Wilson Ultra v5 Pro 99 Review – Power, Comfort & Spin

LTA-qualified coach DANNY JONES tests the new Wilson Ultra v5 (99 Pro) racquet – a power frame that promises easy depth without sacrificing too much control. Fresh from injury recovery, he shares why this racket quickly became his new go-to…

Overall: 9/10

The Wilson Ultra v5 performs exactly how you’d want a power frame to play. Comfortable on the arm and offering effortless pace, its thicker beam makes generating power feel easy and rewarding. With a strung weight of 323g and a swingweight of 330g, hitting with depth felt like a job the racquet was doing itself. The 99-square-inch head size ensures that the racquet’s huge power doesn’t come at the expense of accuracy.

More than anything, it’s a racquet I’ve genuinely enjoyed playing with. Coming back from a broken hand, I started using the Ultra just days after my cast came off, while still in considerable pain. Yet it felt comfortable from the first hit. The soft, responsive stringbed helped me learn to play again while rehabbing my hand. Its generous power, with only a small sacrifice in accuracy, has convinced me to switch full-time.

Power: 9.5/10
I felt an immediate increase in pace and depth on my rally ball, with the Ultra doing much of the work. Hitting winners off short balls became second nature, but what impressed me most was the added security when injecting pace from deep behind the baseline. Despite its reasonably heavy swingweight, the racquet is manoeuvrable, allowing fast acceleration and plenty of spin. Easily the most enjoyable and rewarding power frame I’ve played with.

Precision: 7.5/10
This isn’t a racquet designed for pinpoint accuracy, but the Ultra v5 head size balances power with control. Early on, I found my balls landing more central than usual, but I quickly adjusted and began finding my spots. The plush string response made redirecting shots comfortable, and changing direction – especially when on top of the rally – was particularly rewarding.

Spin potential: 8.5/10
The Ultra v5 produces excellent spin from all areas of the court. Attacking low, short balls was straightforward, with enough racquet-head speed to whip the ball up and down quickly. From the baseline, I was getting good net clearance, width, and movement off both wings, with heavier, deeper shots that moved through the court faster.

Serve: 8.5/10
Serving with the Ultra impressed me more than I expected, especially given I’m still recovering from injury. I could hit my spots, and the racquet helped me generate surprising power. The slice serve in particular swung wide nicely, opening the court for easy volleys. Flat and kick serves were more limited by my wrist than the racquet itself, but I could feel the Ultra’s potential.

Feel: 9/10
This is the most comfortable racquet I’ve used. The sensation on the arm and the touch on delicate shots was excellent. Once I adjusted to its responsiveness, finding sharp angles, drop volleys, and cut shots felt natural. It gave good feedback on touch shots without ever feeling too stiff.

Strings (Luxilon Alu Power 125): 8/10
Testing new strings with a new racquet isn’t easy, but these paired beautifully with the Ultra. They blended easy power with accessible control and solid spin. Comfortable even in long rallies, they absorbed and reused opponents’ pace well. After around 10 hours of play, tension loss was minimal – far less than I’d normally expect.

The Ultra v5 line includes seven models: 99 Pro, 100, 100L, 100UL, TEAM, 26 and 25. The collection is available on wilson.com and at select retailers worldwide, ranging from £95-£230.

Danny Jones is an LTA-qualified tennis coach based in Bristol, UK.

See also:

How to stop worrying about your serve

How to cut down on double faults

How to practice your second serve consistency

Tennis tactics: 4 simple, effective singles strategies for club players

Aggressive Patience - the essential strategy for winning more tennis matches

Smart tennis: why you should hit a lot more balls cross court