Tennis Racquet Review: Babolat Aero Pro Lite 

The Babolat Aero Pro Lite is updated for 2013 with a new logo, graphics, and a physical design that creates an even quicker stroke.

APPEARANCE / STYLE
Continuing with Babolat’s high-visibility graphics and black/white/yellow scheme, the Babolat Aero Pro Lite is an attractive racquet. One benefit that I like is the fact that as the racquet ages it’s rather busy design helps conceal “battle scars” (unlike some racquets—nothing worse than a nearly new racquet that has a big ‘ol paint chip staring at you!). Babolat’s new logo (a stylistic “B”) will take some getting used to… (who won the racquet spin?)

TECHNOLOGY
Four primary technologies are utilized in all top Babolat racquets: 1) GT—which stands for Graphite-Tungsten and enhances the feel and control of the racquet; 2) Aero-Modular design—allows the racquet to slice through the air quicker; 3) Cortex—sends the “good” signals while filtering out the “bad” ones to the player’s hand; and 4) Woofer—gives the strings more freedom to interact with the ball which creates more control and comfort.

SPECIFICATIONS
The Babolat Aero Pro Lite has a 100” head and weighs 9.2 oz. unstrung. It has a string pattern of 16 mains and 19 crosses. It is 1 pt. head-light (unstrung). It has a variable width Aerodynamic beam (cross-section) which measures 23mm/26mm/24mm wide. It is a standard-reach racquet measuring @ 27” in length. It is designed to be on the higher-end of the stiffness scale.

GROUNDSTROKES
The Babolat Aero Pro Lite tennis racquet is about 1 oz. lighter than my normal racquet. My racquet is also more head-light. But the first thing I noticed when I held the Babolat Aero Pro Lite was that it just did not “feel” that light. And when I began hitting baseline groundstrokes I became an instant fan of this racquet. Fast racquet-head speed was easy to obtain and ball impact feels very solid. I noticed very good control and the racquet allowed me to hit with more spin than normal. I believe that its stiffness really helped—and it did not deliver an unusual amount of shock or vibration. It felt, in plain words, very smooth and powerful.

VOLLEYS
Net play with the Babolat Aero Pro Lite racquet is a breeze (no pun intended). It is quick, powerful, and accurate. I think it’s lighter weight also helped with “reflex” volleys—and turned defensive shots into offense!

OVERHEADS
Hitting an overhead with the Babolat Aero Pro Lite is a pleasure. It delivers excellent control and encourages “put-away” shots.

SERVES
The serve is one of the Aero Pro Lite’s best features. I could really swing-away on the first serve because of its great control. And if I missed the 1st serve (my fault—not the racquet’s!) I could easily place my 2nd serve with confidence.

SPIN POTENTIAL
The open 16-Main string pattern on the Babolat Aero Pro Lite really bites into the ball. If you hit the ball hard, and with the correct stroke, you will be very, very pleased with the amount of spin this racquet provides.

CONCLUSION
I was first concerned that the Babolat Aero Pro Lite was going to be one of those racquets that companies often make to widen their sales-target audience. You know—capitalizing on the fame of their “original” racquet within a series. My concerns were totally unfounded.

The Babolat Aero Pro Lite is a solid performer that delivers great power, excellent control, and has a wonderful “feel”. Its 9.2 ounce weight makes it quick to accelerate and really allows one to attack the ball. I think it would be a great choice for players who have moderate-to-full swing styles and desire to increase their racquet-head speed.

Greg Christopherson
Oceanside, CA