Daily Racquet

Victoria Azarenka "Juices" Her Game

When Victoria Azarenka walks on to Rod Laver Arena to play in her first Grand Slam final, she'll be armed with three weapons — one of the best backhands in the game, a growing belief that she can win and a new Wilson BLX Juice Tennis Racquet!

Azarenka, new to the Wilson team of elite tennis tour players, switched to the Wilson Juice late last year, after signing a long-term partnership with the brand. Since then, she has shown solid form, winning the Apia International Sydney title and defeating defending champion Kim Clijsters, 6-4 1-6 6-3 en route to the finals in Melbourne.

The juice lets aggressive players such as Azarenka hit through the ball with big power and spin. Designed with power and spin in mind, the new BLX Juice racquet combines a maneuverable frame with a plush sweet spot and exceptional power. The open string pattern and standard 100 square inch head size allow for exceptional feel and power for baseline players that like to dictate the action. The moderate weight and head light balance allow you to whip the racquet through on ground strokes and provide a sold punch at the net. The handle features the new patented Amplifeel handle system designed to increase power and spin.

Give this racquet a try and see what kind of win streak you can get.

Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

"I am Novak Djokovic and My Game is Speed"

Sounds a little like tennis anonymous doesn't it? Anonymous no more. Novak Djokovic is taking the tennis world by storm and garnering a lot of headlines.

Also getting a lot of attention these days is his racquet of choice—the Head YouTek IG Speed. The Speed MP comes in 18x20 string pattern and appeals to a wide range of players with its perfect combination of power and feel, offering advanced level players all the control aggressive players need to attack the ball with confidence. The new Head Innegra hybrid-composite structure is integrated into the racquet for shock absorption and improved stability. As a result vibrations are reduced by up to 17% on ball impact for unique control and precision. This protects the player from the forces of a ball impact. The stringbed offers enough bite to add heavy spin, yet the tight string pattern offers the perfect feel for controlling flat shots. Serves have both power and spin thanks to the racquet's maneuverable feel. At net the racquet feels fast and responsive.

All in all this is an impressive racquet and there isn't a better time to give it a try. If you purchase a Head YouTek by August 5, 2011, not only will you save $20 but you will also receive a FREE NO.1VAK t-shirt.

Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

Dunlop Goes To The Sharks With Biomimetic 200 Plus

The new Dunlop Biomimetic 200 Plus has gone to the Sharks. Yes, you heard that right. The racquet features a new technology called Aeroskin which is inspired by the skin of a shark whose streamlined body is covered in microscopic riblets which create localised turbulence which in turn reduce drag. This allows the shark to slice through the water with more speed and strike with more power. And, just like the undersea predator, the textured skin on the Dunlop Biomimetic 200 Plus allows the racquet to go through the air with less resistance and as we all know, the quicker the racquet head speed, the greater the power and maneuverability to attack your prey.

The Biomimetic 200 Pus is a bit heavier with a much thinner beam and a tighter 18x20 string pattern giving it a solid feel with good control from the baseline, power and touch at the net and some easy power on the serve. The handle features the new Gecko-Tac grip which is designed to provide a comfortable tacky feel giving the player more control and feel. While the handle had a good tacky feel to it, the cushioning seemed a bit sparse.

Overall, the racquet gets good marks for both its looks and feel. It has already become the racquet of choice for Nikolay Davydenko and we suggest you give it a try to see if it can use its 'shark-like" speed to help you with your prey.

Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

Design Your Own Dunlop Racquet

Dunlop announces a first-ever Facebook application that allows fans to design their own Biomimetic tennis  racket. The application gives all Dunlop Facebook friends the ability to color, place logos, and add text to the frame. Once their design is completed, all rackets will be saved and judged by Dunlop. The winning designer will have their racket made to their chosen Biomimetic racket specifications. Dates and rules for the competition will be posted on Facebook.

Hundreds of fans have already designed rackets since the app launched in beta form last week. It was built primarily using Adobe Flex and Flash utilizing a Papervision3D engine. All social media functionality was achieved through the Facebook API.

The Dunlop page is listed on Facebook as ‘Dunlop Sport'

Take Your Game For A Powerful Spin With The Wilson Cirrus One BLX

Looking for a new racquet to add some extra zip and power to your game?  You might want to give the new Wilson Cirrus One BLX a try. The 118-inch racquet head gives you one of the games largest sweet spots, and for those of you spinmeisters, you know what that means. But for a big racquet, it also offers up some good pace.

The Cirrus also offers a solid hit thanks to the FX technology, which is placed in the shaft of the racquet. With its head heavy balance, there's plenty of mass in the head to get some good pace. In addition, this racquet features several new technologies: BLX  and Articulated Grommet Technology. BLX is really just a fancy word for Basalt, which is essentially fine-grained volcanic rock which dampens vibration. The Articulated Grommet Technology provides a 76º string movement which allows for a larger sweetspot! Yes, we keep coming back to that big headsize but quite honestly, it doesn't get much sweeter than this. 

With the new 118 inch headsize, the BLX feel, the FX technology and the hybird comfort grip — this racquet offers the complete package for the player looking for more power and a light-weight feel.

Try the Cirrus One BLX and let it take your game for a powerful spin.

Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

Justine Henin Uses Wilson BLX To Backhand The Competition

If you've noticed something different about Justine Henin in her return debut at the 2010 Australian Open, it has nothing to do with her backhand. It's the same gorgeous shot that she has always had.

So what is that is different?

Henin is holding a new Wilson Tour BLX tennis racquet. The newly released racquet not only coincides with Henin's comeback, it has also been created in collaboration with the Belgian.

The Tour BLX has been redefined with an improved level of feel thanks to the BLX technology — BL stands for basalt, X stands for 9 extraordinary proprietary technologies and BLX stands for Perfect Feel. Basalt is a natural volcanic rock that boasts incredible vibration resistance. The new BLX technology weaves Basalt fibers in the construction of the racquet for what it calls "the most advanced composites in the industry."

A seven-time Grand Slam champion, Henin says she wants to come back because she has unfinished business in tennis: she wants to win Wimbledon, the only major she hasn't won, and play at least until the 2012 Olympics.

So far, the Wilson Tour BLX looks like the perfect match for Henin as she makes her comeback. She's already off to a flying start. Last week, she reached the final in Brisbane, her first tournament back; in  Melbourne she's already knocked off the No. 5 seed Elena Dementieva.

Henin's new racquet will be available in mid-February at Tennis Warehouse.

Wilson KSix.One Tour Finishes The Year On Top

Anybody will tell you that having the proper set of tools in your hand certainly makes a job easier — it's  no different with Roger Federer.

His tool of choice?

The Wilson KSix.One Tour and for good reason. The best-selling KSix.One Tour is a performance oriented racquet designed for the serious tennis player with long, fast swings — it is quick through the contact zone and offers up a larger sweetspot. At net the KSix-One feels rock solid and very precise. On serve there is plenty of control. At 12.5 ounces strung, the Six.One Tour is a heavy racquet that is perfect for advanced tennis players looking for a consistent racquet that plays well from all parts of the court. This stick is meant for competitive tennis players looking to add control, consistency, and precision to their game.

With his [K] Six.One Tour racket, Federer held on to the #1 spot by reaching the semi-finals the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London, England. Federer made his 8th consecutive appearance in the year-end championships.

The top ranking solidifies Federer’s tremendous success of 2009. By winning the French Open title in June, Federer became the 6th man in history to win all four Grand Slam titles in his career. One month later, he won a record-breaking 15th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, where he collected his 6th championship at the All England Club.

All in all, a very impressive racquet that has helped Roger grab a few Grand Slam titles.

Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

A Racquet Is A Racquet Until You Factor In the [K]

Roger Federer and Serena Williams are currently sitting atop the professional tennis ranks and both have 
used the [K] factor to get there — Roger, the Wilson [K]Six-One Tour and Serena, the Wilson [K]Blade Team.

The best-selling [K]Six.One Tour is a performance oriented racquet designed for the serious tennis player with long, fast swings — it is quick through the contact zone and offers up a larger sweetspot. At net the KSix-One feels rock solid and very precise. On serve there is plenty of control. At 12.5 ounces strung, the Six.One Tour is a heavy racquet that is perfect for advanced tennis players looking for a consistent racquet that plays well from all parts of the court. This stick is meant for competitive tennis players looking to add control, consistency, and precision to their game.

The [K]Blade Team creates exceptional feel with the 104 square inch head-size which provides a large sweetspot while the sub 11 ounce weight offers tremendous maneuverability. From the baseline, the 27.3 inches frame length offers more leverage when looking for some extra pop on deep shots or pass shots yet at the same time, the racquet is very maneuverable when hitting short, angled shots with plenty of spin. The string-bed provides a generous sweetspot, which combines with the light weight mobility for a forgiving response at net. There is plenty of punch offered making it easy to put away volleys. This racquet lets you serve 'em up almost effortlessly, with a combination of power and placement.
Looking to take your game up a notch? You might want to consider the [K] factor.

Available online at Tennis Warehouse.

Prince In The Park

If you live in the New York City area or know anyone coming to New York for the Open, check this out! It's guaranteed to be fun and a fantastic way to start your U.S. Open festivities!

On Sunday, August 30, the day before the start of the Open, the world's top touring pros will be at the public tennis courts in Central Park for the 2009 Prince Tennis EXO3bition.  You'll have the opportunity to see, learn from and even play with stars like Gael Monfils, Mike & Bob Bryan, John Isner, Sam Querrey, David Ferrer and legends Stan Smith, Paul Annacone, Roger Rasheed and Wayne Bryan. 

The event isn't limited to just tennis — music fans can meet and hear an exclusive, live performance by American Idol Season 7 finalist, Downtown Recording Artist, and former top-ranked Australian Prince Junior Team player, Michael Johns! This is shaping up to be one of the biggest tennis events of the year - and you are invited! So stop by or tell a friend to come and join Prince for a great day in the park.

In addition, you can bid on a private tennis lesson with the Bryan Brothers and other U.S. Open legends in NYC on August 30th, 2009!  Proceeds to benefit the City Parks Foundation.

For more information on the free public event, to learn how to bid on the private 30-minute lesson with the Bryan Brothers and other U.S Open legends, and an interactive map of Central Park Tennis Courts, fans and media can visit: www.princetennis.com/2009centralparkexo3bition.

The Wilson K-Blade Slam

The Wilson K Blade Team is the weapon of choice for both Serena and Venus Williams as they face off  today in the 2009 Women's Singles Final.

The K Blade Team creates exceptional feel with the 104 square inch head-size which provides a large sweetspot while the sub 11 ounce weight offers tremendous maneuverability. From the baseline, the 27.3 inches frame length offers more leverage when looking for some extra pop on deep shots or pass shots yet at the same time, the racquet is very maneuverable when hitting short, angled shots with plenty of spin. The string-bed provides a generous sweetspot, which combines with the light weight mobility for a forgiving response at net. There is plenty of punch offered making it easy to put away volleys. This racquet lets you serve 'em up almost effortlessly, with a combination of power and placement.

Overall, a good racquet choice for the player looking for some added power, feel and maneuverability or perhaps, a Grand Slam trophy.

Available online at Tennis Warehouse.