Babolat Celebrates the Launch of the Spectra Edition Collection in New York City

Several Babolat players demonstrated the Pure Drive Spectra Edition at Court 16 in Long Island City.

Babolat ambassadors test out the new Pure Drive Spectra Edition at Court 16 in Long Island City. | Courtesy of Babolat

'Tis the season for new releases, and Babolat is not one to be excluded. The French sports equipment company released a small collection ahead of the US Open to accompany the brand new Pure Drive Spectra Edition racket.

Babolat's Latest Limited Edition Collection

The limited edition collection is a love letter to the US Open's iconic night sessions under the bright lights of Flushing Meadows. Featuring the RH9 Spectra Edition bag, the Jet Mach 4 All Court Spectra Edition men's shoe, and the Pure Drive Spectra Edition. the three-item collection is outfitted in a reflective coloring emulating the sparkling New York City skyline and the camera flashes on Arthur Ashe.

"I like the Babolat racket," Lois Boisson told Serve at a demonstration of the Pure Drive Spectra in Long Island City last week. "That's why I am with them for many, many years now. I like that they are fit to my game. And with the Spectra, I really like the new color."

Boisson was joined by fellow Babolat athletes Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Camila Osorio, and Jerry Shang who have begun to play with the Spectra at the demonstration. Players participated in a shortened version of King of the Court and Around the World as attendees got a feel for the Spectra on the glass courts of Court 16.

The Spectra

"I have the Spectra for the New York swing, and I've been playing with this for quite a few weeks now," Shang told Serve after playing some tennis on the court. "The color, it's different. It's suits New York really well."

Shang also mentioned how fans have taken well to the collection, even stopping him at the airport to compliment him for his flashy baggage. "Everyone sees it," he added. "They're like, your bag is so cool. It changes color."

The Spectra is marketed as one of Babolat's "most powerful and versatile racket." Combining a new version of natural flax fibers, which increases mechanical strength and optimal filtration of vibrations, with Frame String Interaction Power technology, which enhances the strings' energy, the French-born brand brings a flashy, yet efficient racket to life just in time for the US Open.

The Jet Mach 4 shoe is designed for peak competition, taking the bold reflective design and layering it over a black base to match the energy of the US Open night crowd. The bag, on the other hand, is entirely covered in an iridescent exterior made with water-repellent and durable materials.

Osorio's Spectra Season

Osorio, who played with the Spectra during her first-round loss to World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, expressed joy for the bold colors and free feeling of the racket. The 24-year-old shares ties with many in the Colombian community in Jackson Heights, the neighborhood surrounding Flushing Meadows.

Osorio experienced an outpour of support from the Colombian community in Miami when she played at the Masters 1000 tournament a few months back. She later revealed to Serve at Court 16 that she was excited by the prospect of so many from the Jackson Heights community coming out to support her on one of the biggest stages of tennis.

"I am extremely thankful for having that," she said. "When I was back in Miami, I've never experienced anything like this outside of Colombia. I get goosebumps just thinking about it...it's just really good for me to represent, to try to do my best."

The Rise of South American Tennis

Tennis is a fast rising sport throughout South America as tournament attendance in the southern hemisphere grows thanks to the individual sensations of Joao Fonseca and Osorio herself. The Colombian revealed that things have improved drastically in her country where tennis is concerned.

Camila Osorio plays with the Pure Drive Spectra Edition racket. | Courtesy of Babolat

When she was about seven years old, only four girls in her hometown of Cúcuta, Colombia, would join her to play in tennis tournaments. Her father would pick them up and drive them all over the city to play just so the girls could hit a few balls with each other and earn extra points. Nowadays, Osorio says its hard to find space to practice given how full the courts are.

"It's the best feeling in the world," she said. "That's why I do this...there's a lot of people that have a dream. They want to be big. They want to go out there and do amazing things. I want them to not have a limit in their head."