Tennis Warehouse Playtest: Wilson Pro Staff 97 and X v14

[time_fly]

Comments on Performance


Power / Control – As a classic attacking frame, the PS 97 v14 leans more towards control than modern power racquets like the Ultra, Pure Drive, EZone 100, etc. However, due to its mass and relative stiffness, it also provides ample power on full swings. Users of racquets like the Blade or Gravity that value 18x20 patterns might find precision lacking, but for those of us cross-shopping tweeners the balance seems spot on.

Topspin / Slice – Slice? Federer endorses this frame for a reason. For decades on end, the Pro Staff has excelled at knifing through the ball and hitting nasty, penetrating slices. This version is no exception. Topspin, however, is a slightly more complex story. There is certainly enough available to bring the ball down aggressively. However, in the era of tweeners that are optimized for modern strokes, the Pro Staff sits mid-pack at best due to its higher swingweight and only moderately-open 16x19 pattern. I certainly did not find the topspin lacking, but it wasn’t explosive the way a Pure Aero or even Pure Drive could be.

Comfort – This is one of the most impressive attributes of the frame. I found notably more arm comfort in the PS 97 v14 versus the Shift even though the Pro Staff is only slightly more flexible in theory. The mass, stability, and flex of the racquet seemed very effective in suppressing recoil, twisting, and shock.

Feel – This version of the Pro Staff leans towards being muted and dampened rather than crisp. It can easily be played without a vibration dampener. I found feedback from the racquet to be adequate while never being harsh, but those who prefer a raw, unfiltered feel might not like it.

Maneuverability – The smallish head (by modern standards) and thinnish beam (also by modern standards) paired with a headlight balance keep this frame feeling relatively maneuverable for its weight. However, when compared directly to a tweener the extra mass is obvious. Players who are strong enough to consider a frame like this probably won’t complain, but it clearly requires more effort to maneuver than typical 300- and 305-gram models.

Stability – Stability is the final outstanding attribute of the PS 97 v14. The sweet spot seems generous and there is no excessive twisting or deflection on off-center hits. Rock-solid stability is a major contribution to the sensation of power and comfort that the racquet provides.

General Reaction / Comments on Overall Performance

I was very impressed by the overall quality and feel of the Pro Staff 97 v14. It is arm friendly, has plenty of power and spin for modern baseline tennis, and rewards good mechanics and full swings. The plow through and stability make ground stroke rallies feel effortless. As a bonus, it is extra stable around the net and feels like it comes with a cheat mode for backhand slices. The headlight balance and smaller head size help hide the mass when it comes to maneuverability. I personally enjoy the unique cosmetic, although the metallic brown and beige scheme might not be for everyone. But would I switch to it? There is no denying that it takes more work to get similar results compared to the Shift 99 300g prototype. The difference in ease of handling is especially apparent on the serve and when forced to make quick reaction shots. I think the Pro Staff 97 v14 is still relevant for stronger singles players and for any player that prioritizes arm friendliness and stability over ease of use. Personally, it would not be my first choice for a doubles player at my age and level, even one who is physically strong enough to handle it without fatigue. But doubles players who are intrigued by this review should also try the more forgiving Pro Staff X v14 before giving up on the entire line.

 

[Addxyz]

Wilson Pro Staff X Review

String and tension used for test: Tier1 BK1.18 / GW1.22 46/44, Lux Gut1.25 / GW1.22 54/51
Tennis experience/background: I play a ton of sports, settled on tennis in the last few years. 3.5/4.0 mostly doubles player.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): All-court player. I play with more spin than power.
Current racquet/string setups: Ezone100, Aux. Rad MP, Blade Pro, Pro Staff 6.1 100.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 20 hours.
Specs on the racquet: 313g, 30.7cm, 294SW unstrung. With OG, 334g, 32.3cm, 323SW with poly setup. With OG +3g in cap, 336g, 31.8cm, 324SW for gut/poly setup.

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: The racquet felt great on groundstrokes. It had a nice crisp feel with just the right amount of stiffness/ power and mass behind the ball. I originally was afraid of the stiffness, but it provided the right amount of pop. There was plenty of spin to be generated. The racquet was amazingly stable, eerily similar to the EZ100. The common theme is it's an easy to use, do everything racquet. 9/10.

-Serves: I thought the racquet performed above average for me on serves. Flat serves were decent, however, spin serves were better for me with this racquet. Above average accuracy despite it being a 16x19. I was able to hit good slices and kick serves. If I wanted to beef up the flat serves, I might have added a tiny bit of weight at 12. 7/10.

-Volleys: Volleys were very solid with this racquet. The racquet has just the right amount of mass behind it. The crispness of the racquet made for good touch and angle volleys. I added 3g in the butt cap later on and at 31.8cm (~8HL) it was very maneuverable. 9/10.

-Serve returns: Similar to the groundstrokes, the racquet was super stable on returns. It had the perfect amount of mass and the perfect balance. With the 100sq inch head, there was plenty of real estate. 8.5/10

Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- The racquet had just the right amount of power. With a 323-324SW, it's on the low end for some folks and can easily be modded to bring up the SW. I thought the racquet was less of a control stick though one could string at higher tensions for that. For my playtest strings and tensions, I thought they were just right.

Top Spin/Slice- I was able to hit with plenty of topspin with the PSX. I had a harder time hitting flat with this racquet. Slices were a little floaty for me, but not bad for a 16x19 racquet.

Comfort- I normally play with racquets 65RA and below. Despite the 66RA, it did not feel like an overly stiff racquet. I normally play gut / poly 75% of the time and did not have any issues with poly at mid-low tensions. Mishits were not overly jarring.

Feel- The racquet had a nice crispness that the Pro Staff 6.1 100 v13 was missing. If someone preferred a slightly more muted feel, they would probably enjoy the Pro Staff 6.1 100 more. With the feel, it was easy to hit drop shots and volleys.

Maneuverability- Compared to the Pro Staff 6.1 100 v13 (at the same spec as the PSX), the PSX seemed to swing through the air slightly faster. My PSX came in slight head heavier than spec but once I added a little weight in the cap, it became plenty maneuverable.

Stability- The racquet was a rock. Similar to the EZ100, I had no issues with stability. Super solid on groundstrokes and volleys. The stability gives the racquet a little more forgiveness.

General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This racquet is a jack of all trades racquet that performs well over all areas of the court. The standout feature is the stability of the racquet. With the thin beam, it felt great in the hand. It's an easy to use racquet and probably a better choice than the regular PS97 or the RF97 for most people at the rec level. I did not like the color of the racquet in photos but it does look better in person. If I had to pick a negative, I might have wished for slightly more power. But I feel that this is such a well thought out spec that it should appeal to a lot of people.

Thank you to Tennis Warehouse and Wilson for this amazing playtest!

 

[SlowTiger]

I guess I'm the outlet here. Noticing everybody liked it on volley's and disliked it on serves...maybe I this is just showing my weaknesses :/

 

[Fighting phoenix]

I guess I'm the outlet here. Noticing everybody liked it on volley's and disliked it on serves...maybe I this is just showing my weaknesses :/

No I hope you didn’t misinterpret my view on serves - I thought it served very well, just not the extra I have felt from some other racquets.

 

[SlowTiger]

No I hope you didn’t misinterpret my view on serves - I thought it served very well, just not the extra I have felt from some other racquets.

Haha I was mostly hating on myself. Everybody has their strengths and weaknesses and I'm blaming the racquet for my shortcomings since everybody liked the racquet at net but that's prob the weakest point of my game.



I depend heavily on a flat first serve and have a weak 2nd. I just find myself serving better with older beefy frames with tight string pattern over modern frames

 

[Addxyz]

I guess I'm the outlet here. Noticing everybody liked it on volley's and disliked it on serves...maybe I this is just showing my weaknesses :/

It's good that there's varying viewpoints. I really enjoyed reading everyone's reviews.

 

[rafafan20]

I playtested the Pro Staff X. It’s a great racket, and although it might not be 100% suited to my particular game and skill level, the thought of “you should switch to this racket” cropped up every time I got into the hang of using it - the “racketaholic’s dilemma”.

String and tension used for test: Babolat RPM Hurricane 1.25 (50) and Hyper G Soft 1.30 (45)
Tennis experience/background: 4.5 - competitive junior player that has went away and then rediscovered tennis several times over the years (now 36 and a total tennis sicko, multiple USTA teams, tournaments, etc.)
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Aggressive baseliner - like to win points on the forehand. I tend to vary slice/heavy topspin/flat hitting on both sides, so I really value a racket that can do it all. Hit all types of serves (flat, kick, slice).
Current racquet/string setups: Head Extreme Tour (auxetic) with Hyper G Soft 1.30. Recent switch from the ‘19 Gravity Tour
How many hours did you play with the racquet? About 12 hours with each string set up (25 in total)

-Groundstrokes: (8.5/10) as a player that relies on my groundstrokes, the primary thing that stood out: the racket is a weapon on all different types of strokes. Biggest stand out: my slices never floated and drop shots are absolutely lethal. My favorite racket of all time on the backhand slice. If I needed to take a big flat cut, even from deeper in the court or on a high/heavy ball, the racket performed beautifully. Overall I might have enjoyed topspin and neutral hitting on the backhand side more than the forehand side, the weight really created a nice heavy ball. I wasn’t able to generate as much speed as my Extreme Tour so spin wasn’t quite as heavy, but still really good.

-Serves: (6.5/10) the main thing holding this racket back for me is the serve. It just felt a tiny bit sluggish and I wasn’t able to maximize the power on the flat serve, the spin on the kick serve, or the cut on the slice serve. I found the racket to be a tiny bit unpredictable as well, and wasn’t able to be as precise as normal with placement. When I switched to Hyper G and the lower tension, I had more success with flat up the T and was able to hit the odd ace - so if I explored the low 40s this might turn into a first serve weapon.

-Volleys: (9.5/10) for a decently weighty racket this is an absolute weapon on volleys. Stable, forgiving, and quick at the net. Could put balls away, place the ball beautifully, and be really creative (drop volleys, redirect pace, etc.). I enjoyed the racket so much on volleys I think it would be a dream for doubles. Point and shoot.

-Serve returns: (10/10) this is where the racket totally shined for me and outweighed some of the initial struggle on serve. Especially on the forehand I felt like I couldn’t miss. I was able to take full cuts on big first serves and remarkably the ball would just stay in the court. Slice/chip returns, especially on the backhand, are a dream. Returns are the biggest advantage of the 100 headsize, plus the stability and open string pattern.


Power/Control- I think this racket has a great blend of power/control. My shots were consistently deep and I felt like I had a ton of control on placement - even on serves where the racket was not as high performing for me. If you like to play a varied game, or play a lot of doubles, I think this racket expertly blends power and control for the experienced player. Other reviews noted this racket being launch-y, I experienced that 0%.

Top Spin 7/10/Slice 10/10- Top spin was slightly above average for me while slice was off the charts. I think the static weight put a ceiling on how much speed I could generate, thus not being as effective with spin. This racket is a dream to slice with, pure and simple.

Comfort 10/10- I can be susceptible to some elbow and shoulder pain but did not feel any twinge at any point even with the RPM Hurricane. I think this racket would be really accepting of a soft string, I enjoyed it more with the Hyper G soft as I generally enjoy a soft/plush feel. I would not hesitate to consider this racket if you have arm issues.

Feel 9.5/10- I tend to gravitate to rackets on the very soft side - and this one hit the mark. It is not quite as plush for me as my Extreme Tour, but I got there with the ET after a lot more tweaking with strings, weight, grips, etc. I enjoyed this racket more with the Hyper G Soft and a spinny soft poly feels like a good match, although the RPM felt nice too (just not quite as soft).

Maneuverability 6/10- I tend to enjoy rackets with a lighter (~305g) static weight. This one does feel substantial when you first pick it up in stock form. I think I lost a little racket head speed with the weight, although I gained lots of stability. I didn’t feel the same sluggishness at net, however.

Stability 10/10- Incredibly stable. If you are using a players racket but want to switch to something a bit more open and forgiving, without sacrificing stability, this is your ticket. I think this is such a great racket that really fills an underserved niche - advanced players with modern strokes looking for a little more help without sacrificing anything.

Intangibles: I love the paint job and would put it up there with some of the top classic Pro Staff paint jobs. I like this better than the all black. The bronze color really worked with even goofy green hyper G. The stock grip is high quality and I like the raised wilson emblem on the butt cap. A real attention to detail here - you feel like you have a premium product in your hands.

Who I would recommend this to: A good intermediate to advanced player who wants stability and forgiveness without sacrificing the feel of a true players racket.

Who should steer clear: Pure counterpunchers/spin players or players that prefer the more modern lighter tweener rackets.

 

[mromato64]

Wilson Pro Staff 97 v14 Playtest Review

String and tension used for test: Luxilon 4G at 48 lbs.
Tennis experience/background: played in High School, did some coaching, mostly playing recreationally
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): All-court player who likes to be up at net. Mostly playing doubles
Current racquet/string setups: Recent switch to Babolat Pure Aero 98; no string setups on yet. Before that, Yonex Vcore Pro 97 HD with Tourna Silver 7 Tour @48 lbs.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 8 hours

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: (6/10) It took about 2 hours to adjust to the balance and feeling of the Pro Staff. I was able to swing more confidently during my 2nd session, but I was struggling with groundstrokes for the majority of the time spend playing with the racquet. I found myself having to shorten my backswing on my forehand a la old Federer, otherwise I'd be late on contact. If I took the ball early and had a more compact backswing, I was able to redirect fast shots in earnest. It was mainly the sitters and floaters that I had trouble swinging out at the ball. I did not feel comfortable at all hitting my forehands, but my backhands were the most solid I've hit in a while. I was also struggling with the launch angle coming off the stringbed. Half the time, my shots would be going long, and the other half would land short or not clear the net. I felt like the sweetspot was very small as well. While I did enjoy the stability of the Pro Staff, I couldn't utilize the way I would have liked to due to it's low forgiveness outside the sweetspot.

-Serves: (8/10) I enjoyed the head light balance that the Pro Staff offered for serving. I was able to get good racquet head speed and nice pop on all my serves. I had decent placement on my serves, and spin was average to below average. However, I liked the feel and stability I got on contact on all my serves with the Pro Staff.

-Volleys: (9/10) The v14 retains the classic Pro Staff feel on volleys: crisp, stable, and solid. I felt very comfortable sticking the volleys on high balls and low balls. There was no noticeable difference between blocking fast, heavy shots or hitting a soft drop volley. I would have liked a little more maneuverability reacting to different shots, but overall, I really enjoyed being at net with the Pro Staff rather than the baseline.

-Serve returns: (8.5/10) Returning felt similar to volleys. As long as I got my racquet out in front of the ball, I found similar stability as I had on volleys to redirect the serve and get decent depth. This racquet shines when hitting short, compact strokes and guiding the ball back in a large, general area.

Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- (7/10 Power, 6/10 Control) This racquet felt a bit like Jekyll and Hyde in the sense that the power was there in compact strokes, but too much power trying to swing out. I was quite disappointed with the placement of my shots during forehands. Backhands were more adequate, but I wish I had more depth on my shots.

Top Spin/Slice- (7/10 Topspin, 8.5/10 Slice) The topspin on my groundstrokes felt pretty anemic. They would more or less look like floaters and slow loopers that were easy to attack. However, I really enjoyed the slice on this racquet. I could really knife the ball to great effect for low, skidding slices.

Comfort- (8/10) I felt no arm pain or issues playing with the v14. There would be a stiff feeling hitting the top of the racquet, but there were no vibrations going into my hand.

Feel- (7/10) The feel of this racquet was a mixed bag. While I did enjoy the plush feeling I had when I hit the sweetspot, anything outside the sweetspot felt a little vague. The stiff feeling I felt when hitting off-center affected my confidence negatively when hitting groundstrokes.

Maneuverability- (3/10) I was really confused swinging the v14. Despite the head-light balance, I had trouble getting the timing down on my forehand. On the run, I was not sure to speed up my swing or maintain a steady swing and let the stability of the racquet handle the incoming ball.

Stability- (10/10) This Pro Staff is one of the most stable racquets I've ever played with. This racquet does not get pushed around.

General reaction/comments on overall performance: I don't really mind the rustic paintjob on this racquet, but my friends disliked it. I really wanted to like this racquet, given my previous history of playing with previous versions of the Pro Staff 97 and the type of playstyle it supports. But I preferred playing with the Blade v8 than the v14. I'm ok playing with either a more even balance racquet with higher swingweight or a racquet that's more head light and lower swingweight, but the specs on this v14 made it perplexing for me to figure out how to handle this racquet.

Nevertheless, I want to thank Tennis Warehouse and Wilson for giving me the opportunity to play with this racquet!

 

[ulunxtns]

Wilson Pro Staff 97 v14 Review

String and tension used for test: NXT 56/54, PTP yellow 1.20 48/46
Tennis experience/background: I play a lot of different sports, started tennis last year. I’m a 3.5/4.0 single-player.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): All-court player. Mainly baseline game, but not afraid of going to the net. Top spin forehand, also can flatten out the shots. Working on my backhand recently, focusing on adding more drive. Pretty good serve at my level, usually get some free points from the serves.
Current racquet/string setups: Speed MP 2022, Lynx Tour, or Alu power Ocean Blue 1.25.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 18 hours.
Specs on the racquet: 315g, 30.5cm, 295SW unstrung. Strung specs: 337g, 31.7cm, 325SW (PTP 1.20).

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: 8.5/10. It offers excellent precision and control, with a crisp and comfortable firm feel. The racquet is also very stable and easy to generate pace on your shots. As a 97-inch head racquet, you’re expecting a smaller sweetspot, which is the truth. If you hit the ball clean, it carries a lot of energy and the ball is explosive with excellent control. A fairly open string pattern offers a generous amount of spin.


-Serves: 8/10. It’s more of a personal issue. I’m used to the 100-inch head racquets that provide a lot of pop. I was having trouble hitting flat serve, and the racquet in stock form is a bit too HL, and doesn’t have the punch I was looking for. I think adding a little weight in the hoop will fix this issue. Slice and Kick serves were really good. It kinda proves that it has great spin potential.


-Volleys: 9/10. Because of the super HL balance, the racquet was very maneuverable. Plus it’s very stable, Volleys were very easy and had good pop and punch, I enjoyed this department a lot.


-Serve returns: 8.5/10. The maneuverability and stability also shine in this department. I especially liked my backhand return, so solid. Forehand return was good as well.

Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- The racquet had excellent power and control. As a 3.5/4.0 player, I’m more struggling with forgiveness and smallish sweetspot. But when you hit it right, it’s very satisfying. Lots of power and great control. But the power does reduce quite a bit when you hit outside of the sweetspot.


Top Spin/Slice- I really enjoyed the spin this racquet provides. I usually don’t have an issue generating spin since I have a very vertical swing path. But this racquet can give you a little extra spin. It’s not a loopy ball spin, it’s more like a penetrating shot with a lot of spin on the ball and it stays low. Forehand winners are easy with this kind of shot. The slice stays low and nice bite on the ball. No complaints at all.


Comfort- I would describe it as comfortably firm. No arm discomfort at all. But I wouldn’t use a very stiff string in this racquet. I think Alu power stiffness is the highest I would go for this particular racquet.

Feel- Very nice crisp feel and feel connected. I didn’t like the full bed NXT in this frame, it just felt a little weird and lacked explosiveness. I feel like medium stiffness roundish ploy would fit the racquet. Drop shots are very good.

Maneuverability- Mine came with a 31.7cm strung balance, very maneuverable. I used to play 32.5cm balance, so it’s to me a little too fast. That result I framed balls a lot at the beginning. But maneuverability-wise, it’s top-notch.

Stability- Very stable, probably one of the most stable racquets I’ve played with. It has a super solid feel, sometimes I feel this racquet has a thicker beam than it actually has.4



General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This racquet is the all-court player’s dream, very stable and maneuverable. It feels lighter in hand due to the very HL balance, but I do feel the weight when the match goes on. Also, it’s more of a classic modern frame, not really like Aero or Ezone, even my Speed. I need to adjust my swing quite a bit, you need to hit through the ball more. I enjoy playing with it but I think it’s an above-my-level racquet, I’d say the audience of this racquet should be at least 4.5 and up. You have to have good form and good consistency to make it shine. I do not like the multi in this racquet, the response was lacking. The flex of this racquet is somehow similar to my new UP v4. I would say they are all next-level racquets. I need to improve myself more in order to use them properly.

Thanks very much to Tennis Warehouse and Wilson for this playtest opportunity!

 

[chizzle]

I was lucky enough to be selected for the Pro Staff 97 playtest, here is my review:

String and tension used for test:
Mains: Technifibre X-One Biphase 16
Crosses: Lux 4G 16L @ 45lbs
Tennis experience/background:
Played as a junior in FL and HS (88) - picked it back up in 1995 in Atlanta; 52yo 4.5
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
Singles baseliner/grinder - used to S&V more when it would hold up back in the day.
Current racquet/string setups:
Wilson Pro Staff X (but have played many iterations of the 97) with ALU Power, 4G as main setups
How many hours did you play with the racquet?
Played about 7/8 hours.

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: Now that I’m attacking with my FH more these days, FH were very precise and powerful. This was my preferred side overall. But, the BH slice is nasty but since it’s not my preferred shot, it was my second favorite shot. I prefer a 2HBH, and they were great. I found in matches that I could get in trouble on the BH side unless I timed it well. Eg Big heavy topspin to my BH were challenging for me as I don’t like to give up ground there – so timing and a smaller sweetspot needed to be overcome with disciplined feet. 8.5/10
-Serves: Always have thought this was the best asset of the 97s, and this is still true. Big and accurate. I won a lot of free points on serve. And bc of it's control, I felt like I could go for more on my second serve. 10/10
-Volleys: Again, another place where this stick shines. Precise and left me feeling overly confident here. Even low volleys were redirected back with some interest. Put away volleys were a given – just follow it on the stringbed and done. 9.5/10
-Serve returns: Not surprisingly (to me), this was a slightly tougher category, with the 97. I felt like the more I had to “time it” (eg on the BH side v kick serves) the tougher it made returning. Note: Blocking big serves was not a problem on either side. I found the BH slice return to be more effective vs a BH topspin return. The FH side felt easier to get after returns with; either blocking or hitting out. 7.5/10

Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control – The PS97 is not a powerful racquet, but there is power on tap. I found it on the FH side, volleys and serves. I think Multi/Gut in the mains really opens up the power and did not sacrifice on control. Fully poly in older iterations were nice too, but I strung it at 40lbs. Power: 8/10 Control: 9.5/10
Top Spin/Slice – Nice topspin is available. Even on BH side it is there, but I had to work a bit more to find the position to get it. Slice (BH) was on point, and excellent approaching. Topspin: 8/10, Slice 9.5/10
Comfort – The feel of this is great, and to me definitely softer than the previous 97 model by comparison. Even outside of the sweetspot, it was friendly (and accurate). 9/10
Feel- With a hybrid, the feel is another area that shined. When you square it up, you know it and you don’t have to look up to know that the ball went off. 9/10
Maneuverability- I find the PS97 is very maneuverable due to the balance and weight. This vetted out in play as well. Getting jammed, I could get the racquet in position enough to make a decent ball. And I found it really fast as I was getting thru the ball – I could really whip it thru the hitting zone. 9/10
Stability - This is a tough category, because outside of the hitting zone, I felt the ball would die and the racquet didn’t offer a ton of help. To me, stability strongly tied to the quality of ball you get when hit off center. 7.5/10

General reaction/comments on overall performance: I noticed, in general, if you’re not committed, or lack a solid tennis pedigree, the PS97 will lack some of the depth and height needed to push your opponent back while buying yourself time to get reset – for baseliners. Again, for me. Having said that, even at my age, I am playing the best I’ve played due to my FH and serve improvements. So I could see myself using this in the second half of this year, and will keep it in the rotation with the X – which is less maneuverable (but addictively stable). With the PS97, I could see myself going more 1-2 punch style bc of how much confidence I have with serve, big FH and approaches. I want to spend more time with it to groove returns, which until recently has been better than my serves. All things being generally equal (NTRP, UTR) - Grinding with this would be difficult, unless you were great mover and/or wonderfully fit. At the same time, when you line up and smack a shot, it's addicting.

I have a love/ugh relationship with PS97s (note I didn’t say “hate” haha). In my minds eye, I want to play well with it, and I can do that against a lot of players. On the other hand, I’ve lost match super TBs with the 97 which I know I would have won with the PSX or more forgiving racquets (eg more height/depth). That is a me problem. But, I suspect that I’m not alone here. IMO, you have to be dialed in if you’re not a strong 4.5 or higher. (I've seen skilled 5.0/5.5 players whip this thing around). I find windy, poor lighting or cold conditions make it even tougher to play with this…. On the other hand, in doubles this can be an effective weapon bc of it's high marks in serve, volley and maneuverability.

Thanks TW, it was a very cool experience!!

 

[Razrfish]

Wilson Pro Staff 97 v14 Review

String and tension used for test:
Wilson gut 16 (58.5) mains / Lux 4g Bronze 16L (54) Crosses

Tennis experience/background:
HS State Champs, Offered scholarship but didn't go. Played in tournaments for a few years, then married, had kids, came back to tennis in my 40's. Played for the last 22 years mostly on, with some injury breaks. Always strung my own and others racquets. Got USPTA Elite Pro Certification in 2017 and USRSA Master Stringer. Kind of a racquet setup/stringing solution geek. Run "Racquet One" my own tennis company. Wilson won't let me be a dealer because I don't have a store front, but I still play Wilson Racquets from my original Jack Kramer, to the Wilson Advantage, Sting, Sting 2, nCode, Pro Staff 85, Pro Staff 90, Pro Staff 95, Pro Staff 97 CV, Pro Staff 97 RFa V11, V13, Wilson Ultra v2, Wilson Ultra Pro v3 and now Pro Staff v14.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): All court player, Modified Eastern/semi Western grip, Heavy ball hitter, 1HBH. Serve is a weapon, Big Kicker, and Slice for variety and consistency.
Current racquet/string setups: Wilson Pro Staff v14. Added Leather grip, + 5 grams tungsten in the butt. and 4 grams lead at 10 and 2. Strung with Wilson Gut 58.5 (15% pre stretch) and Lux 4G Bronze 54 (5% pre stretch) (Special color to match racquet free from wilson. I usually use either Head Hawk Rough or Alu Power Rough for my crosses on Gut.

How many hours did you play with the racquet?
I have about 20 hours in with it so far. Average of 2-3 hours per hit/play session

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: Probably my favorite feature of this racquet. The combined feel of the pocketing, the trajectory off the racquet, the shape of the shot and how heavy and controlled depth I can get from this stick is amazing. There are unique things I expect from a Pro Staff and this checks all the boxes. It has to be 'sharp' I have to feel where my contact point is. I don't expect a 'big sweet spot' I expect to be communicated with when I miss, not coddled like a Clash lover with great comfort on a poor contact. There is a sound unique to Pro Staff - I call it the "Tink" sound. It tells me I contacted the ball exactly as intended. The ball comes off between quick and pocketed. Not too fast that I feel I didn't get control, but not so slow that it's mush. It's truly nirvana to me.

-Serves: I depend on spot serving because I don't hit much over 105mph for serves. Maybe peak a 110 planets align. But my skill is a deceptively similar toss, and hitting any of 3 serves from that toss. Slice, Flat, and Kicker. I have to put the ball where I want it to earn free points or weak returns. I'm hitting more lines, and getting more aces, than the following other sticks I've been playing with. Prince Tour ATS 98, Wilson Ultra Pro v3, Diadem Elevate v2, and my coveted Pro Staff 97 RFa's.

-Volleys: I needed to add the additional weight to the butt and 10 and 2pm to get the stability on volleys, which immediately improved the touch and control of the volley. In stock form it just felt a little pushed by heavy shots, and the weight made it like my 97 RFA, but more maneuverable. The 97 RFa is a beast of a volley stick, just doesn't maneuver well. This is exactly what I hoped for on the volley.

-Serve returns: Similar to the volley characteristics, the additional weight I added improved stability in the zone, especially great to redirect heavy serves and keep them deep as well. When I get a chance to whollop a return, the PS97v14 delivers! Slice returns penetrate exceptionally well, and I can 'SABR' returns even better than the RFa because its just a little quicker to get in position to redirect the serve quickly and close. I get exceptional depth whether I punch, slice, or hit thru the ball with top.

Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)

Power/Control- Not as powerful as my RFa, but definitely enough to hit through the court. Very controllable, and sharp/surgical for volleys.

Top Spin/Slice- I'm always told I hit a heavy ball, this v14 accentuates that well. I think I'm able to generate just enough additional racquet head speed that it's making up for the weight/velocity force generated by the RFa. The thing about the RFa is what I call auto pilot for a slice ball. You just start the swing, and the RFa does the work. The PS97v14 is very similar, just not as punchy, and penetrating as the RFa. Still very controllable, and the slice doesn't sit, it slides.

Comfort- I've been playing may comfy racquets, including my own collection of PT57a's that I enjoy hitting and experiencing the buttery feel of them. I love the balance between sharpness and butter. I wouldn't say it hits like warm butter, but maybe room temperature butter as compared to refrigerated to frozen butter that the RFa feels. But the advantage of its leaning to a little bit of sharpness is the communication of the stick. It's Pro Staff thru and thru on that factor. That part is probably the difference maker. I had a period of a bad case of Tennis Elbow, which was resolved by hitting the PS97 CV, and once cured (also by correcting swing mechanics) - I've had no problem hitting a bit faster frequency stick.

Feel- Communication is amply granted by the sharper feel compared to say the Wilson Ultra Pro v3. My touch shots are something to marvel at. But when I want to crush a ball to close out a point, the racquet responds perfectly giving me the pocketed feel of a perfectly hit ball. And it provides excellent audible response to feed me a dopamine kick!

Maneuverability- More maneuverable than my RFa, but I do weight it up to a spec of TW of 349 grams. As compared to 362 grams for the RFa. I like net play with the PS97v14. I'm able to surgically hit angles, touch shots, and hard put aways.

Stability- For me the PS97v14 needed additional weight to give me the support and stability I needed when handling hard hit balls. The racquet is dead solid in that capacity. No stability issues with my mods.

General reaction/comments on overall performance: I'm only making the review (I wish I was part of your review squad because I have a long history of hitting Wilson player oriented racquets, as well as many other brands that try to compete with the best of those performance sticks. But I wanted to give my 2 thumbs strongly up for this stick. It's one of the best Pro Staffs ever made, retains so many componenets of what the Pro Staff enthusiast is looking for, plus giving you maybe even more feel and room to customize to your player specs. Love it so much I ordered 2 custom PS97v14's. I hope you post my review and please feel free to invite me to other review groups if what I've provided helps those looking for what to expect from this stick.

 

[Yamin]

Probably going to trade my RF for one of these if I can find one. Found this PS14 to be easier to use inside the court. Had some issues with random short balls, but it's a good racket. Massive flats. Getting mixed reviews on the spin, but I've only tried at high tension so far..