In a couple of months’ time, the armchair tennis fanatics will be sat in front of their television screens watching the world’s oldest and most prestigious tennis competition that is The Championships, or simply known as Wimbledon. But why wait until July? Grab a tennis racket and hit your local tennis courts (there are more around than you think, I have one about a mile from my house that I was unaware of until I started looking – and it is even free to use at certain times of the day and only £4 at busier peak periods. You can find and book a public court at https://www.lta.org.uk/play/book-a-tennis-court/).
I am not a what you would call a “sporty person” and the bulk of my exercise comes from walking, I generally walk at least 5 miles every day. Whilst I do watch the odd Wimbledon tennis match, I haven’t played tennis since I was a child (a long time ago). So with a public tennis court close to home we decided to get outside, enjoy the outdoors and “try” to play a game of tennis (a game I am definitely much better at watching it on the telly).
As a complete novice, I needed to get a tennis racket. Who knew there could be so many different styles and levels of tennis rackets? Not me, that’s for sure. There are all round rackets, power rackets, control rackets, rackets for spin, rackets for kids, juniors and adults, rackets for different skill levels, rackets with different sized heads and different grip sizes, stringed and unstringed – a lot to take in. But whether you are new to playing tennis or a seasoned player, a good place to start to get the correct racket for you is Tennis HQ. Tennis HQ have a wide range of rackets from beginner to professional with prices starting from £15 to around the £250 mark and they have plenty of advice on their website to guide you.
I wanted a racket suitable for a beginner and one that would be good for adults and pre-teens. Welcome to the Babolat Pulsion Tour Tennis Racket. This racket is best suited for beginners as it has a larger head, weighs only 285g and has a length of 27” (68.5cm). It is balanced for manoeuvrability, control, playability and power.
Specifications:
- String Tension Range: 50-55lbs
- Racket Balance: 4 Points In Head Light
- Balance Point (+/- 5mm): 330
- Racket Strung?: Yes
- String Pattern: 16×20
- Exact Racket Head Size: 102 In² / 660 Cm²
- Material: Graphite
- Beam Width (mm): 24
- Weight: 285 Grams
- Overall Length: 27″ / 68.5cm
- Suitable For: Beginners
- Racket Bag Included: Yes
The Babolat Pulsion Tour is an excellent tennis racket. It comes supplied in its own zippered racket bag with adjustable shoulder strap. Before even taking it out of the bag, the first thing you notice is the light weight (285g). Once out of the bag it looks great with its black colouring with splashes of silver and green, constructed from graphite composite. And it feels very good to hold, the grip is large and comfortable. Whilst it is an excellent tennis racket, durable and high quality, I am never going to be the next Tim Henman, Andy Murray or Roger Federer. I might be lucky (with practice and Mansour Bahrami teaching me a few trick shots) to beat the retired John McEnroe if he sat in a chair and didn’t move.
But we weren’t playing to be the next Wimbledon champ, we were playing for fun and we had lots of energetic enjoyment playing without taking the game too seriously (although it is pleasing when winning a game and winning a set left me ecstatic).
Overall, the Babolat Pulsion Tour Tennis Racket is an excellent racket for tennis players just starting out. It is a good weight, light without being too light or flimsy. It is constructed very well and the large head helps to hit the ball better and with a bit of precision (and I would imagine that this will get better with more practice).
A very versatile, reliable, sturdy and durable racket that is always ready for action. Baseline battles or serving up aces, this racket has the power, control and enough spin to make your head… well, spin and made me look a better tennis player than I actually am.
Whether you are a seasoned tennis player, an occasional player or a complete novice looking to try out the sport, this is a very good starting racket, perfect for enjoying the outdoors, keeping active and getting some exercise, all whilst having some fun.
Game, set and match!
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £65 (currently £51.99, saving 20%).
For more information or to buy, visit www.tennishq.co.uk.