Yonex R-7 Specifications

The Yonex R-7 is a classic model graphite tennis racket made famous by Martina Navratilova, who started using it in 1982. It was the first graphite Martina used; prior to that, she used a wood Yonex racket. The R-7 features Yonex's isometric design, which was introduced in 1980. This rectangular racket head shape was designed to give the player a larger sweetspot.

  1. Weight

    • The R-7 had a variable weight off the assembly line of 325 to 340 g (11.46 to 12 oz.). Though this seems heavy when compared to modern rackets, which can weigh less around 10.5 oz., it was considered light when the R-7 was released, as wood rackets that weighed up to 14 oz. were still used by a majority of touring professionals. The racket measured 26.75 inches long from butt handle to top.

    Construction

    • In addition to the isometric head shape, the R-7 used synthetic materials to achieve a balance of stiffness and feel, blending 40 percent carbon with 60 percent graphite. Players at that time, who had learned on wooden rackets, preferred a softer-feel to the racket, as opposed to modern ultra stiff frames, and the blended construction created a more flexible racket than some of the other graphite frames like the Prince Graphite. The R-7 also had a bumper-less frame construction, so it was more prone to wear at the top from scratching the court surface digging for low balls.

    Stringing and Grips

    • The R-7 had a 95-square-inch head, and a 16-by-21 string pattern (16 vertical strings and 21 cross strings). The shape of the head and open throat required eight vertical strings inside the throat grommets, as opposed to the more common six. The R-7 came with a leather grip, and was available in sizes from 4 1/ 4 to 4 3/4 inches.