WILSON Juice 100S Tennis Racquet Review
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 demo this racquet
Groundstrokes
From the very first hit, it was clear to see the Wilson Juice 100S is the most powerful of all the Wilson Spin Effect racquets. The 100 square inch head size sports a 16x15 string pattern, which allows for deep ball-pocketing and loads of spin with every stroke. In the rally, I was able to control the power of the Juice by employing slower, more deliberate strokes. Surprisingly enough, the slower swing speed still produced enough spin to keep the ball landing in the court shot after shot. In an effort to push the boundaries of spin potential, I increased my swing speed and brushed up on the ball at the risk of sending it through the back curtain. The resulting shots dipped in and bounced high and fast, pushing my hitting partner deeper in the court.
Once I started playing points, I found the frame more difficult to control. When I sped up the swing, I found it difficult to create enough spin to drop the ball in the court; when I slowed down my shots were not offensive enough to put my opponent on defense. That is not to say I was unable to produce the occasional rocket up the line, which was incredibly fun. If only that happened more often!
Volleys
The power of the frame is a major asset on volleys. With the Juice 100S in my hands at net, high/floating returns looked like grapefruits, and I was able to absolutely punish the ball. I found the frame maneuverable enough to react to fast shots, and put away anything chest-height or higher. On low, more defensive volleys, I occasionally popped the ball up, allowing my opponent to take control of the point or hit a winner. With some time, I was able to dial in these shots by either adjusting the angle of the racquet face, softening my hands, or both. In fact, I found the increased dwell time to be beneficial on touch shots, as I was able to hold/manipulate the ball with great ease.
Serves
Once again, the power of the Juice is awesome on serve. Whether I was hitting flat, slice, or kick, the speed of the ball worked well to keep my opponent on defense. On spin serves, I achieved my best results when driving through the ball with the face of the racquet angled, as opposed to carving around the side -- this allowed me to take further advantage of the ball-pocketing the frame offers. The feedback of the Juice was soft and comfortable, yet I still felt connected to the ball, which helped when zeroing in on targets.
Overall
Power and spin: that’s all you need to know. Well, not really, but you get the idea. If you are in need of a little more Juice on your shots, the Juice 100S is a great option. The frame also offers a forgiving sweetspot, plenty of comfort, and a good amount of feel for a racquet on this nature. While the frame will be too much for players with long, fast strokes, players with slow to medium speed swings could benefit from the easy energy and high launch angle the frame offers. The level of control the racquet allows for is largely dependent on the speed of the incoming ball, so players that face an advanced ball will need the string at a higher tension, or move to a less powerful frame. Players that face an intermediate ball won’t have as much trouble.
About the Reviewer: Mitch Case is the Tennis Director at Woodridge Lake in Connecticut. He is also a PTR pro and a USRSA master technician.
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