Wilson RF Pro or Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph

This will be the question for many fellow tennis nerds in 2024. Wilson RF Pro or Pro Staff RF97. Which one should I get?

The new Wilson RF Pro has garnered a lot of attention. You can just read our Wilson RF Racquets review to know more, if you like. According to Wilson, this is the racquet Roger Federer would have used if he could have continued his competitive career. As you might know, the Pro Staff RF97 Autograph is what he used from 2016-2022 when he retired. This racquet brought him many titles and three Grand Slams.

Roger Federer is now doing a kind of Michael Jordan move in getting his own racquet line. But is the Wilson RF Pro better than the Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph?

What is different?

Both the RF Pro and the RF97A are heavy racquets. They require good tennis fundamentals and strength to use. Many club players bought the RF97A when a lighter, more forgiving racquet would have allowed them to play better tennis. Still, there is something addictive about playing with such a heavy racquet (340 grams unstrung) and you can let the racquet do some of the work.

The RF Pro is lighter by quite some margin at 320 grams unstrung. Wilson have shaved off 20 grams. But that is not the only thing that is different. The beam of the RF Pro is elliptical and slightly thicker than the standard Pro Staff box beam, the head size is slightly larger, the balance point is more towards the handle on the RF, and the string pattern is differently spaced. The swing weight is relatively similar, but as you can see, many things are different. Let us look at the specifications.

Wilson RF Pro specifications

Wilson Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph specifications

Would you choose the Wilson RF Pro or the Pro Staff RF 97?

It all comes down to how they play and the pros and cons of any racquet. There is no peRFect racquet, as you might be familiar with.

I think racquet traditionalists will struggle a bit, at least at first with the Wilson RF Pro. The more rounded head shape and elliptical beam design will put some people off. They expect it to be a Pro Staff, but this is more towards a Wilson Shift 99. But you need to enter any racquet test with an open mind and see what the racquet does to your game.

What Roger wanted out of the Wilson RF Pro was a more aerodynamic design with the ability to create sharper angles. This is something the RF Pro can do a bit better than the Pro Staff. But that is not to say that the sweet spot feels bigger, because the RF Pro is, in my experience, not a more forgiving racquet. You still get excellent control on flat shots thanks to the denser pattern, but the sweet spot is small. Off-center shots are punished quite harshly.

In terms of feel, the RF Pro is also foam-filled like the Pro Staff but feels a bit brassy on impact. The extra weight of the RF97 makes them feel a bit more solid and plush. Over a two-set match, the 20 grams might make a difference in favor of the RF Pro, but playing points with them side-by-side, they are both heavy to swing and requires a lot from the user.

On serve, they are both demanding. At the net, they are both solid and precise. Both racquets knife the slice well, which is Roger special. From the back of the court, they work best for the attacking player who like to play a bit like Roger. Take the ball early, be aggressive, move in to the net.

Summary

I am still scratching my head a bit over which one I prefer. The RF Pro is the new toy, but it doesn’t immediately strike me as an improvement over the RF97A. I prefer the feel of the RF97, while I really appreciate the dense string bed of the RF Pro which makes me more confident on flatter shots. The RF Pro also feels more string-sensitive. With the wrong string setup or tension, the racquet does not feel quite right. Players I have tested it with are either preferring the RF97 or loving the RF Pro. So it requires a certain type of player. It’s not a home-run type of racquet, but something that requires time and a bit of tinkering with the right string setup.

The lighter RF 01 is easier to enjoy as it leaves room for customization and is a bit softer in terms of layup. But this racquet also requires a lower string tension and I prefer it with some weight added at 10 and 2.

Advanced players can vibe with the RF Pro, but I find it a bit too demanding for my game and tend to prefer the RF Autograph in terms of feel. It’s one of those racquets you have to demo and see if it works for you. Or you can get a Tennisnerd consultation to get some help on the way.

The Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph is no longer for sale at the retailers I have checked. You can get the RF Pro or RF One at Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe or Tennis Only.

Which racquet would you get? The Wilson RF Pro or the Pro Staff RF 97?