WILSON Blade 98S Tennis Racquet Review
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Groundstrokes
The Blade effortlessly accelerates through the stroke, making it easy to whip up on the ball. I experienced a slight learning curve when it came to the extremely open pattern, but I eventually found the racquet to be fairly consistent. The open pattern lifts the ball slightly higher than usual, but the additional spin drops the ball into the court much faster. On flat shots, the ball would sink deeply into the strings before sizzling passed the net player. The majority of slices came off the racquet with aggressive spin and skidded low. Occasionally, I did float a ball long. The feel at the top of the stringbed is a bit jarring, but the racquet is stiff enough to get the ball back over the net.
Volleys
I enjoyed the Blade at net, mostly due to its quickness. It’s incredibly easy to get around and into position on standard volleys, as well as reflex volleys. I had no problem dialing-in my forehand volley, but my backhand volley tended to float long and/or sit up at first. Once I closed down the racquet face, I was able to knife through the ball, though I had to swing more than usual. Off-center hits were manageable, but slightly jarring, especially against a heavy ball. The feel on the volleys was good enough, not great.
Serves
I loved the Blade 98S on flat serves. Even with a medium speed swing, I was able to produce a consistently fast ball. The soft stringbed pockets the ball nicely, then sends it screaming towards the opponent. I did not, however, notice a huge increase in rotation or kick on spin serves. I felt as if I needed to work harder to produce the same amount of kick that I achieve with my 12+ ounce, 18x20 racquet, though I think this has to do with the lightness and speed of the racquet head.
Overall
The Wilson Blade 98 S is a solid performer. It has many of the great characteristics of a player’s frame, while being maneuverable and fast enough for less experienced players. Its speed through the air makes it a ton of fun to play with. This frame would be an excellent choice for advancing junior players, as well and strong intermediate to advanced adult players (3.5 and up). Players looking for a little more heft or control should check out the 16x19 and 18x20 models.
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