The marquee model in Wilson’s new racquet family, the Ultra 100 possesses a sugary sweet spot that’s difficult to miss. Well-balanced and easy to swing, the frame takes off through the hitting zone providing shots with plenty of pop, and the necessary spin to control them. It perhaps doesn’t pack quite the same level of thump you might expect from this type of frame, but boosts a higher degree of control and more pleasing feel at contact.
Not surprisingly, the playability comes to greatest effect from the baseline. The ball jumps off the string bed and it doesn’t take much effort to keep it consistently deep on ground strokes, or reach back to nail a serve. When pushed on the defensive, a quick flick of the racquet head is all it takes to stay in the point. Mix in the forgiving nature and good spin potential and it leads to nice grooving from the backcourt. Again, maybe not as forcefully as some other models, but with a solid, plush feel in a very user-friendly package.
There are two technologies at play that seem to combine to produce this impressive response: The Cushion Foam handle along with the Parallel Drilling—grommets directly across from each other—soften impact and absorb vibration for a surprisingly comfortable hitting experience. It’s still firm, but more muted and refined when compared to many competing racquets with similar specs. Players accustomed to the crispness of these types of frames may find it too deadened, but from my perspective it’s an improvement; certainly far better than the Juice racquet it replaces. I couldn’t warm to the Juice line, finding it too raw and hollow, but the Ultra feels much cleaner at contact.
Even with the thick beam, the Ultra 100 handles smoothly at the net. It’s got the power to punch away high sitters and the quickness to react in a rapid exchange. With such a large sweetspot, you almost had to try to hit off-center. However, a few times the frame got pushed around by incoming pace, particularly on imperfect contact. Drop volleys weren’t impossible to produce—coming strung with NXT aided the cause—but as with most frames in the category, it’s not great at taking pace off the ball or playing with touch.
Intermediate players might be satisfied in stock form, but players who routinely deal with advanced ball speeds may want to consider adding some mass. And given the highly manageable swingweight it wouldn’t be a problem applying lead tape to the hoop to create a heavier, more penetrating shot, as well as increased stability at net and when returning serve. Otherwise the Ultra 100 is an intriguing option for players who like the power and forgiveness of modern tweener frames, but want it in a more dampened, comfortable and arm-friendly model.
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