How Babolat Changed Power and Speed Of Tennis The Game Will Never Be The Same
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00:00 Tennis has been one of the most played and renowned games in the world and many big brands
00:06 have played a part in its success.
00:09 Babola has been one of the foremost innovators and has had a big impact on the history of
00:15 tennis.
00:16 This can be seen through their development of strings and rackets, but also in a more
00:22 behind the scenes capacity with their stringing and customization machines.
00:28 From a stringing and customization standpoint, they have been at the pinnacle for decades.
00:35 Their stringing machines have combined reliability, precision, ease of use and inspire confidence
00:42 among touring professionals when they turn up at any event.
00:47 The fact that the Babola Star 4 is still used by the most prominent traveling stringing
00:52 company is a testament to the brand's quality.
00:56 The RDC machine has also allowed racket technicians the ability to measure and adjust a racket's
01:03 specifications so that the weight, balance and swing weight can be fine-tuned to each
01:10 individual player's needs.
01:12 Welcome to the rich rabbit!
01:13 And today we will be talking about Babola, a brand that has played a major part in the
01:20 success of tennis.
01:23 But first things first, if you haven't yet subscribed to our channel, please do consider
01:27 doing it.
01:28 And don't forget to click the bell icon.
01:31 A year after tennis was born, Pierre Babola would change the sport forever.
01:37 In 1875, at his home in Lyon, France, Babola fashioned racket strings from sheep intestines,
01:45 a process that was deemed revolutionary.
01:49 Babola strings would stand the test of time, helping to produce some of the game's greatest
01:55 champions, including 19-time major winner Rafael Nadal.
02:02 It also provided the foundation of a five-generation family business that continues to thrive 150
02:09 years later.
02:10 The company's roots and reputation started with the invention of tennis racket strings,
02:17 and eventually expanded its footprint to produce some of the best-quality tennis, squash and
02:23 badminton equipment.
02:26 In 1925, Albert Babola introduced the VS natural gut string, taking the company and the sport
02:34 to another level in France.
02:36 A group of players known as the Musketeers received string samples listed alphabetically.
02:44 When the four players, Jean Beauretre, Jacques Brunion, Henri Couchet and René Lacoste reached
02:51 sample V, it was agreed V is superior, hence the name V superior or VS.
02:59 Lacoste and Suzanne Langlaine became the first players to win the French Open with Babola
03:05 strings.
03:06 Wait, we've done a video on René Lacoste and his brand, so do have a look at it after
03:12 this.
03:13 Their VS natural gut strings have evolved quite extensively over the years, with coatings
03:19 being added to help increase its life as well as hold up better in extreme weather situations.
03:25 It is quite uncommon that the gut is used for a full stringing job on tour now.
03:31 However, its comfort, tension maintenance and power are still used by between 30-40%
03:38 of the professionals as part of a hybrid.
03:41 With that in mind, Babola had to join the polyester revolution and they have done so
03:46 with large success.
03:49 Their RPM Blast string is one of the most popular strings among professionals and is
03:54 always in the top three types of string used at any big event.
04:00 In the wake of World War II, manufacturers' interest in synthetic materials led Babola
04:06 to invent the first synthetic string in 1955, known as Elasticord.
04:12 In 1981, the company introduced the first electric stringing machine called the Exclusive.
04:20 This machine was a more reliable means of stringing, by having a computerized electric
04:26 motor control the tension, allowing for more accuracy.
04:31 The following year, Babola released Elastocross, an innovative racket string protector which
04:37 functions to prolong an installed string's lifespan.
04:41 In 1992, Babola created the Racket Diagnostic Center technology, allowing for a quick and
04:48 reliable diagnosis of a racket's weight, balance, swing weight and flexibility.
04:54 Two years later, Babola introduced its first tennis racket, the iconic PureDrive.
05:01 The success of this racket was celebrated with Carlos Moya's 1998 win at the French
05:07 Open.
05:09 After its introduction in the mid-90s, the PureDrive racket lays a huge claim to changing
05:15 the game as we know it.
05:17 Gone are the days of serve and volleying dominating the tour.
05:22 The extra power and spin potential available from the PureDrive has allowed players to
05:28 move further back and be able to hit shots never before possible, creating angles and
05:34 added power to pass anyone who ventured forward.
05:39 Since then, every racket has become more powerful, with a wider range of rackets available in
05:45 the 300-gram mark than any other.
05:48 Further technological advancements of the racket arrived five years later with Woofer,
05:54 an interactive system of a racket's frame and strings when making contact.
05:59 Babola Tennis Balls came into play in 2001.
06:04 And two years later, the company started selling tennis clothing, footwear and accessories.
06:10 During 2003, the French company teamed up with Michelin, the world's leading tire expert,
06:16 to create its first shoe.
06:19 Babola discovered that in tennis, 80% of movements are lateral or diagonal.
06:26 They worked with a R&D team to develop shoes 100% dedicated to the movements in tennis.
06:32 Furthermore, tennis star Nadal adopted the launch of the new Aero Racket concept.
06:39 It is the world's first aerodynamic frame and bestseller at Merchant of Tennis.
06:46 Two years later, Nadal won the first of his many French Open titles using rackets and
06:51 strings produced by Babola, a company that began in a home just over 450 kilometers south
06:58 of Paris.
07:00 The Pure Aero took the power and maneuverability of the Pure Drive and added a frame design
07:06 to maximize spin.
07:09 When looking at the aggressive swing angle of Nadal, Babola reworked the frame geometry
07:15 to allow the racket to cut through the air.
07:18 This allowed the player to turn a faster swing into more spin.
07:24 During the 2005 season, American Andy Roddick signed a contract with Babola to wear Team
07:30 All-Court shoes.
07:32 The professional tennis player was known for using the Pure Drive Roddick, a customized
07:38 version of the Pure Drive Tour and a bestseller.
07:42 In 2010, Babola helped Nadal stay on top by launching RPM Blast, a string optimized for
07:49 spin production.
07:51 Three years later, Babola launched the Play Pure Drive, a sensor racket that collects
07:58 data on a player's game and transfers to a smartphone or tablet application for analysis.
08:04 Unfortunately, this company does not exist without controversy.
08:10 It manufactures Vibrasorbs, the functionality of which has been questioned in the past.
08:17 Some of its dampeners have flown out of players' rackets and some dampeners are too thick.
08:24 The best tennis dampeners will stay in, which means they interfere with the optimal aerodynamics
08:30 of the swing.
08:31 In 2015, the officials of the French Open decided to change from Dunlop to Babola tennis
08:37 balls.
08:38 This caused quite a stir among players during the tournament, many of whom felt that Babola
08:44 tennis balls were fast and difficult to control.
08:48 However, people seemed to love Babola products despite these controversies.
08:52 Today, Babola is known as the oldest racket sport company and is found in more than 100
08:59 countries.
09:00 Since 1998, the current CEO of the family-owned business is Eric Babola.
09:07 Babola has changed the game by providing new rackets that are lightweight but still have
09:12 a great feel.
09:14 These rackets would go best with the PowerSorb weighted vibration dampener because of the
09:20 excess power Babola rackets can provide.
09:24 And with that, it's time for my tennis lesson and I'll take a hike.
09:29 But we sure hope that you liked our video and found it informative.
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09:45 And I'll see you in the next video.