Thursday, August 27, 2009
Getting Back To Game Improvement!
After a long (Law School Induced) layoff I return with the first of series of game improvement racquet reviews. Today we'll be looking at the Babolat Y 112. As a 5.0 player it took a great deal of adjustment in order to use and evaluate the racquets I'll be reviewing over the next week and I have done the best that I can to present them from the perspective of a 2.5-3.5 player.
Babolat Y 112
The name of this racquet should give you a pretty good idea of what you are dealing with right off the bat. The Babolat Y series is filled with monster frames and the 112 is the flagship. Although it is not the biggest racquet in the series it does, as the name suggests, boast a whopping 112 sq.in. head. Part of what is so striking about this racquet and the entire Y line is the shape of the racquet. The head itself is of a typical racquet shape, the yoke, or throat of the racquet however is quite unique and is what I presume gives the racquet line its name. The throat of the racquet connects much higher on the racquet than is typical this widens the throat and to abnormal size. The benefit of such a change in the standard construction of the racquet is a significant increase in the stability of the racquet head.
Despite a relatively light weight (9.6oz strung) the construction allows the entire string bed, with the exception of the very top of the hoop, to feel very solid and stable no matter where contact it made. This new construction also puts more weight towards 3 and 9 O'clock which, in addition to making the racquet head more stable also pulls the sweet spot out towards the edges of the frame. With the exception of the area above the top two cross strings, nearly the entire string bed is very responsive and offers exceptional control and power.
As a game improvement frame this racquet is designed to do two things 1.) give you more power and 2.) be a comfortable as possible. The Y 112 certainly succeeds!
Those beginner level to intermediate players with short compact swings will find that shots that normally fall short will penetrate the baseline with ease and balls that would float in the past now zip viciously across the net! The power of the Y 112 did not surprise me at all, what did was the amount of spin that could be generated if you tried. The wide open string pattern allows for the strings to really bite the ball and create a generous amounts of spin even with slower racquet head speed. This was especially noticeable on slice backhands which really hugged the ground and tailed nicely with minimal effort.
In terms of comfort the Y 112 is near the head of the class, but not quite at its pinnacle. I keep mentioning the issues with the very top of the racquet and this is the particular area where it downgrades the frame.
Contacts made at the top of the hoop (above the top two crosses) generate significant vibration throughout the frame. Due to the light weight and stiffness of the frame there is little that can be done to remedy the problem without adding weight to the top of the hoop. That area aside the remainder of the string bed provides a very crisp but comfortable feel leaving the player with the impression that they could easily direct the ball with above average touch without the harsh feedback of your typical player's frame.
Despite the frames sometimes unwieldy size, it is surprisingly maneuverable at the net. Once at the net the size and power benefits of the Y112 are equally as beneficial as they are at the baseline.
Serves were a little on the stiff side and it was a little difficult to hit a kick serve due to the lack of bulk in the frame. But, overall serves had good velocity, above average placement and nice movement on slices.
I would suggest stringing the Y 112 with a soft synthetic (such as Babolat Excel Premium, Wilson Sensation or NXT, Gamma TNT or Prince Premier) or a nice natural gut (Babolat VS Touch).
Overall this is a very nice racquet for the beginning to intermediate player who is looking for more power but still expects top end comfort and control. The Babolat Y 112 retails for $229 and can be found at any local Babolat dealer or your favorite online tennis shop.
Racquet Specs:
Head Size: 112 sq. in.
Length: 27.5 in.
Weight: 9.6oz (strung)
Swing Weight: 324 g.
Balance: 7pts HH
Construction: High modulus graphite, crystal graphite
String Bed: 16x19
Jay Wiseman is a certified Master Racquet Technician (MRT) by the United States Racquet Stringers Association (USRSA), a certification that is bestowed upon only the elite racquet and equipment service professionals. Additionally Jay is a certified P-1 Professional by the USPTA and has served as the Head Professional and Pro Shop manager at multiple clubs on the East Coast and Midwest. Jay has previously spent 3 years coaching Division I collegiate women’s tennis and currently serves as a teaching professional at the largest tennis club in Toledo, Oh and is the Head Boy’s & Girl’s Tennis Coach at Sylvania Southview High School.
Babolat Y 112
The name of this racquet should give you a pretty good idea of what you are dealing with right off the bat. The Babolat Y series is filled with monster frames and the 112 is the flagship. Although it is not the biggest racquet in the series it does, as the name suggests, boast a whopping 112 sq.in. head. Part of what is so striking about this racquet and the entire Y line is the shape of the racquet. The head itself is of a typical racquet shape, the yoke, or throat of the racquet however is quite unique and is what I presume gives the racquet line its name. The throat of the racquet connects much higher on the racquet than is typical this widens the throat and to abnormal size. The benefit of such a change in the standard construction of the racquet is a significant increase in the stability of the racquet head.
Despite a relatively light weight (9.6oz strung) the construction allows the entire string bed, with the exception of the very top of the hoop, to feel very solid and stable no matter where contact it made. This new construction also puts more weight towards 3 and 9 O'clock which, in addition to making the racquet head more stable also pulls the sweet spot out towards the edges of the frame. With the exception of the area above the top two cross strings, nearly the entire string bed is very responsive and offers exceptional control and power.
As a game improvement frame this racquet is designed to do two things 1.) give you more power and 2.) be a comfortable as possible. The Y 112 certainly succeeds!
Those beginner level to intermediate players with short compact swings will find that shots that normally fall short will penetrate the baseline with ease and balls that would float in the past now zip viciously across the net! The power of the Y 112 did not surprise me at all, what did was the amount of spin that could be generated if you tried. The wide open string pattern allows for the strings to really bite the ball and create a generous amounts of spin even with slower racquet head speed. This was especially noticeable on slice backhands which really hugged the ground and tailed nicely with minimal effort.
In terms of comfort the Y 112 is near the head of the class, but not quite at its pinnacle. I keep mentioning the issues with the very top of the racquet and this is the particular area where it downgrades the frame.
Contacts made at the top of the hoop (above the top two crosses) generate significant vibration throughout the frame. Due to the light weight and stiffness of the frame there is little that can be done to remedy the problem without adding weight to the top of the hoop. That area aside the remainder of the string bed provides a very crisp but comfortable feel leaving the player with the impression that they could easily direct the ball with above average touch without the harsh feedback of your typical player's frame.
Despite the frames sometimes unwieldy size, it is surprisingly maneuverable at the net. Once at the net the size and power benefits of the Y112 are equally as beneficial as they are at the baseline.
Serves were a little on the stiff side and it was a little difficult to hit a kick serve due to the lack of bulk in the frame. But, overall serves had good velocity, above average placement and nice movement on slices.
I would suggest stringing the Y 112 with a soft synthetic (such as Babolat Excel Premium, Wilson Sensation or NXT, Gamma TNT or Prince Premier) or a nice natural gut (Babolat VS Touch).
Overall this is a very nice racquet for the beginning to intermediate player who is looking for more power but still expects top end comfort and control. The Babolat Y 112 retails for $229 and can be found at any local Babolat dealer or your favorite online tennis shop.
Racquet Specs:
Head Size: 112 sq. in.
Length: 27.5 in.
Weight: 9.6oz (strung)
Swing Weight: 324 g.
Balance: 7pts HH
Construction: High modulus graphite, crystal graphite
String Bed: 16x19
Jay Wiseman is a certified Master Racquet Technician (MRT) by the United States Racquet Stringers Association (USRSA), a certification that is bestowed upon only the elite racquet and equipment service professionals. Additionally Jay is a certified P-1 Professional by the USPTA and has served as the Head Professional and Pro Shop manager at multiple clubs on the East Coast and Midwest. Jay has previously spent 3 years coaching Division I collegiate women’s tennis and currently serves as a teaching professional at the largest tennis club in Toledo, Oh and is the Head Boy’s & Girl’s Tennis Coach at Sylvania Southview High School.
