Comments: I love everything about the Steam 99 S, but as Chris said, if you hit with lots of spin, be ready to have your racquet restrung every week. I strung with the Pro Line II 16G string, it snapped in 3 days, after about 7 hours of play. (The string lasted for about 3-4 weeks when I hit with it in my Extreme Pro.) What really surprises me with the 99 S is how solid it plays at the net!
From: Jack, 5/13

Comments: This racquet has great power and placement. My return of serve was surprisingly great and I had good depth on my returns. Not great on volleys, can't seem to hit clean and crisp volleys for winners. Overall, a great racquet for the modern player who plays mostly from the baseline and has a spin-friendly game.
From: HD< 5/13

Comments: I have been playing with this racquet with Luxilon Black savage strings. I am a 4.5/5.0 player. I love this frame. I like the feel, the spin is very real. Sometimes surreal! Let me tell you, the number of strings I am breaking is stunning. I have gone through strings fast in the past but nothing like this. Yesterday I had broken strings in both of my frames that I only had played with for 20 minutes. I love the Black Savage but might have to consider some alternative string. If you are not prepared to re-string a lot more often than you ever did in the past, think twice before purchasing this frame. I will say, I know some 3.5 guys who have not restrung it in 4 mos, so it seems like how you hit the ball does matter.
From: Chris, 5/13

Comments: I am demod this racquet before with Lux 4g and didn't get a feel for what it can do. I demod it again last week with cheap multis, and boy was I in for a shock. Let me put this into perspective for you, I am an every day club player of 3 years, and have struggled with my second serve. No matter what my racquet setup is, my 2nd serve has been inconsistent. This stick cured me in one night. My serves have much more of a natural arc now and it's a pleasure knowing that I can be very consistent with it. It literally cured my serve. The spin that this stick generates is controllable. That's the beauty of it. And forehands arc higher as well. It's not just hype, the stick works. The only person I would advise against buying this is a flat hitter. If you don't hit with spin, it's not going to help you.
From: Dan, 4/13

Comments: I just had my first hit and the stick and it really does seem like a game changer. I was able to place the ball wherever I wanted with ease. The only downsides I can think of is that the racquet does feel a bit flimsy and I'm not sure the balls I hit were that heavy. But so far so good, day 1 with the stick has been great. I still have to try it out in a real match. But it's definitely worth a try as the racquet does everything it's advertised to do .
From: Anon, 4/13

Comments: I demoed this racquet at a local club and used it for a few days. The racquet doesn't really have the sense of control that most Wilsons offer but it does have great swing speed and of course spin. I had really great serves with this racquet, and found it easy to hit kick serves. I wouldn't buy this racquet personally because it's not solid enough for my game. The spin generation on my western forehand is ridiculous but the ball drops in mid court so it's too much spin for my liking. Anyway, fun demo and awesome racquet.
From: Tyler, 4/13

Comments: Absolutely love this racquet, had it for about 2 weeks now and on the first day hitting with it, I could definitely feel a difference in my hits and how the ball traveled from the string bed. The weight of the frame fit right in for me due to me not being that fast or strong of a swinger, and it's really easy to add spin to the ball, rarely will you ever hit the net on a normal ground stroke just because the launch angle of the ball, but it dives right down deep in the court. Only con would have to be the fact that this string pattern burns through strings crazy fast. Broke my first set up in about a week of daily hitting. Right now I'm using Babolat Revenge strings set at 63Lbs. Absolutely loving it. Would recommend it to anyone looking to add spin to their game.
From: Abid, 4/13

Comments: Just demoed this in Australia. It's pretty much a moonballers dream. As much as I groan about it, it is useable. But I'd want a lot of lead at 3 & 9 to get fit in with the rest of my game.
From: Hayden, 4/13

Comments: I've played with Wilson sticks for quite some time. Late last year, I tore a tendon and ligament in my elbow and spent a while off the courts. After some rehab, I found my BLX Blades were just too stiff for my elbow. I recenlty switched to the Steam 16x15 because it was supposed to be softer on the arm. The Steam is much easier on the arm and does produce quite a bit more spin with little effort, but it is certainly nothing like the old Blades. The open string pattern burns through strings quickly, makes the racquet feel really flexible, and the head is quite unstable on volleys. I tried a few other racquets, but none are quite as soft on my arm as the Steam, so I have been experimenting with a number of different things that seem to have helped. I now string it @ 64 lbs with a full poly set up. I found Luxilon's 4G to play great and last the longest. I've added lead tape to the 3 and 9 o'clock spots. And now I have built up the grip a bit. For what it's worth, all of these have increased the stability and plow through ability of the racquet and have made it a bit easier to play with.
From: Anon, 4/13

Comments: I've had this racquet for about eight weeks and have gravitated to it from my Wilson 6.1 95 16x18. I like that it's lighter, a bit bigger, and has a good feel. I'm playing well with it and occasionally see some good ball movement that I haven't had before. Volleys are good as are baseline shots. I'm enjoying heavy top spin lobs as offensive shots to the baseline. They jump and cause weak, or no returns, particularly to the backhand. String wear hasn't turned out to be an issue for me, despite all the hoopla. I've used the Luxilon 4g and 4gs at minimum tension, allowing room for them to go down more. The strings notched fairly quickly but so did the strings on my other racquets, they still produce the spin and haven't broken. Frankly, it's not a huge difference from the 16x18 pattern. I play 3-4 times a week, am about 4 level, and adjust to different racquets. So far, so good with this one. Glad I have it.
From: Gobo, 4/13

Comments: I agree with JL, many people say you need at least a 16L or 15L thick strings. I used a 17L string last night at 65lbs. It's awesome. I may try 70lbs next time. Played two hours and the 17g didn't break. I am a hard hitting 4.5 player.
From: Fred, 4/13

Comments: The 16/15 string pattern was something I really wanted to try out. This "revolutionary" new pattern. It took me awhile to get used to it. Still only my second day, but I noticed that the ball launches higher compared to my other racquet. I can also hit slices more easily. As for serves, it helps me hit sharper angles with topspin.
From: Anthony, 3/13

Comments: This one took some experimentation and tweaking with strings and tension. Ultimately I found that with Solinco Tour Bite mains at 65 lbs and Solinco Barb Wire crosses at 55 lbs, it did all it is claimed to do and more.
From: JL, 3/13

Comments: I had the good fortune to demo this and a number of other models when Wilson came to my club. Coming from a BLX 90 Pro Staff, I really liked this racquet. More maneuverable, easy access to heavy spin, great plow through. Less work for more power, depth and spin. What else can you ask for? Is this a game changer? Maybe.
From: GS, 3/13

Comments: I have played the past 3 years with Wilson Six One Tour 95 and decided I wanted to move up in head size and gain more spin. The specs looked so good on the 99 S so I ordered one untested. Once I received the racquet, after about 1 1/2 hours of hitting with my pro, I busted a string in the mains. I typically string 17 Ga ProHurricane hybrid with NXat Tour in the crosses. After breaking several sets of string, we restrung the racquet at 57 lbs with Solinco in the mains and NXT Tour. Strings broke again in about two hours. For the third string job, I used Savage Lime 16 Ga and 17 Ga NXT tour. This lasted much longer and I thought all was well until I developed arm and shoulder problems. We then strung a fourth time with Savage Black and NXT at 56 lbs, this has been a little easier on my arm but I am about to put the racquets on eBay and find a new racquet that is arm friendly. This is a great feeling racquet with spin access that is unbelievable, backhand slice shots and top spin lobs are a piece of cake but as I said, my arm can't take it.
From: Anon, 3/13

Comments: The 99 S is great. But with only 30 minutes of play, my string broke and it was strung with Luxillon 4G at 55 lbs. I can't afford to buy strings, so I am going to put in my closet and play with my old racquet.
From: Max, 3/13

Comments: Great racquet, good spin, nice soft feel. I would buy it but I would go broke stringing it. I break a fresh set of BBO in an hour with this racquet.
From: Anon, 3/13

Comments: Ok guys, I have just finished a one week demo of the 99 S, 99 and Blade 16x19. I wanted to love the 99 S, but could not. It's too erratic and un-maneuverable. Just doesn't feel right. The stringbed is too open and the swing weight of the frame itself is too hefty. The 99, on the other hand, felt just right. More nimble and the 16x18 bed is perfect for spin and control. I will most likely buy this stick. The Blade is also an excellent feeling stick. Light, nimble, and accurate. I might have to get the blade as well as a second stick. It doesn't have the power and meaty bite that the 99 has, but it is perfect in its own right. I hope this helps. Enjoy!
From: Danny, 3/13

Comments: I picked up this racquet a couple days ago to demo and playtest. I have noticed a huge difference in the amount of spin on both topspin and slice shots. I naturally hit a slice serve, and this racquet just emphasizes the serve and pulls it off the court. If your current playstyle is built on topspin and slice, definitely give this one a shot. I let my buddy who is an old school flat shot guy hit with it, and he just couldn't find a comfort zone with it. I am a 4.0 player and this racquet has made my play more consistent.
From: Garrett, 3/13

Comments: This is just one of those "wow" rackets! I am a 16 year old tennis player who is #1 on my high school team. I currently play with the Juice Pro BLX, but it recently began to crack, so I sought to look for a replacement. I demoed a couple of rackets, with the Steam 99 S being one of them (strung with Luxilon 4G). I was actually looking forward to hitting with this one the most due to its 98 topspin rating from Tennis Warehouse. I was expecting it to be a great racquet, but man, it just completely blew me away! I could whack it as hard as I wanted, and it just generated more and more spin. What my serve lacked in power, it made up for in unpredictable spin, and the control was fantastic. Needless to say, I know which racquet I will be getting.
From: Royce, 3/13

Comments: I demoed this racquet just for fun, and I agree with previous posters saying that it is a "try before you buy" model. I know plenty of people that love the spin they can generate from it, but the other two players I was trying it with agreed that it felt too hollow and unstable for our liking. So demoing this is well worth it!
From: Anon, 3/13

Comments: I demoed it and purchased one and just played two hours doubles with it. Apart from a few shots, I played bad with it. I did a lot better with the demo. The demo was strung with Sensation, mine was strung with Enduro Pro. Mine has 0.8 overgrip, head protective tape, and a dampener - so a bit more weight than the demo. Almost every shot I played I could of done better and with more spin using my Prince Graphite 100 16x18 strung with Technifibre Polyspin. I will stick with the 99S though. Its light and the comfort is good.
From: Andy, 3/13

Comments: I'm an aging 4.5 player and I've played mostly with stiff powerful rackets (e.g. Head Extreme Pro, Pure Drive) for the last few years. I tried this racquet just for fun and really liked it. As a player, my errors tend to be long balls more than balls in the net and this racket made a huge difference with the balls that usually floated long. I felt like I could swing with more pace and the ball was going in more often. I beat a player I normally am pretty tight with. I lost a bit of pop off my serves (compared to my other racquets) and I have not hit many volleys with it yet but it definitely does not feel like a volleying racquet. I need to play more matches with it, but my first experience was a good one.
From: SG, 2/13

Comments: Like others, I recommend that you try this racquet before you buy it. It's a fun demo, though. I normally play with a weighted 18x20 BLX Blade with 0.130 RPM Blast. I demoed the 99 S with worn out 0.130 4G. Even with old string I was impressed with the amount of spin available. Control was not very good, of course, but it was acceptable with the 4G. I'd be wary of this racket if I used multifilament string. Serving was fine once I weighted the racquet more to my liking.
From: Brian, 2/13

Comments: I bought this racquet strictly by the specs before it was released to the general public. I am a 3.5 player and hit with a lot of topspin with my Six One 95 but was looking for even more spin and a bigger sweet spot. The 99 S delivers plenty of spin if you have a lot of racquet head speed. The control is not bad but if you play with anyone who pushes or doesn't hit with pace I find it hard not to power through the ball as you must really work to get depth and top spin. Typically I do not break any strings but I am on my 4th set after about 6 hours of play. I started at 59/58 lbs with Solinco and NXT Tour 17 gage. I am now trying Lux Savage Lime 16G in the mains and 16G NXT in the crosses. This may work but I plan on going to larger diameter strings and plan on re-stringing often. Love the power, spin and balance, now to find a string hybrid that will hold up.
From: Anon, 2/13

Comments: I'm a sixteen year old tennis player who loves to play with a lot of power and hit with a lot of spin. I have had a bad habit of hitting the balls a little too deep that fly a foot out or less. I am happy to say that this racquet seemed to fix all of my problems. The racquet is well balanced and sturdy, it feels like it should lose a lot of power, but it doesn't. With the enhanced spin capabilities, it tamed my power and balls that were once out were now landing well inside the line. On volleys (I like to go to the net a lot), the racquet was sturdy, firm, and could absorb and return all levels of power. It was also very easy to maneuver at the net. The serves needed a little getting used to. The serve bites a little more than the average racquet and loses a good deal of power as well. But this may have been a blessing in disguise. I was getting more in than I had before and with more spin, consequently, throwing my opponents off. Overall, the racquet gave me more spin than ever before without sacrificing any power. I felt it was a step in a better direction than the Head Youtek Speed Mp (Sorry Djokovic). My only complaint is that it is a serious string-breaker. Definitely get the suggested Luxilon 4G string if you want the longest lasting spin-string for the racquet. Otherwise, get a durability string to spare you the expense.
From: Ryan, 2/13

Comments: I am a 4.0 who used to play with a Wilson K Zero and BLX Open. The 99 S has the K Zero string pattern with a 99 frame and the arm friendliness of a Volkl V1. I was skeptical when I got the stick because the string pattern didn't impress me. But then I was getting all my first serves in and the depth on the forehand topspins and backhand slices were very noticeable.
From: Chad, 2/13
String type and tension: Tour Bite at 55 pounds

Comments: I'm a 3.5-4.0 lefty with an eastern forehand and a continental backhand. With my traditional grips, I get some more topspin and sidespin, but nothing extraordinary. I strung it with Solinco Tour Bite 17 at 62/61 pounds and will not string it quite so tight next time. I've also weighted it at the butt cap and at 9-10 and 2-3 in the hoop. It's 11.9 oz and approximately 5 pts HL now. (I will experiment with different weighting strategies.) It's important to note that the strings are more widely spaced at the top and the sides. After 2 doubles sessions, I find this stick is acceptably stable, but caution needs to be exercised when hitting flat shots. Flat shots won't necessarily spray, but I lost some confidence when deciding to hit these. Accuracy was acceptable as well, but this isn't a stick to aim at the sidelines. Slice serving with the Wilson 99S was a pleasure. I'm happy I bought it but am happy I have other sticks in my bag for times when I want to use a different playing style. I expect that it will take me a few minutes to transition from this stick to one of my others (Head YT Prestige Pro, Volkl PB 10 Mid, POG OS, and others).
From: Jeff, 2/13

Comments: One of the worst tennis racquets that Wilson has ever made. Unpredictable racquet. I could never predict the trajectory of the ball with this racquet couldn't seem to control the exact direction of my balls.
From: Roman, 2/13

Comments: Wonderful racquet. Adds insane topspin, the control is good too. I'm replacing my old Babolat Aeros with the Wilson Steam 99 S.
From: Berney, 2/13

Comments: Wilson Steam 99 S is a very good racquet. The open string pattern favors the use of a lot of topspin.
From: Steve, 2/3

Comments: I bought this racquet and did not like the racquet. Try before you buy.
From: Carlos, 2/13

Comments: I loved this racquet the moment I began hitting with it. It feels great, and from a left-hander's perspective, I feel that this racquet suited my spin-oriented playstyle. I noticed that my kickserve was reaching almost 1 and a half times the height I would normally expect out of it. I strung it up with Wilson Sensation 16 in the mains and Red Code in the crosses at 57 pounds, but I would recommend using a more durable string or a lower tension because the racquet wears the strings down quickly. No complaints on the performance of the racquet because it is amazing and is my new racquet of choice in the competitive tennis scene.
From: Yat, 2/13

Comments: I am writing this as a Babolat fan. I have been using the APD since the GT was first introduced and have recently started using the APD 2013. I have never enjoyed Wilson racquets because they don't suit the topspin that I use in my game. But after reading all these reviews, and the posts on the Tennis Talk forum, I really couldn't control myself and bought a 99S to try it out. There go my APDs -- I've kissed them goodbye. I feel that I can swing faster with the 99S. It produces more topspin and I can literally keep rallying for as long as I want because it is so easy to keep the ball in. When I step in and hit a full swing, I really feel like a pro. This racquet gives me so much confidence. It feels so soft due to its open string pattern and gives me tons of control. My serves pack a ton of spin. I am totally in love with the Wilson 99s. I string mine with Signum and I haven't has any tension retention or durability issues.
From: Karl, 2/13

Comments: I'm in love. This excels in everything my APD did but with more comfort, spin, and control. Well done Wilson! I strung mine with 4Gs at 57 pounds.
From: Daren, 2/13

Comments: I have played with both the 99s and 105S and find them to be good with spin, but hard on strings. I recommend stringing with Luxilon 4G in the 15 gauge strung at the high end of the range. Good luck with yours.
From: Allan, 2/13

Comments: The Wilson 99S is an unpredictable stick, if you happen to hit a flat shot, the ball will fly all the way to China. It is very hard on the elbow and does not have any feel or control. The Wilson 99S does, however, look good. I have an old Vilas wood racquet with only 75 square inches and it generates better top spin; the feel and control is un-parrell to the Wilson 99s. Demo before buying the stick!
From: Ignacio, 2/13

Comments: I truly hate to rain on anyone's parade, and I do believe "to each their own", but I did not like this racquet. I'm a 5.5 player and can hit anything, but I can get more spin with a old wood racquet then with this, well I should say spin and control. The frame is not that bad, and the only difference I noticed was monster FH/BH slices were incredible. The deal with this racquet is that you hit with spin, the ball rises way up and lands at the baseline, but to me it's pretty much useless, and I'm not even going to finish my test play.
From: Mike, 2/13

Comments: I've got three of these now and left feedback about 2 weeks ago. I play 5.0 tennis both singles and doubles and also teach for a living. I absolutely love the frames as I swing away on every shot. My only problem is keeping strings in them. It's pretty obvious that you're going to break strings in such an open pattern but I have ran through them at an absurd rate. I used RPM Blast 16 and it lasted the longest over 1.5 sets (about an hour). Tecnifibre Black Code has lasted less than a set and any of the Tourna strings are lasting as few as 3 games. Keep this all in mind if you are planning to use these. You will be stringing a ton and/or breaking the bank paying someone else to do so.
From: Tyler, 2/13

Comments: After reading multiple reviews as well as watching Tennis Warehouse's racquet review video, I had to give the 99S a "Spin." First immediate reaction when I demo'ed this stick for the 1st time, "Wow. Effortless power and spin on groundstrokes!" The super open string pattern allowed me to hit shots with depth, pace, and heavy topspin or slice with relative ease, which also made it possible for me to go from defense to offense almost at will when rallying from the baseline. However, what I gained in power and spin, I lost a little in accuracy and consistency. When I tried to go for winners (which felt tempting to do with this racquet), I couldn't always accurately hit to the part of the court I wanted to, unlike my Wilson BLX Pro Staff 95. At net, the 99S was very maneuverable, allowing me to make quick reaction volleys as well as strong put-away shots. But again, I struggled in the accuracy department as my intentionally placed volleys either flew long or hung in the air long enough for my opponent to set up for a strong passing shot. On serve, the 99S adds to its stock. Flat serves whistled past my opponents, slice serves pulled my opponents completely off the court, and kick serves forced my opponents to return balls mostly around their head height or higher (opponent's heights were about 5'7" or taller). In other words, this racquet was an absolute luxury to serve with, especially when trying to start the point in aggressive fashion. All in all, this racquet just didn't have enough accuracy and consistency to make me want to whip out my wallet, but thats just me. This was definitely one of the most fun demoing experiences I've ever had! The 99S would probably suit any player that loves to hit with power and heavy amounts of spin on the majority of their shots. I believe that this 16x15 string pattern Wilson has now brought to the court is a step in a revolutionary direction for the sport of tennis.
From: Shane, 2/13
String type and tension: Head Sonic Pro Edge @ 55 lbs

Comments: Demo'd this stick today and boy, is that increase in spin evident. The racquet's potency lies in the unique stringbed that allows for more flexing of the strings to snap through the ball and really get it kicking-- in other words, this racquet is a spin monster. Groundstrokes with the Steam are a dream. I was able to swing freely, hard, and deep while noticing the ball kicking higher and further upon landing. And I thought I'd have trouble using this with my one-handed backhand since it's a shorter swing; I was wrong. I only missed maybe 2 out of 50 backhands. Slices were great, feel was lovely, and volleys were crisp and only slightly unstable. If you have a modern player's game, this stick is for you. I highly recommend it even though I didn't get to serve with it.
From: Anon, 2/13

Comments: I'm a bit torn on this stick after playing my first two matches with it. Without question, it produces a higher trajectory with heavier spin. It's not subtle, it's quite noticeable, and even my opponents commented on that fact. Some of my more aggressive groundstrokes were falling in rather than sailing out. However, I have been spraying the ball wide with this far more than I did (switched from Pro Staff BLX 100). For me, the stringbed definitely sacrifices some control. It's good on the slice with a little more bite, serves with a tad more pop but not demonstrably so. One warning about string: I strung this with my usual hybrid of syn gut on mains and gut on crosses. The strings have been moving demonstrably more than with my Pro Staff. I would highly recommend poly if using a hybrid to cut down on string movement. I'll stick with it as I think I should be able to control it better with more experience, but I think this is one that will demand some patience, particularly from those transitioning from a thinner beamed racquet.
From: McKay, 2/13

Comments: Most spin friendly racquet I have ever played with! All my strokes were better. Spin = control, and this is the best that I have played with.
From: Mark, 2/13
String type and tension: Luxilon 4G @ 52 lbs

Comments: I bought this without trying first and I have played approximately 8 hours with it. It does hit a heavier ball with spin and it took a while to get used to the trajectory. The positives are topspin and slice once you adjust a bit. I do not have same comfort level with serves and it feels sluggish at the net. Overall, it's good but the feel is off for me. I will try one more match with it.
From: Anon, 1/13

Comments: Fun racquet. Just took it for a demo, and got lots of spin. If I was a baseliner I would maybe think about it, but I'm a serve and volley/doubles guy. Kick serve was a lot of fun to hit, but volleys were lacking. Yeah, it hit decently at the net, but there wasn't enough weight, and was a little unstable. If you like to hit groundies all day I would recommend trying it.
From: Alex, 1/13

Comments: After playing with a Babolat Pure Drive + for the last 4 years I thought it was time to mess up my game and decided to search the landscape for a new stick. After playing with just about everything that interested me for about 3 months I was about to give up and just keep playing with the Babolats. Then the local shop got the Steam 99s as a demo. I was the first one to get it and I monopolized it for about a week (sorry other people who wanted to try it) It took a while for me to adjust back to a 27.0 inch frame but once I did, this racquet stood out for me so much so that I bought a few after 20+ hours of hitting. The key to this racquet is trusting in your swing and the technology, once you do the results and consistency are impressive. Ground strokes can be hit harder with the same level of control, volleys are surprisingly crisp and feel is good. I lost a little pace on my serve, but what I lost in pace I gained with action, my kick serve now comes in at shoulder height for most players. The fun thing about this racquet is the amount of mis-hits your opponent will end up making as they try and figure out the extra spin or the amount of balls they watch land in expecting them to go long. The down side, this stick eats string. The recommended Luxilon lasted 3 hours before it popped, I have since played around with several string combos all of which play really well for the first 4-5 hours and then they either let go or lose too much tension. I was playing my Babolats at 50lbs and every time I restring the Steam I keep bumping up the tension, I have settled at 58lbs with MSV Hex Soft. If you don'™t string yourself you will make your local stringer rich with this racquet.
From: Michael, 1/13

Comments: Spin, the heavy top spin. Yes, when I first bought this racquet I thought, "umm, so I can rip some driving kickers left and right from the baseline, making a HC play like clay". That was just one idea, as the TW review suggests it is not strong on volleys. After hitting it with several hours I have discovered this stick could be made for another type of game - the spin doctor style, and coming to the net. Hitting heavy top spin may actually cause the ball to land a bit short. If I try to hit it flatter it kind of defeats the purpose. And I do not feel like it hit flat balls better than my K90. This spin generator should do what it does best - kicker serve or slice serve, then do slices and chips to pull people out of position, finishing off with a volley or yet another slice overhead. I find the added spin on slices is the greatest weapon of this stick. Both my side spin and under spin slices are more effective. Drop shots are also better if you put some under spin to it. Counterpunching with the Steam 99s is slightly better than trading groundstrokes. It feels quite stiff and off center hits gives some pretty bad vibes. Many have already mentioned the open pattern is not the best in control. Once in while when I go for the kill I can hit with full power, the added spin could help to keep the ball in. May be if you are a 4.5+, got an aggressive baseline game, then you can control the balls better and have enough power to generate balls that land deep, and with tons of topspin.
From: M.S., 1/13

Comments: Not impressed with this racquet. Hit with it for 5 min and knew that (for me) it is just another racquet. If you think you're going to take your old 3.5-4.0 country club stroke and turn it into Nadal's spin factory because they have a few less strings, you better think more about improving your game.
From: Dan, 1/13

Comments: I have a demo of the 99s. The racquets I use are the Babolat Pure Storm GT and Dunlop 200 Tour. The Dunlop is 16x18 but because its a 95 head size the string pattern still looks dense. I owned a Yonex Xi Team Plus which I later sold. As for the 99s I played on indoor hard court just rallying with one person. I like the racquet , The string pattern is very open even to the eye before you know what it is. Its better than the Yonex for spin. Returning short balls near the net and hitting top spin lobs from baseline was good. I also played 2 hours of doubles with the 105s and it was not as good. This may of been down to pressure of playing for points and not practice. I used a full bed of RPM Blast 18g in my Pure Storm and would like to buy the 99s and use that string at about 52lbs.
From: Andy, 1/13

Comments: Time will tell if any tennis professional will embrace the Wilson Steam 99S. The Prince Vortex was a very revolutionary tennis racquet with a staggered stringbed which was never used by any pro, as far as I remember. The Steam 99S is not a control-oriented racquet, and just being able to top spin the ball is not enough for an advanced player to win points. It is rather unstable, and since it has a very open string bed, it tends to go many different directions with exactly the same shot that you just hit. My advice is to demo this racquet several days and have some of your friends demo it also, then make an informed judgment. In conclusion, to be able to play with this Wilson racquet your muscle memory has to start learning tennis all over again. From my personal experience with the Wilson Steam, I think that Wilson's reputation will be tarnished with their production and introduction of the Steam. I play with the Federer ProStaff, and it plays like Federer.
From: Robert, 1/13

Comments: I have been using the BLX 95 (and earlier models) for the past 10 years and wanted something easier to handle. The adjustment needed was relatively minimal. The string bed felt softer, as does the overall racquet. The extra spin created is noticeable, but not as big as some playtesters noticed. The shots are quite controllable. Slices also went in easier than my BLX95. But it feels less powerful than the old Steam 100 which is very easy to hit with. Note that I strung mine with Tecnifibre X One 16 at the bottom end of the recommended tension range as opposed to the Luxilons suggested, so that may have affected the way the racquet played.
From: Mark, 1/13

Comments: After two sessions, this is a pretty decent stick. First of all, I normally weight my sticks up to 12.5 oz with 4pts head light. I like to come to net as much as possible and need the mass for touch shots. That being said, this racquet was too light after my first hour of hitting. I just did not feel connected as much as I thought I would. So, I added lead to the 4 and 6 and six inches in the throat, bringing it up to 11.9, which is still light and whippy for me, but it really changed the way it felt. After another 30 minutes, I started dialing in my shots, including some pretty penetrating slices and flat shots. I need to be able to hit my nine spots on the court and after the changes, I could do that pretty effectively, with different trajectories and spins. I only had ten minutes to serve, and did not feel comfortable right away with serves, so I will spend some time trying to dial those in and then adjust my review. Returns, with the added weight, were pretty good. I would say the returns were a solid B. Overall, Returns = B, Topspin forehand = A, Flat forehand = B+, Lobs = B+, Slice backhands = B+, Topspin backhands (one hander) = B ("not as stable as other sticks"), Drop shots = B, Volleys = B+, Serves = not enough time to rate. It's light enough to keep you in the point when stretched. I did not get that overwhelming topspin everyone mentioned in the review. Actually, no more than a Babolat (might be the altitude??), but it's less stiff than Babolat and has a pleasant feel with the lead tape.
From: Richard, 1/13

Comments: My friend gave me the gift of a Wilson Steam 99S, grip 4 3/8. It seems that the racquet is very good, but I cannot really know because after 30 minutes of play she broke.
From: Roberto, 1/13

Comments: The best racquet I have played with since being on the tour in the 90's. Great spin, very easy on the arm, and volleys are solid as a rock . Do not listen to comments about not being able to make the switch . It took me about 2 minutes and I knew this was the racquet for me.
From: Mark, 1/13

Comments: I have to agree with what has been said so far. I highly recommend a demo before committing to purchase this racquet. I played with the 99S for about 8 hours and I couldn't get a solid feel of the racquet. The amount of spin generated on both slice and topspin shots was very impressive. I felt like the racquet lacked a lot of control and feel. I had a hard time pin pointing the direction on shots. Hitting balls at shoulder height or higher was also difficult due to the angle the ball comes off the racquet. One concern I did have from playing with this racquet is it generates so much topspin that the ball bounced high and straight off the court, which made it very easy for opponents to attack.
From: Michael, 1/13

Comments: It amazes me at how quickly people will hammer a product. I am a 35 year 5.0 aggressive baseliner. This racquet is extremely comfortable and easy on the arm. I would stay away from this racquet if you do not have the proper racquet head speed to control the amount of spin it provides. I may tweak the weight about 8-10 grams this week for a little more stability on the volleys. Well done in my book as a player and teaching director.
From: Tyler, 1/13

Comments: Best racquet Wilson has made in a long time! I can not imagine anyone having a negative review on this stick. It does everything great, mega spin, impressive power, flat shots are great, serves bombs with kick or flat, has a huge sweet spot, very stable on hard shots, and the level of control is surprisingly very good! I am thoroughly impressed with how well this racquet performs on all kinds of different shots. It also has a nice player's stick feel to it. My old racquets were Nadal's AeroPro and Wilson BLX 95, a time tested true staple to measure any other racquet against. I made the switch to this one. You can't go wrong, get one. Incredible!
From: Carl, 1/13
String type and tension: Luxilon 4G 16g @ 55 lbs

Comments: Remember the revolutionary bigger tennis balls several years past which was suppose to make tennis playing much easier and consistent? It flopped. Unfortunately, I can say the same about the the so called revolutionary Wilson Steam 99S. It is the biggest flop that Wilson came up with. I have all brands of Wilson racquets, especially the Pro Staff and also the Federer version of the Pro Staff, and they play great. They are classified as Tennis Racquets, however the 99S is just a 99S, something out there. I bought the 99S last week, and now it's being returned as fast as I bought it.
From: Harry, 1/13

Comments: Warning, do not buy until you demo it. I purchased one last week and by far it's the worst choice I have made. It's like starting over, even though I have been playing and training tennis players over 25 years.
From: Alain, 1/13

Comments: I have purchased this racquet and like another poster stated, it feels like it was custom made for me. The swing weight is about the same as my previous racquet, but it has a lighter head. I am generating more power with the ability to have the ball dive to the baseline at the last second. My weekly opponents state they feel I am hitting a much heavier shot. My natural swing path generates topspin so this racquet is increasing the RPM's with some amazing results. I am able to flatten out the ball, but it took about a week to dial in this shot. I need to work more on my volleys with this racquet before providing any meaningful comments. My serves are better in pop, but more importantly my second serve I can be ultra aggressive with since the spin pulls it back down into the court. I am using a 17 gauge string and like another poster mentioned I find that I am breaking them every 12 hours of play. This will not work for me in the long run, so I need to put a thicker string in and see if the racquet still has the same feel.
From: Paul, 1/13

Comments: Recently checked this out on demo from the pro shop at my club and put about 15 hours on it. My experience was fairly consistent with that of the TW playtesters. I tend to hit with heavy topspin on the forehand side, and the spin difference in this racquet was pronounced over my open string pattern Prince Rebel 98. Other people at the club made comments about the level of spin generated with this racquet. I hit a flatter 2 handed backhand, but still noticed increased spin. It took a little while to dial in the slice backhand, but once I did, it was consistent and effective. I didn't like the 99S as much on serves or volleys as my Rebel though. I can usually go a couple of months on my Rebel before it needs to be restrung, but the 15 hours I put on the 99S had just about worn the strings completely through. They broke on the next person right after I turned it in, so if you do hit with spin, be prepared to have it re-strung on a regular basis, especially if you go with 17 gauge string. I do agree it is a game changer and it is definitely one fun racquet.
From: Greg, 1/13

Comments: I demo'ed this today, and I have seemingly conflicting results with the TW testers. For me, it wasn't crazy at all, it was so totally sane that it blew my mind. At first, my spin-oriented forehand, was going 1 foot into the net. But I adjusted quickly by hitting harder and angling upward a little. It feels as though this racquet was built custom for me. Swingweight was great, and not too heavy as I suspected it would be. I had no problem maneuvering, and in fact it helped me obtain a better swing. The APD is a little headlight and tends to bring the head around too early for me without a concerted effort. My 1H-BH was going high, and I can see why because it's not as spin-oriented. Another website had a tester saying his balls would baloon and not penetrate, but I did not have that problem at all. In fact just the opposite. I could hit lower and harder. I could always add more crazy spin if I had to, but mostly, the control was untold. Excellent. Not as clean and crisp as my 2013 APD, but string pocketing was sweet. I could hear the strings snap back on every hit. At first this was disconcerning, since you have the idea that something was broken. All in all, it gives me the feeling that I have reached pro status! But with such a sparse string pattern, I wonder if it would be too soft for a real pro? Now I have to give the demo back. Although I still like my APD's, I dont want to go on court without this 99S! Pure fun.
From: Jonny, 1/13

Comments: I got mine yesterday, and strung it with Luxilon 4G 17 gauge at 45 lbs. My previous racquet was an AeroPro GT. The 99s was really what I had hoped it would be. Serves felt great, as it brings the ball down nicely with good power and accuracy. It also kicks up nice and high on kick serves. Shots I thought were going out went in! Topspin is there and is very pronounced. On slices the racquet bites the ball well. You can hit drop shots with good control and accuracy. After a few years of mundane Wilson racquets, this one really stands out and is a winner in my eyes.
From: Eric, 1/13

Comments: I just starting playing again after 20 years off. My old school technique is a lot flatter, but I realize that I need more spin to be competitive in today's game. I am going through some upgrades in my stroke to impart more spin and thought the 99S could cut a few corners. To cut a long story short, this stick didn't work for my game. I think you need to have a spin focused game to get the most out of this. With a flat stroke, the ball really launches and is hard to keep in the court. High balls out of the strikezone were difficult to control and I always seemed to be late, probably due to the higher swingweight than I am used to. The power is good but the feel was not for me.
From: K.P., 1/13

Comments: I hit with this racquet 2 weeks ago, and it's very spin friendly. I'm worried that since the string pattern is so open that at a high level the ball will fly off the strings. Otherwise it's a great racquet.
From: Brennan, 1/13

Comments: So I finally got the chance to try out this racquet. I was so comfortable with this stick from the start since I have been training my swing with the elephant of a K Six One 95, that this felt feather light in comparison. It allowed me to be extremely aggressive with my groundstrokes and spin serves, although I have to say, it's still at least 80% in the stroke. On the return of serve I felt like Andre Agassi! My friends didn't touch a ball. And the 99 head size gives a large margin of error without losing the dignity of having a 100. Well, I'll probably be sticking to this racquet for a while.
From: Ryan, 1/13