Carlton now has three premium ranges: Air Rage for players in search of power; Air Blade for those looking for control, and Vapour Trail, for players hoping for a balance between power and control. Nathan Robertson is playing the 84-gram Vapour Trail Tour, which is made from Japanese HM carbon, and comes complete with XTreme Tension.

Head says its four new PowerHelix models - 5000, 7000, 8000 and 10,000 - are 56% more flexible than standard carbon thanks to the PowerHelix spiral structure which runs along the entire shaft, without losing control. The increased flexibility is designed to maximise the power release of shots.

For badminton, Wilson's ‘(K) Factor', which incorporates five new technological advances: a stronger (K)arophite Black frame; a more stable (K)ontour joint; a stiffer (K)onstruction; a new (K)ap for greater shaft flexibility, and a power (K)ick shaft for a lower kick point. 2(K)B features 10 models.

Benefiting from similar technology to its sister rackets in squash, the 03 Speedport Black has speedports around the head of the frame, which allows the racket head to move up to 24% faster through the air than traditional frames, with the sweetspot expanded by up to 59% for form a ‘sweetzone'.

Karakal's range of 11 rackets for 2009 includes a pair of new additions, the Tour GEL and Tour Lite GEL. Both rackets feature Karakal's new Superlight High Impact Dispersion Nano Titanium Gel, which is designed to disperse impact over the entire racket frame.