That’s spearheaded by the Wilson Blade 98 (used by Milos Raonic) and the Wilson Blade SW104 autograph countervail, used by tennis queen, Serena Williams.In fact, this range is so successful it is the most popular racquet range in the tennis industry.In general, the Blade range is centred around spin and feel but being a modern racquet, offers plenty of power as well.They’re also easy on the arm and provide a good range for all levels of tennis players.The seven current Blade’s vary in head size, string pattern, weight and length.So, if you like the feel of the Blades, try a few more as you might find one that’s even better than the previous or one more suited to your game.The most striking difference of the Wilson Blade 104 is that it’s 27.5 inch.You’re probably thinking, why is this the most striking aspect of the racket?It’s only half an inch longer than a standard racquet?Well, the answer is, there really aren’t too many commercially popular extended length racquets, especially ones that are user friendly.Extended length racquets are all the rage in the hidden geeky world of tennis.If you’ve scrolled through discussions on reddit and or tennis forums, you could be quite easily fooled into thinking that having an extended length racquet is the difference between winning the over 35 men’s doubles down the local club and winning your first ATP match.When we come back down to reality, an extended length racquet is going to give you more leverage.This could give you a better trajectory on the serve, slightly more power on groundstrokes through increased range and a better wingspan at the net.However, as with everything, extended length racquets have their downfalls; the increased length makes it harder for manufacturers to balance weight effectively.A little head light and you lose all power, a little head heavy and you’re breaking your arm on each shot.The Wilson Blade 104 is a racquet that does not compromise the Blade family’s renowned touch and feel for its additional length.It is slightly head light which is to be expected given the slightly enhanced length and it boasts a swing weight of 318 which is plenty heavy enough to get some decent power.When it comes to the look, this Blade showcases the same simplified, sleek black look with green bands that sit at the centre of the racket.I’m a big fan of this look but if I compare it to the Wilson Blade 104 2015 look, I am a little disappointed.The string pattern of 18x19 and frame stay the same as previous generations but there have been some additional technological enhancements.The first is the Wilson countervail technology, which I am personally a huge fan of.The countervail tech is a carbon layer inside the frame which dampens the vibrations your arm feels through the racket on impact without affecting the control the racquet gives you.It also maximises your power potential whilst reducing fatigue and increasing your muscle recovery time.It also features parallel drilling which further dampens the response of the racquet on impact and helps to increase the sweet spot of the racquet, something I always feel is a slight negative on Wilson racquets.Lastly, the racquet includes a braided basalt material which is strong but stretchy.This increase the racquets flexibility allowing the ball to stay longer on the strings at point of contact which increases the amount of control you have and increases your string potential.We’ve covered a lot of technical jargon so far so let’s get into how it felt!A couple of weeks ago I tried the Wilson 98 16x19 racquet, which is slightly heavier, and I struggled to get topspin, especially on my forehand.I was able to get over the ball quite well, but I didn’t feel as comfortable as I did with the Blade 98.The head light aspect of the racquet makes it really easy to swing, but for all the hype around the extra length and the power it can generate, I was left a little short of what I’m used to.I do use a Babolat Pure Aero Tour, so power is in abundance normally.But despite that, I was still a little disappointed.Although the power didn’t meet my expectations when I was really swinging, it was surprisingly easy to generate power off a low swing speed.This made me think this racquet would be ideal for a club player looking for an all-round racquet or a tennis coach who has to hit balls all day.The muted aspect the new Blades give you as a result of the countervail technology could still be felt but not quite as much as on the Wilson Blade 98.Some people don’t like this feel and I can completely understand why; at first it really does feel quite different to what you’re probably used to. This racket blends its unique specs with this new technology for an effective mix of lightweight power and connected-to-the-ball feel that allows players to hit with aggression and confidence.
A couple of weeks ago I tried the Wilson 98 16x19 racquet, which is slightly heavier, and I struggled to get topspin, especially on my forehand.