Not sure I’ve reviewed a tennis racquet with more marketing hype and popularity in the short time it’s been out on the market than the Wilson Juice 108 BLX Tennis Racquet and the Juice BLX family.
The most powerful frame of the new Juice family, the Wilson Juice 108 BLX offers a pretty nice-size sweet spot and is uber-comfortable. It’s larger head equals very good forgiveness, and the additional power makes it perfect for players with moderate swings.
The BLX construction integrates natural basalt fibers to dampen vibration and improve feel. This takes feel and control to a whole new level, and the Wilson’s exclusive AmpliFeel technology in the handle pallet also incorporates basalt and graphite plates, specially designed to filter unwanted vibration for a pure feel at contact. On the court, the feel is killer, despite a larger headsize. The frame would be categorized under the power and spin designation, with a greater emphasis on the easy access to power and depth for moderate swings.
The Juice 108 BLX has a 108-square inch headsize and 10.4 ounce strung weight. At 27.25 inches long, the Juice 108 is slightly longer than a standard racquet, offering additional leverage for extra power. The Comfort Hybrid grip paired with Amplifeel technology in the handle creates a soft feel upon impact. With such a generous sweetspot and excellent mobility, this results in good power and easy access to spin. All in all, this Wilson racquet is a good option for those just learning the game to intermediate level players who are looking for some added pop, comfort and feel.
The racquet of choice for WTA touring pro Victoria Azaranka, the Wilson Juice Basalt fibers are a proprietary material made from natural volcanic rock that is woven into the frame to resist vibration. On off-center hits, the Basalt fibers filter out unwanted, jarring frequencies before they reach the hand, delivering cleaner feedback for better feel.
During testing, the Juice 108 is a lightweight with a heavyweight punch. It’s light enough to generate racquet-head speed for dependable spin and pace, and heavy enough to withstand the force of your opponent’s blistering groundstrokes. Although some think the Juice’s thicker beam deadens some of the feel necessary to hit blade-like slices or angled volleys, the beam’s rigidity is pretty awesome on the ground game. When backed up behind the baseline, the Juice responds and enables me to hit heavier topspin to defend, then flatten out shots when I’m in an offensive position.
Check out the videos and spec sheet…
Head Size: | 108 sq. in OS |
Length: | 27.25 inches |
Weight: | Strung — 10.4 oz Unstrung — 9.8 oz |
Tension: | 53-63 pounds |
Balance: | 1 Pt Head Light |
Beam Width: | 26.5mm Dual Taper |
Composition: | Graphite/Basalt |
Flex: | 71 |
Grip Type: | Wilson Comfort Hybrid |
Power Level: | Medium-High |
String Pattern: | 16 Mains / 19 Crosses Mains Skip: 7T, 9T, 7H, 9H One Piece No Shared Hole |
Swing Speed: | Moderate |
Swing Weight: | 314 |