With the 2021 Blade 104 v8 Wilson adds another chapter to the most powerful and forgiving Blade. Like previous generations, this powerful Blade doesn't come with any deal-breaking tradeoffs in the control department. With its 671 square cm head, the Blade 104 not only gives you the benefit of a more forgiving and stable hitting area, it also comes with an extended 69,8” length, making it dangerous on serves. For 2021 Wilson keeps the revolutionary layup technology that was originally used in the Blade v7 under the name FeelFlex. It’s now called FortyFive and, in addition to increasing stability, it helps the racquet bend in ways that compliment the modern game. For this update, Wilson also introduces Direct Connect Technology which fuses the butt cap directly to the carbon fiber portion of the handle for added stability. Additional updates include Wilson’s new Chameleon Paint which activates subtle color changes under different viewing angles and light conditions. Ultimately, this racquet delivers the advantages of a forgiving head size while also proving enough control for more experienced players. It's also surprisingly fast for an extended length racquet, which is a nice bonus.