Wilson Clash 98 Review and Playtest

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As a tennis fan and player myself, I am always excited to test out new Wilson tennis rackets I haven’t had the chance to play with before. This time, I got to review Wilson Clash 98 v2, which is part of the famous Wilson Clash rackets line. Until now, my experience with this particular brand has been overwhelmingly positive, so naturally, I had high expectations from this one. 

Wilson Clash 98 Tennis Racket Review
Wilson Clash 98
Best tennis racket for aggressive advanced players

Groundstrokes: 8.6

Volleys: 8.6

Serve: 8.6

Returns: 8.6

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Did it make the cut? Well, you have to read until the end to find out, especially if you are considering buying Wilson Clash 98, because I like to go deep and explain how the racket performed in all court areas. Let’s dive in! 

Wilson Clash 98 Specifications

What stood out first with the Wilson Clash 98 v2 tennis racket was its impressive paint job. This has little to do with performance, but it’s always nice to see that extra effort that some tennis racket brands make towards the racket’s design. Speaking of design, Wilson Clash 98 has some noticeable changes compared to the previous models of the same line. The eye-catching colors and the composition’s modern edge are simply fantastic, and I was an immediate fan. 

Wilson Clash 98 Tennis Racket Store

When strung, Wilson Clash’s 98 weight is around 11.5 ounces (or 326 grams), which is a good middle ground between stability and maneuverability. It has a standard 27 inches long to provide enough leverage on the court. 

This racket is oriented mostly towards control, like most of the Clash’s line models. It features a 98 inches head size, generating a lot of spins and moderate power levels. The frame has low stiffness levels and a slightly dense 16 x 20 string pattern, which makes the racket somewhat comfortable, which was a nice surprise. 

Wilson Clash 98 is classified as a player’s racket and is mostly suitable for high, intermediate, and advanced levels. 

  • Head size: 98 sq. in / 632 sq. cm
  • Length: 27 inch / 68.5 cm 
  • Weight (strung): 11.5 oz / 326 grams 
  • Balance: 9 pts HL 
  • Swingweight: 326 
  • Stiffness: 55 
  • Beam width: 24 mm / 24 mm / 24 mm
  • Composition: Graphite 
  • String pattern: 16 mains / 20 crosses 
  • Tension: 48 – 58 lbs / 21 – 26 kg
  • Grip type: Wilson pro perfomance 
  • Colours: Black / Red / Gray 

Groundstrokes – Score: 8.6

At the baseline, Wilson Clash 98 v2 delivered a great performance. It delivered an incredible level of control, which gave me a much-appreciated boost of confidence. It was easy to dictate where the ball would go, and I managed to hit all the targets with great ease. 

Wilson Clash 98 Tennis Racket Groundstroke

The racket was quite stable, as well, without being too heavy, which is a fantastic attribute for intermediate players. However, those who are more advanced might feel the need to make some adjustments in weight for convenience.

This racket generates heavy spin and swings really fast. The power levels are moderate, meaning the player should be able to generate enough physical strength for the shots. However, you can still rely on the racket’s power when needed without worrying that it will become overbearing. 

Those players who have an aggressive approach to the game will love Wilson Clash 98 v2 because it offers the perfect blend of all the right features; spin, control, and power. 

The racket is well-balanced and delivers a nice feel; the more you play with it, the better you connect with the ball. Forehand and backhand slices were a true joy with Clash 98 v2, but the cherry on top was the flat slices. It was easy to control the pace change throughout the game and to maneuver the racket.

Even though it’s not the most comfortable racket on the market, I would say that it was quite easy on the arm. Overall, this racket was really great at the groundstrokes, with minimal drawbacks and nothing to complain about. 

Volleys – Score: 8.4

Up at the net, Wilson Clash 98 did pretty well. This is a very stable racket, even though some people might argue that it needs some extra weight. However, throughout most of the game, it felt solid, and it was easy to keep pace even during fast volleys exchanges.

Wilson Clash 98 Tennis Racket Volley

Wilson Clash 98 v2 has the perfect combination of features regarding volleys; feel maneuvrability, high control, and spin. This helped me to be more aggressive and confident whenever I approached the net, which also helped me put the opponent often in a difficult position. 

The racket is highly responsive, which makes it easier to put volleys away. However, because the head size of Clash 98 falls is in the smaller range, it is less forgiving and requires a lot of focus and precision.

One of the biggest tradeoffs of this racket was its touch. I expected it to be soft and crispy, just like in groundstrokes, but it was often off and made me feel disconnected from the ball. This made me push out of my comfort zone for compensation, while the racket felt like it was losing responsiveness. I would strongly recommend that you try out a leather replacement grip to try and enhance the feel. 

Serve – Score: 8.4

At serves, Wilson Clash 98 tennis racket delivered an excellent performance. I loved the blend of high levels of control with the descent power, which made me more confident, especially during big serves. 

Wilson Clash 98 Tennis Racket Serve

This racket really moves through the air; I found myself keeping pace easily and creating exceptional speed. However, if you don’t have the right skills, you can move too quickly at times; that’s why I recommend practicing a lot so that you can connect better with the racket. 

It generates plenty of spins, which helped me quickly put my opponent in defensive mode; however, it requires some extra effort for kick serves or slices. This is a fairly stable racket, and the weight is just enough to add some extra power with each shot. 

Wilson Clash 98 Tennis Racket Serve Review

Swinging big comes easy with Clash 98 v2, which allowed me to hit some heavy serves. Hitting the targets or adding more depth to the shots was not a problem, and overall I enjoyed the descent comfort that this racket provides. The exceptional levels of control during serves make this racket a true weapon on the court. Overall, I had a great time serving with this racket. 

Returns – Score: 8.7

During the playtest, Wilson Clash 98 v2 excelled the most at returns. The racket’s weight and balance combination were perfect, allowing the player to switch positions fast or at least turn to neutral. It’s easy to maneuver and provides great control levels, which helped me hit all my targets, and land the ball where I wanted to, with great precision. 

Wilson Clash 98 Tennis Racket Return

It felt good during big serves and allowed me to swing big confidently. Remaining constant and keeping pace was effortless with WilsonClash 9 v2 racket, which is a crucial attribute in returns.

I found myself generating more topspin than usual and adding depth with each shot. Slices and flat returns were an absolute favorite throughout the game. Surprisingly, the power levels of this racket were controllable at returns, preventing an erratic performance. 

Wilson Clash 98 Tennis Racket Return Review

As already mentioned, this racket is quite forgiving and delivers a nice feeling, which helped me save some energy and made the game more enjoyable. However, a drawback I couldn’t help but notice was the slight lack of stability during returns. Sometimes it might feel too rushed and mess with your rhythm, which was kind of disappointing. Besides that, Wilson Clash 98 v2 did a great job delivering an impressive performance. 

Overall – Score: 8.52

Overall, this Wilson tennis racket has a strong appeal to high intermediate and advanced players due to its wide variety of features and high quality. This is one of the best Wilson tennis rackets on the market for this range of players, which can help to upgrade their skills and performance on the court. 

Wilson Clash 98 offers a great blend of spin, control, stability, and moderate power. 

The combination of its weight, balance, and features makes the racket stable and easy to maneuver. It offers high precision, helping the player hit all the targets and adding more depth to the shots. 

It adapts well for all kinds of players, but its suits the best those who have an aggressive approach to the game and look forward to weaponizing the racket. It is surprisingly comfortable, which is always nice, and a major bonus, considering the smaller head size and its main attributes. 

Wilson Clash 98 generates a lot of speed, and with some extra effort, it is easy to keep pace without feeling too rushed. 

This racket offers easy playability and a nice, plush feeling. However, the player must have mastered the right skills and techniques to take full advantage of the racket. I found that the more time you spend practicing, the easier it is to connect with it. 

However, beginners, or players who have just upgraded to intermediate levels, should stay away from this racket and look for other, more suitable options because, without the proper experience in the game, this racket will have a hard time playing.

wilson clash 100 tennis racquet with tennis balls

Wilson Clash 98 vs. 100

As the technical specifications suggest, the main difference between Wilson Clash 98 and 100 is their weight and size. Wilson Clash 100 rackets half an ounce more, has a slightly bigger beam for more leverage on the court and features a 100 sq. in head. This racket is classified as a twinner and is mostly suitable for all ranges of intermediate players, but unlike Willson Clash 98 is not a good tennis racket for advanced players

wilson clash 100 tennis racket review
Wilson Clash 100
Best tennis racket for arm comfort

Groundstrokes: 8.6

Volleys: 8.4

Serve: 8.3

Returns: 8.5

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Willson Clash 100 delivers both spin and power at satisfying levels. It is also more flexible and comfortable to play with. However, it lacks the precision and impressive control that Clash 98 has to offer. 

The other feature differences are not noticeable or don’t exist at all. If you doubt which one to purchase between these two rackets, I suggest making a choice based on your skill levels and goals. Suppose you are a high beginner, a player that just upgraded to intermediate level, or you are currently recovering from tennis elbow and other injuries. In that case, the best option is Wilson Clash 100. 

Willson Clash 100 Specs

  • Head size: 100 sq. in / 645.16 sq. cm
  • Length: 27 inch / 68.58 cm
  • Weight (strung): 11.2 oz / 318 grams 
  • Balance: 7 pts HL 
  • Swingweight: 313
  • Stiffness: 57
  • Beam width: 24.5 mm
  • Composition: Graphite 
  • String pattern: 16 mains / 19 crosses 

Wilson Blade vs. Clash

In terms of specifications and performance, Wilson Blade 98 and Clash 98 are pretty similar. The main difference is that Wilson Blade is slightly lighter in weight, but this isn’t a big contrast and often goes unnoticed since they both feel almost the same when held in your hand. 

wilson Blade 98 tennis racket review
Wilson Blade 98
Most comfortable tennis racket

Groundstrokes: 8.4

Volleys: 8.6

Serve: 8.4

Returns: 8.3

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Wilson Blade 98 is not as headlight or flexible as Wilson Clash 98 either and features a thinner beam. This means that Blade can be a bit more of a challenge to maneuver and is not as comfortable, but again these differences with Clash 98 are minor. 

However, Wilson Blade generates less power and higher control and allows effortless, full swings. These features make this racket a perfect option for advanced players. Unlike Wilson Clash 98, Wilson Blade is not a good option for intermediate players, who can struggle in court while trying to generate enough physical strength or keep pace. 

Wilson Blade 98 Specs 

  • Head size: 98 sq. in / 632 sq. cm
  • Length: 27 inch / 68.5 cm 
  • Weight (strung): 11.3 oz / 320 grams
  • Balance: 5 pts HL
  • Swingweight: 320
  • Stiffness: 61
  • Beam width: 21 mm
  • Composition: Graphite
  • String pattern: 16 x 19

Babolat Pure Drive vs. Wilson Clash

The Babolat Pure Drive is a very popular racket on the market, and compared to Wilson Clash 98 v2 has noticeable differences. For starters, the Babolat racket features a bigger head size, with an open 16 x 19 string pattern, which helps the frame generate a generous amount of power. 

Babolat Pure Drive Tennis Racket Review
Babolat Pure Drive
Best high-powered and spin-friendly tennis racket

Groundstrokes: 8.6

Volleys: 8.2

Serve: 9.1

Returns: 8.3

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It is much more comfortable to play with, and because Babolat Pure Drive classifies as a twinner racket, it also offers a good amount of spin. However, the spin potential is much less than Wilson Clash 98, which also has a major advantage in control and precision. 

If you are in doubt from which to choose, I would recommend Babolat Pure Drive for intermediate players or even beginners, who want to upgrade their skill levels, but still prioritize comfort and power on their game. 

High intermediates and advanced players should stick with Wilson Clash 98, which offers a blend of more suitable features according to their needs on the court. 

Babolat Pure Drive Specs 

  • Head size: 100 sq. in / 645.16 sq. cm
  • Length – 27 inch / 68.58 cm
  • Weight (strung): 11.2 oz / 318 grams
  • Balance: 4 pts HL
  • Swingweight: 321
  • Stiffness: 71
  • Beam width: 23mm / 26mm / 23mm
  • Composition: Graphite
  • String pattern: 16 x 19

Conclusion

In conclusion, I found Wilson Clash 98 v2 to be an amazing racket. It offers a great combination of all the right features that challenge the players to bring the best of their abilities while also making the game much more enjoyable. 

Wilson Clash 98 Tennis Racket Review
Wilson Clash 98
Best tennis racket for aggressive advanced players

Groundstrokes: 8.6

Volleys: 8.6

Serve: 8.6

Returns: 8.6

CHECK PRICE

The control levels and their precision were impressive. This racket is a great option for singles, as well as for double players. It suits mostly high intermediate and advanced players who know what they are doing in court and have the ability to take full advantage of Wilson Clash 98 potential. 

The drawbacks are minimal, and with time you won’t even notice, as you spend more time in practice to better connect with the racket. Overall, I found this racket to deliver easy playability and a great performance in all court areas. 

FAQs

We have covered a lot of information at this point, and by now, you may have a good understanding of whether the Wilson Clash 98 is the right tennis racket for you. However, during our playtest, we found a few questions that cropped up quite regularly, so for convenience, we have provided answers to those here.

Q: Do any pro players use the Wilson Clash?

Yes, a few professional players use the Wilson Clash 98 as their racket of choice, including Madison Keys, Laura Siegemund, and Johanna Konta.

Q: Is the Wilson Clash worth it?

The Wilson Clash is definitely worth the investment, especially if you are a high intermediate or advanced player. It offers great power and control and is very comfortable to play with.

Q: Is Wilson Clash 98 a good racket?

The Wilson Clash 98 is an excellent racket that provides intermediate and advanced players with easy playability and a great performance in all court areas. The only drawback of this racket is its lack of spin potential, which may be an issue for some players.

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I am Mario, a tennis player passionate about encouraging others to join the sport.

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