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Babolat Rackets Guide: Which Racket Suits Your Playstyle?

Get the lowdown on the Drive, Aero, and Strike ranges as we run through the best Babolat tennis rackets for every style and every level of play.

15 Aug 2024
Pro:Direct Tennis

Babolat’s racket line-up has changed quite a bit in recent years, with the historic French brand expanding their offering to cater for even more players. Fortunately, they’ve made it easier than ever to understand which racket’s good for what.

You still have the Drive series for power, Aero for spin, and Strike for control, and there are now Pure, Evo, and Boost editions of each.

What does that mean? Aimed at experienced players, Pure is the ultimate expression of the racket, and the most uncompromising in terms of both performance and price tag. Evo is for players building their skills, who want a racket that’s a little more forgiving on the arm. Boost ups the fun factor, allowing casual players to enjoy their chosen series’ signature characteristic at will.

Pretty simple, right? Let’s break down each series so you can see which racket’s right for you.

Babolat Drive

Best for: Power
Endorsed by: Fabio Fognini, Karolina Pliskova, Jordan Thompson

The Drive series is Babolat’s oldest and most iconic, having been a staple of the game since 1994. It’s primarily designed for power, but you’ll get plenty of spin from it too. We’d recommend it for explosive players who like to put opponents on the back foot with big shots.

Shop Babolat Drive

Pure Drive

First released over 30 years ago, the Pure Drive played a significant role in the rise of bigger headsizes, popularising 100 sq in frames and the easy power they granted. No surprise then, then, that nearly all modern versions of it measure that size or larger. Weight options range from 255g to 305g, and every racket in the collection features a 16/19 string pattern for ample spin potential. One note to mention: the Pure Drive is a pretty stiff racket. If that’s not your thing, check out the Evo Drive for a more arm-friendly alternative.

Evo Drive

There are three versions of the Evo Drive, all offering more flex than the Pure Drive for increased comfort during play. The Evo Drive Tour is the closest to the Pure Drive in overall performance, featuring the same 16/19 string pattern for spin and weighing in at 285g for a balance between manoeuvrability and stability, but with a stiffness rating of 70 RA compared to the Pure’s 72-74. The Evo Drive and Evo Drive Lite offer easy playability with a 16/17 string pattern, and they’re significantly lighter at 270g and 255g respectively.

Babolat Aero

Best for: Spin
Endorsed by: Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Leylah Fernandez

Originally a spinoff, if you will, of the Drive, the Aero series was developed in the early 2000s, specifically to enhance Rafa’s spin-based game. The “Aero” name, if you hadn’t guessed, is short for aerodynamic, with the frame’s streamlined design increasing racket speed through the air and generating more rotations on the ball. Looking to dominate the court with spin? Pick up an Aero racket.

Shop Babolat Aero

Pure Aero

The Pure Aero has always been at the top of the game for spin and power, and recent generations offer improved control too, helping you tame all those RPMs. The 98 headsize version emphasises the aerodynamic qualities the most with a thin 21/23/22 beam, while the Team and Lite editions are lighter but stiffer, a good combo for intermediate players. Or, if you want to go full Nadal, try the Pure Aero Rafa editions, which feature specs closer to those used by the Spaniard himself – or exactly, in the case of the bicep-bulging Rafa Origin.

Babolat Strike

Best for: Control
Endorsed by: Dominic Thiem, Cam Norrie, Heather Watson

First released in 2014, the Strike range takes the feel and precision of more traditional rackets and updates it for the modern game, offering a wide range of headsizes, string patterns, and stiffnesses to give you the exact performance you’re after. For players who grew up using frames with thin beams and smaller headsizes, it’s the ideal up-to-date option. Or, if you’re a younger player who favours control and wants to sample the “connectedness” the old guys are talking about, the Strike is the way to go.

Shop Babolat Strike

Pure Strike

Babolat market the Pure Strike as being for “gamechangers”, whether that’s dynamic players who are aggressive in their movement and shot selection, or counterpunchers who suddenly up the tempo with fast, decisive shots. While that’s true, given the breadth of specs to choose from, you’ll find a version that’s right for you whatever your style of play. The key to the Pure Strike, for us at least, is the hybrid box beam and how it combines with the natural flax fibres incorporated into the frame. That’s what makes it feel so good and why it’s so satisfying to use.

FAQs

Why is the Babolat Pure Drive so good?
Its design makes it very easy to generate power. For many players, that power opens up the court, allowing them to play shots they wouldn’t be able to with another racket.

Is the Pure Aero a stiff racket?
Stiffness ratings for the Pure Aero range from 69 to 71 RA. So, yes, fairly stiff. Stiffer than the Pure Strike, but more flexible than the Pure Drive.

Why is the Babolat Pure Aero so popular?
First, it’s a great racket for the modern game, favouring generation of spin above all. Second, Rafael Nadal endorses it. You know, the 22-time Slam champion Rafael Nadal. That one.

Is there any difference between Pure Aero and Pure Aero Rafa?
Yes. They have different specs and different paintjobs. The specs of the Pure Aero Rafa editions are closer to those used by Nadal himself.

Is Pure Strike a control racket?
Yes, the key attributes of the Pure Strike are control, precision, and feel.

Why are Babolat rackets so expensive?
Compared to rival brands, they’re about on par, so they’re not particularly expensive, relatively speaking at least. That said, all top-end tennis rackets have a lot of research and technology behind them, and the materials they’re made from are expensive to produce. For our part, we always try to offer fair prices that give you great performance without breaking the bank.

Shop our full range of Babolat tennis rackets here and share some pics of your new frame with us @prodirecttennis