Dunlop Biomimetic 200 Tennis Racquet Review 

I was hoping that I would like this racquet a lot. It felt hefty and solid when I picked it up, and even with the plastic shrink wrap still on the handle it was\is a very cool looking frame. It has a primarily black and blue paint job and sports a black Dunlop Sport grip. The racquet is the standard 27 inches long, has a 95 square inch head and according to the information on the frame and the Dunlop promotional materials weighs 11.89 ounces strung or 337 grams. Unfortunately I had a hard time getting the shrink wrap off and then the paper that some marketing genius thought should be under that material refused to come loose. So I was basically left with the choice of destroying the grip almost to get into the packaging and remove the marketing material. I had to leave some of the paper on and place an over grip on the handle. When I weighed the racquet at home later, it was 12 3/8th ounces or 351 grams. This is for sure a not insignificant weight.

The Dunlop Biomimetic 200 feels like any of the old Wilson racquets, but mostly like the old Sampras Pro Staff or the heavy Pro Staff 6.1 series that followed those frames and that everyone on tour used for a while there back in the 90’s. Unfortunately this frame does not play like those old classic frames. The racquet is head light and handle heavy. By this I mean that you really feel the weight in the handle. I found the racquet very solid and there was a nice feeling on ground strokes when you centered the ball right in the hitting pocket. Unfortunately the prime hitting area is small and more rectangular than square, which will be a problem for any but the most accomplished ball strikers. It was hard to generate much ball pace without taking really full solid swings. Despite the weight the racquet also felt a little trembly to me. This could no doubt be fixed by placing lead tape on the head, but you will very quickly find yourself approaching the 12.75 ounce range with even minimal application of lead tape.

I couldn’t volley with this racquet at all. Ditto trying to hit lobs or slice service returns. The frame just had no feel as far as I was concerned. The ball tumbled; the weight was so much in the handle that it was just difficult to get the head into prime ball striking position. The serve was fun to hit with this frame, especially my slice ball and hard kicker, but my shoulder also started talking to me after only a few serves. And my flat ball was just flat and hard. I had trouble hitting it in out wide, although the flat ball down the T was right there from the start.

This racquet will take some modification to set up, and for sure it is designed for a player with long-full swings who generates their own power. This racquet by design it would seem, is for use by 5.0 plus and open level players. For sure a strong junior player or could use this frame, if they had big swings and some body weight\size. Small or petite junior and\or adult players should not even look at this frame. And if you hit with it and like it, but your arm is a little tender off the first couple of hitting sessions, I would pay careful attention to what my body was saying. I would say that this might be an interesting choice of tool for an advanced baseline player, possibly someone who is having trouble with the ball sailing. This frame is very heavy and solid and if you strike the ball in the middle, it is possible to generate nice levels of spin and power. This is not a bad frame; it is just one that is in no way suitable for the vast majority of players.