Carlos Alcaraz's Full Gear Setup: Racket, Strings, and Shoes

Alcaraz is the most electrifying player in tennis right now. Here's the exact equipment he uses to hit winners from every corner of the court.

Carlos Alcaraz plays tennis like nobody else on the planet right now. The combination of power, speed, and variety he brings to every surface makes him uniquely compelling to watch — and his equipment choices reflect both his style of play and his physical profile.

Racket

Alcaraz plays with the Wilson Blade 98 v9 (18x20 string pattern), painted to look like the Wilson Blade V8. Like most tour players, his racket is heavily customized from the retail version — additional lead tape, silicone in the handle, and specification tweaks made by Wilson's tour team.

The retail Blade 98 weighs around 304g strung. Alcaraz's custom version is reported to be heavier, closer to 340g with customization, with a head-light balance that suits his aggressive, full-swing baseline game.

The 18x20 string pattern (denser than the 16x19) gives him more control at the expense of some spin potential — which makes sense given that he generates enormous racket head speed naturally and doesn't need the open pattern to produce spin.

Strings

Alcaraz uses Wilson Natural Gut in the mains (vertical strings) and Luxilon Alu Power 125 in the crosses (horizontal strings). This hybrid setup is common among ATP players because it combines the power, feel, and arm comfort of natural gut with the control and durability of polyester.

He strings at approximately 55 pounds in the mains and 52 pounds in the crosses — lower tension in the crosses is standard for hybrid setups, as it balances the stiffness difference between the two string types.

Shoes

Alcaraz wears Nike shoes on court, as part of his Nike endorsement deal. On hard courts he typically wears the Nike Zoom Vapor series. On clay, he switches to the Nike React Vapor NXT Clay.

What you can actually replicate

The retail Wilson Blade 98 v9 is one of the best rackets available to recreational players at any level. If you're an intermediate or advanced player with a full, modern swing, it's genuinely worth trying. The natural gut and Luxilon hybrid stringing is also accessible — just expect to spend $40 to $60 per string job rather than $15 to $20 for a full poly setup.