The Wilson Ultra Tour 98 has been praised by other play-testers and was overdue for a review. Now it is also available in Europe after being a Japan-only model for a while.
Introduction
Why was the Ultra Tour 98 released only for the Japanese market at first? Probably because it is a Kei Nishikori signature model. Kei always used a longer control racquet and in recent years he switched to something similar to the Ultra Tour 98. Sadly for Japanese tennis fans, Nishikori has battled injuries for a large part of his career and we have not seen him much on tour in recent years. Everytime he plays, he seems to last only for a match or two before something breaks down.
But even without Kei swinging this racquet on tour, I am sure Wilson can sell a bunch since it’s a good frame for a pretty specific audience.
Wilson writes this in the marketing text:
The Wilson Ultra Tour 98 is designed for advanced players seeking a precise, tour-level response with added forgiveness. With its 632cm² head and 18×19 string pattern, this racket delivers exceptional control. Enhanced manufacturing tolerances across weight, balance, and swingweight deliver impressive consistency from frame to frame, ensuring reliable performance without the need for customization.
I’m always happy to read about tightened manufacturing tolerances, as that is a pet peeve of mine, but I am not sure if this includes swing weight.
Specifications
Below you have the specifications of the Wilson Ultra Tour 98 as listed by Wilson Europe. Neither Wilson nor Tennis Warehouse Europe is yet to list any swing weight numbers. I measured mine on the Metortune and was surprised to see 348 strung swing weight with Luxilon Alu Power 1.25 (318 without string). It did feel heavy, but not quite that heavy. I am not sure if it is supposed to be that high or if this was an issue with quality control. One of our tennisnerd members said he got one that was whippy, so maybe it was just bad luck on my part. The racquet still plays really nicely, but with such a swing weight, the maneuverability will be impacted.
Head (sq cm) 632
Head (sq in) 98
Length (cm) 68.58 (standard)
Length (in) 27.25
String Pattern 18X19
Strung balance (cm) 33.5
Strung weight (grams) 324
Strung weight (ounces) 11.43
Taper System (mm) 22 FB
Unstrung balance (cm) 32.5
Unstrung weight (grams) 308
Unstrung weight (ounces) 10.86
Playability
I liked this frame from the first time it impacted the ball. It is slightly longer and that creates a “beefy” feeling. With the mass of my racquet, I felt like stability would never be an issue. I could block back and attack even pretty big serves without issue. However, when I had to whip the racquet around and use racquet head speed to dig up an approach shot, it moved too slow for my liking and I often ended up going long.
The racquet worked best for me on serve and on flatter shots. If you are a player that likes to dominate from the baseline by hitting flat cannons, then you will probably love this racquet. For me, coming from an Aero 98 and enjoying being able to swing freely, I felt like I had to leave my A-game and go to plan B. I did do well with plan B when playing points, though. At least most of the time. Free points on serve are always appreciated. But I felt like I had to make sure to go for my shots constantly and that hurt my consistency.
This could potentially be due to the high swing weight of my personal sample, but longer racquets tend to affect me this way. It wasn’t such an issue on the one-handed backhand as some longer racquets can be (the contact point changes) but I felt sluggish on shots from the baseline.
It was rock-solid on volleys and returns, though. And comfort is decent, even with Alu Power. Maybe not a frame I would choose with arm issues because they can stem both from stiffness and from playing too heavy racquets.
Pros and cons
+ Solid as a rock
+ Good power level
+ Serves and returns
— Maneuverability
— Baseline grinding
Who is it for?
Players who value serves and returns more than anything. Who want to keep the points short and are not intending to stay and sling it out from the baseline.
You need to be able to handle the heft of the frame, so mostly suited for higher intermediate to advanced players.
Baseline grinders should stay away.
Where can you buy it?
At the time of writing, it is only available in Europe and Asia. Get 10% off your purchase at Tennis Warehouse Europe using the code TNERD10. Or check it out at Wilson.com
Summary
If I could change anything on the Ultra Tour 98, I would suggest two things. I would cut it down to standard length and change the string pattern from 18/19 to 16/19 to open up for better maneuverability and spin potential.
Otherwise, the racquet is great. Sadly, my demo was quite high in swing weight, which made it great on some shots and too demanding on others. But if you ask Tennis Warehouse Europe, you can choose the swing weight of your racquet, if I am not mistaken.
Overall, a very solid and nice playing frame. If you get one with a lower swing weight or saw off the extra 0.25 inch length on the handle, I think it will be awesome.