Comments: Im a 4.0 male, short 57 year old lefty with two handed backhand, play mostly from baseline and hits with a lot of topspin, had been away from the game for 15 years until last year. I took this out for a demo with two other racquets (the Clash 100 Tour and Babolat Pure Drive VS) and in all honesty did not think i would like it. Wow was I wrong (bought it the next day), absolutely love this racquet. My groundstrokes have plenty of power and spin allowing me to be more aggessive then ever. The control is very good making it easy to hit sharp angles and surprisingly when I do go to the net I find it easy to manuever and hit sharp clean volleys. Being 5'6 my serve was never a weapon but I am able to get some free points with this racquet. I guess the longer frame may not be for everybody but for me the Blade SW104 is a great choice.
From: Jay, 8/18/19

Comments: If you're looking for a powerful racquet which gives you a huge sweetspot and a long reach, this is your racquet. I am a 5.0 player with a one handed backhand whom has played all his life with the Roger Federer stick, first the 90 and now the RF 97. I have loved the RF 97 but I've become slower and my energy is not the same, so the weight has become an issue after several hours of play. That being said I was looking for a lighter racquet with a bigger sweetspot and this racquet doesn't disappoint. This racquet is powerful from every corner of the court. Control is good even with the extra power. I strong mine at 56 lbs to get a better feel of the racquet but once I get used to the power I will lower tension. The only negative I have to say is that because this is a longer racquet it is taking me a little bit of time to get used to hitting one handed backhands. Overall I am pretty happy with this racquet and highly recommend it. String: All Poly Bed (Yonex Poly Pro Tour 120) Tension: 56 lbs
From: Jaime, 3/14/19

Comments: 4.5M all court, short guy, switched from a 98 square inch head size, I was looking specifically to counter heavy ball hitters. I demoed 10 or so racquets, then tried extended length and fell in love with the SW104 for 1. two handed backhand 2. serve. I struggled with forehand control, but after tightening to 62-64 lbs I think I've tamed it. Volleys require strict technique, I've never been a precision volleyer. but I do come in often behind a big forehand when I get a chance. Works okay for dubs, but again I'm not a precision volleyer.
From: D, 3/8/19

Comments: I have really enjoyed the racquet. With respect to performance, it delivers everything as promised. The one problem is the durability of the frame. With normal use, both my wife's racquet and mine fractured at about fifteen months of use. I had a similar problem a couple of years ago with the first one I bought.
From: Anonymous, 2/12/18

Comments: I wanna add some comments based on my previous ones. That is, don't play with a one handed backhand with this racquet! I usually play with a two handed backhand but I know how to play with a one handed backhand. I got tennis elbow when I played with a one hand backhand with this racquet for the first time, only 3 hours. I think the problem is that the leverage is too long. I never had elbow or wrist problems before. It is really painful that I cannot play tennis now.
From: Alonzo, 12/29/18

Comments: Great racquet that does everything well and just feels right in my hand. It is a very stable racquet that has a lot of power, but also some good control due to the tighter string pattern. The length and weight does not bother me at all and I find that my two handed backhand is better because of it. This is the best serving racquet that I have played with, with great power and placement! I play doubles all the time and find that this one does great at the net with volleys and overheads. Highly recommend this stick!
From: Barry, 12/24/18

Comments: This is maybe the best racquet for player with good technique and good strength. Its length and swingweight require fast strokes and strong muscles compared to my previous racquet, the Pure Drive Plus. Pros: a little bit more power, much more control, much more stability, much more arm and wrist friendly. Cons: a little less topspin, need to prepare early (not a problem at baseline but more challenging on volleys) I am a big hitter from China who just learned tennis for 3 months ago, currently 3.0. I am previously a 4.5 badminton player, so I have the power to wield this racquet.
From: Alonzo, 11/20/18

Comments: I love this racquet. I'm 65 year old 4.5 player who has played with Prince extended frame racquets for the last 15 years, which is why I tried this racquet. The first thing I noticed was that the dense string pattern allowed me to place the ball pretty much anywhere on the court that I wanted. At my age, placement is far more important than power! However, it is a power stick, but not so powerful that you can't keep it inside the lines and the spin is just perfect. Good depth on my topspin, the best backhand slice I have ever had, and now I can even hit a squash forehand, a shot I couldn't master! I've never had a problem with a heavier swing weight so this was easy to adjust to and for me the 28" length only offers advantages. However, I've let several of my tennis buddies use the racquet and most find it somewhat difficult to hit with, so even though I love it, I would suggest you give it a few days of demo before you decide if it works for you. I string it with Luxilon Feel at 48 pounds.
From: Bruce, 11/3/18

Comments: Was surprised at how stable this racquet is given the weight. The larger head and length makes it swing a lot heavier and adds plowthrough on groundstrokes. The larger head also seems to make the racquet feel less obviously 28 inches long. That said, I still feel it is sluggish, and feel the extra length the most on volleys and half volleys. I really have to focus on keeping the racquet up in front of me when playing doubles. Nice cushioned response although not a particular flexible frame. Good control as well for an oversized frame. I much prefer this to the Blade 16x19 CV (felt very clumsy and too dampened) or the Blade 104 (too light, got pushed around). The extra inch does make a difference on serves, more power. I am Open level player and was a nationally ranked junior back in the day. I am 35 years old.
From: Wayne, 10/8/18

Comments: Former Div 1 college player, played satellites and challenger events back in the day. Now in my mid-40s playing recreationally including open level doubles. Previously played extended length frames like PDT+ (not great control with the open string pattern and very stiff feel), DR98+ (not enough inherent stability and power, felt like it needed to be weighted up which messes up the balance).Hit with a friend's frame and was pleasantly surprised by how substantial it felt to swing-I had not expected this level of stability and power. The length takes getting use to, particularly on the little shots although it isn't a difficult racquet to get around as it is light at 305g. Otherwise great for plain vanilla groundstrokes and volleys. The length is most noticeable on serves and reach on volleys. Good control probably because of the tight string pattern.
From: Wenn, 9/27/18

Comments: I have come to like this racquet quite a bit. I had previously used the Babolat Pure Aero Tour as well as the Blade 18x20. I switched from the Babolat because I thought it may have contributed to my tennis elbow, and the Blade 18x20 was comfortable, but lacked power compared to the Pure Aero Tour as well as this racquet. The extra inch does provide more plow through than it otherwise would for such a light racquet. I have zero issues playing against big hitters. I personally like to hit the ball with a lot of pace, which is easy to do. I had worries about going to a 104 square inch head, but those worries were unfounded. The 18X19 pattern is on the tighter side, so strings last reasonably long, and the control is there for such a big head. Also, some of the play testers complained about the maneuverability. An inch longer head does create more swing weight, but the at only 305g unstrung, this isn't a hard racquet to maneuver. I have let a counter-punching friend use the racquet, and this definitely helped him with pace. He typically has good control, but gets beaten by bigger hitters, especially on faster courts. Using the SW104 CV helped him close the gap against some of those players. In short, I would recommend this racquet for those who want to play with power.
From:Ray, 7/24/18

Comments: I have been using this racquet for 3 months now and ready to give some feedback. My previous racquet is the RF97. I will try to do some comparison which may be useful for somebody. You need few play days to adjust to its longer size but once you are got the feel its awesome. It is less powerful than the Fed stick but it is on power side. It is easier to accelerate than RF97. It is very forgiving for miss hits. But best is despite of its head size it has very good control and good maneuverability. I have no issue with creating spin shots when I need this and keep bounce higher than a shoulders line. The RF97 feels great but with this Blade I just do less mistakes. As result I am winning more! Biggest issue with RF97 is if you play on slow surface with somebody who is playing spin heavy game or has good movement and makes you run and play long rallies you will be in trouble unless you are superior athlete. This Blade will allow you to play this kind of matches easier. Overall, one of the best racquets I have ever tried. You just can't go wrong with this one. Tested it vs. the Pure Aero, Pure Drive, DR98. Will definitely stay with Blade SW this year. May be will switch back to RF racquet in future -- both frames are so good! I'm a 4.5-5 player.
From:Alex, 4/26/18

Comments: Various coaches had been telling me for quite a while to get a heavier racquet, finally demoed a few different Wilsons and the SW104 It blew me away. Bought one 2 days before my demo was over because I could not be without it! On groundstrokes -- much more control and depth on my groundies, huge upgrade on my backhand. I am basically a power player who looks to transition to net. Loved how it handles my bh slice and both fh and bh slice drives; really nice. On volleys, I believe the racquet assists in baseline/midcourt game, it will take some more work at the net as I work on some of the touch shots. Did not find it too difficult to work with at net and in fact reflex volleys were very good -- drop volleys, touch volleys need some adjusting. With serves, I have always been a big server, but as a middle aged woman, I really wanted to see my old serve from my 20s. Figured that was long gone. Well, no, with this racquet it is back. Great extra power, good directional control -- feels really good. The feel is definitely not as harsh as my old Wilson Juice. I have it strung with Sensation at 55 lbs to start, may experiment later. It is going to take some work to really "feel" my strokes as it is more muted than I am used to. As far as comfort, I had been playing with a light racquet (BLX Juice 100) and would have arm and shoulder fatigue after a match day, particularly days with 2 matches. Played 2 hard matches yesterday: arm feels great, much better than usual. Overall, this is definitely a racquet for people with decent technical strokes, in the world of ladies' rec tennis I would recommend this stick to any of the athletic, decently strong women out there 3.5 level or higher.
From:Ann, 4/8/18

Comments: The good: this thing is a serving beast; I've been serving terribly lately and inexplicably I was hitting fast heavy serves with this thing. Have not seen anything like it since many years ago when I tried a PD+ and was able to serve near-bombs. Volleys are stable and solid if perhaps a bit difficult at times to control. The not so good: Balance and swingweight do make it a handful from the baseline. Also the feel was a bit harsh and less comfortable than I had expected. I'd be very interested in having this racquet cut down to 27 inches or perhaps 27.25 inches to resolve some of those balance and control issues.
From:Mike, 2/25/18

Comments: I picked up this racket being a flat-shot baseliner fan of Serena Williams, I had the ordinary version (289g) many times before, but this racket is completely different: I've noticed that it is not for me. From my point of view a strong technique is needed, otherwise the racket will fight with your arm, 71 cm long will be an enemy, difficult to control and difficult to manoeuver. I had a special feeling on my backhand (because is 71 cm long and the handle is longer) and on serve. Overall it's not a racket for everyone, a real weapon Blade SW becomes if you posses a proper technique.
From:Mihai, 1/15/18

Comments: I'm a USTA 4.5 player and tried this strung with Technifiber X-One Biphase 58 lbs -- has used two other Blade racquets. I thought that Wilson designs all Blade series with the same HL but I was wrong and that was not true. This racquet feels too head heavy for me. My serve is improved, but maneuverability leaves something to be desired. I will probably need a full month to play with it to get used to and even then not sure if I can play doubles with it.
From:Virgil, 9/28/17

Comments: Pretty awesome racquet. I was expecting to not be able to use it because of the extra length and large head size but I was dead wrong. My regular racquet is the Blade 18x20 CV which I have grown to like. This racquet had much more power and stability compared to that one. I have gotten used to the muted plush feel of the CV18x20, and this racquet, while more muted than some others, is much more lively. My experience differs from the play testers aim the volley area. I found the stability to be so good that my volleys were much better with this racquet. Serves were really good but I can't say I picked up 10 mph. Groundstrokes from the baseline are very fun, but short balls are a bit tougher. I will need more time to dial those in and may it may be the only thing that holds me back from a permanent switch. In terms of swing weight, it is on the high side, but it is definitely easier to swing than the RF97.
From:Ron, 8/21/17

Comments: Amazing racquet! Like all the other non-believers, I too had my doubts about SW104. But the racquet's head lightness has made it very manueverable while giving solid feel due to its weight. Once you get use to the length and the impact timing, there is nothing that can stop you. As JS said below, don't change a thing. I think Wilson should advertise this racquet more broadly. I don't think they realize how good they made this one.
From:David, 7/27/17

Comments: I have never been able to play with extended racquets, until this one! I demo'ed it then proceeded to buy 2 of them. The racquet is somewhat heavy, but not as drastic as some of the TW playtesters claimed. This racquet has added 5-7 mph to my serve and has also added pace and spin to my groundstrokes. Its a little "beefy" around the net but nothing too drastic. I am an aging 4.5 player with proper strokes. I think this racquet has allowed me to compete with the younger 4.5s again. Love it!
From:Bob, 7/18/17

Comments: I'm a USPTA pro and think if you're a 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, or better then this racquet will improve your game. String it with Solinco Hyper G 17 gauge at 50 lbs. It does everything a racquet should. Disregard the nonsense about being heavy and unwieldy. This is the best racquet on the market. Bravo to Wilson for making a great frame. Don't change a thing!
From:JS, 6/23/17

Comments: I own all of the racquets from the Blade line. I usually play with the spin effect and the 16x19 which is slightly heavier. I also used the 18x20 for about a year. So, the 104 SW. The biggest issue I have with this is control. Its very unpredictable. Hitting the sweetspot is easy due to the 104 but it can sail. Swinging this from the baseline is quite fun. You need to prepare early. My hitting partner was playing with the Federer autograph stick and we swapped. It was easier swinging that, than this. The only thing I could do effectively was volley. Serves didn't work for me and will probably take more time to master. I also developed a little shoulder and wrist issue after use. In all, I cant recommend this, its just too club like and lacks the finesse of its predecessors. Its a one dimensional tool power tool. Fun for a bit but not a real Blade in my opinion.
From:Jon, 6/20/17

Comments: Best racquet I have ever used, and I've basically owned everything. I am a USTA 4.5 rated player. This frame is just extra in every way. Gives you extra pop. I feel I can crush the ball. The SW104 has as much pop as any frame I have hit with. Think Burn/APD/PD type of power. Typically the problem with that feeling (and my problem with those powerful frames) is that the ball is flying towards the back fence with that amount of power. With the SW104, I am hitting with more pop, but also just as much control as my PS90s and Blade 93s. With this level of control, you really get the sense of a point and shoot frame. The feel is amazing. Reminds me of my old school oversizes POGOS and Pro One OS. The ball just sinks in, and you can redirect with pace to whatever spot you want. What I love about this frame is that the static weight being mid 11oz and the swing weight being ~340, you get the best of both worlds. It kinda takes the fast feeling of a light frame and puts it in a package that can stand up to any type of pace and weight of shot. I'm partial to extended frames, but this one is much easier to use than my POGLB. I typically enjoy more open string patterns, but this one for whatever reason satisfies those needs. It might be a combination of the larger headsize and the slightly tighter pattern. It just works for what you need. If you need to spin the ball, the frame can do it. If you need to flatten out, the control kicks in. Everything is top shelf with this frame. I haven't felt this invincible on court since I borrowed my friend's H22. You can just swing, and trust the ball is going to go where you want with as much pace as you feel like injecting into the shot. After owning, buying, trying, demoing, selling just about every frame, I feel like I can finally rest assured that I don't need to worry about what frame(s) I bring to court. I'm stringing the frame between 52 and 55 lbs with Luxilon Element. I think the Element is a great fit since it has such a soft feel. The ball just sinks in even farther for a nice deep ball pocket.
From:Mark, 6/11/17

Comments: Absolutely the best tennis racquet I have ever played with. Powerful, but excellent control. Very easy on the arm and wrist, and gives incredible feel. I have used longer racquets for the past 10 years, so I was immediately comfortable with this one. You get a nice flex feel on powerful shots, just like the old wood racquets. I use RPM Blast 16 guage at 50 lbs, and am a nationally ranked 60 and over player with a 4.5 rating. An excellent choice for senior players with the larger head size and good maneuverability. I would say similar power to the Babolat line (Pure Drive and Aero Pro) but way easier on the arm/wrist.
From:Carl, 2/24/17

Comments: This racquet feels like the wooden sticks I used in the 70s plus some modern juice. I probably wouldn't use this if I were a young stud playing tournaments all the time but for an old fart like myself, it's a blast. Probably only a stud like Serena could use this under game conditions.
From:Ken, 2/19/17

Comments: I played two round of doubles with this frame. I found that the swing weight is not as bad as the TW reviews. Great on groundies, keeps the ball deep around the baseline with 60% effort. Still need to find the right speed for winners, as they tend to fly deep. The weight mainly effects the serve and the volley. I frequently was missing routine volleys due to lag. Overall, I am happy with this frame, but it's hard to leave the PD Tour +. The Darkside has unlimited power. I'm a 4.0-4.5 USTA player.
From:Ezekiel, 2/13/17

Comments: All I can say is to give this a demo. I thought when I ordered the demo it would be a fun demo and then to send back with no reason to consider it. Boy was I wrong. I'm a 5.0 singles and doubles player and literally every shot hit was better than any other racquet I tried. Better than the Pure Strike and Pure Aero. Shots are easier to control, and hit with great depth and spin. Serves and overheads made so much easier. Must have gained 10-15 mph on the serve. Volleys were controllable and you don't notice the added length unless reaching for balls. Swing weight is on the heavier side so if you're not used to it don't buy it.
From:David, 2/17