Ostapenko racquet Australian Open 2024

[tennissavy]

I watched Ostapenko play Azarenka tonight and I noticed that her racquet no longer had the four white throat grommets that her Steam 100 had for years under various paintjobs. Has she made a racquet change?

 

[Automatix]

No. And a black rubber piece was available a long time ago - it was used for those Blade 100-101 with a 16x20 pattern.
Wilson just didn't care.

 

[dekxter]

Steam 100 rackets in the V9 PJ can now only really be distinguished by the string pattern now without the white grommets. But you can pretty much count on any player that was using the Steam before is still using it.

 

[Automatix]

Steam 100 rackets in the V9 PJ can now only really be distinguished by the string pattern now without the white grommets. But you can pretty much count on any player that was using the Steam before is still using it.

NEVER go by string pattern alone. Racquets usually have the holes drilled not molded so going by string pattern can result in blunders - Korda has an 18x19 Blade, Dimitrov has an 18x17 PS97, Suarez Navarro had a 16x20 PS ROK.
Steam 100? You can distinguish it by frame geometry and width. If you have a nice angle it's very clear. Maybe it's not as easy as identifying a Steam 99 which has a characteristic shaft and trenches on the inner side of the head but still, please, don't say that it's only distinguishable by string pattern.

 

[Automatix]

When in doubt, try (at least I do) to find the angles as in the pictures below... what you see below is that the head has a D beam, wider than a blade, on the first picture it actually looks freakishly wide. On the second you have that characteristic head shape and yoke-head connection. Not to mention you see the beam going from flat in the throat to D in the head. This paintjob (brightness) makes it easy to distinguish IMHO.

 

[stickM]

Can you post pics of Ostapenko's Steam?

 

[jmacdaununder2]

Preferably without Ostapenko...

 

[PBODY99]

@Automatix
Wilson is trying to improve the illusion by doing away with the 4 white grommets

 

[dekxter]

NEVER go by string pattern alone. Racquets usually have the holes drilled not molded so going by string pattern can result in blunders - Korda has an 18x19 Blade, Dimitrov has an 18x17 PS97, Suarez Navarro had a 16x20 PS ROK.
Steam 100? You can distinguish it by frame geometry and width. If you have a nice angle it's very clear. Maybe it's not as easy as identifying a Steam 99 which has a characteristic shaft and trenches on the inner side of the head but still, please, don't say that it's only distinguishable by string pattern.

My apologies. Sorry

 

[WacTennis2017]

No. And a black rubber piece was available a long time ago - it was used for those Blade 100-101 with a 16x20 pattern.
Wilson just didn't care.

I just noticed that Wilson Ultra 100 CV (V2) had blue grommets at the base. Seems like it was a nice subtle but unique design from Wilson. I wish they would keep the white grommets in the pro stock Steams.

 

[Automatix]

@Automatix
Wilson is trying to improve the illusion by doing away with the 4 white grommets

I'd say it has more to do with the fact that the V9s have an advertised solution including distinctive neon grommets.
If Wilson in its ads will emphasize that they've changed something and it is manifested by neon grommets even people who don't know what prostocks are would start asking questions.