Wilson Pro Staff Original 6.0 85 — Value, History & Identification

Era: 1983 onward, tour-dominant 1990s
Country: USA
Manufacturer: Wilson
Head size: 85 sq in
Construction: Braided graphite & Kevlar
Weight: ~340 g unstrung (stock)
Category: Midsize control racket
Notable associations: Pete Sampras (his entire professional career) · Stefan Edberg · Chris Evert (1985 French Open)
Collector focus: Production origin (St. Vincent) · originality · provenance

Iconic Status

One of the most iconic and collectible tennis racquets of the 1990s, and a benchmark control racquet of the graphite era.

History

Introduced in 1983, it dominated professional tennis through the 1990s via Pete Sampras, who used it to win 14 Grand Slam titles. Sampras played it for his entire professional career.

Sampras’s Version

The racket Sampras played was not the stock frame. The stringers at Priority One applied lead tape at 3 and 9 o’clock, which made it one of the heaviest rackets on tour, close to 385 grams. He strung it with natural gut, Babolat gut by most accounts. The stock frame weighs about 340 grams unstrung, so a customised Pro Staff is a different object from the one in the shop. See Four Rackets That Weren’t What They Looked Like.

Where It Won

• Sampras and Agassi: 34 matches between 1989 and 2002, Sampras 20–14 and 4–1 in Grand Slam finals. Read the full rivalry.
• Sampras and Becker: 19 matches, Sampras 12–7, including the 1996 ATP Finals final in Hanover. Read Sampras and Becker.
• Sampras and McEnroe: three meetings in 1990 and 1991, all won by Sampras. Read Pro Staff 6.0 85 vs Dunlop Max 200G.

Collectibility and Value

Standard used €350–€600; excellent/original cover €700–€1,000+; early St. Vincent models €1,200–€2,000+. Regularly traded on eBay, Catawiki, Barnebys. Prices are indicative estimates.

What to Check Before Buying

• Whether the frame is a stock retail racket or a customised one, and whether that is documented.
• No cracks or paint damage around the head and throat.
• Original grip, grommets and decals.
• Where it was made. Collectors prize the early St. Vincent models.

Technical Notes

A demanding frame with a small head and a low power level, valued for directional control.

Sources & research note: specifications and prices are period-typical estimates; individual examples vary, especially player-customized frames. Player associations are listed only where documented.

This racket is part of Court Privée’s 1990s collection — see the full lineup: Rackets from the 90s. For its 1980s versions, see the Pro Staff Original 85 profile.