If you play badminton then you must have wondered who hit the fastest shot in the world, what was the speed of the smash that was hit? And with which racket it was hit? I have the answers to all your questions. Even if you do not play badminton these questions must have come to your mind once in your life. The fastest smash that was hit in the history of badminton was hit by Tan Boon-Heong who is the former world number 1 Malaysian badminton player. He hit this astonishing smash during a special experiment. This smash got his name in the Guinness book of records. The smash that he hit acquired the speed of 493 KM/H. Do you know it is faster than the speed of the fastest car in the world; it is fascinating, isn’t it? This badminton smash was hit by one of the most famous rackets in the worlds it is Yonex Nanoray Z Speed Badminton racket. The previous record was also set by a Yonex racket. The previous record was set by Arc saber Z Slash. Yonex has proven to be the best badminton racket brand in the world by releasing the video of the world’s fastest smash to be hit by Yonex Nanoray Z Speed Badminton racket.
Everybody got to know about this excellent racket when they released the said video and announced the launch of the same badminton racket in 2013. It is obvious that a lot of aspiring badminton players were tempted to get this amazing racket. But the real question is this racket really worth it? To be honest this racket has a quite controversial fan base. A lot people have faced framing problems with this racket whereas a lot of players swear by the quality and performance of this racket. So, it is very difficult to say if you would like this racket or not. You would have to try this for yourself and then decide which side you support. People face a lot of framing problems with the ancestor of Yonex Nanoray Z Speed which is Arc saber Z Slash badminton racket. Framing problems has been consistent with these two rackets but they still have impressed a lot of players. Though, everybody is unique with their own needs, it is possible that this racket will not suit your style, to find a racket that is suitable for you, you will definitely have to do some research but to make it easier for you I found some of the best badminton racket for players of every skill set, you can definitely check it out.
Moving on to the review of this badminton racket there is one thing that I would like to clear up. The world’s fastest smash was hit by the former number 1 Tan Boon-Heong and we are nowhere near his standards and his levels of skills so getting the fastest badminton racket does not mean your skills are going to get improved drastically. No racket and nobody can do that for you, for becoming a better badminton player you will have to practice harder and longer. No racket can improve your skills and it can just improve the quality of your performance. No matter which racket you get you will have to work harder to improve your skills and become a better badminton player. You might be the next record holder, just do not stop working hard.
The first thing that you will notice about this racket when you get in the court with it is that how easy it is to cut through air with its excellent head-acceleration. It does not take a lot of energy to hit powerful shots which is because of the compact head shape and frame. Contradictory to its name Nanoray is a head heavy badminton racket. The head-heavy balance and stiff shaft when combined with the compact head frame makes it a bliss to hit clears with this badminton racket. But you should note that you will not get compatible with the timings of this racket at first, it might take some time.
You should know that while hitting overhead shots you might get a hollow feeling. If you are okay with it then you can definitely go for this racket, but if you like to have that solid feeling then you can go for Duora Z-Strike. The drop shots with this racket are flawless and very swift. Due to the heavy head the shuttlecock travels fast and very briskly over the net. You can even play deceptive shots easily due to the crazy speed of the head of this racket.
The smashes with this racket are phenomenal. Smashes are the reason that this badminton racket has got so much fame and popularity. If you have a little experience then you might know how those badminton rackets are that are especially designed to hit smashes. Those head heavy rackets are a little uncomfortable to handle but Yonex Nanoray Z Speed Badminton racket is not that uncomfortable to handle but it is slightly head heavy which means it offers swift handling. Smashing with this badminton racket feels fabulous. The mass on the head is just enough for you to put enough power into that smash to make it feel raw. The head speed is obviously very impressive.
While playing near the net all you need is control. Defense and net play require a lot of control over the racket to deliver the shot that you desire. Does not matter if you are just spinning the shuttle or sending your opponent to the rear court, this racket will not disappoint you and will perform splendidly. Defense probably is the only style where the racket plays as important role as the player. This is where this racket comes alive; it is excellent in blocking aggressive shots too.
Conclusion:
This racket is amazing and I personally was in awe of it but, I would not suggest this racket to a beginner and not even to a intermediate player. You need experience to handle and use this racket to its full potential. This rackets ticks almost every box of requirement that an advanced player has. After experimenting with this racket for a week, I can say that I loved playing with it and would recommend it to others too. If you are an aggressive players looking to buying a new racket then you can definitely go for Yonex Nanoray Z Speed.