Next Gen Racquets

It’s interesting to take a quick look at the Next Gen racquets, meaning the racquets that the players in the Next Gen Finals endorse or use.

The Racquets of the Next Gen Finalists 2023

Let’s take them one by one. Sadly, I don’t have much in terms of exact specifications, but maybe there are some stringers or racquet nerds out there that can help me fill in the blanks. Check out this article, if you are more into Next Gen Finals predictions for 2023.

Arthur Fils Racquet

I’ve written about Arthur Fils racquet, the Babolat Pure Aero 98 before. In this case, it is most likely the Pure Aero VS, but there has been speculation about Carlos Alcaraz, Holger Rune and Arthur Fils all playing with latest version.

Arthur Fils’s racquet is customized to 340 grams strung (info from Jfernandes on TW forums, who owns his racquet). Swing weight and balance remain unknown, but he strings his racquet with Babolat RPM Blast at around 22/23 kg, depending on the tournament and surface.

Dominic Stricker’s Racquet

Dominic Stricker is, like Jannik Sinner, another HEAD Speed MP user. Is it the same TGT 301.4 based on the Graphene Touch model? I don’t know, but it is not unlikely. The reason some pros might like that version over the current edition is that the beam was thinner (22 mm instead of current 23 mm) and it offered a bit more control.

Luca Van Assche’s Racquet

Luca Van Assche is using a very popular racquet among pros, the Wilson Blade Pro or H22 pro stock. A racquet that offers a good mix of controlled power that pros enjoy. It is similar in many ways to the regular Blade, but with a different beam design. He strings it with a full bed of Luxilon 4G.

Flavio Cobolli’s Racquet

Flavio Cobolli’s racquet is a Radical of some kind. But which generation? Many pros use the TGT 307, which is the code for the Graphene Radical that is a little stiffer and more powerful than current Radicals. Cobolli was a Speed user before, so perhaps he is using a newer Radical mold like the TGT 351, the Graphene 360+ code for the Radical Pro.

I have seen that Radical Pro frequently among talented junior players.

Abdullah Shelbayh’s Racquet

Abdullah Shelbayh’s racquet was a Blade 98 V7 during his college tennis days, but he has recently switched to a HEAD Speed MP. Strangely, the 18×20 Speed Pro does not seem too popular among younger players. When you see a white string in a HEAD player’s racquet, a good prediction is that it is HEAD Hawk White or HEAD Sonic Pro White.

Alex Michelsen’s Racquet

Alex Michelsen’s racquet is a Babolat Pure Aero. Which generation? It could well be the current Babolat Pure Aero 2023 if you look at the string pattern closely (a bit denser compared to the 2019 or 2016 editions). I don’t think I go out on a limb to say he uses Babolat RPM Blast strings. This is a well-known and popular combo.

Hamad Medjedovic’s Racquet

Hamad Medjedvovic’s racquet is a Babolat Pure Strike 98 18×20. He used a Pure Aero as a younger player, but later switched to get more control. Black Babolat strings? Most likely RPM Blast.

Luca Nardi’s Racquet

Luca Nardi’s racquet is a Yonex Ezone 98. He is the only Yonex player in the Next Gen Finals 2023. I am not sure about his string setup. It is most likely a Poly Tour string like Poly Tour Pro black or Poly Tour Strike.

Summary

I named this post Next Gen racquets, because I think the racquets of the Next Gen finalists well summarize modern racquets of today. We are not seeing any Prestiges, Pro Staffs, or ultra-low-powered racquets. We are looking more at a spectrum of modern racquets that try to balance power and control.

The HEAD Speed MP is a popular racquet in this category. We also see the HEAD Radical, the Wilson Blade/Blade Pro, the Babolat Pure Strike, the Pure Aero and the Pure Aero 98 and the Yonex Ezone 98—all so-called modern racquets for a wide audience.

If you are looking for a tennis racquet, we have a list of Recommended Racquets, Recommended Strings and Racquet Releases in 2024 that can help you on your way. We also offer personalized consultations via email.