Wilson have launched an eye-catching new Roland Garros collection of products that have been inspired by the French Open.

Clay season is arguably the most unique time of the year on the tennis calendar, with the aesthetic being one of the most beloved by fans as well.

Wilson, who are the world’s leading racket sports brand, have paid tribute to the pinnacle of the European clay swing by releasing a limited-edition collection, including rackets, balls and bags.

The company are already the official ball and stringer supplier for the tournament, but they have now gone a step further.

In total, there are 50 products from which to choose, all carrying the iconic branding of both Wilson and Roland Garros.

“With the Roland-Garros collection we want to give the fans of this Grand Slam and clay tennis players the opportunity to be closer to the unique Roland-Garros experience and get the best clay specific products in the market”, said Bertrand Blanc, Senior Director, Global Commercial Racquet Sports at Wilson.

Highlights of the Wilson Roland Garros collection

ROLAND-GARROS BLADE 98 (16X19) V8 TENNIS RACKET

Aggressive, precise ball-strikers will appreciate the feel and torsional stability of this Wilson tennis racket. It has all the features and specs of the Blade 98 16×19 v8 with a design inspired by Roland-Garros.

The main appeal lies in the frame layup, which accommodates the modern, vertical swing path common to competitive players. FORTYFIVE° increases both the flexibility and stability of the frame to lend supreme feel for the ball on every shot.

Buy the ROLAND-GARROS BLADE 98 (16X19) V8 TENNIS RACKET

ROLAND-GARROS CLASH 100 V2 TENNIS RACKET

This Wilson tennis racket takes the playability of the Clash 100 v2 and mixes it with a design inspired by the biggest clay court tennis tournament in the world.

The Clash 100 Roland-Garros offers flexibility and stability thanks to the patented FORTYFIVE° construction. The tip of the hoop has been reconstructed, stretching the sweet spot and enhancing stability up higher in the string bed. The result? A great all-around racket with plenty of style.

Buy the ROLAND-GARROS CLASH 100 V2 TENNIS RACKET

ROLAND GARROS CLAY COURT BALL CAN

Wilson have been the official ball supplier at Roland Garros since 2020, so there is no more authentic choice for your own clay court outings.

With a core designed for longer rallies and a felt that limits moisture and dirt build-up for maximum consistency during tight points, the Wilson Roland Garros ball creates the perfect performance fit for the clay court season. The balls are available in two versions a 3-balls and a 4-balls can.

Buy the ROLAND-GARROS CLAY COURT BALL CAN

ROLAND-GARROS SUPER TOUR 15 PACK

Players are always looking to bring their games to the next level, and the Roland-Garros Super Tour 15 Pack can help along the way.

Three main compartments stash all the essentials, where one section is ventilated and separates dirty clothes from the rest of the pack and two sections are lined with a thermoguard material to protect against extreme temperatures.

Side accessory pockets are strategically placed around the bag so you can bring all the necessities to the court, even the tiny good-luck charm. The Dual Carrying option makes it even easier to transport to and from the court. A nine-racket version is also available.

Buy the ROLAND-GARROS SUPER TOUR 15 RACKET BAG

ROLAND-GARROS SUPER TOUR BACKPACK

This Wilson Roland Garros Collection backpack is clearly inspired by the traditions and design elements of the French Open.

It includes a partial racket compartment, a padded laptop sleeve and a ventilated pocket for used clothing.

Players can also use the thermo-regulated pocket on the side to keep a drink cool.

Buy the ROLAND-GARROS SUPER TOUR BACKPACK

If you want to know more about Wilson’s Roland-Garros collection, you can do so by clicking here.

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The post Wilson launch stunning ‘Roland Garros’ collection ahead of French Open appeared first on Tennishead.

Tennis balls have become an increasingly competitive product for brands in recent years as the boom in tennis popularity has lead to a huge increase in sales of balls. So we decided to put Dunlop tennis balls to the test

Dunlop are one of the oldest and most well respected brands in tennis and in recent years their focus on producing tennis balls has given them huge success both on the professional tour and in tennis clubs around the world.

Dunlop are the official ball supplier for the ATP Tour and the Australian Open so it’s no surprise that all three of their ‘top of the range’ balls feature these endorsements.

The Dunlop ATP Official ball is their most expensive ball across their entire range and is the exact ball you’ll find being used at more ATP tennis tournaments than any other ball.

The Dunlop Australian Open ball has been played with at the first Slam of the year since 2019, is approved by the International Tennis Federation and is the second priced ball in their range.

The Dunlop ATP Championship ball is the lowest price in their top range, comes with endorsement from the ATP Tour and is designed to appeal to club and recreational players.

Technology

As simple as a tennis ball may look there are actually two key areas of their manufacture that have been developed in recent years, the cloth and the core. Dunlop have developed a range of 3 different cores and 2 different cloths which they explain as follows:

HD Core: A high-specification re-mastering and re-engineering of the classic Dunlop Fort Core. You get a ball with more durability and a more consistent playing characteristics.

HD Pro Core: Ultimate high-performance core. The HD Pro Core is engineered using premium materials to create an ultra-consistent performance for the world’s elite tournaments & players.

Max Core: Dunlop MAX CORE technology is specially engineered for use with lighter, non-woven cloth, perfect for all-round play-ability.

HD Pro Cloth: Ultra-high-specification and ultra-visible cloth technology engineered for the world’s elite tournaments and players.

Durafelt HD Cloth: A premium non-woven cloth which delivers superb consistency with good durability.

The 3 balls Tennishead tried include the following technologies:

	HD Core	HD Pro Core	Max Core	HD Pro Cloth	Durafelt HD Cloth
ATP Official
Australian Open
ATP Championship

Tennishead decided to put all 3 of these balls to the test by getting together some hard hitting tournament players and letting them loose with each of these Dunlop balls to find out what they thought.

Enjoy our review video

The review

This is what our testers had to say when questioned after their practise session with the 3 different Dunlop tennis balls.

Kenzo started by hitting with the Dunlop ATP Official ball. How did the speed of this ball feel when it was fresh out of the tube?

“I thought this ball was pretty quick. They had a very lively bounce off the court and felt quicker than the other two Dunlop balls we tested.”

So how did they compare to the Dunlop Championship and Dunlop Australian Open balls?

“The bounce of the ATP balls felt a little higher and quicker than the Australian Open ball. Once the ball left the ground it felt like I was getting pushed back a little more than the Australian Open ball. The ATP Championship ball was the lowest bouncing of the three we tested”

George, you play tournament tennis and use Dunlop balls on your circuit. Would you agree with Kenzo’s sentiment on the difference between the balls?

“I think the Dunlop ATP ball is definitely the bounciest and they also take a lot of spin and react really well off the court. The Dunlop Australian Open balls are quite quick but I feel they seem to fluff up quicker than the ATP Official ball whereas the Championship ball seems a little softer which makes them stay lower on the bounce.”

Aidan, what did you think about the Dunlop ATP Championship balls. Did they have the same feel as the Australian Open or ATP Official balls?

“My coach uses the Championship ball and I’d say they last a long time but aren’t as lively off the court as the other two balls we tested.”

If you are trying to get feel in your shots, maybe when hitting a drop shot, which of the Dunlop balls is your favourite?

George: “I think the Australian Open balls are a little better for touch as they seem softer but you can definitely get more spin with the ATP Official ball”

Ok, so if we talk about pure speed of these 3 balls when they are fresh out of the can, which is the quickest?

Kenzo: “It’s between the ATP Official and the Australian Open ball but I’d go with the ATP Official ball”

After you’ve played with these balls for a while, say after the first set of a match, which ball has stayed the freshest?

George: “For me the ATP Official ball keeps its firmness and speed the best”

So to summarise the comments from our testers…

If you are practising a lot then the ATP championship balls gives you good durability and might be best for a club player who wants better value for money.

The Australian Open ball is a little cheaper than the ATP Official ball and is still a great match player ball and it’s not easily apparent why it’s priced lower than the ATP Official balls

Last question.. You are heading out for a match, which ball would you choose?

Kenzo: “The Dunlop ATP Official ball”

George: “Yes I’d also take the ATP Official ball”

Aidan: “I’d take the ATP Official ball as well”

There you have it…

The ATP Official ball comes through as the favourite but it is also the most expensive. Interestingly the lower priced Australian Open ball still rates as a high quality match play ball with our testers but the ATP Official ball did keep its firm bounce throughout the match even in the later stages. The ATP Championship balls is a very good quality ball especially for a club player who’s maybe not playing as many matches but wants value for money or if you are a coach or being coached then this ball also offers good durability.

Conclusion

The quality of all 3 Dunlop balls was evident to see with distinct differences between the ATP Official ball, the Australian Open ball and the ATP Championship ball.

If a lower bouncing, long lasting, competitively priced tennis ball is what you want then the Dunlop ATP Championship ball was unilaterally approved by our testers.

If you want to step up in price and are looking for a ball more suited to competitve players on the match court then both the Dunlop ATP Official ball and the Australian Open ball will seemingly deliver what you want with some subtle differences.

The Australian Open ball came across as being slightly softer and suited to a player looking for touch and less worried about generating a lot of spin and speed whereas the ATP Official ball was favoured by those aggressive players looking to hit big, high bouncing spinning shots.

Buy Dunlop tennis balls

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Stepped onto the court with your fresh can of tennis balls, only to find a couple of fuzzy imposters in there at the end of your session? Us too. Frustrating, isn’t it? Hence the launch of BallTrace

We’ve all been there before: the overenthusiastic lob, miss-hit or acutely angled volley that ends up three courts along, followed by the apologetic lottery to pick your own ball out of the swarm of scruffy yellow ones at the back of Court 5…

It’s a pesky problem that BallTrace has tackled head-on. Its unique invention has been designed to quickly and consistently create stylish and fun designs on tennis and padel balls, meaning you will never lose yours again.

It’s a simple idea, but the best ones often are. The BallTrace device grips the tennis ball and the clever design aids optimal positioning of a stencil on the same part of every ball. With more than 40 letters, emojis and symbols to use, simply clip the stencil in and complete the design with the inbuilt pen.

Former British tennis no.1 Johanna Konta is already a firm fan of the product, saying: ‘I’ve never seen anything like BallTrace before – it’s such an easy way to personalise tennis balls so you don’t lose them on court. I also love the fact you can clip the device to your bag so you can take it with you to practice. It’s a great product!’

It’s fast, reliable, consistent and fun for adults and kids alike. Thanks to BallTrace, you can forget digging around in your bag for a pen so you can mark your ball with an identifying letter or symbol a couple of minutes before your match.

Made using environmentally friendly recycled plastic and featuring waterproof ink, a stencil and three pens per pack, all that’s left to think about is which emoji or letter you’ll choose to mark your ball with. Showcase your personality and customise your ball, before clipping the device to your tennis bag for easy use.

BallTrace was founded by tennis player Dave Townsend after realising that his daughter felt anxious about retrieving her unmarked ball from another court. There is no other product like it on the market.

By allowing players to quickly and uniquely mark their balls, the device provides a cost-effective solution to a common tennis problem. Better yet, it means no more losing brand-new balls!

So, whether you’re an A for Ace, C for Champion or you prefer a thumbs-up, aeroplane or paw-print design, personalise your balls or buy it as a gift for your tennis-mad loved ones for just £13.99 by heading to BallTrace.tennis.

Introductory price of £13.99 for a device (excl. postage), three pens, a lanyard and universal stencil. Free postage for orders over £15.99

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The post The fun way to find your ball: “I’ve never seen anything like BallTrace before” says Jo Konta appeared first on Tennishead.

We know that if you have a passion for the game, choosing the right tennis racket and playing with the best kit is vital for your enjoyment. That’s why we are delighted to announce a new partnership with AllThingsTennis.co.uk as our trusted retail partner.

They will be offering exclusive discounts and an expert service for all tennishead readers. Choosing the right racket or strings, finding the best price and being able to talk to someone who understands your game and can help you find the right equipment can be difficult, which is why we’ve done the hard work for you and joined forces with the UK’s fastest growing tennis retailer.

AllThingsTennis.co.uk are dedicated tennis specialists with unmatched expertise in helping you find the best tennis gear to improve your game. Now, all tennishead readers will be able to benefit from this quality service and receive an exclusive five per cent discount on everything they buy.

AllThingsTennis.co.uk features an extensive range of tennis rackets, tennis strings, tennis balls, tennis shoes, tennis clothing and accessories all sold at the lowest online prices. They are also tennis stringing experts and are happy to offer advice and guidance to any stringing questions you might have.

To kick off our partnership we interviewed Ross Batten, the owner of AllThingsTennis.co.uk and asked his advice for readers of tennishead on the best way to choose a new tennis racket. Ross has been a tennis coach so he knows all the pitfalls you can fall into when deciding on your next tennis racket.

AllThingsTennis.co.uk are currently offering a free premium string upgrade when you buy a new racket costing more than £100. To benefit from this service and offer simply click this link and your discount will be automatically applied when you reach the checkout.

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Dunlop, the leading ball supplier to the ATP Tour, has announced the addition of Vienna, Antwerp and Basel to their already impressive line up of tournaments using their tennis ball

The growth of Dunlop tennis within the highly competitive tennis ball market continues at a pace as they announce that the ATP 500 Swiss Indoors event in Basel, the European Open in Antwerp and the Vienna ATP 500 event will all use the Dunlop ball as their official ball of choice.

The organisers of all three tournaments have said, “As a result, the tournament, one of Austria’s most prestigious sports events, will live up to its claim to offer top quality in all areas of the tournament; we are very proud to continue the successful partnership with Dunlop.”

Patrick Ammann, Managing Director at ATP 500 Swiss Indoors Basel, added: “We’re very pleased to partner with Dunlop for this year’s tournament. Dunlop embodies tradition, innovation and quality, all premium values shared by ourselves.”

“The European Open continues to focus on being a top tennis event and bringing great players, who want to play with the best balls, which is why we are pleased to renew the partnership with Dunlop for this year’s tournament”, said Dick Norman European Open Tournament Director.

Dunlop manufacture a huge range of 22 different types of ball and are also the official ball of the Australian Open and the ATP Tour World Finals. Their super-premium ATP ball features HD Pro Cloth and HD Pro Core for ultimate consistency and performance.

Find out more about Dunlop by reading our in-depth profile of the brand or visit DunlopSports.com to grab some of their balls for yourself

Look ahead to the rest of 2019 with our guides to every tournament on the ATP Tour and the WTA Tour. If you can’t visit the tournaments you love then do the next best thing and read our guide on how to watch all the ATP Tour matches on television in 2019. To read more amazing articles like this you can explore Tennishead digital magazine here or you can subscribe for free to our email newsletter here

The post Dunlop tennis grows ball portfolio with 3 additional ATP tournaments appeared first on Tennishead.

Dunlop agree extensions to existing ball contracts with huge ATP & WTA tournaments 

Dunlop are currently making waves in the tennis world and this is never more apparent than with their exclusive ATP Tour ball partnership.

Since the beginning of this year Dunlop have been the official ball of the ATP Tour thanks to a new 5 year partnership. Now Dunlop have extended their arrangement with a number of the leading tournaments on the ATP & WTA Tours to continue as the exclusive ball supplier for those individual tournaments.

These revised partnerships will see Dunlop provide the new Dunlop ATP Official Ball for key European tournaments including ATP Masters 1000 – Rolex Monte Carlo Masters, ATP Masters 1000 & WTA Premier Mandatory – Mutua Madrid Open, ATP Masters 1000 & WTA Premier 5 – Internazionali BNL d’Italia and ATP 500 – Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell.

“As a member of the ATP Tour Masters 1000 clay court season’s tournaments, we are delighted to extend our contract with Dunlop for three more years to 2022,” said Zeljko Franulovic, Tournament Director for Rolex Monte Carlo Masters. “Dunlop balls, known for their excellent quality and high performance on all surfaces, have played a significant part in the history of our sport. We look forward to continuing building a successful partnership with this prestigious sports brand over the next three years.”

Xavier Pujol, Executive Tournament Director for Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell said: “We are very pleased with the announcement of the renovation with Dunlop until 2022. We have been working for weeks now on the next edition of the tournament and it means a lot to us that the first agreement that has been sealed is with an historic tennis brand, with which we have been collaborating since 1999.”

Oriol Granell, Vice President & Managing Director for IMG Spain, highlighted: “Dunlop has been an official ball for more than 20 years, which shows that the tournament and the brand are a good combination. For us, it is very important to be able to offer players the chance to play the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell with the best ball of the circuit and at the same time the official ATP ball. Undoubtedly, this fact contributes to Barcelona being one of the unmissable dates of the circuit’s clay court season, not only for the fans but also for the players.”

Gerard Tsobanian, President and CEO of Mutua Madrid Open, expressed his satisfaction with the renewal of the agreement until 2022: “Several years ago we found in Dunlop a fantastic travel companion. The ball is a key part in the development of the game and, with Dunlop, players have the quality guarantee and technology that distinguishes the brand. Therefore, the extension of Dunlop as official ball of the Mutua Madrid Open for three more seasons is great news. I’m sure that together we will live great emotions.”

Sergio Palmieri said “As Tournament Director of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, I am very satisfied and happy renewing the Dunlop sponsorship agreement until at least 2022.I consider Dunlop to have the best quality Tennis ball in the world and it is also the preferred choice of the players on tour due to the ball’s technical qualities. This partnership confirms the amazing results achieved by both parties in the recent years and we look forward to a successful and positive future together.”

You can learn more about the full range of Dunlop rackets, balls, bags and accessories here.

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You may think that all tennis balls are the same but, boy, would you be wrong. Olivia Blake says that the balls you choose to use can make a big difference to your performance on the court, with different options offering different qualities depending on their brand or quality.

Whether it be for recreational use or professional play, it’s not just the type of court that alters your quality. Choosing the right tennis ball is arguably as important, with many different attributes to consider.

So, how can you make sure you are using the right type of ball? Our handy guide is here to help.

Brands

Tennis balls are manufactured by a number of brands, predominantly in the USA and Europe. Of these brands, well-known companies such as Wilson, Slazenger, Dunlop and Penn produce various types of balls to suit various surfaces and levels of experience. Choosing a premium brand of tennis ball can make a big impact, as you can feel rest assured that the balls have been produced at a high quality.

Colour

Unfortunately, the colour choice for tennis balls is fairly limited. The standard colour, as I’m sure you know already, is yellow, as decreed by The Tennis Federation. This is due to it being a colour that is clearly visible to players and spectators alike.

Types

Tennis balls often come as one of four main types. These include:

• Type 1 (designed for use on fast surfaces, such as grass)
• Type 2 (designed for use on standard-speed surfaces, such as hard courts)
• Type 3 (designed for use on slower surfaces, such as clay)
• High altitude (designed to create a higher bounce and travel faster)

As you can see, each type of ball is designed for use on specific court surfaces. But, it’s not just as simple as that. The ATP Official Rulebook clarifies certain size and weight restrictions for each type of tennis ball produced, which you can see for yourself below:

Quality

To make the choice even confusing, each type of tennis ball is manufactured to meet three different levels of quality. These include:

• Recreational
• Championship
• Professional

The choice you make will depend on your level of experience and what you are wanting to use the balls for. If you’re looking for a slightly cheaper ball that you can use for a practice match, or if you’re fairly new to the game, go for recreational. If you’re looking for more of an intermediate ball, having played the game for a while, go for championship. If you’re an expert at the game and are looking for a ball that offers more precision, control and power, go for professional.

Pressurised vs. non-pressurised

Another choice to consider is whether you want your balls to be pressurised or not. The majority of balls in use today are pressurised, with the main advantages being that they give more bounce, speed and spin. Their only downside is that their use tends to fade over time, meaning you have to replace them after a while.

Non-pressurised tennis balls avoid this issue though, bouncing on their outer rubber shells rather than relying on a pressurised interior. They tend to last longer as well (unless you lose them or your dog chews them to pieces) and will gain more resilience the more they’re used.

Extra duty vs. regular duty

Yet another attribute you will need to consider is the thickness of felt covering that surrounds the ball, often known as its duty. Extra duty balls tend to be thicker, whereas regular duty tend to be, well, regular.

The choice you make largely depends on the court’s surface, with a different thickness offering a potential advantage to your play. In essence, extra duty balls tend to be better for harder, faster surfaces, whereas regular duty balls give more of an advantage on slower courts.

Kid-friendly balls

The tennis balls we’ve been talking about here have been largely aimed at adults, but what about kids just starting out? While faster balls may be better suited to the adult game, younger kids may not be able to keep up with the pace, so slower-moving balls are a better option.

There are four different types of these, each with a unique colour, aimed at particular stages of children’s development:

• Stage 3 (Red) Foam Ball
• Stage 3 (Red) Standard Ball
• Stage 2 (Orange) Standard Ball
• Stage 1 (Green) Standard Ball

As with adult tennis balls, the International Tennis Federation again specify certain weight and dimension restrictions for each ball stage. These can be seen below:

Final Thoughts

The tennis balls you choose to use can have a big impact on your quality of play. Whether it be extra duty or regular duty, non-pressurised or pressurised, it’s important to take your time when deciding which type is right for you.

It’s also important to make sure you think about the type of court surface you want it for, which brand manufactured the balls, and the level of prior tennis experience you have. Deciding on the right ball with these factors in mind can make a big difference to your game, and can help take your tennis to the next level.

Look ahead to 2019 with our guide to every tournament on the ATP Tour, the WTA Tour and the ITF Tour

If you can’t visit the tournaments you love then do the next best thing and read our guide on how to watch all the ATP Tour matches on television in 2019

To read more amazing articles like this you can explore Tennishead magazine here or you can subscribe for free to our email newsletter here

The post How to choose the right tennis ball to suit your game appeared first on Tennishead.

It’s that time of the year when tennis takes centre stage for many sports enthusiasts as the enjoyment of two Grand Slams in the space of three months has the fans on the edge of their seats. And thanks to Babolat, official supplier to Roland Garros, you can now look the part on court at the same time.

Founded in France in 1875 when Pierre Babolat created the first tennis racket strings made of natural gut, it’s no surprise that Babolat would be closely linked with the French Open and they’ve not held back this year with a full range of Roland Garros branded rackets, bags, balls and accessories.

Rackets

With no fewer than 7 rackets in the Babolat 2019 Roland Garros range you won’t be stuck when searching for a racket to suit your game no matter what your age or standard.

The adult racket range includes two version of the legendary Pure Aero, the racket endorsed by Rafa Nadal and there is no better player role model for your clay court aspirations than the ‘King of Clay’ himself. This Aero range was specifically designed for players that use spin as the driving force in their game. You can read our in depth review of the Pure Aero here.

You can buy the Pure Aero Roland Garros or the Pure Aero Light Roland Garros both in striking colours to match the clay of the French Open. There is also a Pure Aero Junior 26 Roland Garros for any player who wants a slightly shorter racket at 26 inches in length, such as a junior.

The range also includes the Babolat Pure Drive Team Limited and the Babolat Boost Limited. Both engineered to help add more power to your game and both designed in eye catching colour schemes for 2019. You can read more about the Babolat Pure Drive in our recent review of the Pure Drive VS here.

If you are an aspiring young player and want to improve your game this summer then Babolat have got you covered here as well. They are offering the Kit Roland Garros Junior 25 + orange balls which are suitable for any child aged 9 years or more.  They also have the Kit Roland Garros Junior 21 + 3 red felt balls for children aged 5-7 years.

EXCLUSIVE COMPETITION

Win a Babolat Roland Garros racket of your choice plus bag in our free competition.

Just click this link to enter and you could be receiving a racket and bag delivered straight to your home

The Roland Garros racket range in detail

Click to Buy the Babolat Pure Aero Roland Garros at TennisNuts.com

Click to Buy the Babolat Pure Aero Lite Roland Garros at TennisNuts.com

Click to Buy the Babolat Pure Aero JR 26 Roland Garros at TennisNuts.com

Click to Buy the Babolat Pure Drive Team Limited at TennisNuts.com

Click to Buy the Babolat Boost Limited at TennisNuts.com

Click to Buy the Babolat Kit Roland Garros JR 25

Click to Buy the Babolat Kit Roland Garros JR 21

Now to win a Babolat Roland Garros racket of your choice plus bag click here to enter our exclusive competition

The Babolat Roland Garros range of bags, balls and accessories

The attention to detail and focus on the customer at Babolat doesn’t stop with the extensive Roland Garros rackets range, they’ve also designed and produced a stunning selection of high quality tennis bags, tennis balls and plenty of accessories to keep the keen player or the armchair fan happy during this Summer’s ‘tennis-fest’!

Roland Garros tennis bags

Click to Buy the Babolat Racket Holder X12 Roland Garros at TennisNuts.com

Click to Buy the Babolat RH Expandable X4-X10 Roland Garros at TennisNuts.com

Click to Buy the Babolat Backpack Club Roland Garros at TennisNuts.com

Roland Garros tennis balls and accessories

Click to Buy the Babolat Roland Garros balls and accessories at TennisNuts.com

Look ahead to 2019 with our guide to every tournament on the ATP Tour, the WTA Tour and the ITF Tour

If you can’t visit the tournaments you love then do the next best thing and read our guide on how to watch all the ATP Tour matches on television in 2019

To read more amazing articles like this you can explore Tennishead magazine here or you can subscribe for free to our email newsletter here

The post tennishead gear reviews: Babolat 2019 Roland Garros range appeared first on Tennishead.

Originally published on 17/09/15

With obesity levels on the rise it’s no surprise that getting children off the sofa and into the park is a major priority for the UK government.

One in every five children in the UK aged 10 to 11 are obese, and levels have trebled in the last three decades. A report published by the government in March 2015¹ found that adult obesity levels have doubled in the last two decades and that almost one in five children aged 10-11 are obese.

Click here for your chance to win a Zsig Mini Tennis Family Set

It is estimated that by 2030, up to 48% of men and 43% of women could be obese if current trends continue.

A healthy diet and regular exercise are two simple ways to prevent childhood obesity. It is recommended that all children should be physically active for at least one hour every day. As well as helping children maintain a healthy weight it helps build strong muscles and healthy bones.

Introducing children to ball games at an early age helps develop hand-eye co-ordination and agility skills but is an easy and healthy way to keep them entertained.

“Remember that the best way to develop skill and confidence is practice,” says Beverley Edwards, director at Zsig. “But fun is even more important.

“Our Kick Start coaching equipment for very young children is designed to develop hand-eye co-ordination and agility skills, building gradually as your child gains in confidence in ability.”

Try out the Balloon Ball and Happy Face – perfect for young children and inclusive groups.

Easy Catch Balloon Ball

The washable stretchy Balloon Ball cover adds weight to the balloon so it performs more like a ball, but with slower pace. Simply insert a standard sized balloon into the cover, blow it up and get playing.

“The Balloon Ball is a superb starter ball for teaching young children tracking, catching and striking skills,” says Beverley. “And no scary burst balloons. Plus it gives a great sound when you hit it.”

Zsig recommends: For young children, as well as a simple throw and catch, try catching your Velcro-friendly Balloon Ball on a Zsig sticky Happy Face. For older kids, the Balloon Ball is brilliant for long volleyball rallies over a volleyball height Zsignet.

Easy Catch Happy Face

“The Easy Catch Happy Face is two-faced, but in a good way,” explains Beverley. “There’s the Velcro side, which lets a child catch a Balloon Ball easily on its sticky surface, thereby practising tracking a ball and coordinating a response. And because it’s easy to succeed, there are happy faces all round.

“The smooth side is a progression and adds difficulty. As their skills develop, turn the Happy Face over to its smooth side and practise tapping or volleying the Balloon Ball in the air, or buy two and play with a partner.”

¹ “Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet – England, 2015”

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The post Creative coaching equipment for the very young appeared first on Tennishead.

Originally published on 18/09/15

Sending your kids to tennis coaching every week is all well and good, but if they are going to be the next Andy Murray, they need to love playing the sport.

One of the main reasons given by children who quit organised sport by the age of 13 is that it is they no longer enjoy it.  Encouraging children to play in the garden makes tennis fun, and not just another hour of lessons. 

Learning to lose graciously is something that some adults never achieve, but teaching children to be gracious in both victory and defeat is easier in the low-pressure surroundings of your back garden with family or friends.

Click here for your chance to win a Zsig Mini Tennis Family Set

A recent survey by Marylebone Cricket Club and the Chance to Shine cricket charity found that 89.3% of parents of eight to 16 year olds believed it was “important” or “very important” for their children to taste victory or defeat in sport.

“Clearly, it makes a great deal of sense to have a Mini Tennis Set for home use if you’re doing serious Mini Tennis practice with young children,” says Zsig director Beverley Edwards. “But Zsig’s family set is for everyone – teenagers and the fully-grown get loads out of it, too. As a game, Mini Tennis can be fast-paced and tactical without the skill level you need for full court tennis. 

Zsig has been manufacturing portable Mini Tennis net systems in the UK for over 20 years.

“Our net systems are in a continuous process of redesign,” says Edwards. “For example we have recently patented a new shoulder joint system (designed and made in the UK) and we’ll be unveiling new product lines before the end of the year.

“We’ve supplied over 20,000 sets of Mini Tennis equipment to UK Primary and Secondary Schools for the LTA Tennis Foundation’s Schools Project. Our net system is hardwearing, so can withstand a school environment as well as a back garden. And as we manufacture in the UK, we can offer a full repair and refurb service.

“It’s a brilliant price for a professional, durable piece of equipment. And for holidays, it more than justifies the small space it will take in your car boot.”

Mini Tennis Family Set
•1 3m Zsignet Mini Net System
•4 Mini Tennis Rackets (21 inch)
•3 SLOcoach Orange Mini Tennis Balls
•3  Protex Red Foam Mini Tennis Balls
•1 drawstring racket carry bag
•1 Zsignet carry bag

Or, for four sports in one, why not choose a Multisport set – you get tennis, badminton, volleyball and footy tennis to keep the family entertained for hours. 

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