It's solid, easy to swing, and sharp looking. This racquet is a great one just make sure not to tire yourself out too much but this might just be due to the fact that my last racquet was a Pure Aero so I am used to a lot of free power. Disclosure: Wilson gave me this frame to evaluate, but they did not pay me to write this review or influence its contents. But when you strike the ball well with this one, it has plenty of oomph! Please contact Customer Service at 1-800-401-7967, if you have any issues accessing information on this website. The RF97 Autograph was another story. Gives predictable launch angle and allows for decent top spin, and really effective slice on BH. Despite its lighter weight, the frame still falls on the heavier end of the spectrum when considering racquets more broadly. Taking another step down in weight from the 97, the 97L or light version of the Pro Staff is 10.2 oz (289g) unstrung, making it considerably more approachable and a reasonable entry point for many players. I heard Roger talk about this racquet being a good one for people who hit flatter balls and want precision so I decided to give v13 a shot as I didn't like the previous version. Paradigm Bending optimizes bending location for precision. String pattern: Wider Cross-Strings (Open 16x19 string pattern) for added Power, Control and Spin. In other words, it took a bit of the life out of the racquet. WILSON Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph Tennis Racquet Specifications: Playability: The Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph is a great option for the Advanced tournament players looking for control-oriented racquet. All in all, the Pro Staff 97 is more than sufficient on serves and an ideal fit for players who value accurate placement over power. The RF97 is a little heavier, harder to create top spin because the stringing pattern in the sweet spot is closer together and stringing the racquet is a bit more difficult. Power level wise I found both v13 and v11 similar.The area where I struggled was on defense. In-depth Resources Blade 98 v7 16x19. The service with the Racquet Matching by Tennis Warehouse makes these racquet almost identical. It hits precisely. I personally loved this racquet because I have a fast and heavy swing which sometimes make the ball go a little bit too wide, but with the Pro Staff 97 v13 I got perfect power and spin for my swing style save for some miss hits in the beginning. Breaking News. I'm sure I have more to say about the racquet, but for now I hope this review helps you make your decision. We both are 5.0 level players. - Paradigm Bending Tech Gear Furthermore the little tighter string pattern helps to place the ball wherever you want and it's more precise than the v11 version. in: Length: 27 in: Weight (strung) 11.7 oz / 330g: Balance: 7pts Head Light: Flex: 66: String Pattern: 1619 . String pattern: Wider Cross-Strings (Open 16x19 string . Also, the tighter stringbed in the sweetspot they got by adjusting the positioning of some of the grommet holes is evident by the effortless spin and control you get when you hit the sweetspot. Technical specifications for Wilson Pro Staff 97 racket. Wilson Pro Staff 97 Tennis Racquet. For that reason, Ive put the Pro Staff 97 v13 to the test over the past few weeks. My favorite parts of this racquet are the volleys, slices, and the serves. Pro Staff 97L v13. He is happy with this racquet performance.From: Alena, FL. Wilson Grommet Strips stocked for nearly all Wilson tennis racquet models. Pro Staff 97 v13 Technologies For the thirteenth generation of the Pro Staff, you'll find many familiar technologies players have come to expect from this line of racquets. So, I was excited to hear Wilson had tightened the string spacing in the sweetspot on this model. Instant improvement. If you don't like it, return it for free! I am going to experiment with lower tension to see how the racquet plays.From: Charles, 12/30/20, Comments: I'm a long time Pro Staff user, 3.5 to 4.0 Rating, mid 40's. Volleys were butter with good contact. ft. tennis warehouse is home to approximately 22,000 unique racquet sport product SKUs. Its maneuverable enough to quickly get the racquet into position while still retaining enough weight to stand up to the pace from a heavier serve. From: Mikey, LA, CA, 8/11/21, Comments: I have both the 340 gram Pro Staff RF97 and this 315 gram Pro Staff v13. I love the feel, but a bit too loose as my flattish ball is consistently landing about a couple of inches out. After I got the racquet, I took it to a tournament. The Pro Staff 97 really allows you to plow through the ball effortlessly. Head Size: 97 square inches/626 square centimeters. this racket really helped all of those things and provides good stability and especially up at net this felt like a magic wand . For some players with arm issues or discomfort, this type of change might be welcome. Grip Type:Wilson Pro Performance: String Pattern: 16 Mains / 19 Crosses: Mains skip: 8T,7H,9H: One Piece: No Shared Holes: String Tension:50-60 pounds: . Designed with Paradigm Bending technology to optimize the bending profile between the shaft and hoop, this racket offers precision and pinpoint control. I feel that if you can contact the sweetspot and can't handle the weight of the RF97, this racquet will reward with great feel, control, and power. It offers a nice blend between power from high stiffness and control from a smaller head size (97 sq inches). We are a wholesale tennis distributor and retail store based in West Lawn, Pennsylvania. I had demoed this model in the past, but I found it lacked the mass and heftiness of the RF97. Share your list with your family and friends for any occasion, Quickly move list items to your bag when you're ready to checkout. The Pro Staffs continuous braided graphite and Kevlar construction sits at the foundation of the racquets performance and feel, which has been in use since the Pro Staff Original 6.0. Pro Staff 97 v13. Here are a few alternate destinations that might help. We couldnt find any products that match your search. It's really a fine piece of art racquet and just love to play with my new Pro Staff.From: Michael, 12/2/20, Comments: I've played with each of the Pro Staff 97 models with varying degrees of success and enjoyment, RF and non-RF versions. With v13, I decided to twist things a little, I switched to a leather grip, nod to RF97, kept the original balance by adding 6 grams of lead at 12 o'clock, strung it with Babolat VS Gut 1.30 in mains at 55 pounds and Luxilon ALU Power Spin 1.27 in crosses at 53 pounds and wow! Either racquet is a great choice for better players that want precision and can generate their own power. At the net, the Pro Staff 97 is a solid overall performer. It has the best blend of power, spin, and control I have found. Players looking to enhance the Pro Staff 97s moderate comfort might consider a hybrid string setup. String Pattern Both the PS97 and B98 have a 1619 string pattern so they will be a good option for players who like hitting lots of topspin balls from the baseline Availability Both of these rackets are available to buy on online shops such as Tennis Warehouse, and Tennis-Point. Wilson is committed to achieving Level AA conformance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 and achieving compliance with other accessibility standards. However, Wilson also changes this racquet by increasing the beam width by 1.5 mm to 23 mm, which improves the racquets power by making the frame slightly more rigid or stiff. The best racquet from Wilson hands down!From: Justin, 10/18/20, Comments: In my honest opinion this is the worst Pro Staff 97 yet. Enjoy! If you're like me and a Pro Staff 95 user, now is the time to upgrade!From: Joshua, 12/31/20, Comments: I started learning and playing tennis actively in November 2019. Aug 22, 2022 #34 wonder if the PS97 keeps the denser string pattern on the v13 . Description. Wilson hasnt always had the greatest track record in hitting these specs, so its great to see that this particular offering is accurate. Roger Federer has once again partnered with Wilson to redesign the Pro Staff, the new Wilson Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph Tennis racquet is even better than before. I tried them back to back over an extensive period of quite a few months. My bag now has two of these new 97s and two old school 85s. Second, it's control-oriented. Very stable on volleys and returning hard shots and serves. My slices are epic. 6:01 Groundstrokes The Pro Staff v13 has a more plush feel and better control than my past racquets. Good racquet, good control, decent power, until I started using more wrist and shoulder to generate power and spin when I started getting pain on the inner side of the forearm. I then added a Wilson Pro Overgrip, the only customisation, bringing the strung weight to 326.6g. I've been playing with the Pro Staff line of racquets for 17 years. You get out what you put into it. Players who fall into the latter camp will be happy to hear that the latest generation of the Pro Staff line no longer contains Countervail. The Pro Staff 97 has a mid-range RA or stiffness rating of 66. 1:47 Stiffness When I was on the run and returned the balls they were falling short. Order with confidence. Beyond the frames impressive credentials, its become a cult favorite among competitive players from club to college who appreciate the classic feel that results from the time-tested formula of braided graphite, perimeter weighting system, thin beam, and head light balance. The control level of this racquet is fantastic, and it's got a great feel to it. Below is a comparison of the technical specifications of the Pure Strike 100 (or "PS 100") and Pro Staff 97 (or "PS 97") tennis rackets.. Main Differences: The Pure Strike 100 has a bigger head size (100in vs 97in), a less head light balance (4pts HL vs 7pts HL), a lower strung weight (315g vs 332g), a slightly lower swing weight (319 vs 321), a higher frame stiffness . Buy one and find out for yourself.From: Chad, 10/18/20, Comments: Very Pro Staff feel. Welcome to Racquet Sports - The Pro Shop Pros and your store for tennis, running and fitness. On serves, I thought the Pro Staff 97 held its own, and while it may underwhelm to a degree from a power standpoint, it makes up for it by delivering greater precision. It works very good. It feels perfect in my hands and such a major difference from my previous gifted racquet. If youd prefer, you can check out my full video review and playtest of the Pro Staff 97 v13. I went from the v11.0, non-Countervail to this. Pro Staff 97 w/ Countervail This is what people mean by having a difficult racket to master, but the reward is certainly there if you are strong enough and coordinated to hit that sweet spot. However, recognizing demo programs arent always readily available, please let me know in the comments below if you have any additional follow up questions. String Mapping provides a denser string bed for excellent precision and feel. The biggest difference between the two versions is actually the butt cap, which is more comfortable on the newer version. It's super solid, not too heavy and it feels great! john added a stringing of Yonex Poly Tour Spin 1.25 16L Blue to Yonex EZONE 98 (285g) about 2 months: 1:08 Weight For the thirteenth generation of this racquet, Wilson returns to the all-black design and replaces the gloss finish at three and nine oclock on the racquets head with their velvet finish. A racquets stiffness measures how flexible the frame is and contributes to the racquets feel and power. I love it!From: Michael, 3/29/21, Comments: Great racquet with great control and feel, especially when hitting in the sweetspot. . All in all, a great racquet and I am certain if it falls within your spec range, give it a demo and you'll surely buy it. 9:29 vs. The Wilson Pro Staff has historically been an uncompromising racket aimed at serve and volley players that demand as much control and precision as possible. I thought the frame delivered excellent feel and stability for precise targeting off both wings, which translates to added confidence. Half an ounce lighter. Most racquets layer smaller sheets of graphite to form the produce their frames, which, although a perfectly acceptable approach, changes how the racquet feels and performs. inches Length: 27 inches Weight: 290g Beam Width: 23 x 23 x 23 mm String Pattern: 16 x 19 - Bio-based materials reduce environmental impact of the bumper, grommet, and end cap. Definitely been winning more with this. It's plush feeling but gives great feedback and the ball goes where you tell it to. String Pattern String Length ' ' ' ' Pro Sta RF 97 Autograph Recommended String Tension 50 - 60 lbs. Want the head-light feel and precision of our Pro Staff line in a frame that's easier to maneuver? Head Size:97 sq. The Pro Staff series of racquets no longer uses laser engraving. Holds up better against players who are big hitters. I was excited to see the new v13 line with the amazing old school eighties look, in homage to the famous tennis players, well done Wilson! On all orders over $75! The flat 21.5 millimeter beam offers predictable control for advanced players that like to create their own pace and dominate with an all court game. As you might expect from a Pro Saff, its a lively racquet that can deliver exceptional pace derived through sound technique. I would recommend this racquet to players who are looking for similar features. Wilson Pro Staff 97 V14.0 Tennis Racket Paradigm Bending optimizes bending location for precision Braid 45 construction arranges the double braided fibers at 45 degree angles for enhanced pocketing feel alongside incredible stability String Mapping provides a denser string bed for excellent precision and feel Tried the PS97 and it's pretty whippy in stock form, but about 4 grams of lead at 12 o'clock dialed in the control right where I want it while still letting me swing away and provides some extra pop. Groundstrokes have improved depth, which I figure has to come from a higher spin rate combined with swinging more freely. The feel with these is insane. At 12.0 ounces unstrung, the RF97 is designed for advanced tennis players who are used to swinging a heavier racquet. It feels like I don't even have to try. . I demoed this against a Babolat Pure Strike Tour, which I thought was a pretty good racquet, but the grip style and familiarity with Wilson racquets sealed the deal for me. This is the best Pro Staff 97 they've made. How to String a Wilson Pro Staff 97 Lite Tennis Racquet - YouTube Follow me on instagram @stringingbyspize for stringing, coaching, and playing!stringingbyspize@gmail.com for phoenix. The lively stringbed gave us easy power and loads of spin potential. So, I'm pretty dedicated to play with this new stick, I will try to give more time and attention on correcting that missing stuff, but I think the hype is too much for what this really offers. I can easily control pace from a heavy hitting opponent. The unstrung specs of the Pro Staff 97 are: 21.5 mm beam 97 sq inch head size 1619 string pattern 66 RA strung stiffness standard 27 in length 315g unstrung weight (11.1 ounces) 31 cm balance (10 pts HL) This is a shotmaker's racquet, for a player that doesn't need help from the racquet to generate power. Description. Now I tried to string this racquet with a low tension and a high string tension, I personally love the higher string tension. My raquet for life!From: Wayne, Bahamas, 12/31/21, Comments: Great racquet! I bought a couple of these v13 racquets sight unseen because the reviews cleared up any concerns I might have had. Wish I made the switch sooner.From: Ryan, 6/10/21, Comments: Racquet plays well, very similar to my 2014 Six.One. The Pro Staff 97 uses a synthetic grip and a red butt cap with rounded edges, while the RF97 uses a leather grip and a more traditional flat black butt cap. Players looking for a bit extra comfort might consider opting for a hybrid string setup, which combines a multifilament with polyester to improve the racquets comfort without sacrificing too much on the topspin front. The feel is definitely improved and feels tighter, just a little bit, than the previous version. Both are fantastic racquets. Although the slightly tightened up string bed left me wanting a bit more topspin on groundstrokes, I found it worked well for me on returns offering extra control, especially with a more compact stroke. I recommend stringing at a lower tension. Both frames are strung with Natural Gut 16 (mains - 52 lbs) and Solinco Hyper-G 17 (crosses - 50lbs). Featuring a refined, elegant design and coloring inspired by rich earth tones, the Wilson Pro Staff 97UL v14 is an even lighter version than the Pro Staff 97L v14, with the same dense string pattern that allows you to swing aggressively while maintaining pinpoint accuracy. Although their studies suggest improvements with this material, many players, including me, recognized a noticeable change in feel. Our 25,000 sq. the Wilson Pro Staff 97UL V13 Tennis Racquet offers superior precision at an arm-friendly swing weight for transitioning juniors and adults with elbow . The 97 ULS's thin beam provides players with great feedback so you are connected with every ball. It's also great on serve; easier to swing around, which helps me with hitting my spots with still plenty of power. Players intrigued by what racquet Roger Federer uses but find themselves intimidated by its higher weight and prefer a lighter weight option will want to consider this racquet, the most popular in the Pro Staff lineup. 2023 Wilson Sporting Goods All rights reserved. Similar to the 97L, the Pro Staff 97UL is an even lighter version of the full-size Pro Staff racket line, again coming with all of the new technology updates. However, beyond its weight, this racquet does not use Wilsons Braid 45 technology.