Wilson Shift 99 Racket Review

Firstly, we have to talk about the stunning appearance of this frame. It has an iridescent platinum color scheme completed in a satin finish. Simple, minimalist graphics complete a very clean visual and we loved that the sleek and stylish appearance was neither boring nor too flashy. 

Plus, we love the classic silhouette and the way in which this frame has a ‘just right’ feel in our hands. It feels like a player’s racket despite the larger 99 sq-inch head.

This induced a pleasant sense of assuredness from the get-go.  

Unsurprisingly, our first session was a little bewildering. The whole point of innovation is to create something completely new.

So in retrospect, it was understandable that our initial experience resulted in inconsistent hitting, mostly involving shots that launched high and flew comfortably beyond the baseline.

We soon started to calibrate, working with the frame, as opposed to against it, allowing the unique way in which it flexes to do its thing.

We acclimatized to a naturally higher launch angle, growing in confidence, and knowing Wilson’s proprietary flex technology would enhance our mechanics.

Consequently, the frame added a noticeable spin that helped bring the ball down and within play.  

Wilson market the Shift as being predominantly spin-focused and our experience supported this. However, its 99 sq-inch head adds some element of control too, a feature that is enhanced by an interestingly designed 16×20 string bed – a pattern that is sufficiently open for added spin potential, yet with just enough density to promote control.   

The bottom line in our experience was that the Shift can impart significant revs onto the ball – maybe not as much as Babolat’s Pure Aero, but it doesn’t lag too far behind. And for the small sacrifice in spin compared to frames such as the Pure Aero and Head’s Extreme series, you do get more control and arguably an increase in feel. 

Ultimately, once dialed in, we loved that we could hit with ample margin over the net, knowing that how this racket is constructed would help our shots stay within bounds.

And this freedom allowed us to pour on the power and hit some savagely deep groundstrokes.

The Wilson Shift is easy to maneuver and handles well at the net. The flexing technology belied its RA of 67 to feel somewhat softer than expected, especially with its substantial 23.5mm beam (constant).

Plus, the slightly denser string bed felt like a plus when it came to directing angled-volleys.  

This said, however, we would have liked just a little more weight for a fraction more stability. Nonetheless, this would be a quick fix and for many players, they would be perfectly happy when it comes to volleying with this frame in stock form. 

But, in our experience, against high-level opponents hitting with power, a little more stability and/or heft would have been nice.

But we guess that is where the 315-gram model would be a better option if you are consistently facing hard hitters.

Serving was a dream, both in terms of power and indeed spin. At 300-grams and with a swing-weight of 317 this frame moves rapidly through the air. Plus, the stout 23.5mm beam and solid RA of 67 combines to deliver added muscle. 

Flat serves down the T from either wing felt like we were on autopilot but the fun really started when we started to hit kickers and sliders.

Wilson unashamedly focused on spin-generation with the way the Shift has been constructed to flex, twist and bend. Hitting serves really brought this quality to the fore.

So much so, we had to double-check this was actually a 16×20 string-bed as advertised, not the 16×19 pattern found on virtually all other frames in the spin-friendly category.  

Even though our racket was strung with RPM Blast (at 50lbs), a notoriously spin-inducing string, the Shift was clearly bringing a lot of revs to the party.

We routinely pushed our opponents wide with a succession of serves that kicked and fizzed with ease, jumping aggressively off the court at angles that tested even the most agile of returners.

It is fair to say a spin-centric string would not be completely essential in the Shift, although a shaped polyester really embellishes spin. 

Finally, when it comes to serving, some players may crave a little added weight to really up the ante, but a few strips of lead tape will easily answer that call and it’s something we ourselves would like to experiment with.

But again, the vast majority of club players can happily take this frame unmodified and it will immediately enhance their service game in retail form.

We generally favor heavier frames for our personal games. But the Shift’s ability to return some fairly gnarly serves did not disappoint us.

Again, the thickish beam and solid RA of 67 combined to resist all but the most brutal of serves and we rarely felt that the racket was getting overwhelmed when returning.

Whether it was psychological or physical, we felt that the 16×20 contributed to the effectiveness and solidity of our returns.  

A 99 sq-inch head offers an acceptable amount of real estate, hitting the sweet-spot between forgiving yet maneuverable, a lovely combination when returning.

And something that was embellished by the speed at which this racket moves through the air, despite not having an aerodynamic beam. 

All-in-all, we had few complaints when it came to returning. Yes, some heavier first serves were a challenge in terms of stability.

But we successfully feasted on a number of pedestrian second serves, quickly cranking the Shift into the hitting zone. Able to unleash a solid hit with real confidence, leaning on Wilson’s proprietary flexing technology to help impart added spin.

And boy, did that feel good!

Statistically, this racket is an outlier in many ways. 

The vogue for spin-centric frames is for 100 sq-inch heads with 16×19 string-beds and tapered, aerodynamic beams. And yet, the Wilson Shift possesses none of these things but remains a genuine spin machine.

This indeed is a tribute to Wilson’s team of engineers who ignored the recognised blueprint for spin generation. And yet, have still created a spin-focused frame.

But why?

You may wonder why Wilson didn’t just replicate the proven formula for this genre of racket. That question was at the forefront of our minds when we put the Shift into play – but thankfully we found our answer.

To paraphrase, the Wilson Shift is somewhat of a shapeshifter. The construction facilitates a modern style of tennis with effortlessly higher launch angles and exaggerated spin.

If you already have those qualities in your game, prepare to have them amplified.

Simultaneously, this racket answers the call from players yearning for better trajectories and more pop – all while providing noticeable levels of control and precision.

Now, while this Wilson racket is clearly a Swiss Army Knife for a wide demographic of players, we know from our experience that one racket cannot possibly satisfy everyone.