Li-Ning Axforce 90 Dragon Max vs Li-Ning Tectonic 9
Two head-heavy rackets from Li-Ning's range, lined up spec by spec from the makers' published figures. Rows marked in red are where they differ; the notes underneath say what each difference means on court.
Axforce 90 Dragon Max
A head-heavy racket (307 mm balance) with a stiff 6.2 mm shaft, built for players who want a solid, heavy smash with a slightly more stable feel than the Axforce 100. Best for advanced attackers with a full swing.
Full specs →Tectonic 9
A head-heavy (305 mm), stiff racket with a 6.6 mm shaft and a 32 lb tension ceiling, built for players who want a hard, high-tension attacking setup. Best for advanced singles players with strong technique.
Full specs →Where they differ
- Both are head-heavy frames with a stiff shaft, so neither asks for a faster swing than the other and the differences below are what separate them.
- Weights offered differ: Li-Ning Axforce 90 Dragon Max comes in 3U / 4U, Li-Ning Tectonic 9 in 3U / 4U / 5U.
- Grip sizes differ too (G5 versus G5 / G6); if you like a thin handle, check the size before buying.
- Li-Ning Tectonic 9 is rated to 32 lbs against 31 lbs for Li-Ning Axforce 90 Dragon Max. That only matters if you string above the mid-20s; see our string tension guide.
- Play style tags differ: Li-Ning Axforce 90 Dragon Max also carries the doubles tag, which Li-Ning Tectonic 9 does not. The tags come from the maker's positioning and the balance and flex above, not from our own play-testing.
- The materials listed by the makers differ (frame: Carbon fibre (box wing frame) versus Graphite (Dynamic Optimum frame); shaft: Carbon fibre, 6.2 mm shaft versus Carbon fibre, 6.6 mm shaft). Material names are marketing terms as much as engineering ones, so treat them as a tie-breaker rather than a reason to choose.
- Li-Ning Axforce 90 Dragon Max is typically around US$20 cheaper (≈ US$230 against ≈ US$250; prices vary by region).
Balance, flex, weights, grips, tension and materials come from the manufacturers' published specifications; the level, play-style tags and typical prices are our own database fields and are labelled as such. We do not rate rackets we have not measured. Shaft flex and balance are the makers' own categories, so compare them within a brand with more confidence than across brands. Our head-heavy vs head-light guide and string tension guide explain what the categories mean on court.
Specifications side by side
Rows with a red mark are where the two rackets differ. Open in the comparison tool to swap either racket for another.