I'm a 3.5 player; haven't played all that long, only 2+ years. Definitely have more control with this racquet, but feel that power is more difficult to generate compared to RF97. All in all, I would give this racquet a 8.8 out of 10.From: Dreher, 1/21/21, Comments: Best Wilson Pro Staff I have hit with yet. The racquet has a higher-end weight, but its head light balance retains excellent usability, which is well-suited for intermediate to advanced players with an all-court style that relies on precision and control. . WILSON Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph Tennis Racquet Specifications: Playability: The Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph is a great option for the Advanced tournament players looking for control-oriented racquet. This is a good "reference" stick to have in the bag, as it seems to do all things well. By comparison, the RF97 is much heavier and probably truer to the original line of Pro Staff models. From: Rob, 1/20/21, Comments: It's an amazing racquet, just release your hand and it will make the job as longas you are hitting the correct way. Shortly after, Wilson adapted the design to the now-iconic 85 square inch head size, a.k.a., the Pro Staff Original 6.0. Not only is there minimal to no pain, I am also generating more spin and pace.From: Bhaskar, 12/30/20, Comments: I am very happy with the Wilson Pro Staff 97 v13 racquets, I did notice that even at low tensions Solinco Hyper-G 17 gauge, 51 pounds and 49 pounds, the racquet is very low powered, I personally prefer this. Coming from an oversized head racquet, I did not expect the transition to be as smooth as it was, even though the racquet is 97 square inches it still felt so consistent. Beyond the frames impressive credentials, its become a cult favorite among competitive players from club to college who appreciate the classic feel that results from the time-tested formula of braided graphite, perimeter weighting system, thin beam, and head light balance. Additional nuances include the grip and butt caps. Now enough about the playability, can we talk about this awesome matte black paint job? Very impressed with this 97 v13: not as cushy as my Blade but a lot more stable. 2 X Pro Staff 97 V13 Night Session Plus Tennis Bag - 579,95 - Wilson - Pro Staff - Tennis rackets - Racket package - black - Brands color name: Black/Black - Head size (cm): 626 - String pattern: 16/19 - Weight unstrung (g): 315 - Length (mm): 685 - Collection: Wilson racket packages - Balance (mm): 310 - Strung: No . That's when I tried my coach's Clash and Pro Staff 97 v13. Don't believe me? I cannot say that I can recommend this so, better test it and draw your conclusions before buying it. (23 - 27 kgs.) This racquet has a smaller sweetspot compared to most racquets these days. While I am still fine-tuning the string tension and the grip size, I still nevertheless catch myself wearing a big grin each time I walk off the court given the control, the accuracy, the power, and the mere fun that hitting with it provides. In essence, Countervail dampened the racquets feedback and subsequently reduced its feel. Volleys were butter with good contact. String Pattern String Length ' ' ' ' Pro Sta RF 97 Autograph Recommended String Tension 50 - 60 lbs. However it needs lowering the tension to feel the power.From: A, 1/14/21, Comments: I purchased this while I was looking for something in between Phantom 93P and VCORE Pro 330. String pattern: Wider Cross-Strings (Open 16x19 string pattern) for added Power, Control and Spin. I strung mine up with Solinco Confidential 17 gauge at 54 pounds on the mains and Gamma Live Wire Professional 17 gauge at 56 pounds on the crosses for awesome feel, added pocketing, comfort, and easy access to spin.From: Joshua, 2/20/21, Comments: Best racquet I have ever had. inches Length: 27 inches Weight: 290g Beam Width: 23 x 23 x 23 mm String Pattern: 16 x 19 - Bio-based materials reduce environmental impact of the bumper, grommet, and end cap. Yes, the racquet can sometimes be less powerful than you need it to be, but it provides the ultimate precision and consistency for your shots, also it's really easy to follow through with your swing because of the great feel it provides, and the fast swing as a result of the highly headlight balance which compensates for the heavy weight of the racquet as well. String mapping intends to improve the racquets control and feel without giving up too much on the spin front. Wilson Staff Model Gloves . As far as touch and finesse goes, Id say this is another area where this generation improves. Also this racquet doesn't provide easy and basic spin because of the shape and the 97 square inch head.This review might come of as bias because I used the old all black Pro Staff 97 with no Countervail before this one. Enjoy! We chose this particular Pro Staff after using TW's information tables which we found extremely helpful in finding the right fit. I strung that up with Luxilon Alu Power 1.30 at 54 lbs or 24.5 kg, added an overgrip, and got: 97 sq inches, 1619 string pattern, 21.5 mm beam, 365g, 31.5 cm, 341.5 SW These specs are pretty heavy, even for the Autograph version. The feel is very strange as well. Not powerful. The lively stringbed gave us easy power and loads of spin potential. Please bring those back once more. It's solid, comfortable and user friendly. I'm not careless, but occasionally you have to scrap the ground to get a ball and it doesn't take much for the paint to start wearing away. I have been playing with a variety of racquets from Babolat and Yonex over the years. It comes in a 16 x 19 string pattern, as well as an 18 x 20. Product Description. I've been hitting with the Pro Staff for my whole life and am now a 50+ year old, 3.5 level male. The Pro Staff 97S injects Wilson's innovative Spin Effect string pattern into a frame with a more traditional feel. 3.5 out of 5 stars 8. . On returns, the Pro Staff 97 offers an ideal performance. From: Craig, Acton 8/27/21, Comments: My opinion on this racquet at first was critical. please contact Wilson's customer service center by telephone at USA 1-800-401-7967 . Better test it before buy it. Although he now has a signature model, Federer has worked closely with Wilson to help evolve and refine the Pro Staff line for the modern game. I recommend stringing at a lower tension. For old-school feel and comfort with modern performance potential, try the Wilson Pro Staff 97S. in. This is the best Pro Staff 97 they've made. Demoed this along with several Yonex models and this one delivers on control and is very comfortable on the arm. 1:08 Weight Great for volleys. My favorite parts of this racquet are the volleys, slices, and the serves. It is, even when adding beautiful calfskin leather grips to both. My first racquet was a Prestige Tour. Groundstrokes have improved depth, which I figure has to come from a higher spin rate combined with swinging more freely. The vibration dampening properties of the Kevlar also help provide a little extra control and touch in a relatively stiff frame. For the 2020 line, we brought forth new, advanced technologies to enhance Pro Staffs playability and precision, while honoring the rackets roots with cues from its iconic past and 117 Grand Slam wins.. The cosmetics are different at the request of Roger himself as he wanted his racquet to look . Exclusive Offers Sent Right to Your Inbox. In-depth Resources . String pattern: Wider Cross-Strings (Open 16x19 string . this racket really helped all of those things and provides good stability and especially up at net this felt like a magic wand . Wilson Pro Staff 97 CV Black Tennis Racquet Review Racquet Specs Head Size: 97 sq. The string pattern, which refers to the number of main and cross strings, along with the density or space between each string, directly influences a racquets performance most notably topspin and control. Wilson can credit 117 Grand Slam titles to the racquet, whos past champions include Pete Sampras, Steffi Graff, Stefan Edberg, and Chris Evert. john added a stringing of Yonex Poly Tour Spin 1.25 16L Blue to Yonex EZONE 98 (285g) about 2 months: ft. tennis warehouse is home to approximately 22,000 unique racquet sport product SKUs. However, beyond its weight, this racquet does not use Wilsons Braid 45 technology. The current local time in Vitry-sur-Seine is 63 minutes ahead of apparent solar time. Please contact Customer Service at 1-800-401-7967, if you have any issues accessing information on this website. . Take a look in detail at Roger Federer's racquet, the Wilson Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph. Required fields are marked *. It's brought new excitement in my tennis game. RacketLogger. To this end, Wilson offers a few lighter versions to consider. 00 $279.00 $279.00. I love the controlled power and precision I have with this racquet. I demoed several racquets. So, I was excited to hear Wilson had tightened the string spacing in the sweetspot on this model. Tennis Stringing Instructions; Tennis Stringing Instructions. The image for this product is generic and may not reflect the actual product Wilson Pro Staff RF97 / 97 Grommet Details: Head Size: 97 sq. Here are a few alternate destinations that might help. Given that it's lighter than RF97, I find it better for serves and volleys, but miss the plow through and power in the groundstrokes. The 97 UL bring the iconic Pro Staff precision and feel to players who needed a much lighter weight than the 97, RF97, or 97L. We offer 100% Price Protection for 7 days on all orders. The one drawback is that it does not have too large of a "sweet spot". It's also great on serve; easier to swing around, which helps me with hitting my spots with still plenty of power. MP Length: 27 inches Weight: Strung 11.6 oz Unstrung 11.1 oz Tension: 50-60 Pounds Balance: 10 Pts Head Light Beam Width: 21.5mm Composition: Braided Graphite Flex: 65 Grip Type: Wilson Pro Performance Power Level: Low String Pattern: 16 Mains / 19 Crosses If possible, Id encourage players to consider trying or demoing the racquet before buying. Players who have honed their technique and have an all-court style of play will appreciate the Pro Staffs well-rounded performance, which offers mid-range power and topspin with excellent precision and feel. Besides Wilson Pro Staff offered a vivid black color that I like.From: Kevin, 12/24/20, Comments: Love the Wilson Pro Staff 97 v13. I was excited to see the new v13 line with the amazing old school eighties look, in homage to the famous tennis players, well done Wilson! The thing I like most about this racquet is it is solid at every stroke in the game. If you are looking to ship somewhere else, or prefer a different language please select another version below. There is no substantial difference in slice strokes between the two. Taking another step down in weight from the 97, the 97L or light version of the Pro Staff is 10.2 oz (289g) unstrung, making it considerably more approachable and a reasonable entry point for many players. Pro Staff 97 v13. It's more rounded. Shift 99/315. With v13, I decided to twist things a little, I switched to a leather grip, nod to RF97, kept the original balance by adding 6 grams of lead at 12 o'clock, strung it with Babolat VS Gut 1.30 in mains at 55 pounds and Luxilon ALU Power Spin 1.27 in crosses at 53 pounds and wow! It is much easier to handle with less weight. Not my favorite design, but a good looking racquet overall. But when you strike the ball well with this one, it has plenty of oomph! String Pattern String Length ' ' ' ' Pro Sta 97 WILSON.COM 2016 WILSON SPORTING GOODS CO. EST. And the black paint job is super cool looking. The 97UL's weight (9.5oz/270g unstrung) makes this a great racket for those who grew up . In this section, youll find my thoughts and experience hitting with the racquet, which I hope helps serve as a useful reference point whether youre considering this racquet or just curious what it has to offer. I love the control the Pro Staff gives you. FREE . - Paradigm Bending Tech Gear Maybe not as much cushion as a 60-64 flex racket, but more comfortable power and slice. *Price comparisons are based on the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price ("MSRP") or Original Selling Price. The Pro Staff 97 is 11.1 ounces unstrung, but it has a very mobile and head-light balance that makes the racquet easy to whip through the hitting zone. For the most part, the Pro Staff 97 specs remain very close to the prior generation from 2017. It swings fast and plays crisp and lively, so players with a history or arm discomfort or injuries will want to proceed with caution. 1:33 Swingweight All in all, the Pro Staff 97 is more than sufficient on serves and an ideal fit for players who value accurate placement over power. It has the best blend of power, spin, and control I have found. I then added a Wilson Pro Overgrip, the only customisation, bringing the strung weight to 326.6g. Sorry, Yonex, I'm back home at Wilson!From: Phoenix, 10/20/20, Comments: Awesome racquet from Wilson, no more Countervail! Instead, the braided graphite construction remains unchanged, and the frame contains foam for dampening as the original Pro Staff models did. Keep reading in the sections below for added context for how I arrived at each of these scores. I have bought two Pro Staff 97 v13 racquets, with Luxilon 1.15, as recommended by Wilson at 54 pounds, and am loving it. Massive control, precision, spin and slice. We both are 5.0 level players. The Pro Staff 97 finds a really great compromise on weight. I am going to experiment with lower tension to see how the racquet plays.From: Charles, 12/30/20, Comments: I'm a long time Pro Staff user, 3.5 to 4.0 Rating, mid 40's. The racquets are, by far, the most beautiful sticks I've ever owned, and with the addition of the brown leather grips as an homage to the original 85s, they couldn't look more awesome. Hans-Martin Reh, GM at Wilson Racquet Sports, sums it up nicely. Mainly used a Pro Staff RF97 for many years. Holds up better against players who are big hitters. Wow what a difference. Overall, I found the Pro Staff 97 to perform excellent hitting returns with depth and control while remaining stable and doing a fantastic job redirecting pace. Pro Staff 97 w/ Countervail 4.0+ player and still prefer racquets on the heavier side, but the RF made sure 3rd sets were a guaranteed loss. 0:58 Length, Head Size, String Pattern I feel that if you can contact the sweetspot and can't handle the weight of the RF97, this racquet will reward with great feel, control, and power. Solar noon: 01:03PM. The Pro Staff 97 weighs in at a reasonable 315 grams (unstrung) with a very head light balance and an open 16x19 string pattern, making it forgiving and easy to use. Serving was easy and crazy accurate though felt a bit less speedy as with my Yonex EZONE 98+ racquets. The Pro Staff 97 is a modern take on the RF97. Very stable on volleys and returning hard shots and serves. The previous generation was tearing up my hand and this has been a nice improvement.For those who are new to Pro Staff, this stick is solid, but not too heavy. I would recommend but also demo first. The Pro Staff 97 is well-suited for a lower-powered polyester string setup. Hitting the serve flat is much easier while getting big topspin is harder, although that is probably the string. I love the feel, but a bit too loose as my flattish ball is consistently landing about a couple of inches out. TW always helps when you need it. If I have to camp at the baseline, it's consistent and stable. As you might expect from a Pro Saff, its a lively racquet that can deliver exceptional pace derived through sound technique. My fear was that the racquet would be too light. Tried the PS97 and it's pretty whippy in stock form, but about 4 grams of lead at 12 o'clock dialed in the control right where I want it while still letting me swing away and provides some extra pop. 2019 Model Year Rackets. I have compared with my old racquets and measured as well. Title: Pro Staff RF 97 v13.0 Autograph 2020 Created Date: Reducing the string tension helped me get the depth and the heaviness back to my shorts.If I have to sum it up I would say the racquet is much more maneuverable and offers more control than the earlier versions.From: Harshal, 11/22/20, Comments: The Wilson Pro Staff 97 v13 is magnificent, I use Tecnifibre NRG2 16 at 56 pounds. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Definitely it has much more pocket effect and I can feel the ball much better, all groundstrokes and the serve are especially much more accurate. The Pro Staff 97 really allows you to plow through the ball effortlessly. The feel with these is insane. Wilson Pro Staff 97 V13 Tennis Racquet - Quality String - Choice of Grip Size. Some colleagues hit few balls and feedback was confusing because one said it is slow and dead, he usually playing with a Pure Strike 18x20, previous generation. Having used and enjoyed the heavier Fed model --albeit with limited success due to being a mere mortal -- this lighter, less head-heavy version simply fits my all-court game to a T. Regardless of your level, your style of play or the racquet that you are currently using, I would definitely recommend that you at least demo this one before buying something else. The slices feel really great and I can't slice better with anything else. They said they would take them and evaluate them and reimburse me later. Love it! First of all you don't feel the weight and it is very whippy. I'm 27 year old 4.5 level male player, and long time Pro Staff user. The racquet itself has been superb. Sunset: 05:38PM. The biggest difference between the two versions is actually the butt cap, which is more comfortable on the newer version. I am sure Wilson may play with the weight and balance slightly. Wilson Pro Staff 97 Review (v13): My Experience. From: Darin, 5/10/21, Comments: Extremely happy with this racquet. String Pattern: 16 x 19 Wilson Pro Staff 97L v14: Head size: 97 sq. See the full specs and the reasons Federer uses the RF97A. I am comparing it to the non-Countervail Pro Staff, all black or red and black, because the Countervail is just too muted.From: Carter, 9/25/20. Welcome to Racquet Sports - The Pro Shop Pros and your store for tennis, running and fitness. Weight: 290 grams/10.23 ounces (without strings) 306 grams/10.79 ounces (with strings) Length: 69 centimeters/27 inches. Kudos to Wilson!From: MichaelT, 4/15/21, Comments: Bought this for my teen junior for tournament play after using the TW demo option. From the baseline, this stick combines easy acceleration with impressive control on full swings. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. What is really strange is the feel, which is missing in comparison with VCORE Pro that I usually use or at least is very different. All in all, a great racquet and I am certain if it falls within your spec range, give it a demo and you'll surely buy it.
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