Wozniaki Signs again with Babolat

[Nostradamus]

Article from Tennis magazine.


Wozniacki signs with Babolat

Sunday, December 22, 2013 /by Matt Cronin

After playing with a blacked-out racket for much of last season, Caroline Wozniacki has signed a new deal with Babolat. Wozniacki was playing with a Yonex racquet for about two years until she went into slump and then stopped playing with her frame in the late spring. She then began playing with a blacked-out racket, which many presumed was a Babolat, as she had played with one prior to signing with Yonex in 2011.

“I'm looking for a little more power, but also a little more control at the same time, such as I might get a little more spin on the ball, she told Ekstra Bladet.

Wozniacki would not reveal which Babolat frame she will play with, but she will play in the Brisbane International which begins next week.

The former No. 1 and current No. 10 is also working with new coach Thomas Hogstedt, who coached Maria Sharapova up until the summer.

 

[Nostradamus]

I Always thought Yonex too gave good power. Is Babolat that much more powerful ?

 

[Topspin Shot]

Now it's Rory's turn to switch back to Titleist.

 

[Lukhas]

I Always thought Yonex too gave good power. Is Babolat that much more powerful ?

I don't know about Yonex frames, but what I know is that Yonex gives more money than Babolat. :lol: Now about the second part of your post... Who knows, custom frames. However, when Woz' switched back to her (most likely) APD towards the grass season, she was serving much better. That racquet is just what she grew up with, she likes it and it can't really be argued.

Link to the article: http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/12/wozniacki-signs-babolat/50042/#.Urcw8LSsyKI

 

[raging]

Now it's Rory's turn to switch back to Titleist.

has been using Titleist for ages...like Caro with Babolat.

 

[LarryZhang]

Wozzy was doing good around the beginning of 2011, with a Yonex

Maybe racquet is not the main problem...

 

[LarryZhang]

I Always thought Yonex too gave good power. Is Babolat that much more powerful ?

Babolat is

But I don't believe that Yonex can't manage to add more power if they really want to :?

 

[XFactorer]

Yonex has powerful racquets, too... just nothing that they'd want a pro to use - besides ol' Date-Krumm.

 

[WILSONKGUT]

I found Yonex racquet's isometric shape head lack consistency and predictability compared to oval shape head.

 

[Bartelby]

What she missed was familiarity. Like lots of people around here brand choice is an essentially irrational one with powerful effects.

 

[corners]

I Always thought Yonex too gave good power. Is Babolat that much more powerful ?

No, Babolat is certainly not more powerful. These are just sticks of graphite, after all. But she has to say something, right? It wouldn't do for the press release to read: "My career is kind of going downhill. I decided to take my old Babs out of the closet, just to see. After all, these are the frames that I had my best wins with. I don't think they are better than the clones Yonex made for me, really, but I feel a little more comfortable with them, and little things make a difference at this level. Plus, Babolat threw a bunch of money at me to come back to them. Life is great."

 

[raging]

doesn't sound like Caroline.

It took her a long time to get used to her strings, set-up and she really worked hard to get used to the Yonex frames.

Knowing the Yonex guys they tried hard to accomodate her.
Back to black..Babolat.

She will be working hard to get back top 10 in 2014.

oops top 5...yes I forgot (according to some on TW) she is an underachiever, hack, former no. 1 but still not allowed to change rackets???

 

[jackcrawford]

No, Babolat is certainly not more powerful.

The APD has a lot more power than the VCore 100, IMO.

 

[pug]

What she missed was familiarity. Like lots of people around here brand choice is an essentially irrational one with powerful effects.

True, and if it breeds confidence then it is a great move for her.

 

[racertempo]

No, Babolat is certainly not more powerful. These are just sticks of graphite, after all. But she has to say something, right? It wouldn't do for the press release to read: "My career is kind of going downhill. I decided to take my old Babs out of the closet, just to see. After all, these are the frames that I had my best wins with. I don't think they are better than the clones Yonex made for me, really, but I feel a little more comfortable with them, and little things make a difference at this level. Plus, Babolat threw a bunch of money at me to come back to them. Life is great."

I could not agree more. One of my favorite sayings is, "a good craftsman never blames their tools". Yonex was not the reason she was struggling a little, she just needs that comfort of mentally blaming it on the frame....which I will do as well....sometimes you just need something different to spark the change.

 

[sureshs]

I could not agree more. One of my favorite sayings is, "a good craftsman never blames their tools". Yonex was not the reason she was struggling a little, she just needs that comfort of mentally blaming it on the frame....which I will do as well....sometimes you just need something different to spark the change.

She is a much better craftsman that you will ever be.

I suppose Federer is also a lousy craftsman because he is a practicing with a new frame right now.

Master craftsmen need to use the best to remain on the top. Proverbs are just proverbs - generalized statements made by pompous old men in the past to justify their prejudices.

 

[bigmatt]

has been using Titleist for ages...like Caro with Babolat.

Maybe you missed it, but Rory signed a huge Nike deal the first of this year.

 

[forthegame]

.... Proverbs are just proverbs - generalized statements made by pompous old men in the past to justify their prejudices.

Hmmm.... I need to think about this one...

 

[sureshs]

Hmmm.... I need to think about this one...

That itself is a proverb

 

[racertempo]

She is a much better craftsman that you will ever be.

I suppose Federer is also a lousy craftsman because he is a practicing with a new frame right now.

Master craftsmen need to use the best to remain on the top. Proverbs are just proverbs - generalized statements made by pompous old men in the past to justify their prejudices.

Maybe you missed it, but Rory signed a huge Nike deal the first of this year.

I think he did miss the point completely. Changing frames because technology is better and advanced is fine. Fed is not blaming his frame at all and is just playing around....all of the players do this in the off season. However, I am a huge Woz fan but the blaming of Yonex is just ridiculous.

What about her string setup, was that changed? Again, a good craftsman never blames their tools, pure and simple. It is not a proverb, but it is very very true. How many golfers say that the reason their game is struggling is due to their Nike clubs and not their old Titleist....or that their ball did not have enough spin to hold the green on the last hole? None.....but they all try new technology.

These are pros, and most of the main players almost never change manufacturers.....now Woz has twice in 2-3 years.

 

[racertempo]

Master craftsmen need to use the best to remain on the top. Proverbs are just proverbs - generalized statements made by pompous old men in the past to justify their prejudices.

So are you saying that Babolat is the "the best"? Is so then why doesn't every single player use them? Are you saying Yonex is inferior equipment? If so then why do any pros use them with success?

It is not the frame, or the tool, which was my point.

 

[tistrapukcipeht]

It has nothing to do with the racquet, let alone Yonex racquets which are superior made to Babolat arm killers.

In her first year with Yonex she kept the #1, and won the tournaments she had in the past, though a lot of good players were out of their best, then she started to date Rory which took her mind away from tennis, as she couldn't blame it on anything else she took her old racquets when in a slump, and then Yonex fired her. She was the one saying she could play with a frying pan, so the racquet was definitely not an option for her predicament, rather herself.

So now she is back, training hard (which she hadn't done in sometime) with no boyfriend and with a coach, so automatically she should have better results, if she doesn't have better results, she should quit playing tennis and start another profession.

 

[BLX_Andy]

has been using Titleist for ages...like Caro with Babolat.

Yeah, his clubs were PJ'd black so he wouldn't get in trouble. :lol:

 

[Rjtennis]

It has nothing to do with the racquet, let alone Yonex racquets which are superior made to Babolat arm killers.

In her first year with Yonex she kept the #1, and won the tournaments she had in the past, though a lot of good players were out of their best, then she started to date Rory which took her mind away from tennis, as she couldn't blame it on anything else she took her old racquets when in a slump, and then Yonex fired her. She was the one saying she could play with a frying pan, so the racquet was definitely not an option for her predicament, rather herself.

So now she is back, training hard (which she hadn't done in sometime) with no boyfriend and with a coach, so automatically she should have better results, if she doesn't have better results, she should quit playing tennis and start another profession.

Woz was more fit last year then ever and she put up horrible results by her standard. Her decline has more to do with her lack of power and the tour getting better in general. Any power player knows they have a good chance against her and its tough to grind/defend your way through matches week after week. Woz's best days are behind her unless the level of talent on tour drops again.

 

[racertempo]

Woz was more fit last year then ever and she put up horrible results by her standard. Her decline has more to do with her lack of power and the tour getting better in general. Any power player knows they have a good chance against her and its tough to grind/defend your way through matches week after week. Woz's best days are behind her unless the level of talent on tour drops again.

But her power was no less then it was when she was number one. I would argue that her drop was from getting away from her normal game to try and be more aggressive, but that is just an opinion.

Either way, the frame itself if not going to give that much power, it is mostly about the string setup which I know she also played around with in 2013. I think it was just the comfort of going back to something she had success with.

 

[West Coast Ace]

These are pros, and most of the main players almost never change manufacturers.....now Woz has twice in 2-3 years.

+1. Grasping at straws. Those around her let her down at the end of her junior career - should have started teaching her to flatten out and hit more powerful groundies. Now she's trying to play catch up. Had a nice run and will be a decent career - but could have been so much more - could have won a major or 2 or 3.

 

[raging]

Yeah, his clubs were PJ'd black so he wouldn't get in trouble. :lol:

I'd like to see Rory PJing his Nike Ball black as well! - my speculation is that he has been using Titleist balls with a Nike brand on them.

It has been done before on the golf tour.

No proof mind

But it is in keeping with this thread.

 

[Team10]

Delete post

 

[Nostradamus]

^^date with start of contract has not started yet

 

[anhuynh16]

^those are from the US Open....

I saw pics of her practicing,she is using an unblacked PJ

 

[Team10]

My bad it said those were from a day ago. Found newer pics.

So the aeropro it is, no surprise there.