Up for sale is this Petra Kvitova Glossy Wilson H/N Tour 95 in ProStaff 97 paint.  Put this frame next to an actual ProStaff 97 and there are several obvious differences.  First of all the glossy, not flat paint and there is no retail hologram.  But most obvious is the shape of the frame at the throat - that “notch” so clearly visible where the frame and grip meet is obviously not a PS97 and is actually the same/similar mold Kei Nishikori, Lindsay Davenport, and Justine Henin used - a version of the H or N Tour 95.  It is also clearly more “bulbous/puffy” and rounded and slightly smaller of a frame shape than the boxier ProStaff 97. They all share that distinctive V shaped "notch" no ProStaff 97 has.

The end cap on the grip is a different, more rounded style than the one on retail PS97s and marked #3  3/8  

A specs throat decal lists the string pattern as “16x19” while the actual pattern is clearly 16x20, like Davenport/Henin’s older frame.

The picture of frames in a cardboard box I downloaded from Petra Kvitova’s social media at the time - she posted it, being excited about getting a shipment from Wilson.  If you zoom in, you can clearly see the throat “notch” is identical - and not the throat of a retail ProStaff97.  The same is clear in hi-res shots of her playing matches as is the glossy paint.

Petra was the only top player *endorsing* the ProStaff 97 with this paintjob who actually used an H/N Tour 95 mold - Nishikori never used a ProStaff paintjob and Davenport/Henin were long retired when this red/black PS paintjob existed.

There is visible paint/bumper wear/use although it is fairly light and in good condition for a used frame.

You may notice I have multiple “personal” (very likely match/practice used) racquets currently listed for sale.  A quick background on where I got them - I’ve been collecting tennis racquets, specifically “prostock” models not initially sold at retail to the public for many years. These frames often have custom attributes that indicate to the informed collector what they are.  Maybe it’s a head size or string pattern that doesn’t match the printed specs - some have no specs printed at all.  Sometimes a player has enough clout to get their name/initials/nickname factory printed on a frame. Some pro stocks have glossy paint where retail versions are matte - or vice versa depending on maker/era. Some will have stickers applied from stringers/customizers like P1 or a tournament. Some don’t have retail hologram/barcode stickers - ones that cannot just be removed without damaging the clear coat paint.

Over the years I’ve purchased these racquets from a few different pro stringers initially met via coaching tennis or through eBay after purchasing a prostock from them, then others.  Occasionally when a racquet company updates paint jobs, some frames get left at a stringer - the player now cannot contractually use the “old” paint scheme and didn’t pay for them, hence they get left/forgotten at the stringer’s -who later lists them for sale online.   

I don’t have absolute direct certifiable evidence that these frames were used/owned by the represented players.  But an informed collector will see the attributes that make it overwhelmingly likely the frames were made/customized/intended to be used only by a given famous/top-ranked player.  Just being fully honest/transparent - I don’t have notarized documents, photos, or certificates of authenticity that prove a given player used the frame - but that is my honest researched belief as an informed collector.  These days tour pros go through so many frames a year, most aren’t going to have absolute provenance, just get discarded like the old tools they are.  Please do your own internet research! In some cases I’ve been able to photo-match some frames and attributes from countless hi-res images widely avalible online.  

I’m intentionally NOT publishing detailed specifications of the frames (swingweight/balance/length/etc) so *please do not ask*, I don’t have access to a Babolat RDC machine or swingweight tester.  If you purchase a given racquet, you’re welcome to pop the buttcap and check for silicone, or how much lead tape is hidden under a bumper, etc. But I’m not going to risk damaging the frames to get info.  Also, If I disclose the specs of these frames it would make it easier for unscrupulous people to try and create fake match used frames.

With only 24 images possible on eBay I tried to show all the aspects I would want to see in a prospective purchase of a player’s personal and/or prostock frame. But if you would like any other specific images of a given racquet, let me know (serious inquiries only please).

Most of the frames listed show some degree of wear/tear, likely from match and/or practice use and as such are listed in “used” condition, I tried to highlight those areas in the pictures. Most pros are notoriously tough on frames so they aren’t going to be in perfect condition - but as long as there aren’t any cracks, I see that as “match use” and actually a good thing.  Unlike with smashed match used examples, all of mine can be taken on court and hit with to get a sense of what a given player actually uses. Many are significantly heavier than their retail/uncustomized counterparts.