Introducing the Wilson Pro Staff X racquet

The Wilson Pro Staff X is a new 2023 addition to the Wilson Pro Staff line.

With the Pro Staff X, Wilson adds a control-oriented frame with a 100 in² / 645 cm² headsize, which is more forgiving than other models with a smaller headsize.

Personally, this racquet was a great surprise.

I was expecting a heavy and demanding racquet and in the end I didn't feel the weight of the racquet and had a great mix of power and control, I loved it!

Be careful though, this is a demanding racquet and is best suited to players with a good technical level who can handle the weight of the racquet over the course of a match.

Paradigm bending

Stiffness is variable: more flexible in the core and stiffer in the head, for stability and power.

FortyFive

Carbon fibers braided at 45° to improve lateral flexibility, interesting for the lifted game.

String mapping

The strings are tighter in the center for control and wider on the sides for forgiveness.

The Power of the Wilson Pro Staff X racquet

The Wilson Pro Staff X racquet is a control oriented racquet with reduced power.

The 100 in² headsize and 16x19 string pattern help with power but among racquets with this headsize, this is one of the least powerful.

The slightly tighter string pattern in the middle and the fairly thin profile reduce the power of the racquet.

Personally, I had the right level of power on the backhand, with an excellent feeling on a powerful shot.

I had a good level of power on the forehand even if I tended to play a little short sometimes on this shot which is less powerful than my backhand.

On serve, I thought I would have more difficulty, it was actually quite good but a good technique is required to produce power easily.

I sometimes felt a slight inconsistency, alternating between excellent control and a little less controlled power on some balls, which may be due to the 100 headsize with variable string spacing.

Overall, the control is still very good.

Rather large and loose swings remaions essential with this racquet to facilitate power.

This racquet will be of interest to advanced level players who can use the weight of the racquet without using too much their muscles to produce power.

It's easier to play than the Wilson Pro Staff 97.

Here is a comparison in terms of power with some other racquets:

More power:

• Babolat Pure Aero Tour
• Babolat Pure Drive Tour
• Volkl V-Cell 8 315 g
• Head Speed Pro
• Head Boom Pro
• Wilson Clash 98, Ultra, Burn

Similar power:

• Babolat Pure Strike 18x20
• Head Radical Pro
• Head Prestige MP
• Tecnifibre TFight 315

Less power :

• Wilson Pro Staff 97
• Babolat Pure Strike VS
• Yonex VCore 98
• Yonex VCore Pro 97
• Head Gravity Pro
• Head Prestige Tour

Access to spins with the Wilson Pro Staff X racquet

I really loved the racquet on my slice backhand,, thanks to the control provided by the racquet, which gave me a very clear feeling of confidence.

I was able to hit my slice backhand very aggressively, low and fast with confidence, which was great!

Concerning the access to topspin, I found it to be decent thanks to the 100 headsize and 16x19 string pattern.

The access to topspin is much easier than with the Pro Staff 97.

With a medium or low tension (23 kg or less), access to topspin will be even easier.

For me, it is the Wilson Pro Staff that provides the best access to topspin.

Maneuverability

With its balance at 31cm and swingweight of 322, I found the Wilson Pro Staff X to have excellent maneuverability.

I was surprised that I didn't feel the 315g (unstrung) weight of the racquet.

The racquet felt solid and stable, yet still very maneuverable.

I enjoyed the maneuverability of the racquet in all areas of the game:

• one-handed backhand,
• on the forehand to speed up the racquet head or in situations where I shortened my swing,
• on the serve where it allowed me to have a correct amount of power.

The serve was the shot where I had the most difficulty, because of the weight of the racquet, its rather low power and my lack of amplitude during the racquet drop phase.

On a few serves, it was ok, but over the course of a match, I would be afraid to gradually lose power as my arm would get tired.

Overall, excellent manoeuverability but a good technique is required to produce power and play easely with this racquet.

Comfort of the Wilson Pro Staff X

I really liked the comfort of the Pro Staff X, which gives a pleasant feel, with very little vibration, I found the strokes very sharp and "clean".

The 100 in² headsize helps with forgiveness but I still recommend being precise and having a good ball centering quality.

The string tension will also play an important role in the feel ; personally, with a Luxilon Element stretched at 23 kg, I enjoyed playing with this racquet.

Comparison with the Wilson Pro Staff 97

Compared to the Pro Staff 97, the Pro Staff X :

• Is more powerful,
• gives a better access to topspin,
• is more forgiving,
• is a little less stable,
• is a little less precise,
• is overall easier to play.

Who would I recommend the Wilson Pro Staff X racquet to?

I would recommend the Wilson Pro Staff X to players:

• with an advanced level,
• with a good technique, relaxed swings,
• who are looking for a racquet with a good level of control, but not the most control oriented tennis racquet,
• who want to have good access to topspin without being extreme, a better access to topspin than with the other Pro Staff with a 97 head size,
• who are looking for a relatively heavy racquet with a good balance in the handle, which allows to not feel too much the
  weight of the racquet and have a very good manoeuverability,
• who like the Wilson Pro Staff but are looking for more forgiveness and access to topspin than those with a headsize of less than 100 in², like the Pro Staff 97 for instance.