I thought this Blade was torsionally stable for those off-center shots and provided the punch needed to put away shots. With its growing popularity, the Blade 98 16x19 Countervail makes a case for inclusion into the modern classic racquet hall of fame. In this video, we review the Wilson Blade 98S Countervail 16x19. $279.96 Regular price $349.95 On Sale. ", "The racquet performed just as well up around the net as it did from the baseline," said Andy. Overall, the new Blade 98 Countervail 16x19 Black is an exceptionally comfortable frame that is dangerous from anywhere on court and will suit a variety of playstyles and levels. The Blade family is also home to some of the thinner and more flexible beams in Wilson… Sean found power and placement on his serve with the 18x20. The Blade … The Evolution Black Edition features the same construction and performance that has made the Evolution the best selling game ball in the country but with a cool new look. "The rock solid feel was evident on all my volleys and overheads, along with the improved feel that provided a great connection between player and ball. My second serve was a strong weapon with this frame as well. ", Loving the confident and aggressive baseline play he was able to access was Andy, who offered, "I really enjoyed this version of the new Blade from the baseline. Tennis Racket Wilson Blade … Feel/Comfort Details about Wilson Racket Blade 98 Black Edition. ", Andy - "Not much to dislike about this racquet. He offered, "Serving was awesome with this Blade! Wilson unveils several new additions, including footwear, bags and apparel, to its “BLACK EDITION” collection of high performance tennis rackets. It retained the same outstanding power for finishing off volleys and making quick work of anything left high. Actual sales may not have occurred at this price. ", Sean struggled with depth but found his comfort zone at net. When I did have time to take an aggressive shot at the ball, the racquet did that well, too. The feel wasn't as crisp as the previous version, but I was able to fine-tune that with a crisper string. The Blade line has become one of the most ubiquitous frames in Wilson’s lineup. I didn't double fault much with this stick, and anytime I don't give free points out is a win for me. Furthermore, the confidence I gained from the added control let me swing out on the ball, and thus get lots of spin. While my flat serve didn’t have the pace I wanted, this frame did still serve with a high level of control. This was my favorite of the two Blade 98s, and I felt more confident playing aggressive tennis with it. Luckily, this racquet played so well from the baseline I felt comfortable finishing off the point from there. I felt like I could stay in the point without fear of overhitting or leaving a ball short in the court. Spin was easy to generate thanks to the fairly open 16x19 pattern. "I was able to drive the ball pretty flat and still find all the control I needed. ", The plow through and the stability bolstered the confidence of our playtesters. Jason - "The Wilson Blade 98 16x19 v7 offers a better feel than previous version but is still arm friendly. Pro Staff 97 CV Black Edition Tennis Racket Frame WILSON WRT73911U2. The Wilson Blade 98 (18x20) CV Countervail tennis racket reduces vibration and fatigue in … The frame had impressive court penetration from both sides on groundstrokes. ", Andy had only nice things to say about serving with this racquet. ", Our playtesters enjoyed the control and solid feel of the racquet at the net. Countervail is a material concept designed to maximize energy transfer, reducing muscle fatigue and recovery time. Andy currently using a Yonex RDiS 100 Mid. Even with the dense pattern I found decent power throughout my testing, probably due to its slightly heavy feel. While the racquet didn't feel too hefty, it simply did not feel as fast through contact as the Blade 93. Wilson Ultra 108 v3 Tennis Racquet The Ultra 108 v3 is new for 2020 and blends a lightweight construction with all-new PowerProfile geometry to create a frame that engages a variety of tennis … If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us. Our playtesters found the Wilson Pro Staff 97 Countervail Black offered excellent spin and maneuverability from the baseline, but at times they struggled with the response off the stringbed.Chris enjoyed the fast feel of the Pro Staff 97 Countervail Black… ", On the contrary, Jason attacked the net with a new sense of confidence, saying, "I really enjoyed this racquet at net! All of our playtesters flourished from the baseline with the 18x20. Grips. If Currently using a customized Boris Becker Delta Core NYC. ", Sean - "My only issue was this racquet's lack of maneuverability and overall heavier feel compared to past versions. All Rights Reserved. While Wilson has focused on spin in recent years, the latest version of the Blade series indicates that Wilson has their eyes on comfort this year. The addition of Countervail to the Blade yielded a substantially different feel than previous models. With its clean response and control from every corner of the court, the Wilson Blade 98 (18x20) offers an updated feel to Wilson's previous BLX Blade 98. The string bed had a uniform feel with shots from anywhere on it feeling comfortable and smooth. 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Groundstrokes - Score: 80. All-new power technologies create shots that overwhelm opponents while newly added Countervail Technology maxes out a player’s energy. Even though it was the same static weight as my usual frame, the heftier swing weight and closer to even balance required me to adjust my timing a bit as the racquet was a bit slower to bring through contact. With the Amplifeel in the handle the response is cleaner and provides greater feedback. Jason: 4.0 baseliner with a semi-western forehand and two handed backhand. This racquet wasn't as fast as my Head Youtek IG Prestige Midplus, either, although I felt I could still drive the ball very well with it, as I was getting some nice power from its weight. I want to feel like I can place my serves the way the SF Giants located their pitches in the recent World Series, and this Blade gave me that feeling. I relied more on my spots with my first serve, moving my opponents around to create opportunities to attack on the first ball. Pro Staff 97L Black Edition Tennis Racket Frame WILSON … Copyright © Tennis Warehouse. At net, everyone enjoyed lots control and a solid feel, although some felt the maneuverability was a little lacking. This Blade looks to strike a balance between power, spin and precision. Compared with the 16x19 version, I found more control but less power. Overall, it's a really enjoyable racquet to crush some groundstrokes with. Our playtesters also really enjoyed the control offered by this racquet, as well as the ability to dictate play and continuously place the ball wherever they liked. Volleys & Serves Condition: Used. It can pound groundstrokes, create spin for extra margin and hit targets with impressive accuracy. Here’s how the Blade Countervail 16x19 Black stacked up when I put it through the test. ", Andy - "The Blade 93 was just so comfortable to hit with, but the 98 18x20 was a very close second in my preference of the Blades. ", Jason - "The grip was too slick after just a few minutes of hitting. You'll find more information on cookies at, Stay up to date on arrivals and special offers, Shop Early - Shipping Carrier Delays Expected. I actually didn't mind the mid-320s swingweight, even though it's slightly higher than I'm typically comfortable with. The tight pattern gave me the control and the 98 square inch head gave me the pop and forgiveness I needed to feel confident taking big cuts at the ball. If I had to knock this racquet, and it is a very minor knock, it would be its lack of maneuverability. Sean has a semi-western forehand, 1 handed backhand. Price: US $204.71. I found this version to be slightly more maneuverable for quick exchanges. He said, "I really enjoyed the previous BLX Blade 98, but I must confess that I like this version better. This shock absorbing technology reduces player fatigue and maximizes performance by limiting the shock transferred through the racquet to players. The dense pattern didn't offer as much spin, but my directional control was fantastic and I had the ability to put the ball anywhere in the box. Groundstrokes The Blade 16x19 Black … Wilson’s latest update to the Blade boasts an impressive blend of baseline power and control. ", (Scores are determined by averaging individual play test scores). A solid, dampened feel. Custom Rackets Clash | CONTROL Blade | FEEL Ultra | POWER Pro Staff | PRECISION Burn | BASELINER Recreational & Beginner Junior & Kids. My only (slight) knock is that the 98 square inch headsize, coupled with the slightly wider beam, made the racquet feel a little bit clunky through the air. ", Andy - "It's the perfect blend of power and control. Call Us at 713-435-4800. From the baseline, the team noticed the plow through and the hefty response that the racquet provided. The Blade 93 felt like it cut through the air faster, as well as being better balanced for tip speed. I did not feel as dialed in as I did with the Blade 93 because I couldn't whip this one through as well, but I still felt like I served well. I liked taking the ball early with this racquet, using its control to quickly drive the ball to my target and take time away from my opponent. BLADE 26 V7 Junior Tennis Racket WILSON … With consistently positive … The heft in the hoop gave it great plow through when I was using the server's pace or was stretched out wide. If you want to learn more about our cookie policy click here. He said, "I thought the power and spin were average, but what it did well, and what it allowed me to do well, was be consistent. The new Blade Black sports a cosmetic in line with the Pro Staff family and introduces Countervail into the layup of the racquet. In a lot of ways this newer version performed like the previous one, but the feel is much improved. He offered, "This was my favorite of the new Blades to return with. It feels similar to the IG Speed and IG Radical lines by Head, but has more heft and plow through than they do, which makes it more stable and solid. It gets a little bit flimsy outside of the sweetspot, but it's really not that bad. Anthony - "I enjoy the Blade … Black Edition will feature a Wilson Ultra 100 CV, Wilson Blade 98 CV, and a Wilson Burn 100 CV that is all black and some minute coloring on the throat. About the Reviewer: Matt Locke currently serves as the Junior Programs & Development Coordinator for USTA-Idaho and is an active USTA League and Tournament player. Fans of comfort shouldn’t find any shortcomings with the racquet. My only issue was the hefty swingweight that really slowed my swing down and prevented me from maneuvering the racquet as I needed on big serves. With consistently positive comments on the solid feel we can infer that the new Amplifeel technology was a successful update. To me, midplus-sized frames can lose the touch and feel that smaller frames have around the net, but this Blade maintains that great, soft feel while providing lots of forgiveness with the larger headsize. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Wilson Blade 98 Countervail Black Edition (16X19) at the best online prices at eBay! As I adjusted, the racquet’s 11.2oz strung weight started to showcase its strength. It remained stable on contact, and I could get the ball back with some depth. He said, "My returns were finding the same depth into the court, but my direction and accuracy were much improved over the 16x19 Blade. Wilson Blade 98 (18x20) CV LE Green. Wilson's exclusive premium Microfiber Composite Cover has been reproduced in black … ", Jason - "The improved feel, control and stability. All content copyright 2012 Tennis Warehouse. While this version was not as precise, there was still a solid level of accuracy and control. Our testers found a comfortable level of maneuverability despite this racquet's swingweight. The tight string pattern provided the control I needed to consistently put the ball where I wanted. ", Jason enjoyed the 18x20's stable and solid response. The extra mass in the head made it feel a bit slow at the top of the hitting zone and perhaps there was a reduction in head speed that was limiting the pace I was getting. ", "Truly a solid player's racquet," said Sean. ", Jason - "It plays with more feel than the previous model, but it still performs like a Blade 98. The one shot I did struggle with was the inside-out forehand; for some reason I wasn't able to get the angles I wanted. ", Most of our playtesters continued to find a solid response when serving with the Blade 98 18x20, and all commented on how the great control made serving with this racquet fun. Wilson Blade 98 BLX (2013) Racket Review from Stringers' World - Duration: 2:22. 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