Wilson is one of the most iconic brands in tennis. This page looks at some of the different Wilson tennis racquets. Wilson players: Roger Federer, Serena Williams…
The list of players using Wilson tennis racquets is, of course, longer than Federer and Williams. What about names such as: Pete Sampras, Stefan Edberg, Jim Courier, Grigor Dimitrov, Simona Halep and Elina Svitolina to name a few. If you want to read more about pro player racquets, just search for the right article on Tennisnerd or check out this page.
This post deals with some of the best Wilson tennis racquets and the different lines they offer. Wilson does not offer a power level chart the way that HEAD or Prince does, but we will try to compare the different racquets.
You can check out Wilson tennis racquets at Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe (get 10% off using the code TNERD10) and Tennis Only.
Wilson tennis racquets – Different Lines
Wilson offer five different racket lines:
- Wilson Pro Staff
- Wilson Blade
- Wilson Clash
- Wilson Burn (not sure if this line will continue)
- Wilson Ultra
- Wilson Shift
Let us look at them one by one.
Wilson Pro Staff
The Pro Staff is the legendary line in the Wilson lineup. Federer has his own heavier Autograph version (read my review of the RF97A) and the lighter Pro Staff 97 can be seen pretty much on every level of the game. Also, the “real OG” of the racquet line is the Pro Staff 85 (click to read my review) which was used by Pete Sampras, Stefan Edberg, and Jim Courier. Due to the small head size this racquet is scarce among rec players today, but the Pro Staff Classic was also a hugely popular racquet that is still used by many pros today in different forms. The Pro Staff Classic turned into the Six One 95.
Is the Pro Staff all about “aggressive control”? Yes. This line is perfect for the attacking player who wants to paint the lines and move into the net to finish a point. You can also call it crisp precision. Just look at the way Roger Federer plays tennis and you will understand this line of racquets.
Wilson Blade
The Wilson Blade line is on its seventh iteration with the V7 released in the summer of 2019. It is a line that opens up for a bit more power and spin than the Pro Staff version. These make the racquets a bit more versatile and useful also for players who like to play defense or a counter-punching style of tennis. The Blade is called a Blade because the more head-heavy balance (compared to the more head-light Pro Staffs) allows the racquets to slice through the air. This weight distribution also allows the Blade racquets to be more stable also at lower static weights.
So if you have a Pro Staff 97 of 315 grams and a Wilson Blade 98 at 304 grams, the stability will be similar due to the weight of the Blade being more towards the head of the racquet. The new Blades also offer an increase in comforts thanks to their new Feelflex technology. Players endorsing the Blade line include David Goffin, Milos Raonic, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Serena Williams, Venus Williams and many more.
My various Wilson Blade reviews:
Wilson Blade V7 98
Wilson Blade V7 100L
Wilson Blade V7 104
Wilson Clash
The Clash is a new line of racquets that was released last year to huge success. It was an impressive example of innovation in the industry where a thick-beamed powerful frame design meets a really low flex rating. This is interesting because most racquets with a larger head size and a thicker beam are usually stiff and quite unfriendly to your arm-health. The Clash line of racquets is however so flexible that you do not have to worry about arm comfort. You can even play them with a stiff poly and your arm will likely be fine.
I really liked the Clash racquets and thought it was a fresh take on a modern tennis racquet. I reviewed a couple of them, see links below. I would call the Clash a controlled, yet more spin-friendly modern frame.
Wilson Clash 100 (prototype) racquet review
Wilson Clash Tour Racquet Review
Wilson Clash 98 Racquet Review
Wilson Ultra
The Ultra line has a couple of different racquets with different characteristics, which can make it difficult to describe. The Ultra 97 is a very controlled and flexible racquet, while the Ultra 100 is all about power and spin. That is why it can be hard to know exactly what players should look for from the Wilson Ultra line of Wilson tennis rackets.
Players endorsing Wilson Ultra’s: Kei Nishikori, Gael Monfils, and Madison Keys.
I think the idea of the Ultra will be focused more on power, similar to Babolat Pure Drive and HEAD Instinct lines. That is why I doubt that the Wilson Ultra Tour 97 (which is a very nice racquet by the way) will have a place in the line in the future.
My Ultra reviews:
Wilson Ultra Tour 95
Wilson Ultra Tour 97
Wilson Ultra 100
Wilson Burn
The Burn line of Wilson tennis racquets used to be the power racquets of Wilson, but since this position has been taken over by Ultra, I think we will see one of two things:
- The line will be discontinued, OR…
- The line will be used solely for kids/junior racquets
Wilson Shift
The Wilson Shift is a new line focused on the modern game and top spin generation. It has had a warm reception initially and it will be interesting to see how Wilson will develop this line going forward.
Check out our Wilson Shift 99 Review and our Wilson Shift 99 Pro Review.
Which Wilson racquet is your favourite of the bunch and why? Please comment below.
10 comments
Great article. I check this page every other day, just so I see if there is a new article out. Well written and refreshing. Thanks for your hard work TennisNerd :-)
Thanks Leonardo!
Thanks! Appreciate it.
Good article Jonas.
I”ve been on Wilson Blades (98S CV) for the last 1.5 years (having been on RF97A, and the 315g Pro Staff 98). Love the crisp feel and power with a hybrid string set up on the Blades.
However, I’ve been play testing the Blade alongside a 326g H22 and gotta say I am loving the extra zip on serves and stability (for volleys) of the H22. Reminds me a bit of the RF97A on the plush comfort factor too…
The new Blade weighs 305 g, not 304 like the previous iterations. :)
Good point!
Wilson Burn will continue to exist, my rep has told me that they are using like any immediate player wants a full racket but without that $200+ price tag like Head Extreme line of rackets. They are doing away the Ultra 97 Tour which I think is a really good racket with a leather grip and some lead taps in the head.
I just have a question about the frame manufacture please, if I may. How is it that a thin beam rf97 can weigh 340g, whilst a fatter beem ps97ls weighs 290g? Do they fill the RF frame with something or are there more wraps of graphite, so less air? Or is the PWS full of lead on the RF? Just interested to know how they actually achieve the weights. Thanks.
Hey Tennisnerd, I am one of ur ardent fan, subscriber an follower! I am also a Tennis nerd of sorts. I would like to buy a blade,which one will be the best? the old 104 18x 19 or the new V7 104 16×19? Iam a very good club player /avid competitor around 4.5 to 5 rated(this may vary) looking for power mainly with control. I heard in your and other reviews that he new V7 has a higher launch angle,is that true? and because of the softer feel will the touch/stop volleys stick in to your racket due to feel flex ?(had this problem in clash ). And on interesting technical question if I go for the 18×19 and want more spin/power was thinking whether i can skip a hole and sting it making it a 17x 19 or may be 16×19 too?….Love your view on tennis and i strongly recommend following ur channel to the tennis kids in here.
Harry
Hi Harry,
That is nice to hear, thanks!
If you want a crisper feel, go for the old 104. If you want massive topspin – go for V7. I have a feeling I would personally enjoy the old version more.
Not sure you need to skip holes, I think the 18×19 should be pretty spin-friendly in such a large head size.
Cheers / J