Updated with a more stable feel for 2024
Introducing the Blade 98 16x19 v9! With this update, Wilson tweaks the frame's bending properties to deliver a slightly more stable and powerful response. But make no mistake, this racquet still packs the pinpoint precision and outstanding feel that has attracted generations of players to the Blade formula. In addition to its classic 21mm box beam and 16x19 string pattern, the Blade 98 16x19 features a sub-330 swingweight, giving it impressive speed while still delivering the needed heft to absorb and redirect the pace of big hitters. Like its predecessor, this update incorporates Direct Connect Technology, fusing the butt cap directly to the carbon fiber handle for increased stability. It also retains Wilson's FortyFive layup technology, which increases lateral flexibility to complement the explosive vertical mechanics of the modern game (think spin). New for 2024 is StableFeel technology, which introduces a slightly firmer layup for greater stability and easier access to power. Experienced ball strikers will appreciate the new Clip & Go grommet system, which not only locks down the bumper but also makes for easier grommet replacement. Ultimately, with this update, Wilson keeps a good thing going. Intermediate and advanced players looking for controllable power and outstanding feel will love this one.
Specifications
| Head Size: 98 in² / 632.26 cm² | ||||
| Length: 27in / 68.58cm | ||||
| Strung Weight: 11.4oz / 323g | ||||
| Balance: 13in / 33.02cm / 4 pts HL | ||||
| Swingweight: 324 | ||||
| Stiffness: 62 | ||||
| Beam Width: 21mm / 21mm / 21mm | ||||
| Composition: Basalt/Braided Graphite | ||||
| Power Level: Low | ||||
| Stroke Style: Medium-Full | ||||
| Swing Speed: Medium-Fast | ||||
| Racquet Colors: Green | ||||
| Grip Type: Wilson Pro Performance | ||||
String Pattern:
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| String Tension: 50-60 pounds |
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Customer Reviews
Love new Wilson Blade 98, 16x19, v9As a long-time user of Yonex VCORE Pro 97 330g, I tried several new frames, and was surprised how much I enjoyed the relatively light Wilson Blade 98, v9. It feels very solid, even on slightly off-center hits, and strikes the perfect balance between power and control. No wonder it’s one of the leading frames on the WTA Tour.
LocalFrom demo to purchase to reselling my old racquet the folks at TW felt like dealing with people at a great neighborhood store.
Buyers remorse, great racquet thoughThe Blade 98 is a great racquet, but I think the Ezone 98 was just better and I regret buying the Blade for the $50 dollars off. Great racquet though, but after the frame is used a lot I'm definitely switching to a Yonex.
Blade v9Racquet is great and as expected from information provided by the site and testers. Just as impressive is the service and professionalism of the folks at Tennis Warehouse. Received the racquet earlier than expected and the choice of strings was extensive and fairly priced. Trade-in worked perfectly. Thanks.
Best all around racket with SUPERB feel!I’d like to start off with saying I’m a 4.0/4.5 player for reference. I’ve been stuck on my Wilson Blade V7 for years until I demoed early 2024, and I chose the 2024 HEAD Speed MP. It’s a great overall stick, and I actually loved it as they updated it with a 330 swingweight and Auxetic 2.0. Unfortunately it gave me elbow pain and was missing that soft feel that the Blade provides. So I went with this V9 Blade strung up with my go to Luxilon 4G string. It was the perfect combo for my V7 Blade as it gave great control, pop, power, and feel. But for some reason on this V9, some of my balls would sail out; I actually almost gave up on this new Blade. Until… I tested out a new string I’ve never tried before… Solinco Tour Bite. Man oh man, what a game changer! With this new set up I can hit however I want from a short angle to a deep hard flat ball; confident swings! Slices and volleys pop off effortlessly; just guide the ball where you want. You can hit a hard first serve accurately and feel exactly where it's going with great pop. Overheads sound thunderous! If you like to play aggressive and come to net, or like to take big flat swings I highly recommend this stick. It’s explosive, has great pocketing, and a soft/plush feel! 10/10
The BestThe best control racquet on the market, bar none. The way they’ve advanced the stabilization tech to create a stable racquet while maintaining the low (i.e., user-friendly) swingweight and easy on the arm soft feel is remarkable. If you need the plow of something like a Blade Pro or a TFight you can still add lead at 12:00, but it really isn’t necessary for most players below 5.0. It is low powered, so beware of stiff polys like 4G or Tour Bite. Best suited for a gut-poly hybrid or a more powerful poly like Yonex PTP or Mach 10 at sub-50 tension.
Old reliable - more powerThis update to the blade is just spectacular. I really miss my blade V7, the V8 was a disappointment with a very high launch angle. The V9 just comes in and does everything well. Maneuverability, serve, power, spin confidence. I may switch out the base grip for something else, either leather or one of the head Hydrasorb grips. You cannot go wrong with this racquet. 4.0 player 60 years old
Perfect "dense" 16x19 like a soft 18x20One of the best control racquets without feeling hard or boardy. Have a look, the string pattern of the 16x19 is concentrated in the centre and feels less like a traditional open pattern, (which is usually spread to the edges of the hoop) and similar to an 18x20. Just a touch more softness and power with great feeling and control. Absolutely perfect!!!
Love itI love Tennis Warehouse and their racquets. Accuracy with this one. The Yonex Ezone I forgot to mention is accuracy and power
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Great option for winning pointsThis has to be one of the most refined and balanced (I.e., good at everything, but spikes at nothing) racquets out there. It has great feel and exceptional control. It’s a great all-court stick. It is for folks with more developed strokes. Club chuckers will want something a little more powerful. It’s not quite as fun to use as the Blade v9 Pro, which has added weight and swingweight. However, for non-pros, this Blade is a gem. I’m no longer fast or fit enough to play multiple sets with the Pro spec. I’ll win more points with the regular Blade.
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The Best Racquet on the MarketI've played with the Blade for about two years now, and just bought the v9 last month. (For reference, I play with Luxilon ALU Power Rough 1.25 strings strung at 55-57, and a Head leather grip with the Yonex Super Grap overgrip) It's really such a good racquet and it tweaked all of my minor problems with the v8. For example, the first time I hit with it, my balls were all going deep because of the extra power, and I've felt like I can generate easier spin with the v9. The leather grip adds to the feel and connective-ness I have with the ball, and I've seen a lot of people recommend one with both the v8 and v9. It also adds more weight in the handle, giving it more stability, which complements the already great control the racquet offers. And I haven't even mentioned the look of it. The emerald green just looks so stunning, even more so than the green-brown gradient on the v8.
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My racquet of choiceThis racquet is solid, demoed several racquets and landed on this one. Compared to the Babolat Pure Strike, Yonex VCore 98, Tecnifibre TFight ISO, Babolat Pure Aero, etc. I liked the feel of this on ground strokes. Admittedly doesn't pack a ton of punch on a serve, but I don't need that power, which I can generate my own pace. The racquet is probably more skilled than I am at a 3.0/3.5 player, it's not the most forgiving in terms of errors. Some do prefer the 100 square inch size. Control and stability is good, I paired it with natural gut. Second choice would have been the Pure Strike, but the Pure Aero (which people love) didn't suit my style which is not heavy spin. Definitely try this one out.
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An update long time in the makingI recently ordered 3 demos from TW; Yonex EZONE, Head Speed Pro and Wilson Blade v9. I'm an intermediate rec player who has been stuck with my 1999 model Prince Tour Graphite, and was not able to find a similar frame and feeling that I had with it. After testing the three demos, I found Wilson Blade to be the most similar to the shot response, spin and weight to the Prince, but much better in every way. I immediately ordered the v9 with 16x19 layout at 56 pounds of tension. I'm extremely happy with it, and feel at home with every shot. Highly recommended.
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Blade is back!?Played with some racquets so far, three to four months each. Pure Drive (2021), Pure Aero 100 (2023), Pure Strike 98 third gen (2020), Head Radical MP (2023), Head Speed (both 2020 and 2022), Yonex Ezone 98 and 100 (2022), Tecnifibre Tempo 298 IGA, Wilson Blade v7 and finally v8... I really liked v7 and when v8 was out I thought the Blade was going some other direction but v9 proved the BLADE is back! It is as good as v7. Compared to v7 in some areas stronger/better maybe and slightly poor/worse in some others but overall a great racquet (I use hybrid strings, mains with poly, 22 kg and the crosses multifilament at 23 kg).
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Better than expectedI have been playing with a Babolat Pure Aero frame and it was hard on my arm, and after testing a couple of frames, I couldn't be more happy with the Blade V9. I initially thought that switching from a 100 square inch head size to a 98 was going to be difficult, but after one session I was already used to it. It has a very comfortable sweet spot, with great control, great feel, a lot of spin, and despite some reviews and comments talking about it lacking power, I think it has easy access to power especially if you're a big hitter. I'm also stringing this racquet with a soft-poly string at 53 pounds full bed, with Yonex Poly-Tour Pro, and it's just amazing!!
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Granddaughter is happyGranddaughter loves this tennis racquet. Recommended by both her HS tennis coach and college coach.
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Power and control with Wilson Blade 98As a 3.0 player in the Atlanta region, I’ve found the Wilson Blade 98 16x19 to be the best racquet I’ve played with. After switching from the Babolat Pure Strike 98 16x19, which shares the same unstrung weight of 305 grams, I immediately noticed the difference. The Wilson Blade, combined with ALU Power strings, provides an incredible balance of power and control. I’m able to hit powerful shots with ease and maintain better control than I did with the Pure Strike. The green color and the quality of the materials used in the Wilson Blade are fantastic. Not only does it perform well, but it also looks great on the court.
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Solid feelI selected this Wilson Blade after trying three demos suggested by a staff member. The Blade has a solid, stable feel, which is perfect for a club player who frequently hits off-center (like me). I prefer a fairly slow swing, so natural gut at 62 pounds is perfect. Complete satisfaction!
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FireThis racquet is fire! Great feel, perfect weight, fast swing with both power and precision. I strung it with the Luxilon Alu Power 1.25 and it is perfection. Perfect amount of pop and a generous sweet spot. Added some Tourna Grip Soft Tac to the handle as well. Buy it and then buy two more!
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My go-to racquet nowRecently owned and sold the latest Speed MPs and Radicals and sold them all. The Blade 98 V9 has more control and lower launch trajectory which is what I wanted as my shots tend to be too much topspin and loopy. It’s firm enough so the ball shoots out faster. The SW is lower than 324 on the ones I measured. They have room for customization.
Pinpoint Accuracy40 year old, 4.0 player, coming from a Pure Aero 2023 strung with an RPM Blast/Poly Tour Pro hybrid. I will say this: the Blade has about as much power as a paper airplane. I have it strung with Velocity MLT and still struggle for free power. BUT. I can put the ball anywhere in the court. My serves are great. It's super solid at the net. I read another review comparing this racquet to the DR 98 (310G), my first racquet. It is not. Wayyyy less power. But better accuracy than the DR. If you need power, stay away from this puppy. But if control is your thing, I can't recommend a better racquet. I also loved the Head Extreme Tour Auxetic but not enough control. I wish the Extreme and Blade could have a baby. An Extreme Blade. Or Ex Blade. Blextreme? You decide.
Love this racquetFor what it's worth I'm a 5.0 player (~56yrs old) who took a chance and bought this racquet based on the specs. Love it. I would liken it to a slightly more powerful and stable Yonex DR 98... and the DR 98 is an amazing stick! Been looking for years and have found something that fits my game. Great all around racquet... plenty of spin on groundstrokes and serves, nice touch, good stability, plenty of power, etc... I'm using Solinco Hyper-G 16L at 54 pounds... a great set-up!
Best control and powerI currently use a Babolat Pure Strike. I was looking for alternatives with the same weight but with more power and tried the Blade v9. I'm impressed. Gives good and more power than the Pure Strike. But spin was better in the Pure Strike. Overall, I would go for the Blade v9 for control and power.
Best racquet I’ve ever triedI get a crisp feel on my volleys and groundstrokes and I also get to accelerate as much as I want without missing which is the reason I switched from the Ezone 98. I will say that I’m shanking a little more than I’m used to but that’s me not the racquet I think.
The best Blade yetHonestly, if you're looking for a control racquet there is nothing better available than the Blade. I've tried many different racquets and this v9 is just hitting the spot (literally). While the previous versions were good but always felt too soft for me, I think the new update makes the racquet feel much crisper and gives me a bit more pop with just the right amount of power. I really like the new color too. I'm pumped!
Not for meI am in the market for a change. I currently use the 2021 Yonex Vcore Pro 97 with lead tape at 3, 9 and in the grip. The new Wilson Blade 16x19 intrigued me because the swingweight is higher than the v8. The new v9 seems heavier in the head and stiffer which affected my wrist in my USTA match this past weekend. I switched back to my Yonex in the 3rd game and we ended up winning the match. I need to keep looking for a more flexible head light players racquet.