When you look back at the tennis stars who have perfected the game, names like Roger Federer, Steffi Graf, Stefan Edberg and Pete Sampras always crop up. These players (and a notable few others) all have something in common.
Alongside their natural talent, flare and cool killer mindset, they have all used the Wilson Pro Staff racket to win countless titles.
Its ubiquity dates back to 1983 with two of the highest profile tennis players on tour, Jimmy Connors and Chris Evert who assisted Wilson in the original design and testing. The racket combined two of the most advanced materials - Kevlar and Graphite - for a better feel, control and power that its contemporaries - and with an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” attitude, this is still at the heart of the range today.
However, you may be surprised to learn that the model actually has a longer history than ‘83. Tennis trailblazer Billie-Jean King used the original wooden Jack Kramer Pro Staff in 1969. John McEnroe more famously wielded one in his 1980 Wimbledon final defeat vs Bjorn Borg in that 4th set tie-breaker.
As we step into 2023, Wilson has launched the 14th incarnation of the Pro Staff, bringing carbon fibre injection and Braid 45 technology to the classic construction to elevate feel, control, power and comfort. The tennis specialist has also moved away from its predominately plain black classic look to a more eye catching gold. It’s far cry from the very first tennis racket made in 1874 by Major C Wingfield in London.
Roger Federer is using the new version during his retirement - unsurprisingly, as he opted for this racket line for the best part of his exceptional career. And if it’s good enough for the 20-time Grand Slam winner, it’s good enough for us.
So, how does the Pro Staff v14perform on court?
We gave the Pro Staff V14 a critical run out from the handle to hoop. First and foremost, it is stable with every shot in the book, offering the precision you’d hope for. However, there is a very similar feel to the previous model with a few extra design elements (we see this as a good thing, but that could spark debate).
The new maroon to gold colour makeover is aesthetically pleasing where, depending on the lighting, we spotted pops of purple, orange and even copper flashing back at us.
Our play test on the more advanced 97sq in head and balanced 315g revealed a denser 16x19 stringbed - this provided control and comfort that did not feel dissimilar to the v13. We saw improvements in our game with the ability to pinpoint direction to any target area on court and increased control knocking powerful shots back into play from big hitters.
Naturally, we did notice a few down points. Kicking off with the grip, it might look like the real leather McCoy, but alas no. Depending on your stance, this is either a good thing or not. If you’re seeking power and forgiveness, you won’t find it here in the 97sq in frame, bumping up to a oversize 100sq in hoop would allow for this.
The premium price tag sits edges higher than that of its competition, we seriously advise having a demo first before handing over your hard-earned cash.
On the whole, it doesn’t disappoint and will surely be a major hit across the board. As for the $64,000 question, is it the best racket ever? Well, we will leave that in your hands.
The new Wilson Pro Staff v14 is available now. Check out the full range here.
Also available at Tennis Point
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