Babolat

Babolat /ˈbɑːboʊlɑː/ is a French tennis, badminton and squash equipment company, best known for its strings and tennis racquets which are used by several top players. The company has made strings since 1875, when Pierre Babolat created the first strings made of natural gut. Babolat continued to focus on strings until 1994, when it became a "total tennis" company. That is, Babolat began producing racquet frames and selling them in Europe. It then moved on to Japan, and later to the USA in 2000. The popularity of Babolat racquets picked up quickly in North America and Europe, trademarked by the easily identifiable double lines across the strings of the racquet face, and along the racquet frame itself.

Babolat produces multiple series of tennis racquet models. The 'Pure Drive' series (blue racquet) is a series that includes the Pure Drive Team (used by Kim Clijsters and Carlos Moyà), and the Pure Drive Team Plus. The second series includes the Babolat Pure Control Team and the Babolat Pure Control Team Plus models, the red racquet with white stripes used by tennis players such as Robby Ginepri and Justin Gimelstob. The third series includes the Babolat Pure Storm Team, an orange and black racquet used by Fernando González. The 'Aero' series includes the Babolat AeroPro Drive, a black racquet with yellow stripes is used by Rafael Nadal, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and rising Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard. The Aero Range is considered to provide the most racquet head speed and spin due to its "aero modular" technology. Other racquets in this range include the AeroPro Control. Recently released series include the Pure Drive Roddick, the plus version used by Andy Roddick and the AeroPro Drive Cortex. This Cortex system claims to reduce vibrations which improves the players comfort and feel of contact with the ball.

Other variations of its Pure Drive models include the Roddick Signature, Oversize and the updated Team and Plus model with Babolat's new cortex vibration dampening technology. The new AeroPro Drive with Cortex will be the first "aero" model racket to be fitted with cortex technology. The Pure Control line was abandoned for a time but has since been revived with the Pure Control Zylon 360, a lighter version which had poor sales and was subsequently renamed the "Pure Storm"; in this incarnation the racquet has since gained quite a large following for its low stiffness and control level. Due to the popularity of the low powered and flexible Pure Storm, Babolat has decided to create a new version of the Pure Control Team called Pure Storm Tour that has identical specs to the Pure Control Team except for a big difference in the flex which dropped from 70 to 63 and 62 on the extended length version. Babolat also updated the previous Pure Storm along with the new Pure Storm Tour with a new material called "Carbon Extreme" placed around the head for extra stability. Babolat has upgraded its technology and is now using Graphite Tungsten in their newer models of racquets. Examples are the new Babolat Pure Drive Roddick Plus GT.

At the 2005 Australian Open, Babolat was the most popular brand of racquet used by competitors, eclipsing traditional market leaders Dunlop, Prince, Head, Wilson, Yonex, Völkl and Slazenger.

Babolat sponsorships

Male players

Rafael Nadal with Babolat AeroPro Drive at Roland Garros 2007

• Rafael Nadal uses a Babolat AeroPro Drive GT (2013) strung with Babolat RPM Blast (Babolat Duralast 15L strings before 2010)
• Andy Roddick retired previously uses a Babolat Pure Drive Roddick GT ++
• Jo-Wilfried Tsonga uses a Babolat AeroPro Drive GT (2013)
• Máximo González
• Mariano Puerta
• Fernando González
• Carlos Moyá retired, previously used a Babolat Pure Drive
• Komlavi Loglo
• Sebastián Decoud
• Juan Ignacio Chela
• Igor Andreev uses an Babolat Pure Drive
• Julien Benneteau

Female players

External links

• Babolat
• Babolat (French official)
• Babolat (Greek official)
• Babolat (Russia official)