Spotlight On: Wilson's Blade Rackets
Everything you need to know about the bright green, #1 racket on tour.
If you’ve watched professional tennis in the last few years, you might have noticed a lot of players swinging green tennis rackets. Is green a popular color all of a sudden, or are they using the same frames? Most of those bright green rackets you’ve observed are the Wilson Blade, and it is, in fact, the number one racket on tour. Turns out pro players love more about this racket than just the color!
ABOUT BLADE
The first Wilson Blade racket was actually orange! It was then known as the “K Blade”, launched in 2008, and was an immediate hit with professional players. In fact, both Australian Open men’s finalists that year (Novak Djokovic and Jo-Wilfred Tsonga) played with the K Blade. 12 years, 7 versions, and 2 color changes later, the Wilson Blade racket franchise, now easily recognized by its signature green, has become a go-to for advanced tennis players. Go to any professional tournament or college match, and you’re sure to see a ton of them.]
So what makes the Wilson Blade such a great racket for competitive players? It’s all about feel. The combination of flexibility and stability found in Blade is designed to give competitive players a more connected-to-the-ball feel. These players rely on feeling the vibration of the ball on their string bed in order to feel more confident playing their aggressive game style. Blade’s smaller headsize (98 sq. in) and thin beam (20.6mm) allow these players to feel more in-tune control over every shot; something that’s very important in high-pressure situations.
Learn more about the innovative technology found in Blade v7.
WHO SHOULD USE BLADE?
While the smaller headsize (98 sq. in) Blade models are designed for high-level players, there are variations of the Blade franchise designed for players of all competitive levels. Here’s a look at all of our Blade racket models and what type of player would benefit most from each one.
BLADE 98 (16x19)
The more popular of the two 98 sq. in Blade racket models, Blade 98 (16x19) is designed for college- and tour-level players looking for a control frame with good pop off the strings. The more open string bed found in the 16x19 is designed to generate more power and spin than the 18x20.
BLADE 98 (18x20)
Featuring all the same specs as the Blade 98 (16x19) except the open string bed, the Blade 98 (18x20) has a denser string bed to provide even more control for competitive players. We’d recommend this frame for advanced players who play with a lot of pace.
BLADE 100L
The Blade 100L is a brand new model launched as part of the v7 line. We’ve designed this 100 sq. in model for players looking for a bit more power out of the Blade franchise.
BLADE 104
After the 98-sq. inch models, the Blade 104 is the next most popular in the Blade franchise. Lauded among women playing in competitive leagues, the Blade 104 is a lighter version of Serena Williams’ playing racket and designed to provide a unique mix of power and control.
BLADE SW104 AUTOGRAPH
The Blade SW104 Autograph was the model of Serena’s playing racket for the last three years; a racket whose specs were used to win her 2017 Australian Open Singles title. However, Serena started the 2020 season playtesting a new version of Blade…more to come there!
Questions on Blade? Direct message us on our Instagram Channel @wilsontennis and we’ll get back to you asap!
DID YOU KNOW?
Serena Williams won the 2007 Australian Open Women’s Singles Title with a prototype version of the original Blade. She went on to win 16 of her 23 grand slam singles titles with Blade. All totaled, Blade has been used to win 36 total grand slam titles since launching in 2008.
