Wilson RF Racquet Review

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Today is Roger Federer’s birthday, but also the release day of the new Wilson RF racquets. Here is our Wilson RF racquet review.

This review deals with all the new Wilson RF racquets, the RF Pro, the RF One, and the RF Future. This is what Tennis Warehouse writes about this new release.

As one of the most creative tennis players of all time, Federer maintained his success largely due to his willingness to evolve both his playing style and equipment. As he prepared for his final tour in 2022, Federer approached Wilson seeking more spin and speed on his forehand. This led to months of testing and designing what would ultimately become the RF 01, a racket inspired by, designed by, and tested by Roger Federer.

This is what Roger Federer himself has said about the RF Pro:

“The RF97 helped me tremendously on the backhand side, but I always felt like on the forehand side I would love a little more spin, a little more speed, so that maybe I could play easier angles.”

– Roger Federer

Let us go through the Wilson RF racquets one by one. You can watch our video review on our YouTube channel here.

Wilson RF Pro Review

There are many fans of the Wilson Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph, but for those who thought that was a bit too demanding and want something with similar heft but more ease of use, the Wilson RF Pro is a solid choice. The aerodynamic beam will also make it move through the air faster, helping to achieve faster swings and more topspin. The design is fittingly called SABR by Wilson, a tribute to his attacking style.

The racquets are made with a powerful carbon fiber layup and Wilson’s Braid FortyFive tech, which they claim enhances dwell time and ball pocketing. At the same time, the racquet is designed to bend in ways that complement the vertical mechanics of the modern game (similar to Wilson’s Shift line of racquets). The racquets are also foam-filled to deliver a more solid feel and have a reinforced shaft and yoke for torsional stability. This is highly noticeable on the net, where even the lighter models play relatively stable.

Specifications RF Pro

Head Size: 98 in² / 632.26 cm²

Length: 27in / 68.58cm

Strung Weight: 11.9oz / 337g

Balance: 12.75in / 32.39cm / 6 pts HL

Swingweight: 331

Stiffness: 67

Beam Width: 23.2mm / 23mm / 22mm

Composition: Carbon +Carbon Braid

Power Level: Low-Medium

Stroke Style: Medium-Full

Swing Speed: Medium-Fast

Racquet Colors: Black

Grip Type: Leather

String Pattern: 16 Mains / 19 Crosses Mains skip: 7T,9T,7H,9H

Here, you can see a higher swing weight (although not as high as the RF97A) than the RF One and Future. The static weight is chunky, but again, not as bad as the close to 360 grams strung of the Autograph.

The thicker beam won’t appeal to everyone, but the racquet plays fast through the air thanks to the aerodynamic design. You will still feel the weight of this racquet. The feel is solid, (not quite as solid as the RF97), but it doesn’t make the racquet too sluggish.

How does the RF Pro play?

The racquet is a Federer fanboy’s dream. You can knife the slice, head to the net and finish with a deft drop volley. The dense pattern gives you excellent directional control that will appeal to flat-hitting players who like to take the ball early and attack.

It is more forgiving than the traditional Pro Staffs and plays more like the Pro Staff had a baby with the Shift 99. I am pretty sure this was the idea, to use some of the ideas from the Shift in a smaller and more controlled head-size and that is a good thing.

I still feel like the racquet is too heavy for the regular club player (unless you love heavy racquets), but this is where the RF One comes in and allows the player to customize it to their liking. But for advanced and serious tournament players who play aggressive tennis, the RF Pro will have everything they need to put fear into their opponents.

An excellent frame that I would pick over the RF97 Autograph if I had to play a tournament match tomorrow. You can check the Wilson RF Pro out from our friends at Tennis Warehouse and Tennis Warehouse Europe (get 10% off using TNERD10).

Wilson RF 01 Review

The Wilson RF 01 is the 300-gram, more forgiving, and easy-to-use version of the RF Pro. This will be most players optimal choice, because you can always add weight if you want to.

This ended up being our choice of the bunch (I tested these racquets together with Henrik Wallensten), although it took some tweaking in terms of tension and weight to get it peRFect.

Wilson RF 01 specifications

Head Size: 98 in² / 632.26 cm²

Length: 27in / 68.58cm

Strung Weight:11.2oz / 318g

Balance: 12.85in / 32.64cm / 5 pts HL

Swingweight: 319

Stiffness: 64

Beam Width: 23.2mm / 23mm / 22mm

Composition: Carbon +Carbon Braid

Racket Colours: Black

Grip Type: Pro Performance

String Pattern: 16 Mains / 19 Crosses Mains skip: 7T,9T,7H,9H

As you can see, the stiffness is a bit lower here, which makes the racquet have even better ball pocketing and comfort than the Pro version.

Otherwise, the mold and the string pattern are the same for all RF racquets.

How does the RF 01 play?

We strung our test racquets for this Wilson RF racquet review with Luxilon Eco Spin 1.25 at 49 lbs (22 kg). At first, this felt a bit too tight in the RF One. Since it lacked the mass of the RF Pro, we struggled at times when hitting outside the sweet spot. Our review racquet was also slightly below the listed spec at a swing weight of 312 strung. But, once the tension dropped, the racquet opened up beautifully and it became our favorite in the line-up.

The RF One possesses all the qualities of the RF Pro, but in a lighter, more maneuverable package. Yes, you don’t get the same stability due to the reduced weight, but it is a decent trade-off since this one is easier to use.

We felt the need with the 312 SW strung version to add some weight at 3 and 9 (4 grams total, so two on each side), which made the racquet play even better. Depending on quality control, you might get a spec closer to 320 strung swing weight and then it will likely not need any customization. But getting the racquet up to 320-325 SW strung is recommended for a 98 sq inch racquet. Some 100 sq inch frames can play fine at lower swing weights, but for the 98 or smaller head size, it is generally preferred to have a higher swing weight for better stability.

But overall, the racquet played with excellent control and feel. You could whip it through on attacking shots and it was stable enough at the net to handle heavy incoming shots. It was hard to find a fault with this racquet. It will not give you loads of forgiveness or launch angle, but it is not made to either. There are other frames for that kind of game style. The RF One suits the Federer-inspired attacker and does that game style to near peRFection :)

You can check out the RF 01 racquets from our friends at Tennis Warehouse or Tennis Warehouse Europe (use TNERD10 for 10% off).

Wilson RF Future Review

Neither of the play-testers are in the target group for the RF Future, which appeals more to juniors and players looking for a very light and fast-swinging racquet.

This is what Tennis Warehouse writes about this frame:

Introducing the RF 01 Future, the lightest member of the RF Collection. Stamped with insights from Federer’s legendary career, the RF 01 Future puts the geometry and technologies of Federer’s RF 01 Pro into a very maneuverable package, making it easy for dedicated beginners and early intermediate players to swing confidently. This racket should also appeal to the junior player ready to transition to an adult-sized frame.

This is basically the RF One, but with a weight reduction. It has similar feel and flex, but lower mass, which moves the balance point more towards the head to compensate (for stability).

Wilson RF Future Specifications

Head Size: 98 in² / 632.26 cm²

Length: 27in / 68.58cm

Strung Weight: 10.4oz / 295g

Balance: 13in / 33.02cm / 4 pts HL

Swingweight: 301

Stiffness: 64

Beam Width: 23.2mm / 23mm / 22mm

Composition: Carbon +Carbon Braid

Racket Colours: Black

Grip Type: Wilson Pro Performance

String Pattern: 16 Mains / 19 Crosses Mains skip: 7T,9T,7H,9H

How does the RF Future play?

The RF Future plays exactly like the RF One, but whippier. You could easily match these racquets with some lead tape. But since it is intended for beginners or junior transitioning to adult frames, the specs are tailored towards those user groups.

When we tried the RF Future during this Wilson RF Racquet Review, I was instantly taken aback by how solid the frame felt at the net for its weight. The carbon fiber layup and the yoke reinforcements has made this racquet surprisingly stable, yet whippy.

It doesn’t have the mass or pop of the heavier versions, obviously, but if you are looking for a lighter racquet that still gives you control and feel, the RF Future is an excellent option. Just note that the 98 sq inch head size is generally more demanding than 100 sq inches or larger racquets on the market.

You can check out the RF Future racquets from our friends at Tennis Warehouse (USA) or Tennis Warehouse Europe (use TNERD10 for 10% off).

Summary

The RF racquets are a welcome and exciting launch into a sometimes stale and predictable industry. They deliver on the parameters that made Roger’s game so great, the control, the knifing slice, the nice pop on serve and the stability at the net. You are inspired to play more aggressive and elegant tennis when using these Wilson tennis racquets.

They won’t suit everyone, but players who like to emulate Roger’s style will enjoy the RF racquets immensely. An excellent choice for attacking players that like to take the ball early and are not afraid of heading to the net to finish the point with a volley.

Let me know what you think of the RF racquets in the comments below!