👉 My opinion evolution on Wilson RF 01 series ⚠. These rackets are exceptional. Really hard to master, but when you give them enough time - couple of hours during two/three weeks, you will absolutely love them. But you need to hit clean almost always to really fell in love with these frames. Check out my other videos about Wilson RF 01 rackets like this one: 🎬 🎾 Hitting With Wilson RF 01 300g - It's Getting Better & Better 👀 ua-cam.com/video/hn-94iHtylY/v-deo.html 🎬🎾 Wilson RF 01 Pro - Why It's Not Better Than The Lighter Versions 👀 - ua-cam.com/video/Vrrb6d5yNZM/v-deo.html 🎬 🎾 Wilson RF 01 Pro - POV Champions Tiebreak Against Zdeněk 👀 - ua-cam.com/video/r8FMK9Oej1E/v-deo.html
i tested that raquet out and it is really like nothing else on the market. extremely heavy and stiff, i cant imagine most players would be able to use or get the most out of it. i wanted to like it so bad, but there was just no way.
@@CzechTennisGuy im talking about the rf97. i havent tried the new one, but its seems theyve geared it a bit more to players who are not roger federer lol.
It's a product of too many people buying it for the RF and found it too demanding to use. Can't speak for the RF-01, but the RF-01 Pro as a 320g racquet is not heavy and it's actually very forgiving when you have the right technique. Watch the videos with Roger in it, he'd explain that he wanted more power and easier spin - The thing to remember is that this is a RF racquet, not your typical club player who just likes to hit with a western grip, whack the ball with heavy top spin and have it land in the court. Another video of him doing a blacked-out play test, he also mentioned that one of the racquets he hit with works because you can dial up the power or dial it down. It's not supposed to 'just give' free power, it's supposed to give it according to user needs The reported 'smaller sweetspot' is the result of a denser pattern around the middle of the racquet, which gives you control, so if one finds the sweetspot too small, then it's just the wrong racquet period. This is not going to be the most popular racquet, nor should it. Like another comment mentioned, most of the people playing with a ProStaff can't play properly. I always recommend a Clash or Pure Drive for beginner/improver.
This is well said. The RF was designed for a high skill level. It requires a high skill to bring out the full potential of what attributes you want emphasized in the racket and how it compliments the player's style of play. It simply is a refined frame for the refined player. I wish the pure drive had kept its tighter pattern found in the older versions to really emphasize the flatter power game. It feels like it opened up too much in later generations. An 18x20 with a 23mm flat beam with the same stiffness could play towards the more advanced power player.
I settled on the RF 01 after demoing it, the Clash 100 v2, Head Gravity tour, Babolat pure drive. Other people’s reviews seemed to be irrelevant. Racquet choice is a very individual thing. Demo several…..even some you think are “inappropriate “ for you. You may be surprised.
My customer let me hit with his RF 01 pro for a few minutes and he doesn’t use a dampener and I forgot to put 1 on. My take on it is it’s not playable for me. Ima 3.5-4.0 player and currently use a Blade 98 V9.
What's wrong with these racquets is that's it's a pure money making exercise from Wilson and Roger Federer. Supposedly this is the racquet Fed would be using if he was still playing. What a fanciful idea. But people flocked to it without knowing what they were doing. It's probably a decent player's frame, but it won't do anything magical that a vanilla Pro Staff can't do.
I agree. Not only for me but also for PS97 users this is not what Roger Federer would use on tour in my opinion. They say it's a racket he would use, but I doubt it. It's not believable. Also Roger is not seen anywhere right now. And if you don't see him, it's really hard to create a bond with this racket. It just feels weird. Pro Staff 97 users won't buy it and the new players who tried it are confused, because they expected something else. I'm yet to test the racket so it's not really about judging the frame, but the whole situation and marketing with this racket is really not my cup of tea.
These are people who never intended to keep the RF. They just wanted to play with it for a couple of weeks, knowing that they could sell it and get their money back easily, since it's a high profile release. Just an easy demo. It's called flipping or show-rooming. Lots of people do it with electronics, clothes, shoes etc.
The RF 01 300 g version is also for an advanced player like the pro version . The 300g one is a platform racquet its supposed to be customised to your specs. It needs at least 6g added to the hoop and counterbalanced to improve stability and the sweet spot.
Co-developed by Roger does not mean it will be a good racquet that suits everyone. I am sure if this racquet was named Wilson Razor or something, it will only have about 40% of the sales compared to naming it RF.
Wilson Razor is actually a cool name for a racket series ;-) I agree on that. What if the RF actually hurts these rackets. People expect Pro Staff and they get a completely new, or maybe little bit old-school racket mixed with some modern attributes.
I tested only the 300g RF 01 and is not bad, needs customization, looks great ❤ The Racket is not for beginners, maybe a lot of people buy the Racket because RF colab. And at the end they can‘t play with the stick, same thing happen in 2014 with the RF Autograph.
It's hard to compare it to any RF97 Autograph. The weights and overall specs are very different. I would expect that these rackets will play quite differently compared to RF97. But many people point out the small sweetspot, which is little bit surprising and it can discourage people from using the racket at the very beginning.
@@CzechTennisGuy the sweetspot is definitely smaler but, i put lead tape at 3/9 and it was great after. For 300g the balance point at 315mm is not ok, no mass no Sw not enough power. Its a must to custom. the racket
@@hobbyfuntennis6287 I can see that. 300 g with 315 mm is aimed for a very head light and super manooovrlable racket. Custom job with this one looks like a must for advanced players.
What I can resume, after hitting 2 hours with the pro. 1. Needs customization, 2. Feels dampend, 3. Needs more time to dial in, 4. It is not a pro staff rf v.14, 5. More power than the ps rf, 6. Sweetspot is ok. I strung it with a hybrid set up, 18 g. 1,2 mm.
it’s the best racket I have played with. Mine last was Wilson Blade V8 and V9. Those are also good but RF01 is better but more demanding. Výborná raketa💪💪
It is a great racket, just different than pro staff. People who like pro staff are buying these rackets and they find the frame not as stiff/stable as pro staff.
Just like everything else. Most people only post negative comments when something is not to their liking. The total proportion of racquets sold to negative comments made we will never know. It's a completely individual perspective.A negative review of the pro from someone with no racquet head speed and poor footwork will be different from a high level player.
I think it could also be a function of just so many people buying this racquet at once - could be a normal response, meaning there's always going to be a certain % that have buyers remorse, and in this case it's just amplified by how many are buying it. That said, I tried both (demo, thankfully) the Pro and 01, and the Pro is very unforgiving and heavy, and the 01 was good but not great. Both were very unstable on off center shots.
Well said. But still it's a big question mark. Those people who sell the racket were not happy with it and that's a bad sign. It doesn't mean that these are bad rackets, but for some reason people who were buying probably expected a differenet experience. You can blaim marketing or the RF in the name of the rackets that creates some illusion of perfection. Very tricky release from Wilson in my opinion.
I agree. It is a bit similar to the Speed Legend. Lots of Legend rackets on the used market. However, with the RF01, the dominant feedback is the too small sweetspot.
@@KiboTennis I would expect a more forgiving and easy hitting sweetspot. But as you mentioned, many people report these rackets are quite unforgiving. Can't wait to test them out and push them (and myself) into the limits.
The racket has no WOW effect. I tried it and in the first 1-2 hours I was not impressed, decided to give it more time, now I definitely switched to the RF 01 (I also own a Pro, which is super fun, but too heavy for my taste). I come from a Percept 97 and previously a Vcore 95, so this frame had no WOW! effect like the super spin of the Vcore or the precision of the Percept, but I slowly realised I was playing better in all the other aspects compared to my previous Yonexes. It has less spin potential than the Vcore and no pin-point ability like the Percept, but I ended up being way better with it at volleys while approaching the net, it's more stable on the backhand, service speed increased, etc... also I play a OHBH and the RF 01 with some extra weight in the handle + 3 and 9 o'clock lead tape, it became an amazing racket for my play style. I like to be an offensive player, I hate sitting behind the baseline and be a pendulum, so this racket was a great fit after some hours. I think the main reasons people are selling them is easy: it won't fit the majority of the current players' style and most people are not willing to customise rackets, they just want it to work out of the box.
Yeah, the wow honeymoon period is just a fake form. So this type of proper getting into the game with the racket after you take some time is the best way how to really fell in love with a tennis racket. Hard beginning, great happy ending. I also think people nowadays search for immediate "fell in love romance" but sooner or later the skeletons will come out of the cabinet. So it's always better to discover the skeletons at the beginning and to overcome those challenges and finally getting in the right zone with the racket and to really know what works and what doesn't really work. Customizing is also part of the journey but most people don't know how to do it properly because they haven't the tools. And with the fact that no two rackets are the same it's really hard to customize two rackets just by putting random lead tape on the frame.
@@CzechTennisGuy Totally agree on that. Nowadays people look for the wow effect and then focus on that trying to adapt themselves to the racket, rather trying to find the racket that better fits their playstyle. I think also I was lucky to find 2 RF 01 which were both on par in static weight and 1 point off on the swing weight, so both ended up being equal at the end after some extra lead added. I won't go back to the Percept any time soon (actually I ended up selling them), this racket is really good and now I am mostly experimenting with strings and tensions to find what works best for me, so far M8 and Toro Toro have been my favs. I really recommend trying this racket for 4-5 hours if you like to play aggressive or play a lot of doubles, it's a nice gem and great base for customisation.
It is exceptional on sliced shots, volleys, smashes. From baseline you have to swing it fast and hit the ball very early, otherwise it doesn't produce the power.
I think these actually come back to the Pro Staff 90 series with the feel. A nice comeback in my opinion for players who enjoy a very delicate hitting experience and clear response.
I played with 300 version. It’s not the feel only. Low power, low spin, very very very small forgiveness. It’s only suitable to full flat hitters. And honestly don’t like the thicker tubular mold. I am more of a box beam user ❤
You absolutely have to play relaxed to get them moving and to make the right swing. Beginners and even intermediate players tend to play with stiffer hand and that's what makes these advanced control oriented rackets unplayable. Relaxed swing is crucial for best results.
Fed & Wilson made the best 1990s Pro Kennex homage frame with this one. LOL. Plays like the PK Type. *I'm a tournament stringer with over 35yrs of experience who's strung test frames from companies for ATP & WTA players.
Good point. Definitely these rackets look like a "shot from the past" little bit. Made for veterans of the game in their 40's. Exactly like myself. So maybe I will like them after all. The problem is that most people weren't hitting the ball for the last 30 years and they think that they can speed up the learning process by buying a RF racket. Very naive.
I agree. Nothing wrong with the series, it's actually exceptional. But it takes time to get used to it. After few hours of training these rackets are absolutely fantastic. But not for everyone for sure.
I have seen and felt these rackets and their bags , in the wilson store at u.s open fan week . These rackets had the general characteristics one may attribute to luxury , without actually being luxury . There is more cosmetic quality attempted by the 2024 versions of the Dunlop CX series . They felt souless in hand and apparently to these people , when they play with it as well . Rackets cosmetics had a higher quality fit and finish in thec1980's , lasting without chipping to this day , compared to todays rackets . Graphite with a base paint and graphic overlays are made to look like patterns , textures and elegant , without being it in reality . Look at the head prestige carefully . The wilson ultra pro feels , looks and probably plays more like a high performance , classic pro racket then the rf . It certainly is cosmeticly looking the part as well.
I agree. Some of the modern rackets feel like toys from plastic. It's a weird feeling, hollow and soulless as you described perfectly. When grab the pro stock frames, it hits you differently. The biggest difference is the hitting experience itself. The pro stocks feel real, solid, full. But that's also with other products like bikes, cars etc. The quality of materials and the process of building these things has come to point were they feel like never touched by a human hand during the build process. Made by machines. Cold, soulles, machines. And the "best thing" is that the process of building got a lot cheaper, yet the products cost a lot more compared to previous years. I can't imagine that a tennis racket will cost in 15 years $500. But that can happen.
@@CzechTennisGuy look at running shoes and other products using recycled materials . These items are costing more than the non recycled ones . You are paying for the recycling process and infrastructure in every product , while profits increase with less material costs . The market will dictate the prices ! If these companies don't get what they want , then they just move to another sport like they are doing with pickel ball and padel .
@@derekpappas1556 It's not that bad with the recycled shoes. The price is actually on some shoes lower for the recycled ones, but sometimes the recycling process is obviously payed by the customers and not the companies, which is not very ethical in my opinion. The companies should protect the resources as they need them for building and making stuff. It's their business so they should cover the costs of improving the production processes and to modernize the factories.
Wilson just did a lazy job by combining Shift, Blade, Pro Staff together. There is no "real' practical tests (ATP tournament) on those new models. Simply said: "No proven" of a performance racquet. They just use Roger's name to sell it.
To me it just doesn't seem right to make a "racket for Roger Federer" who doesn't play anymore. It is like a step backwards. Instead I would expect some reinvented RF that he would use back in the days in his prime 2003-2010 but with modern technologies. It would make sense. 20-21 years anniversary from winning his 1st grandslam. I would make an ultimate RF instead of this. But hey, I didn't test the racket yet so what I'm talking about.
mannnnn, this racquet SUCKS! Federer must only gave his RF to it, not the feel. Its nothing like a prostaff, the weight is not on the handle, the head doenst have a big sweet spot, but the head feels too big, the ball flies off the raquect with low sansation and low control
I changed my mind on these rackets after playing with them more hours. They're actually very unique. Mixture of ProStaff and Blades. Very delicate feel with point and shoot sensation. Great precision and control, very smooth swing and easy power on flat shots. Spin is almost not there, but I don't care. I really like them. Actually I odered 2 RF 01 (300g) rackets for me recently. I will make a video about it for sure. Another switch and I hope this will be for a long time my last one.
I am currently selling my RF Pro because it has an extremely small sweet spot and I have a hard time getting a good hit. This is a racquet for advanced player, but he will not need the power that this racquet gives and would be looking for more control. If the 100-inch version comes out, it would be very nice to play for intermediate players. For me the feeling is a mix between shift, stiff clash and blade. The balance is very good and it doesn't feel heavy, but the small sweet spot is a problem for me and hits outside of it are painful and I even started to have a problem with my elbow.
After changing the strings and tension from alu power 1.20 25/24kg to rpm blast 1.25 23/22kg the racket feels better to me and for now I will try to get used to it instead of selling it.
Roger doesn't need any funding for sure. It is just weird to me to release a racket from "maestro" that is somehow limited in some of the attributes to suit more casual players. Instead I would release an ultimate RF97, type of a collector edition, something like that. This is more of a casual approach which kind of seems "fake" to me. But I should not critize the racket as I didn't hit with it, yet.
got the rf01, it is really low powered if you do not attack the ball. it requires low tension. fun racquet to train but tough racquet to play match with
So according to your experience would you say that this racket has a very low chance of "honeymoon effect" ? Which is actually good and means that the racket is pretty solid. I mean is it easy to play just for fun but hard to master for match play?
@@flodar1548 It's interesting to see that these rackets are that much unforgiving. I would expect Blade/Shift experience, but from what people say it's a completely different one. Maybe there is something from the Pro Staff's in these rackets after all.
@@CzechTennisGuy yes, it is understanding for the PRO, but quite surprising for the standard rf01. If you allow me to : @tennisnerd also mentioned the fact, it requires low tension. I think it was a nice way to say the racquet is demanding :)
I sent the RF Future back… too light. Will order the RF 01…. Will let you know…I’m an old flat hitter with a ohb and lots of slice. Ciao, John. Looking forward to your analysis
Yep, and its not just on tenni$nerd page its other group pages where I have seen numerous RF 01s for sale. Saw another guy today trying to re-sell it and next to no one is interested(you can tell by likes and comments usually). When people are rushing to re-sell / 'offload' something just 5 seconds after it being released it can only be a quick profit for the brand. I am glad I didnt buy into the super-hype which numerous Ytuber$ were pushing and that is what this is a marketing gimmick. Is it a coincidence this comes out with RF's self-promoting film on his last 12 days? Nope. I doubt besides the colour and logo that Roger had anything to do with this as he never would have played with anything different to what he was Its like I anticipated and even told people it wont be what they want and not to fall for marketing hype. But most are too stupid sadly. Wilson should have released a feel-power sub-line of the Blades which are POPULAR if not the best line Wilson has. They could have had 3 sub-lines with a 16x19 but bit thicker beam similar to what they were seeking to do with RF 01 line and then a line with 16x20 and one with 18x19. Expanding the Blade line to me only makes sense. As for Pro Staff 97 if they want to promote an actual Top player still competing(nearly at his best) why not bring out Grigor Dimitrov's actual racquet spec?
Good points. Grigor deserves his own signature racket and I strongly believe it would sell great. He is súnow playing his best tennis and he is a great ambassador of one handed backhand. Roger stepped away from the tennis scene and it's hard to connect this new RF 01 series with him if you don't see him playing around. It's little bit not believable or realistic. "We have made a racket "for Roger Federer" at 43 years of age but he isn't playing anymore so it's up to you whether you believe the frame or not." I showed this to my friend Zdenek I'm playing with in my videos. He loves his RF97, but recently switched to ProKennex because of his arm problems. He said he would never buy this RF 01 racket is it doesn't represent Roger Federer in his prime. All in all as you said, another type of Blade would be highly appreciated. Call it Wilson Sabr for example but don't put RF name on it. Instead make an ultimate RF97 for Roger in his prime 2003-2010 with todays modern technologies. But make it with the original specs 340g and 97in2 headsize. People would buy it and keep it as a collectors edition for sure. But not this one. This one just feels "fake" in some sense. But I'm still really looking forward testing it.
@@CzechTennisGuy Thanks. Well, I watched Dimitrov in real life in Brisbane International both in practice and in matches earlier this year and he is certainly playing his best tennis and it is beyond me WHY his name and face is not on Pro Staff line. I know plenty of players who would even buy a Dimitrov signature racquet... Tsitsipas and De Minaur both have the faces on the racquets and they are in the same space as Dimitrov - top 10, won top titles but no slams. So why does Wilson not push Dimitrov? It might even give him a little bit extra confidence. Agreed on Roger and RF 01. There is nothing believable about it. And even if Roger somehow came back or started playing the Masters Tour 'for fun' he would have played with RF97. I dont believe any word of marketing gimmicks and dislike hypes. Again agreed on an ultimate RF97. This is so obvious to you, me and probably others, and makes you wonder what goes on between the ears of some people in companies.. ' Zdenek I'm playing with in my videos. He loves his RF97, but recently switched to ProKennex because of his arm problems' As for Zdenek what is his exact arm issues? I have suffered wrist, arm and shoulder issues in the past and just getting over one injury now DUE TO HEAD GRAVITYS(do not touch them). It may not be Zdeneks RF97 though could be the string and string tension? He also could strengthen himself in the gym. If your stronger you will be harder to injure and thats a fact. 'But I'm still really looking forward testing it. ' Well on that note, a hitter I train with just told me today he loved it so maybe it works for certain players. I am not keen but open to testing it simply because its a 98 sq inch 16x19 string pattern.
👉 My opinion evolution on Wilson RF 01 series ⚠. These rackets are exceptional. Really hard to master, but when you give them enough time - couple of hours during two/three weeks, you will absolutely love them. But you need to hit clean almost always to really fell in love with these frames. Check out my other videos about Wilson RF 01 rackets like this one:
🎬 🎾 Hitting With Wilson RF 01 300g - It's Getting Better & Better 👀 ua-cam.com/video/hn-94iHtylY/v-deo.html
🎬🎾 Wilson RF 01 Pro - Why It's Not Better Than The Lighter Versions 👀 - ua-cam.com/video/Vrrb6d5yNZM/v-deo.html
🎬 🎾 Wilson RF 01 Pro - POV Champions Tiebreak Against Zdeněk 👀 - ua-cam.com/video/r8FMK9Oej1E/v-deo.html
Prostaff 97 RF was the number one sold racquet and no one i see plays proper tennis with it!
I agree. Most recreational Pro Staff users don't have the quality to truly enjoy and appreciate the racket. They just have it because of Roger.
i tested that raquet out and it is really like nothing else on the market. extremely heavy and stiff, i cant imagine most players would be able to use or get the most out of it. i wanted to like it so bad, but there was just no way.
@@AC-wl7veand no other pro uses it. Should tell people something.
I personally like the RF and enjoy hitting with it.
@@AC-wl7ve I can't wait to test them out. It seems like these rackets are more advanced that it might look like from the marketing point of view.
@@CzechTennisGuy im talking about the rf97. i havent tried the new one, but its seems theyve geared it a bit more to players who are not roger federer lol.
It's a product of too many people buying it for the RF and found it too demanding to use. Can't speak for the RF-01, but the RF-01 Pro as a 320g racquet is not heavy and it's actually very forgiving when you have the right technique.
Watch the videos with Roger in it, he'd explain that he wanted more power and easier spin - The thing to remember is that this is a RF racquet, not your typical club player who just likes to hit with a western grip, whack the ball with heavy top spin and have it land in the court. Another video of him doing a blacked-out play test, he also mentioned that one of the racquets he hit with works because you can dial up the power or dial it down. It's not supposed to 'just give' free power, it's supposed to give it according to user needs
The reported 'smaller sweetspot' is the result of a denser pattern around the middle of the racquet, which gives you control, so if one finds the sweetspot too small, then it's just the wrong racquet period.
This is not going to be the most popular racquet, nor should it. Like another comment mentioned, most of the people playing with a ProStaff can't play properly. I always recommend a Clash or Pure Drive for beginner/improver.
This is well said. The RF was designed for a high skill level.
It requires a high skill to bring out the full potential of what attributes you want emphasized in the racket and how it compliments the player's style of play. It simply is a refined frame for the refined player.
I wish the pure drive had kept its tighter pattern found in the older versions to really emphasize the flatter power game. It feels like it opened up too much in later generations. An 18x20 with a 23mm flat beam with the same stiffness could play towards the more advanced power player.
I settled on the RF 01 after demoing it, the Clash 100 v2, Head Gravity tour, Babolat pure drive. Other people’s reviews seemed to be irrelevant. Racquet choice is a very individual thing. Demo several…..even some you think are “inappropriate “ for you. You may be surprised.
My customer let me hit with his RF 01 pro for a few minutes and he doesn’t use a dampener and I forgot to put 1 on. My take on it is it’s not playable for me. Ima 3.5-4.0 player and currently use a Blade 98 V9.
The Pro version is for 4.5 and above for sure. I would say probably 5.0 and above for real.
What's wrong with these racquets is that's it's a pure money making exercise from Wilson and Roger Federer. Supposedly this is the racquet Fed would be using if he was still playing. What a fanciful idea. But people flocked to it without knowing what they were doing. It's probably a decent player's frame, but it won't do anything magical that a vanilla Pro Staff can't do.
I agree. Not only for me but also for PS97 users this is not what Roger Federer would use on tour in my opinion. They say it's a racket he would use, but I doubt it. It's not believable. Also Roger is not seen anywhere right now. And if you don't see him, it's really hard to create a bond with this racket. It just feels weird. Pro Staff 97 users won't buy it and the new players who tried it are confused, because they expected something else. I'm yet to test the racket so it's not really about judging the frame, but the whole situation and marketing with this racket is really not my cup of tea.
These are people who never intended to keep the RF. They just wanted to play with it for a couple of weeks, knowing that they could sell it and get their money back easily, since it's a high profile release. Just an easy demo. It's called flipping or show-rooming. Lots of people do it with electronics, clothes, shoes etc.
The RF 01 300 g version is also for an advanced player like the pro version . The 300g one is a platform racquet its supposed to be customised to your specs. It needs at least 6g added to the hoop and counterbalanced to improve stability and the sweet spot.
Yeah I think I will like the 300g version. It's in the sweetspot of my specs although I would like a higher RA around 67-70.
Co-developed by Roger does not mean it will be a good racquet that suits everyone. I am sure if this racquet was named Wilson Razor or something, it will only have about 40% of the sales compared to naming it RF.
Wilson Razor is actually a cool name for a racket series ;-) I agree on that. What if the RF actually hurts these rackets. People expect Pro Staff and they get a completely new, or maybe little bit old-school racket mixed with some modern attributes.
I tested only the 300g RF 01 and is not bad, needs customization, looks great ❤
The Racket is not for beginners, maybe a lot of people buy the Racket because RF colab. And at the end they can‘t play with the stick, same thing happen in 2014 with the RF Autograph.
It's hard to compare it to any RF97 Autograph. The weights and overall specs are very different. I would expect that these rackets will play quite differently compared to RF97. But many people point out the small sweetspot, which is little bit surprising and it can discourage people from using the racket at the very beginning.
@@CzechTennisGuy the sweetspot is definitely smaler but, i put lead tape at 3/9 and it was great after. For 300g the balance point at 315mm is not ok, no mass no Sw not enough power. Its a must to custom. the racket
I tested only the 300g version
@@hobbyfuntennis6287 I can see that. 300 g with 315 mm is aimed for a very head light and super manooovrlable racket. Custom job with this one looks like a must for advanced players.
What I can resume, after hitting 2 hours with the pro. 1. Needs customization, 2. Feels dampend, 3. Needs more time to dial in, 4. It is not a pro staff rf v.14, 5. More power than the ps rf, 6. Sweetspot is ok.
I strung it with a hybrid set up, 18 g. 1,2 mm.
it’s the best racket I have played with. Mine last was Wilson Blade V8 and V9. Those are also good but RF01 is better but more demanding. Výborná raketa💪💪
It is a great racket, just different than pro staff. People who like pro staff are buying these rackets and they find the frame not as stiff/stable as pro staff.
Just like everything else. Most people only post negative comments when something is not to their liking. The total proportion of racquets sold to negative comments made we will never know. It's a completely individual perspective.A negative review of the pro from someone with no racquet head speed and poor footwork will be different from a high level player.
Yes, I agree.
I think it could also be a function of just so many people buying this racquet at once - could be a normal response, meaning there's always going to be a certain % that have buyers remorse, and in this case it's just amplified by how many are buying it.
That said, I tried both (demo, thankfully) the Pro and 01, and the Pro is very unforgiving and heavy, and the 01 was good but not great. Both were very unstable on off center shots.
Well said. But still it's a big question mark. Those people who sell the racket were not happy with it and that's a bad sign. It doesn't mean that these are bad rackets, but for some reason people who were buying probably expected a differenet experience. You can blaim marketing or the RF in the name of the rackets that creates some illusion of perfection. Very tricky release from Wilson in my opinion.
I agree. It is a bit similar to the Speed Legend. Lots of Legend rackets on the used market.
However, with the RF01, the dominant feedback is the too small sweetspot.
@@KiboTennis I would expect a more forgiving and easy hitting sweetspot. But as you mentioned, many people report these rackets are quite unforgiving. Can't wait to test them out and push them (and myself) into the limits.
The racket has no WOW effect.
I tried it and in the first 1-2 hours I was not impressed, decided to give it more time, now I definitely switched to the RF 01 (I also own a Pro, which is super fun, but too heavy for my taste). I come from a Percept 97 and previously a Vcore 95, so this frame had no WOW! effect like the super spin of the Vcore or the precision of the Percept, but I slowly realised I was playing better in all the other aspects compared to my previous Yonexes. It has less spin potential than the Vcore and no pin-point ability like the Percept, but I ended up being way better with it at volleys while approaching the net, it's more stable on the backhand, service speed increased, etc... also I play a OHBH and the RF 01 with some extra weight in the handle + 3 and 9 o'clock lead tape, it became an amazing racket for my play style. I like to be an offensive player, I hate sitting behind the baseline and be a pendulum, so this racket was a great fit after some hours. I think the main reasons people are selling them is easy: it won't fit the majority of the current players' style and most people are not willing to customise rackets, they just want it to work out of the box.
Yeah, the wow honeymoon period is just a fake form. So this type of proper getting into the game with the racket after you take some time is the best way how to really fell in love with a tennis racket. Hard beginning, great happy ending. I also think people nowadays search for immediate "fell in love romance" but sooner or later the skeletons will come out of the cabinet. So it's always better to discover the skeletons at the beginning and to overcome those challenges and finally getting in the right zone with the racket and to really know what works and what doesn't really work. Customizing is also part of the journey but most people don't know how to do it properly because they haven't the tools. And with the fact that no two rackets are the same it's really hard to customize two rackets just by putting random lead tape on the frame.
@@CzechTennisGuy Totally agree on that.
Nowadays people look for the wow effect and then focus on that trying to adapt themselves to the racket, rather trying to find the racket that better fits their playstyle.
I think also I was lucky to find 2 RF 01 which were both on par in static weight and 1 point off on the swing weight, so both ended up being equal at the end after some extra lead added. I won't go back to the Percept any time soon (actually I ended up selling them), this racket is really good and now I am mostly experimenting with strings and tensions to find what works best for me, so far M8 and Toro Toro have been my favs. I really recommend trying this racket for 4-5 hours if you like to play aggressive or play a lot of doubles, it's a nice gem and great base for customisation.
the 320 gram version is so nice, so beautifully precise, smooth power.. I love it
It is exceptional on sliced shots, volleys, smashes. From baseline you have to swing it fast and hit the ball very early, otherwise it doesn't produce the power.
@@CzechTennisGuy iam a former squash player so it really suits that type of tecknique
@@damon123jones can you give more details about the racquet? How is the spin/power/control… and what was your racquet before? Thanks
@@CzechTennisGuy THATS VERY TRUE
@@joaosandesneto babolat aero pure
Federer racquets stopped feeling the same since RF97 Autograph. I don't know why ppl complain about this one
I think these actually come back to the Pro Staff 90 series with the feel. A nice comeback in my opinion for players who enjoy a very delicate hitting experience and clear response.
I played with 300 version. It’s not the feel only. Low power, low spin, very very very small forgiveness. It’s only suitable to full flat hitters. And honestly don’t like the thicker tubular mold. I am more of a box beam user ❤
Did you bother to add weight to 9 and 3 ?
@@CH-yp5by yeap and at 12. An easier solution is to strung it very low......19kg.....but still not an easy racquet to play relaxed.
You absolutely have to play relaxed to get them moving and to make the right swing. Beginners and even intermediate players tend to play with stiffer hand and that's what makes these advanced control oriented rackets unplayable. Relaxed swing is crucial for best results.
Simply the people who bought the racquet have been humbled, they are simply not good enough to use it.
Fed & Wilson made the best 1990s Pro Kennex homage frame with this one. LOL. Plays like the PK Type. *I'm a tournament stringer with over 35yrs of experience who's strung test frames from companies for ATP & WTA players.
Good point. Definitely these rackets look like a "shot from the past" little bit. Made for veterans of the game in their 40's. Exactly like myself. So maybe I will like them after all. The problem is that most people weren't hitting the ball for the last 30 years and they think that they can speed up the learning process by buying a RF racket. Very naive.
its a decent racquet . nth wrong with it
I agree. Nothing wrong with the series, it's actually exceptional. But it takes time to get used to it. After few hours of training these rackets are absolutely fantastic. But not for everyone for sure.
I have seen and felt these rackets and their bags , in the wilson store at u.s open fan week . These rackets had the general characteristics one may attribute to luxury , without actually being luxury . There is more cosmetic quality attempted by the 2024 versions of the Dunlop CX series . They felt souless in hand and apparently to these people , when they play with it as well .
Rackets cosmetics had a higher quality fit and finish in thec1980's , lasting without chipping to this day , compared to todays rackets . Graphite with a base paint and graphic overlays are made to look like patterns , textures and elegant , without being it in reality . Look at the head prestige carefully . The wilson ultra pro feels , looks and probably plays more like a high performance , classic pro racket then the rf . It certainly is cosmeticly looking the part as well.
I agree. Some of the modern rackets feel like toys from plastic. It's a weird feeling, hollow and soulless as you described perfectly. When grab the pro stock frames, it hits you differently. The biggest difference is the hitting experience itself. The pro stocks feel real, solid, full. But that's also with other products like bikes, cars etc. The quality of materials and the process of building these things has come to point were they feel like never touched by a human hand during the build process. Made by machines. Cold, soulles, machines. And the "best thing" is that the process of building got a lot cheaper, yet the products cost a lot more compared to previous years. I can't imagine that a tennis racket will cost in 15 years $500. But that can happen.
@@CzechTennisGuy look at running shoes and other products using recycled materials . These items are costing more than the non recycled ones . You are paying for the recycling process and infrastructure in every product , while profits increase with less material costs .
The market will dictate the prices ! If these companies don't get what they want , then they just move to another sport like they are doing with pickel ball and padel .
@@derekpappas1556 It's not that bad with the recycled shoes. The price is actually on some shoes lower for the recycled ones, but sometimes the recycling process is obviously payed by the customers and not the companies, which is not very ethical in my opinion. The companies should protect the resources as they need them for building and making stuff. It's their business so they should cover the costs of improving the production processes and to modernize the factories.
Nothing wrong with them at all. Great racquets.
Wilson just did a lazy job by combining Shift, Blade, Pro Staff together. There is no "real' practical tests (ATP tournament) on those new models. Simply said: "No proven" of a performance racquet. They just use Roger's name to sell it.
To me it just doesn't seem right to make a "racket for Roger Federer" who doesn't play anymore. It is like a step backwards. Instead I would expect some reinvented RF that he would use back in the days in his prime 2003-2010 but with modern technologies. It would make sense. 20-21 years anniversary from winning his 1st grandslam. I would make an ultimate RF instead of this. But hey, I didn't test the racket yet so what I'm talking about.
mannnnn, this racquet SUCKS! Federer must only gave his RF to it, not the feel. Its nothing like a prostaff, the weight is not on the handle, the head doenst have a big sweet spot, but the head feels too big, the ball flies off the raquect with low sansation and low control
I changed my mind on these rackets after playing with them more hours. They're actually very unique. Mixture of ProStaff and Blades. Very delicate feel with point and shoot sensation. Great precision and control, very smooth swing and easy power on flat shots. Spin is almost not there, but I don't care. I really like them. Actually I odered 2 RF 01 (300g) rackets for me recently. I will make a video about it for sure. Another switch and I hope this will be for a long time my last one.
I am currently selling my RF Pro because it has an extremely small sweet spot and I have a hard time getting a good hit. This is a racquet for advanced player, but he will not need the power that this racquet gives and would be looking for more control. If the 100-inch version comes out, it would be very nice to play for intermediate players. For me the feeling is a mix between shift, stiff clash and blade. The balance is very good and it doesn't feel heavy, but the small sweet spot is a problem for me and hits outside of it are painful and I even started to have a problem with my elbow.
Did you bother to customise it with lead tape at 3 and 9 to increase the sweet spot?
I decided to try different strings and tension. Thanks for the advice i may try lead tapes, but i'm worried it will be too heavy for me.
After changing the strings and tension from alu power 1.20 25/24kg to rpm blast 1.25 23/22kg the racket feels better to me and for now I will try to get used to it instead of selling it.
Here in Greece i see also people reselling
Its a “go fund me” for Roger.
Actually quite shameful tbh
Roger doesn't need any funding for sure. It is just weird to me to release a racket from "maestro" that is somehow limited in some of the attributes to suit more casual players. Instead I would release an ultimate RF97, type of a collector edition, something like that. This is more of a casual approach which kind of seems "fake" to me. But I should not critize the racket as I didn't hit with it, yet.
got the rf01, it is really low powered if you do not attack the ball. it requires low tension. fun racquet to train but tough racquet to play match with
So according to your experience would you say that this racket has a very low chance of "honeymoon effect" ? Which is actually good and means that the racket is pretty solid. I mean is it easy to play just for fun but hard to master for match play?
@@CzechTennisGuy it is an excellent racquet but if you do not swing fully or is a bit passive with the ball. You will get punish easily.
@@flodar1548 It's interesting to see that these rackets are that much unforgiving. I would expect Blade/Shift experience, but from what people say it's a completely different one. Maybe there is something from the Pro Staff's in these rackets after all.
@@CzechTennisGuy yes, it is understanding for the PRO, but quite surprising for the standard rf01. If you allow me to : @tennisnerd also mentioned the fact, it requires low tension. I think it was a nice way to say the racquet is demanding :)
@@flodar1548 Probably the racket feels stiff and muted thanks to the denser string pattern.
I sent the RF Future back… too light. Will order the RF 01…. Will let you know…I’m an old flat hitter with a ohb and lots of slice. Ciao, John. Looking forward to your analysis
Yep, and its not just on tenni$nerd page its other group pages where I have seen numerous RF 01s for sale. Saw another guy today trying to re-sell it and next to no one is interested(you can tell by likes and comments usually). When people are rushing to re-sell / 'offload' something just 5 seconds after it being released it can only be a quick profit for the brand.
I am glad I didnt buy into the super-hype which numerous Ytuber$ were pushing and that is what this is a marketing gimmick. Is it a coincidence this comes out with RF's self-promoting film on his last 12 days? Nope.
I doubt besides the colour and logo that Roger had anything to do with this as he never would have played with anything different to what he was
Its like I anticipated and even told people it wont be what they want and not to fall for marketing hype. But most are too stupid sadly.
Wilson should have released a feel-power sub-line of the Blades which are POPULAR if not the best line Wilson has. They could have had 3 sub-lines with a 16x19 but bit thicker beam similar to what they were seeking to do with RF 01 line and then a line with 16x20 and one with 18x19. Expanding the Blade line to me only makes sense.
As for Pro Staff 97 if they want to promote an actual Top player still competing(nearly at his best) why not bring out Grigor Dimitrov's actual racquet spec?
Good points. Grigor deserves his own signature racket and I strongly believe it would sell great. He is súnow playing his best tennis and he is a great ambassador of one handed backhand. Roger stepped away from the tennis scene and it's hard to connect this new RF 01 series with him if you don't see him playing around. It's little bit not believable or realistic. "We have made a racket "for Roger Federer" at 43 years of age but he isn't playing anymore so it's up to you whether you believe the frame or not." I showed this to my friend Zdenek I'm playing with in my videos. He loves his RF97, but recently switched to ProKennex because of his arm problems. He said he would never buy this RF 01 racket is it doesn't represent Roger Federer in his prime.
All in all as you said, another type of Blade would be highly appreciated. Call it Wilson Sabr for example but don't put RF name on it. Instead make an ultimate RF97 for Roger in his prime 2003-2010 with todays modern technologies. But make it with the original specs 340g and 97in2 headsize. People would buy it and keep it as a collectors edition for sure. But not this one. This one just feels "fake" in some sense. But I'm still really looking forward testing it.
@@CzechTennisGuy Thanks. Well, I watched Dimitrov in real life in Brisbane International both in practice and in matches earlier this year and he is certainly playing his best tennis and it is beyond me WHY his name and face is not on Pro Staff line. I know plenty of players who would even buy a Dimitrov signature racquet... Tsitsipas and De Minaur both have the faces on the racquets and they are in the same space as Dimitrov - top 10, won top titles but no slams. So why does Wilson not push Dimitrov? It might even give him a little bit extra confidence.
Agreed on Roger and RF 01. There is nothing believable about it. And even if Roger somehow came back or started playing the Masters Tour 'for fun' he would have played with RF97. I dont believe any word of marketing gimmicks and dislike hypes.
Again agreed on an ultimate RF97. This is so obvious to you, me and probably others, and makes you wonder what goes on between the ears of some people in companies..
' Zdenek I'm playing with in my videos. He loves his RF97, but recently switched to ProKennex because of his arm problems'
As for Zdenek what is his exact arm issues? I have suffered wrist, arm and shoulder issues in the past and just getting over one injury now DUE TO HEAD GRAVITYS(do not touch them). It may not be Zdeneks RF97 though could be the string and string tension?
He also could strengthen himself in the gym. If your stronger you will be harder to injure and thats a fact.
'But I'm still really looking forward testing it. '
Well on that note, a hitter I train with just told me today he loved it so maybe it works for certain players.
I am not keen but open to testing it simply because its a 98 sq inch 16x19 string pattern.