Well, you made me both smile and laugh buddy.
Wilson Pro Staff RF97: A summary of people's experiences with the racquet
- Thread starter Vlasta
- Start date
ChrisJR3264
Hall of Fame
One week demo with it from a shop. It's a battle ax. Played a few sets and tie-breaks. Would never buy any as my main frame. Didn't get tennis elbow - but was very tired from swinging after an hour.
Rosstour
G.O.A.T.
I own two.
It's super satisfying to hit with, I hit probably my biggest-ever FHs with it. Unreturnable lasers. But not all the time, just when I get set up correctly.
I get lots of depth and weight on the ball, even when I don't make clean contact.
Just can't get used to how slowly it swings on the serve though.
It's super satisfying to hit with, I hit probably my biggest-ever FHs with it. Unreturnable lasers. But not all the time, just when I get set up correctly.
I get lots of depth and weight on the ball, even when I don't make clean contact.
Just can't get used to how slowly it swings on the serve though.
ChrisJR3264
Hall of Fame
I could crank up some serves early. But the high static weight plus high SW wore my arm out in a match. It was a fun demo and I knew I was never going to buy it.
naturalexponent
Hall of Fame
I support your dreams!I guess you are saying that I shouldn’t quit my day job to become a comedian? Please tell me I made you at least smile, if not laugh.
Came here to say this!
A few grams here or there can really change the way a racket feels. QC will have a huge effect on who can use this and who cannot.
My doubles partner uses the Gavity Pro, I liked it so much I got one myself. Mine came in under spec in weight but way over spec in swing weight. I cannot keep the ball in play with my stick but I play some really solid tennis with his.
Different players will of course have different opinions on the same racket but not all of us are actually playing with the same racket.
Myrko
Rookie
Good job! ;-) Are you going to customize the PS97?
Myrko
Rookie
When I got my RF97 I had Tennis-Point order 4 and I picked the one with the lowest swing weight / static weight, which also felt the best when swinging.
Certainly. For a start I think I'll put the leather grip from the RF on the PS, and then I'll see how much weight I'll add in the head.
What was the swing weight of your RF97 when you got it? And did you measure the SW strung or unstrung?
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S
Slicehand
Guest
My experience: it was to expensive and too heavy, and it had somebodys else name written on it, so i didnt buy it
Wait what, tennis-point measures swing weight?!?!?
I've seen the swingweight you mentioned in that post but I wasn't sure if that was measured strung or unstrung. Cheers!
Not the case. I have 3 of them and lead and it hasn’t come off. Not once
That's a relief! My friend can't make them stick, but maybe he got some bad lead tape.
BTW I reweighed the RF97 when I removed the cellophane from the handle and it's 336.5g so it's a bit on the lighter side.
Irvin
Talk Tennis Guru
Don’t believe anything you hear
Myrko
Rookie
Haha, well the one here in Berlin, Germany, is extremely equipped and competent. My favorite place to go to.
Oh do you mean the store not online?
Uk resident is jealous and all the German shops that do matching etc no longer ship because of brexit
Now that I finally got the RF, I feel like I might wanna give the Blade V8 a proper test run too. While I'm almost sure I'm going to make the PS97 my next go-to racquet, I feel like I've kind of overlooked the Blade 16x19 even though I have demoed it briefly (albeit in a different string pattern), so I want to test that more thoroughly as well. If anyone has played with both the PS97 v13 and the Blade V8 16x19 I'd appreciate your comments.
As for the RF, it is great fun to play with, no doubt about that, and I'm keeping it forever. I absolutely love it. But it is a demanding stick, and until I'm able to wield it more consistently, I'm gonna need something to fill in for it. The plough is indeed very satisfying, and if you swing the racquet loosely, it launches balls like nobody's business. I strung it with ALU Power at 22kg, it's not the same as 22kg on lighter racquets but once you get used to the trampoline effects it's quite comfortable.
As for the RF, it is great fun to play with, no doubt about that, and I'm keeping it forever. I absolutely love it. But it is a demanding stick, and until I'm able to wield it more consistently, I'm gonna need something to fill in for it. The plough is indeed very satisfying, and if you swing the racquet loosely, it launches balls like nobody's business. I strung it with ALU Power at 22kg, it's not the same as 22kg on lighter racquets but once you get used to the trampoline effects it's quite comfortable.
I just switched to the blade 98 18x20.
Loved the rf but I would spray often in matches, never felt completely comfortable from the forehand side.
I didn’t have a problem so much with the weight but I essentially had 4 different rackets. Thanks qc
I got 4 blades and matched too. Between 2-4g of lead in the head, 10-15g weight in handle with leather grips. Coming to 9pts hl
the 18x20 took a few times to get used to but no issues with spin etc. it doesn’t feel as crisp as the rf, reminds me of the prestige pro but not as metallic feeling or whatever.
Tonnes more control and somehow better on volleys. Serve and backhand we’re not yet up to scratch so I added a bit of lead at 12.
very happy with the change.
MurraysMetalHip
Hall of Fame
Buy it > tell TT it’s the best teniss bat ever > try it > realise it’s way too heavy > live in denial for a while > accept it’s way too heavy > sell/trade it
Nah. I was aware that it'll be heavy, wanted to buy it anyway. I just want it in my bag for when I feel like I can handle it. And I want the regular PS or a Blade for when I don't feel up to the task. It's definitely one of the best racquets for me when I'm on my A game. If I improve to the point where I can play with it consistently, great! If not, I'll never sell or trade it anyway. It's the last model Roger played with before he retired, if for that reason alone, I'm keeping it forevah.
My buddy spent some time at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy this summer, and he told me it's all about the Blades and Pure Aeros there. Most kids and young pros were using those two, with some Pure Strikes, Heads (Speeds and Extremes mostly), occasional sightings of Yonex, and, of course, Patrick's favourite, Dunlops. He hasn't seen a single person witha a Pro Staff. I wonder why that is the case. I think it's a modern racquet, built for the modern game. It's strange. Is it because Mouratoglou favours a particular game style that puts a lot of emphasis on spin? I really can't tell.
Gravity pro seems popular too. Not really sure why pro staff isn’t, I think people are put off by the weight.
Which is kind of why I switched because I wanted to “build” my own racket which you can only do with a lighter stick and I kind of like the flex of the blade vs pro staff (even tho you can say there’s more feedback with ps)
PioloAskal
New User
I played with the RF97 for about 4 months before switching the the Blade v8 then playing that for almost a year.
I can say that feel wise I wanted to try to Blade v8 because it has the same look and feel with the RF97 but just a lot lighter and easier to maneuver. I would say that it improved my game a lot by making that switch and being able to really control shots better and just the general playability of the Blade v8.
Currently playing with the Tfight ISO 305, feels like an in between racquet between these two but with a muted yet crisp feel. I play with the RF97 from time to time to see where I'm at and I'm still not quite there yet!
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I strung them at 50-45-40 lbs. with ALU power and it still feels pretty stiff at 40 lbs. Currently using razor code and it feels a lot better too.
I see Gravities everywhere! But the regular Pro Staff is not even heavy, it's 315, and you can even find them around 311 if you're willing to look around.
I think I want to make a separate thread about why so many young players prefer the Blade. It's interesting.
naturalexponent
Hall of Fame
The Gravity is super forgiving with that head shape and head size, and it has visibility via Rublev and Zverev. With Fed having faded from the scene, there isn't really a standard bearer for the Pro Staff like there used to be.I see Gravities everywhere! But the regular Pro Staff is not even heavy, it's 315, and you can even find them around 311 if you're willing to look around.
I think I want to make a separate thread about why so many young players prefer the Blade. It's interesting.
If the young'ns are the ones choosing, it likely has to do with their favorite players, and if it's the coaches/parents choosing for them, it's whatever the common wisdom is at the time, and right now it's the sort of "modern player racquet" stock spec of a 305g static weight, 98 inch head size, and 4 pt HL balance. I'm sure there's a positive feedback loop effect as well, that if you have a bunch of players playing with a Blade, then you see people winning those racquets and think that's the key to success. Look at how many players on tour have Blade PJs.
I made a purchase at tennis warehouse Europe and asked them to measure 6 Prostaff 97V13 and 6 RF97 V13. One PS97 had an unstrung swing weight of 290 and a RF97 had a swing weight of 292. Almost the same! I thought that if I was to buy an RF97, it may as well have a clear difference in swing weight so I chose the 330 kg/cm2. And two PS97 with 285 kgcm2.
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naturalexponent
Hall of Fame
austintennis2005
Professional
Why don’t more ATP and WTA players use this frame? ( or the newer pro staff in general)
Seems blades are wayyyy more popular
Seems blades are wayyyy more popular
Konik_1982
Rookie
On WTA I know only of Petra Kvitova swinging the PS
Myrko
Rookie
Ons Jabeur plays PS (currently #2 WTA)
Lot's of men play some kind of Pro Staff (especially the SIX.ONE 95) on the ATP.
Although the RF97 I think only Roger played, maybe also due to contracts? Not sure. Or maybe noone wanted to play the racket, Roger made especially for himself haha ;-)
Lot's of men play some kind of Pro Staff (especially the SIX.ONE 95) on the ATP.
Although the RF97 I think only Roger played, maybe also due to contracts? Not sure. Or maybe noone wanted to play the racket, Roger made especially for himself haha ;-)
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So, I've been playing with both the PS97 and the RF97 for a while now. I find myself gravitating towards the RF more often, the plough-through is just insane. Literally everything I've tried after the RF feels a bit hollow to me. Before getting these two, I had demoed all the racquets I could get my hands on, and for me, the Pro Staff was the one that gave me the most confidence and felt the most like the extension of my arm. I couldn't make the Pure Aero or Ezone 98 work for me, much as I tried, it felt like I was fighting the racquets, like they didn't want to play the way I wanted to play. Also, I realized that 100-inch heads don't really work for me for some reason, maybe it's psychological but I find them cumbersome. I'd like to try the Pure Aero 98 when it comes out, as I've never tried the current VS, and I'd like to demo the Pure Strike more extensively, along with the Head Radical when they release the Auxetic version. Just for the sake of comparison. Not to mention that I'm excited for the upcoming Pro Staff v14, and the X. Maybe the X will finally be the 100-inch I can handle. And one note about the velvet paint. I'll have to all caps this, IT DOES NOT CHIP AS EASILY AS PEOPLE SAY. I've played on clay, and I've hit a good number of frame shots, etc. Not a single scratch or chip. Not even on the surface. They are literally still like new.
McGradey
Hall of Fame
Have you tried a Blade 18x20? Or a Blade Pro?
If you like Wilsons and can't get enough of that sweet plow through, you really owe it to yourself to give one of these badboys a try, imo. They are much lighter than an RF97, and a bit lighter than a PS97, but the plow through should be similar — not as much plow as the RF, probably a bit more than the PS97. They feel WAY more solid than a Pure Aero.
Also, you may discover a similar phenomenon with regard to reviews about the Blade. The balance makes it hard to swing but the racquet also does a lot of the work for you. The racquet is light but feels heavy, but it's also too light-feeling, etc. Haha.
PS, awesome review — one of the greats!
Cheers! So glad you liked the "review". I have not tried the Blade 18x20 or a Blade Pro (was that the H22?) I've tried the Blade 16x19 as I usually prefer the more open patterns but have played with 16x20 in the past. I did not dislike the Blade at all, and almost ended up going for it. I was on the fence for a very long time. I guess I could've tried the 18x20. Unfortunately, I've never tried the Blade Pro, but H22 is one of my "golden grail" racquets that I hope to try one day. Everything about the specs tells me I'd love it. (Hmm do they offer color customisation for the Blade Pro?)
You said that these racquets feel more solid than the Pure Aero... I never expected a racquet like the Pure Aero to not feel solid, but that's exactly how it feels to me. I'm talking about the previous version, the Banana. Maybe the new one's different.
McGradey
Hall of Fame
The reason I suggest the 18x20 in the Blade is that it provides an incredibly solid and controlled response, which it seems you enjoy. You will have zero feelings of instability despite the scant weight compared to an RF97. 16x19 Blades tend to receive more varied feedback in reviews whereas the 18x20 can be counted on from iteration to iteration to be totally rock solid and control-oriented.
It’s also not a difficult racquet to generate spin with, though it’s certainly not a Pure Aero in that respect either.
And yeah the Blade Pro is an H22. I haven’t tried one yet but by all accounts it’s a fantastic hitter which feels similar to a classic Head Radical.
I'm now intrigued to try it, and it's available to demo at the pro shop where I get my gear. Will get back to you!
Vlasta, i hear you, i think Head Extreme Tour could be a great match for you. But about the 100 sq.in rackets, have you tried the pure drive 2021? The best 100 for me, by far!, and i am a classic racket lover, ps85 and wilson ultra tour, RFa 97 and Head Extreme Tour amongst my favourites.
I switched to it from rf97. Obv plenty more control. Added 4g of lead in head with leather grip and some in handle. Similar plow (less on serves and returns) but vastly superior elsewhere
I think the main reason I haven't liked many of the 100 sq. inch racquets is the frame thickness rather than the head size. I think. This is probably why I haven't enjoyed the Ezone 98 too. That being said, I haven't tried the 2021 Pure Drive as the demo is never available, but I've tried previous versions. I want to try it and I will try it. Extreme Tour has been on my radar ever since the new version came out, but I think I'll wait for the new Radical to come out too and then I'll try both of them side by side. I will also definitely try the new Pure Aero 98 2023 (cause I love 16x20), and the New Pure Strike when it comes out next year. As for the 100s, PRO STAFF X sounds interesting as it is going to have quite a thin beam for a 100-inch racquet. In the meantime, I'll demo the Blade 18x20, and I'll be trying to get my hands on the H22. So still a lot I'd like to try before I settle. Enjoying the process though.
jonathane40
New User
Love it! I have also read many of the same contradictory review online and have been wanting to demo it. I demoed several racquets from TW but realized that even demoing is not enough. I have to demo the racquets with the strings and tension that I like. TW asked me not to change strings on the demo racquets so that made it challenging. I held an unstrung rf97 in a store and it felt amazing. I typically play with the pro staff 95, ncode 95 and when in pain, a clash 100 pro or clash 98 both with lead tape for added weight. The next one to try on my list is the rf97 as I imagine it being a more forgiving version of the Pro Staff 90 with less maneuverability and more power?
The RF97 has a great feel when hitting a ball. The plow through effect makes the swing effortless when the racket gets going but the feel is buttery smooth like a good golf club. It's also great on volleys as long as you're able to maneuver it and superb for slices, especially those you have to reach. The weight just makes the slices penetrate more, which is probably why Federer's slices are so potent. The heaviness makes it a difficult racket to use if there is too much arming or wrist action. Haven't found another that feels the same though I haven't tried that many.
It's good but it takes some getting used to. First time I tried it I thought "What a waste of money!" Couldn't wait to get those strings off. But that's cause I'd always played with poly exclusively. Then it grew on me so I started loving it. But, it's just too darn expensive.
I always like to use gut/poly, specially alu power rough and vs touch
. The sensation is something that I can't find in other strings.Then you know what to expect. That's exactly what I used. Babolat Natural Gut and ALU Power. I also tried ALU and XOne Biphase multifilament, it was as close as you can get without natural gut.I always like to use gut/poly, specially alu power rough and vs touch
