Tennis Racquets Are Going Social

Finally, it is here. A tennis racquet, as smart as your smartphone! Tennis racquets are going social.

Well, maybe not as smart as your phone, but close. It has an app; it can track your performance – strokes, power, and technique – and it can share that information with your friends. If that is not a smart racquet, I don’t know what is!  

No, I am not talking about Wii tennis. A connected tennis racquet is what I am referring to. For the equivalent of around four hundred dollars, you can now buy a tennis racquet that can make you feel like a pro, and a techno-geek at the same time! It is called the Babolat Play Pure Drive.

Interested? Read on…

Babolat, as a business, has been around since the late 19^th century. The company, primarily known as the manufacturer of natural guts, has emerged as the supplier of racquets to some high-profile tennis players including Rafael Nadal.

With the introduction of the connected racquet, Babolat is breaking new ground. A sensor technology built into the handle of the Babolat Play Pure Drive helps players capture and analyze data related to their game. A wide range of data that can be analyzed includes, among other things, power, endurance, technique, and stroke type – serve, forehand/backhand, slice, top-spin, etc. It also lets you know if your shots are catching the sweet spot versus the less optimal areas of the racquet. Check out this video from Tennis Express.

The social and connected aspect of the racquet is achieved through Bluetooth technology that you can use to sync the data from your racquet to a smartphone. The smartphone app, called Babolat Play, helps transfer the data to your smartphone and analyze it to your heart’s content. Based on the analysis, you can make adjustments to your game or work on improving the “pulse” of your game, which may mean that you have to play more often.

If you are the sharing type, you can connect with other users who have downloaded the Babolat Play app and compare notes of your progress or lack thereof.

As you recharge your body after a long game, the racquet can be charged using the USB connector discreetly incorporated into the rear of the racquet handle. The app also has the ability to track and analyze a person’s game in real-time, which may be a good way for a coach to fine-tune the player’s technique.

As gimmicky as this may sound, a number of pros and non-professionals appear to be buying into the story of the connected racquet.

So, are you ready for a connected tennis racquet? Or, are you going to wait for the squash equivalent?