With Wimbledon just around the corner, it is time to dig out your fuzzy yellow balls and hit the local free tennis courts (just kick the beer cans out of the way). But, on arrival, you discover your sad old tennis racket just isn’t up to scratch anymore.

Ok, so Babolat might be a bit of overkill (RRP £190.00) for my skill level, but I will happily take it out for a spin in the name of research. Wimbledon Pure Strike 16/19 is from the ‘Pure Strike’ collection and is a Tour racket that comes in black and green or our favourite: the attractive white and green design. Here’s a whole bunch of specs that might mean something to you: it has a head size (cm²) of 630, has a 16/19 string pattern, a 21-23-21mm profile, 320mm balance, 685mm length, 70ra flexibility; strung in Babolat SpiralTek Synthetic Gut, it has a beam width of 21.3/23.3mm, a stringing tension range of 50-59lbs; it is made from a durable graphite and comes with a racket cover.

Designed to deliver both power and precision when attacking and counter-attacking, it sends a fast ball across the net and then allows you to return it with accuracy. It sits comfortably in the hand with a natural and firm grip, and a heavier weight allows you to spin the ball easier. The Wimbledon Pure Strike has wide beam sections for a stable and balanced hold with each strike. The Wimbledon utilises a ‘Technologies Response Woofer’, the first and most effective frame-string link system with a longer ball/string contact time for more control whilst maintaining comfort.

I loved playing with this racket and immediately noticed an improvement in my game: I had more control over each shot and returned the majority of the balls much faster than before, and it’s so comfortable in the hand that I think this time you get what you pay for! RRP £190.00

5 out of 5

Buy now

Pros

Delivers fast and powerful balls

Lightweight

Good balance

Excellent control

Attractive design

Accurate