Alexander Bublik broke out the Tecnifibre TF-X1 305 for his first time during the Paris Rolex Masters. Corentin Moutet had already made the switch during the 2024 season. And with the new addition to the TF-X1 lineup also receiving a distinct look and an introduction to the American market, why the fuss over the frame?
“I needed more power, and I wanted to find a racket that can be better and healthier for my body,” Moutet tells me about the switch. The French World No. 71 says that he was using too much natural power on his shots, which was causing his body to break down. “I need to use less the power of my body so I can protect it more,” he says.
Enter the TF-X1 305, Tecnifibre’s newest take on the power racket, a popular segment across the industry. Patrice Chabrel, head of product for Tecnifibre, tells me that with so many players across the world looking for additional power, it’s no surprise that all the best-selling rackets fall within the power category.
Tecnifibre took a slightly different approach to a power-focused design, though.
“To be powerful, rackets have a stiffer engineering, leading to more vibrations,” Chabrel says. “So, the challenge was: How to make a powerful racket without vibrations?” The result was the TF-X1, a power-focused frame with a unique comfort technology the brand calls X-Damp, which it claims reduces 36% of the harmful vibrations for maximum comfort and reduced stress on the body. New in April, Tecnifibre added a 305-gram weight to the racket’s lineup, introducing it to the American market for the first time in October.
For Moutet, who suffered a wrist injury early in the season, the vibration dampening was a welcome relief on his body while improving his access to power. “The tennis nowadays is very powerful, so year after year I was trying to find a way to compete with the other players in this level of power,” he says.
When searching for a racket, he needed the frame to tick plenty of boxes. “I liked the good balance between control and power, and I feel like I can put a lot of spin [on the ball],” Moutet says about the TF-X1 305. “I also like the fact that I can play on all surfaces with this racket.”
Chabrel says the rise in popularity of the TF-X1 comes, the brand believes, from the advantages of the power racket without the drawbacks, with the frame resolving vibration issues many powerful frames encounter.
The TF-X1 305 features a 98-squre-inch head—new for the lineup—with a swing weight of 292 grams, allowing for maneuverability. The introduction of the frame to the American market gives Tecnifibre a growing presence and a new offering in the TF-X1 lineup alongside the brand’s TFight and TF40 rackets. The TF-X1 model also comes in three lighter-weight versions.
To give the frame more visibility, Tecnifibre created a new cosmetic for the 305, highlighting the presence of the lime-yellow color. “We kept the white base as a first sign of Tecnifibre recognition but reinforced the presence of the lime for more visibility of the range and better differentiation between all TF racket ranges,” Chabrel says. “The lime color has been chosen as a bold choice to evoke modernity, new technology and innovation. It connects the X-Damp technology with the whole range as a modern, techno vibe.”
Moutet is on board. “I really like the colors,” he says. “It’s pretty simple, but I like that the yellow makes it original and more stylish.”
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