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98 square inches, 16 x 20 string pattern, 11.9 ounces (strung) This was, quite honestly, one of the best racquets I’ve played with in the last decade. As a disciple of Babolat for the last few years, I’ve become more and more familiar with their offerings, and thus, more discerning in what I expect from them. I love the controlled feel of their sticks and, I have to say, from my point of view, the Aero Storm Tour GT might be one of their best offerings yet in that regard. The Babolat Aero Storm Tour GT has a beautifully even feel and weight distribution from throat to handle. At 11.3 ounces unstrung it’s got just enough heft to hang with the big boys, but not so much that you’re going to need Rafael Nadal’s biceps to lug it around.

From the first few strikes of the ball with the Aero Storm Tour GT, I found myself setting into a controlled groove I wouldn’t fall out of for awhile. My swing felt fast and rhythmic, and topspin was plentiful, which is pretty much the calling card of any Babolat frame.

The new braided carbon Graphite Tungsten shafts on these sticks makes them a bit more responsive from the backcourt and a tad less stiffer at net than I anticipated it would be. That’s where the real upgrade is, the overall comfort in hitting with this stick. The relatively low swingweight (322) made the Aero Storm Tour a great long-rally hitter with superior maneuverability. That’s important for us wristy grinders who need a racquet we can really depend on in toe-to-toe exchanges or those never-ending crosscourt duels. The Aero Storm GT is tabbed as a high-control frame, and, while it may not lay waste to balls the way it’s beefier-beamed cousin the Aero Pro Drive GT does, it’s still got a fair amount of plough.

Control on volleys was exquisite, but the lower power level on this racquet was really detectable when venturing forward. You’ll definitely need to supply your own power when volleying those putaways or smacking overheads. But the control tradeoff and added feel from net positions was a good one. While I found my volleys lacked a bit of pop, getting them deep was never any trouble! I literally got a blister on my right forefinger from hitting with this racquet for so long. I simply did not want to put it down, and Isn’t that really the best, most simple recommendation for any frame?

To purchase or demo the Babolat Aero Storm Tour GT click here.