When Roger Federer retired back in 2022, the whole world of tennis shed a collective tear. I was certainly hit hard — watching him play was a major part of my childhood — so I wrote a piece about his career and the rackets that went along with his achievements. While I feared this might be the final chapter, a part of me believed that the shrewd businessman Federer had become wouldn’t stay away from tennis for long.

Fast forward two years, and while his playing career is indeed over, the Federer brand remains omnipresent in tennis. It started with his ON Roger shoes, and now he has his very own racket line.

Or is it his very own racket brand? RF by Wilson: RF comes first, and the racket is manufactured by Wilson. It almost sounds like a collaboration and is eerily similar to another athlete and brand combo: Michael Jordan and Nike. We’re not sure exactly how this situation will progress. Partnering with a reputable manufacturer like Wilson is probably the best course of action for Federer, but the RF name is perhaps even more powerful.

Roger Federer carried the Wilson brand throughout his career — we usually think the brand is bigger than the player, but in the case of the Swiss maestro, that may not be so true. He is loved the world over not only because of his on-court excellence, but also for his elegance away from it. Wilson needs to keep him; they know that, and it seems they’re willing to do a lot to maintain his association with the brand. Giving “RF” the spotlight and almost taking an “et al.” backseat is not something I thought would ever come from one of the big three brands, but that’s the magic of Roger Federer.

Does that magic carry over into the rackets? We’ll get into that a little later, but first, let’s talk about what exactly is coming in the RF 01 line. Three rackets, four bags, and… grips?

Just take a look at these gorgeous replacement grips:

 

I may be overdoing it a little bit, but a premium tan leather grip with the RF logo beautifully embossed is not something I thought I was going to appreciate as much as I do. It comes at a premium price point, but sometimes you need to splurge, and I’ll definitely grab a few.

There’s also a tan-colored synthetic replacement grip — the same that comes stock on the two lighter rackets in the line.

Moving on to the bags, there are three racket bags: a 15, a 9, and a 6-pack. That’s pretty standard, but unlike more traditional tennis bags, these are duffle bags. This has become more common recently, and it gives players more space to add the many random things we carry on-court nowadays. The 15 has two Thermoguard pockets designed to maintain strings and tension, while the 9 and 6 packs feature standard mesh.

All three have significantly more space than you would expect at first glance, with hidden pockets all over. Our personal favorites are the peaked pockets on either side of each bag; peaked, of course, to represent the Swiss Alps.

 

There’s also a Wilson RF Backpack for those of you looking for something a little more convenient. Like the full-length bags, it has a separate compartment for shoes and the same classy black design with subtle nods towards Federer’s roots and life as a father. The silver pinstripe elements on the whole RF collection represent his two sets of identical twins — a coincidence perhaps even more astonishing than the tennis he offered us for more than 20 years.

Now, how about those rackets? Because what we really want to know is whether they live up to the Federer name. We were shown the rackets in early July, and then I got to try them: first the RF 01 Pro, then the RF 01 Future, and the standard RF 01, which I playtested with a Wilson rep in Switzerland.

 

 

I’ve been reviewing rackets for more than two years now — it’s an amazing job, and every time I get a new one, I’m as excited as I was on the first day, but this time was different. From the moment I first saw the rackets to when I eventually took them to the courts, the whole experience was pure bliss.

RF 01 Pro

As the heaviest racket in the line, the RF 01 Pro was initially developed to replace the Wilson RF 97 as Roger Federer’s racket of choice. Before he retired in 2022, he actually wanted to keep playing, but with a frame that was easier to maneuver and would give him more power and spin to keep up with the modern game.

It weighs 320 grams (20 grams lighter than the RF 97), with a 98 square inch head size and a 16x19 string pattern. Perhaps even more importantly, it has a very different beam design compared to any Pro Staff Federer used during his career. The Pro Staff 97, 90, and 85 all had thin, constant, box beams; the 01 Pro’s is undulating (23.2, 23, 22 millimeters), oval, and much more modern in general. That helps speed the racket up and also makes it more rigid on contact, which helps generate more easy power and spin.

When I saw these specs, I won’t hide the fact that I was worried. One of the common denominators with all of his old frames was a solid, traditional, point-and-shoot type of control. Modernizing the beam certainly has its benefits, but I was worried it would play more like a Radical than the traditional sticks I’d come to appreciate.

That worry did not last long; as soon as I hit my first few groundstrokes with the RF 01 Pro, I realized they had knocked it out of the park. The feel is excellent, and the improvements in modern playability are obviously there.

If you want to learn everything you need to know about this racket, feel free to watch our full review.

 

 

I see it becoming a legendary frame — the perfect combination of modern and classic, and a real weapon for an aggressive, attacking player in 2024.

RF 01

The RF 01 is lighter, weighing 300 grams, and while the 01 Pro is certainly not too heavy, but this one is even more user-friendly. It has the same head size, beam design, and string pattern as its heavier sibling, but a slightly softer flex (64 RA vs. 67). This makes it a touch more forgiving both on the arm and for control. While the 01 Pro has that instantaneously responsive feel, this gives you a bit more time to guide the ball while it’s in the string bed.

I haven’t been able to extensively playtest the standard 01, but from my initial impressions trying it out in Switzerland, it’s also an amazing racket. I do think the 01 Pro will be initially more popular, but as the dust settles, players may realize they are better suited with this slightly more forgiving version.

RF 01 Future 

The RF 01 Future only weighs 280 grams, so it’s not in a weight category I’m very familiar with, but I really enjoyed the time I spent on court with it. Of course, it’s significantly quicker and more user-friendly than the other two 01s, but it maintains most of that precision, control, and unique playability they offer. 280 grams is not common for a 98 square-inch head size, but here, it works, and it makes the design accessible for lower-level players or juniors who haven’t finished developing.

The RF 01 line was created for aggressive, attacking players who, like Federer, want to dictate points by taking the ball early and taking time away from their opponents. The 01 Future gives players who want to develop that style of play a platform to do so, unlike a lot of the more powerful tweeners you usually get at that weight range.

I had an amazing time testing all these rackets. I embarked on a journey through the Swiss Alps to test, film, and edit my review and initial impressions, and it’s an experience I’ll never forget. Federer’s magic lives on with the RF 01 lineup, so for now, we get to enjoy it, but I can’t wait to see what’s coming next!

Unfortunately, the RF 01 lineup is delayed in Canada until mid-August, but click the Notify Me button on any of the products and you will get a message as soon as they arrive in store and online.