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Hope this isn't redundant or in the wrong place. Wanted to comment on the article about the Babolat balls used at the French Open.
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I bought a case and have played with them a fair amount, although on a slow hard court, not on clay.
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They're an interesting ball -- quite different from anything I've played with, and I've tried all the tour balls (hope to write a comparison soon, but the work is daunting).
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Short version: Same weight and size as old Dunlop RG's, but the core makes a sound like a handball, and the bounce is unique. The Babolat RG leaps on topspin more than any other ball i've ever used. So, it should help kick serves and kick, topspin forehands.
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As for players saying "it flies" that happens on flat hits where, again you get that "rubber ball" response. So, while it helps on full swings, blocking a serve can cause it to shoot way long.
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The ball picks up dirt and turns dark quickly, but given how often balls are changed on the tour, not sure if that matters there.
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So, if you hit a kick serve or big forehand, you might want to break out a can or two just to surprise your opponent
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P.S. As for the players' objections -- you know, if you want to get multimillion-dollar prize pools, and for the French Open to build a $30 Million roof, you kind of need sponsors.
best // jim www.fawcette.net/tennis
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I bought a case and have played with them a fair amount, although on a slow hard court, not on clay.
.
They're an interesting ball -- quite different from anything I've played with, and I've tried all the tour balls (hope to write a comparison soon, but the work is daunting).
.
Short version: Same weight and size as old Dunlop RG's, but the core makes a sound like a handball, and the bounce is unique. The Babolat RG leaps on topspin more than any other ball i've ever used. So, it should help kick serves and kick, topspin forehands.
.
As for players saying "it flies" that happens on flat hits where, again you get that "rubber ball" response. So, while it helps on full swings, blocking a serve can cause it to shoot way long.
.
The ball picks up dirt and turns dark quickly, but given how often balls are changed on the tour, not sure if that matters there.
.
So, if you hit a kick serve or big forehand, you might want to break out a can or two just to surprise your opponent
.
P.S. As for the players' objections -- you know, if you want to get multimillion-dollar prize pools, and for the French Open to build a $30 Million roof, you kind of need sponsors.
best // jim www.fawcette.net/tennis
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