Like all YONEX PRO models, the new YONEX NANOFLARE 700 PRO is ‘Made in Japan’ and is therefore subject to the highest quality standards. The new concept of the NANOFLARE 700 PRO is clearly defined by YONEX: Fast, high and game-changing clears combined with the best manoeuvrability, precise feel and improved offensive performance to control every rally. We wanted to find out from the BADLAB racket team to what extent this concept works.

The predecessor model, the NANOFLARE 700, was presented at its premiere in Japan in 2019 by the then reigning women's singles world champion Carolina Marin. Although the Nanoflare 700 has managed to outperform the NANOFLARE 800 and 1000 Z in terms of sales figures to date, the 700 has the image of being favoured by players who lack the strength to control top-heavy or stiff rackets. According to the manufacturer, this is set to change, which is why the new YONEX NANOFLARE 700 PRO focusses on technical features. The top and bottom of the frame have been reinforced with the Enhanced Sonic Flare System with the aim of achieving increased rejection and improved face stability in offensive performance. The Servo Filter material is designed to dampen unwanted vibrations in the medium stiff shaft - we are excited.

First impression: Visually a real eye-catcher. The new NANOFLARE 700 PRO surprises with an unusual ‘Sky’ design concept in the colour Midnight Purple, which is based on the background of a sky and the colours of a sunset - we interpret this as a sign for clears up to the endless horizon and are curious to see whether this is also reflected in our practical test in the sunset.

We had our test specimens strung with a YONEX EXBOLT 68 in grip size 4U/5G (83-85g) to 24 lbs.

The evaluation was again carried out in the categories: "Power", "forgives inaccurate hitting", "feel/ball control" and "handling", all on a scale from 1 star (hardly applies) to 5 stars (fully applies).

The widened frame profile in the racket head supported the good handling characteristics in practice, especially in fast defence with good rebound power. During the test, it quickly became clear that the racket provides a good, fast and secure feel with drive, but only with accurate hitting, although our test team agreed: 4.5 stars.

In the ‘forgives inaccurate impact’ category, theYONEX NANOFLARE 700 PRO consequently only achieved 3.5 stars from our testers

In the ‘feel and ball control’ category, the slightly grip-heavy balance of the YONEX NANOFLARE 700 PRO proved to be an advantage. After a short familiarisation period, our testers raved about the perfect feel, very good control and excellent cushioning properties. The rating here is accordingly in the upper range: 4.5 stars!

As is so often the case, the BADLAB test team took a differentiated view of the rating for ‘Power for long clears and hard smashes’. The shaft, which is labelled as ‘medium flex’, forms an effective unit with the high-profile frame in this respect and was given the highest rating by all testers for powerful clears, especially during long rallies. However, from our hard hitters' point of view, the hard smashes could not quite live up to this, which is why it only almost received the highest rating: 4.75 stars - impressive for a racket in this category!

Overall judgement of the BADLAB racket team:
We all agreed that the new YONEX NANOFLARE 700 PRO combines above-average handling characteristics with very effective power transmission on clears and excellent control.
Compared to the NANOFLARE 800 PRO and 1000 Z, our testers would see the new NANOFLARE 700 PRO with its characteristics as an entry-level model in the high-quality NANOFLARE PRO series.
We attribute the fact that the NANOFLARE 700 is the best-selling racket in the YONEX NANOFLARE SERIES to the fact that it is the easiest model to handle compared to its two siblings. No wonder it is therefore favoured by numerous top athletes, including the winning pair of the 2023 XD World Championships, Seo Seung Jae & Chae Yu Jung, and the winner of the 2024 Malaysia Open, Arisa Higashino. We recommend this top racket for advanced amateurs to top players who prefer doubles and mixed.

Good to know: The new YONEX NANOFLARE 700 series is available as TOUR, TEAM and PLAY in the two colour variants Midnight Purple and Silver Skyblue, so there should be something for every requirement and design fan..