Babolat Aero Tour Review
Designed with the modern game in mind, the Babolat Aero Tour racquets incorporate aerodynamic technology to aide in the development of swing speed. The new beam design of the Aero Tour racquets is shaped like a wing. The idea being to increase airflow over the surface, allowing the racquet to cut through the air with less wind resistance compared to conventional beam designs. Through playtesting, as well as spending significant time in the research lab, Babolat has determined that the unique beam design of Aero Tour racquets can increase swing speed by more than 15 percent. This is an attractive proposition to a player looking to add a bit more spin and zip to their shots. With greater racquet speed, players have the opportunity to generate more spin and power, enabling them to hit a heavier, more aggressive ball. With an increase in spin comes the potential to increase control and margin for error, as players can aim higher over the net while keeping their shots well within the baseline.
We tested three of the five new Aero Tour racquets over a three-week period: the Aero Tour Standard, the Aero Tour Plus, and the Aero Tour Pro Limited. All three feature the Aero Tour technology and have some similar playing characteristics. However, we discovered that each racquet has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. Read on to find out the results of our playtest.
Babolat Aero Tour Standard Review
Groundstrokes
With its aerodynamic technology, 11.5 ounce static weight, head-light balance and 72 (RDC) stiffness rating, we hit the courts expecting the Aero Tour to offer a solid level of maneuverability and some controllable power.
First out was Chris. He had mixed results with the Aero Tour, saying, "while I was able to hit nice topspin groundstrokes with this racquet and generate plenty of racquet head speed, I did not have the same success when it came to slice groundstrokes. I could hit my slice backhand well when I had time to set up, but struggled to get any depth when forced off balance or when hitting on the run. A lower tension and perhaps some added weight to the head of the racquet may have helped. I don't think this would have made the Aero Tour too powerful for me. Topspin groundstrokes were much more effective and I felt I could generate lots of spin, especially off the forehand side. The spin potential really started to kick in with this racquet once we had it strung up with 17 gauge string. With a thicker string spin was decent but noticeably less than I got with the 17 gauge. As far as the aerodynamic aspect of the racquet, I noticed it much more on my forehand than on my flatter one-handed backhand. I didn't feel like the wide face-on-look of the Aero Tour slowed down my flatter swing shape, but it definitely did not help it. The Aero Tour was a little on the stiff side for my taste and produced a harsh feel when hitting out of the sweetspot. I also found the power really dropped off once outside the sweetspot. On the plus side, many of my shanked shots seemed to find their way in court. I can only put this down to the thickness of the beam when looking at the racquet straight on and the lack of power towards the outer parts of the stringbed."
Chad also noticed the stiffness of the Aero Tour. "Comfort and stability were the main downfalls with the Aero Tour for me," said Chad. "It truly never felt like I hit a ball solid, although every ball I did hit went in consistently. Control was a definite plus, but still didn't make up for the lack of stability. It's hard to win a match when you keep focusing on how bad that last shot felt. One shot that I did hit particularly well was the slice. I think Babolat might be on to something for the player who loves to slice the ball. It seemed like the aerodynamics of the racquet really allowed for the head to come through the ball quite easily."
Don was surprised at the maneuverability of the Aero Tour when hitting groundstrokes. "I found the Aero Tour Standard easy to swing, despite weighing almost 12 ounces," said Don. "Perhaps the beam geometry really did enhance racquet head speed for me, with my semi-western forehand and full-eastern backhand grips. I (and my opponent) noticed more spin on my shots. Slice backhands were fun to hit and the ball bit nicely. Power was relatively low, despite the racquet's stiffness. In fact, I found it necessary to take a pretty full swing on almost every shot in order to produce adequate pace and depth. Any 'lazy' shots either ended up in the net or short. The racquet's stiffness didn't contribute as much power as I expected, but did lend a stiff feel. Interestingly, the strings felt sort of dead, even after re-stringing with a 17 gauge multifilament at 55 pounds. I found myself thinking Woofer grommets should have been incorporated to provide more damping and to liven up the stringbed."
Granville said, "my initial impression of the Aero Tour was that it's a control oriented racquet. The sweetspot produced a very muted response at impact. Backhands were a delight compared to hitting forehands. I attributed this to my very flat forehand stroke, and reduced aerodynamics as a result."
Having the most success with the Aero Tour was Wendi. She said, "the Aero Tour felt good while hitting groundstrokes - especially on my two-handed backhand, which I was hitting great with this racquet. The aerodynamic technology of this racquet seemed to work well for me and I found I could generate good speed through the air. I usually play with a plus length racquet, so I will admit I liked the Aero Tour Plus better. My timing and distance from the ball needed to be adjusted a bit when hitting with the Aero Tour."
Volleys
The Aero Tour met with some positive results from our team at net with most testers finding a good level of control on their volleys. After some solid hitting Chad said, "I must say I was much more comfortable at the net. I can't really remember the last time I served and volleyed so much. It was actually quite fun. Volleys did not seem to have that same uncomfortable feel, except on stretch volleys, which felt like all stability had been lost." As with groundstrokes, Wendi was quick to find the groove at net with the Aero Tour. "I was pleased with this racquet at the net," said Wendi, "It had good touch and stability. I was able to keep my volleys under control and pretty deep in the court. I found myself hitting with confidence at the net with this racquet."
Don said he "enjoyed the Aero Tour's mobility at net. I was able to respond to hard passing shots and usually get my racquet on the ball. The lower power level of this racquet allowed me to be aggressive without concern for the ball flying. I could also hit deft angle and drop volleys with ease."
Chris also found plenty of control at net with the Aero Tour, saying, "I found the Aero Tour fairly predictable on volleys, but again felt too much feedback when catching the ball near the top of the hoop. Although the stiffness of the frame did not lend itself well to off-center shots (in terms of feel), the racquet head did remain stable. When hitting volleys in the sweetspot the Aero Tour gave predictable results with a happy medium between decent power and control." Added Granville, "this racquet is very solid, seemingly designed as a volley racquet. Good pop and excellent control are two nice benefits of this racquet."
Serves
For the most part our team found they could generate good racquet head speed on the serve with the Aero Tour. Don said, "I served OK with the Aero Tour Standard, but found myself relying more on placement and spin than raw power for effective serving. Perhaps switching back and forth between the Aero Tour Standard and Plus influenced my opinion, but I found myself thinking the Standard felt short on serves. Even my spin serves didn't have much 'weight' to them." Chris had a somewhat similar experience to Don, saying, "I found my serves landing a little short with the Aero Tour and had to concentrate on hitting the ball higher and deeper to avoid the top of the net. Once adjusted, I was surprised to find more success when hitting flat bombs down the 'T' than when I was hitting spin serves. I found my spin serves were lacking weight, and although I could get some good ball movement, they just did not seem to challenge the returner. This had me trying to beat the returner with flat first serves, and I pretty much saved spin for second serve kickers."
Wendi said, "when serving, the Aero Tour swung easily. As a result, my serves were a lot faster and harder. I also noticed that this racquet gave me more consistency than my usual racquet (Babolat Pure Control Plus)."
Chad was just feeling the groove with the Aero Tour. Chad said, "I might just buy into this whole aerodynamic, like a wing, technology based on my serving experience. At times, it felt effortless to hit a serve. Usually that type of feeling for me comes with a wild serve, but not with the Aero Tour. I consistently hit effective serves and continued to be shocked at how well I was hitting."
Returns
With its aerodynamic frame design the Aero Tour Standard proved to be fairly maneuverable for our team on returns. Appreciating the weight and mass of the Aero Tour on the return was Granville. "This is a solid racquet with good mass," said Granville, adding, "which comes in handy when returning the big serves, as it has enough mass to return some of the energy back to the ball. With some practice you can really move the ball around crosscourt or down the line. Once I started to move the ball around I found some real offensive opportunities."
Wendi said, "the Aero Tour performed great on serve returns. I was able to really hit through the ball, getting a relatively hard and deep return. I also noticed that my down-the-line backhand returns, which is one of my favorite shots, were very effective. The Aero Tour gave me enough power to pull it off consistently."
Chris appreciated the easy swinging Aero Tour on the return, saying, "with a nice and maneuverable feel on the return, I soon found a groove with the Aero Tour. This was perhaps my best shot with this racquet as I felt the power level was just right for driving returns. A little more weight would have been nice to add some more stability to chip returns, but that is being very critical of an otherwise good performance on the return." Don agreed, saying, "the Aero Tour's mobility makes it a good racquet for going after returns. I was more successful when I took even a small swing against big serves. My attempts to block the ball back resulted in short balls or balls in the net."
Chad was a little undecided on the return. He said, "as with other shots, I'm right in the middle between liking and disliking the Aero Tour on the return. I liked being able to slice my returns low with considerable pace (which worked extremely well in doubles matches). But, I did not like the off-center feel this racquet creates. By this I mean it is difficult to swing at a ball coming 100+ mph when you know the shot is not going to feel the way you want."
Overall
The general consensus from our playtest team was that the Aero Tour was a little stiff and unforgiving. Most playtesters stated they would have preferred a more flexible frame. For the most part, the aerodynamic technology of the Aero Tour had a beneficial result on the amount of racquet head speed our playtesters managed to generate. At no time did our team notice the racquet slowing the swing down, even when hitting flat shots. The Aero Tour Standard will appeal to players who take a full swing, and who are seeking a lower powered racquet with a firm feel.
Babolat Aero Tour Combined Scores
(Scores are determined by averaging individual play test scores)
Technical Specifications |
| Length | 27 inches | 69 centimeters |
| Head Size | 97 square inches | 626 square centimeters |
| Weight | 11.5 ounces | 326 grams |
| Balance Point | 12.875 inches 33 centimeters | 5pts Head Light |
| Construction | 17 mm Head / 21 mm Shaft |
| Composition | High Modulus Graphite |
| String Pattern | 16 Mains / 19 Crosses |
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Babolat RDC Ratings |
| Score | Grade |
| Flex Rating | 73 | Range: 0-100 |
| Swing Weight | 316 | Range: 200-400 |
| Manueverability | 0 | |
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Aero Tour Plus Review
Groundstrokes
With an extra half-inch of length and a noticeably higher swingweight, the Aero Tour Plus has the potential to produce some added power and spin from the baseline.
Don immediately noticed a different feel compared to the Aero Tour, saying, "the Aero Tour Plus is noticeably beefier from the baseline than its shorter brother. This is evident in its power level and reduced maneuverability. I could take a medium swing and still generate good pace and depth from both sides. Once I found this out, I didn't have to work as hard to obtain good results. It had the same impressive spin and my slice shots had even more bite. Also, the higher swingweight seemed to add a dampening effect to offset the very firm flex. Overall, a more solid feeling racquet."
The extra length of the Aero Tour Plus was not a welcome addition to Chad's game. Chad said, "extended length racquets have always given me trouble. I can never seem to quite adapt, and the Aero Tour Plus was no exception. As with any extended length racquet, I found that the Aero Tour Plus provided adequate power with a decent amount of spin. The open string pattern allows topspin to be generated quite easily. However, stability and comfort were still an issue for me."
Wendi found the weight and length of the Aero Tour Plus more fitting to her game than the Aero Tour Standard. She said, "the Aero Tour Plus was great from the baseline. It moved through the air very nicely and generated a lot of power for me. The weight was also comfortable and this racquet really fit my swing."
Chris really enjoyed hitting forehands with the Aero Tour Plus, saying, "big, big forehands were the order of the day with this racquet. I was finding lots of pop, spin and enough control to hit much bigger forehands than I would usually attempt. I was also hitting passing shots with more pace and more height which increased my margin for error. With the Aero Tour Plus I found myself going for a little more off the backhand side too, with both slice and topspin being effective. Like the Aero tour, the Aero Tour Plus also felt a little on the stiff side. The increased swingweight did make it more forgiving on off center shots, but I still would have liked a little more dampening from this racquet."
Granville said, "right from the start this racquet provided more pop on the ball than the other two. A more crisp and lively response was also immediately evident - definitely the most powerful of the three Aeros. I could feel the additional length when hitting groundies but I adapted quickly and really enjoyed playing with this racquet - even though my preferred length for racquets is 27 inches. I was also able to generate good action (spin) on the ball."
Volleys
Extended length racquets often come under attack for not being maneuverable at the net. However, the Aero Tour Plus proved to be an exception to this, with most of our team finding the extra length a bonus rather than a hindrance. Granville said, "crisp volleys and a lively feel make this a good racquet for those who like to play aggressively at the net." As he found when hitting from the baseline, Don noticed the heftier feel of the Aero Tour Plus at net. "The Aero Tour Plus isn't speedy at net, but I didn't feel this was a liability," said Don. "I enjoyed the more solid feel and increased pop on my volleys, as well as the additional reach. I volleyed well with this racquet, and like on my groundies, I didn't have to work as hard to hit penetrating shots."
Wendi said, "I liked the Aero Tour Plus at the net. The racquet didn't twist on me at all and I found it quite stable. It had a nice feel to it and the racquet was easy to maneuver."
Chris struggled the most at the net with the Aero Tour Plus. He said, "the joy I was having from the baseline with this racquet did not make the transition to the net. Although maneuverability was good, I found the Aero Tour Plus to twist in my hand slightly when volleying hard struck shots. I also felt like my volleys were a little unpredictable with this racquet. I just could not find the groove at the net and was missing what would otherwise be routine volleys."
Fairing slightly better than Chris at net was Chad. "As anticipated, I struggled a bit with the volley," said Chad. "But I wouldn't blame that on the design of the frame. I think this frame works well for the serve and volleyer or the chip and charger. For me at least, it seemed like this frame was at its best when racquet movement was kept to a minimum."
Serves and Overheads
When it comes to serving with the Aero Tour series racquets, it appears size does matter. With its extra length the Aero Tour Plus scored a slam-dunk with our testers on the serve. Chad asked, "is it legal to just have a serving racquet? If so, the Aero Tour Plus would definitely be a contender. The extended length combined with the exceptional racquet head speed created some monster serves. My spin (into the body) was easily my most effective serve. I had no problem whipping the racquet head around the ball. I could be padding my stats, but I believe it is safe to say that 85% of my first serves went in (yeah, even into the little box)."
Chris was in agreement, saying, "what a great serving racquet. Lots of power from the extra leverage and some excellent spin capability. I found my first serves to have more pace, while I was generating almost as much spin on second serves as I do with my regular racquet. Along with the forehand, the serve was a dynamite shot with this racquet. I really felt like I could generate good pace with very little effort. Overheads felt equally effortless as the Aero Tour Plus really flowed through the contact zone." Added Don, "Serving is where the Aero Tour Plus really shined. The additional half inch of length really made a difference for me in power and spin. I could nail the heater down the middle, slice out wide or hit the kicker to the backhand seemingly at will. This was definitely my favorite Aero Tour for serving."
Granville said, "this was my favorite Aero series racquet to serve with. The extra pop comes from the added length. I found my serves had a bit more movement, taking my opponent a bit further out of the court when hitting slice serves wide. I also saw my kickers hitting the back fence a bit higher than usual. I was happy with my serves using the Aero Tour Plus, although I did find I double faulted with all the Aero racquets more than normal. For whatever reason, I was hitting three of four double faults a set, where I rarely double fault with my regular racquet."
Like the rest of our team, Wendi said she was "was very pleased with the Aero Tour Plus when serving. It gave me great power, and I found a really lively feel off the racquet. I usually play with a plus length racquet so this racquet seemed very natural for me. I served with much better consistency with this version of the Aero Tour series and that was very encouraging."
Returns
The return was another shot where the Aero Tour Plus turned in a solid performance with our team. First to report from the courts was Wend. She said, "I was very confident with this racquet on serve returns. With so much power I could save some arm for later in the point. Since the Aero Tour Plus moves through the air so easily you can really take a good whack at an oncoming serve." Granville also quickly found his groove when returning with the Aero Tour Plus. Granville said, "once again, the Aero Tour Plus was the winner when it came to serve returns. The extra length really seems a plus with this design. I can hit out with confidence and the soft feel remains, giving this racquet good control. At the same time it provided a solid base for returning bigger serves."
"Despite the fairly hefty swingweight," said Don, "I found it possible to hit pretty good returns with the Aero Tour Plus. The additional length and head weight provided more stability and power for blocking back big first serves. When I had time, I could take a medium swing and drive the ball deep." Chris said, "although the Aero Tour Plus is a longer racquet than I am used to playing with, I welcomed the higher swingweight and still found plenty of maneuverability on the return. I had some fun with the power I was getting from this racquet on my forehand and it felt solid on both backhand drive and slice returns. Again, I felt the racquet was too stiff, but this was its only drawback on the return."
Chad had mixed results on the return, saying, "I gotta admit, I usually return fairly well with extended length racquets. The Aero Tour Plus gives you that extra half inch, which comes in handy, but if you're looking for any other kind of advantage, look elsewhere."
Overall
The increase in length and swingweight of the Aero Tour Plus did not hinder our team's performance, and actually seemed to make the stiff Aero Tour beam design more comfortable. The Aero Tour Plus turned in a fairly solid performance in most of our review categories with the strongest performance coming on the serve - where the Aero Tour Plus really fit the bill with our playtesters. The Aero Tour Plus also turned out to be a good tool for returning serves, with members of our team finding success on both drive and chip returns. While the additional power generated when hitting with the Aero Tour Plus was apprreciated by our 3.0 level tester, it benefitted our faster swinging 4.5 level and above players the most.
Babolat Aero Tour Plus Combined Scores
(Scores are determined by averaging individual play test scores)
Technical Specifications |
| Length | 27.5 inches | 70 centimeters |
| Head Size | 97 square inches | 626 square centimeters |
| Weight | 11.6 ounces | 329 grams |
| Balance Point | 12.875 inches 33 centimeters | 7pts Head Light |
| Construction | 17 mm Head / 21 mm Shaft |
| Composition | High Modulus Graphite |
| String Pattern | 16 Mains / 19 Crosses |
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Babolat RDC Ratings |
| Score | Grade |
| Flex Rating | 71 | Range: 0-100 |
| Swing Weight | 330 | Range: 200-400 |
| Manueverability | 0 | |
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Aero Tour Pro Limited Review
Groundstrokes
Heavier, and with a tighter string pattern, the Pro Limited version of the Aero Tour series of racquets is geared more towards the player looking for control. Even though the off-the-shelf strung weight of the Pro Limited is 12.4 ounces, its aerodynamic frame design and head-light balance aim to keep the racquet maneuverable. First in to comment on the Pro Limited at the end of the playtest were Chris and Don. Chris said, "the extra weight and tighter string pattern of the Pro Limited - compared to the other two Aero Tour racquets we tested - really benefited my baseline game. I was finding that little bit of needed help from the weight of the racquet when hitting off-balance, and I was able to hit a much better defensive shot due to the racquet's stability and mass. Plenty of topspin, off both the forehand and backhand, was there for the taking, and I found the Pro Limited more comfortable than the other Aero Tour racquets. Short balls and approach shots were fun to hit as I could take a generous cut at the ball without fear of my shot sailing long. I was also able to really knife some slice backhands with the Pro Limited, and found some good angle on my shots if I came around the side of the ball. In my opinion, the Pro Limited makes the most of the Aero Tour technology. I think players who swing fast enough to take advantage of the aerodynamic qualities of these racquets will also appreciate the more control-oriented response of the tighter string bed. However, the frame is a bit too stiff for me and felt like it needed dampening. If you like a racquet with a stiff feel, you'll find it in the Pro Limited."
Don found the Aero Tour Pro Limited to be very solid from the baseline and said, "it generated more power than I expected. I expected the 12.4 ounce weight to make it unwieldy. However, the weight is nicely distributed along the racquet and I found the Pro Limited full-bodied, yet still mobile in most circumstances. The added weight seemed to provide added power, stability and comfort. I could generate good power with a short to medium swing. Over the course of a long hitting session, though, I found my arm getting tired. Despite the dense string pattern, I was pleasantly surprised at the spin I could generate with the Pro Limited."
Chad struggled to find the groove with the Pro Limited even though he said the racquet was not detrimental to the level of his play. Chad said, "While hitting with the Pro Limited I didn't feel like I was making solid contact with the ball, but my shots were still going in. I could definitely feel the added weight of this racquet compared to the other Aero Tour racquets, but it did not seem to effect my game one way or another. One advantage this racquet does have is it allowed me to really swing at the ball. I never felt like I couldn't give it my all when I wanted to. I would have to classify the Pro Limited as a definite player's racquet."
Wendi was another player struggling to find the groove with the Pro Limited. Wendi said, "I wasn't very pleased with the Pro Limited on groundstrokes. I think I need more power in a racquet because I don't have the arm strength to make it work for me. The tight stringbed gave plenty of control, although I felt as though I was hitting a wall. I felt really worn out after a point and I think you have to work too hard with this racquet. On a perfect setup this racquet hit pretty nice, but if my timing was a little off I had a terrible time getting the ball over the net. Being a beginning player, I need all the help I can get."
Granville said, "the Pro Limited seems the heaviest and most cumbersome of the three racquets. Underpowered, it just does not have the playability of the other two. It plays heavier than similarly weighted racquets, yet provides less pop at impact. The Estusa Power Beam comes to mind as a comparable racquet. However, the Pro Limited does not have the same playability as the Estusa. The tighter string pattern may be a factor here."
Volleys
The weight of the Pro Limited made its presence known to our playtesters on the volley. Struggling with the heft of the Pro Limited was Granville. "It was difficult to overcome the weighty feel of this racquet," said Granville. "Off-center shots provided little to no rebound. I had to hit the ball just right to get the feel I am accustomed to with my Wilson ProStaff 6.1."
Chad faired better, saying, "I found it difficult to create a lot of pop on the volley, but that really was my only complaint. My contact felt solid, not crisp like my LiquidMetal Radical Midplus, but solid."
Don found that good technique went a long way in dealing with the Pro LimitedŐs weight. "If I was on my toes and kept the racquet in front, I could volley well with the Pro Limited," said Don. "Its weight demands good technique, and if I got sloppy, the results weren't pretty. Even so, the racquet's mass gave me more room for error than the lighter Aero Tour Standard."
Like the majority of our team, Wendi is also used to playing with a lighter racquet. Wendi said, "at the net the Pro Limited felt very short compared to the racquet I normally play with. This racquet seemed stiff and heavy. I wasn't very comfortable with it at the net."
Chris, whose regular racquet is heavier than the Pro Limited, but more head light, probably had the easiest transition volleying with the Pro Limited. After the three-week playtest he had this to say, "lots of control and predictability summed up my volleying experience with the Pro Limited. Power was there if I added it with a bit more punch, but for the most part I found using my opponent's pace and just guiding the ball produced the best results. Touch volleys felt good as I was getting plenty of feel. I also felt confident going for put-a-way high volleys with this racquet, and I never felt like I was going to over-hit."
Serves
Both Granville and Wendi felt the weight of the Pro Limited restricted their serving ability. Wendi said, "on the serve I didn't like the Pro Limited. I may not be a consistent enough player to serve with this racquet. If all my cards fell together perfectly I could get a good serve, but that isn't too often so I experienced some frustration. My current racquet is a plus length racquet, so this racquet seemed very short in comparison." Granville said, "again, the heavy feel of this racquet was a strain on the shoulder and arm. The racquet just felt too hefty for me."
Don felt the weight of the Pro Limited on his serve, but maintained a good level of serving. Don said, "I served well with the Pro Limited but found my arm getting tired after awhile. I'm simply used to lighter racquets. However, I got good pace and spin as long as my arm held up."
"Although there is not much power to be had from the stringbed," said Chris, "I was able to generate plenty of racquet head speed on the serve. I liked the overall weight and balance of this racquet while serving, too. Once I got the racquet in motion, it seemed to just flow through the contact zone with a nice solid feel at impact. With plenty of racquet head speed, spin was easy to generate. I hit some nice kick and slice serves with the Pro Limited. I found similar amounts of racquet head speed when hitting overheads and had to be careful not to get ahead of the ball on the first few overheads I hit."
Chad had the best results on the serve finding the weight of the Pro Limited working in his favor. Chad said, "put it this way, when we were finished my opponent commented on how well I served, even re-enacting several of my kick serves that he had to return over his head (and I wasn't playing against Joe Pesci either). I was truly impressed by the minimal effort I had to put forward to generate serves with power and movement. When you have a formula like that working for you it's easy to enjoy the art of the serve and volley game."
Returns
Our playtesters experienced mixed results when returning serve with the Pro Limited, with our two fastest swinging players having the best results. Both Chad and Chris had good success returning with the Pro Limited. Chad said, "the denser string pattern helped out on my returns. I felt a little more in control than with the other two Aero Tour racquets. I also gained a little more confidence, especially on the second serve, where I threw a few chip and charge return combinations at my opponent." Chris said, "even though the Pro Limited is heavier than the other Aero Tour racquets we tested, I still found a good level of maneuverability on the return. The Pro Limited felt better the faster I swung and I soon found myself really driving all but the toughest to reach serves. The lower powered stringbed enabled me to get the control needed to really attack the ball."
Granville found he had to be on his game to return well with the Pro Limited. He said, "as with all player's racquets of this type and weight, you have to have all the pieces come together at the same time; weight moving forward, racquet out front, blocking the ball. It takes some muscle to power through a return with this stick." Wendi found the weight and low power level that hindered her groundstrokes also effected her returns. She said, "when returning serve I experienced the same problems as on the groundstrokes. When lined up perfectly I managed to hit well, but when on the run, or if I had any timing issues, I had a hard time."
Don said, "less was more with the Pro Limited when it came to serve returns. I could set the racquet and guide returns down the line or crosscourt. When time permitted, I could take a fuller swing but found it better to temper my backswings to avoid being late."
Overall
The Aero Tour Pro Limited is demanding to use, but rewarding if you have the swing type and strength to wield the 12.4 ounce mass and low powered stringbed. It's best suited to fast swinging aggressive players. While the weight and design of the racquet hindered our flatter hitting playtesters, the weight did have the bonus effects of both dampening the feel of the stiff Aero Tour beam design and providing the racquet with more stability at contact. We found that a long swing style is not enough for the Pro Limited, and we recommend flat hitters look elsewhere. If, on the other hand, you like to attack the ball with spin and can generate plenty of racquet head speed, the Pro Limited is well worth a try.
Babolat Aero Tour Pro Limited Combined Scores
(Scores are determined by averaging individual play test scores)
Technical Specifications |
| Length | 27 inches | 69 centimeters |
| Head Size | 97 square inches | 626 square centimeters |
| Weight | 12.4 ounces | 352 grams |
| Balance Point | 13 inches 33 centimeters | 4pts Head Light |
| Construction | 17 mm Head / 21 mm Shaft |
| Composition | High Modulus Graphite |
| String Pattern | 18 Mains / 20 Crosses |
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Babolat RDC Ratings |
| Score | Grade |
| Flex Rating | 73 | Range: 0-100 |
| Swing Weight | 335 | Range: 200-400 |
| Manueverability | 0 | |
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Playtester Profiles |
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Chad
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5.0 all-court player currently using a Head Liquidmetal Radical MP. Chad is an aggressive fast swinging player using a semi-western forehand grip and a two-handed backhand.
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Chris
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5.0 baseline player currently using a Yonex MP Tour-1 Midsize. Chris uses a full-western forehand grip, has a fast swing style and hits a one-handed backhand.
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Don
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4.5-5.0 All court player currently using a ProKennex Kinetic 7G. Don is an aggressive player with a medium to fast swing style, using a semi-western forehand grip and a one-handed backhand.
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Granville
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5.5 all-court player currently using a Wilson Hyper ProStaff 6.1 95. Granville is an aggressive player who uses an eastern forehand grip and goes continental on everything else, hits with a flat swing and a one-handed backhand.
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Wendi
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3.0 player currently using a Babolat Pure Control Plus. Wendi is a steady but aggressive player who hits with a semi-western forehand grip and a two-handed backhand.
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Review date: August, 2003. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.
All content copyright 2003 Tennis Warehouse.
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