The Wilson Steam 99LS is a life-changing experience. Having long been a 95–98 sq/in, 12oz, flexy frame kinda guy, I looked at the specs of the Steam 99LS and shook my head. No way was this a racquet for me. I'm testing this to give feedback for the players in the 99LS target market. Wrong! Not only is a frame I can play with, I don't want to give my playtest demo back.
To my surprise, I was able to pick up the 99LS and get dialed in right away. I felt connected and able to rally with depth and pace from the first ball. Remarkably maneuverable and a spin demon, as advertised, I found the Wilson 99LS capable of producing solid ground strokes off both my forehand and one-handed backhand. The sweet spot is large, but surprisingly controllable. I also found the LS to be much softer and less jarring than its 99S sibling I demoed last summer.
The very first ball I served with the Steam 99LS landed in the box, just inside the service line and hopped over the back fence. While this was due in part the the ball striking the front edge of the tape on the clay court, it was only due to the massive spin from the16x15 string pattern that the ball kicked that high. While the remainder of my serves stayed inside the ballpark, hitting heavy spin or flat bombs was effortless with the Steam 99LS.
At the net, the Steam is lightning quick and remarkably stable for a sub-11oz frame. I found it easy to put away volleys and overheads off weak shots, but the 99LS was solid even against heavy balls coming with pace. There was enough flex and feel that I also felt confident in attempting drop volleys and touch half-volleys.
Head Size:
99 sq. in. / 638.71 sq. cm.
Length: 27in / 68.58cm
Strung Weight: 10.2oz / 289.17g
Balance: 13.13in / 33.35cm / 3 pts HL
Swingweight: 294
Stiffness: 64
Beam Width: 22.5mm / 24mm / 23.5mm /
Composition: Basalt
Power Level: Low-Medium
Stroke Style: Medium-Full
Swing Speed: Medium-Fast
Racquet Colors:
Red/ Black/ White
Grip Type: Wilson Sublime Grip
String Pattern:
16 Mains / 15 Crosses
Mains skip: 8T 8H
One Piece
No Shared Holes
String Tension: 54-64 pounds
