Caroline Garcia entered 2022 with a long list of accomplishments that includes eleven WTA singles titles, a career-high of number four in the world for singles and number two for doubles along with two doubles grand slams.
She finished 2022 in style by making the semifinals at the US Open singles and winning the WTA tour finals in Fort Worth, TX. The lanky Frenchwoman uses her booming serve and power off the ground to dominate her opponents from the first ball.
Let’s look at the racquet she uses.
- Endorsed Racquet: Yonex VCore 100 2021 (soon to be 2023)
- Actual Racquet: Yonex VCore Si 100
- Strings: Babolat VS Touch 17 Natural Gut mains and Yonex Poly Tour Strike Crosses
VCore
When Garcia signed with Yonex early on in her career, she was endorsing their VCore line which is known for providing spin and power in a forgiving package.
The VCore Si 100 is the model she employed and is almost certainly what she is still using under paintjobs of newer versions. We can still see the “Aerofin” technology ridges on her bumperguard just like Denis Shapovalov’s frames (VCore Si 95).
This is a great racquet for her, as it amplifies her power which is the cornerstone of her game. It’s in line with what most of the WTA uses as well: 100 square inch tweener-style frames with thicker beams.
- Garcia with her first Yonex in VCore Si 100 paint. Apparently, it’s the real thing as evidenced by the “Aerofin” ridges on her bumper guard. Note the asymmetrical lead placement at the side of her hoop.
Specs
Reportedly, Caroline has her Vcore customized to the following specs, partially achieved by applying a leather grip:
- Strung mass: 332g
- Strung balance: estimated 32.9 cm
- Strung swingweight: not shared or known, but likely somewhere around 325-330, assuming the only lead added to the hoop is what we can see at 3 and 9 o’clock
- Specs estimated from provided unstrung specs of 315g and 31.9cm balance
Strings
Caroline uses VS Touch 17 Natural Gut from Babolat as the main string in her hybrid setup with Yonex Poly Tour Strike crosses. She strings in the mid-50s but will vary based on preferences and conditions.
The natural gut serves to futher amplify her power, as it’s one of the most energetic strings available, especially in the thinner gauge. The polyester is a complete contrast.
Stiff and generally dead, it helps to reign in the power of the gut and add a bit of spin potential from its smooth, round surface.
Conclusion
As a player who already has a natural power advantage due to her height and clean technique, Caroline Garcia uses a racquet and string setup that makes generating pace easy while providing some forgiveness and feel when adding variety into her play.
It’s a great fit for her, as we see with nearly all professionals on the ATP and WTA.
If you’re interested in other WTA players’ racquets, I listed all the top 50 players’ racquets in this post.