Rafael Nadal’s new high-tech tennis racket looks and feels like his old one. Except for the on-off switch. Call it a “smart racket,” the latest advance in tennis technology tells you where you hit the ball — with the help of an app.
Sensors embedded in the handle of the racket, made by Babolat, record technical data on every ball struck. At the end of a match or training session the data can be downloaded to a smart phone or computer and used to help analyze a player’s strengths and mistakes.
Aside from the sensors, the racket is just a racket. It’s the same size and weight as Nadal’s old-fashioned former racket. “You press the ‘on’ button. A blue lED light appears. And, you play,”. When finished, a second button is pressed, activating Bluetooth which synchs the information with a phone or other devies.