Babolat sporting goods

Babolat: A Legacy in Racquet Sports

Babolat is the oldest company specializing in racquet sports, founded in Lyon, France, in 1875 by Pierre Babolat. Initially, the company specialized in processing natural gut for musical instrument strings and surgical sutures before inventing the first natural gut tennis strings. For over a century, Babolat remained a premier string manufacturer before expanding into tennis racquets in 1994 and footwear in 2003.

Today, Babolat is a global leader in the tennis, badminton, and padel markets. While the brand's premium natural gut strings are still manufactured at its dedicated facility in Ploërmel, France, to maintain strict quality control, the majority of its technical equipment, including graphite racquets, shoes, and apparel, is produced across a global supply chain with significant manufacturing operations in China and Southeast Asia.

The company remains family-owned and operated, maintaining its headquarters in Lyon. It is currently overseen by Eric Babolat, a fifth-generation descendant of the founder, ensuring the brand retains its specialized focus and independent heritage in the sporting goods industry.