Breakdown

Comfort: 8.8

Right out of the box, the Wilson Intrigue Pros provide a high level of comfort with plenty of cushioning underfoot. Our playtesters did find that these shoes ran long and had a wider fit than average, so they all tested shoes a half size smaller than they normally wear. Brittany said, "I loved the Tour version, and I was so excited to try these shoes that I immediately put them on and ran to the court to start playing. There was absolutely no break-in period thanks to the soft, flexible uppers and plush cushioning throughout the shoes. However, after a couple of hours and several retyings of the laces, I realized the Intrigue Pros were too long and too wide for my feet. I ended up sizing a half size down to get a better fit. The width was still on the wider side, and the toe box was very roomy. The mesh uppers allowed enough air flow to keep my feet cool even during summertime, and the arch support hit in the perfect place."

Having feet on the wider end of the spectrum, Tiffani was happy with the Intrigue Pro's width. She said, "These Intrigue Pros are the second shoes I've tested in Wilson's women-specific Intrigue tennis shoe line. The top-tier Intrigue Tours felt great underfoot for me, but they were too narrow in the toe box for my wide feet. When I slipped on these Intrigue Pros I immediately noticed that they fit wider. Once I stood up, I could also tell that these shoes were too long. I tried on a half size down and found a perfect length fit, so I tested a size 5.5 rather than my usual 6. I really loved the soft feel underfoot, and I felt comfortable whether I was on the court or standing around. The uppers also felt nice and didn't pinch me anywhere. The ventilation was average to slightly above average, and I never had any arch pain. So other than the fit being a little bit long, I have no complaints in this section."

Although she found the Intrigue Pros very comfortable, Zsofi struggled with the width. She explained, "Having recently tested the Wilson Intrigue Tours, I was looking forward to comparing them to these Intrigue Pros. One of the highlight features of the Tours was comfort, and honestly it wasn't any different with the Intrigue Pros! The Intrigue Pros felt super plush and soft underfoot, and I would say they are probably some of the most comfortable shoes out there today. I didn't really need any break-in time at all, but I did run into an issue when it came to sizing. My typical size 9 felt a bit too long and wide, so I decided to go down to an 8.5. That did help some, but unfortunately, my feet were still swimming in the shoes when it came to the width."

"These new Wilson Intrigue Pros weren’t my favorite shoes that I have tested in the last couple of months," Ana said. "Even though the Intrigue Pros were quite comfortable right from the start, I thought they lacked support and stability, which are the most important aspects I look for in shoes. The uppers were too open and soft for my liking. I went for half a size smaller than my regular size, but I still felt like the toe box was too big, and my feet did not feel secure enough to move in them. These shoes are quite comfortable, and there was no break-in time needed before I played in them, but there was an adjustment period needed for me to tweak my movement due to the lack of support. The shoes are great for coaching since I am usually standing for long periods of time."

Foot Support / Stability: 6.4

While some court shoes prioritize a lighter weight, this often comes at the expense of stability and support. With their engineered mesh uppers, the Wilson Intrigue Pros fall into this category. Tiffani described, "I first used my pair of Intrigue Pros for doubles games and some padel, which is always played as doubles. In both of those outings I didn't notice any issues with support or stability. However, when I went to play a bit more aggressively and did some singles drilling, I really started to notice that the shoes weren't holding my feet well. The uppers were just too soft to support my feet when I moved laterally, and I ended up sliding side to side inside these shoes. I didn't have any issues with front and back movements, though, and I didn't experience any toe jamming. I also thought the ankle stability was OK, but it was hard to feel confident when I needed to be more aggressive with my movement."

The flexibility of the uppers required Brittany to put extra thought into her movement on court. She said, "Looking at the rest of the components of these Intrigue Pros, I had some doubts about their support and stability. Unfortunately, I was correct, and I really struggled with both aspects. Because of the softer uppers, wide toe box and lack of additional eyelets, the Intrigue Pros didn't provide a locked-in feel. My feet were moving around within the shoes pretty aggressively. I would say it was most noticeable on side-to-side movements, with my feet sliding up the lateral side of the shoes. I felt like my feet had to work harder, and I was thinking about them more than I should during point play."

Ana also had trouble finding a locked-in fit. She noted, "I was a little disappointed with the support and stability. In my opinion, these Intrigue Pros lacked support, and I struggled to move around the court aggressively. I don't believe these shoes were made for high-performance play, unlike the Intrigue Tours. I wish Wilson had designed the midfoot support area better, because my feet felt like they were moving around too much even after sizing down."

Due to the lack of support, Zsofi had to adjust her style of play to work with the Intrigue Pros. She explained, "This is where I had a big issue during this playtest. Unfortunately, the uppers never really held my feet tightly. It seems like they weren’t supportive enough, and the textile material did not keep my feet in place during movement. I felt like the lateral side of my foot was basically 'overflowing' on the sides of the shoe, and I never really felt confident moving around, which caused me to have to totally change my game."

Overall Sole Durability: 8.3

The Duralast outsoles on the Wilson Intrigue Pros showed very minimal wear for our playtest team. However, because of issues with the fit and support, the shoes did not get put through the same paces that they normally would. Ana was pleased with the outsole's resilience. She said, "The durability of the Intrigue Pros seems solid. The soles showed no wear after playing and coaching in them for several hours. Not only that, but the shoes were still very comfortable after being in them for hours."

After playing in them over a period of days, Zsofi saw only minor cosmetic scuffing on her Intrigue Pros. She explained, "I didn't see much wear on the shoes at all, but I don't think I moved as aggressively as I normally do because of the lack of support. However, I still wore them a good number of hours, and I didn't see any significant abrasion."

These Intrigue Pros held up well throughout the playtest for Tiffani. She said, "After a couple of singles sessions in these shoes, I opted to keep them for lighter hits and fun dingles games. I probably have about 15 hours on my pair of Intrigue Pros, and I have the slightest wear in the forefoot. These shoes are going to hold up for my needs just fine. I intend to keep these in my closet for light hits and the gym."

Brittany split her playtest time between two sizes, so she couldn't fully put the durability to the test. She described, "I tested the Intrigue Pros mostly on an indoor gritty hard court, as well as a couple of times outside. I playtested them a total of 10-plus hours, but that was divided between the two different sizes. I’m not seeing any premature wear, and the uppers and toe bumpers also seem well protected."

Traction: 7.8

Designed with a wavy outsole pattern, the Wilson Intrigue Pros have plenty of traction for all court surfaces. The level of traction worked well for Tiffani's game. She said, "For the most part, I didn't have any issues with the traction, and I felt sure of foot and smooth with my transitions. There were just a couple of instances when the outsoles gripped a bit more than I expected and I felt caught up on the court. Still, those were more outliers than the norm, so I'm happy enough in the traction department."

"I didn't have to think about the traction over the course of the review," Brittany added. "And that was a good thing! It also meant that the shoes were doing what I expected them to do: gripping when I was stopping and then giving a little as I pushed off. Overall, I felt like they leaned a tad on the sticky side of the spectrum. There were just a couple of times, specifically when I was moving forward, when I stuck more than I expected, lost a little balance and didn't smoothly transition into position."

The Intrigue Pro's tread felt pretty grippy to Ana, which exacerbated the stability problems. She explained, "The traction was very impressive, although maybe a little too sticky for my liking. The main issue with the traction was that it made me need more stability, which the shoes lacked."

The pairing of aggressive grip and minimal stability created issues for Zsofi as well. She said, "Traction was definitely on the stickier side. When you combine that sticky feeling with an upper that doesn't really lock you in, the sensation of instability becomes exaggerated. Sometimes I had the feeling that I was stuck in certain shots, and my feet moved so much that I was really scared taking my next steps. I do wish the shoes had a bit more give."

Weight: 8.6

Wilson did a good job keeping the Intrigue Pros lightweight even with all of the plush cushioning. In fact, the weight of these shoes really impressed Brittany. She said, "Another highlight of the playtest was the lightweight feel. The Intrigue Pro is just a little lighter than the Tour version, and I felt light and quick moving around the court. There was also a nice heel-to-toe transition, allowing me to move smoothly. However, I would prefer a little more weight if that meant I would get more support and stability. Overall, the weight was great for teaching, casual practice and doubles."

The speedy feel of these Intrigue Pros was also a high point for Tiffani. She said, "I never felt bothered or weighed down in the Intrigue Pros. The cushioning felt soft, but I still felt like I could get going to the next ball without any problems. I have no complaints in the weight department!"

Zsofi felt quick on her feet during this playtest. She described, "They were very speedy! I just wish the uppers were better constructed to be more supportive."

For Ana, the lightweight feel added to the overall comfort of these Intrigue Pros. She said, "I thought the Intrigue Pros were very light. The light weight also made the shoes feel a bit more comfortable."

Breakdown Summary