It was noticed at the beginning of the season that some of the Babolat players were using a new string. People have wanted to know more about the string and why the players have switched to the new black string – so here it is.
In February Babolat announced their new string, RPM blast, a string will multiple facets, allowing the players a greater grip on ball. The monofilament string allows more spin with more power and increases the margin for error, meaning that the players can go for a little more on their shots then they could with other strings.
Scarily, Rafael Nadal, the player with the most spin on the circuit, is using the string to get even more spin on his balls, making them even heavier. Nadal’s previously measured 3,200 average revolutions per minute, with the Spaniard maxing out at 4,900 revolutions. Other former top players like Agassi and Sampras averaged 1,800 revolutions, emphasizing the huge difference that technology, and Nadal’s unique technique make on spin. Basically this means, before he adds the new RPM Blast strings, his balls spin roughly 80 times in the time it takes the ball to leave his racket and find that of his opponents.
“With this new string, I have more spin, and it helps me hit deeper. We have worked hard with Babolat.” – Rafael Nadal
