What Racquet Does Roger Federer Use?
When Roger Federer first burst onto the tennis scene as a teenager in 1998, he was using the Pro Staff 85 6.0. As the name suggests, this racquet had an 85-inch head.
Federer started using an 85-inch head because several of his idols used this size including Stefan Edberg and Pete Sampras.
However, in 2014, Federer stepped up to a 97-inch head with the Wilson Pro Staff Autograph RF97.
Federer is a generational talent who would be a great player no matter what racquet he used. However, he worked closely with Wilson to create the Pro Staff RF97 Autograph in 2013. When you’re matched up against the best including Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, you need every edge you can get.
Let’s take a look at the specifics of the racquet the eight-time Wimbledon Champion uses.
Roger Federer’s Racquet Specs
| Name | Pro Staff RF97 Autograph |
| Brand | Wilson |
| Length | 27in / 68.58cm |
| Head Size | 97 in² / 625.81 cm² |
| Strung Weight | 12.6oz / 357g |
| Swing Weight | 335 |
| Balance | 9 pts head light |
| Stiffness | 68 |
| String Pattern | 16 Main / 19 Cross |
| Materials | Braided Graphite and Kevlar |
| Color | Black |
Federer’s Pro Staff RF97 autograph racquet debuted in 2014 at the Roger’s Cup. Even though the 97-inch head is much larger than the racquets Federer started his career with, it’s still smaller than the racquets of some of his competitors. Both Djokovic and Nadal use 100-inch racquets.
Federer’s current racquet is perfectly designed to maximize his strengths and minimize his weaknesses. It’s unlikely that we’ll see the Swiss star ever move up to 100 inches now that he’s in the backend of his career.
Roger Federer’s Strings
Federer has used roughly the same type of strings throughout his career. He uses a hybrid string setup with Luxilon Alu Power Rough 16L in the crosses and Wilson Natural Gut in the mains. You can purchase Wilson’s Champion’s Choice Duo to get both of these as a set.
Some of the world’s top players opt to travel with one stringer throughout the entire season. By having one person string each of their racquets, they make sure that they have the utmost consistency.
Federer is among the players on the ATP tour who travels with his own stringer. He’s been working with Ron Yu of Priority 1 for the past 15 years. According to an article published in the New Yorker, each player pays $40,000 a year for the stringing and customization service.
What String Tension Does Federer Play With?
An image of Roger Federer’s Red Pro Staff RF97 racquet from the Laver Cup in 2018 revealed that Federer’s string tension is around 27kgs (59.4lbs) for the mains and 25.5kg (56.1lb) for the crosses.
Federer’s tension may change slightly between tournaments, but according to Yu, Federer likes the tension to stay relatively consistent. He generally keeps his tension within a kilogram (2.2lbs) the whole season.
Federer keeps the tension of the crosses slightly lower than his mains. This string setup is mostly personal preference, but is thought to create a more powerful sweet spot in the middle of the racquet.
Does Federer Use String Savers?
If you look closely at one of Federer’s racquets, you’ll notice that he uses string savers.
Yu says that he clips ten plastic string savers into the stringbed of each of Federer’s racquets.
Players generally use string savers to reduce wear and tear on their strings. However, Federer likely uses them more out of tradition because he’s always used them. Yu prepares eight racquets for Federer before every match, so preserving his strings isn’t a concern.
Does Federer Use Power Pads?
Power pads aren’t commonly used by players on the ATP or WTA circuits these days. However, you’ll find them on all of Federer’s racquets.
If you’re not familiar with power pads, they’re essentially pieces of leather that keep the strings separated from the outer frame of the racquet near the throat. Some other players that have used power pads include Grigor Dimitrov and Juan Martin Del Potro.
What Size Grip Does Federer Use?
Roger Federer uses a 4 3/8-inch grip size. This may seem small. However, the smaller grip size gives Federer the ability to get more wrist snap on his serves. Many other top players also like to downsize on the grip including Nadal who uses a 4 ¼ grip. You can take some measurements to figure out the best grip size for your racquet, but it mostly boils down to personal preference.
Federer also uses white Wilson Pro overgrips to keep his racquet secure in his hand.
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