If you’re looking for alternatives to Wilson Pro Staff 97, this article will definitely be helpful.
It is world-known that the Wilson Pro Staff 97 is one of the greatest tennis racquets throughout history. It is a superb choice for more experienced intermediate players as well as advanced players. If offers an insane amount of touch/feel, incredible control and precision and great power.
However, the only downside is its small sweet spot which might result in a noticeable decrease in power once you hit the ball outside the sweet spot.
The legendary Wilson Pro Staff 97 can prove to be quite challenging for a lot of players, thus resulting in some players looking for Pro Staff 97 alternatives.
Why would you look for Wilson Pro Staff Alternative?
1. Wilson Pro Staff 97 is too challenging for you
The Wilson Pro Staff 97 is a famous old-school racquet, with a status of a classic. For quite a few people it is a heavy racquet with a pretty small sweet spot and no excess power.
Due to its small sweet spot you are able to generate a lot of power on your shots with immaculate feel under the condition that your contact is on point. However, if your contact with the ball is not ideal, you will feel a decrease in the power of your shot. This fact could lead players away from the Pro Staff 97 and make them look for its alternatives.
Another requirement for ideal handling of the Wilson Pro Staff 97 is that you are physically capable and strong enough to wield it. This is due its standard version being 315g, whilst the RF97 version being 340g heavy.
The aforementioned points lead to players finding other alternatives for the Wilson Pro Staff 97.
2. You cannot buy Wilson Pro Staff 97 in your country
The legend Roger Federer is one of the most famous tennis players that endorses the Wilson Pro Staff 97. Due to this fact, the Pro Staff might not be just a racquet for some people, but rather a highly desired collectable item due to its legacy.
This could lead to a shortage of stock of the Wilson Pro Staff in some countries resulting in the need for people to look for other Pro Staff 97 alternatives.
7 Wilson Pro Staff Alternatives
1. Babolat Pure Strike (16×19)
The Babolat Pure Strike is a control-oriented racquet from Babolat with a great touch. The Pure Strike 16×19 by Babolat is the best of both worlds in a way. If offers decent speed and power of the Babolat Pure Aero, whilst also maintaining a similar level of control and precision when compared to the Wilson Pro Staff 97.
It is a great all-round racquet. It offers a 16×19 string pattern, a 98 sq. in. head size and a weight of 323 g. From the baseline, it provides the player with enough power to control the game and to put balls away with decent precision. On the net, it offers quite swift handling with a solid touch and stability.
When compared to the Wilson Pro Staff 97 is offers a little more power and swifter shots, but less precision and control.
In conclusion, the Babolat Pure Strike 16×19 is a great alternative for the Wilson Pro Staff 97 for players looking for a lighter racquet that the Wilson Pro Staff 97RF with fairly similar stats.
2. Tecnifibre TF40 315 (16×19)
The Tecnifibre TF40 315 is the heaviest racquet that Tecnifibre offer. It comes with a 16×19 string pattern, 98 sq. in. head size and a weight of 332 g.
Despite being the heaviest of its kind, the 16×19 string pattern makes this racquet very spin-friendly. Paired with the string pattern, the speedy swing weight of the TF40 315 makes this racquet a great option for players looking for swift and powerful shots.
The Tecnifibre TF40 315 is a great racquet for baseline players by providing precise and spin-friendly shots as well as a lot of raw power coming from its weight.
In comparison with the Wilson Pro Staff 97, it provides the player with a larger sweet spot resulting in a more forgiving racquet, as well as a lower swing weight which makes it a little more maneuverable.
To conclude on the Tecnifibre TF40 315, it is a very good racquet with a lot of power and raw speed for players looking for a Pro Staff 97 alternative. Additionally, if the TF40 315 is too heavy, there is also a lighter version in the form of Tecnifibre TF40 305.
3. Head Radical MP
Head Radical MP is an all-round great racquet for intermediate and advanced players as well. This racquet by Head, is specialized in great touch and easiness of preforming your shots.
The Head Radical MP comes at a weight of 318g, 16×19 string pattern as well as a 98 sq. in. head size. When compared with the Wilson Pro Staff 97, it is a little lighter which results in a speedy racquet with enough power to add pace to your shots. Alongside this, the maneuverability and control is also a very decent level, making it suitable for a large number of players.
Another comparison with the Wilson Pro Staff 97, is that the Head Radical MP has a significantly larger sweet spot that makes it an over-all easier to use racquet, thus it is known as a “people’s racquet” as almost everyone can utilize it.
4. Solinco Whiteout 305
The Solinco Whiteout 305 is a racquet that if you’re using it, you’re guaranteed to turn a few heads.
It offers a 98 sq. in. head size, 16×19 string pattern and a strung weight of 323 g. The main focus of this particular racquet is easiness upon your shots as well as raw power.
It is quite a swift racquet with a lower swing weight, making it a great racquet for intermediate and advanced players looking for a racquet that is more player-friendly than the Wilson Pro Staff 97. However, it is nowhere near the level of control and precision that the Wilson Pro Staff 97 offers.
In conclusion, the Solinco Whiteout 305 is a good alternative for players that like the Pro Staff 97, but are unable to utilize it to its full potential.
5. Prince ATS Textreme Tour 98
The Prince ATS Textreme Tour 98 is a solid alternative for the Wilson Pro Staff 97. This racquet provides the player with a 16×19 string pattern, 98 sq. in. head size paired with a weight of 323 g.
When compared head to head with the legendary Wilson Pro Staff 97, the Prince ATS Textreme Tour 98 is a racquet that is much easier to swing and maneuver, but it lacks the control, precision and the famous touch of the Wilson Pro Staff 97.
All in all, if the Wilson Pro Staff 97 is too challenging for you, the Prince ATS Textreme Tour 98 should be a completely sufficient alternative until your game reaches the level required to use the Pro Staff 97 to its full potential.
6. Wilson Blade 98
Wilson Blade is one of the most famous racquet series alongside Wilson Pro Staff. The Blade 98 specifically, offers a 98 sq. in. head size, comes in both 16×19 and 18×20 string patterns and a strung weight of 320 g.
The Wilson Blade 98 is a better option when compared to the Wilson Pro Staff 97, if you prefer to play from the baseline while waiting for your chance and don’t like to play aggressively. It produces incredibly quick shots that have a terrific balance of power, control, and feel.
When directly compared with the Wilson Pro Staff 97, the Wilson Blade 98 is superior in the neutral and defense aspect of the game. It better suits players of a defensive play style that are looking for a racquet with incredible control, great touch and a lot of plow through on your shots.
All of the abovementioned facts make the Wilson Blade 98 a great alternative for the Wilson Pro Staff 97, with the deciding factor being your preferred play style.
7. Yonex Ezone 98 and Yonex VCore 97 Pro
The Yonex EZONE 98 and Yonex VCore 97 Pro are both amazing racquets made by the Japanese company.
The Yonex EZONE 98 is a control-oriented, spin-friendly racquet that offers the player lots of raw power.
On the other hand, the Yonex VCore 97 Pro provides the player with the best of all worlds, meaning a great blend of control, power and a large focus on comfort.
When comparing these two racquets from Yonex with the Wilson Pro Staff 97, both are easier to maneuver with a lower swing weight making them more player-friendly. However, the Wilson Pro Staff 97 beats both of them in the precision and touch area.
Wrap Up
In my opinion, the Wilson Pro Staff 97 is such a unique racquet with a perfect blend of “ingredients” that a racquet is supposed to have which makes it very hard to compare to any other racquet. However, it is very challenging to utilize its entire potential. This is why all of the abovementioned alternatives are extremely viable options for players looking for that Pro Staff experience.
Nevertheless, which ever choice you make you will not make a mistake because all of these racquets are great in their own way. A friendly word of advice would be to play test the racquets and decide which one suits you the best.
