filed in Tennis Product Reviews, Tennis Racquet Reviews
This racquet should come with a warning tag. Something along the lines of “objects may be closer than they appear in the mirror” and/or “car is driven by a professional driver on a closed track-please do not try this at home in your living room”. Ya, I realize that last one is a little of a mix. But here is the deal. For a true 5.0 + player, with long swings and good fitness, and no history of arm problems, this racquet, if properly set up, may be an excellent choice. I can hear my 11th grade English teacher yelling at me about my use of commas here, but everything I have to say about this racquet is qualified.
When you pick this racquet up you can tell that it is serious equipment. It has a 90 square inch head, is the standard 27 inches long and weighs 11.6 ounces strung. It has a nice subdued cosmetic appearance, with…
filed in Tennis Product Reviews, Tennis Racquet Reviews
I picked up the new Babolat Aero Storm GT racquet the other day from DO IT TENNIS and headed for the Courts to mix it up a little in some doubles play.
The first thing I noticed was that it felt very well-balanced. The label says this 98” racquet is 7 points Head-Light—but it felt as if it was more evenly balanced—at least until I started doing some ground-strokes… WOW—does this racquet come-around FAST! It only weighs 10.7 ounces (unstrung), and with the “Aero Modular” Technology, combined with the…
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When I first played with this racquet I felt I could do no wrong. It felt great in my hand and the overall balance of the racquet seemed perfect. Seemingly, I could swing as hard as I wanted and the ball did exactly what I intended. I felt I had total control over the ball and this would be the racquet for my future. Then I started to look at the specs of the racquet to see why I liked the racquet so much in the beginning. The head size was 95 in2, the size I like; then I…
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FIRST IMPRESSIONS: - This racquet is flat-out gorgeous in my opinion. Head kept this racquet classy yet flashy and the clear bumper is an awesome touch. The beam is relatively thin (20mm) and the racquet felt quick and whippy. The weight felt in the standard MP range of around 11.5 oz realm and it seemed very maneuverable.
GROUNDSTROKES: - This racquet was not very forgiving. You had to pin point your impact upon hitting with the IG Speed MP. At 100 sq inches, it's sweet spot seemed small for me but when I did, man did this thing hit some sweet shots. Lots of topspin and…
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I had the opportunity to play test the new Babolat Aero Pro Drive racquet, a racquet Babolat describes as an “expert” player racquet. Although a bit anxious about being described an “expert”, I decided to give it a go—and the personnel at “Do It Tennis” were very encouraging! The Aero Pro Drive is a relatively light-weight racquet—at 10.6 oz—and is balanced to generate racquet-head speed (7 pts. head-light). It's 100 sq. inch headsize is the same as my regular racquet, but, interestingly, looks a bit smaller. It might just be the aerodynamic shape of the hoop (& throat) that makes it appear different. Or maybe it's the very cool Yellow/Black/White graphics! When I first held the Aero Pro Drive it felt as if it were heavier than 10.6 oz.—I even checked the label to verify it's weight. But after a few strokes I realized how…
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In law school professors often rebut and deflect particularly vague or off track comments by students, with the comment ‘that is a distinction without a difference’. When I first hit with this frame that was an initial thought, especially since I had recently hit with and reviewed the same racquet model in the 18 main\20 crosses configuration. But as I played with this racquet for a longer period of time, and listened to the comments of my students and other people who hit with it, I realized that the 16 main\18 cross configuration was really a huge difference in this instance. This model is…
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My first experience with this racquet was playing a competitive set. It is a little lighter than the racquet I am accustomed to playing with at 11.3 oz. The head size is 97in2, right in my comfort zone. I like racquets in the mid plus range because they still allow you to maintain control over the ball even with off-center hits. When I started out I felt I had control over the ball right away, but as soon as I wanted to do a little extra with the ball there was…
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I got my hands on the new HEAD YouTek Radical Oversize (107”) racquet the other day from “Do It Tennis” in Oceanside, CA. This racquet immediately felt comfortable to hold (I used to play only with HEAD racquets and their unique handle shape—a bit more rectangular—was like shaking hands with an old friend!).
During warm-up I noticed how quickly I could swing this head-light racquet—and it felt very good. And, at 10.4 oz. it's weight is just about perfect for me…
