yeonghwan Moon
I recently visited the WTA 500 tournament in Seoul, South Korea.
Although I hadn’t planned for it, Wilson was holding an event, and I got the chance to demo the RF01!
I’ve been super curious about it, so I was excited to try it out, even if just for 10 minutes.
I tested the RF01 300g with Alu Power strings, but I forgot to ask about the tension (rookie mistake!).
For context, I usually play with Wilson’s Blade and Yonex’s Strike, so keep that in mind as I share my thoughts.
Strokes and Feel of the Wilson RF01
The first thing I noticed was that the RF01 had more power than the Blade.
This meant a slightly higher launch angle, but thanks to the extra spin, I didn’t send any balls flying long.
I was especially impressed with my backhand, which felt way more solid than with the Blade—probably because my backhand isn’t as strong as my forehand.
So, if you’re into more spin over flat shots, you might want to give the RF01 a shot.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t test the Shift, which I’ve heard is more similar to the RF01 than the Pro Staff.
How Did the RF01 Feel in My Hands?
One thing to note is the overall feel of the RF01.
For me, the shots felt a bit hollow, but I still liked how clearly I could feel the feedback in my hand.
That said, racket feel is a very personal thing, so it could be different for everyone.
What about you? Do you like a racket with strong feedback, or do you prefer something more muted?
Volleys: The Strength of the Wilson RF01
Now, onto volleys—probably the biggest strength of the RF01.
This racket made volleying feel effortless! Rackets with power and spin often excel in volleys, and that was definitely the case here.
Since volleys aren’t my strong suit, any boost in performance is a win.
In my experience, volleying was easier than with the Ezone 98. That said, there was one downside.
Because of the extra power, low volleys were trickier, and sometimes the ball traveled longer than I wanted.
But hey, hitting low balls is more of a defensive move anyway, so it didn’t bother me too much.
Final Thoughts on the Wilson RF01
Sadly, I only had time to hit a few serves with the RF01.
Just as I started to notice the ample power on the serve, my time was up.
Ten minutes is way too short for a full demo, but it was enough to give me an initial feel.
In conclusion, while I’m going to stick with the Blade for its ability to hit flat shots, I’d recommend the RF01 if you’re looking to mix up your game with spin and power.
However, the feel in your hand is really subjective, so I can’t say it’s a must-try for everyone.
Has anyone else tested out the RF01? I’d love to hear your thoughts!