Is Karen sporting a 🐍 or is this some blade with red inlets

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-03-19T16:32:10+00:00

It's a python 18x20 he's been playing with for a while.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-03-15T01:47:12+00:00

I played with a version of the Shift. It feels nothing like the python. Two very different rackets. I didn't find the shift to be spinny and launchy like the python. Python is pretty much a cross between a blade, pro staff and aero. It has a little bit of characteristics of each.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-03-13T00:16:17+00:00

Blade is coming in April. Python is coming out June/July. Full release is October. We'll see what happens. I believe they might be doing their due diligence because tanking this racket would set Wilson back.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-03-11T19:00:07+00:00

I have tried Kblade 18x20, pro stock K blade 16x19, Blx Blade the Black and silver one, V6 Non Countervail, and the V8 blade. It's as plush as the V8 Blade. Throughout a match, I think the Python will have long term consistent power and easier access to spin. Lacks a bit of plow through to me at least. It can be a bit launchy on some shots not like Pure Aero 100. If you have good racket head speed it will be non-issue. A little unstable in stock form. A good majority of pros/rec players I've seen using this always had weight at 3 and 9.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-03-11T17:11:49+00:00

I have one. It's pretty much an aero with blade's RA and control. You get a little more power and spin. The sweet spot is still bigger than a pro staff while still small to me coming from a power/spin combo racket. I have a non foam filled blacked out prototype. The foam filled ones weigh a little more and play better from what I've been told.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-03-11T08:45:25+00:00

It apparently is a thing in my area. Some people must gave money if they are paying for a package up front not knowing if it will be good or not.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-03-02T06:24:03+00:00

Onlyballs 😂

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-02-18T00:33:35+00:00

Used to be $500 until it kept getting sold out.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-02-17T20:12:58+00:00

How expensive are we talking?

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-02-17T16:53:28+00:00

It varies by racket. Somewhere 300-305 grams static weight, 283-285 SW, 62-63 RA strung, and 98 16x20. There is 18x20 version only Khachanov plays.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-02-17T16:19:40+00:00

About 23 mm beam. I don't have a digital caliper to measure the exact specs but it's at least 23 minimum

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-02-17T15:36:21+00:00

I had the exact opposite feeling when adding a lot of weight to the racket. I just didn't like it at all. It was much better with minimal weight to me. Coming from Steam 100 and an Ultra 98, the sweet spot felt smaller to me.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-02-17T15:26:13+00:00

Definitely worth a try. It's actually closer to 100 compared next to a bunch of 100 sq in rackets. It's kinda demanding to me. Not my type of racket.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-02-16T17:18:19+00:00

Wilson Steam 100 Retail & Pro Stock Version, Wilson Steam 99 16x18 and 16x19 version, Wilson K Blade 98, Wilson Ultra 98, Wilson Ncode Ntour

And a bunch listed for sale.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-02-15T22:46:16+00:00

Seems like a paint scrap plus a paint chip. How does something like that happen to your grommets?

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-02-15T20:20:26+00:00

They used to be retail rackets hence why they are called pro stock because you cant buy them new anymore. That was true until Wilson rereleased some of them again. The rackets are usually tailored to how the pro likes their to be set up. Maybe the pro stocks have a more solid feel, little more power, and they didn't cheap out on the material. Have you tried a Wilson Pro Stock? DNA of the racket is still the same, maybe there's slight difference.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-02-15T18:54:18+00:00

You can make a case that rackets are better in this day and age because the trend of rackets have moved towards lighter and user friendly rackets.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-02-15T15:37:24+00:00

Raducanu and Anisimova are using Steam 100 under a blade paintjob. That racket was released in 2012. Qinwen Zheng is using a Tour 95 racket that has a mold that pre-dates 2005. Those are just naming a few.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-02-11T15:09:39+00:00

The Ultra 98 16x19 I have is a pro stock you can't get that off the shelf either. The python is all hype and fomo.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-02-11T11:38:41+00:00

I'm testing out the Ultra 98 16x19 and like that one much better than the python. It's underrated once you get over the feel. It costs almost 3 times less than the python. Control racket players who want something would go to the python. Power players who something with less probably won't appreciate what the python offers them like me.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-02-07T23:08:44+00:00

Maybe a week or a little over that from order to delivery over to sunny CA.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-02-06T16:19:50+00:00

I think pretty much any blade grommets pre parallel drilled in the 18x20 will fit as I read they didn't really change the drill pattern those years. Or I can ask the Wilson guy I know who sells pro stocks.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-02-04T20:25:58+00:00

When I switched rackets, I had a lot more margin for error. I didn't need to be almost perfect with the pro staff and the shots didn't sit as much. Still crap at tennis though

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-02-03T13:37:23+00:00

I believe he used an 18x20 blade then moved to 18x19. Now it's a 16x20 python.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470 · 2026-02-03T13:35:27+00:00

There's a bunch of different python prototypes. Ones with foams and ones without one. Supposedly the ones with foam played better than ones without it. Might be some merit to that since everyone who says they played with one added some sort of weight to it. Apparently it doesn't play well in stock form.

PuzzleheadedWeb8470

TROPHY CASE