Roger Federer reveals all about his new racket collection and here is our verdict
Tennis rackets are rarely collector’s items the moment they are released, but that is certainly the case with the stunning new RF range from Wilson.
Roger Federer only puts his iconic ‘RF’ logo on selected products and when his long-time racket manufacturer Wilson proposed a new range of rackets to continue his legacy in the sport, he jumped at the opportunity.
“Having spent my whole career playing with Wilson rackets, I’m excited about the new RF Collection that we’ve created together,” said Federer as he launched the racket.
“I’m honoured that Wilson is continuing my legacy by further innovating the game I love, and I hope the collection inspires the stars of today as much as I was inspired the first time that I picked up a Wilson racket.
“Having the RF logo on the racket shows you that this is very serious for me,” said Federer.
“It’s a big honour for me to have an RF franchise at Wilson. I’ve been with them for so, so long, ever since I played my first tournament at eight years old it was a Wilson racket and I’ve never played another tournament with another, with another brand.
“So for me to carry on the journey together with Wilson, now with my own initials and my brand is incredible.
“I’ve wanted to work on a new racket in while rehabbing, you know, and for my comeback, we were looking at, what else could we add to the racket? What could it be? And we were going through the whole process. And then, of course, my career ended.
“Then my mind had to shift as well. Okay. Well, who cares about me right now? This is about, really purely about a racket, also for, you know, future junior players, other pro players, but also recreational players.
“So I try to blend all my knowledge that I had over the last, whatever, 30 years into this racket.
“I also really wanted to always try a lighter frame because I’ve always been on the spectrum of quite a much a little bit of a heavier frame, which has been more difficult for people to play with.
“So it’s been a great process, and I’m very happy with the end result, to be honest. In case you haven’t seen it yet, here it is.”
Tennis365’s in-house Level 2 tennis coach Kevin Palmer got a chance to test drive the new Wilson RF 01 frame and here is his verdict:
THE FINE DETAILS
Kevin says: “There are different rackets in this RF range, with the RF01 Pro the heaviest at 320g and better suited to advanced players.
“Then you have the 300g which sits in the middle for upper intermediate/advanced players and the RF01 Future completes the collection with a lighter weight of 280g.
“As you would expect from a player famous for his class and elegance, the RF collection from Wilson has a stunning appearance.
“The sleek black finish has a hint of grey and what are described as ‘pinstripe’ white lines linking to the RF logo.
“The orange leather grip adds to the look, with its eye-catching frame.”
THE FEEL
Kevin says: “It’s not often you get a racket in your hand that feels this good so quickly. There is often a bedding-in period required as you try to get to grips with a new racket, but this had good stability and even though I was using the heaviest of the frames, it didn’t feel weighty.
“I have started using this racket for matches and have had good results, which is a good sign.”
“Get advice from your local stringing expert, but a lower tension may be advisable as it will give you the best chance to extract everything from this frame.
“Wilson gave us some of their finest strings, with the orange stint colour adding to the look with the classic Federer grip.”
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OUR VERDICT
Kevin says: “Many tennis fans try and buy the racket used by their hero, but the reality is they are not available to the public as the frames used by the all-time greats of the game are always custom made.
“What the Federer RF collection from Wilson offers is a very personal slice of inspiration from the most popular tennis player the game has seen in recent years.
“He has been integral to the development of this racket and his own children have practised with it since its release, so you are getting a chance to play with a frame that has been endorsed and developed with maximum input from the Swiss legend.
“Yet this is so much more than a racket for Federer fans as even though it has a relatively small sweet spot, it is a solid weapon that performs especially effectively on return of serve.
“Some of the ground shots struck with the RF01 frame exploded off the strings with real potency and when you time a shot with this frame, you are rewarded in thrilling fashion.
“This is not just a novelty racket with Federer’s name adding to its appeal as it is a dynamic frame that can help to take your game to the next level.”
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