One of the star young players in tennis right now is Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Greek right-hander has found ways to play consistently and make deep runs at several different majors so far. He’s one of the best in tennis right now without a major, but many believe it’s not a matter of if, but when.
His powerful and graceful strokes have many fans wondering what his current racquet setup is. Even if they can’t play exactly like him, using a similar setup can help make subtle improvements.
What Racket Does Stefanos Tsitsipas Use? Stefanos Tsitsipas currently uses a Wilson Blade 98 V7 18×20 racket. He gets his particular racket customized to his liking, so it differs from the same one available to the public. He’s used some version of the Blade 98 throughout his professional career, as well as his junior playing days.
| Tennis Racket | Wilson Blade 98 v7 18×20 |
| Strings | Luxilon 4G (55-60 pounds) |
| Shoes | Adidas Solecourt Boost |
What Modifications Does Stefanos Tsitsipas Have Done to His Racket?
According to several sources working directly with player racquets at the professional level, the Blade 98 that he uses is the earlier version from around 2013. While Wilson will paint it to look like the current version, he still prefers the previous version.
The difference is that the 2013 model was a BLX Blade that was great for hitting heavy groundstrokes and generating power overall.
He starts with the retail racket, but has some weight added to the handle to make it a little bit heavier. When strung, it goes up to about 337 grams, which is about 10 grams heavier than the standard racket.
What Keeps Him From Upgrading to a Different Racket?
Like a lot of pro players, Tsitsipas is very happy with his current setup and doesn’t want to stray too much from what he’s played with. It takes a long time for players to adjust to any type of changes, so he’s going to stick with the feel of his racket as long as possible.
As far as what made him gravitate towards the Blade 98 with an 18×20 string pattern, it’s likely that he found better feedback with this control-oriented option.
Unlike a lot of open string patterns out there, Tsitsipas does not hit with a ton of topspin (especially on the forehand). That means that he needs more control and power with his shots to maximize the playing style.
What String Does Tsitsipas Use?
Tsitsipas keeps the string in the family by using Luxilon 4G. He prefers the low-power polyester string because it helps a lot with control. The string tension varies throughout the year, but he tends to be on the higher side as far as professional players are concerned. He usually is somewhere in the 55 to 60-pound range.
It makes sense that he uses a string that helps with control, while also using a control-oriented racket. This makes a setup that can translate pretty well to the average player who is trying to up their game.
It can sometimes be frustrating trying to find the right setup, but as far as professionals are concerned, this is pretty close to what an amateur might use as well.
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Is the Current Wilson Blade 98 Racket a Good Option to Invest In?
Even though it’s not technically the same racket used by Tsitsipas on tour, this is still one of the best rackets for all types of players out there today.
Wilson continues to make upgrades to their racquets geared towards the average player for the most part. At the same time, they’ve made a lot of effort to ensure that their racquets match up with what the pros use so they don’t feel like companies are not being truthful with them.
There is the option of exploring used websites to find the BLX model from 2013. The newest version of the Blade 98 is a little lower on the stiffness scale, which gives a little more comfortability overall to the average player.
It’s received great reviews since its release, and there are other setups as well in the Blade family. Whether a player wants a little more spin, a bigger head size, or more weight, the options are available to get exactly that.
Players relying on fairly flat shots overall should add the Wilson Blade 98 V7 to their list of demos. It’s hard to tell exactly if a racquet will work or not without trying it out first, so take the extra bit of time to try it out for a couple of days to see.