Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova: Me and My Racket

 

Originally published on: 16/08/12 00:00

Can you remember your first ever racket, can you describe it and do you still have it?
Yes, my first racket was a Wilson Hammer. I liked every racket when I was young. I have no idea where it is now though!

What model do you use now?
Now I use the Babolat Pure Drive Light.

Which brands have you used in the past?
I’ve had quite a few over the years – Wilson, Head, Yonex and now Babolat.

How many do you travel with and how many _ьdo you take on court?
Normally I have four or five on court.

How often do you get new frames?
Maybe every six months I change the frames and Babolat send me some brand new ones.

How often do you get them re-strung?
That all depends on how loose the strings get, but it could be as often as every set!

What strings do you use?
Babolat Pro Hurricane.

What kind of things affect whether you _ьchange tension?
Humidity can affect tension and when you play at altitude the ball really flies so for me it’s better to string the racket a bit tighter than normal when you’re playing in those conditions.

Do you have a favourite frame, one you’ll always pick first?
No, no superstitions, I always take the prettiest racket, Babolat know this! Or where it says racket number one – they are all numbered with my name on them on the side of the grip.

Do you use a vibration dampener and,_ь if yes, why?
I use a string dampener, I’ve been used to that since I was young! I don’t like the sound the strings make without it and plus I have these pretty dampeners with flowers or butterflies on them from Babolat!

Are you a racket-thrower – when was the last time you smashed a racket?
I used to be a racket thrower. I’m a very emotional person! But I’m getting better now, I guess I don’t do it so much now. The last one I smashed…  Hmm, I honestly don’t remember actually! Maybe it was this year…

Have your rackets ever been lost or stolen?
Once I checked my bag on to a plane from Sydney to Melbourne and the bag arrived a few days later!

Tech Specs: Babolat Pure Drive Light

Head size – 100 square inches
Length – 27 inches
Weight – 275g
Balance point – 32cm
String pattern – 16×19
Composition – Graphite / Tungsten

Now get the WORLD’S BEST TENNIS MAGAZINE here