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- The most important about the Wilson Blade V9 2024
- No new mold, so largely the same frame as the previous generation
- Frame is +2 RA harder than the predecessor
Table of Contents
What’s New with the Blade V9 2024?
All Blade V9 versions are now equipped with Stable Feel. The only technology that has been discontinued is Agiplast, which did not affect playability but only the manufacturing process of the grommets.
New are Click & Go Bumper & Grommet, which can be exchanged super quickly.
| Technologies | Blade V9 | Blade V8 |
|---|---|---|
| Stable Feel | ✓ | ✘ |
| Parallel Drilling | ✓ | ✓ |
| FORTYFIVE | ✓ | ✓ |
| Braided Graphite + Basalt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Top Grip Taper | ✓ | ✓ |
| DirectConnect | ✓ | ✓ |
| Agiplast | ✘ | ✓ |
Wilson Blade 98 V9 16×19
What is a “Blade”?
The Blade is to Wilson what the Speed is to HEAD. The bestseller and flagship that can be played by the widest range of tennis players. Since day 1, the Blade has stood for touch and feel.
The Blade 16×19 is slightly more powerful, while the 18×20 is a bit more precise. Nevertheless, both variants are very well balanced and perform well in all categories.
The Blade excels in all categories (spin, power, control) and is therefore suitable for almost every player.
Technologies in the Wilson Blade V9
Here are all the technologies explained in a simple way in the new Wilson Blade V9:
How does Stable Feel work?
I couldn’t find any information about how this technology is supposed to work. Do you know? Please write it in the comments.
What does Stable Feel do for me?
Stable Feel provides a more pleasant and stable hitting sensation. It feels like the ball stays in the string bed longer.
How does Parallel Drilling work?
Wilson has placed the grommets in a special position to make the string bed more stable and increase the size of the sweet spot.
What does Parallel Drilling do for me?
A larger sweet spot provides more power and forgiveness on shots.
How does FORTYFIVE work?
The FORTYFIVE technology was first used in the Wilson Shift, back then without a name (patented frame design), and was an innovation that I had never seen in a frame before. Rackets with FORTYFIVE not only bend minimally from back to front (like a slingshot) but also from bottom to top.
What does FORTYFIVE do for me?
The supportive movement from bottom to top increases topspin and significantly changes the ball’s launch angle upwards. The special thing about it is that the launch angle does not increase with a more horizontal swing. FORTYFIVE enables dynamically adjusted deformation for more or less launch angle (with topspin, we usually want more, with flat attacking shots rather less).
How does Braided Graphite + Basalt work?
Originally known as BLX technology at Wilson and now incorporated into new Wilson rackets with significant improvement and a new name as “Braided Graphite + Basalt.”
Braided Graphite + Basalt is a special elastic material in the frame that deforms upon contact with the ball (very similar to HEAD’s Auxetic).
What does Braided Graphite + Basalt do for me?
The deformation of Braided Graphite + Basalt increases the dwell time of the ball in the string bed, allowing for more precise ball placement. Additionally, hitting with a Braided Graphite + Basalt racket feels very “touchy.” Hard to describe, but “touch” and “feeling” are very subjective topics anyway.
How does Top Grip Taper work?
Top Grip Taper describes the grip, which tapers slightly differently at the top and has been extended.
What does Top Grip Taper do for me?
For players with a two-handed backhand, there is more space on the grip, and the upper hand sits better on the grip.
How does DirectConnect work?
DirectConnect describes the grip made of carbon fibers that is connected to the heart of the racket.
What does DirectConnect do for me?
The special materials used in the connection from racket heart to grip (carbon fibers) stabilize the racket’s torso, making it significantly more stable at the impact point.
Design
The new Wilson Blade V9 looks very appealing and comes in the 2024 version in a dark green shade called “Emerald Night Green.” The surface is entirely matte.
Details
As a small highlight, the racket features a new bumper and grommets. Some of these grommets are colored in neon yellow, creating a significant contrast to the rest of the Blade V9.
A very subtle detail that you might notice is the grip caps. The old model had a rose gold finish, while the new model has a silver finish. I prefer the classic silver, as the grip cap frequently deteriorated with the previous model. However, with the silver version, this has not happened to me in the past.
Variants
You can buy the new Wilson Blade V9 in the following nine variants:
- Wilson Blade 98 18×20 V9
- Wilson Blade 98 16×19 V9
- Wilson Blade 98S V9
- Wilson Blade 100 V9
- Wilson Blade 100L V9
- Wilson Blade 101L V9
- Wilson Blade 104 V9
- Wilson Blade 26 V9
- Wilson Blade 25 V9
98 18×20 V9
The most demanding variant of the Blade V9 with a very tight string pattern for maximum control.
98 16×19 V9
The best-selling variant of the Blade V9 with a good mix of power, control, and above all, “feel”.
98S V9
Identical to the 16×19 V9, but weighs only 295g (10g less than the 98 16×19 V9).
100 V9
Very similar to the 98 16×19 but with a 645 square centimeter head for more power and a significantly easier ball in the sweet spot.
100L V9
The lighter variant of the 100 comes with a 645 square centimeter head and only weighs 285 grams for older players who prefer more comfort.
101L V9
Exactly like the 100L but with a slightly larger head size.
104 V9
The 104 V9 is the senior variant with slightly more weight than the other blades with a large head (290 grams).
26 V9
The 26-inch (66.04 cm) large variant for older children weighing 255g.
25 V9
The 25-inch (63.5 cm) large variant for smaller children weighing 245g.
Technical Data
Here are the specifications of all variants of the Blade V9:
| Model | 98 18×20 | 98 16×19 | 98S | 100 | 100L | 101L | 104 | 26 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head Size | 632 cm² / 98 in² | 632 cm² / 98 in² | 632 cm² / 98 in² | 645 cm² / 100 in² | 645 cm² / 100 in² | 632 cm² / 98 in² | 671 cm² / 104 in² | 645 cm² / 100 in² | 645 cm² / 100 in² |
| Length | 68.6 cm / 27 in | 68.6 cm / 27 in | 68.6 cm / 27 in | 68.6 cm / 27 in | 68.6 cm / 27 in | 68.6 cm / 27 in | 69.85 cm / 27.5 in | 66.04 cm / 26 in | 63.5 cm / 25 in |
| String Pattern | 18 x 20 | 16 x 19 | 18 x 16 | 16 x 19 | 16 x 20 | 16 x 19 | 16 x 19 | 16 x 19 | 16 x 19 |
| Balance (strung) | 33 cm / -4 pts | 33 cm / -4 pts | 33.5 cm / -2 pts | 34 cm / -1 pts | 34 cm / -1 pts | 33 cm / -4 pts | 33 cm / -6 pts | 33 cm / +0 pts | 32 cm / +1 pts |
| Weight (strung) | 321 g / 11.32 oz | 321 g / 11.32 oz | 311 g / 10.97 oz | 301 g / 10.62 oz | 290 g / 10.23 oz | 321 g / 11.32 oz | 306 g / 10.79 oz | 271 g / 9.56 oz | 261 g / 9.21 oz |
| Taper System | 20.6 mm | 20.6 mm | 20.6 mm | 22 mm | 23 mm | 20.6 mm | 22 mm | 22 mm | 22 mm |
| Balance (unstrung) | 32 cm / -7 pts | 32 cm / -7 pts | 32.5 cm / -6 pts | 33 cm / -4 pts | 33 cm / -4 pts | 32 cm / -7 pts | 32 cm / -9 pts | 32 cm / -3 pts | 31 cm / -2 pts |
| Weight (unstrung) | 305 g / 10.76 oz | 305 g / 10.76 oz | 295 g / 10.41 oz | 285 g / 10.05 oz | 275 g / 9.7 oz | 305 g / 10.76 oz | 290 g / 10.23 oz | 255 g / 8.99 oz | 245 g / 8.64 oz |
| Price (RRP) | 280 € / 259 $ | 280 € / 259 $ | 280 € / 259 $ | 270 € / 249 $ | 240 € / 219 $ | 170 € / 149 $ | 250 € / 229 $ | 125 € / 109 $ | 125 € / 109 $ |
Professional Players
These players “use” or promote the Wilson Blade V9.
Please note that the rackets used by these players are most likely custom frames not available for retail. For example, Tsitsipas’ Blade is indeed a Blade, but it’s the 2013 model (BLX Blade with Amplifeel Technology). His Blade simply looks like the Blade V9 as the racket has been given the appropriate paint job by Wilson.
Wilson Blade V9 2024 Review
Finally, let’s get to the important part that you’re probably here for. The review!
Independent & Unbiased
All products featured on FourtyLove are tested independently by me. I do not favour any brands nor do I receive any money from brands influencing my results. I might earn a small commission if you buy products through my affiliate links.
Rackets Tested
Hits per Racket
Hours Tested
Readers
Groundtrokes
With the new Blade V9, it’s immediately noticeable that all variants are much easier to play with compared to the Blade V8. The frame is much more stable on off-center hits.
To me, it feels like an intermediate version between the V7 and V8, which is definitely a compliment considering that the Blade V8 was clearly a downgrade from the V7. The dull sensation of the Blade V8 is fortunately gone, and the new Blade V9 finally feels good again, providing excellent feedback on impact.
Also, I’ve noticed positively how much spin the Blade V9 generates. The slightly more open string bed and the lower swing weight help a lot and make the balls fly over the net with a lot of spin. While the predecessor already had plenty of spin, in my opinion, the V9 has even more to offer.
The biggest improvement is certainly the power in the racket. The last time I got so much energy combined with stability from a Blade was with the first Countervail Blade. It’s definitely a positive development for the Blade, especially concerning forehands and backhands from the baseline.
Volleys
I was able to place my volleys well and had plenty of stability and control. As always, very solid with the Blade!
Serves
16 x 19 & 100
Similar to volleys, the Blade offers a mix of good placement and decent power/spin on serves. Nothing extraordinary, but still better than many other rackets. I particularly liked the 98 16 x 19 and the 100 with the larger head size for serving.
18 x 20
The 18 x 20 Blade V9 definitely lacked power and spin for my serves. Especially on the second serve, I struggled to put enough spin on the ball. However, this is a common issue I face with any 18 x 20 tennis racket.
Returns
Returns with the Blade also felt very good. The frame remains stable enough, probably thanks to the StableFeel technology.
This is what’s great about the Blade V9
One can literally feel how Wilson has had trouble finding the right balance between feel and stability in recent years. With more stability, feel is lost and vice versa. However, the new Blade V9 finds a healthy balance, feels much better on impact, and is additionally more stable.
The StableFlex technology works wonderfully, creating an “artificial” stability in the Blade V9, even though it has a lower swing weight than its predecessor and other control rackets.
As always with the Blade, a leather base grip tape makes the racket even more stable and is simply a must for a Blade. Fortunately, this is included with the racket purchase 😉
16 x 19
What I really like about the 16 x 19 Blade V9 is that while it has a lot of control, Wilson has decided to deduct very few points from it in the power and spin categories. Of course, this means that there are other 16 x 19 rackets on the market that offer more control. However, these almost always have significantly less power and spin. As a result, the Blade 16 x 19 V9 positions itself for me as a very strong control racket with a focus on more power and spin. The Blade V9 16 x 19 is essentially the ultimate modern control racket.
18 x 20
It’s a completely different story with the Blade V9 18 x 20. Here, everything is geared towards control and feel. Nevertheless, Wilson has left some power and spin to also give the Blade 18 x 20, which is actually competing with rackets like the Prestige, a modern touch. I like that! Good decision, Wilson!
This is what’s bad about the Blade V9
I don’t like that Wilson advertises with new and better quality control, but my racket was delivered with a swing weight of only 312 (!!).
Who is the Blade V9 suitable for?
16 x 19
The Blade V9 16 x 19 is suitable for all-rounders with a high demand for control and feel. Baseliners who want to have control in all situations, both in offense and defense, will find a brilliant racket choice here, which has even improved this year.
18 x 20
The 18 x 20 Blade V9 is intended for advanced players who have good technique and want to play very precisely. If you generate enough of your own racket head speed, the Blade 18 x 20 is a very good choice for a control racket, with slightly more power and spin than other control rackets.
Who is the Blade V9 not suitable for?
The Blade V9, whether in 18 x 20 or 16 x 19, is still a control racket. And that means it’s definitely not for beginners. Advanced players who rely heavily on spin or need a lot of power support should look for rackets other than the Blade V9.
Blade V9 vs. Blade V8. Should I upgrade?
The new Blade V9 2024 is a significant improvement over its predecessor. Upgrading is definitely worth it!
With the new Blade V9 2024, Wilson has released a very successful update in all nine variants. Especially the 16 x 19 stands out for me and is currently one of the best control rackets with more power and spin, or an all-around racket with a focus on control.
After the step back from V7 to V8, it’s great to see Wilson stepping up again with the Blade V9!
Questions?
Of course, you can also ask me questions about the new Wilson Blade V9 2024 in the comments.
I’m happy to help you out.
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