dunlop sx 300 tour tennis warehouse

Dunlop SX 300 Tour Racquet Review

Over the years, Dunlop has developed a reputation for designing racquets with superb control and feel. When it comes to traditional player's racquets, Dunlop has introduced some true classics. To address the needs of the modern game, which is dominated by power and topspin, Dunlop created the new SX 300 Tour . It takes Dunlop's history of making great feel-oriented racquets and integrates it into a modern player's offering. Catering to the power baseliner, one of the key technologies in this racquet's design is the Spin Boost Grommet, which allows the center main strings to move more freely for massive topspin potential. Based on our playtest team's feedback, it was clear this SX 300 Tour facilitated heavy, penetrating shots with easy spin generation. Unlike the many power and spin oriented racquets on the market today, this SX 300 Tour doesn't have an overly stiff response, and our playtesters were impressed by the amount of feel they found. If you're looking for a racquet that offers a lot of power and spin without feeling overly stiff and hollow, the SX 300 Tour should jump to the top of your demo list.

• Easy access to power and spin
• Solid and stable feel
• More maneuverable than the specs indicate
• Slightly stiff feel
• Can be too powerful

Bottom Line

With its ample power, easy spin and solid feel, this racquet fits the modern baseline game perfectly without sacrificing too much maneuverability.

Intermediate to advanced

Groundstrokes - Score: 84

Power, spin and plow through were the key traits of this SX 300 Tour , especially as our playtest team started hitting from the baseline. Michelle said, "Right away, I noticed this racquet came fully loaded with massive power and spin. The swingweight was healthy, but this racquet was not overly sluggish, making it easy to generate fast racquet head speed. The feel on contact was fairly dampened, which I enjoyed. Hitting my groundies with depth and spin felt easy, and once I got in a rally I felt very confident swinging freely. With that said, this racquet is more power-oriented than my Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph, so I sometimes found the ball flying on me when I wasn't on my A-game. Overall, I thought this racquet was great at providing easy power and spin to my groundstrokes, and it reminded me a lot of the Babolat Pure Aero Tour."

Chris was also pleased with the SX 300 Tour's performance from the backcourt. He said, "Big, easy power and impressive plow through pretty much sums up how the SX 300 Tour played from the baseline. When I took a full swing I could pound the ball, and my PlaySight numbers back up my feelings, showing an increase in top speed and average speeds. The static weight felt very manageable, so even though this racquet swung with lots of mass, I wouldn't say it lacked maneuverability. I felt like I was getting ample topspin, and I liked the way I could drive through the ball with my slice backhand. I found the response to be comfortable and stable, especially for a modern player's-style racquet, which can often feel stiff and brassy."

Mark found a solid, firm response, and he was able to harness the power to enhance his game. He said, "I felt right at home around the baseline with this Dunlop SX 300 Tour. Within a few baseline exchanges, I discovered that this racquet feels very solid and is firmer than my Head Graphene 360+ Gravity Pro. The stiffness of this racquet wasn't too jarring and provided a high degree of stability. Spin potential was great, and I could hit heavy topspin with easy depth in the court. I also noticed how the tighter spacing of the cross strings in the sweetspot helped give me the added control and feel that most modern player's racquets lack. The SX 300 Tour's high swingweight and solid feel paid dividends on my backhand slice, giving me easy depth and court penetration."

Troy was impressed with the SX 300 Tour's balance of characteristics. He explained, "I knew I was dealing with a heavy hitter as soon as I picked this racquet up. The swingweight came in nice and healthy, which allowed me to hit big, penetrating groundstrokes. I was getting a lot of plow through when I hit a big topspin forehand cross court, and the ball was jumping up high on my opponent's shoulders. I also found relatively good control when I needed to flatten out my shots. I thought this racquet had a lot of similarities to the Babolat Pure Aero Tour, but I could hit flatter drive shots more effectively and with more predictability. I also found a bit better control and feel. On the backhand slice, I could knife the ball deep with ease. I definitely wasn't getting the superb level of ball feel that I do with the Dunlop CX 200 Tour 18x20, but I will say that I found better feel than I have with most thicker beam, 100-square-inch racquets, like the Pure Aero Tour or Head Graphene 360 Extreme Pro."

Volleys - Score: 83

A high level of stability and rock-solid feel kept our playtesters confident when moving up to the net with the SX 300 Tour . It checked all the boxes for Chris at net. He said, "I enjoyed volleying with this racquet. It felt solid at impact, and I liked how I could punch my volleys with it. The response felt good, and I had a sense of being very connected to my shots, which, as I mentioned before, was quite impressive for a modern player's racquet. I was able to place my volleys well, and I found this racquet to be a willing partner in helping to hit some nice drop volleys."

The racquet's stability was evident for Mark as he approached the net. He said, "The solid and firm feel I had from the backcourt with this SX 300 Tour definitely carried over to my net game. I would even go so far as to say this racquet was rock solid at net, which should not come as a surprise with its mid-330 swingweight and upper 11-ounce strung weight. There wasn't necessarily a high level of maneuverability, but that wasn't a detriment, because there was very little I needed to do to achieve an effective volley."

Unlike the rest of the team, Troy had some issues getting the SX 300 Tour into position as quickly as he would have liked. He said, "This racquet wasn't the most maneuverable when I came to the net, but it was rock solid and stable. The high swingweight let me block volleys back with easy depth, but it was a slight detriment when I needed to react quickly. There was plenty of put-away power when I needed to close the point out, and the touch and feel were better than I expected. Once again, there wasn't as much feel as the more traditional player's racquets, but it was better than most thicker beam, 100-square-inch racquets. There were a few times during doubles matches when I found this SX 300 Tour to feel a bit hefty, and I felt somewhat slow in my reactions, but the more time I spent with this racquet the more I adapted to the weight and balance."

"The SX 300 Tour felt very solid at the net," Michelle added. "The feel on contact was nice and firm, maybe a bit higher than the stiffness rating would indicate. No matter how much pace the incoming ball had on it, this racquet felt like it could block it back. There were times when I felt that there was a little too much power on my volleys, but because it offered so much stability, I could take a bit off my punch and the ball would get natural depth from the swingweight and overall mass of this racquet. Whenever I had the chance to take a swinging volley on a shoulder-high ball, the put-away power of this SX 300 Tour came in handy, putting a quick end to the point."

Serves - Score: 86

The whole playtest crew seemed to agree that the Dunlop SX 300 Tour made it easy to bring the heat on serves. This racquet was right in Mark's wheelhouse when it came to hitting serves. He said, "I liked playing with the SX 300 Tour from all areas of the court, but my favorite shot to hit was the serve. I just felt like this frame was very obedient, for lack of a better term. Its combination of specs seems to complement the way I serve very well. Compared to many of the racquets that I have recently playtested, this SX 300 Tour is the one that seemed to add the most pop to my serve without a ton of extra effort."

Michelle elaborated on this racquet's power potential, saying, "The easy access to power was a bit much at times when it came to my groundstrokes and volleys, but on my serve, I loved the turbo boost this SX 300 Tour gave me! I could unleash on flat first serves, and I actually landed a few more aces than I usually do. Spin came with ease and helped me on my kick serves. Because it was so fun to try and max out my power, I kept wanting to go for the big flat serves down the middle. The power and spin levels once again reminded me of the Babolat Pure Aero Tour."

For Troy , there was a slight adjustment period, but he was eventually able to maximize his power and spin on serves. He said, "Initially, I found the maneuverability to be a bit difficult on kick serves, but I dialed it in after a few sessions and was able to take advantage of the high swingweight. I could get easy power on flat first serves if I focused on staying loose, letting the high swingweight of this racquet plow through the ball. My consistency and placement were good, considering the head size of this SX 300 Tour. Once I became comfortable with the way this racquet maneuvered, my kick serves were jumping off the court with a lot of spin and action, and the higher swingweight gave me an added boost."

Like the other playtesters, Chris found easy power, but he also praised the versatility of this SX 300 Tour on serve. He said, "The same power I was able to tap into on groundstrokes was there on serves. Again, I was loving how the racquet came through the ball with ease. The response felt solid, the ball was exiting the stringbed with plenty of pace, and I could add spin as needed. I could create some sharp angles on my slice serves, allowing me to open up the court. I also found ample control and felt comfortable serving with a lot of variety."

Returns - Score: 80

The SX 300 Tour's high level of stability worked out well for our playtesters, allowing them to stand up to even the hardest-hit serves. Troy was impressed with the depth he could achieve with a compact swing. He described, "A solid feel, lots of stability and easy depth were all things I gained from this racquet on returns. I could generate deep returns with a compact swing, and there was plenty of stability when facing big servers. The feel on contact was very solid and stable, but it was maybe a bit too firm at times. I like a crisper-feeling racquet, but compared to my racquet of choice, this SX 300 Tour didn't feel quite as smooth. The SX 300 Tour also felt plenty stable when chipping my backhand slice returns. I use that type of return quite frequently, so that was important for my game."

Like Troy, Mark also found easy depth, and he liked to use the chip return on his backhand side. He said, "The rock-solid stability of this SX 300 Tour definitely benefited my return of serve. No matter how much speed was on the incoming serve, I could block it back with no problem. My usual backhand chip return kept me in a lot of points. I could direct it deep in the court with little effort. The only knock I had was that this racquet felt a bit cumbersome at times, especially when I had to stretch out to return a serve."

Chris noted that this racquet came through the strike zone easier than the swingweight would indicate, and he returned very well with it. He said, "One of the more impressive shots to hit with this SX 300 Tour was the return. I liked the blend of stability, comfort, power and maneuverability. This racquet was fast enough to take a good cut at the ball, and at the same time it was solid enough to block faster serves back when needed."

Michelle liked to implement her aggressive style when returning with the SX 300 Tour. She explained, "I felt confident ripping a big return when I had the time to take a swing at the ball. When I was pressed for time I could easily block big serves back, and this racquet never fluttered. I didn't always feel super precise, so aiming for big targets seemed to bring me success. Despite the relatively high swingweight, I found good maneuverability, which made for easy cross-court dipping returns. There was easy depth and spin on every return. My only complaint would be that I tended to get a little trigger happy at times and would overhit due to the high power level. However, I can always bump up the string tension to help with that."

Overall - Score: 82

Chris - "Great plow through power, comfortable and more maneuverable than expected."

Mark - "I'm impressed with the effect that this racquet had on my game. This SX 300 Tour is a deceptively fast-swinging racquet that really gives me a boost on serves."

Michelle - "The SX 300 Tour is loaded with power, has a slightly muted feel and is more maneuverable than I was expecting. It is easy to stay on the gas when going for big shots, and it provides a very solid and stable feel on contact."

Troy - "Easy access to power, spin and lots of plow through. The control is better than most thicker beam, 100-square-inch racquets."

Chris - "The swingweight numbers might scare some away, which is a shame since this SX 300 Tour plays great out on court."

Mark - "This racquet feels a bit firmer than the stiffness rating would indicate, which is why I preferred it with a softer co-poly, and I would probably drop the tension just slightly."

Michelle - "A bit too much power at times. I also didn't always feel super connected to the ball, so that caused me to second guess sometimes. I would string this up with a low-powered poly on the upper end of the tension range to help with control."

Troy - "There's not much to dislike with this racquet, other than the fact that it doesn't have as much feel as the thinner beam racquets I've gravitated toward in the past."

Comparing the racquet to others they've tried, our testers said:

Chris - "If you like modern player's racquets with a slightly heftier feel, such as the Babolat Pure Aero Tour, Babolat Pure Drive Tour or Head Graphene 360 Extreme Pro, this Dunlop SX 300 Tour is definitely worth adding to your demo list."

Mark - "Racquets like the Babolat Pure Aero Tour and ProKennex Ki Q+ Tour Pro (315) come to mind. With the Dunlop SX 300 Tour , I found the easy power and spin that you would expect from those racquets, but the head size felt a bit more compact and control-oriented. I would also compare this SX 300 Tour to the Tecnifibre TFight 315 XTC and Head Graphene 360 Radical Pro."

Michelle - "The Pure Aero Tour comes to mind immediately when I think of this SX 300 Tour . They're similar providers of raw power, massive spin, solid feel and stability. The dream type of racquet for the modern attacking baseliner!"

Troy - "I found a lot of similarities to the Babolat Pure Aero Tour and Pure Drive Tour when it came to the firmer feel and easy access to power and spin. On the other hand, I found better control and feel with the Dunlop SX 300 Tour when compared to those racquets, more similar to the Babolat Pure Strike or Yonex VCORE 98."

Playtester Profiles

Chris: 4.5 all-court player currently using the Tecnifibre TF40 305. Chris uses a full-western forehand grip, has a fast swing style and hits a one-handed backhand.

Mark: 5.0 lefty all-court player with a one-handed backhand. He currently plays with the Head Graphene 360+ Gravity Pro.

Michelle: Open level baseline player with a semi-western forehand and a two handed backhand. She currently plays with the Wilson Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph.

Troy: 5.0 lefty all-court player with a full Western Forehand and a two-handed backhand. Troy currently plays with a Yonex EZONE 98+.

Review date: April 2020. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us. All content copyright 2020 Tennis Warehouse.

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• Tennis Equipment

Dunlop sx 300 Tour first impressions

• Thread starter TBM
• Start date Oct 21, 2020
• Oct 21, 2020

I must admit, I've been semi addicted to buying and testing tennis rackets. It's bad for my game, and I've come to realise that no racket is suddenly going to give me the winning edge I'm after. So...i came across the Dunlop SX 300 Tour, and although it has it flaws I'm going to stick with it. I must say that this is a first impression as I've only managed about 10 hours of playing time with this racket (my local indoor court keeps closing and opening based on the current lockdown rules, and the weather in the UK is terrible at the moment). Early impressions: -Really comfortable. No arm issues to report even with a full bed of poly. -The swingweight is manageable but is going to take some getting used to. My racket weighs in at 342 grams strung, but I have no way of checking the actual swingweight. -VERY powerful. Its strung with a full bed Msv focus hex at 52lb, but it is still too powerful for my taste. -Athough it is easy to put topspin on my groudstrokes, the high swingweight and power means that I'm still hitting long. I hope a new string setup can remedy the power. I'm a big fan of Prince premier control, so I'm going to string it up at 60lb. I'd love to hear other people's opinions of the SX 300 Tour. Also any string setup tips to tame a crazy powerful racket would be welcome.  

Hall of Fame

• Oct 22, 2020

How is the launch angle compared with your previous racquet(s)? And do you tend to hit more flat trajectory shots or looping shots? If it is the latter, perhaps hybriding with synthetic gut in the cross strings would help.  

I'd say the launch angle is pretty standard for a 16x19 racket. One of my favourite rackets is a Wilson Six one 95 18x20, so this Dunlop couldn't feel more different in terms of launch angle / feel / power. I do hit with a flatter trajectory, which has been catching me out with hitting long. I guess I just have to add more aggressive spin to gain more control.  

I first tried it back in March. Really liked it. After the honeymoon period, I didn't like it quite as much anymore, probably due to the very muted, which seemed kind of plastic-y. Tried it again a couple months ago just for the heck of it, with a modified lead tape setup. Evidently, I made it much too heavy originally to overcompensate for the muted feel. But I found the right tape setup this time, and it is great. Has a great classic feel to it even though it is a wider beam. Personally, I notice a greater launch angle than any other 16x19 that I have tried. It has a launch angle not dissimilar to some spin-effect racquets like the Burn 100S (which I used previously). I think this has to do with the spin grommets of the Dunlop. The heavier weight, and very forgiving sweetspot, and spin grommets really make this a great weapon with a classic feel to it. The only thing I would change if they made a 2nd version would probably not to have it as muted, as long as that didn't change the huge and forgiving sweetspot.  

• Oct 25, 2020

Brad1981 said: I first tried it back in March. Really liked it. After the honeymoon period, I didn't like it quite as much anymore, probably due to the very muted, which seemed kind of plastic-y. Tried it again a couple months ago just for the heck of it, with a modified lead tape setup. Evidently, I made it much too heavy originally to overcompensate for the muted feel. But I found the right tape setup this time, and it is great. Has a great classic feel to it even though it is a wider beam. Personally, I notice a greater launch angle than any other 16x19 that I have tried. It has a launch angle not dissimilar to some spin-effect racquets like the Burn 100S (which I used previously). I think this has to do with the spin grommets of the Dunlop. The heavier weight, and very forgiving sweetspot, and spin grommets really make this a great weapon with a classic feel to it. The only thing I would change if they made a 2nd version would probably not to have it as muted, as long as that didn't change the huge and forgiving sweetspot. Click to expand...

• IceBunDemon

I'm interested in the Dunlop SX 300 Tour also. Have you tried the pure drive before (even better, the 2021 pure drive?)? If so, how would you compare them? I've been recommended the Dunlop SX 300 Tour based on my preferences and playing style, but hardly anybody likes Dunlop rackets so I'll probably be stuck with it once I buy it, even if I don't like it. And demoing Dunlops is not an option where I am. Recently switched to the 2021 Pure drive at custom specs, coming from the Pro Staff 97, and it's just really clicking with my game, much to my surprise. But before I totally commit to I want to make sure this is the racket in this class that works the best for me.  

Unfortunately I have not played with the most recent Pure Drive. Ive owned a 2012 pure drive before, and all I can say is that it feels much stiffer that the Dunlop sx 300 tour, and also doesn't have the same plow through. That doesn't make either one better or worse though, its just personal preference. I get a weird numb feeling in my palm when I use stiff rackets, so I like the more muted feel of the SX 300 tour more.  

TheBlackburnMorb said: Unfortunately I have not played with the most recent Pure Drive. Ive owned a 2012 pure drive before, and all I can say is that it feels much stiffer that the Dunlop sx 300 tour, and also doesn't have the same plow through. That doesn't make either one better or worse though, its just personal preference. I get a weird numb feeling in my palm when I use stiff rackets, so I like the more muted feel of the SX 300 tour more. Click to expand...

TheBlackburnMorb said: What string setup / tensions are you using? I bought mine strung with MSV focus hex 1.27 mains and 1.18 crosses at around 50lb. Its a setup that I've never used before, and like I said it's way to powerful for me. I think I'll try a hybrid or a full bed of Prince Premier control next. I just want to reduce the power without using a full bed of poly. Click to expand...

IceBunDemon said: I'm interested in the Dunlop SX 300 Tour also. Have you tried the pure drive before (even better, the 2021 pure drive?)? If so, how would you compare them? I've been recommended the Dunlop SX 300 Tour based on my preferences and playing style, but hardly anybody likes Dunlop rackets so I'll probably be stuck with it once I buy it, even if I don't like it. And demoing Dunlops is not an option where I am. Recently switched to the 2021 Pure drive at custom specs, coming from the Pro Staff 97, and it's just really clicking with my game, much to my surprise. But before I totally commit to I want to make sure this is the racket in this class that works the best for me. Click to expand...

I found the SX 300 Tour pretty comfortable for the short time I hit with them. Decent power and feel, but i couldn’t get used the the balance. I thought about adding some weight to the handle, but decided to put my pair up for sale in the forum.  

Professional

This could be the strings. MSV are quite powerful, moreover, they become softer as they age. You may want to try something more controlled: Head Lynx Tour, Wilson Revolve, Prince CT (Control Tour). [ Prince Premier, last time I checked, was a multi, very launchy and uncontrollable ... ] There is probably many other "control" polys on the market.  

Brad1981 said: I used Wilson Revolve 17 string up until a few months ago, then switched to Head Lynx 17 (both round polys for consistency/predictability). Happened upon the Lynx by accident when I tried the Graphene XT Extreme Pro (which I really like too). I have my SX300 Tours strung at 60 pounds, which gives it a solid feel with decent control. I have several of these racquets, so on one of them, I'm going to give Head Lynx 16 a shot for little added control. Click to expand...

TennisHound

It sounds like the FX500 with a little lead would be more controllable than the SX300.  

• Oct 26, 2020

Tennisist said: This could be the strings. MSV are quite powerful, moreover, they become softer as they age. You may want to try something more controlled: Head Lynx Tour, Wilson Revolve, Prince CT (Control Tour). [ Prince Premier, last time I checked, was a multi, very launchy and uncontrollable ... ] There is probably many other "control" polys on the market. Click to expand...

• Aug 18, 2022

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Dunlop SX300 Tour 305g Racket

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This powerful and precise spin-machine gives experienced players the tools to hit a heavy ball

Introducing the second generation of the SX 300 Tour , the heaviest and most stable member of the SX family.  Updated with a surgical 632 cm² head along with wider string spacing and a faster feel, this stick offers an impressive combination of spin, power and precision. At 323 grams strung and boasting a 324-RDC swingweight, the 300 Tour is ideal for intermediate and advanced players. It offers enough speed for aggressive all-court players while also feeling solid against big hitters.  Along with its new mold and more stable beam construction, the SX 300 gets updated with Spin Boost + Grommets , which are not only shaped to help the strings grip and rotate the ball but also positioned to optimize spin across a wider range of impact locations. Additional technologies include  Sonic Core Infinergy , an ultra elastic material that adds comfort and power near the racket's tip, the racket's maximum leverage point. Ultimately, with this impressive update to the SX 300 Tour, Dunlop has created a great playing racket for aggressive players.  

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