Victoria Azarenka has just signed with Wilson. Azarenka seems very excited to be joining Wilson and Im sure she got a nice signing bonus to match.
I’m extremely excited to be changing to Wilson’s new Juice racket. The power and spin that I feel with this racket is insane and I look forward to seeing what I can do with it
The Wilson Six One tennis racquet family is one of the most widely used on the professional tour. The Six.One’s have also been a long-time favorite of skilled amateur players around the world. Wilson Sporting Goods, for 2012, has categorized the Six.One 95 BLX as a member of their “Control & Spin” series of tennis racquets.
APPEARANCE / STYLE
Anyone who has been involved in tennis for a while will immediately recognize the Wilson Six One 95 design. It has the tried and true flat-beam construction with added material on the ‘hoop’ at 3 & 9 o’clock. This 2012 model has an attractive Red/White/Black color theme with striped accents. I think it looks great—a classy design, not overdone—for a traditional player’s racquet.
TECHNOLOGY
The Wilson Six One 95 BLX features 2 of Wilson’s newest tech features:
SPECIFICATIONS
The Wilson Six One 95 BLX has a 95” head and weighs 11.7 oz. unstrung. It has a choice of string patterns: a very open 16 x 18 pattern or a tight 18 x 20. The label on the racquet says it is 12 pts head-light and its flat-beam cross-section is a thin 21.6mm wide. It is rated by Wilson as appropriate for skilled players with a long stroke. It is the standard 27” length. This play-test utilized the 16 x 18 string pattern.
GROUNDSTROKES
Experienced baseliners will greatly enjoy the performance the Wilson Six One 95 BLX delivers. Its weight (as one of the heavier racquets Wilson makes) really counteracts the force of the incoming ball. And the amount of power it delivers for a 95” racquet is fantastic! (but you must have a full and fast swing to gain maximum benefit). I was also pleased with its accuracy—as long as I hit in or near the “sweet-spot”. One note about the weight: even with its 12 point head-light design, the racquet is a bit slower coming around than a lighter racquet. And late-hits can cause all kinds of trouble, including injury. So be sure to demo this racquet and make certain its right for your game.
VOLLEYS
The Wilson Six.One 95 BLX was very accurate at the net. It felt very stable and solid. It was a bit slower than a lighter racquet—but that was to be expected. It was not very forgiving, however, on “off-center” hits. Any hit near the hoop would really twist the racquet in your hand and the where the shot went was “anyone’s guess.” But again—this is a racquet designed for players who rarely miss the center of the strings!
OVERHEADS
Overheads / smashes were outstanding with the Six One 95 BLX. It really propels the ball and is dead-on target. Anyone who plays with this racquet will really, really look forward to “sitters”.
SERVES
Serves were also excellent with the Six.One 95 BLX. And for many of the same reasons overheads were great—good power, great accuracy, and wonderful “feel”. Its weight and balance allows fast racquet-head speed. It is a great weapon for the server.
SPIN POTENTIAL
The Wilson Six One 95 BLX tennis racquet is available with two string patterns: 16 x 18 (more spin/power) and 18 x 20 (more control). I used the 16 x 18 and noted that it provided a predictable and adequate level of spin/slice etc. I was a bit surprised, however, with the great job it did with drop-shot performance (really cool!).
CONCLUSION
The Wilson Six.One 95 BLX is a racquet best suited for players in the 4.5+ NTRP category. It is a time-tested design with the addition of new technology. Any player who has the ability and confidence to swing fully, attack the ball, and can provide sufficient power will absolutely love this racquet.
Written by Greg Christopherson, a long-time tennis player and a professional racquet stringer who lives in Oceanside, Calif.
The Wilson Six One Team BLX tennis racquet is a new member to Wilson’s Six.One family of player’s racquets. It is, in essence, a lighter and somewhat differently constructed version of Wilson’s popular Six.One 95 BLX racquet. Wilson places the Six.One Team BLX racquet in their “Control & Spin” category for 2012.
APPEARANCE / STYLE
If you like the appearance of the Six One 95 BLX you will also be pleased with the style of the Six.One Team BLX—they are identical in appearance. The Team BLX features a nice Red/White/Black color scheme and reminds me of some “old school” racquet designs. My play-test racquet had a black Wilson “Performance Hybrid” grip which seemed to have just the right amount of tack & moisture control.
TECHNOLOGY
The Wilson Six One Team BLX features 3 of Wilson’s newest tech features:
SPECIFICATIONS
The Wilson Six One Team BLX has a 95” head and weighs 10.2 oz. unstrung. It has an open 16 x 18 string pattern. The label on the racquet says it is 4 pts head-light and its flat-beam cross-section is a thin 20.7mm wide. It is rated by Wilson as appropriate for skilled players with a long stroke. It is the standard 27” length.
GROUNDSTROKES
I was immediately comfortable at the baseline with the Six.One Team BLX. Its lighter weight allows rapid acceleration for aggressive playing styles. It is a control-oriented racquet (smallish head-size, thin beam) and, therefore, you must provide the power! But when you do, you will certainly be pleased—it allows you to shoot for the “corner pocket” with confidence. It is a solid racquet with very little vibration or other distractions.
VOLLEYS
The good news is that the Six.One Team BLX is very quick at the net. It light weight and head-light balance equates to fantastic maneuverability. And speed often equates to success when facing incoming volleys at a rapid-fire pace! It was even more accurate than I anticipated (I believed the open string pattern and Double Holes may lessen accuracy—I was wrong!). The “less than good” news was that it was very unforgiving on hits near the hoop. Any ball that hit near the frame really made the racquet try to twist in my hand—a bit more than I believe it should, even considering its light weight and 95” head-size. But it is, after all, a racquet designed for skilled and advanced players.
OVERHEADS
The Wilson Six One Team BLX is excellent when hitting overhead smashes. It is easy to generate power (via head-speed) and control was good.
SERVES
Serves were very good with the Wilson Six.One Team BLX. I was able to generate sufficient power on flat serves and pretty good spin on 2nd serves. It did not offer the control or the power potential of its sister racquet (Six.One 95 BLX) but I did feel as if I could serve “all day” without tiring.
SPIN POTENTIAL
The open string pattern of the Wilson Six One Team BLX, combined with the ‘Double Hole’ technology seemed to help it generate good spin and slice. The strings are able to “bite” the ball a bit more due to its design and a player can really hit H-A-R-D without fear. Big Swing + Ball Bite = Spin!
CONCLUSION
The Six One Team BLX is an update and modification of proven technology. It is a control-oriented, medium weight, and very easy to maneuver racquet. It should be a consideration for players in the 4.0+ NTRP categories who have a full swing and are seeking more control.
Written by Greg Christopherson, who is a long-time tennis player and a professional stringer from Oceanside, Calif.
Here is the newest Wilson racquet that will be released in 2012. The ProStaff Six One BLX 90 is set to be very popular in 2012 as Roger Federer will be the main pro-player to use this racquet.
Wilson made some changes to their 2012 tennis racquets. Wilson categorized their racquet into three types: Control & Spin, Power & Spin, and Power and Comfort. I was able to play-test their new JUICE 100 BLX racquet which is placed in the “Power & Spin” category.
APPEARANCE / STYLE
When I first observed the WILSON JUICE 100 BLX I immediately thought of the tropics. I know this may seem strange—but it’s baby-blue/white/dark blue/yellow color combo reminded me of paint schemes in coastal beach-themed restaurants! It just doesn’t look very aggressive—like maybe a player with this stick will play “softly”?I think the paint job will take a little time grow on me…
TECHNOLOGY
The WILSON JUICE 100 BLX features 3 of Wilson’s newer tech features:
1) Basalt (BLX): Basalt fibers are woven into the frame to reduced unwanted frequencies (vibrations) and to provide better feedback and feel;
2) Amplifeel: A new handle technology that provides enhanced feel by using graphite & basalt planks, Foam, and a softer butt-cap;
3) Double Holes: Increased diameter on grommet holes to allow more string freedom which increases the “sweet spot” and adds power.
SPECIFICATIONS
The WILSON JUICE 100 BLX Mid Plus has a 100” head and weighs 10.7 oz. unstrung. It has a very open 16 x 18 pattern and is 4 points* head-light. It has a moderate 26.5 mm dual-taper beam. It is rated by Wilson as appropriate for players with a medium to long swing. It is the standard 27” length.* Wilson literature states 4 pts. HL, however, the frame decal states 7 pts. HL.
GROUNDSTROKES
The JUICE 100 BLX feels very stable & solid on ground-strokes. It does add some power—I had numerous shots go “wide” about a foot or so that I thought were going to be “in” when I hit the ball. But once I got dialed-in to the racquet’s performance I became very comfortable with it’s shots. Vibration was almost non-existent and it has a good “sound”. I knew, going in, that it is a head-light racquet, but it seemed to feel more evenly balanced. But the racquet does come-around quickly and hits with authority.
VOLLEYS
The WILSON JUICE 100 BLX provided excellent power on volleys and it’s accuracy was very good. It was not as quick at the net as some other racquets, but it should play well for experienced doubles players and “net rushers”. It is forgiving on off-center hits (resists twisting).
OVERHEADS
This racquet was a stable performer on overheads. I always felt like I knew exactly where the ball was going and at what pace. It encouraged me to put that ball AWAY!
SERVES
The WILSON JUICE 100 BLX serves well. I was immediately comfortable with ball placement and spin. I did not, however, seem to get the power I anticipated on first serves.
SPIN POTENTIAL
The very, very open 16 x 18 string pattern increases the possibility of ball spin. I even noticed that it performs extremely well on slice and drop-shots. The moderate/wide beam, however, may get in the way of players who use a great deal of slice (not much margin of error—the ball will hit the hoop).
CONCLUSION
The WILSON JUICE 100 BLX is a solid performer. It feels great, adds power, and increases spin. It may take a few matches to become accustomed to it’s balance and the way that effects your movement. And you either love or hate the paint job (or don’t care?!). I think it is a good choice for a wide range of player types and could be effectively used by players in the 3.0 – 4.0 Category (NTRP).
Greg Christopherson is a professional tennis stringer who lives in Oceanside, Calif.
Wilson Sporting Goods has made some changes to their tennis racquet line for 2012. One thing Wilson has done is to categorize racquet by three types: Control & Spin, Power & Spin, and Power & Comfort. I was able to play-test their new STEAM 100 BLX racquet which is placed in the “Power & Spin” category.
APPEARANCE / STYLE
The WILSON STEAM 100 BLX simply looks great! It has an exciting & colorful red/white/blue/yellow scheme and probably won’t show scratches or other “war-wounds” like some “plain” racquets often do. If you ignore the paint you’ll see that it is a bit of an “old school” design, i.e., flat-beam construction. But, as you read below, it is an “all new” product.
TECHNOLOGY
The WILSON STEAM 100 BLX features two of Wilson’s newer tech features:
1) Basalt (BLX): Basalt fibers are woven into the frame to reduced unwanted frequencies (vibrations) and to provide better feedback and feel;
2) Double Holes: Increased diameter on grommet holes to allow more string freedom which increases the “sweet spot” and adds power.
SPECIFICATIONS
The WILSON STEAM 100 BLX Mid Plus has a 100” head and weighs 10.4 oz. unstrung. It has a moderate16 x 20 pattern and is 5 points* head-light. It has a moderate 23 mm flat beam. It is rated by Wilson as appropriate for players with a medium to long swing. It is an extended-length racquet with a 27 ¼” length.* Wilson literature states 5 pts. HL, however, the frame decal states 8 pts. HL.
GROUNDSTROKES
The STEAM 100 BLX is outstanding at the baseline. It hits groundstrokes with confidence and power. Its control (ball placement) was exceptionally good—one can really swing-away and have some fun moving your opponent around! It is surprisingly quick considering its extended length—getting it around is not any problem at all. The only negative—and it is a very minor issue (I’m being picky)—is it has a slight more vibration than I anticipated. But this only occurs, however, on off-center hits. This vibration did not bother me at all—just surprised me. After about one set I forgot about it.
VOLLEYS
The WILSON STEAM 100 BLX provided excellent control on volleys and its power was above average. It reacts quickly on reflex-volleys and, again, its extended length was not a negative at the net.
OVERHEADS
The STEAM 100 BLX performed well on overhead “smashes”. It was solid and the accuracy was very good.
SERVES
The WILSON STEAM 100 BLX is really in it’s element on serves. I was able to generate excellent racquet-head speed and the extra .25” seems to provide a little more “pop”. I was very impressed with its accuracy and power. It does everything right when serving.
SPIN POTENTIAL
The STEAM 100 BLX provides sufficient spin and its 23mm beam gives enough clearance on slice shots. Whether topspin, underspin, or side-spin, it does it all well.
CONCLUSION
The WILSON STEAM 100 BLX is a racquet that has excellent “feel” and provides good power. Its accuracy is outstanding and it’s a “rock-star” when serving. It should be great for a wide range of players. i.e., “touch” players will love it as well as big-hitting baseliners. It’s a light, modern, well-designed stick that is suitable for players in the 3.0 – 5.0 range (NTRP).
Greg Christopherson is a professional tennis stringer who lives in Oceanside, Calif.
Wilson are about to introduce four unique new string offerings for 2011:
For players with arm discomfort (like tennis elbow), new Shock Shield string has a gel filled core which helps reduce shock and vibration. The construction eases tension for comfort and control. The string works in combination with the new Shock Shield Hybrid grip, as well as Shock Shield vibration dampener, made with IsoZorb Gel for maximum comfort.
For those looking for a durable synthetic gut, Red Alert is Wilson’s newest offering. With a slightly textured surface, Red Alert provides increased bite and the high molecular weight nylon coating creates durability more than 2 times the comparable synthetic gut string. The company says that the triangular shaped monofilament wraps create a crisp feel on every shot.
The newest member of the NXT family, NXT Control combines polyester and nylon fiber bundles with polyurethane. The polyester fibers offer control while the nylon fiber provides power. Polyurethane bonds the fibers together and offers the shock absorption and comfort that NXT strings are known for.
The new SGX 16 is composed of a high energy core surrounded by bi-directional X-bands for a soft and comfortable feel. Available in a variety of colors (lime pictured here), the traditional synthetic gut suits all playing styles and abilities.
Roger Federer is on all the packaging, but he doesnt use the string himself. Federer uses Wilson Champion’s Choice (a hybrid 16 g. 1/2 set Wilson Natural Gut and 1/2 set Luxilon ALU Power Rough that runs around $29 bucks a set– pricey for string breakers on a budget).
Prices coming soon on the Wilson newbies. Learn more at Wilson or find the string soon at Tennis-Warehouse.
With the Wimbledon press starting to kick in, everyone seems to be bringing out more tv advertisements. The latest Wilson tv ad features Roger Federer and it shows off the Wilson BLX racquet.
Im loving the couch in this ad, looks cool but doubt its very comfortable.
Federer dont give up your day job, cause your acting is terrible.
As the Official Ball of the U.S. Open, Wilson is once again giving tennis fans a chance to go to the Open and win some great Wilson tennis equipment.
Look for specially marked 3-packs of US Open Wilson tennis balls for details or simply go to Wilson’s 2009 US Open Sweepstakes site to register to win. The promotion runs now through August 7, 2009.
Over at TennisIdentity they have put together a short article outlining the new tennis bags of 2009. So head over and check out the latest bags from Wilson, Head and more.
This afternoon I headed over to the Wilson YouTube Channel and noticed that they had a bunch of videos on the site from all the major Wilson sponsored players. However, when taking a look at the videos I noticed that they have all been made and edited using Windows Movie Maker (a free program from Microsoft). I’m now wondering how come the biggest brand in tennis cant actually even scrap together enough funds to purchase a good video editing piece of software and even hire someone to produce these videos professionally. I’m sure if Wilson took the time to do something professional they could receive a lot more views on YouTube and then even receive a partner channel with YouTube which would allow them to make advertising revenues.
This is typical of most major brands who are still yet to understand what they should be doing in terms of web 2.0 and new media. If someone at Wilson does read this please contact us because I’m sure we could help you really get ahead of the competition in this area!
The ITF and Wilson Racquet Sports have extended their sponsorship agreement to include Wilson as the Official Ball of Davis Cup, Fed Cup and other ITF initiatives in a multi-year deal.
Wilson have been a major player with the Davis Cup since 2002. Under this new expanded agreement, Wilson will be the Official Ball to the Davis Cup, Fed Cup and the ITF’s junior team competitions at the under 14 and under 16 level. In addition, Wilson is the exclusive supplier of tennis rackets, shoes, clothing and accessories to the ITF Development Coaching Team.
“Wilson has been an outstanding partner for the ITF, sharing our vision for growing the game of tennis,” said ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti. “Wilson’s involvement in Davis Cup, Fed Cup, ITF junior team competitions and the ITF Development Coaching Team has enhanced all of these areas and we are delighted that they will remain as our partners for many years to come.”
In the past three years, Prince has moved from a weak No. 3 in racket sales to a strong No. 2 behind Wilson. Sales have increased almost 60 percent, to $110 million, from about $70 million, according to Sports One Source, a sporting goods manufacturing analysis firm. As a privately held company, Prince does not disclose financial results.
A resurrection like this is rare in the world of sporting goods manufacturers, where yesterday’s big names are historical reminiscences today, experts said. Few companies that were once major players have gone into a major decline and then made a full-blown recovery. For a decade — from 1992 until the buy-back from Benneton in 2003, Prince was headed the way of brand names such as MacGregor, Spalding and AMF Voit.
How has Prince been able to turn this all around? Are they focusing more on athlete endorsements, tournament sponsorships, online strategies, product development or another method. Im curious to see what our readers think of the Prince brand and if they actually use their products.
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