February 5, 2008

Tennis Magazine's Best Gear for 2007

Tennis Magazine, the big dog of tennis publications, has put out its best of 2007 list. Here you go:

1. Best Game-Day Shoe: Nike Air Max Breathe Cage. Check off all the important stuff for these kicks -namely stability, cushioning, and support without suffocating your feet.

2. Best Racquet Innovation: Prince Speedport Tuning System - specifically the Prince O3 Speedport Blackand the Prince O3 Speedport Tour.- each comes with string-hole grommets that can be placed in the ports before stringing and give the racquet a stiffer string bed, a traditional feel and enhanced stability.

3. Favorite Shades: Maui Jim Breakwaterand Bolle Score- The Bolles have Competivision lenses which mute all colors except the yellow of the ball, and the Maui Jims have a hingeless frame and lightweight shield for style and comfort while playing.

4. Most Fashionable Attire: Nike Sharapova Day and Evening dresses - simply the right combination of fashion and function - and having a great player to wear them doesn't hurt either.

5. Coolest Collectors' Item: Wilson Federer Limited Edition [K] Pro Tour Super 6-Pack Tennis Bag- this is the bag Fed carried with him in 2007 while he made mincemeat out of his opponents. It has the same color scheme as his [K] Factor 6.1 Tour, and bears a print of his signature.

6. Favorite New Player Frames: Head MicroGel Extreme Proand Dunlop Aerogel 500 Tour- These two racquets look alike and were designed with certain players in mind: aggressive hitters who put a lot of pace and spin on their shots. They'll ﬁnd plenty to like in either of these impressive new sticks.

7. Hottest Trend: Hybrid strings - one type of string for the mains and another for the crosses. Not new for the pros, but new for the average player, especially in how they have been packaged to be easier to put together - like the Pacific PolyGut ATP Blend Hybrid,Wilson Ultimate Duoand Wilson Champions Choice.

8. Most Innovative Shoes: Prince M Series- The M stands for "maximum" and the three shoes in the M Series all have a special emphasis: C for cushioning, V for ventilation, and S for stability (the last in men's only). With tweaks to the construction, each model offers more help in one of those three categories.

9. Best Sleeper Stick: Dunlop Aerogel 700- the Aerogel 700 has a comfortable feel and offers plenty of power without losing control.

10. Best New Accessory: Tourna Grip II- a classic, but this version is a bit more tacky and resilient than the original.

Read the full reviews at Tennis Magazine