The Wilson Blade 98 (V8) and Yonex Percept 97 (V1) are two excellent rackets that offer advanced tennis players tons of control and feel.
In this article, I will look at how these two rackets compare to each other in terms of specs.
Rackets Specs Comparison – Blade 98 vs Percept 97
Main Differences: The Blade 98 V8 has a smaller head size (97in vs 98in), a lower strung weight (11.3oz vs 11.5oz), a higher swing weight (317 vs 315), a higher frame stiffness rating (61 vs 60), and a less head light balance (5 pts HL vs 7 pts HL) when compared with the Percept 97 V1.
Similarities: Both rackets have the same racket length (27in), beam width (21mm), and string pattern (16×19*).
*There is also an 18×20 version of the Blade 98, which has very similar specs but for the below comparison, I have only used the 16×19 version.
| Specs: | Blade 98 | Percept 97 |
|---|---|---|
| Version: | V8 | V1 |
| Design: |  |  |
| Head Size: | 98in | 97in |
| Length: | 27in | 27in |
| Strung Weight: | 320g (11.3oz) | 326g (11.5oz) |
| Unstrung Weight: | 305g (10.76oz) | 310g (10.9oz) |
| Swing weight: | 317 | 315 |
| Balance: | 5 pts HL | 7 pts HL |
| TW Stiffness Rating: | 61 | 60 |
| Power: | Low to Medium | Low |
| Player Level: | Advanced | Advanced |
| Beam Width: | 21mm | 21mm |
| Colors: | Green | Mint Green |
| String Pattern: | 16 x 19 | 16 x 19 |
| Main Skips: | 8T,8H | 8T,8H |
| Grip Type: | Wilson Pro Performance | Yonex Synthetic Grip |
| String Tension: | 50-60lbs | 45-60lbs |
Head to Head
The Blade 98 is the more powerful of the two frames but both would be considered to be very low powered.
In my opinion, the Percept 97 is the better option in terms of control, spin, and arm friendliness but the differences between the two rackets aren’t huge as they have very similar specs.
| H2H | Blade 98 | Percept 97 |
|---|---|---|
| Power |  | – |
| Control | – |  |
| Spin | – | |
| Arm Friendliness | – | |
Player Level Recommendations
Both rackets are best used by advanced tennis players as beginner to intermediate players will these rackets to be too low powered and unforgiving.
If you are a beginner to intermediate player, then you will be better off going for a light frame like the Wilson Blade 100 or the Yonex Percept 100.
| Player Level | Blade 98 | Percept 97 |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner |  | |
| Intermediate | | |
| Advanced |  | |
Pro Player Endorsements
The Blade 98 (16×19) is endorsed by a number of top tennis players including Paula Badosa, Emma Raducanu, and Alex de Minaur, while the Percept 97 is endorsed by Frances Tiafoe.
Where can you buy these tennis rackets?
The rackets are for sale in most good online tennis shops and on the official Wilson and Yonex websites.