ShortcutsUS Open Tennis 2012Player Brian Battistone turned heads with his radical design of racket. But did it help him to improve his game?Brian Battistone turned heads at the US Open with a bizarre contraption. Witnesses compared it to hedge-clippers or a divining rod. "I call it the alien," says Nicole Mellichar, Battistone's mixed-doubles partner.
The nature of his two-handled racket allows the right-handed Battistone to play a lefthanded forehand, while still controlling the shot with his stronger arm. The racket was first created by inventor Lionel Burt for fitness reasons: to allow users to play the same strokes on both sides of their bodies, and so develop all their muscles at the same rate. But Battistone uses it because he thinks it benefits him tactically: "I have full reach on both sides," he says. "I feel like the angles give me some advantages on different shots."
The international tennis federation (ITF) has ruled that the racket can be used in professional competition, but Battistone (as well as his brother Dann, and Trent Aaron, the only other tour pros to use the racket) has to bring a certificate confirming the ruling to every tournament, just in case he is challenged. "Their basic position is: 'If you can beat Roger Federer with a snow shovel of that dimension, go ahead and do it,'" Burt has said of the ITF's stance.
It's not quite a snow shovel – but the racket has yet to shower its users with glory. Battistone and Mellichar only qualified for the US Open as wildcards, and were knocked out at the first round.
This article was amended on Wednesday 5 September to correct the spelling of racket in the picture caption to conform with the Guardian style guide.
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