Staff FG-51 Tour Blade 1991-93. Runner-up racket was the (K) Factor with 6 grand slam singles titles. Fun Fact: The 2002 Hyper Pro Staff 6.1 was the last racket an up-and-coming Roger Federer would use before he was known as Grand Slam Champion. Wilson reintroduced the ProStaff Original 6.0 85 in May 2011 via an exclusive arrangement with Tennis Warehouse in the USA. The ProStaff Original 6.0 85 maintains a large enough following to continue as one of their best selling racquets as of December 2013. This “tuxedo-style” cosmetic, co-designed with Roger Federer, has inspired every Wilson racket design since. Called “Braid 45”, this strategic placement of the braid allows the frame to “breathe” more upon impact, increasing dwell time while maintaining the stability responsible for the classic Pro Staff feel. Fun Fact: While we no longer use Basalt in our Pro Staff frames, we are still using a braid of carbon and Basalt in our Blade frames to provide as much feel as possible for the competitive players that rely on feedback from the ball to feel confident going for their shots. The Pro Staff design combined the braided construction of the earlier Ultra line with the most of the shape of the Sting (that was produced without a throat bar). Stiffness RA rating lowered from the original stiffer 67 to a flexier 62 as listed on Tennis Warehouse web site. With the 13th version of Pro Staff launching, we felt it was only fitting to go digging into the archives to answer the question: what were the other 12 Pro Staffs like, and why do we keep making them? Documenting my thoughts and some hitting of the Wilson Staff Tour Blade 6 iron. Chris appreciated the classic Pro Staff feel, but at times he wished for a little easier access to power and spin. The new Pro Staff v13 line measures in at a 6.4si. ... 1976. Wilson started trimming its Tour staff and, much to the chagrin of Pro Shops (who still sold most of the balls and equipment back then. MORE STORIES Top 5 Photos, 2/17: Tsitsipas pulls off unlikely Nadal win By using fewer cross strings than main strings, we were able to create a racket that naturally increased spin without players having to change their swing. But before that, he used a 90 square inch frame for most of his career. In 2012, Wilson reintroduced the Prostaff line with their Amplifeel series of rackets. Fun Fact: Roger would go on to win 7 grand slam titles with the nCode series, the most with any one racket in his career. … The responsive string pattern and string bed along with the racquet balance make Wilson equipment easy to place the ball where you want. Three words: Spin Effect Technology. Born in 1983, the Pro Staff debuted as an oversized racquet with a 110 square inch head size. Also worth noting was the introduction of Countervail technology, designed to reduce the amount of energy sent from the ball up the racket into a player’s arm, minimizing fatigue and allowing players to play better, longer. One-Up'd Howard Head releases both versions of their oversized head racquets, the Prince Classic and Prince Pro. The series produced Steffi Graf's racquets of choice in the 1990s as she signed an endorsement deal with Wilson in 1994 after having played with Dunlop since the beginning of her career. However, it has a higher flexibility, particularly in the upper hoop, due to its larger head size, which has been described as undesirably "whippy". At that time Wilson’s Ultra was one of the best selling balls in golf, giving Titleist a run for its money. The gold BLX butt cap in place of the original white & red butt cap. This was the original St. Vincent version that Pete Sampras used. For example, the very first Pro Staff line in 1983 featured 125”, 110”, and 85” head sizes. BLX technology evolved into “Amplifeel” technology, which was adding the vibration-reducing effect of basalt to the racket handle. The main differences on the new release are: 1. Developed as one of the first carbon tennis rackets, the Pro Staff line was actually our third venture into the carbon tennis racket space, following our “Galaxy” and “Sting” racket lines. This construction blends the extraordinary strength of graphite with the durability of Kevlar®, a space-age material. Other first-rate players who have u… Today, Pro Staff is still made with this classic double braid. 2. Because Pro Staff players largely preferred the double braid of the original Pro Staff, the Hyper Pro Staff 6.1 was designed to be the first Pro Staff to use both the double braid AND Hyper Carbon technology. The more modern Pro Staffs have also a reduction in weight; the 95 and 100 boast 11.5 and 11.3 oz strung weight, respectively. Today, the Pro Staff Classic is known by many as the Pro Staff Six.One. For v13, our R&D team arranged the racket’s famous double braid at all-new 45-degree angles. In the 1990s, Wilson produced a range of lighter Pro Staff models called "Pro Staff Classic Lite." Originally manufactured in Chicago, Illinois and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Pro Staff line was Wilson's answer to the Prince Graphite, Yonex Rex series, and the Dunlop Max 200G. The answer is what’s inside: a classic braid of two materials: carbon and aramid fibers. Pete Sampras, who used the racquet for his entire professional career, established the reputation of the Pro Staff 85 (graphite/Kevlar) as a legendary racquet more than any other player. The small headsize of the 85 and Perimeter Weighting System also minimize the torque on off-centre hits, further enhancing control at impact. They further clarified the division in 2014, removing the "6.1" label and releasing the ProStaff as a stand-alone racket series. There has been a noticeable difference in swing-weight in these rackets, with the 90 having a 327 swing-weight, the 95 having a 306 swing-weight, and the 100 having a 304 swing-weight. Wilson has since produced numerous Pro Staff models, including some based closely on the design of the Original. Wilson recently released the 13th version of the Pro Staff that still embodies the classic feel of the original. Jan 1, 1400. 1991: Pro Staff 6.0si. The 85” and 125” were then developed from the 110”. You make sure they’re smooth, and you can’t cover up any blemishes in the design easily like you could with a game improvement model.”Wilson’s new blades are called th… Fun Fact: Yes, Roger Federer won plenty of slams with the (K) Factor Pro Staff. The 85 is unforgiving for the currently popular semi-western topspin style with its 12.6 ounce (357 g) weight and low power. Continuing in their history of innovation, Wilson Staff teamed up with Golf Channel to air ‘Driver vs. Driver’, which is a television program where ordinary golfers can submit designs that lead to the next innovative Wilson Staff driver. Only upon returning to play exhibition, World Team Tennis and Senior Tour matches post retirement from the ATP, did Sampras switch rackets (to a similar model as that used by Roger Federer at the time) before Wilson produced a new model especially for Sampras, the K Pro Staff 88. The first composite version associated with Tour success will always date back to the composite racquet used by the first ProStaff-using number one ranked tennis professionals, Chris Evert & Stefan Edberg. This “K Factor” produced a stronger, denser frame layup. in., 11.3 oz., Head Light; Head Graphene Touch Speed MP: 100 square inch head size; Babolat Pure Aero: 100 square inch head, 11.3 oz., Head Light; Head Graphene 360+ Speed Pro: 18 x20 string pattern; Wilson Blade 98 Countervail: 98 square inch head, Head Light ... Wilson's T200 racquet was the first widely used metal frame racquet. While more modern racquets consist of many pieces of graphite spliced to the framework of the racquet, the braided graphite construction of the Pro Staff Original was such that only a single, long piece of graphite is used, which is then 'braided' around the frame. He said, "From the first swing, it was apparent Wilson had retained the light and fast feel of the … Also unique is that the graphite in the Pro Staff Original is braided. Like Ping iron history page. JP Wilson Staff 1991-93. 1999: Hyper Pro Staff 5.0, Hyper Pro Staff 5.0 Stretch, 2000-2001: Hyper Pro Staff 6.5, Pro Staff Titanium 6.6. ULTRA System 45 1990. This model retained the thin 17 mm beam throughout its length but has increased weight from 12.6 oz (357.20 g) to 12.8 oz (362.87 g) strung, is slightly less head-light (six points rather than eight), with an 88-square-inch (570 cm2) head size, up from 85 in the Pro Staff Original (the Pro Staff 6.0 was produced in a number of sizes) and with 19 rather than 18 crosses in the string pattern (retaining the 16 mains). As Wilson’s reputation evolved from a pro-equipment distributor to a department store brand, the company still continued to innovate. The 90’s graphic below paints a visual, but in a nutshell, the lower a tennis racket’s SI, the more stiff, while the higher a racket’s SI, the more flexible. The Pro Staff models also were of medium stiffness, again reflecting a design philosophy that blended the Ultra II, which was very stiff, and the Sting, which was flexible. Ask your Dad), jumped in bed with Wal-Mart. 1200-GE RADIUS SOLE 1987-89. Navratilova, meanwhile, had switched back to the less stiff R-22, a graphite/fiberglass model. The result was a significant increase in strength, stability, resiliency and power. The original graphite Pro Staff was 110 square inches; the 85, 95, and 125 sizes were developed from it. There are no bells and whistles, just the basic ingredients for a true player's racquet. Wilson designs and … 2004 - 2006:  nCode nSix.One (95”), nCode nSix.One Tour (90”). Also, what a ponytail. Besides being used by many pros and club players in its heyday, the Pro Staff Original continues to have a cult-like following. In 1983, Wilson introduced the classic Pro Staff, its answer to the Dunlop Max 200G and the Prince Graphite. Theirs were the first composite ProStaff and thus, the "Original" (composite) ProStaff. It was the racquet he used to defeat his long-time hero Pete Sampras at Wimbledon in 2001 on his way to superstardom. Contrary to popular belief, the stiffer and heavier Ultra II, not a member of the Pro Staff line, was Wilson's most expensive racquet until the 1987 Profile debuted. … Space age, huh? C’mon, you know you want to watch it. Fun Fact: In July 2018, Wilson worked with former Beastie Boys producer “Money Mark” to create a music track using “tennis sounds” performed by Roger Federer. The most iconic brand in tennis has continued to evolve into a popular favourite among casual players. 2. Fun Fact: While Wilson typically show our pro athletes in marketing images, we have used an astronaut, a hooded figure, and even Teddy Roosevelt to market our rackets! While we could say many things about Version 11, perhaps most notable is the all-black, minimalistic design featured on the RF97 Autograph model. Surprisingly, the ProStaff Original 85 was a downsized version of the 110. The material composition utilized nanotechnology to bond new molecules that fill spaces between the racket's graphite fibers (branded [K]arophite Black) to the graphite itself, rather than the unbonded fill used in Wilson's prior N-Code racket series. The original graphite Pro Staff was 110 square inches; the 85, 95, and 125 sizes were developed from it. Following on the heels of the successful Ultra and Sting models, the Pro Staff combined the basic racquet shape of the Sting with the Ultra's braided graphite/kevlar construction and Perimeter Weighting System (PWS). Stiffer rackets produce more power while flexible rackets produce more control. Launched by Wilson in 1983, the first-ever Pro Continuing the trend of making the overall makeup of our tennis rackets “stronger”, (K) Factor technology was designed to bond Carbon Black, graphite and SiO2 together at the nano level to create “Karophite Black”. All totaled, 117 grand slam titles have been won with Pro Staff. I remember it cost me ‎£45. HEAD SIZE: A tennis racket’s head size is the circumference of the racket’s hoop, typically measured in square inches in the US and square centimeters everywhere else. Fun Fact: While many remember the Pro Staff 85” 6.0 as the original Pro Staff released, the first Pro Staff actually developed was the Pro Staff 110”. “A blade is truly the jewelry of the golf industry, and you just need extra time to get all the surfaces particularly right, particularly clean. in. This new material was used to reduce the amount of racket vibration felt at impact. But many will remember this racket as the one that Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro used to beat Federer in the final of the 2009 US Open. It’s nearly impossible to convince them to play with anything else. The new line of Prostaff is expected to be released fall 2014. At the beginning of 2002 his racquet was painted as a Wilson Hyper Pro Staff 6.0 95, but actually the same PS 85 as he was using before. 2003: Pro Staff Tour 90”, Pro Staff Rok (93”), Pro Staff Torch (110”). All important to note as you look through every Pro Staff ever, as you’ll notice SI was used to differentiate the models in the 90’s and early 2000’s. First, the increase in the Pro Staff’s head size. The Prostaff 6.0 also performs admirably well with flatter hitters (as evidenced by the success of Pete Sampras, Chris Evert, and Mary Pierce) as a result of its considerable heft and control. Shortly after, Wilson adapted the design to the now-iconic 85 square inch head size, a.k.a., the Pro Staff Original 6.0. There’s no question about it: the Pro Staff is our most iconic tennis racket franchise. I have always thought these are some of the most strikingly good looking irons ever made. One retro feature is the lack of Wilson's swing/stiffness index number in the racquet name, similar to the ProStaff Original Mid (now ProStaff 6.0 85). Having been traditionally a 90” or 95”, Version 10 of Pro Staff featured mostly 97-square-inch models. ULTRA System 45 (dot on sole) 1991. A year after the BLX Pro Staffs launched, a version with the Amplifeel handle was introduced with an almost identical design. Having been around for 37 years, it’s best known for its classic double braid of carbon and aramid fibers (commonly known as graphite/Kevlar®), and of course the many greats who use(d) it: Chris Evert, Stefan Edberg, Jim Courier, Steffi Graf, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer. In fact, there is nothing "original" about this model, as it is not the first Wilson graphite racquet by any means, and the 110 square inch model was the original in the line, not the longer-lived 85 square inch variant. THE HISTORY OF THE WILSON PRO STAFF TENNIS RACKET An Evolution of the Brand’s Most Iconic Racket Family . Version 13 also features a denser string bed to increase precision and a more rounded end cap for added comfort. Inspired by a recent comment from a reader I thought I'd look into the various models of racquet Roger Federer has used since he went pro way back in 1998. The Beginning of the Wilson Era. Federer's new Prostaff removes the box beam in favor of a modern, angular beam. 1994 - Wilson Pete Sampras Comp 25 This was a great starter racquet. One of our most famous racket technologies, the Hammer Series launched in 1999 using “Hyper Carbon” technology, which was designed to be four times stronger, stiffer, and 65% lighter than Titanium. However, he didn’t win his first slam with a 97” until the 2017 Australian Open. Sampras also had all frames re-strung daily during tournaments, whether used or not - a consistency which, along with his choice of just one racket model and those from just one factory, illustrate his preference for his rackets to be as familiar, and therefore as predictable, as possible. Staff FG-53 Goose-Neck 1991-92. A flat hitting power-oriented game will therefore benefit considerably from the inherent control and stability of the frame. They featured larger head sizes (95 and 110 sq in) and a more flexible frame than either the 6.0 or the 6.1. In the case of the Prince, the name is more apt, but even that racquet went through a number of major revisions, including the addition of grommets and a change of hoop shape. She defeated Navratilova in 1985 with the graphite/Kevlar Pro Staff 85. The first Pro Staff was the high-end Jack Kramer standard wooden model. We mention this because head size was used in both the 80’s and again beginning in 2003 to differentiate the models. By today’s standards, an 85-inch head seems almost unfathomable. For reference, the most popular Pro Staff’s typically have measured around a 6.0si, which is considered an ideal blend of flexibility and stability. With the massive success of the Wilson “Profile” racket in the late 80’s, our engineers decided to bring the all-new “Dual Taper System” to the Pro Staff Franchise. The Pro Staff Original was the brainchild of Wilson marketing back in 1982. 2007 – 2009: (K) Factor Six.One Tour (90”, 95”), (K) Pro Staff 88 (6.0si). It’s safe to say that if you make something for 37 years, people must like it.