Junior Rackets?

[dropshotlob]

my son is moving from a 25in to a 26in frame. he's been using the babolat pure aero junior 25. i grew up playing mostly prince, POG's to be exact. i switched to the dr98 myself last fall and i am debating getting the junior version for my son, who is 10 now. i tried several babolat frames over the years and never really liked the feel (lack of it to be exact). is the junior game mostly about pounding the ball these days and thus should i stick with babolat, or am i justified in thinking that maybe developing some feel and touch would be a good thing? also considering the wilson blade for him. Any suggestions would be appreciated. thanks!!

 

[styksnstryngs]

Touch and feel is never a bad thing. I'd go with more of a players frame to protect his tendons as his strokes develop and he hits harder as well.

 

[Karma Tennis]

IMO, it depends on how much time he is spending on the court and what he is actually doing.

If he is mainly doing lessons, squads, training etc. then a "softer" racquet will certainly be preferable as it will teach him to generate power using his movement and stroke technique rather than relying too much on the equipment.

If he plays a lot of competitive tennis and winning is important to him then the equipment might become more of a factor in the equation. If he understands that it's not all about winning at this stage then a "softer" racquet again will be more preferable and serve him well in the longer term.

Keep in mind that MOST 26 inch racquets are much softer (flexier) than their 27inch counterparts regardless of brand, and that does include Babolat. So if he wants to move to a 26 inch Babolat racquet, that should be fine. It's when he moves to a 27 inch racquet where things like racquet stiffness will become a more important factor.

 

[neverstopplaying]

I was very surprised to find out that my son's 26in Babolat Pure Drive was actually a metal hoop disguised as a fiber frame - not indicated anwhere in the marketing info. And this was the premium line, not a cheapie.

I don't see any reason to search out a stiff 26in frame. Both my son and daughter play competitive tennis, though they now play adult racquets. My daughter loved her 26in Prince. I always prioritize comfort.

 

[ricki]

Babolat 26 inch are really good - feels like combination of aluminuim and graphite - who knows...

 

[AGEE]

Babolat Pure Drive Junior 25 Racquet says it is graphite composite (graphite + aluminium). Any feedbacks on this stick?
Should I buy a graphite rather ...like Babolat Pure Aero Junior 25?

Thanks!

 

[Karma Tennis]

Babolat Pure Drive Junior 25 Racquet says it is graphite composite (graphite + aluminium). Any feedbacks on this stick?
Should I buy a graphite rather ...like Babolat Pure Aero Junior 25?

Thanks!

Depends on the player and your budget. If the player loves their tennis and is not a racquet smasher, then get the best racquets you can afford with a preference towards mostly graphite. If the player loses their temper and has a tendencey to smash or throw racquets in anger then stick with full metal or composite until they grow up a little or until they can buy their own racquets.

Better quality racquets makes the game more enjoyable for serious players. Keep in mind that racquets can also accidently fly out of hand when a player is learning certain fundamentals (eg. serve.). But there is a huge difference between an accidental break and a deliberate break.

Saying all that, at a young age, learning about movement and stroke technique is key. That can be done with any racquet. Most important thing is that the racquet is the correct size for the player AND is strung with either full beds of synthetic gut or multifilament string. Steer clear of all poly strings until at least 13 years of age or even later if possible. Everything else is just a bonus.

 

[BlueB]

Pure Aero Jr is aluminum, Aero Pro Jr is graphite. Yonex AI Jr is graphite. All the rest is aluminum.
Do not believe the "graphite composite", they are all alu. It has to say "graphite" or "100% graphite".
My kid had Prince and Head "graphite composites", they turned out to be aluminum. TW confirmed to me that Blades are aluminum, too.

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[AGEE]

Pure Aero Jr is aluminum, Aero Pro Jr is graphite. Yonex AI Jr is graphite. All the rest is aluminum.
Do not believe the "graphite composite", they are all alu. It has to say "graphite" or "100% graphite".
My kid had Prince and Head "graphite composites", they turned out to be aluminum. TW confirmed to me that Blades are aluminum, too.

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Thanks blueb and karma! Probably will pick the graphite ones and head light as well. Yeah, multi or soft syn gut like forten sweet 16.

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[dropshotlob]

thanks for all the responses. got him the 26in yonex DR. he likes it so far!

 

[AGEE]

Bought 26 inch babolat aero pire aero and wilson ultra for my kids, 8 yr olds and they seem to enjoy it. It is a size bigger for one of my kids, but hwe will catch up pretty fast.

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