WILSON BLADE 98 16X19 CV REVIEW

Price

€

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Upsides

Easy power on groundstrokes
Access to spin
Comfort

Downsides

Power disappeared on serves

Summary

With its growing popularity, the Blade 98 16x19 CV makes a case for inclusion in the modern classic racket hall of fame. This version comes equipped with Wilson's Countervail technology, which is designed to dampen shock and reduce muscle fatigue in your arm without affecting the feel of the racket. Sure enough, comfort stood out to our playtest team. This racket felt more muted and dampened compared to previous versions, giving the racket more comfort while still providing a firm, solid feel that we've come to expect from this racket line. The open 16x19 pattern provided a nice blend of power, control and spin, all of which we could access in different amounts depending on what shots we were hitting. One potential downside of this new dampening technology was that some testers noted a "distant" or "disconnected" response from the ball as it left the strings, but all in all this is an impressive update to an already extremely popular racket.

WILSON BLADE 98 16X19 CV score
Power	82/100
Comfort	86/100
Touch/Feel	81/100
Serves	80/100
Groundstrokes	81/100
Returns	82/100
Slice	86/100
Topspin	87/100
Volleys	83/100
Overall	80/100

Overall - Score: 80/100

Groundstrokes - Score: 81 / 100

All of our testers felt the "Countervail difference" in the Blade 98 16x19 CV from the baseline, as everyone took note of the more muted, dampened feel that translated to a very comfortable and stable response. The open 16x19 string pattern offers a nice blend of power, control and spin, allowing our team to access their full array of groundstrokes. A couple testers also mentioned the heft of the frame, especially in the throat and hoop area. This translated to great stability at impact and easy depth but also made it a little difficult to maneuver at times (if you’re a player who prefers a lighter weight racket).

Volleys - Score: 83 / 100

Our team really liked the control and stability that the Blade 98 16x19 CV offered around the net. The racket held up extremely well against hard hitting opponents in most part because of the weight towards the hoop of the frame. The open 16x19 string pattern provided a forgiving sweetspot and plenty of spin potential, giving our testers the ability to knife their volleys and get them moving through the court nicely. The muted and dampened feel from the Countervail technology was apparent - some of the testers enjoyed the softer feel while others thought that it left them a bit too distant from the ball as it left the strings.

Serves - Score: 80 / 100

Control was there and spin was easy to access when serving with the Blade 98 16x19 CV, but all our testers found there to be a noticeable lack of power for when they really wanted to "go big. " Our testers were very effective mixing up their pace and spin to keep their opponents off-balance on the return of serve. However, they had trouble generating lots of pace when going for bigger first serves. The high swingweight of our test racket may have been the cause, making it a little difficult to get the racket moving quickly over our heads.

Serve Returns - Score: 82 / 100

Our testers really liked the Blade 98 16x19 CV for returning serve, finding a good solid response and easy access to power and spin. The open 16x19 string pattern provided a large sweetspot and plenty of forgiveness to instill confidence in our testers when they took a bigger swing. The heft of the racket made it very solid at impact, holding up to big first serves well and making it easy to punch back defensive returns deep in the court.

Likes:

Jason: "The soft, cushioned feel. Loved hitting slices with it. "

Andy: "Nice blend of power, control and spin. Good stability and comfort as well. "

Michelle: "I loved drilling and hitting big shots off the ground with this racket. Super fun to just bash balls all day long. This update feels more muted and stiffer to me, which is what I like -- this is my favourite Blade that I've ever hit with. "

Hannah: "This racket really suited my style of play. In a point setting I could capitalize on my opponent’s power, shorten up my swing and move the ball around the court on my terms. "

Dislikes:

Jason: "The swingweight was higher than I’m used to. Struggled with power on serve. "

Andy: "The feel was a bit too muted and dampened for my liking. It also wasn’t all that manoeuvrable. "

Michelle: "Didn't like how I could not key into my high speeds on my serve and I felt I lost control when taking big swings with my return. "

Hannah: "I found myself over hitting at first with this racket, as it’s very powerful from the baseline. However, that power didn’t translate to the serve. "

Comparing it to other rackets they've used, our testers said:

Jason: "Not only does this feel like a softer version of the previous Blade 98, but also less powered. Has power level and swing-ability (if thats a word) that reminds me of Pro Staff rackets. "

Andy: "Compared to previous versions, I thought this update provided a bit more power and stability. And for whatever reason, I preferred the 16x19 in this line over the 18x20, which was not the case previously. The feel is more muted and dampened than past Blades as well - if you’re looking for comfort this is a good thing, but if you’re looking for ‘responsiveness’ it’s not. "

Michelle: "For me, this racket played different to the previous version and was more solid, more stable, a bit stiffer and more powerful. Compared to my RF97, this Blade just doesn't have that heavy power and built in control. "

Hannah: "I felt that this racket really complemented my game style compared to some recent rackets we have tested. Compared to the Blade 18x20, the 16x19 felt a little less head heavy, with the weight centred near the throat rather than towards the end of the hoop. In this sense I liked the 18x20 better. However, the open string pattern gives access to massive amounts of spin and with a slight adjustment period I felt comfortable and confident. "

Playtester Profiles:

Andy: Open level all court player with a semi-western forehand grip and a two handed backhand. Andy currently using a Yonex EZONE DR 98.

Hannah: Open level player with a semi-western forehand and two-handed backhand. She currently plays with the Babolat Pure Aero.

Jason: 4.0 baseliner with a semi-western forehand and two-handed backhand. Currently using a Yonex EZONE Ai 100.

Michelle: Open level baseline player with a semi-western forehand and a two handed backhand. She currently plays with the Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph.

Review date: October 2016. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us: information.en@tenniswarehouse-europe.com.