Why Yonex is Number 1 When It Comes to Badminton Rackets

Badminton is a sport that suffers from being around at the same time as tennis. As a result, it is less popular, but things may have been very different if not for the emergence of tennis. Because the truth is that while badminton is a great game that requires high forms of athleticism and speed, tennis is just better and appeals to a wider audience. It’s just like the competition between Messi and Ronaldo debate in football; although Ronaldo is a special, special talent and an even more special physical specimen, Messi is still by far the better player, and Ronaldo suffers from being in the same era as his Argentine counterpart because he would easily be the best player in any other era. With that being said, badminton is still a tremendous sport to watch and indeed to partake in. Essential to the game of course are the rackets. I mean, how do you play the sport without the instrument needed to play it with?  A racket to badminton is like a golf club to golf, or football boots to football; none of the sports can be played without them. Just like those other sports, there are choices to be made when selecting the racket to attack the game with. There are almost literally countless options to choose from, so whether you’re a pro or a learner, you would need to choose a racquet to play with. That choice should be Yonex. What is Yonex? Well, they are a Japanese manufacturer that produces a lot of sports equipment but specializes in badminton equipment. Why then am I saying that a Yonex badminton racket is the best racket you can find on the market? You will understand as I take you through the reasons.

Yonex was started in 1946-a year after the Second World War ended-by Minoru Yoneyama. The institution initially just created fishing equipment, specifically wooden floats, although it was later left behind in that area because of technological advancements. With that failure, Yoneyama swore to himself never to fall behind the technology of the times ever again, and 1957 was when he began to make badminton rackets. Initially, for other brands, the company decided to make their own rackets four years later in 196, and since then, the Yonex brand has never failed to be recognized in badminton. Since Yoneyama made that promise to himself, Yonex has been the leading innovators in racket making, with several standouts in regards to trendsetting over the years. 1992, for example saw the introduction of the new ‘wide body’ racket (for badminton of course). Named the ‘Isometric 500’, the racket, with its revolutionary ‘square’ head shape caused many other badminton racket-making businesses to follow suit. It’s safe to say that even in 2017, the competition is still yet to catch up.

Who could blame them though? After all, Yonex is the most respectable and respected brand in the world of badminton. They simply make better rackets than everybody else. Their constant pushing of boundaries when it comes to making the equipment sets them apart from the rest. That has to be said. Their use and ability to exploit the technology available to them make it hard for your company’s rackets to be better. Or anybody else’s company, for that matter. It is very much a technological world these days, so those who can harness the power of the times are very likely to pull ahead of everybody else. So if you want one reason to buy a Yonex racket, then that’s it. Their stuff is hi-tech. Very hi-tech. Their understanding of technology make them able to produce rackets that pander to every need; if it is the speed you’re looking for, they have a racket for that. If it is precision you need, don’t worry, they have a racket for that too. In fact, their technological prowess has made them an all-conquering behemoth of a sports equipment company. If you want an example of this then look no further than the Yonex ‘Duora 10’ racket. Now you now that in badminton there are different types of games or styles. Just like how tennis has stuff like the backhand and forehand, and just like how there are different rackets for different surfaces or for different opponents etc. With the Duora, however, you no longer need to change rackets to change your style of play. This is because this racket blends two different playing profiles into one. It incorporates ground-breaking technology like the ‘Aero Frame’, which is designed to increase the speed of your shot exponentially and is meant for your backhand, as well as the ‘Box Frame’, which helps increase your swing power and is meant for your forehand. This gives you the unbelievably convenient ability to switch sides to alter your playing style. You can only find this sort of technical trailblazing when you use Yonex rackets. I mean, with products like that it’s not much of a surprise that they have the competition beat. The Duora, in particular, is co-signed by some of the greats in badminton at the moment; it is used by the number 1 player in British badminton, Rajiv Ouseph, as well as legend Lee Chong Wei.

Which leads me to another point. Almost all of the world’s best badminton players use Yonex rackets. Only the model changes. As a youngster growing up, it is often said that in order to do well you must follow the example of the people ahead of you, and since in this case the people ahead-the superstars and legendary players-are all using Yonex, then you have to realise that the brand is truly special. Of course, not only the old heads rock with the equipment; up-and-coming hotshots are also using the Japanese rackets to swat away the opposition. In fact, more than a whopping 80% of the world’s top professional badminton professionals are said to use Yonex rackets. Do I honestly need to say more? There isn’t any other statistics that perfectly encapsulates what I’m trying to talk about than that one. Numbers don’t lie, and the numbers are very much in Yonex’s favor.

Then there is also a wide range of rackets to choose from. Not one to rest on its laurels, the company tries its utmost best to cater to all kinds of badminton players. There are so many different rackets I wouldn’t be able to go through them all if I wanted to, and these rackets are not made just to make up numbers, no. These rackets do the job. The various types of rackets are grouped according to the technology they bring to the table. Examples of the different types of rackets include the ‘Voltric’, for players seeking power, the ‘Arcsaber’ for the more finesse-oriented players and the ‘Nanoray’ for the attack-minded players. The chances are that even if you’re a beginner looking for a racket, you will find the perfect fit here. The deep catalogue of rackets definitely ensures that.

Although I have never met Minoru Yoneyama, I can tell that he’s a man of his word. Why? Because he promised never to fail to adapt to the changes in technology after his fishing equipment was deemed outdated, and ever since then, his rackets have been ahead of the curve every time. Using sophistication but embracing simplicity, his brand of Yonex badminton rackets are definitely the best of the best, and 80% of the world’s finest players would make a toast to that declaration.