Federer’s racquet was already excellent, but it just got better. Keeping almost the same specs as the original Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph, this new version has experienced a cosmetic change to all black (Federer always likes to use black in his racquets, as well as red and white which are the colours of the Swiss national flag).
The racquet has a matte finish that reminds us of the original prototype that Federer introduced back in 2014. It is still hefty but a tad more maneuverable than before. It is a control-oriented racquet designed for advanced players and built with control in mind.
It is not an extremely powerful racquet compared to other models on the market, and it requires early preparation and anticipation for good results, as it is one of the heaviest sticks around.
Federer strings his racquets with a string tension between 24 and 27 Kg depending on the surface and conditions, but bear in mind that power is not an issue for him, as he has very fluid strokes, and also that he uses natural gut on the mains.
The Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph is a must for experienced players who play the classic game and seek precision, control and comfort to take their games to a new level, just as the Swiss Maestro did.
Racquet Specifications
| Length | 69 cm (standard) |
| Head Size | 97 sq in |
| Weight (strung) | 357 g |
| Balance Point (strung) | 31 cm / 9 points HL |
| Stiffness | 68 RA |
| Beam | 21.5 cm Straight Beam |
| String Pattern | 16 x 19 |
Playtest
Once you find the right string tension, the Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph is very easy to play and executes perfectly the shots that you have in mind.
The heft and stiffness of the racquet offer precision, spin and sufficient power to your groundstrokes to follow the speed of the modern game of tennis.
You can also dictate play with accurate winners provided you have the right technique to play with a racquet this heavy. Anyway, the head light balance makes it easy to swing if you’ve got good preparation.
Returns is one of the aspects where this racquet really excels, as the stability and precision of the racquet give you confidence to be aggressive on the returns, to take time off your opponents as Roger does so well.
Serves are solid and accurate if you have a good serving motion. The racquet is also a joy to play slices and volleys, of course.
Comfort and feel are superb for a stiff racquet using kevlar, one would be tempted to say that this is a flexible racquet
In sum, a comfortable control-oriented racquet that will reward experienced classic players with good technique.
Performance
| Power: |  (8.0 / 10) |
| Control: |  (9.0 / 10) |
| Maneuverability: |  (7.0 / 10) |
| Comfort/Feel: | (9.0 / 10) |
| Groundstrokes: | (9.0 / 10) |
| Serves: | (9.0 / 10) |
| Returns: | (9.0 / 10) |
| Volleys: | (9.0 / 10) |