I lost the tiebreak, and apparently my Pure Aero wanted to lose something too.
I was outside the court when a ball came my way. I play a one-handed backhand, so I sent it back with a little too much anger and not quite enough awareness. There were some sticks and other equipment beside the court. I didn’t see them until my racket found them.
The result is in the photo: one broken Pure Aero. It’s always described as a forgiving racket, but mine clearly has limits. To be fair, this wasn’t exactly a scientific test of its forgiveness. I also had it strung at 56 pounds in the mains and 54 in the crosses, which may have made it feel firmer than I liked.
I’ve tried the Wilson Blade and a Yonex, and I think Yonex will be my next racket. I’ll also go for a softer string setup and lower tension.
The tiebreak is still lost. The racket, unfortunately, is also out.