The Wilson Blade 98 18/20 has been the most successful model in the Blade line for years. For 2017, Wilson is introducing several innovations, including the introduction of Countervail technology, derived from the aerospace industry. This material reduces shock loading on the body without compromising stability, control, or power. This makes the Blade 98 18/20 CV ideal for players who need to generate a lot of speed themselves through full swings.
Brand: Wilson
Model: Blade 98 18/20 CV
Head size: 98 sq/inch
Weight: 304 gr
Balance: 32.5 cm
String pattern: 18/20
Length: 27 inch
RA: 65
The look and feel of this new edition has also changed. The matte black frame with a more grippy surface looks very chic, while the bright green accents at 3 and 9 o'clock provide the recognizable Blade look. The 'laser-engraved' Blade logos complete the design.
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. What is Countervail and what does it do? Countervail is a material that originally comes from the aerospace industry. Bianchi has also recently successfully applied the material in racing bikes. The addition of a layer of Countervail in the frame construction reduces shock loading on the body, allowing the body to tire less quickly. This without compromising (in this case) the performance as well as the stability, control, and power of a tennis racket. How does the Wilson Blade 98 18/20 CV play? The Wilson Blade 98 18/20 CV is as you are used to from the Blade 18/20 low-powered. The racket offers a lot of control for players who put the speed in the ball themselves through a big, full swing. This version with an 18/20 string pattern offers the most ball-string contact, for optimal ball control and placement, and is therefore the most control-oriented of all Blade rackets. The only exception is the 'old' Blade 93. However, this is not being carried over for 2017 for now.
The bare (static) weight of the racket at 304 grams unstrung (approximately 320 grams strung) in combination with the almost even balance of 32.5 cm gives this racket a firm 'swingweight' (or swingweight) of almost 330 grams. Although the racket feels light in the hand, it offers quite a bit of mass when hitting the ball from the baseline. This gives the racket a lot of body from the baseline for heavy, full strokes, while still maintaining ball control! The racket has become slightly stiffer (RA 65) compared to its predecessor (RA 64). It is only 1 point on the RA scale, but in terms of feel, this 'new' Blade 98 18/20 gives just a little more (free) acceleration from the baseline. The new Countervail material ensures that the new Wilson Blade 98 18/20 CV feels slightly more dampening compared to its predecessors. In terms of comfort, the racket has certainly improved. Some players who appreciate the direct feedback of a racket may need to get used to the new feel of the Blade. These are sounds we have also heard from players who have tested the new Head Graphene Touch Speed series. These frames also feel a bit more 'dampening'.
Across the whole court, the Wilson Blade 98 18/20 CV performs excellently. At the net, the racket also feels nice and solid; when serving, there is enough mass behind the ball to generate good speed. The 18/20 string pattern has slightly less spin potential than the 16/19 version of this racket. However, string-breakers will swear by this clearly more durable and more control-oriented 18/20 string pattern. All in all, a very tight update of the Wilson Blade 98 18/20! Next week we will start our own playtest of this Wilson Blade 98 18/20 CV. You will find it very soon here on mijnracket.nl! The Wilson Blade 98 18/20 CV is now available in our webshop! The Wilson Blade 98 18/20 2015 version is now available at an extra discount.
