oday I'm going to go over something that just kind of hit me because I help a lot of customers in the stores with picking out new racquets and demos.
People always ask "how do you know the head size and how do you know the weights and everything?"
It's mainly because Will and I both have so many different racquet specs just memorized but there's also a way I can tell when I'm looking at the racquet. There are a lot of times a good indicator in the name of the tennis racquet.
Let's take the Babolat Pure Strike 103 for example. This one is a 103 square inch head size. Or, if I am looking at a Wilson Blade 98, I know that one is a 98 square inch head size.
A lot of our customers do not know that the head size of a tennis racquet is built into the name a lot of times. Other examples are the Yonex Ezone 98, Wilson Clash 108, Wilson Ultra 108, Wilson Pro Staff 97 or the Wilson Burn 100.
Another thing that I know off the top of my head a lot of times is the weight of tennis racquets. How do I know that this particular Babolat racquet is 10.1oz unstrung? Most of the team models are 10.1 ounces. So the Babolat Pure Drive Team, Babolat Pure Strike Team and the Babolat Pure Aero Team are both that same weight.
When you hear Tour in a Babolat racquet's name it usually means it is 11.1oz in weight. So I know that both the Babolat Pure Strike Tour, Babolat Pure Aero Tour and the Babolat Pure Drive Tour are 11.1oz.
When you see Lite in a Babolat Racquet's name that usually mean it is 9.5oz in weight. The Babolat Pure Aero Lite and the Babolat Pure Drive Lite are both around the weight.
If there is no Tour, Team or Lite in the name, that means it is the regular version. That is 10.6oz. The Babolat Pure Strike 100, Babolat Pure Drive and the Babolat Pure Aero are all that 10.6oz weight.
Customers sometimes think I am just pulling these numbers out of thin air because we cover so many different kinds of tennis racquets when talking. Even though I have most tennis racquet weights memorized, knowing that little trick with the Babolat racquets does help on occasion.
No matter the company, when new racquets come out I also know the word Team usually means lighter weight and Tour or Pro usually means a heavier weight.
A lot of times, customers will see a "L" in a name such as a Yonex Vcore 100L and think it means extended length or something. It does not stand for long but it actually stands for light. These Yonex Racquets are usually around 10.1 or 9.9oz unstrung.
For extended racquets, most companies such as Babolat and Yonex, use a + symbol in the name to indicate the racquet is longer. These tennis racquets are usually between 27.5 inches and 28". Most adult tennis racquets are normally 27 inches. So when you see a L in a tennis racquet name, it does not mean it is a longer racquet but rather a lighter racquet. A good example would be the the Yonex Ezone 100L. One that would be better suited for female or junior player that is transitioning into an adult tennis racquet.
As you guys dive into the the tennis gear world, it's nice to know these little indicators to help you find and pick out the perfect tennis racquet! Next time you are at a tennis shop or on our website, you guys will know better what to be looking for when it comes to the tennis racquets.
Like always, please call us or reach out to us through email and social media if you have any more questions about this article or anything tennis related!
