New Tennis Rackets for Spring 2016!

Katelyn Caniford | Towpath Tennis Pro

With the start of a new year, comes a new line of rackets from some of the most popular dealers from around the world! Starting with the new Babolat Pure Aero line all the way to the club exclusive Wilson Ultra XP’s, these rackets are sure to enhance the level of play for anyone who is serious about their game! Check out these rackets that are available for sale online at towpathtennisshop.com or straight from our pro shop!

Babolat Pure Aero

Specs

Headsize: 100 sq. in.

Length: 27"

Beam Width: 23/26/23mm

Weight Strung: 315g/(11 oz.)

Racquet/Player Type: Advanced

Color(s): Black/Florescent Yellow

Composition/Construction: Graphite

String Pattern (Mains X Crosses): 16 x 19

Recommended String Tension: 50-59 lbs

Balance: 32cm/ (12.6 in.)

Stiffness/Flex: 72 RA

Grommet Technology: FSI Spin

Frame Technology: Aeromodular 2

Grip Type: Syntec Pro

Swing Weight: 290 kgcm

Swing Type: Fast, Long

Towpath Recommended String: Babolat RPM Blast

What’s so great about it?

Coming straight from Babolat’s previous generation of Aero Rackets, the new Pure Aero Line offers an aerodynamic frame which enables the racket head to move much faster, therefore increasing ball speed. This is due to the combination of woofer and cortex technologies that have been integrated into the racket. The brand new redesigned grommets allow the string bed to move freely which optimizes the lift on the ball. The pure aero comes in the original Pure Aero, the Pure Aero Team, and the Pure Aero Lite. The Pure Aero Play, Pure Aero +, Pure Aero Tour, and the junior rackets will also be available in November 2015!

Why do we like it?

The spin! The new Pure Aero, compared to the older models of Aero rackets, has more interaction between the ball and the strings which increases the amount of spin being generated. Players are able to maximize their spin on the ball without losing any power in their swing. It's perfect for the players who want optimum spin and have more aggressive play styles. Not only is this racket made up of the latest in tennis technology, but with the matte fluorescent yellow finish, it looks great!

Wilson Pro Staff 97 ULS

Specs

Headsize: 97 sq. in.

Length: 27"

Beam Width: 23mm Flat Beam

Weight Strung: 285g/ (10 oz.)

Color(s): Black/Red

Composition/Construction: Braided Graphite + Kevlar

String Pattern (Mains X Crosses): 18 x 16 (S.E.T.)

Recommended String Tension: 50-60 lbs.

Balance: 32.5cm/ (12.8 in.)

Grommet Technology: Spin Effect Technology

Grip Type: Sublime Grip

Swing Type: Moderate to Full

Towpath Recommended String: Luxilon Big Banger

What’s so great about it?

Not only does this racket have better maneuverability compared to its heavier pro-staff counterpart (donned by Roger Federer), but it is a great ultra-lightweight alternative that is able to generate lots of power as well! With the new 18x16 Spin Effect Technology, players are able to generate spin by placing a tighter grip on the ball. With this latest model, you also don’t have to worry about sacrificing power for control because the ULS offers players the perfect combination of power, spin, speed, and control!

Why do we like it?

The lighter weight! This racket is a great choice for players who love the control of the original pro staff, but need a lighter weight frame. It's also perfect for beginner or intermediate level players who are learning to generate their own spin and power. This racket is a great alternative for players that love to hit lots of balls from the baseline. The extreme maneuverability is also excellent for controlling the rackets speed and angle through contact with the ball.

Wilson “Club Exclusive” Ultra XP 

Specs (Ultra XP 100S)                                                      

Headsize: 100 sq. inches

Length: 27.25”

Weight Strung: 290 g/ (10.2 oz)

Racquet/Player Type: beginner

Color(s): black/blue/grey

String Pattern (Mains X Crosses): 16 x 15

Recommended String Tension: 50-60 lbs (53)

Balance: 33 cm/ 5 pts HL

Grip Type: Wilson Sublime

Swing Type: Fast, Long

Towpath Recommended String: Wilson Sensation 16

What’s so great about it?

Not only is this racket modeled after the classic Wilson Profile, but it is very versatile and easy to use. The new technology in this racket makes controlling the ball an easy task especially for beginner and older players who need a racket that is not only lightweight, but has a bigger head size for better ball control. The new technology also allows for easier access to good power without having to exert too much effort.

Why do we like it?

Head size and ease! This racket is obviously a great choice for players that are a fan of the classic Wilson Profile.  Not only is this racket a popular choice among beginners and 55+ players, but it's incredibly maneuverable and easy to swing with. It's also a nice alternative for tennis pros who are looking for an easy racket that can feed balls quickly and with lots of depth.

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Was Venus and Serena's US Open match staged?

Katelyn Caniford | Towpath Tennis Pro

Rolling Stone

The story could not have been written better. One of America’s favorite sibling athlete-duos squaring up against each other in the quarter-finals of the biggest tennis tournaments in the country, the US Open. On Tuesday September 8^th, 2015, Venus and Serena Williams faced off against each other for the 27^th time at Arthur Ashe Stadium in NYC. After 98 minutes of back and forth tennis culminating in a somewhat close third set, Serena took the victory 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 to put her just two matches short of not only winning the US Open, but also achieving a calendar-year Grand Slam. If Serena wins her next few matches, she will become one of only a few women to ever win all four major singles titles in a season.                                                                                       

The importance of this tournament for Serena is huge--so huge in fact that one might ask the question as to whether or not this match, or at least some parts of it, could have potentially been predetermined. Now I will say that I’m a fan of both of the Williams sisters and think that they are two of the greatest women’s players of all time, however, after witnessing their match Tuesday night I had a hard time believing that 100% of everything that I was watching was not staged in some sense. From the over the top reactions from Serena, to the absolute dominance of Venus in the second set, I think there might have been some talks between the two beforehand as to how they wanted their match to go. It was so tightly contested that it almost seemed too good to be true. Serena dominating the first, Venus dominating the second, and then Venus creeping up slightly near the end of the third--it was textbook perfection! Not to mention, I’m sure that Venus absolutely would not have wanted to be the one to take away her sister’s chance of becoming one of the few women to ever achieve all four Major singles wins in a season.

                                                                                                                                                   

To me, what seemed like a dead giveaway to what was potentially going on were the strong reactions from Serena when she would miss her shots. Don’t get me wrong, I tend to react strongly when I’m not playing well too, but it almost seemed that in this match she was forcing herself to react that way for drama-sake. And then to do so against her sister of all people? It’s almost like she had to tell herself to freak out for the crowd.

                                                                                                                                                 

This then made me think of what other majoring sporting events that have possibly been predetermined beforehand, because it’s no shocker it’s been done before (Hellooo 2014’s World Cup, 2002’s NBA Playoff scandal, or the WWE!) Now granted, I'm not undermining professional athletes or the hard work they put into their sport, but I do think that when it comes to “Cinderella stories” or huge moments in the world of sports (or whatever will draw big ratings), there is a possibility that some, if not all, parts of them are predetermined or at least discussed beforehand by the participants/officials. Who knows, maybe this is just all speculation but I am curious to hear thoughts from others about this match, as well as thoughts on the potential of fixed results in all sports today.

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The Williams sisters revive their sibling rivalry at Wimbledon

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee | Online Store Manager

Serena Williams knocks older sister Venus Williams
out of the 2015 Wimbledon Championships in the 4th
round.

Playing against your sibling plain sucks! So it may not be all bad but it sure has it's sucky moments. Watching the Williams' sisters come head to head at this year's Wimbledon (which unfortunately was a bit anti-climactic), made me reminisce about the good ole days when these legendary meetings against the sisters were essentially left up to a coin toss on who was going to win.
While watching this year's 4th round match-up between Venus and Serena, I was commenting on how unfortunate it is to play a sibling when some fellow viewers claimed the sisters were actually at an advantage of playing against each other and probably basked in the hype. While I don't entirely disagree, my past experiences have led me to think quite differently. 

I grew up in a tennis family with four siblings, one in which became one of my biggest rivals on court--my twin sister. A few things about my twin: She's taller than me, 4 minutes older, and according to the number of crushes boys had on her probably prettier than me. Whatever, I can live with those disadvantages, but when it came to tennis being better than me wasn't an option. Neither one of us wanted to be better than the other. And being sisters, particularly twins, my parents ensured we got equal treatment. So how was it fair that one of us had to win while the other had to lose? 

A lot of emotions cross your mind when playing against a sibling. At the beginning of the tournament you're always rooting for the other to win in the chance that you might meet later in the draw or the final--what fun! And when the moment arises you take a sigh of relief that you're only playing your sister rather than some tough seed you don't particularly like--even better right? Then you realize that neither one of you wants to back down which means someone's in for a big disappointment. Even though you can joke and crack a smile more often when playing against a sibling, the main struggle is keeping the match from feeling like an afternoon of backyard tennis. I actually prefer those matches because you can let loose and have a bit of fun, but there's a fine line between relaxing and slacking since your game can go south, fast! Then there's those dreaded matches when you're sibling is struggling. Her serve is off, she's shouting out in frustration or worse she's on the brink of tears (we were young alright). It's so hard to watch anyone hurting let alone your own sibling. You find yourself absentmindedly laying off the power, maybe not go for as deep of an angle, flub some shots of your own all because of this sympathetic distraction. Next thing you know, you're the one struggling! And worse, you both have to endure that long ride home together. The most memorable matches I had against my sister were when we didn't care about the outcome (truly). We just focused on playing good tennis, which in experience has proven to be the best recipe when playing a sibling. 

The Williams sisters always want the best for each other but over the course of their careers, Serena's really pulled away as the top dog in the family, which I can only imagine to be more difficult than ever to play older sister Venus because who doesn't like rooting for the underdog? The best thing they can do is just enjoy the moment, because there might not be a lot of them left. I think Serena said it best, "She's my sister today, she's my sister next week and she's my sister next year. We'll leave everything out on the court. When it's done, we'll go back to regular life." There's no turning off that sibling meter in your head no matter what anyone says. You both can only hope for a memorable and fun experience with only a few sucky moments. 

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How to win on clay courts

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee | Online Store Manager

It's the end of another exciting French Open where as expected underdogs, such as Lucie Safarova and Stan Wawrinka, rose among a sea of upsets by defeating past Open Champions, Maria Sharapova and Roger Federer, along the way to the finals. Even the domineering Serena Williams struggled to fight for the title on the red clay (and maybe due to a little cold). Nevertheless, the question is raised every year, 'Why do the top seeds in tennis perform poorly on clay?' Many players already understand that you need to adjust to the slower court surface, but many still don't know exactly how to adjust.

lorietsports.tumblr.com

In northeast Ohio we don't see that many red clay courts. In fact, there's only one red clay court facility in the entire State of Ohio (Perry Twp). What we do find a lot of are Har-Tru courts, which are green clay versus the red clay we see at the French Open. The main difference between the two is that the speed and height difference of Har-Tru is not as extreme as it would be on red clay, because of the layer of crushed stone on the surface. However, both clay surfaces call for a game adjustment in order to win and this is how you do just that:

• Play in the right shoes. Clay is a slippery surface and if you were playing on red clay, it would be imperative that you find clay court shoes to help with traction. However, with Har-Tru all you need is to find a pair of All-Court tennis shoes that are in good condition (so ditch those worn-smoothed soles). To help you, we have a huge selection to choose from at towpathtennisshop.com. 
• Be patient! The pace is considerably slower than playing on hard courts and it's quite tempting to rush your shots. To help counter that urge, go back to the basics and as the ball approaches tell yourself, "bounce, hit." It may sound mundane and tedious, but it helps you focus and maintain a proper rhythm.
• Use topspin. Why you may ask? It makes the ball bounce that much higher! Higher bounce=more difficult to return, not to mention tiresome!
• Learn to slide. Har-Tru is not as slippery as red clay, but it sure is slicker than a hard court. 
• Buckle in for longer rallies. Guess what? Those winners you make on hard courts will be easier for your opponent to get to on clay, so be ready to tire your opponent out by mixing up the shots and moving them around the court. 
• Practice ahead of time. Even if you've played on clay before, it helps to warm-up ahead of time to get a feel of the court since most clay surfaces don't play the same. 
• Check a bad call. Don't you always wish to have video replay on those points your opponent called out but looked clearly in? On clay you can! It may not be a video replay, but the ball may leave a distinctive mark that you can double check for yourself. Cheaters beware! 
• Prepare to get dirty! Playing on clay can be downright filthy, so if you're fussing about keeping those sparkling white tennis shoes clean then clay is not your game. And unless you want to be coated green from head to toe, watch out for sliding into those lines that like to bubble up!

So there you have it, all the tips you need to be the next King/Queen of Clay-Nadal you've been warned!

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Common tennis foot issues & home remedies

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee | Online Store Manager

Painful? Sometimes. Embarrassing? Yes. Uncommon? Absolutely not! People of all walks of life will experience many problematic foot issues. Unfortunately for us athletes we're more prone to them because we're sweating in our stinky shoes for long periods of time. But have no fear, we want to help you find remedies for the most common foot issues us tennis players face all in the comfort of your home. 
Take care of your feet and they'll take care of you.

Bunions - Is an unnatural, bony hump that forms at the base of the big toe primarily due to genetics, poor foot structure or ill-fitting shoes!   

What you can do: 

Massage to grind down the soft tissue. The accumulation of tissue is what makes the bunion painful. It's always best to have a professional who specializes in deep tissue to show you some techniques before you try doing it at home. 


Drink or directly apply chamomile to the bunion. Chamomile contains anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce the size of your bunion as well as relieve pain.  
Avoid tight fitting shoes!
Surgery is only necessary when the bunion becomes painful & is disrupting daily activities. 

Athlete's Foot - This fungal infection brews in warm and moist areas which is why a sweaty tennis shoe would be a hotbed for it if you come in contact with this contagious fungi. Symptoms vary but typically there's cracking of the skin, blistering and of course that itching/burning sensation. If symptoms are mild, good news it usually can be treated at home!  

What you can do:  

Clean and dry between your toes-yep its that easy!


Wear shoes that breathe. Look for shoes with mesh outsoles such as the K-Swiss Hypercourt Express or Nike Zoom Cage 2 tennis shoes.


Use talcum powder on feet.  


Avoid going barefoot even in the house.  


Wear absorbent socks and change socks when sweaty. Allow shoes to dry for at least 24 hours.  


Apply nonprescription medicines such as Clotrimazole to the affected area. If you have blisters, soak several times in Burow's solution prior to using an anti-fungal cream.  

Fungal Toe - Similar to athlete's foot this fungi thrives in warm, moist conditions so it's important to follow the same prevention as mentioned above as well as trimming your toenails and avoiding hosiery (not that you'd wear tights during tennis but maybe for you ladies in the office).  

What you can do: 

There are a multitude of remedies that include treating your toes with baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, apple cider vinegar or soaking them in Listerine mouthwash!  
Dab a few drops of Tea Tree Oil onto your toes to help fight the fungus. 
It's not uncommon to find some of these home remedies ineffective, therefore if problems persist, consult your doctor.  

Blisters - Broken or not, blisters are painful! They are generally due when too much friction of a material is applied to moistened skin, so it's quite common to have one after your sweaty foot's been rubbing against your shoes, whether they're new, worn or you're wearing them barefoot. 

What you can do: 


Small blisters tend to heal easily on their own so the best advice is to give your foot a break from the activity you got the blister from. 


If small or unbroken, applying a band-aid will suffice. If putting pressure on it is unavoidable, place a donut-shaped moleskin pad over it.  


If large or painful, the blister may need to be drained. Puncture a small hole with a sterilized pin or needle at the edge of the blister and apply pressure to drain. Wash with soap and water only, then apply anti-biotic ointment. 


Wear thick padded socks and change them often. 

 

Plantar fasciitis - Is when the fibrous band that expands from the toe to heel becomes inflamed. It's described as painful because the plantar fascia is overstretched which can bring on a heel spur.

What you can do: 

Get off your feet! 


Watch your weight. Taking off a few extra pounds will definitely make you feel lighter on your feet.  


Avoid or space out new intense exercises because you are prone to over-stretching, wearing out or weakening your arch support.  


Stretch you feet prior to playing. Pedicure toe separators help stretch as well. 


Ice the bottom of your foot to reduce inflammation.  

Corns & Calluses - These hardened patches of skin develop after repetitive pressure and friction is applied on your foot. Corns and calluses aren't necessarily painful, they're just a bit unsightly.  

What you can do: 

Give yourself a home-pedi after a shower. There are tools such as a pedi-egg that help file down the excess skin, or simply use a nail file or emery board to smooth away the dead skin cells.  


Moisten skin and give your feet a rest from the repetitive activity.  

Ingrown toenails - Are just the worst! They can develop just by stubbing or improperly trimming your nail, or by wearing ill-fitting shoes! What's worse is they can become incredibly painful and infected if not tended to.  

What you can do: 

Soak in Epsom salt to soften nail and prevent infection. 


Trim nails straight across-not rounded. 
Keep toe raised by putting a small piece of cotton under your toenail if causing pain.  
If infected apply Neosporin and wrap with a band-aid until nail improves. 

General prevention - To keep those twinkling toes healthy 

Don't neglect - Cut nails often, moisturize daily, apply ointment when needed, and rub your feet down with a pedi egg.


Massage - Give your feet a good run down after a long day on the court to help loosen and grind down accumulated tissue.  


Find the right fit - Ill fitting tennis shoes do more harm than just feeling a bit uncomfortable. Talk with one of our front desk staff about what your looking for (breathability, wide toe box, correct sizing), and we'll be happy to find the right shoe for you. 


Finally kick your feet up and rest!  

 If symptoms persist or spread, or if you have any medical issue such as Diabetes or a contagious infection, then consult your doctor before trying any of these home remedies. If left untreated, you are at risk of developing a more serious long term ordeal that could include infection, loss of a toenail, surgery, inability to play, or developing a much more debilitating disease such as gout which affects the foot and body.

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Weird tennis rules and match scenarios

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee | Online Store Manager

Have you ever been in a middle of a match when something so off the wall happens where both you and your opponent wonder, how do we rule this? Well we've experienced a handful of these odd-ball scenarios and have the USTA sanctioned rulings on each of them to keep you on your toes and to make you into an on-court know-it-all!

1. What if somebody serves out of order? If you realize a doubles team had served out of order after the fact, then the match continues on in the corrected original rotation of servers. If you make this discovery during a game then immediately stop play and make the correction, then continue the game as is. Regardless of who was serving, all completed points stand as played previous to the discovery. 
2. What if the ball bounces back over the net before I could hit it? If the spin or wind brings the ball back over the net, then you must hit the ball in order to win the point even if that means reaching over the net to put the shot away. If you fail to touch the ball, then the player who hit the spin shot wins the point. Just be careful not to touch the net or your opponent's side of the court or you lose the point!
3. What if the ball falls out of my pocket/skirt, do I lose the point? Not necessarily. In regular match-play without tournament officials, it is up to the opponent to call the hindrance and play a let (not you). The call has to be made immediately though, not after the point is played out. If an umpire is present, they will always call a let first. If a ball repeatedly falls out of your pocket, then you may lose a point over the hindrance.
4. What if the ball hits my racquet twice? As long as you are hitting the ball twice on the same swing or follow-through, it is then (and only then) considered legal. 
5. What if my strings break on a serve, is that a let? If your strings break during a serve or any other time during a point, it is not a let for anybody. Even if it makes a funny and distracting noise, plan to play out the point even with a hole in your racquet. 
6. What if the opponent calls a ball of mine Out before it hits the ground, but then yells Good and tries to continue playing out the point? If an Out call was made (and not in the sense of communicating to a partner) then play has stopped. So in this case your opponent would lose the point. And that is exactly why you wait to make a call until after the ball bounces. 
7. What if you're playing on a court with a dividing net/wall/fence, can you call a Let if the ball hits any of these objects before you hit the ball? Sorry but if all players agree to play on the court as is, all players are agreeing to it's possible hindrances. 
8. What if an opponent calls a Let on a ball that doesn't actually roll onto our court? Any ball in a player's vision, whether on the other side of the net or near the sidelines, may hinder play during a point so a let is permitted. As long as the let is called prior to the completed point (or before the one calling the let hits the ball), it is considered valid. 
9. What if I was returning serve when my doubles partner (who was no where near the service box) got clipped on the toe by the server before it bounced. Who gets the point? A ball that hits any part of your body or clothing on you or your partner (on and off the court), is considered a point won by the other team. This is also true if the ball hits any part of you other than your racquet and bounces back over the net. The point is still your opponents-sorry you got hit!   
10. What if my opponent hits a volley but his racquet swings over the net, isn't that my point?  As long as he hit the ball before his racquet swung over the net, the shot is considered legal. This can be a hard one to judge unless he's clearly reaching over the net to put the shot away.

To study up on other weird tennis rulings, check out Miscellaneous USTA Rules. You never know when you're going to need it!

Do you have a question or weird scenario that you'd like to know the ruling of? Email us with your question!

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Newest tennis racquets of 2015 (& why they're so awesome)

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee | Online Store Manager

The winter season has always been a busy time for racquet purchases-why you ask? It's the perfect opportunity between the busy high school, summer and USTA seasons to demo a racquet and get comfortable handling it before matches start up again. Also, there's something about the new year that always gets players in the mood for a racquet makeover-new racquet, new game? Well racquet vendors sure seem to think so too as we are now fully stocked with some of the most buzzed about racquets on the market. Here are a few we'd like to highlight which are all available to demo in-house or to purchase at www.towpathtennisshop.com!

Head Graphene XT Instinct Rev Pro Tennis Racquet 

Specs

Headsize: 100 sq. in.

Length: 26.8"

Beam Width: 27/22.5/21mm

Weight Strung: 270g/(9.5 oz.)
Racquet/Player Type: Beginner-Intermediate

Color(s): Blue/Navy/Coral

Composition/Construction: Graphite/Graphene XT

String Pattern(Mains X Crosses): 16 x 19(standard) or 16 x 16

Recommended String Tension: 48-57 lbs.

Balance: 34.5cm/(13.6 in.)

Grommet Technology: ASP (Adaptive Stringing Pattern)-Racquet comes with 16 x 16 grommets installed.

Frame Technology: Graphene XT

Grip Type: Hydrosorb Pro

Towpath Recommended String: Head Hawk Touch

What's so special about it?
The Graphene XT technology. It increases the weight in the top of the frame to the handle in order to provide better energy transfer, increased swing weight and a higher sweet spot for more power. It also features your choice of string pattern. 16x16 grommets provide more spin and power, or if you want more control and feel pop in the 16x19 grommets.

Why do we like it?
Versatility! The Head Graphene XT Instinct Rev Pro is not only lightweight with a uniquely smaller length to increase stroke speed, but this tennis racquet accommodates to your playing style by providing TWO string patterns! Its selling features make this racquet very maneuverable for beginners, intermediates and up-and-coming juniors. Try the series! Head Graphene XT Instinct S is slightly heavier with a standard length and string pattern, but is still a great option for beginner-intermediate players. The Head Graphene XT Instinct MP is slightly heavier than the Instinct S and was built with the intermediate-advanced player in mind. Did we mention it's Maria Sharapova's racquet of choice! 

Babolat Pure Drive Tennis Racquet 

Specs

Headsize: 100 sq. in

Length: 27"

Beam Width: 23.5/26/23mm

Weight Strung: 317.5 g/(11.2 oz)
Racquet/Player Type: Intermediate-Advanced

Color(s): Black/White/Blue

Composition/Construction: Graphite 

String Pattern(Mains X Crosses): 16x19

Recommended String Tension: 50-59 lbs.

Balance: 32.89cm/(12.95 in)/4 points HL

Grommet Technology: Woofer

Frame Technology: GT Technology, Cortex Technology, Elliptic Geometry, FSI Technology, EVO BEAM

Grip Type: Syntec Pro

Towpath Recommended String: Babolat RPM Blast 

What's so special about it?
The higher sweet spot! Interesting fact, the Babolat Pure Drive was built based off the data racquet engineers gathered from the Babolat Play racquet, which uniquely tracks your strokes, shot power and impact location of the ball. They began to see a trend where players were hitting much higher on the sweet spot, so what did they do? Duh, raise it! They do this with FSI technology, which also gives players a more responsive contact zone.

Why do we like it?

User-friendly! The Babolat Pure Drive is one of the game's most popular tennis racquets for a reason. It's the perfect balance of power and feel for recreational and competitive players alike who want to improve consistency and depth on all shots. For a lighter more manageable feel, try the series! The Babolat Pure Drive Team and Babolat Pure Drive Lite are great for players looking for pace and spin in a lightweight package. 

Wilson Burn 100S Tennis Racquet

Specs

Headsize: 100 sq. in
Length: 27"

Beam Width: 25mm Dual Beam Width

Weight Strung: 303 g/(10.7 oz)

Racquet/Player Type: Intermediate-Advanced

Color(s): Black/Orange/Lime

Composition/Construction: Carbon Fiber, Spin Effect, X2 Shaft

String Pattern(Mains X Crosses): 18x16

Recommended String Tension: 51-61 lbs.

Balance: 33 cm/(13 in)/4 points HL

Grommet Technology: Parallel Drilling
Frame Technology: Carbon Fiber
Grip Type: Wilson Sublime

Towpath Recommended String: Wilson Revolve 

What's so special about it?
Power! Launched at the Australian Open by tennis professionals Kei Nishikori and Simona Halep, this new line of Wilson racquets is built with explosive power in mind. The Wilson Burn contains a high performance carbon fiber frame, which increases stiffness giving players immense power in their ground-strokes. It also offers a longer handle for more leverage for two-handed backhanders and those with extreme grip changes. 

Why do we like it?

Power! The Wilson Burn was designed to make an impression with base-liners in mind. Built with a bigger, more forgiving sweet spot, this racquet allows players with fast swing types to be aggressive with their shots. The Burn Spin series (100S, 100LS and 100ULS) is equipped with Spin Effect technology which allows players of all levels to produce significantly more spin without changing their swing. The Wilson Burn line will be available to demo or purchase by mid-February. 

These may be the newest racquets of 2015, but don't forget we have over 90 racquet demos for you to try here at the club ranging from Wilson, Babolat, Head, Dunlop, Gamma, Prince, Asics and Yonex. When it comes to racquet selection, speak with our knowledgeable staff about what racquet will suit your playing style best or check us out online to see what we have in stock. Happy playing!

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