Home » TIMag.com news » Accessories » Babolat Breaks the Rules in Oversize Tennis Racquets

Babolat Breaks the Rules in Oversize Tennis Racquets

Boulder, Colorado — Babolat, a leading manufacturer of tennis products, announces the company has unveiled its latest technological innovation — the Babolat Y. Before the Babolat Y, players were forced to choose between power and precision. Club players need both. Now they can have them in one racquet.

Through a series of technological breakthroughs and beautiful design, Babolat Y is the first line of oversize racquets to combine power with precision, transforming passion into obsession. Eric Babolat, President and CEO of Babolat said, “Babolat was founded with a single goal in mind: to win. After more than 130 years, the full Babolat Y collection is a perfect - even obsessive - example of this.”

Tim McCool, Managing Director of Babolat USA explains that the Y line was designed specifically for the US Market. “Babolat is committed to tennis and to our elite players. We also strive to mean more to more players. The Y tennis racquets were developed specifically with the US club player in mind, to offer high-performance game improvement products. The racquet technologies in combination with our Natural Gut strings also mean more comfort and forgiveness.”

Y Technology:

Engineered and designed exclusively the club player, each Babolat Y racquet features four key technologies to deliver optimal power in every swing and absolute precision in every shot.

Side Drivers:

Babolat’s exclusive dual structure construction connects the yoke and the head in the racquet’s key zones. Longer arms extend the yoke farther up each side of the racquet. These arms—or Side Drivers—create a stiffer construction and distribute maximum power from the base of the yoke to the middle of the head. Advanced precision comes from the connection of the Side Drivers to the racquet head at three o’clock and nine o’clock, which results in less torque (or twisting) at ball impact.

Dual-Graphite Construction:

A bi-material construction features two complementary innovative graphite structures located in key areas of the racquet. In the yoke, a high-modulus graphite structure with two times the stiffness of standard graphite equals increased power. In the head, an exclusive crystal graphite material engineered by Babolat provides enhanced torque resistance, leading to more precision.

Cellular Grommet System:

Combining a hard internal part and a soft external part, this dual-material grommet system creates more consistent and balanced energy absorption at ball impact for more comfort and more forgiveness. It’s fully integrated with 360° positioning around the head of the racquet.

Smart Grip:

The ergonomic design of the Smart Grip makes the racquet a natural extension of the arm for a more relaxed and fluid game. Babolat’s Smart Grip system “grips you back”, allowing players to hold the racquet with less effort. Standard on two Babolat Y racquets, the Smart Grip is easily replaced with a regular grip and is available as a stand-alone kit. Removable Smart Grips can also be customized.

Y Racquets in the Line:

Babolat Y112 Limited

At the top of the Babolat Y line, the Y112 Limited is designed for the high-level club player with a medium swing. Standard grip Head size: 112 sq. in. Length: 27.5 in. Weight: 9.7 oz. Balance: even Recommended string: Babolat VS Natural Gut string Suggested retail price: $249.00

Babolat Y112

Weighing slightly less than the Y112 Limited, the Y112 is designed for the club player with a medium swing. Standard grip Head size: 112 sq. in. Length: 27.5 in. Weight: 9 oz. Balance: 1 pt. HH Recommended string: Babolat VS Natural Gut string Suggested retail price: $229.00

Babolat Y112 with Smart Grip

With its customizable grip, the Y112 with Smart Grip is designed for the club player with a medium swing and a more relaxed game. Smart Grip Head size: 112 sq. in. Length: 27.5 in. Weight: 9 oz. Balance: 1 pt. HH Recommended string: Babolat VS Natural Gut string Suggested retail price: $229.00

Babolat Y118

With a larger head size, the Y118 is designed for the club player with a short swing. Standard grip Head size: 118 sq. in. Length: 27.5 in. Weight: 9 oz. Balance: 1 pt. HH Recommended string: Babolat VS Natural Gut string Suggested retail price: $239.00

Babolat Y118 with Smart Grip

With a larger head size and customizable grip, the Y118 with Smart Grip is designed for the club player with a short swing and a more relaxed game. Smart Grip Head size: 118 sq. in. Length: 27.5 in. Weight: 9 oz. Balance: 1 pt. HH Recommended string: Babolat VS Natural Gut string Suggested retail price: $239.00

Strings and Accessories:

Natural Gut Strings

Thanks to its natural resiliency, VS Natural Gut String offers superior playability, faster response, and a less-demanding workout for the arm and elbow. Natural Gut will absorb more of the harmful racquet vibrations to make it more comfortable.

Tennis Bags:

Babolat Y tennis bags and slings are designed to fit the Babolat Y racquets in shape and color, and come with the options and features club players need, including multiple compartments and more.

Smart Grip Kit:

Available on specific Babolat Y racquets or as a stand-alone kit, the ergonomically designed and customizable Smart Grip acts as a natural extension of the arm, which provides better handling and a smoother, more relaxed game.

Available at tennis specialty and pro shops starting March 16th. View the entire line of Babolat Y products at Babolat.com/obsession.

Posted on March 13, 2009
Permalink