News

Boulder, CO — An international leader in tennis innovation, Babolat announces the commercial launch of Babolat Play, unveiling the world’s first connected racquet: the Babolat Play Pure Drive. The launch of the Babolat Play Pure Drive is planned for December 2013 in the US, with global distribution to follow in 2014.

After 10 years of research, extensive testing and input from the tennis community, Babolat offers yet another breakthrough innovation to the game of tennis: the new Babolat Play Pure Drive. The Babolat Play connected racquet allows every player to live a unique experience based on progression, fun and sharing. Eric Babolat, president and CEO of the eponymous company said, “The course of tennis history will change with connected racquets, and that starts with Babolat Play. I believe that in the near future, all tennis racquets will be connected.”

Gathering data to quantify your game and skills is a new concept in the game of tennis. Just as sports like running and biking have changed with quantified-self technologies, Babolat Play will alter the game of tennis for future generations. “In tennis, as in other sports and in our daily lives, sharing and comparing experiences through digital tools is becoming the new normal,” said Eric Babolat. “We’re adding concrete information to the sensations players receive.”

Babolat Play Pure Drive, the connected racquet

Babolat Play keeps the excitement and adrenaline of the game going once the player has left the court by enabling tennis players of all levels to share their information and become united through a common language.

Babolat Play Pure Drive Specifications:

Babolat’s challenge has been to integrate sensors in the handle of the racquet, without changing the specifications. The Babolat Play Pure Drive has the same physical specifications as a regular Babolat Pure Drive racquet.

I Play Connected

Babolat Play offers a new tennis experience, a new tool and new possibilities: push the limits, go one shot ahead, change the game.

Stay Motivated: Get to the Next Level

See which strokes you use most often and which ones you haven’t implemented in your game. The more diverse your style, the tougher an opponent you become.

Improve your Game: Follow Your Evolution Step by Step

Go back in time and track the progression of your game. Get an easy but detailed overview of your development, simply by clicking on your past sessions to see where you were and how you have improved.

Share with Your Community/Challenge your Community

See where you stand in the global ranking and by category. This is also where you can get a look at the profile and level of your friends, of Babolat Pro Players and of everyone else using Babolat Play.

US Launch

Babolat Play will be available in December in the US. To find an authorized dealer, please visit babolat.com or babolatplay.com.

Starting August 27, 2013, Babolat will be accepting applications from US-based tennis players to be the first to try the new Babolat Play Pure Drive. Fifty players will be chosen to join the Babolat Play Test Team and experience the Babolat Play community before it’s accessible by the general public. To find out more, visit Facebook.com/Babolat starting August 27.

About Babolat

Created in 1875, in Lyon, France, Babolat is the longest-running international company specialized in tennis. Today, Babolat is number 1 in tennis racquet sales in the United States, Japan, France, Spain, and Italy. Family-run for five generations, Babolat is an innovative brand in the tennis sector providing complete equipment for tennis players: racquets, strings, shoes, balls, bags, apparel and accessories. Babolat equips numerous tennis players with racquets and strings including Rafael Nadal (SPA), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA), Li Na (CHN), Sam Stosur (AUS), Agnieska Radwanska (POL), Kim Clijsters (BEL), Andy Roddick (USA) and Nadia Petrova (RUS) (these last two also play with Babolat tennis shoes).

Website: babolat.com – Facebook.com/Babolat