Page 59 - Tennis Magazine April 2019

Yonex equips the sport’s hottest star, Naomi Osaka, winner of the last
two Grand Slams. Novak Djokovic and John Isner couldn’t have more
different playing styles, and the characteristics of their Head and
Prince frames reflect their disparate games.
the racquet? Most people wouldn’t
feel that, but to a lot of these play-
ers, that’s a big difference.”
Before the 2019 season, Jean-
Christophe Verborg, international
sports marketing director for Babo-
lat, adjusted the strings on Dominic
Thiem’s racquet to help him hit a
heavier ball. In Florida, the up-and-
comer Felix Auger-Aliassime was
making similar tweaks.
Thiem began playing with Babolat
in 2014, not long before solidify-
ing his place inside the ATP Top 20,
while Auger-Aliassime has been
swinging Babolat frames long before
joining the professional ranks. Their
lengths of time with the company
pale in comparison to its most
famous endorsee, Nadal, who has
played with Babolat racquets since
he was 11 years old. It’s a model
AP; GETTY IMAGES who scout the junior ranks and
used by many racquet companies,
tournaments to establish long-term
relationships from an early age.
RECREATIONAL TECH
Should You Make The Switch?
Anyone who’s ever hit “With juniors, I tend to options, but it’s crucial to
a forehand can’t help ease them into a player’s put a racquet through the
but be transfixed by the racquet,” he says. “I start rigors of match play as
feats that the professionals them off with something opposed to just knocking a
pull off with their racquets, that generates more spin. ball back and forth.
which look like magic As they get older and “People get in the
wands in their hands. But develop more muscle, they’ll rhythm of hitting,” he says.
while Grand Slam glory is transition to a frame that “I recommend getting out
unattainable for all but the offsets the change: instead there and playing a set to
absolute best, that doesn’t of hitting the ball two feet put the racquet through all
mean you shouldn’t be out, it’ll come back to a types of conditions.”
willing to experiment with couple of feet in.” With modern racquet
your equipment to get the It’s usually a different technology, Jordan says
most out of your game. process for adults, Jordan players shouldn’t hold back
Brian Jordan, director of finds, as they’ve grown if they feel their game needs
tennis at the Grand Hotel more accustomed to the something extra—citing the
in Fairhope, AL, works type of racquet they feel fact that many professionals
with a variety of players, comfortable with. are always looking for a
from high-school athletes “Adults tend to keep their similar edge.
“Federer, Nadal, Djokovic:
to top-ranked juniors to racquets, and experiment All three of those guys have
competing in leagues. When different tensions,” he says. made a switch,” he says.
adults and club players
with types of string and
If players are looking
“There’s no reason the
he’s developing a player, he
monitors and adjusts their
average player shouldn’t be
to switch frames, Jordan
willing to switch, too.”
suggests demoing different
frames as they get older.
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