system is the popular Cushion Grip System which absorbs 56% of the shock of impact. I want one!
GRINS
? developed and used by one Maria Sharapova
? impressive power
? superb control
? sleek, aerodynamic design with cool black-and-blue graphics and visible braided graphite on the shaft
GRIMACES
? white grip stains easily
? as our coach always says, "It's not your fancy racket, it's how you swing at that damn ball!"
THE LOWDOWN
A powerful racket with superior feel and control for players of all styles - Sharapova fan or not.
