Wilson Blade 98 18/20 V9 Review

This Wilson Blade 98 18/20 V9 review reveals this racquet as the most demanding of the new Blade racquets among Wilson tennis rackets. But it’s excellent.

You can watch the video review of the Wilson Blade racquets here.

When the first generation of the Blade came out, it was all about a 98 sq inch racquet with a dense 18/20 pattern for control. These days, the Wilson Blade V9 racquets are almost too many to count. Check the linked article if you want to see all the released models at the moment. There have been whispers about an 18/19 model as well, which would be appreciated, but add yet another choice for the consumer.

If you need help to select which racquet you should go for, check out our Tennisnerd Guide to Racquet and Strings or purchase ($50) a personal racquet consultation via email.

You can check out and purchase the new Wilson Blade V9 racquets from my friends at Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe and Tennis Only or at Wilson.com.

What is new compared to the V8?

StableFeel technology introduces a slightly firmer construction for improved stability and easier access to power. This is the main difference from V8 to V9. You get a tad more power, stability and a slightly more dampened feel.

Clip & Go grommet system, which not only locks down the bumper but also makes for easier grommet replacement. This one stands out quite a bit visually. However, if you don’t like it, you should be able to use V8 grommets since the molds are the same.

Specifications

As you can see in the specs below, this is a demanding control-oriented racquet. You need to look for pinpoint precision and generate good power, depth, and spin to use this racquet fully. But if you do, it will put the ball exactly where you want it. Notice the low stiffness and the higher swing weight (the more strings, the higher the swing weight, if you compare it to the 16/19 version).

How does it play?

The Wilson Blade 98 18/20 V9 does not provide a stark difference from the predecessor. But I can agree with the other players that tried it with me that it is overall a slightly positive improvement. The sweet spot feels a tad larger as the stability is improved and you get a bit more depth on your shots.

Still, I did prefer the 16/19 myself as I get a bit more help with depth and height over net. I also like having a slightly lower swing weight than the 330-strung one I had with this racquet (strung with Alu Power 1.25).

There is no question that the Blade V9 18/20 is a solid and excellent racquet. It is not a huge improvement over the V8, but a slight one. But the Blade 98 remains one of the best control racquets on the market.

I still think that most players will be happier with the Blade 100 or Blade 104, as described in the post about the Wilson Blade V9 racquets. But if you can generate the pace required to beat your opponents, then the Blade 98 V9 18/20 will give you amazing confidence to go for your shots.