Dunlop Nemesis Carbon Ctrl

Pros

• ✓The rough-finish 3K carbon face bites into the ball on viboras and drop shots: you feel the grip on the cut and the ball comes off with more spin than your swing seems to suggest A massive sweet spot for a round shape: on wall exits with the ball hugging the glass, off-centre hits still come out with direction and barely any twist The PRO TOUCH soft EVA core cushions the impact on volley blocks and returns of serve, letting you play long sessions without punishing your elbow or wrist The four flat-edged holes in the throat manage airflow and translate into a stable swing on high bandejas, where the racket head doesn't drift off-line at the end of the stroke

Cons

• ✗Ball exit is muted: on a flat smash down the middle you have to generate all the pace yourself, since the soft EVA absorbs rather than gives it back The soft touch works against you on attacking volleys at mid-court: if you don't follow through the shot, the ball falls short and you hand over the net point At 375g towards the top of the range, paired with soft rubber, anyone chasing a heavy-hitting smash will meet more wall than kick The rough surface loses grain with heavy use, and the extra bite it gives fades sooner than on smooth, glossy-finish faces

Rough 3K carbon and a soft EVA core: the Dunlop Nemesis Carbon Ctrl doesn't hide what it's built for. Weighing in between 360 and 375 grams, round-shaped, with a very soft-feel PRO TOUCH rubber, this padel racket is made for advanced players who place the ball rather than break it.

3K carbon meets PRO TOUCH rubber: what this pairing actually does

3K is a relatively open-weave carbon fabric. Compared to denser weaves, it flexes a touch more on contact and gives back less energy on its own, but it holds the ball on the face for a fraction longer.

That extra dwell time is what players read as "grip": time to direct the shot, not just push it.

The PRO TOUCH soft EVA core doubles down on the same idea. It soaks up impact vibration and delivers a cushioned response, without the sharp snap-back of a firm rubber.

The trade-off is punch. This racket won't fire the ball for you, and anyone expecting a free-flowing pace off the face will be in for a rude awakening on their first smash.

What level of player is the Dunlop Nemesis Carbon Ctrl built for?

Advanced players with a well-developed arm. The soft EVA core and 3K carbon face demand that you supply your own racket speed: in return you get pinpoint precision and an unusually wide sweet spot, but no free ball exit. A positional player, one who defends deep and volleys with depth, will get far more out of it than a pure finisher.

Nemesis Carbon Ctrl: full spec sheet

The four throat holes and what they do on the high ball

The throat features four flat-edged holes that manage airflow through the swing. This isn't a marketing flourish: on long, overhead strokes, that channelling cuts resistance and helps the face arrive square at the point of contact.

It shows up most clearly on the bandeja. The stroke finishes without the head pulling wide at the end, and the cut comes through clean even when a lob has pushed you a metre back.

On the vibora the feel shifts slightly: the rough face bites nicely into the ball and the kick is there, but you need genuine arm speed to turn that bite into a bounce that actually troubles your opponent.

Shot by shot: where this round racket shines and where it falls short

1. **Wall exits.** Its best terrain. The huge sweet spot forgives off-frame contact and the ball still comes out with direction even when you're rushed for time.
2. **Defence and lobs.** The soft touch lets you slow down fast balls and float deep lobs with minimal effort; control above pace is the through-line here.
3. **Block volleys.** Comfortable, quiet, no unruly kick off the face. Attacking volleys are a different story — follow through or the ball dies at mid-court.
4. **Smash down the middle.** Works if you're playing for angle and the glass, not raw power. As a flat-smash racket it sits below its own control ceiling.
5. **Drop shots and back-wall play.** The bite from the rough 3K face gives a touch not usually found in a racket this weight.

Player profile: who should buy it — and who shouldn't

It suits the backhand-side player who lives at the back of the court, builds the point with lobs and finishes with cut bandejas rather than smashes. It also suits anyone carrying elbow niggles who needs a rubber that absorbs rather than fights back.

It doesn't suit the explosive drive-side player looking to end points with a direct smash down the middle. There, the lack of punch from the soft EVA plus 3K combo becomes a ceiling that technique alone can't compensate for.

As part of a pairing it works well alongside a partner who brings the finishing power: this Dunlop covers the build-up phase, the other racket closes out the point.

Verdict: honest control, power on a leash

The Dunlop Nemesis Carbon Ctrl delivers exactly what its name promises and doesn't try to be all things to all players. It offers one of the most generous sweet spots you'll find on a control-oriented round racket, a soft touch that looks after your arm, and a rough surface that genuinely bites on cut shots.

In return, it asks for arm speed. At 375g towards the top of the range, with rubber that dampens more than it propels, you supply the pace and the racket supplies the precision.

If your game is built on consistency, moving your opponent around and waiting for the short ball, this is a sound buy. If your plan is to finish points from above, look elsewhere.