Gear Talk with Colton Smith: Tennis Express Interview

Player Interview

Colton Smith is an American tennis player. Born in Olympia, Washington, Smith turned pro in 2025 following his senior year at the University of Arizona, where he held a singles-winning record of 84-32 throughout his tenure at the school. He is currently ranked 218 in the ATP, and made several significant breakthroughs in 2026. In February, Smith won the Cleveland Challenger final, in April, he battled legendary player, Kei Nishikori (former World No. 4), in May he won the Little Rock Challenger final, and in August made it to the final qualifying round of the US Open.

The 23-year-old American continues to prove he is one of the best rising stars in the world. He recently partnered with Wilson and began using the all-new Wilson Defyer tennis racquet. He also became a member of the Wilson 360 family, which means he wears Wilson from head to toe. That said, you can notice him on any court in the world wearing his signature sleeveless t-shirt and trucker hat.

Tennis Express sat down with Colton to talk about his gear, his life, and what he hopes to achieve in the upcoming tennis season.

In Conversation with Colton Smith

Making the Switch to the Defyer

How long have you been using the Defyer, and what do you like most about it so far?

"I've been using the Defyer for probably about a year now," Colton Smith told Tennis Express. "Started with it when I started with Wilson, and I love it. I switched from the Aero 98, and I felt like the Defyer is just a little more of a stable racquet, a little more plow-through on the ball."

Colton Smith picked up the Defyer when he signed with Wilson, moving over from the Aero 98.

"It's definitely got a lot of pop, which I like, and the paint's pretty cool. I like the looks of it. I would say definitely the pop and the feeling of it. It's also got a good bit of spin, so it's kind of everything I was looking for in a racquet."

Was it a big switch from the Aero 98?

"Not a huge switch, but definitely a little bit of difference there for sure. I think the Aero 98 is just kind of a lighter racquet in general, so I was just getting used to that a little bit with the Defyer."

"It wasn't a huge shift once I was able to figure out the specs and the string and everything. That was a little bit of a process, like it is with anything when you're switching racquets, just figuring out what exactly I liked and felt comfortable with."

Colton Smith knew early that the Defyer was the one. He first tried it in Paris, testing a range of frames before he had even signed with Wilson.

"Wow, man, if I could get this racquet for my next tournament, I would do it right now."

How the Defyer Fits His Game

Wilson describes the Defyer as the perfect frame for the challenger. You're playing Challengers right now. How does this racquet fit your style of game and the level you're playing at?

"I would say I'm definitely trying to be an all-court player, and I think the racquet definitely helps out a lot on the serve. I can get a lot of pop with it on serve."

"For the way I hit the ball, I like to hit through the ball a lot more than sitting back and really trying to spin the ball or shape the ball. I think this racquet helps out a ton with that. It's got a lot of good plow-through on the shots, and I really like that it's stable on the slices and the volleys."

"At the Challenger level, there's a lot of different game styles, so it might not be for everybody. But there are definitely some guys out there having really good success with the racquet."

Is there one shot the Defyer has really helped with?

"I think it's definitely helping out a lot with the forehand right now, and kind of the progression of where I want the forehand going. Backhand-wise, I think it's made the backhand even more stable. That's kind of always been my baby, and with the Defyer, it's just a little more stable than the Aero was."

Now that you've played with it for a while, do you feel your game shifting one way or another?

"You kind of want to make the racquet work for you, not work for the racquet."

"In that respect, I think the Defyer is kind of the perfect racquet for where I want my game style going. I plan on being able to play a little bit more through the ball, but also, when I need to, being able to shape the ball, which I feel the racquet still allows me to do."

Dialing In His Setup

Have you customized your Defyer at all?

"I'm not really sure what my actual specs are, what the weight is, but I definitely spent a lot of time moving weight around to some different areas. I kind of settled on maybe 10 and 2, 11 and 1, right around the top of the racquet on each side. I felt like, for me, that kind of moved the sweet spot up a little bit on the racquet."

"I'm no racquet guru or anything like that, so I could be speaking total gibberish. But I definitely like to try to get around the outside of the ball a little bit more. I felt like that allowed me a lot more forgiveness to really get around the ball and throw the hands through."

What string and tension are you using right now?

"I've got 4G 1.25, and I'm stringing anywhere from 51 to 53 pounds, just kind of depending on the conditions and the balls we're using. That's kind of the sweet spot I found with those strings in the racquet for me."

Head-to-Toe Wilson

You don't just use a Wilson racquet. What's it like being part of the Wilson 360 family?

"It's awesome. They're amazing people, and they've got some amazing products. I think each batch of clothes seems like it gets better and better. I don't know how they do it, but even the shoes as well."

"Shoes, if you're not thinking about them, then they're doing a good job. I haven't had any issues or anything like that, which is great and pretty much what you're looking for."

"That was my preference, and I was definitely wanting that. They've [Wilson] been super helpful and they've kind of catered to that for me, which I'm super grateful for."

What's the hardest part of getting your gear ready for a tournament?

"Laundry. I'm a pretty heavy sweater, and I go through lots of shirts, lots of shorts, lots of socks and everything. It's just making sure that I can pack enough stuff so that if I'm not able to do laundry for three or four days, I've got enough to get through."

"Wilson makes it pretty easy, pretty simple. They send an outline of what they want me wearing, so that's all I pack, and maybe a couple of camo shirts in there for going out to dinner."

Finding His Way Back

Has there been a match or tournament in the last year or two that changed the way you approach tennis?

"Every week I feel like kind of changes the way I approach tennis, because every week so much happens on court where you learn so much if you're open to it. More than anything, I think Portugal was a pretty big one for that this year."

After winning the title in Cleveland, Colton Smith went roughly two months without a match win.

"I was trying a bunch of different things, kind of all over the place, and just couldn't quite figure out what it was to get back into the flow and rhythm of being able to win tennis matches. I went into Portugal thinking, 'All right, I don't care what I end up doing results-wise. I'm going to go there, swing out, try not to think so much, and just have fun playing tennis.'"

That mindset paid off. Colton Smith reached the quarterfinals in Portugal, won his first round at the French Open, pushed Faria in the second round, and then won the title in Little Rock, Arkansas.

"Two months ago, I couldn't figure out how to win a tennis match, and then I just won a title."

"Anything can happen each week."

Life on Tour

What's the best thing about being a professional tennis player, and what's the most tedious?

"I think the best part about being a professional tennis player is you're not working a nine-to-five, and you're not at a desk, which is awesome. I'm playing a game for a living, and I get to travel all over the world and see all these amazing things."

"I think the only downside is you're on the road 30-plus weeks a year, and a lot of the time you're in a hotel. The hotel life definitely gets a little old and a little boring. But if I'm traveling with fishing poles or something like that, if there's stuff to do around, then it definitely makes those weeks a lot better."

"The travel is probably one of the best parts, but it's also one of the tougher parts about it."

A Week to Remember at Indian Wells

What's the most memorable moment of your career so far?

"It was definitely Indian Wells two years ago now. It was the first time I'd ever played an ATP tournament. That's a big one to play, too, as your first."

Colton Smith earned a wild card into qualifying and drew Fabio Fognini in the first round.

"The first game, I was so nervous. I didn't put a single ball in the court. Then I got a little fortunate. I was able to break right back the next game and kind of settled in."

He qualified for the main draw in his very first ATP qualifying attempt, while still playing college tennis.

"It was kind of a part-time deal for me because the second I was done there, I was going back and we were playing UCF in Orlando. For me at that time, I'd never played anybody inside the top 100. I thought, 'I might go out here and get waxed, but at least I'm going to know what the level's like.'"

"Then I ended up beating a guy ranked in the top 30 in the world."

That week launched a big spring for Colton Smith. He followed it with a wild card into the main draw in Phoenix, where he reached the quarterfinals, then qualified in Houston and made the quarters there too.

"It was definitely a good spring semester for me."

Do you think you'll play Indian Wells again this coming year?

"I sure hope so. There's still definitely a good chunk of next year that will decide that for me, but it's the goal. It's probably my favorite tournament, so let's do everything I can to get back."

Every Detail Matters

What's the most important thing you've learned about your equipment now that you're playing at this level?

"Every little detail matters now at this point. You can't show up to a tournament like, 'Oh shoot, I forgot my string,' and use somebody else's string. It's just not the same as when you're at college and you're showing up to matches with two racquets, and you don't know whose string this is, but you figure it out."

What's Next

At this point in your career, what's next?

"Dallas. But ranking-wise, definitely getting back inside the top 150, and breaking the top 100 is the big goal."

"For me, though, right now, thinking about that stuff doesn't really help a whole lot. I'm just trying to get better at tennis and keep enjoying it. I think the results will come if I'm doing the right things and enjoying it, so I'm not too worried."

"It'll happen when it happens. Just sticking to the course, trusting the process, and seeing where it goes."