Rafa Nadal brightens the tennis world even when not on the court.
Now, Nadal's signature Babolat Pure Aero Rafa and matching bag are back and bolder than ever.
Zverev: I Could Have Beaten Rafa
Babolat is celebrating clay-court season with its vibrant new Rafa Range of Pure Aero racquets and matching racquet bag.
The new stick puts on a happy face thanks to what Nadal calls "happy colors."
"As everybody knows, I like bright colors, happy colors and that's just one more step," Nadal said. "I'm happy with this new design.
"We worked together for some time to finally find the racquet that I feel comfortable with and I like the colors. I like the design."
Developed in collaboration with the king of clay, the second-generation Rafa racquet was designed for maximum spin and power so players can unleash their game with heavy shots—just like the 14-time Roland Garros champion and the undisputed king of spin.
"I think it's beautiful," Nadal said in a Babolat interview to promote his new racquet range. "It's very clean lines with black and bright colors. I think it's an improvement inside, too."
The new Rafa range amplifies the traditional yellow-and-black Babolat Pure Aero Rafa with an aggressive new cosmetic. One side of the racquet head retains the yellow-and-black color scheme with "Babolat" branded in black between the nine and 11 o'clock position on the hoop.
The other side of the head features the yellow melting into a rose-and-blue cosmetic. The words "Pure Aero" are embedded in an aggressive yellow font aross the rose throat with the champion's name in all-capital letters "RAFA" emblazoned in blue lettering on both sides of the throat.
There are three sticks in the Rafa Range: Pure Aero Rafa Origin, Pure Aero Rafa and Pure Aero Rafa Jr 26.
Here are the specs for each racquet:
PURE AERO RAFA ORIGIN
A head-heavy balance increases inertia, allowing players to generate more power and hit heavier spin. A racquet with specs similar to the ones used by Rafa.
HEAD SIZE 645 cm2/100 in2
WEIGHT 317 g/11.2 oz
BALANCE 330 mm
STIFFNESS 73 RA
LENGTH 685 mm/27 in
COMPOSITION Graphite
STR. PATTERN 16/19
GRIP Syntec Pro
GRIP SIZE 2 3 4
PURE AERO RAFA
A lighter version of the Pure Aero RAFA Origin that is more maneuverable, while providing power and spin from a head-heavy balance and an open string pattern.
HEAD SIZE 645 cm2/100 in2
WEIGHT 290 g/10.2 oz
BALANCE 330 mm
STIFFNESS 73 RA
LENGTH 685 mm/27 in
COMPOSITION Graphite
STR. PATTERN 16/19
GRIP Syntec Pro
GRIP SIZE 1 2 3 4
PURE AERO RAFA JR 26
The Pure Aero Rafa Jr 26 is lighter than the Pure Aero Jr 26 and easier to swing, so budding champions can imitate their hero's spin-heavy strokes.
HEAD SIZE 645 cm2/100 in2
WEIGHT 245 g/8.6 oz
BALANCE 325 mm
STIFFNESS 67 RA
LENGTH 660 mm/26 in
COMPOSITION Graphite
STR. PATTERN 16/19
GRIP Syntec Pro
GRIP SIZE 0
The RAFA Pack created by and for Rafa Nadal are the Pure Aero Rafa bags offering the very best for competitive players looking for the ultimate combination of style and performance.
The new design is large enough to hold 6 to 12 racquets and makes it easier for players to access their equipment. Developed for the most exacting players like Rafa, the RH6 and RH12 Pure Aero Rafa have a hard-wearing waterproof outer for maximum protection.
Photo credit: Babolat