The Yonex Ezone 98 has probably been the most popular tennis racket sold by Yonex over the last 10 years.
The Ezone 98 is also popular on the professional tour with top players like Nick Kyrgios, Jessica Pegula, and Naomi Osaka.
Naomi Osaka has her own personalized version with the only difference to the regular Ezone 98 being the design of her tennis frame.
This article will look at the racket specs of the 2022 and 2020 versions of the Ezone 98 to see how they compare to each other.
Yonex Ezone 98 2022 vs 2020 Versions
For the below racket comparison, I compared the 2022 and 2020 versions of the Yonex Ezone 98.
Racket Specs Comparison
Both tennis rackets have the exact same head size (98in), length (27in), balance (6pts HL), and string pattern (16×19).
In terms of differences, the 2022 Ezone 98 (323g) has a slightly heavier strung weight than the 2020 Ezone 98 (320g) but the difference is relatively small.
The 2022 version (318g) has a higher swing weight than the 2020 version (317g) but the difference is very small so you won’t notice much of a difference in terms of the maneuverability.
The 2022 version of the Ezone 98 (65) is slightly stiffer than the 2020 version (64) but this difference is relatively small so both tennis frames will feel very similar.
Probably the biggest difference between the 2022 and 2020 versions of the racket is the beam width, which has been increased by 0.5mm at the head, side, and throat on the 2022 version.
The extra 0.5mm on the beam width will mean the 2022 version will provide a little more power than the 2020 version did which I think is a good thing as lots of recreational and club players struggle with getting enough power on their shots.
In terms of design, there isn’t a huge difference between the two frames but I would just give the edge to the 2022 version.
| Specs: | 2022 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Head Size: | 98in | 98in |
| Design: |  |  |
| Length: | 27in | 27in |
| Strung Weight: | 323g (11.4oz) | 320g (11.3oz) |
| Swingweight: | 318g | 317g |
| Balance Point: | 6 Pts HL | 6 Pts HL |
| TW Stiffness Rating: | 65 | 64 |
| Power: | Low to Medium | Low to Medium |
| Beam Width: | 23.5mm / 24.5mm / 19.5mm | 23mm / 24mm / 19mm |
| Colors: | Blue and Black | Blue and Black |
| String Pattern: | 16×19 | 16×19 |
| Main Skips: | 8T,8H | 8T,8H |
| Grip Type: | Yonex Synthetic Grip | Yonex Synthetic Grip |
Is it worth upgrading your Yonex Ezone 98 2020?
I haven’t played with the 2022 version of the racket yet so I can’t give you a definitive answer on this but if I am just looking at the differences in terms of specs then there probably aren’t enough changes to the 2022 version to warrant upgrading your 2020 version.
Once I get a demo of the 2022 version, I will be able to see whether it is worth upgrading.
Racket Recommendations
I wouldn’t recommend either of these two tennis rackets to a beginner or intermediate tennis player as I think they should go for a racket with a bigger head size (at least 100in) and a strung and swing weight under 300g.
However, if you are an advanced tennis player who has no trouble generating power on your shots then I think the Ezone 98 could be a good option for you as it has a good mix of power, spin, and control.
There is very little difference between the 2022 and 2020 versions of the Ezone 98 in terms of racket specs so you might be better off picking up a 2020 version at a discounted price.