The Pro Staff 97 and Pro Staff RF97 Autograph are two of Wilson’s top selling tennis rackets and this is due in no small part to their association with the great Roger Federer.
In this article, I will be looking at the racket specs of the Pro Staff 97 and the RF97 to see how these two rackets compare to each another and to see whether they are good options for recreational players.
Wilson Pro Staff 97 vs RF97 Comparison
In the comparison below I have used the Pro Staff RF97 Autograph V13 (or “RF97”) and the night session version of the Pro Staff 97 V13 (or “PS97”).
Racket Specs Comparison
| Specs: | PS97 | RF97 |
|---|---|---|
| Version: | V13 | V13 |
| Design: |  |  |
| Head Size: | 97in | 97in |
| Length: | 27in | 27in |
| Strung Weight: | 332g (11.71oz) | 357g (12.59oz) |
| Unstrung Weight: | 315g (11.11oz) | 340g (11.99oz) |
| Swing weight: | 321g (11.32oz) | 333g (11.75oz) |
| Balance Point: | 7pts HL | 9pts HL |
| TW Stiffness Rating: | 66 | 68 |
| Power: | Low | Low |
| Player Level: | Advanced | Advanced |
| Beam Width: | 21.5mm | 21.5mm |
| Colors: | Black | Black |
| String Pattern: | 16 x 19 | 16 x 19 |
| Main Skips: | 7T,9T,7H,9H | 7T,9T,7H,9H |
| Grip Type: | Wilson Pro Performance | Wilson Leather |
Head Size and Racket Length
Both tennis rackets have a 97in Midplus head size, and a standard racket length of 27 inches long.
Strung Weight
The strung weight of the PS97 (332g) is 25g lighter than the strung weight of the RF97 (357g), so the PS97 will feel significantly lighter to play with.
Unstrung Weight
The PS97 has an unstrung weight of 315g, while the RF97 has an unstrung weight of 340g, so again the RF97 is considerably heavier.
Swing Weight
The PS97 has a swing weight of 321g, which is 12g lighter than the RF97 (333g) so recreational players will find it much easier to swing the PS97 and it will be much easier to move quickly at the net.
Balance
The Pro Staff 97 has a 7pts Head Light (HL) balance, while the RF97 has a 9pts HL balance, which helps with the maneuverability of these heavy rackets.
Stiffness Rating
The PS97 (66) has a slightly lower stiffness rating when compared with the RF97 (68) but both rackets are considered relatively stiff and not particularly arm-friendly.
Power and Control
The PS97 and RF97 are both low-powered tennis rackets with a focus on control rather than power so you will need good technique on your groundstrokes and serve if you want to hit with power.
In terms of control, both these rackets are great with the RF97 in my opinion providing the ultimate level of control.
Player Level
I would only recommend these rackets to advanced players as both rackets are heavy with relatively small sweet spots so the average beginner to intermediate player will likely play worse if they try to use these rackets.
Beam Width
Both rackets have a beam width of 21.5mm which is considered a very thin beam width when compared with other popular rackets like the Wilson Clash 100 (24.5mm) and the Babolat Pure Aero (23mm/26mm/23mm).
String Pattern
Both rackets have a 16 x 19 string pattern, which is a popular string pattern with club players as they like the extra spin they get on their shots.
Grip Type
The PS97 comes with a standard Wilson Pro Performance grip, while the RF97 has a more expensive Wilson Leather Grip, with both rackets coming in a variety of different grip sizes.