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105 Sq In
16×19 Pattern
9.9 oz strung w/Hollowcore Pro

BLX is the latest innovation for Wilson and their line of racquets, updating the very popular K-Factor line. It still uses the Karophite Black, however the fibers are now woven with Basalt. By using Basalt, Wilson notes that it helps reduce vibration and enhance feel.

In addition to the lightweight, the most notable aspect of the Tidal Wave as soon as you pick it up is the mobility. Coming in just under 10 ounces strung, along with being 5pts HL it’s as if there’s not even a racquet in your hands.

Despite the lightweight, the BLX Tidal Wave carries a decent swing weight of 284, due to its extended length of 27.25 inches. It is more than just a lightweight stiff racquet, with a flex rating of 62RA allowing for a considerable amount of touch and on the low side of most new racquets on the market today.

Groundstrokes:
The light weight and open string pattern provided easy access to spin, while the lower flex helped keep the ball in the court. I didn’t find a lot of power with the Tidal Wave, although quite a bit more spin than typical for my game. Using a one-handed backhand it reminded me of hitting with a MicroGel Radical MP with the big cuts I could take at the ball regardless of court position. In the end though, this works best for players who utilize the modern day windshield wiper forehand

Volleys:
Quick, quicker, quickest is the order of the day with the Tidal Wave. While it isn’t going to blow volleys past your opponent, the headlight balance allows you to react and make contact on nearly anything hit within your reach.

Serves and Returns:
Returns allowed you swing free and clear with the low flex of the racquet. However anything but a big cut at the ball would often put you on the defensive or have trouble clearing the net.

Serves produced great kickers and slice serves with the generation of great racquet head speed. While you may not be hitting triple digits on the radar, you will get serves deep in the box and up around the shoulders of your opponents.

Recap:
The BLX Tidal Wave is an excellent choice for younger players moving up to a full size racquet or players just learning the game who are looking for a stick they can grow with while grooving their strokes. Club doubles players with an emphasis on placement than power could also look to the Tidal Wave as a must demo.