As you rummage through racket after racket, you tend to find rackets that are powerful, but lack control, and vice versa. To find the exact balance of both control and power in a single racket is a difficult task. Believe it or not, there is truly a racket that provides you with both power and control: the KBlade Team, the racket of choice for Venus and Serena Williams. The KBlade Team is a new racket released by Wilson that utilizes the exclusive technology of the KFactor. An improvement on the older nCode technology, the KFactor provides a more stable racket frame as well as improved performance. The KBlade Team comes in a 104 sq. in. head size and weighs 10.2 oz. unstrung, providing you with a unique blend of power and control for your game.

 

 

Groundstrokes
With a 104 sq. in. head size, I was a bit fearful of over-hitting all of my shots. To my surprise, my shots from the baseline were clearing the net and landing with great depth. Although some adjustment to my backswing was required, I quickly adapted to the larger head size and lighter weight. Once I had my backswing down, my shots were given more power. My slice shots tended to pop up a bit too high since I could easily swing through the shots, so I tended to stick with flat shots at the base line. With the 104 sq. in. head size, the KBlade Team has a larger sweet spot, which meant it was very forgiving on shots and arm friendly. I found the KBlade Team easy to hit with, despite the need of shortening my very long backswing.

 

Volleys
The larger head size hints at how well the KBlade Team would perform at the net. I was able to return the balls with more confidence that I would put it away successfully. The KBlade Team provided the added punch that I was looking for when volleying at the net. Angled volleys out wide were easy to execute with its excellent mobility. The stability and larger sweet spot granted easier coverage across the net and less vibration to my arm. The racket also proved to be very easy to maneuver, enabling me to hit and recover as needed. The mobility of the light racket was a big plus for me.

 

Serves
During my service game, I found that my serves were more powerful. I was able to swing through my serves easily, giving me some added power on them. Despite the added power, I felt that I had to work a little bit harder to place the ball at the corners. On my second serve, I put a bit more attention on getting spin on the ball, though the light weight of the KBlade Team made it easy to swing up and through. The added power as well as the added spin felt very comfortable.

 

Serve Returns
On the flip side, I was returning my opponent’s serve with great ease. I was able to return serves nice and deep with a good direction on the ball. However, on more powerful serves, I felt a little more vulnerable. A long back swing will send the ball too long, and a short swing will not put enough spin to angle the shot. I found myself blocking those serves back or slicing deep and preparing for the next shot. For the most part, the KBlade Team performed well on flatter serves.

 

Final Words
Overall, the KBlade Team proved to be a racket for players who enjoy hitting from the baseline and occasionally going up to the net. The forgiving head size was helpful for those hard to reach shots and the occasional mishits. With a larger head size, there will be added power to your shots. If you are looking for a light racket that can give you a little bit more power on your shots while still maintaining control, the KBlade Team is well worth a try.