I received the following release from Wilson regarding its new racquet collection:
Wilson Sporting Goods Co., the world’s leader in high performance tennis
gear, announced today the introduction of the all-new Clash tennis racket collection. This line,
three years in the making, is the first to feature rackets explicitly created for the modern tennis
swing by flexing (yes, flexing), without compromising stability or power. Wilson designed the
Clash collection for a broad range of players who desire rackets that are incredibly easy to play,
provide complete confidence to swing powerfully, and offer unparalleled control over shots.
“The Clash is a true revolution in the racket space,” said Hans-Martin Reh, General
Manager, Wilson Racquet Sports. “It is born from the feedback of hundreds of tennis
players throughout the world and thousands of hours of playtests. In creating this
racket, we sought to push the limits of how a racket could move, feel, react on ball
impact and, ultimately, make a player feel. Control and confidence are the top attributes
players want from their racket, and the Clash delivers on both. It’s a highly playable
collection that represents the intersection of flexibility, stability, power, control and feel,
hence the name Clash. It is unlike anything they have seen or felt from rackets before.”
To create the Clash line, Wilson LABS, the innovation hub at Wilson, utilized motion
capture technology to track racket swing planes and dimensionalize the modern player’s
angle of attack, bringing to life how much more vertical it has become over time. This
research, along with insights from hundreds of tennis players globally, led Wilson LABS
researchers to evaluate ways they could alter conventional racket construction by
providing a level of fluid movements to the frame. Researchers theorized that these fluid
movements could maximize how a racket pocketed the ball and control the release of it.
This theory became the core tenet behind the design of the Clash collection.
Two new technologies comprise Clash rackets. The first is the brand’s patent-pending FreeFlex™
technology, which is a carbon mapping system that unifies carbon at unconventional angles throughout the rackets’ frame for a higher degree of flexibility both vertically and horizontally. This system allows the rackets to bend with any swing style to better pocket a tennis ball and control the release of the ball as a player follows through with their swing. StableSmart™, a new frame geometry that provides stability and power to these flexible frames, complements FreeFlex technology. The combined effect of FreeFlex and StableSmart gives a player the opportunity to control the directional accuracy and depth of a shot, giving them more confidence throughout every swing.
The Clash collection carries forward the minimalistic product design DNA that Wilson previously
introduced, with an evolved, bold, three-part colorway. The matte black finish of each frame features gray accents at the three and nine o’clock positions. And the twelve o’clock position of the racket, the fastest point of the racket, carries a pop of modern infrared. This element of vibrant color creates a streak of infrared as the rackets move through the air, giving the design a sense of motion.
The new Wilson Clash collection includes the Clash 100 and Clash 100 Tour. Both models will be
available for pre-sale via tennis specialty retailers (in-store and online) and on www.wilson.com starting February 8, 2019. The racket will be available for purchase in-store and online worldwide on February 15. The MRP for the Clash racket is USD $249.00.
ABOUT WILSON SPORTING GOODS CO.
Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods Co., a subsidiary of Amer Sports, is one of the world’s leading
manufacturer of high performance sports equipment, apparel, and accessories. Wilson is the global leader in performance tennis and uses player insights to develop products that push tennis equipment innovation into new territories. Through its dedication to creating products that enable athletes at every level to perform at their best, Wilson has earned its place as a leader in sporting goods for over a century.
Note: Pros often customize the racket they use. Racket specifications on endorsed consumer models may vary from the models used by pros for match-play.
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