I was recently able to demo Dunlop’s Biomimetic 400 Tour racquet from my local tennis shop.  I had been reading about this racquet for a few days before the demo, and all I can say is WOW!  The Biomimetic 400 did not disappoint, the anatomic construction technology applied to the throat of the frame diffuses vibration into an inverted channel that extends to the base making almost all shots feel clean.  The racquet itself is a little stiffer but permits the user more power.

I have to state this version of the Biomimetic is similar to the Dunlop 300, but weighs more and has improved graphics for a cleaner look.  I held both 400 Tour and the 300 Tour while at the tennis shop and the difference is noticeable.  Depending on what feel you prefer, the newest version seems to be more balanced.  With the anatomic construction technology applied to the throat of the frame, a slightly heavier stick with  more comfort and less racquet twisting are expected.

The Playtest:

Ground Strokes:  Hitting from the baseline with heavy spins is what this racquet excels at.  Pushing your opponent from corner to corner with plenty of control.  I felt like I was able to place my shots accurately and with a very high amount of spin and power.  I had more “pop” on my forehand as the racquet is heavier.  Both forehand and backhand shots felt controlled and clean.  Some of my flatter drives tended to sail long though.

Serve:  I was able to place first serves with good accuracy and spin.  Second serve kickers seemed to “explode” off the court and jump away.  Awesome serving power with this racquet.

Volleys:  Good depth and feel on most volleys.  I felt slightly late on a few on shots hit with pace directly at me.  This could be due to the weight or me being mainly a baseliner.

Overall:  Very solid racquet that gives you good power and spin.  When not finding the sweet spot, balls tended to sail long from time to time.  I think the sweet spot may be smaller than the 300 and 500′s.  Good touch around the net, and great from the baseline.  If you are looking to create spin and controlled power from the baseline, this is your stick.

Fox Rating:  8/10

-Running Fox

Penn is introducing a new more durable and longer lasting tennis ball, dubbed the Pro Penn Marathon Ball.

Slated to debut sometime this January, Penn’s new ball will provide “greater durability, longevity and visibility.” Penn has stated that their secret to the Marathon Ball is their Encore Technology TM.  Making the ball last 22% longer than the average ball.  This new technology not only increases durability but has no effect on the weight or spin of the new balls.  The Pro Penn Marathon also introduces LongPlay felt.  New wool and high tenacity fibers along with Penn’s Smart Optik treatment of the felt, reduces the amount of dirt and grit the ball picks up making the felt last longer and remain brighter.

The Pro Penn Marathon ball will be offered in three different versions.

1. Regular Duty – For soft court play
2. Extra Duty – For hard court play
3. Extra Duty High Altitude – Weighing the same as the other versions but contains a different ball core.

This ball has not been put on the court or shelves yet, but releasing early in the new year, it is definitely worth a try. For recreational players sick of reaching for “dead-balls” this new ball could be just what you dreamed of. I will be picking up a sleeve of these balls as soon as they hit the market

Anticipation Rating: 8/10

-Running Fox

Wilson has updated its Blade line this year by putting in their new BLX technology.  BLX is suppose to improve the “feel” of the racquet.  So, let’s see if it’s true.

Stringing setup:  I strung the racquet with Luxilion ALU Rough in the mains, and Gamma Live Wire 16g in the crosses on a constant pull machine at 52/55 lbs.  The racquet is a 18×20 string pattern.

Ground Strokes:  I felt like I had a lot of control with this racquet.   On my forehand, I was able to take pretty big swings without fear that the ball was going to fly on me.     I loved it on my backhand and felt like I had plenty of control, and could place the ball where ever I wanted.  I was able to get decent spin even with the 18×20 pattern, and never felt like I have to overly force my way through my shots.  With around a 11.1 oz. strung weight, I felt that there was plenty of weight to handle hard hitters, but not so heavy, that I got fatigue after the first set.

Serves:  I felt that I was able to get decent pace and spin on the ball despite the 18×20 pattern.  Placement was easy with the racquet, with slice serves getting plenty of curve, and topspin second serves getting plenty of kick to hopefully keep me out of trouble with that return.

Volleys: Well, when I actually got my feet into the right position (it’s amazing what good footwork will do for your game), I got great pop and depth on my volleys.  Feel was definitely there, and with it being 6 points headlight, mobility was not an issue.

Players who should try this racquet:  I definitely think this racquet is geared more to players who take full, fast swings.  So, anyone who has decent technique, and I would say is a 3.5 or above should give this racquet a demo.

Overall Impressions:  I really like the new Blade.  I think it’s a solid offering and upgrade from the K Factor series.  Does the BLX made it feel any different from its predecessor?  I guess that depends on the person.  I, to be perfectly honest, didn’t notice that much of a difference between the two.   But since it’s going to become increasingly more difficult to find the K Blade Racquets, if you’re having to decide between the two, I would go with the latest model, just so you know that you can get the same one down the line should you decide to get more then one.

Luxilon is releasing a new string in January 2011. The new string is called Savage 1.27 and comes in three colors, Lime, Black, and White.

-Savage has a six-sided shape for extreme spin potential.

-Designed for players who want to hit hard, heavy shots.

-Savage also has enhanced feel with Liquid Crystal Polymer.

I playtest a set of the Savage Lime, strung at my normal tension of 52 pounds in my Yonex RDIS  100 Mid-plus.  The string definitely has a crisper feel than my normal string which is Luxilon ALU Power. The liquid crystalline polymer gives the string a nice feel.  Great control with  a good feel  is a pretty good combination, and the little extra spin I got on the ball was a bonus. Savage also held tension as well as ALU Power, so there is tension loss but its gradual and not very noticable.  The ERT readings after stringing were in between ALU Power and Babolat’s RPM blast.  If your looking for something a little firmer than ALU Power, but not quite as firm as RPM Blast.  This is your string.  The six-sided shape definitely gives you the opportunity to generate more spin.  Poly lovers should give this one a try, it may be just what your looking for.

I recently felt like experimenting a little bit with my BLX 90’s so after researching some different ways in order to change this or that. I started reading about Power Pads, if you are not familiar with them. Simply stated they are little pieces of leather that are placed between the grommets at the throat area of your racquet (at the 6 o’clock position) and the string. They were mostly utilized during the era of the wooden racquets. Because of their construction the string used would often rub up against the frame and thusly snap. The power pads placed between the sharp wood angle of the hole would often help string vitality and also help to dampen the stringbed as well. But as the racquet and string technology has changed light years since that time, power pads has survived, albeit in a much more small pocketed world.

There have been pro players past and present that still use power pads. Sampras, Federer, Safin, and Haas to name a few. Now since racquets now days come with a slightly more round angle on the throat which eliminates the possibility of the string fraying, why do some pro’s and fewer recreational players still use them?

Power pads are much like any tennis equipment. There are myths and various opinions about the change these small square shaped cubes of leather offer their user. One thing is pretty much universally accepted that they do in fact dampen the feel without muting the sound, making the use of a vibration dampener null in void. That is of course that you do not like the “ping” sound strings can produce without a dampener. So if you are someone who doesn’t like to use the little graphic silicone squares, circles, etc or maybe you are someone who just cant seem to find one that wont pop out during hitting sessions or matches, then it’s possible adding power pads could be a good option. Another fact about power pads, is because of their addition they make the mains longer, and thusly creating a debate among the tennis players of the world. Because of the added length some people believe that the sweet spot increases in size (if only by a small amount), others disagree saying “you’d never be able to tell the difference.”

Regardless of the debate, there is another truth about power pads. They are cheap! You can make your own using old belts or even the scraps left over from a leather grip you took off or trimmed down. They’re also easy to install, whether you string yourself or get your racquets strung by someone else, you will have no problem installing them in.

So what I have I noticed about playing with them? Not a huge difference at all, but I do feel a more dampened feel for sure, and for me that means more comfort which is always a good thing. Do they add to the sweet spot? Well, I’d have to agree with the detractors on that one, because if it did then I certainly didn’t notice. But maybe, just maybe one day on one shot they will make the difference between a winner and an error and isn’t that all we can ask from a small piece of leather?

Other than a brief stint with Yonex I have played most of my short tennis career with the Wilson 6.1 tour series of frames. I started with the K Factor generation and have now upgraded to the current incarnation, being the BLX 6.1 Tour.

This racquet is what is categorized as a midsized frame. The head being 90 sq inches and weighing 12.5 oz strung, it’s considered a control frame meant for players with a strong knowledge of the game and good technical strokes. However I started playing tennis with the K Factor 6.1 Tour and while it was less forgiving than most of my friend’s wal-mart racquets and I struggled early competing ultimately the frame helped me learn some of the basics as well as some of the complexities of modern tennis.

I hit with this racquet several months ago, right around the time it was released. I demoed the frame from Midwest and overall just hated it. It felt so heavy almost like a hammer, and the feel was so muted it was like hitting with a metal bat over a wooden one. Anyways after some time after that experience I was playing with a guy who was using one, curiosity got the better of me so I asked to switch racquets for a few minutes just to see if the frame was as bad as I remembered. Here comes the strange part, instead of feeling heavy it felt solid, instead of feeling muted it just felt a touch duller than other racquets. I was further intrigued, I demoed it a few more times before completely deciding to put my Yonex’s up for sale and buying three of these racquets.

Ok….so now time for the actual review

Ground strokes – The way this racquet handles ground strokes is by far my favorite attribute of this frame. With the 90 sq inch frame you have a lot more control of your shots, the 16×18 string bed allows for both good spin and control, and the weight of the frame makes it seem like they need to invent a new word for “plow through”. Basically if you get set up and have a good target in mind this racquet will not miss. You will definitely notice the dampened feel no matter what frame you used before but it shouldn’t affect your game or ground strokes in anyway. The solidity of the frame allows for deep penetrating shots on both wings and adapts easily to both topspin and slice. My one handed BH was one shot were I felt the biggest difference in the positive. Because of its thin beam I was allowed to maneuver the racquet through the air like a knife and its heft meant I could always rely on a penetrating shot back to my opponents side whether I had time to go for the full motion or was subjected to blocking it back. One thing I really liked about this frame was how well it took to poly’s strung at low tensions, my favorite combination thus far has been stringing with ALU Power at 44lbs. The low tension allows to get even more depth on the shots while also helping to add a bit more spin, all while not sacrificing precision and control.

Volleys – To be honest I don’t volley much; I am a singles player who is still learning to approach net. However, recently I have been trying to work on my net game. I find that this racquet despite contrary belief is a great stick for being up at net. Because of its heft and solidity it really allows you to make a short and controlled swing, which is so crucial for volleys. For touch volleys you are able to really hold the racquet loosely and let the racquet do all the work. Allowing the ball to hit and be absorbed by the frame coupled with its weight and firmness makes for a killer drop shot volley. The thin beam helps tremendously maneuvering the racquet quickly through the air in transition when reaction time is at a premium.

Serves – This will be probably the toughest adjustment for players making the switch to this frame from lighter racquets. Because of the weight you might find that swinging as fast as you’re used to will take some time and adjustments. It certainly took some time for me to get my muscles up for the task, but once you get in the groove you’ll find the same solid contact and power that you have in the groundies. The slicing through the air made possible by the thin beam allows for great racquet speed on slice serves which helps to generate more pace, spin, and bite. As a counter-point to the weight of the frame which may cause some temporary timing issues, the racquet when hit dead on will really fly through the air with great pace and purpose.

Serve returns – With the weight and solidity of the racquet it really takes well to shorter swings that return to your opponents side with a good amount of depth and pace. The aforementioned ability to take well to both topspin and backspin allows an opportunity to mix up returns to keep your opponent off balanced. Of course when you do have time to take a full swing you can take the advantage right back and put your opponent of the defensive using the control and power offered. Cross-court, down the line, wherever you might be targeting this racquet will offer all the necessary tools to allow you to play your absolute best.

The best thing about this racquet maybe that because its a smaller and heavier control frame, it takes to customizing very well. Whether you drop or raise string tension, add lead tape, increase or decrease grip size, one thing will remain constant and that is a solid crisp shot from anywhere on the court

Racquet customization can be as simple as changing your replacement grip to completely change the specs of your racquet.  Some players like to extend their replacement grip because of a two handed backhand, or build up their butt cap, or use a rubber band instead of a vibration dampener.  Everyone is different, so it makes sense that they will like different racquets and different set ups. The playing characteristics of a racquet can be altered to fit your playing style and ability.  My racquet is heavy, but not so heavy that I can’t swing it comfortably without being fatigued. I found what I like best by trying different setups and by adjusting the racquet specs to help my style of play.  An experienced racquet technician can help you get the best performance out of your racquet by helping you find your ideal weight, swing weight, and balance point.

How many of you have had multiple racquets and had one that just felt better than the others? I remember when I was younger I played with a Prince CTS Lighting. I loved that racquet and over a few years ended up with four. I remember thinking that the older ones I had felt different than the newer ones. I thought at the time that they changed the specs. Now I know that the older ones could have been produced at a different factory and could have been at different ends of the range for that racquet.

Manufacturers allow up to a 5% swing on weight, swing weight, and balance point. The only thing they seem to be consistent on is the flex of the racquet. Some manufactures have a tighter range than others, but in the end no matter what racquet company you prefer you may need them customized.  If you buy two racquets off the wall, they look the same but they are not.   Even though your racquets are made by the same manufacturer and they are the exact same model. They could and most likely will be off a little in weight and swing weight. If you break a string in a match and go to your back up it could take you several games to adjust even if it’s only a slight difference between the two racquets. That could be the difference between winning and losing. That’s why the pros have all their racquets customized. When there is money on the line, every point counts. Serious players should definitely have their racquets customized.

How do you get your ideal specs?  The answer is find an experienced Racquet Technician that has the right equipment and is willing to go on court. If getting on the court with you isn’t an option a lot of racquet techs will allow a time frame for some trial and error to help you find what works best for you.  They can get a pretty good idea of how to help you by asking a few questions. USRSA has a list of Master Racquet Technicians in the find a stringer section so you can find someone near you. The website is www.racquettech.com.  Once you find someone near you make sure they have a machine to measure swing weight.  Swing weight in technical terms is dynamic inertia. To the rest of us it’s the weight you feel when you swing the racquet. This is the most important measurement, because it measures the weight you feel when you swing the racquet.  I use a Precision Tuning Center made by Prince, but there are several good machines for checking swing weight.

Some aspects of customization of your racquet can be done on your own very easily, like changing replacement grips, adding over grips, using vibration dampeners, and my choice of using a thick rubber band as a vibration dampener.  When you start altering the specs of your racquet you are better off getting professional help.  Some alterations could void the warranty of your racquet.  You could also put yourself at risk for injury if you don’t know the specs of your equipment and you’re not experienced with adding weight.  Leave that part of customization to the professionals.

I know that the RPM Blast has been reviewed before, but it never hurts to have a second opinion.  As many know, this is the string that Babolat says Rafael Nadal plays with.  So, how does it feel to a mere mortal?

Stringing:

Like most polys, the RPM Blast does keep it’s coiling when unwrapping.  It does kink if you get it caught, but this is to be expected with this type of string.   As far as stringing, I didn’t find it anymore difficult to string then other polys of the same nature.  I found about the same amount of resistant when stringing the crosses, and when I got to the end of the crosses, I had to do the “sewing” method to get through the last couple.  I strung with a Gamma 8500 ELS stringer.  The racquet was a Head Speed MP @ 57 lbs.

I tested the string’s tension 48 hours after stringing, and it only lost about 13%.  And, after playing with it for an hour during a hard hitting session on the ball machine, it still maintained that same tension.  So, I would say that it holds its tension rather well.  I’ll have to check it in a week or so to see what happens to the tension then.

Playtest:

My usual string set up on my racquet is Luxilon ALU Rough (Mains) with a soft synthetic (Crosses) at 56/59 lbs.  I usually don’t play with all poly because of the stiffness of the string, but with the RPM Blast, I found it to be surprisingly forgiving and soft feeling.

On my ground strokes, I found that I could swing quite freely and keep the ball in the court, though I felt my shot fly on me a bit, and might be the fact that I strung it a little looser then I’m use to because I usually don’t string with all-poly.  I think if I were to do again, I would string it a couple of pounds tighter and see if that helped.  On the serve, I got plenty of pop when trying to go big down the middle, and found lots of spin when wanting to kick one out wide on the ad-side.

String movement was minimal, and I hardly ever had to move my strings back into position.  Although, I always like moving my strings back because it gave me time to think about what happen during the previous point.

I did fine some notching of the string after I hit, which I guess should be expected because of the softer nature of the string.  Still, I wasn’t expecting that to happen after only 1 hour of hitting with a poly.

Who should try this string?

This is the type of string that should be used by players who like to swing for the fences when they play.  It will definitely benefit those who hit with lots of spin and are looking for more control then your normal synthetics.  I would caution players who do not take big swings from trying this string, mostly because the benefits that this string provides does not apply to them.  This string is meant for those who take long, fast swings through the ball and like to provide their own power.

If you’re a counter-puncher or the type of player that likes to chip and hack the ball back, I don’t believe you will get all of the benefits that this string is suppose to give.  The only thing you would get out of it is durability, but if you normally don’t break strings that often anyways, I would go with a string that will help you get a little more power and feel (for example, Wilson NXT or Sensation).

If you’re coming from a soft-synthetic to the RPM Blast, I would suggest stringing it a few pounds looser then you normally would.  For example, if you normally string your racquet at 60 lbs. I would string the RPM Blast at 56-57 lbs.  If you play with polys all the time and just want to test out this new string, I would go with whatever tension you normally play with.

Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power comes in four different versions. ALU Power 1.25 mm is the original version and still one of the most popular.  The composition is a copolymer with fluocarbon resin and aluminum fibers.   ALU Power Rough 1.25 mm has the same composition, but is textured to generate more spin.  I have been told that the process of making the string textured may also give it a softer feel.   One of the final processes is the string being crimped to give it the texture.  ALU Power Spin 1.27 mm also has the same composition, but is in a pentagonal shape for added spin. The string is a little thicker than the others because of its shape, but still has about the same durability. The last version is ALU Power Fluoro 1.23- mm is enhanced with fluorofibre carbon during the extrusion process.  This is the thinnest and softest of the ALU Power line.

Why is Luxilon ALU Power the most popular string on the tour?  The answer is control, power, and spin.  Polyesters and co-polymers give players the ability to hit out on the ball and keep it in the court.  I think what separates ALU Power from all of the other polys is the feel and comfort.  It’s softer than any other poly I have ever tried.  In my opinion nothing comes close.  I play test new strings all the time and I always go back to ALU Power.

As a club pro and a tour stringer I am asked what the pros are using and if it’s something they should try. In some cases the answer is no. I remember one case several years ago of someone in his seventies wanting to try the Federer set up of natural gut and ALU rough. The player was using natural gut and a soft synthetic. I recommended not trying it and sticking with his current set up, but I lost and did what he wanted. A week later he was back to his old set up. So, the original question is does it translate to the club player? That depends on how you string it, if you use the right tension. Looking back, if I would have recommended dropping off 10 pounds maybe it would have worked for him.  In more recent years I have had several senior men and women try ALU Power at low tensions and had success.  The trick is shoot low, the string responds and plays better at lower tensions anyway.  With senior players I normally start dropping off ten pounds.  You get more power and depth on your shots without sacrificing control. Luxilon recommends dropping 10% when going from a synthetic string to a Luxilon string. I usually drop a couple more pounds off that. If 10% comes out to 6 pounds I usually drop 8 pounds.

In conclusion, you can’t go wrong with any of the four versions.  Just make sure you start of low and work your way up in tension. It may take some time to find the right setup, but when you do, I think you will stick with it.  I can’t tell much difference between the different versions, but I use the ALU Power Rough.  I feel like I get a little more spin on the ball than I do with the fluoro and the smooth.  I also love the spin version.  If you’re looking for more control, power, and spin try one of the Luxilon ALU Power strings.  There is a reason over 60% of the ATP Top 100 players and approximately 30% of the WTA Top 100 players use Luxilon strings.  The majority of them are playing with one of the ALU Power strings.

As we all know Rafael Nadal has been the hottest player on the men’s tour in 2010, capturing the French Open and Wimbledon titles. Not only is he the hottest player on tour, he is the best mover around the court in the game. So that raises the question, what is the shoe of choice of Rafa? The answer is the new Nike Air Court Ballistic 2.3. The Air Court Ballistic is an update to the previous 1.3 version. This new Nike is a sharp looking shoe and I have been playing with this shoe for the last few weeks. Here are my thoughts on how the shoe feels and plays around the court.

SHOE SPECIFICATIONS

I bought the shoe in white/grey and I think the shoe has a good looking modern style to it.  In my opinion its not too busy and has a pretty clean look to it.  To start out I would like to talk about the features of the shoe.  The Air Court Ballistic 2.3 features a Drag On X upper material which is claimed to be 30% more durable than the older Drag On material.  The shoe has an XDR outsole which is extremely durable, as the outsole comes with a 6 month durability guarantee.  The midsole is made of LunarLite cushioning.  Nike says the LunarLite material is, ultra lightweight and springy for soft yet responsive shock absorption.  The Air Court Ballistic has a uni-tongue construction. This means the tongue is actually connected to the shoe.  Many of the laces eyelets are hidden underneath.  The shoe weighs in at a full 16.5oz.  The Nike Air Court Ballistic 2.3 has a standard lenth fit, a medium width, and medium arch support.  The shoe also comes in a wide variety of colors to please every player.  Well that is a enough of a description of the shoe, let me get to its performance.

PERFORMANCE – COMFORT

First of all I would like to rave about the comfort of this shoe.  The Air Court Ballistic 2.3 offers very plush cushioning around the court.  I find the uni-tongue feature to be extremely comfortable.  This makes the shoe fit snug even when you don’t have it tied up.  It is a very comfortable shoe to wear around untied with the fact that it doesn’t flop around.  I found the heel of the shoe area and the back by the achilles to offer extreme cushioning and comfort.  Around the court the shoe felt nice and comfortable.  I am on a court for more than 8 hours everyday, so comfort is a big thing for me.  Some shoes make your feet feel like you are wearing boards on your feet after a few hours.  This has not been the case with these shoes so far.  My feet are feeling great after my long days on court in these.

PERFORMANCE – DURABILITY & STABILITY

The Nike Air Court Ballistic 2.3 shoe comes with a six-month outsole durability guarantee.  I always look for this when choosing a shoe.  If you are a player like me who seems to wear through shoes in no time, look to this shoe.  The shoes are expensive at around $120, but if you blow through the bottoms quickly the money is well worth it.  The Nike Air Court Ballistic 2.3 seems to be an extremely stable shoe when moving around the court.  I find the uni-tongue makes the shoe really hug the foot nicely.  I never feel my foot slide around inside the shoe as I suddenly start and stop.  Stability is extremely important in the performance of a shoe and I feel as though Nike has really hit the spot with this one.  The shoe is hefty at near 17 ounces but I never feel as though it is slowing me up around the court.  I can really accelerate fast in this shoe.  I have worn other shoes around 17 ounces and felt heavy on my feet, but this shoe feels as though it is a part of my foot.

OVERALL

I have found the Nike Air Court Ballistic 2.3 to be my favorite Nike shoe in a few years.  With the comfort, stability, and durability this shoe offers I don’t think you can go wrong with this one.  I would recommend this shoe to players who beat up their shoes most often on hard courts.  Those who are looking for the ultimate in performance coupled with durability will find a winner in this shoe.  The price tag may seem a bit steep, but like I said it is well worth it.  The Nike Air Court Ballistic 2.3 is a very high quality shoe and it’s easy to see why it is the choice of the world #1 Rafael Nadal.  Check out the Nike Air Court Ballistic 2.3 and give your feet the same confidence around the court as Rafa.