Wilson Blade 98 18x20 v10 Racquet Review

When trading blows from the baseline, our team was quick to notice an uptick in power from this Blade 98 18x20 v10. Thankfully, though, that classic Blade feel and control are still present, and our playtesters could go after their shots with increased intensity and confidence. Mark enjoyed his baseline experience, and he felt comfortable making the most out of his counterpunching game with the Blade 98 18x20 v10. He explained, "Hitting groundstrokes was an absolute blast with the Blade 98 18x20 v10. I did feel this update produced more stiffness-based power than prior editions, and there was more power than the comfy 61 RA would indicate, which I liked a lot. My cross court forehand was probably my best shot overall, but the inside-out cross court and down-the-line forehands were almost as reliable and effective. My backhands were not traveling quite as fast, but they were equally effective in terms of placement and depth. Stability and directional control from the backcourt were never an issue, and as always, Wilson's 18x20 pattern delivered the same connected feel to my groundstrokes, along with a tight rotation on the ball for both slice and topspin."

The Blade 98 18x20 v10 provided Munish with increased pace production without compromising control. He said, "The v9 was my racquet of choice for a decent amount of time, so I started playing with the v9 alongside the v10 when I first got on the playtest. I could tell that there is an increase in power overall. It was not a whole lot, but there were certain points where I felt like I had more finishing power with the v10. This update also felt a bit crisper and just overall cleaner, and I really liked that feel. Otherwise, this racquet still played like a good ol' Blade: maximum control, but this time with a bit more power. It's a solid move from Wilson considering where the game's come to now."

Chris found the Blade line's signature touch and connection to the ball from the Blade 98 18x20 v10 and better power on most of his shots. He said, "Comfortable, controlled and precise is how I would describe the response of the Blade 98 18x20 v10 from the baseline. I felt very much in control of my shots with this racquet. I found the power level to be more helpful, with easier access to pace and depth compared to previous 18x20 Blades. The added power helped me hit a more aggressive shot when on my front foot and defend better when I was pushed back. I loved driving my slice backhand with this racquet because I found excellent accuracy, a healthy amount of spin and just enough power. Flattening out an inside-out forehand felt great. I was able to hit that shot with lots of pace and still find a high level of control."

Despite wanting a bit more net clearance from the denser 18x20 string pattern, Troy found this Blade 98 v10 to perform exceptionally well. He described, "I have hit with just about every generation of the Blade 98 18x20 over the years, and hitting with this racquet reminded how much I enjoy the line's control. I was also loving the plush, yet responsive, feel of this racquet on contact. Other than the feel and the glossy paint (both of which I like), one of the standout features was how maneuverable it was for me. At 305 grams (unstrung) and sub-330 on the swingweight, I really felt like I could crank up the racquet head speed with ease. I felt like I could carve up my slice and drop shot very well, hence the name Blade. With that said, there were a few times when I was hoping for a little more lift on the ball; the 18x20 pattern gave me a very linear trajectory on my groundstrokes. I could generate topspin, but sometimes the launch angle was a little low, and I was clipping the top of the net more frequently."

Thanks to the Blade 98 18x20 v10's great feel and reliability at net, our testers could volley with confidence. Troy was able to volley with precision and confidence. He said, "The Blade 98 18x20 v10 is precise, clean and plush, with lots of feel. It has a pocketing feel to it but is also predictable. I had great precision when placing my volleys, which was something I could appreciate both in singles and in doubles. Like I mentioned before, this racquet felt very maneuverable, so that helped me during quick exchanges at the net. I didn't notice any issues in terms of stability, but I would probably beef this racquet up a bit, mostly in the handle, just to give me a bit more mass behind the ball when playing against big hitters."

Chris found this racquet to be conducive to his crafty net game. He explained, "The Blade 98 18x20 v10 was a good fit for my game at net, and it offered a very comfortable response. I had no issue punching volleys away, and I found a very controllable level of power. I liked the spin I could get on the ball when cutting under volleys, and I also found excellent depth control on flat volleys. There was a ton of touch on offer from this racquet, so I had fun carving angles and hitting drop volleys. The level of stability was good, and I found I could relax, let the racquet do the work and focus on placing the ball."

Mark had a great time at net, where he used the racquet's increased power to end points with authority. He said, "Hitting volleys was yet another part of the playtest where I felt connected and in command of my shots with the Wilson Blade 98 18x20 v10. The weight and balance leaned toward feeling hefty, but this racquet was just maneuverable enough for me to hit topspin volleys on my forehand side while rarely feeling like I was late for a volley overall. I could also detect that same slight increase in manageable power that I felt from the baseline."

The feel of the Blade 98 18x20 v10 at net worked well for how Munish likes to volley and proved particularly nasty on any shots with backspin. He said, "The crisper and cleaner feel was quite apparent on volleys. I wasn't hitting super penetrating volleys with the Blade, but that's something I haven't been able to do ever. The Blade shone the most for me on drop volleys and angled shots, and I felt like I could get the ball anywhere from the net. I was particularly surprised by my ability to add immense backspin to my volleys when given the opportunity. The ball would die instantly, whereas with other frames it would sit up just a bit, and my opponents could run it down if they were fast enough."

Our playtesters found precision and pace when they were serving with the Blade 98 18x20 v10, and they could go after tiny targets or blast heavier flat serves. Munish was delighted by the increased power he found with the Blade 98 18x20 v10, and he was able to reliably set himself up for success when serving. He said, "I loved the extra bit of power. It paired really well with my flat serves, and placement is always easy whenever I'm playing with a Blade. My kick serves did take a hit in terms of spin due to the denser string pattern, but because my placement was good, I was still able to hit effective second serves. Even though I wasn't getting many free points, I was still able to keep the rallies short and in my favor. Serving with the 18x20 made me curious about the 16x19 in terms of how the extra string movement would complement my placement."

While Mark wasn't topping out when it came to pace, he did find the Blade 98 18x20 v10 to be reliable for his serving style, namely varying his spots and trying to hit wider angles off the court. He said, "The Blade 98 18x20 v10 complemented precisely what I have been trying to improve on with my serve, which is hitting better first serves down the middle, toward the T on both courts and out wide on the ad side. As usual for me, there was a bit of a drop-off in power and spin on my second serves, but the accuracy and pace were enough to get me into points on my own terms. All in all, the Blade 98 18x20 v10 was a great stick to serve with in terms of it being obedient to most any style of delivery."

The Blade 98 18x20 v10 provided Chris good pace and spin when serving, but he was especially pleased with his ability to hit his targets. He explained, "I was happy with the pace and spin I was able to generate on my serves with the Blade 98 18x20 v10, but what impressed me the most was the directional control. I was able to place my serves very well. As the test went on, I became more and more confident going for the corners of the service box."

Likewise, Troy found excellent precision and was thoroughly impressed by the Blade 98 18x20 v10's maneuverability. He noted, "The two things that stood out to me were the maneuverability and the precision. I felt like it was easy for me to get 'wristy' with this Blade 98 18x20 v10, so pronating and snapping my wrist to get power on my serve was easy. I was able to place the ball easily when going for my spots, hitting my targets and keeping my opponents guessing. My flat first serves were very precise, but I was lacking some of the power and reach that I get from my extended-length racquet of choice. In terms of spin serves, I was getting great placement on my spin serves, but I was lacking just a bit of bite on the ball and net clearance compared to the Blade 98 16x19 v10."

When returning serves with the Blade 98 18x20 v10, our team noticed the racquet's impressive ability to absorb pace and ability to hit through the ball off either wing. Troy felt extra grateful for the racquet's excellent feel on returns. He described, "I loved the feel of this Blade 98 18x20 v10 overall, but I especially appreciated it on returns. When I was facing a big server, the plush feel and comfort helped me feel confident attacking the ball or blocking the ball back without any harshness on my arms or wrists. The 18x20 pattern let me swing hard on my returns, and I felt like I had plenty of control and wasn't spraying the ball very often. There were a few times when I noticed the lower launch angle, and I clipped the net on the returns. This is where I maybe favored the 16x19 version of the Blade 98 v10 a bit because it helped me get more lift on my returns and clear the net more easily. Other than that, I just think a little added mass would help me to get easier plow through and depth on my returns."

The Blade 98 18x20 v10 offers reliable precision and stability, which helped Mark swing through his returns with confidence. He said, "The Blade 98 18x20 v10 felt solid on return of serve in terms of overall stability and so was the response off the stringbed, even when ball contact was a bit off center. I typically play the ad side during doubles, and my return of serve was pretty solid from that side, especially when it came to returning serves that were aimed high to my backhand. However, my best return with the Blade 98 18x20 v10 was my topspin cross-court forehand on the deuce side."

With the Blade 18x20 v10 in his hands, Munish was able to lean into his more aggressive style of returning while mixing in some good variety too. He explained, "I felt like I was a bit more aggressive and crafty on returns. I was hitting lots of slices and drop shots, and they were landing exactly where I wanted. I rarely was taking control of the point from the get-go, but I was able to put myself in a better position even when facing bigger servers. Second serves were easier to attack. I felt confident swinging big because I knew the ball would land in due to the control and low-powered nature of the racquet. I had no stability issues, which wasn't the case when I was playing with my v9, but I didn't notice this until much later into the playtest."

Chris returned with confidence both offensively and defensively. He said, "I liked the blend of comfort and precision the Blade 98 18x20 v10 offered on returns, and I felt confident going after my shots when given the chance. On defensive returns I could guide the ball well to my target and get myself into the point. I loved the response on slice backhand returns, as the racquet offered excellent depth and directional control."