Wrist Issues with Wilson Blade Pro 98 v7 – Looking for Alternatives

[Flo3112]

Hi everyone,

I’m currently experiencing wrist problems while playing with the Wilson Blade Pro 98 v7 (18x20).

Specs of my racquet:
• Weight: 333 g (strung)
• Balance: 317 mm
• Swingweight: Unfortunately, I don’t have exact data.

Previously, I played with the Babolat Aero Rafa (2022):
• Weight: 320 g (strung)
• Balance: 320 mm
• Swingweight: Also unknown.

I switched from the Aero Rafa to the Blade because I felt it offered much better control and feel. However, I noticed the Blade lacks a bit of spin and power in comparison.
Since making the switch, I’ve been dealing with wrist issues, and my research suggests that such problems are not uncommon with the Blade Pro v7.
I’m now looking for a new racquet that provides control and feel while also offering a bit more spin and power.
I’ve been considering the Head Extreme Pro 2024 and the Yonex Percept 97. However, both seem to have significantly lower swingweights compared to the Blade. The lower swingweight of the Yonex has also been criticized in many reviews.
Does anyone have experience with these racquets or recommendations for other models that might be more wrist-friendly?

Thanks in advance for your advice!
Best regards,
Flo3112

 

[Donmikan]

Hi everyone,

I’m currently experiencing wrist problems while playing with the Wilson Blade Pro 98 v7 (18x20).

Specs of my racquet:
• Weight: 333 g (strung)
• Balance: 317 mm
• Swingweight: Unfortunately, I don’t have exact data.

Previously, I played with the Babolat Aero Rafa (2022):
• Weight: 320 g (strung)
• Balance: 320 mm
• Swingweight: Also unknown.

I switched from the Aero Rafa to the Blade because I felt it offered much better control and feel. However, I noticed the Blade lacks a bit of spin and power in comparison.
Since making the switch, I’ve been dealing with wrist issues, and my research suggests that such problems are not uncommon with the Blade Pro v7.
I’m now looking for a new racquet that provides control and feel while also offering a bit more spin and power.
I’ve been considering the Head Extreme Pro 2024 and the Yonex Percept 97. However, both seem to have significantly lower swingweights compared to the Blade. The lower swingweight of the Yonex has also been criticized in many reviews.
Does anyone have experience with these racquets or recommendations for other models that might be more wrist-friendly?

Thanks in advance for your advice!
Best regards,
Flo3112

Here is a at home way to get a solid swingweight measurement:

Do-It-Yourself Swingweight

Do-it-yourself method of determining your racquet's swingweight, perhaps the most important racquet spec.

twu.tennis-warehouse.com

Tennis Racquet Swingweight Calculator

A tennis racquet customization tool that allows the user to manually measure the swingweight of his own racquet.

twu.tennis-warehouse.com

 

[Tranqville]

The best alternative to the Blade Pro is Technifibre Tfight ISO 305. I have sensitive wrist, but experience no problem with the ISO thanks to foam filling. ISO will offer more comfort and forgiveness, but more muted feel and less pronounced sweetspot. Swingweight is more or less the same.

 

[Rosstour]

Clash Clash Clash

V1 or V3 will be the most plush

 

[Trip]

I’m now looking for a new racquet that provides control and feel while also offering a bit more spin and power.

If you're coming from a Blade Pro 18x20, most retail racquets won't feel anywhere near as direct/connected/crisp on contact, nor will their string beds be as defined or consistent. So, before anything else, it's best to manage your expectations on those fronts. As for a bit more spin and power in a similar-enough form factor, that's more doable. In addition to @Tranqville's suggestion of the ISO 305, I would also look at the following:

- Babolat Pure Strike 98 16x19 (probably too muted, but a good option otherwise)
- Dunlop CX 400 Tour, matched for unstrung SW of upper 290's to 300-ish
- Nordicdots Model 99
- ProKennex Ki Q+ 5
- Solinco WhiteOut 18x20, w/ a bit of lead at 12 and/or 10 & 2

And if you're a real stickler on feel, then I know this may seem extreme to some, but I wouldn't bother with anything that I haven't already listed from Babolat, Head, Wilson or Yonex, for either the weightings and/or mass distribution will be too divergent, or they won't be high-powered enough, or they'll lack feel/connectedness/definition. Hard to believe, perhaps, but go ahead a try a bunch of silos and see for yourself. It's just kind of where we're at right now, industry wide. Sucks, but it will hopefully improve soon enough.

Hope some of that helps. Any questions, feel free.

 

[LOBALOT]

Jump from the pure aero to 18x20 blade is big change. Yes, the 18x20 oozes precision and control and is less open/spin friendly than the 16x19. None of this is a surprise.

You don't specify your string and tension but suspect you are playing with stiff setup / thick gauge of string. What was your string setup?

To me the simple recipe is to have your wrist looked at if necessary and then rest it and perhaps look at your string setup and/or the Blade 16x19.

If you want to ditch the whole precision thing all together there is Clash as suggested as well.

 

[Rosstour]

18x20 destroyed my shoulder.

I get that people like it because it's more precise, but it's not worth the trade IMO

 

[LOBALOT]

18x20 destroyed my shoulder.

I get that people like it because it's more precise, but it's not worth the trade IMO

Plus the blade 16x19 has plenty of control already.

If it were me actually I would have taken baby steps if I were to have made the decision OP did. I might have tried the EZOne 98 16x19 (i.e. baby pure aero beam) as a first step to see if that got the precision being sought. If not then the blade 98 16x19 if that is the desired outcome.

I am not a fan of the Pure Aero but if I was starting from that stick this would have been the path.

 

[Rosstour]

Plus the 16x19 has plenty of control already.

If it were me actually I would have taken baby steps if I were to have made the decision OP did. I might have tried the EZOne 98 16x19 (i.e. baby pure aero beam) as a first step to see if that got the precision being sought. If not then the blade 98 16x19 if that is the desired outcome.

I am not a fan of the Pure Aero but if I was starting from that stick this would have been the path.

I did a similar thing. Went from the Prince Textreme Warrior (a poor man's Pure Aero) 16/19 to TF40 v1 18/20.

I liked the additional control but I would have been much better off just going with a 16/19 Blade or Clash 98....had to swing way too hard with the TF and strung too high to boot....stupid

 

[LOBALOT]

I did a similar thing. Went from the Prince Textreme Warrior (a poor man's Pure Aero) 16/19 to TF40 v1 18/20.

I liked the additional control but I would have been much better off just going with a 16/19 Blade or Clash 98....had to swing way too hard with the TF and strung too high to boot....stupid

Yeah, and depending on the level of play if you get pressured with an 18x20 your are bound to give up something short to your opponent.

Tennis is interesting. From my experience it is almost always better to take incremental steps vs. starting at one extreme or another and then trying to make a big jump to something else.

As far as racquets I always try to aim for something in the middle and work my way one way or the other vs Too big or too small or high SW or low SW or thick beam or thin beam, etc.

 

[Tranqville]

And if you're a real stickler on feel, then I know this may seem extreme to some, but I wouldn't bother with anything that I haven't already listed from Babolat, Head, Wilson or Yonex

I agree: perhaps, only some Angell or a prostock can provide comparable feel.