Most Expensive vs Cheapest TENNIS RACQUET TEST | Wilson RF 97 vs $14.97 Walmart Racket

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In today’s video, I test the cheapest vs the most expensive tennis racquet. The Wilson RF 97 autograph vs $14.97 Wilson racket from Walmart.

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[IntuitiveTennis]

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[YashKMusic]

Meanwhile at Wilson HQ: "guys, you are not going to believe what our new best-selling racket is"

[HC-wtcg]

Thank you so much, I just started learning tennis and I have the exact same cheap racket, in a group lesson the coach took my racket to look, then told me to get a more expensive one if I want to keep learning at a more advanced level. I was slightly embarrassed by that because I also saw others had really expensive rackets there. I am just a tiny lady whose ultimate goal of learning tennis is to be able to do the back-and-forth rallying. After seeing your video, I feel so much better. Thank you!

[jscott]

This video was hilarious. I couldn't stop laughing at how well you played with the Walmart racket. Your comments when hitting the cheap racket were priceless!

[amax]

This video 'proves' not absolutely, of course, that solid fundamentals and proper technique are way more important than equipment. I love these types of comparison videos. I want to see a low handicap golfer play with a $99 complete golf set, like TopFlite, which includes the bag.

[thomasmedeiros]

I use to manage and teach at a small clay court tennis club. I strung lots of racquets and frequently tested racquets thatI had strung. So many players use racquets because of the brand or professional players that endorse that model. It really says something when a player with your skills has difficulty playing with Federer’s racquet. When you hit so well with the $14.95 Walmart racquet it reminded me of the saying, “ it’s the craftsman not the tools”.

[prageeth]

I got the Wilson one from Walmart 2 weeks ago for $14.95 purely bcoz I’m a beginner. But this video makes me feel so good about the decision 😊 you had more fun with the cheaper one than the other for sure 💯

[danielp]

this is a good example of why the honeymoon period works with a new racquet. when you want to like the racquet you get up on your toes and focus more/ high enthusiasm therefore play well (in this case the cheap racquet) compared to the racquet your bored with/ don't want to work, flat footed/ low energy (in this case the RF)

[efs]

Nik - great video. I played college tennis with an aluminum Prince Pro. Rackets made from aluminum can work quite well, although I certainly appreciated the higher quality and performance of the graphite rackets I eventually transitioned to. You should string up the cheap racket with the same set up as you have in the RF 97 to complete the comparison test. Also, your followers might be interested to know how the vibrations felt in the aluminum racket vs the graphite model.

[lukas.]

I loved this. Niko this is exactly what recreational players need to hear and see.
At the 2.5, 3.0, even 3.5 level the type of racquet that a player uses should be the least of their concerns. Niko you would beat me using a frying pan lol. To anyone reading this considering getting into tennis but scared of the cost, just go out and buy the cheapest racquet and get out there and start swinging. Better than sitting on the sidelines and not playing at all.

[cpchristo]

Many, many top pros used aluminum frames back in the day and won slams with them. Fiberglass was also popular. Eventually something will replace graphite I suppose. My first stick was a $20 Wilson aluminum frame and it was just fine. It all boils down to the archer not the bow. I spend much more time tweaking my string setups than anything else.

[georgikorchev]

Thanks Nick very useful! I've got a Pro Staff 97 315 version so some of the insights you gave on the RF re stiffness are really useful. Would be great to see you review and play with different rackets and explain how they compare and their impacts on playing style. Cheers

[bonzwah]

The steady cost of shoes, balls, and strings really add up. The rackets themselves are just a one time fee that last virtually forever.
I think follow up videos about cheap strings and cheap shoes are needed.

[yokoa]

Thank you for this video! I actually bought that exact Walmart racket for my bday a couple months back to try get into tennis and was glad that there was a vid like this to compare the quality in prices!

[OfficialWorldChampion]

pro staff 90s, 88s and 85s that are new or in very good condition sell for around $700, often more, on ebay right now. The classic prestige mid would probably be in the same boat if there were any new ones left.

[cbutt]

I’m a social player now, but played a lot of comp as a junior into early adult. I always used the Hammer when I was younger, the same as Venus used to use. It was an awesome racquet. I now use the RF97 v11, and I completely agree, you really need to know technique before using this racquet. Sweet spot hitting is a must

[thefridgeman]

5:49 says 250 grams, corrects it on screen with 240 grams. The correct weight is 340 grams :D
Played with RF97 for a year, weight was ok but at the level I was playing, against the equivalent of 3-4.0 in US, it was waaayy too powerful. Made too many mistakes. Used RPM Blast and natural gut in hybrid. Replaced it with a Ezone Dr98 and all of a sudden, the most mistakes/UE were gone.
I think this racquet is for someone with a medium swing (length and speed).

[TimTheMusicMan]

Haha. Great video. A million tennis fans are going to rush to Walmart and Costco. Tennis warehouse is losing it right about now. You should do a review of the 1980’s wood rackets.

[cabforwardooo]

I had a heavy version of the RF97 about ten years ago. I demoed one and hit very well with it, so I gave it a go. After a while I found that too many of my shots were going just long and I blamed it on my inability to get enough topspin on the ball due to the racquet's heft. I ended up giving it to a friend and never looked back.

[meilstone]

I've been playing the Wilson Pro Staff 97 (315 g version) for five years now after going through a series of customized Head rackets (tuned to around 300 g, neutral balance). It took me some time to figure out how to serve properly with it. I also play a one-handed backhand and it feels great swinging through the ball - as long as you hit the sweet spot. This racket forces you to improve your technique and has helped me personally to get rid of shoulder and elbow pains as a welcome side effect.
Whenever I switch rackets with friends for fun (Clash, Blade, Babolat, ...), I feel like I'm playing with a toy racket. Of course, the strings are another huge factor and make a difference as well.