By Pierre Bastien, Squash Equipment Blogger at squashsource.com
Let’s have a look at some of the squash racquets used by the top finishers at the 2014 Delaware Investments U.S. Open. How would they suit regular players like you and me? Note: since the pros often use heavily customized equipment, these reviews are for the “off- the-shelf” versions of each of these racquets.
Prince Pro Rebel 950
• Weight: Medium (135 grams)
• Balance: Head-heavy
• Review: Best for players who like to get their racquet up early and then let the racquet do the work through the shot. The frame is a bit stiff, and delivers a consistent, deliberate strike. Widely available.
• Players: Nicol David, Camille Serme and others
Tecnifibre Carboflex 125
• Weight: Light (125 grams)
• Balance: Even
• Review: A highly maneuverable racquet that’s good for dashing around the court, digging balls out of the corners, and volleying everything in sight. Widely available.
• Players: Mohamed Elshorbagy, Nour El Sherbini and others
Eye X.Lite 120 Control
• Weight: Light (120 grams)
• Balance: Even
• Review: Very light, evenly balanced racquet. Good for holding your shot until the last possible millisecond. Order from the UK via eyerackets.co.uk. Will likely be available in the U.S. next year.
• Players: Amr Shabana and Borja Golan
Dunlop Biomimetic Elite GTS
• Weight: Medium (135 grams)
• Balance: Head-light
• Review: Crowd-pleaser of a racquet, with medium weight, nice balance, and a satisfying blend of power and control. Slightly updated frame for 2014, but plays like the previous model. Widely available.
• Players: Greg Gaultier promotes this one
