Wilson Blade 98 18/20 CV tested!

Tested racket:
Brand: Wilson
Model: Blade 98 18/20 CV
Leaf size: 98 sq/inch
Weight: 304 grams
Balance: 32.5 cm
Stringing pattern: 18/20
Length: 27 inches
RA: 65
Stringing: Diadem Solstice Power 17 at 22/21 kg

Tester:
Name: Mike
Playing strength: 4/4
Type of player: more classic player, flat groundstrokes, generates little spin. Had shoulder problems until recently
Player's racket history: Head Ti Fire, Babolat Pure Drive, Prince EXO3 Rebel Team, Wilson Steam 100 BLX2, Head Graphene Radical MP and the Prince Textreme Warrior 107 .

Innovations and technology:
There are a few innovations in this racket for 2017. First of all, this new Wilson Blade 98 18/20 CV feels different in the hand, not to mention how the racket hits. The racket is matte black and has a slightly more 'grippy' structure his predecessor which simply had a smooth top layer. This gives the racket a very chic look and feel. The bright green color accents at 3 and 9 o'clock in the head give the racket the well-known Blade appearance. On all performance rackets, Wilson will make the characteristic colors of that racket line visible on the blade at 3 and 9 o'clock. The 'laser-engraved' Blade logo on the side of the frame completes it completely. As far as the looks of the racket.

The Wilson Blade 98 18/20 CV comes from the first racket family with Countervail technology. Next year this material will also be used in the new Burn series. Countervail is a material that originated in the aerospace industry. Bianchi has recently also successfully used the material in racing bicycles. The addition of a layer of Countervail in the frame construction ensures less shock load on the body, making the body fatigue less quickly. This without making concessions to (in this case) the performance such as stability, control and power of a tennis racket.

Baseline:
The Wilson Blade 98 18/20 CV plays like a charm from the baseline, just like its predecessors. The racket is incredibly solid, more solid than you would expect from a 304 gram racket. You can parry hard balls with control (and feeling!). In addition, the racket itself also has enough 'punch' to make a big impact. What I personally like about this racket is that if you let the racket do the work and therefore play well with technique, you always maintain control over the ball. This happens when you accelerate considerably, but also when your opponent does this.

One of my other favorite rackets at the moment is the Babolat Pure Strike 16/19 2017 . This racket works with similar specifications (98 sq/inch head, 305 grams, 32.0 balance), only with a 16/19 stringing pattern. This racket offers more spin from the baseline and has slightly more power due to the slightly wider frame construction in the head, as well as the slightly higher RA value (stiffness) of 67. This new Blade 98 18/20 CV offers a little more control and touch.

The spin potential is okay. However, with my relatively flat shots I could use a little bit of extra spin from the frame. In that respect, the 16/19 version of this racket would suit my game better. This compact 18/20 stringing pattern provides extra control. And the string eaters among us will certainly appreciate the extra durability of this stringing pattern.

Service:
The Wilson Blade 98 18/20 CV differs considerably from my current Prince Textreme Warrior 107. I chose the latter mainly for extra comfort for my shoulder when serving. When serving you clearly notice that the new Blade is a real control racket. I can definitely get away with that when hitting from the baseline, but less so when serving. I clearly had to do a little more to speed up my services. This makes it noticeable that the racket is a little stiffer on my shoulder. So this has more to do with myself than with the new Blade 98 18/20 CV. The vibration damping is perfectly fine, but it took me too much effort to get speed in my service. In terms of serving, the Babolat Pure Strike 16/19 2017 offers some extra free power.

Slice services from the right to the outside went very well. The kick serves also took me a little more effort. So you do need the necessary muscles to get this racket around!

Just:
In one word: delicious! The racket felt wonderfully solid on the net. I was able to put the volleys where I wanted and there is definitely enough touch in this racket for stop volleys. I did not expect this good performance at the net itself, given the 'middle' balance point of 32.5 cm on this racket.

Power/control:
For a control-oriented frame, the Wilson Blade 98 18/20 CV has a nice 'punch' from the baseline. You can absolutely deliver powerful hits with this racket. But the great thing about this racket is that you always have the feeling and control over the ball. So you won't overheat quickly with this racket. This makes it an ideal tool for the big hitters! As mentioned earlier, the ball feeling is also excellent. Perhaps the addition of the more cushioning Countervail material provides the extra touch. In any case, it is certainly in this racket.

Comfort/arm-friendliness:
Compared to the previous BLX versions of this racket, this new Wilson Blade 98 18/20 CV certainly has more comfort. The racket feels slightly more cushioning. I personally like that very much, although I know that some players swear by more direct feedback from the racket, so that they always know where they are hitting the ball in their head. Once again this worked great for me. Serving remains a point of attention for me, given my sensitive shoulder. This does not alter the fact that this racket has certainly improved in terms of comfort.

General impression:
A great update! The Wilson Blade 98 18/20 CV is a wonderful racket full of control with a sharp edge. It also offers more than sufficient striking power from the baseline. In addition, I find the touch and feel of this racket (apart from the sleek looks) to be a relief to play with. As far as I'm concerned, this racket, together with the Babolat Pure Strike 16/19 2017, is a contender for racket of the year!

The Wilson Blade 98 18/20 CV is now available in our webshop! The Wilson Blade 98 18/20 2015 version is now available extra cheaply.