Wilson Ultra 100 CV Racket Review
The Wilson Ultra 100 CV is the complete all-rounder for players who enjoy a lighter weight of racket.
The Ultra 100 CV did everything quite well, and was a no-nonsense, no thrills kind of racket for the intermediate player.
While the 300g Wilson Ultra 100 CV might be a little on the light side for more advanced players, it is an excellent option for intermediate players who are looking to generate good power but also maintain control and feel.
We often find that light rackets like the Wilson Ultra 100 CV are far too oriented towards power, sometimes with a complete disregard for anything else.
However, the Ultra 100 CV was refreshing to use as it maintained an almost perfect balance between power and control.
We feel like Wilson have produced a great racket for the middle ground in the Ultra 100 CV.
It didn’t do anything fantastically, but it did everything pretty well, and that is exactly what some of you recreational players should look for.
The racket is decked out with Wilson’s uncontaminated design, giving it a simplistic, yet striking look.
We’re big fans of simple designs on rackets and the Wilson Ultra 100 CV is just that, with its cool blue paint job and sleek design.
The Ultra 100 CV is also packed full of Wilson’s latest technology, with Countervail, Power Rib and Crush Zone (all great names, and all included).
Countervail is a special material designed to lighten the load on impact, reducing the stress on your joints, and we did feel like the Ultra was very smooth and forgiving on any achy joints!
Power Rib technology has reinforced the frame, increasing stability during the hit and adding that extra bit of control to your game.
Finally, the Crush Zone grommets compact on contact, so you can hold on to the ball for that little bit longer and increase your power.
We found that these technologies came together to create a thoroughly enjoyable racket that’s easy to play with.
For a racket of just 300g the Wilson Ultra 100 CV gives you good control and feel, but you still get the easy power that you expect with a lightweight racket.
The Ultra 100 CV is currently endorsed by rising star of the men’s game, Borna Coric, so you’re likely to see it popping up on TV a little more often as he continues his rise into the top 10 in the world.
There’s no doubt that Coric will play with a slightly different set of specs than this 300g version, but it’s always nice to know that some of the very best in the world are playing with the same technology as you!
We would place the Wilson Ultra 100 CV into the category of all-rounder.
There were moments where we thought it could be classed as a power racket, and moments where we felt like it was a control racket, but all in all, it does a little bit of everything.
We would envisage someone who likes to be aggressive, attacking with spin and power, and not being afraid to venture to the net playing with this racket.
It just encourages you to have a go at anything and everything.
If you’re looking for something that is light, easy on the arm and a complete all-rounder, then you can’t go too wrong with this racket.
It’s not particularly remarkable at anything, but it is very good at everything, and it’s hard to find fault with that.
We found the Wilson Ultra 100 CV to be a very enjoyable racket to play with, even if we felt it was a little bit light for us, personally.
If 300g is what you’re looking for, though, this is an excellent racket. It is actually quite unusual for such a light racket to feel quite so stable and provide such a good blend of swing speed, power and control.
Groundstrokes
8out of 10
The Wilson Ultra 100 CV weighs just 300g, but it is slightly head-light in balance. This offered great balance, a lovely stable hit and comfort throughout the shot.
Playing with the Ultra 100 CV felt like I could generate good power, spin and control off both wings.
But the main thing I enjoyed was the ease with which everything took place.
The head-light balance led to fast, effortless swings and the Countervail technology did feel like it reduced wear and tear upon impact.
The racket felt great for what it is, which is an all-round, lightweight racket, but don’t get me wrong, this is not the answer if you’re looking to drop weight whilst still maintaining the characteristics of a heavier racket.
I really missed the extra juice that some more weight behind the ball gives you and felt like quite a bit of potential was taken out of my game.
If I’m going to play with a light weight racket then I personally want it to do something really well – either power or control, but the Ultra 100 CV ends up doing a bit of both, and a bit of nothing at times.
Some people really like that in a racket though, and if that’s the case then this is the racket for you.
It’s very neutral, it will do everything well, but nothing exceptionally, and in a way that is quite nice.
It would be interesting to try the Ultra 100 CV with some lead tape added just to see how the added weight would affect it, of course there is always the Ultra Tour as well which is a little heavier at 305g.
The problem with adding lead tape is it’s quite easy to change the entire dynamic of the racket if you get it wrong.
The last thing you want to do is to take a racket you really liked and turned it into something horrible.
The Ultra 100 CV is a very strong all-round racket on the groundstrokes, so we gave it an 8 out of 10.
The big plus points are its comfort levels. It has lovely swing potential and feels very soft on impact, so if you’ve had problems with your wrists and elbows it’s certainly a racket to consider.
The key word here is all-rounder. If you want massive power, it’s not for you, if you want massive control, it’s not for you, but if you want a blend of everything then this could well be the one for you!
Serve
8out of 10
Before testing, for some reason I was expecting the Ultra 100 CV to be a very powerful serving weapon.
It just has that kind of feel when you pick it up. However, the Ultra followed a similar pattern on the serve as it did on the groundstrokes.
It was fairly powerful, with a decent amount of control, but it wasn’t spectacular.
I was able to place the ball nicely, with adequate power, and once again the Wilson Ultra 100 CV felt very comfortable through the hit.
I don’t want to keep repeating myself, but this racket is just a good all-rounder, it does everything pretty well!
Sometimes, when I play with a new racket I can get shooting pains through my shoulder on the serve, but I felt like I was never in danger with the Ultra 100 CV.
The Countervail technology does work very well in cutting out some of the vibrations you get through the racket.
Again, I gave this racket an 8 out of 10 on the serve.
Simply put, it was good. The Ultra 100 CV is well balanced and comfortable with decent power and control.
If you’re looking for a racket to help you out and give you an extra few miles per hour on your serve then this isn’t the answer, but if you want one that’s going to be easy on your body, then this is perfect.
Volleys
8out of 10
For a lightweight racket, the Ultra 100 CV feels very comfortable and solid at the net.
We’d normally expect a lightweight frame like this to be lacking the stability that makes a racket perfect for volleying, but we were pleasantly surprised by the Ultra 100 CV.
When we got our volleys out in front we were rewarded with a crisp, solid volley that had the power and control we crave.
From easy put-aways to difficult pickups, the Ultra 100 CV felt comfortable, and never let us down.
The Ultra 100 CV’s prowess at the net emphasizes the all-round ability of this racket.
You don’t often get 300g rackets that feel as comfortable at the net as the Ultra 100 CV does.
If you’re someone who loves to mix some net play in to your game then the Ultra 100 CV is certainly a racket to consider.
We once again gave the Wilson Ultra 100 CV an 8 on volleys.
It is a decent racket that is good at the net and it’s solid without being sensational.
But, if you have a game where you love to attack from the back of the court and mix in some net play then this could be a great racket for you.
Overall
8out of 10
The Wilson Ultra 100 CV has a bit of everything.
It has good power, nice feel, and is solid on groundstrokes, serves, and volleys.
It feels good in your hand, and one of its most positive features is the Countervail technology which lessens the pressure put on your joints during the strain of a tennis match.
If you have had joint pains whilst playing tennis in the past, then we would certainly recommend the Wilson Ultra 100 CV as a great game improvement racket that is really easy to play with.
For a lightweight racket it has good stability, and good feel. However, it does lack the extra something that a little bit more weight can give you.
Final Thoughts
If you do think that dropping down in weight is something that you need to do, then this is a good option to try and keep some of the characteristics of a heavier racket, but it’s not going to be a like for like replacement.
Overall, the Wilson Ultra 100 CV gets an 8. Simply put, it is good at everything, but not phenomenal at anything.
It will certainly minimize the strain you put on your body and give you good, reliable performance on every shot.
We enjoyed using this racket and liked the fact that it’s very different to your average 300g racket.
If you’re an all-round player who’s looking for a racket that is easy on the joints, then you can’t go too wrong with this one!
Is the Wilson Ultra 100 the Right Racket for You? Find Out with a Personalized Custom Fitting!
Groundstrokes
8
out of 10
Serve
8
out of 10
Volley
8
out of 10
Overall
8
out of 10
Get this Racket for the Best Price from RacquetGuys!
Explore more
Wilson Clash 98 V2 Tennis Racket Review: Is It For You?
When we first stepped onto the court with the Wilson Clash 98 V2 in our hands, we were eager to find out if the rumours were true. Were we going to experience the perfect balance of power and control this racket is known for? The Wilson Clash series has redefined…
Read MoreWilson Ultra Pro 18 x 20 V4 Tennis Racket Review
Precision and Control Redefined When we first stepped onto the court with the Wilson Ultra Pro 18 x 20 V4 in our hands, we were eager to experience the level of control and precision that this racket promised. The Wilson Ultra Pro series has a storied history of delivering control,…
Read More