Archive for February, 2010

Babolat AeroPro Drive GT Tennis Racket – Perfect If You Love Spin!

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Babolat AeroPro Drive GT Tennis RacquetThe Babolat Aeropro Drive GT is definitely a winner, especially if you love fantastic feel, spin and control. Highly recommended.

Amateur and professional tennis players alike will all recognize the tremendous power of the Babolat Aeropro Drive GT and, more relevantly, the extra spin of Rafael Nadal whose yellow GT racket shines on court as a beacon to any aspiring player.

What will you like about the Babolat Aeropro Drive GT?

  • Excellent blend of feel and power.
  • Although suited to intermediate to advanced players on the whole, it can be beneficial to any players with a medium to fast swing with at least a little experience.
  • Better than similarly priced and featured Wilson tennis rackets.
  • High quality construction, don’t suffer from those annoying broken string occurrences all the time!

Buy now with confidence, 100% money back guarantee and FREE shipping!

Babolat Aeropro Drive GT review

The AeroPro Drive GT is updated by means of a combination of braided carbon fibers and tungsten filaments on the actual racket. The latter filaments make the frame stronger and produce greater precision by reducing torque.

In fact Babolat themselves claim a 26% increase in precision compared to the previous Babolat AeroPro Drive.

The Cortex vibration filter continues with this updated model to enhance feel by negating the 2 highest vibration frequencies – in other words only the frequencies that enhance the feel will be allowed to pass through the Cortex filter.

Babolat Aeropro Drive GT specifications

The racket has an overall head size of 100 inches and falls into the mid-sized plus or tweener classification.

Is it suited to you?

This particular category of rackets is great for tennis players that enjoy a perfect blend of power and control which makes them ideal for junior players on the cusp of progressing to the intermediate level.

Generally when this happens they will the make the transition to longer, bigger rackets with generally more power potential.

Spin potential

As I mentioned in the title though, the AeroPro Drive GT is perhaps best known for its spin potential, more so from the baseline than anywhere else on the court and this is what makes players like Nadal spin freaks on clay.

Court performance

Users who love Babolat tennis rackets found this racket provided a more solid and stable response from all areas of the court in general.

The were equally as impressed with the power and spin they were able to generate and the open string pattern offered lots of bite and a lively feel to their strokes.

Conclusion

The Babolat Aeropro Drive GT is awesome if you have an all court game and variety in your shot making decisions.

If you enjoy slicing the ball and employ a lot of top spin, it goes without saying that you should strongly consider this racket. It has an almost perfect blend of power, control and feel and the racket is easy to swing through the air giving you plenty of opportunity to get some force behind you before you strike the ball.

This is an ideal stick for someone with an all court game that can really manipulate the ball and make it dance! A very addictive and highly recommended racket.

Wilson Hyper Hammer 5.3 – Outstanding All Round Performer

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Wilson Hyper Hammer 5.3

The Wilson Hyper Hammer 5.3 is one of Wilson’s most popular “tweener” rackets and one of the best selling tennis rackets of all time. Click here to buy now!

This racket combines both control and power making it ideal for beginners looking to step up their game or intermediate players who want a little extra control.

One of the most popular racket categories to emerge over the past year has been that of the aforementioned “tweener” rackets. Tweener rackets are those models that fall between pure player’s models and pure game improvement, or in other words power models. They’re usually lighter (9-11 ounces), slightly longer (27.5-28 inches) and are designed for players with medium to medium-full/fast swings.

Although it is light and maneuverable with a slight bias of weight towards the head of the racket, the 5.3 is not as top-heavy as most other Hammer models. In fact it provides a little more leverage and reach than a standard length racket but does not get in the way of shots performed closer to the body. All court singles players should find the Hyper Hammer a beneficial racket on court and a joy to use.

Specifications:

  • Head size: 110 square inches
  • Length: 27.5 inches
  • Weight: 9 ounces (unstrung)
  • String tension: 53 to 63 pounds
  • String pattern: 16 x 20
  • Beam width: 28 mm/25 mm, dual taper beam
  • Composition: 15 percent Hyper Carbon/85 percent graphite
  • Power level: Medium
  • Swing speed: Moderate fast
  • Grip: Cushion-Aire Conform

Technology:

  • Hyper Carbon Material: Provides ultimate power, light weight and increased strength.
  • Hammer Technology: Provides a higher and larger sweet spot.
  • Stretch Light: Provides more power and greater reach.
  • Dual Taper Beam: Increases stability for greater power and enlarged sweet spot.

There is a reason this racket is one of the best selling of all time. It is purely and simply that good. Ideally suited to beginners and intermediates, you would be unlucky to be disappointed with the Wilson Hyper Hammer 5.3 tennis racket.

Prince O3 Hybrid Hornet – Versatile Yet Spectacularly Cheap

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Prince O3 Hybrid Hornet

The Prince O3 Hybrid Hornet is one of the most versatile frames in the Prince lineup.

This is the original and popular TT Hornet on steroids! Perfect for aspiring, competitive players looking for great racket head speed, a lighter frame and plenty of zing.

It is perfect for aspiring competitive players. Prince has retained the incredibly light weight maneuverability of the Hornet; but accentuated the rackets forgiveness of off-center shots by expanding the sweet spot with O3 Engineering.

The O3 Hybrid Hornet has also won a Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture Award for its phenomenal design.

The O3 Hybrid Hornet Midplus as it is otherwise known offers a smaller headsize and a little more control on the ball compared to the Prince – O3 Hybrid Hornet OverSize Tennis Racket.

The technological redevelopment has replaced traditional pin-sized string holes with a revolutionary giant O-Port.  A super aerodynamic frame has been created with a more responsive stringbed. This increases the sweet spot by 54%, creating a larger area which obviously means that you have a better chance of hitting your best shots more often.

The unmistakable O-Ports are located at twelve and six o’clock on the perimeter of the frame. Prince manufacturers says this extends the sweet spot towards the tip of the racket where most mis-hits occur.

What is most remarkable is that Prince accomplished all of this without enlarging the head size, which further enhances its ease of use as the racket has not had to have been lengthened or made heavier.

All in all, a great all around racket for competitive, developing juniors and more experienced players with an all court game who need a racket that’s just as good for aggressive play as it is on defense. It was a worthy choice for TENNIS Magazine’s Editor’s Choice in 2006.

As a result you really cannot go wrong for under $100 with the Prince O3 Hybrid Hornet racket considering it is loaded with some fine Prince technology and comfort.

Prince ExO3 Rebel 95 Tennis Racket – Raw And Professional Hitting Power

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Prince ExO3 Rebel 95

The Prince EXO3 Rebel 95 tennis racket offers a ton of feel and comfort and is an excellent choice for advanced level players.

Used by ATP tour professional Gael Monfils, this racket has the precision of a surgical scalpel but is as comfortable as a pillow around the court.

Prince have been able to extract even more performance from the O3 system and been able to implement it on true players’ frames. The EXO3 Energy Bridge allows the stringbed to be suspended from the frame thus capturing the energy that would have otherwise been wasted through frame vibration.

The end result is greater power, a bigger sweetspot and even better comfort and feel.

The EXO3 also features interchangeable grommets for a truly custom feel. You can choose from the strong port insert for more power and comfort, or the string hole insert for more control and feel.

In addition to this, the Prince EXO3 is enhanced by the dynamic effects of the Energy Bridge, or in other words the patented Energy Channel exclusive to Prince tennis rackets. It is a sculpted groove within the frame that provides more stability, bolsters your ball control and increases spin by up to 25%.

This is a superbly accomplished racket but it’s standout feature is it’s control. With a 95 square inch head, the EXO3 Rebel 95 offers ultimate control in the EXO3 line.

Overall, this tennis racket is sure to be one of the best players racket for an intermediate-advanced to advanced player with a fast swing speed. If you have the skills, stamina and confidence to go with the Prince EXO3 Rebel 95 it will respond in magnificent style.

One thing I should point out is that there is another option in the EXO3 family that is lighter in weight but retains outstanding maneuverability and control.

It is the Prince EXO3 Rebel Team MS 95 Tennis Racket and is more suited to players looking for the control in a mid size head in a more compact, lighter package. Both rackets are excellent options in this category.

How To Tell If Your Babolat Aeropro Drive Is A Fake

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Babolat AeroPro Drive 2010

Babolat AeroPro Drive 2010

Buy a genuine Babolat Aeropro Drive from Amazon today.

Some people seem to be worried that the tennis rackets they are buying are fake.

The most common rackets I see are the Babolat Aeropro Drive and Aeropro Drive GT but I have seen queries for the Head Microgel Prestige Pro and numerous Prince tennis rackets. If you want to be sure you are buying the 2010 GT from a reputable dealer then click the tennis racket image to the left.

The best tip I can give is this - buy from a reputable and recognized dealer. That means don’t buy them off some less than honest seller on Ebay.

Time and time again people buy from shady dealers on large shopping sites and expect genuine rackets at half the usual asking price. You get what you pay for!

If it’s too late and you’ve already received the racket, feel free to contact the racket manufacturer to check if the particular supplier you are buying/bought from is legitimate.

You can also try emailing the manufacturer and sending them pictures of your racket for verification if you are really concerned.

A couple more dead giveaways relating to a fake Aeropro Drive GT specifically include;

  1. the presence of a hologram sticker – definitely means you have a fake
  2. inaccurate color/text reproduction and a different string pattern to the original.
  3. try the light head versus heavy head demonstration. This involves putting a finger in the throat and watching to see if the head floats up above the handle or sinks below. Fake rackets tend to be head heavy as a rule.
  4. fakes have improper location of markings and some missing logo detail

Some of the other things you might be able to pick up on are;

  • The inside of your racket will look disorganized and poorly constructed when you remove the butt cap.
  • The center divider should be straight in a genuine copy but skewed in a fake.
  • The background of where the “GT Technology” text is located should have a grey background with small lines. Fake copies will almost always have a black background with no lines visible to the naked eye.

Of course, it is hard to compare a fake to the real thing in person if you have already bought a fake. This is why it is SUPER important to buy from the most trusted dealer you know. It cannot be stressed enough.

Fakes are not confined to Babolat however, so I have included some links for other rackets.

Check out an example for Head tennis rackets:

http://www.tenniswarehouse.com.au/store/racquets/fake-racquets.html

Another for Babolat in general:

http://www.regentville.com/2007/03/fake-babolat-pure-drive.html

In summary a bit of common sense and research will go a long way towards avoiding buying a cheap copy. Hope you have found this somewhat helpful.

Dunlop Aerogel 4D 200 Combines Superb Power And Control Into One Racket

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Dunlop Aerogel 4D 200

The Dunlop Aerogel 4D 200 tennis racket is more suited to tournament and advanced players.

The 4D 200 comes with a long and powerful swing and above average control for the best and most precise shot control.

Dunlop have inserted 4D (4-directional) braided touch points around the frame to aid in stability by up to 33% more than in previous Dunlop rackets.

The braided fibers are aligned in a certain orientation that enables stress on the racket to be supported in many directions – this is opposed to standard carbon sheets in other rackets that are only oriented in one direction. The 4D braided graphite technology also makes for less shock, better feedback and more consistency.

The European model of the 4D 200 is also available on Amazon, it is the Dunlop Aerogel 4D 200 16 x 19 Pre-Strung Racket. This Dunlop tennis racket also features the 100% graphite Aerogel™ technology and new 4D braided technology.

The 200 16/19 is designed for more advanced tennis players with a long swing who need outstanding touch and feel. 4D Braided technology has been added at strategic locations along the racket and improves the stability and greatly enhances touch making this the ultimate control orientated racket.

The design also features a more open string pattern delivering extra power and better spin generation and this racket comes recommend for 4.5+ level players. The 95 square inches of headsize will give a good amount of control to the user but the Dunlop Aerogel 4D 200 16/19 also has even head-weight distribution, so the racket gives the player maneuverability all over the court.

All in all these two Dunlop tennis rackets give players the best of both worlds – you will love this frame for its spin-friendliness and its control and agility. Check out the Dunlop Aerogel 4D 200 if you prefer a frame with a bit more control and less spin, otherwise there is not that much different between the American and European version.

The Babolat Pure Drive Roddick Plus – As Powerful And Hard Hitting As Its Namesake

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Babolat Pure Drive Roddick Plus

Racket currently unavailable.

The Babolat Pure Drive Roddick Plus tennis racket is the marginally heavier successor to the Babolat Pure Drive Team Plus. As you probably know it is more closely supposed to resemble the weight and other specifications of Andy’s racket, and as a result delivers more stiffness and more power.

In fact this racket will provide even more power than the standard length Pure Drive Roddick on the assumption that you have the stamina to be able to handle the extra weight and power in the first place.

As with most other Babolat tennis rackets, the Roddick Plus features the Cortex vibration dampening system. In case you weren’t aware, the Cortex technology is a revolutionary technology made up of dampening material located between the throat and the handle of the racket.

In other words it eliminates unnecessary vibrations and enhances the feel of the tennis ball. Enhanced feel of the ball is obviously more an advantage for competitive players but it also provides the comfort and ease of use that a social player would be looking for.

The racket also features another innovation that is exclusive to Babolat – the Woofer system. Most rackets on the market today do not have the strings and frame working in unison and this, as a result, limits the driving force. Only some strings are active when striking the ball and the full potential of any racket is not reached.

Along came the Woofer system, which allows all of the strings to work with the frame to deliver their maximum potential when hitting the ball.

Players will discover copious amounts of pace and spin from the baseline with this racket and if you like double handed shots or ripping a big forehand then the extended length of this racket might just suit your game. Do not be put off by the extra weight though if you think you can handle it.

This racket is still highly maneuverable and on par with some lighter rackets and the spin friendly response is suited to hitting with a lot of top spin or splice (making it ideal if you are playing doubles).

Still, if you are an aggressive player who loves hitting big forehands, you can’t go wrong with the Babolat Pure Drive Roddick Plus.

There’s no doubt the Pure Drive Team has redefined the player’s racket category by attracting more advanced players to stiffer, lighter racquets, and this version just sweetens the deal. More advanced players who may have found the Pure Drive family too light in the past may find this Roddick version an ideal fit.

Babolat Drive Z Lite – High In Competitive Spirit And Low in Weight

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Babolat Drive Z Lite

The Babolat Drive Z Lite tennis racket is perfect for those suited to a light weight racket.

This is a particular favorite of many women tennis players who find the ease of use and maneuverability a real plus. However this lighter frame is well complemented with a stiffer Zylon profile which provides extra stability for even the fussiest of intermediate and advanced players.

What is Zylon technology you ask? It is a technology that the Drive Z line has made popular, as it makes use of the Zylon Matrix™ system which offers extremely light weight framing but does not sacrifice maneuverability or stability.

At the same time the Babolat tennis racket offers high levels of power thanks mostly to the added stiffness in the throat.

This is of course in reference to the Cortex system which filters out harsh vibrations but still allows the player to feel like they are hitting the ball.

In court tests, the Woofer grommet system also allows the strings to move allowing a larger sweet spot. The racket also offered excellent mobility and a solid feel from all areas of the court, and spin was also easily created to offer yet another level of control.

In fact the Babolat Drive Z Lite Tennis Racket is such a versatile racket, stronger players might want to add some lead weight if they feel compelled to do so.

All in all this is an extremely adaptable racket that provides a comfortable yet assuring response from all areas of the court. It would be to your advantage to check it out today.