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Babolat Pure Strike Tour review

The Babolat Pure Strike is the newest addition to the Babolat racquet line. This time around, the Babolat Pure Strike Tour will include some new technologies and is a completely new line of tennis racquets for 2014. I was lucky enough to get my hands on the heavier Babolat Pure Strike Tour for about a week. I practiced with it, did drills with it, played some points, and played a few sets with this new Babolat frame for 2014.

Babolat Pure Strike Tour technology for 2014

Babolat added a few new features for the Pure Strike line:

• Response Woofer (grommets) – Babolat added PEBAX to their grommet composition. PEBAX is designed to absorb the energy thus giving more dampening properties to the grommet and frame, allowing for a more comfortable experience. PEBAX is also 20% lighter than traditional materials used in other frames.
• X-Sider – The inside of the frame, at the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock position, has been thinned out to give each player an expanded sweetspot, estimated at 10%. This is good for when ball contact is off center, the expanded sweetspot will be more forgiving.
• Stabilizer Technology – The Pure Strike frames have been constructed in a way to give more torsional stability. Basically, when you hit the ball off center, the racquet is less likely to twist in your hand and create an error.  Stable swings people!

Stringing the Babolat Pure Strike Tour

The Pure Strike frames come with a dense string pattern with 18 main string and 20 cross strings (also referred to as a closed string pattern). The Babolat Pure Strike 100 will come with an open string pattern, 16 mains and 19 crosses (more spin).

I got the Babolat Pure Strike Tour version, which has 18 mains and 20 crosses. I normally play with an open pattern that gives me more spin, so I opted to use a thin gauge tennis string, MSV Focus Hex 17L , this way I would still be able to generate some spin when/if needed. Installing the string was fairly simple, nothing out of the ordinary, pretty standard in my opinion. I tied off my final knot and was ready to hit the courts!

First impressions and hitting with the Babolat Pure Strike Tour

This frame is a beast! I like hefty frames, but I like them head light, this way I can maneuver and whip that racquet head around quickly when I need to. The Babolat Pure Strike Tour made me work…hard! The weight is listed at, unstrung, 324 grams (11.4 ounces), 7 points head light, and a RA rating of 66 (frame flexibility); nice looking specs. When I did my unstrung measurements, I got 328 grams (11.5 ounces) and 5 points head light; I don’t have a flexibility measuring tool at the moment, so I was unable to measure stiffness. Once I had all the string installed, Pete Sampras O dampener , and Tourna Grip Dry overgrip installed, the measurements changed drastically; 354 grams (12.48 ounces) and 2 points head light…a completely different frame.

Like I said, the frame is a beast; it’s hefty on the backswing and solid on the plowthrough. Once I dialed in my strokes, the court penetration was very impressive, I was hitting incredibly deep forehands and backhands. The stability of the frame was also impressive, incoming shots with weight and speed were easily absorbed by the Babolat Pure Strike Tour, with no twisting in my hands. I was impressed. I did not have to swing hard to get the depth I was getting off the groundstrokes, it was just a matter of getting the racquet head through the contact zone at the right time.

My volleys and backhand slices did come to life with the Babolat Pure Strike Tour! When I hit a well timed backhand slice, the ball would stay very low and would sail deep in to my opponents side of the court, only to skid and slide. It was a thing of beauty. I preferred hitting a slice on the backhand instead of my one-hander. The slice was just that easy to commit to and execute, it was a very effective tool when constructing an approach shot to finish with a penetrating volley.

My one-handed backhand suffered tremendously, I struggled to get the timing right with near even balance of the Babolat Pure Strike Tour. The takeback was fine; it was the swing that threw me off. I could not get the racquet head to come through fast enough to meet the ball at the right time. Generally I would find that my backhand was very late, so I had to make a few adjustments to my timing to swing a bit earlier. Once I started swinging earlier, I noticed an improvement in ball contact. I still struggled in getting the heft of the racquet through but I made due.

The Babolat Pure Strike Tour is not much of a servers tennis racquet. I can’t sugarcoat this, this frame is incredibly demanding when serving. If you are lazy in any aspect of your service motion, you will be disappointed. Like my backhand, I struggled to bring the racquet up quickly enough to ball contact. Head light frames are easy to whip the head into the contact spot but with the Pure Strike, it was something completely different. I consider myself somewhat strong, I can lift lots of weight and I have a powerful enough serve to muscle quick first serves; so I was a little shocked that I had to make so much effort in serving with this tennis racquet. Though, when I got the groove and timing down, the Babolat Pure Strike Tour serves quite nicely, it’s not a fast serve but it does add weight to the ball; so easy errors from unsuspecting receivers are easy to come by.

Because of the dense string pattern allows for a more controlled serve, for the corners and “T” serves. I didn’t quite get enough spin to hit some good kickers or slices, but I made due with what I had and was able to generate enough spin to roll the ball enough to come in for a quick put away or wait for a nice sitter to put into the opposite corner.

One particular characteristic I noticed about the Babolat Pure Strike Tour frame was that it didn’t have the traditional feel of a typical Babolat frame. If you’ve hit with a Babolat frame before, you know there’s a certain “ping” to it, sort of a hollow feel to the frames. The Strike Tour gave a very solid feel upon contact, this was a pleasant change from the other frames. The feel was more of a classic, graphite, frame; you know, the frames from yesteryear. I was happy with the construction of this new stick.

After three consecutive days of hitting with the Babolat Pure Strike Tour I noticed a bit of tenderness surfacing in my shoulder and wrist. The tenderness in my shoulder was likely due to the fact that the frame is heavier than what I normally play with and the muscles surrounding my shoulder were starting to feel fatigued. The pain in my wrist though, that’s something fairly new. I’m fairly certain that the pain was caused by two factors, the weight and the frame stiffness. Babolat claims to have a RA rating of 66, which is middle of the road in terms of stiffness; while I do believe the Babolat Pure Strike Tour is more flexible than the Pure Drive or Aero Storm, it’s still pretty stiff. If I had to say what RA rating I think it really has, I would feel confident in saying that 68/69 is closer to reality; it just didn’t have the plush feeling of a flexible frame.

Final thoughts on this Babolat Pure Strike Tour review

I spent quite a bit of time with this beastly tennis racquet, I like it for the most part but there are some characteristics that turned me off from buying one. I absolutely loved the depth penetration and plow through with this stick, I could put the ball where I wanted it when I needed. Changing directions were flawless, I could exchanged forehand cross courts and go down the line with little effort. Though I did struggle with the weight and balance of the Babolat Pure Strike Tour, I thoroughly enjoyed hitting groundstrokes with it. I had a hard time getting the timing of the weight with my serve so that proved to be the biggest challenge, though once efforts were made, I could put the tennis ball anywhere in the service box.

Ultimately, the Babolat Pure Strike Tour is for tennis players who absolutely revolve their game around control and placement (who also have flat strokes), and who don’t necessarily care too much about spin. Oh yeah, and you have to be physically strong to play with this thing…it will keep you on your toes and make you commit to timing and perfection.

Really though, the Babolat Pure Strike Tour is not a bad tennis racquet, it’s just very demanding. If I had the opportunity to spend a bit more time with the frame, I would absolutely put a leather grip on…to bring the balance back to the handle. By doing this I could get the racquet head speed that was lacking from the stock model. Oh and if you do plan on buying a Babolat Pure Strike Tour and you are coming from a 16×19 string pattern, lower your tension by about 5 pounds.

Babolat Pure Strike Tour specs:

Head size: 98 inches Length: 27 inches Balance: 7 points head light (printed) Flex: 66RA String Pattern: 18×20

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Babolat Pure Strike Tour Tennis Racquet

11226 Gold Express Drive #208 Gold River CA 95670 United States

2381 Fair Oaks Boulevard Suite 7 Sacramento CA 95825 United States

Description:

Babolat's proof of concept that we can have the feel of classic racquets but with the advancements of modern frames; The Pure Strike Tour. The thin beam, lower than normal stiffness and more exaggerated headlight feel makes this racquet a great blend of feel and control. Stability combined with feel, placing your shots accurately with the Pure Strike is the aim of the game. 

The Tour comes with a more tight 16x19 string pattern so spin can still be gained while keeping things feel and control oriented. The balance is more towards the handle and makes generating power a bit more tough but makes for a very stable racquet in the hand. I personally love playing with this frame as a serve and volley playstyle. 

Nothing compares to the feeling of hitting the exact spot you aimed for. Feel the Pure Strike's sharp control as you hit hard with full confidence, control the game on your terms, and keep all the pressure on your opponent.

With the 3rd generation of the Pure Strike, Babolat Evolves control for the modern game. Dream of that classic feel? The Pure Strike's sharp control is engineered to meet your demands as an aggressive hard-hitting player, combining dynamic control and pure feel for unprecedented response so you can own the court with every shot.

If you like a heavier racquet, the Pure Strike Tour will have you hitting a heavy ball as you control every shot.

Specifications:

Babolat Pure Strike – Review

The Babolat Pure Strike line has exploded in popularity over the last few years. Many people believe that it is as close to perfect with a combination of power, spin, and control.

Does it live up to all the hype in actual play? While taking a look at the Babolat Pure Strike, this is a closer examination of how it plays . This line might just be the next option for people to try out if other options have not worked for them.

Before going into the review, here are our overall ratings.

First Impressions

As soon as a person picks up the Babolat Pure Strike, they notice that it is a bit thinner compared to the other two main Babolat racquets . This helps with control a bit, as the frame can dictate how the ball travels and the connection a person has with the racquet.

It also has a bit more of a closed string pattern, but not too much that a person can’t generate any spin. There is still plenty of spin potential with a racquet set up like this, especially when a person starts to hit around with it.

Groundstrokes

This is a racquet that seems like it was built for solid groundstrokes off of both wings right away . Players can have quite a bit of control as they would expect, and there is a lot of available power. After all, this is a Babolat racquet, so all of their options will be built for the modern game that involves a lot of power.

What makes this racquet a bit unique compared to the other Babolat options is that it is easier to flatten out shots if a person wants to. Players do not necessarily have to hit with a lot of spin, but there will be spin opportunities available if needed.

All in all, groundstrokes are probably the best part of this racquet overall . It feels softer than ever before with the newest version, and that is great news for people who thought that the racquet was a bit stiff in the past. Instead of dealing with arm problems, players can play a modern game without having to go through a lot of stress.

The racquet feels solid and steady when serving . Players can feel like they are getting a good amount of strength behind each serve, and it allows them to place the ball with pinpoint accuracy as well.

Accuracy is always huge, but players should have the ability to tap into both power and spin with a serve as well. This is one of the most versatile racquets on the market today, as players can hit just about any serve they want and have success.

The extra mass and swingweight of the racquet definitely helps with the serve as well. Players notice that they can really start to dial it in after a few trial runs. The racquet might feel a little different for people at first, but then they begin to realize that it is potent and built for solid, dependable serves.

Is it the most powerful or the one with the most spin potential? Most likely not, but think of it as a racquet that is above average in both. It is hard to find too many that offer that combination, which is why many people have fallen in love with how it performs when serving.

Volleys with the Babolat Pure Strike are very good, especially when compared to the other Babolat racquets . There is more maneuverability and stability with this version than the previous two, as the third generation Babolat Pure Strike makes people more confident at the net.

If people like to get to the net as part of their strategy, or compete in doubles a lot, they will like how they can come in and get to the ball with confidence. There is an ability to put some power behind volleys when needed, but there is also outstanding control for touch opportunities.

The best way to put it is that when a person hits a volley with a Pure Strike, they never feel disconnected from the ball . It sits on the string bed a little longer, allowing people to make decisions with control. Sometimes it is not all about hitting powerful volleys, but putting them in the right place. This is exactly what makes this racquet stand out at that net.

Different Versions

With every new release in the Babolat Pure Strike line, there are more and more options popping out. This is good news, as it is slowly becoming a very popular racquet overall for those who want to hit with power and not have the ball go out all the time. This Pure Strike version is what most pro players uses .

One of the more interesting models available includes the 100 in.² version of the Babolat Pure Strike. Many wonder why this even exists, as both the Pure Aero and the Pure Drive already come in a standard 100 in.² version. With the Babolat Pure Strike 100, the beam is thinner, and control steps up a notch. It is fun to directly compare this racquet to the other two and see what feels best.

The Pure Strike comes in a pretty heavy option for those who are older and prefer the more retro type of feel with the racquet. Getting a good amount of mass behind each shot certainly helps some players depending on their style. It is one of the more amazing opportunities to hit with the tour version of this racquet, as it can really feel cumbersome compared to some of the others out there.

As more and more pros count on this racquet during their matches, it should come as no surprise that growing players are starting to want to give it a try as well. It helps to find a little bit more control overall, no matter how advanced or recreational a player is.

These are the specs for the standard Babolat Pure Strike.

Final Recommendation

Initially thought of as the third most popular line from Babolat, it seems like the company is finally starting to embrace what the Pure Strike brings to the table. That is also because more and more shoppers are gravitating towards everything these racquets provide. This is a racquet that seems very versatile, and players love having the ability to get that extra bit of control overall.

There is a reason why many pro players plays with this racquet. Not only on the ATP Tour, but plenty of players on the WTA Tour also plays with the Babolat Pure Strike.

Anyone who is looking for something a little bit different and arm-friendly from Babolat should give this a try. It is definitely different from the Pure Aero and the Pure Drive, which might fit a person’s game well. A person does not have to give up their power and spin for the sake of control, which is why so many people are eager to demo the racquet at least and see how it performs. If you are interested, you can check the current price on Amazon here .

Check out my other Babolat racquet reviews:

• Babolat Pure Drive
• Babolat Pure Aero
• Babolat Boost Drive

I'm Fred, the guy behind TennisPredict. Apart from writing here, I play tennis on a semi-professional level and coach upcoming talents.

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Babolat Pure Strike Tour White/Red/Black

Babolat pure strike tour, babolat pure strike, control racket, precision racket, additional information.

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One often overlooked, but crucial, aspect when selecting a tennis racket is the grip size. The grip size is the measurement around the handle's circumference, and choosing the right one can significantly impact your comfort, control, and potential to prevent injury. This article will guide you through the process of selecting the right tennis racket grip size.

Importance of Choosing the Right Grip Size

A correctly sized tennis grip ensures you have optimal control over your racket and helps prevent injuries. Too small a grip may cause your hand to shift during play, reducing accuracy and increasing the risk of developing tennis elbow due to overuse of the forearm muscles. Conversely, a grip that's too large can make the racket hard to turn and manipulate, and it could also lead to hand, wrist, or shoulder injuries due to overgripping.

Measuring Your Grip Size

There are two common methods to measure your grip size:

• The Ruler Method : Open your dominant hand and extend your fingers. Align a ruler with the bottom lateral crease of your palm, measuring to the tip of your ring finger. The measurement in inches correlates with your grip size.
• The Finder Test : Hold the racket with a standard Eastern forehand grip, where the base knuckle of your index finger is on bevel #3. You should be able to fit the index finger of your other hand in the space between your ring finger and the palm that's gripping the racket. If there's not enough room for your finger, the grip is too small. If there's too much space, the grip is too large.

Grip Sizes: U.S. vs. European

Choosing the right grip size.

When choosing the right grip size, consider the following points:

• Go for the smaller size if you're in between : It's easier to increase the size of a grip than decrease it. You can always add an overgrip (which usually adds about 1/16 inch) to a smaller handle to increase its size, but shaving down a larger handle is not recommended as it can compromise the racket's structural integrity.
• Consider your style of play : Players who rely on spin might prefer a smaller grip size, which allows for more wrist action. In contrast, players seeking control may benefit from a larger grip size.
• Test it out : If possible, try before you buy. Visit a local sports store, hold the racket, and mimic your swing to see how it feels. Remember that comfort is key - if it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.

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Babolat launches the 4th generation of the Pure Strike

Babolat launches the 4th generation of the pure strike, the control pillar of its performance racquet range..

The Babolat Pure Strike racquet evolves based on observation of players on court. Available for sale in late January 2024, Babolat's flagship racquet in the control segment incorporates innovative technologies to meet the needs of attacking players looking for control, feel, and precision.

In 2014, Babolat offered an aggressive alternative to the control and precision segment with the launch of the Pure Strike range . Adopted by Dominic Thiem and since then by many other players such as champion Niels Vink, Cameron Norrie, and Alizé Cornet, the Pure Strike has continued to evolve to meet the needs of the most demanding players, engaging fully with the ball.

In January 2024, the 4th generation of Pure Strike racquets will hit the market, specifically designed to deliver even greater control and feel at impact. Pure Strike racquets are ideal both for versatile, audacious attacking players, with sweeping, game-creating strokes, and for counter-attacking players with more compact preparations taking the ball early to use their speed.

8 racquets and 2 innovative technologies in the 2024 range

The eight racquets in the Pure Strike 2024 range feature two noteworthy technologies: NF²-TECH and Frame String Interaction Control.

NF²-TECH provides optimal vibration filtration thanks to the addition of natural flax fibers at strategic points on the racquet. This enhances the player's sensations at ball impact and provides a more muffled sound for a better perception of control. The flax patch is systematically integrated into the handle of all Pure Strike racquets, meeting the specific needs of this category of players who are always looking for more feel and control. Frame String Interaction Control is a technology that combines a tighter string pattern for greater control with a Woofer system that increases the contact time between the ball and the string for a greater feel. The frame combines a square cross-section with an elliptical structure, offering a perfect balance between control and power on every shot.

Among the 8 racquets in the range:

PURE STRIKE 97: Its 626 cm² headsize, thin 21/22/21 cross-section, and 16/20 string pattern provide the perfect combination for players seeking ultimate control and precision. The natural leather grip provides extra firmness and enhances the feel. The Pure Strike 97 is also available as a pair with a maximum weight difference of 1 gram.

PURE STRIKE 16/19: Its 630 cm² headsize, thin 21/23/21 cross-section, and standard 16/19 string pattern make this the perfect combination for players looking for control. This racquet is the benchmark for aggressive hitters with large swing ranges looking to control their natural power.

PURE STRIKE 18/20: Its 630 cm² headsize and denser 18/20 string pattern for extra control is perfect for aggressive hitters looking for stability and consistency at impact.

PURE STRIKE 100 16x20: Its 645 cm² headsize and new 16/20 string pattern is the perfect combination for players looking for control and power. This racquet suits aggressive players with a modern game based on speed and dynamic strokes.

PURE STRIKE 100: Its 645 cm² headsize and a standard 16/19 string pattern provide dynamic control. This racquet is perfect for counter-attackers looking for control and more forgiveness.

PURE STRIKE TEAM: Its 645 cm² headsize, thin 21/23/21 cross-section, and standard 16/19 string pattern provide control. Its lighter weight of 285g offers greater maneuverability. It is ideal for players who want a fluid feel while controlling their shots.

PURE STRIKE LITE: Its 645 cm² headsize, thin 21/23/21 cross-section, and standard 16/19 string pattern provide control. Its light weight makes it extremely maneuverable. This racquet is suitable for junior players transitioning to a first adult racquet and for those who are looking for a little more control.

PURE STRIKE JR 26: A junior version of the adult frame.

This range will be available in a complete collection of Pure Strike colors. It includes the new white RPM Hurricane string, three bags (RH12, RH6, and backpack), and two shoe models (Jet Mach 3 and Jet Tere 2). In addition, there's a towel, a tee shirt, socks, a cap, and wristbands featuring the Pure Strike cosmetics.

Team babolat pro players may play with a customized or different model than the equipment depicted.

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• babolat pure strike 18 x 20 racket review

Babolat Pure Strike 18 X 20 Racket Review

The amazing thing about the Babolat Pure Strike 18 x 20 racket is it only weighs 305g but has the feel of a much heavier racket.

It weighs 10g less than the Pure Aero Tour, but when you hold the two, you would have thought that the Pure Strike was the heavier racket.

From the moment I picked up the Pure Strike I felt like it was a racket that I would get along with, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

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Discover your perfect racket and string combo!

The Pure Strike gives a brilliant blend of control and maneuverability, something that we often find rackets in this weight range struggle with.

If you like a racket that is well balanced, giving you good power, but with a slight emphasis on control then this is the one for you!

Visually, this is a pretty sexy racket. But we were delighted to find out that the Babolat Pure Strike is just as effective as it is good-looking.

We love the minimalist color scheme of black and white with just a flash of red. Although it’s clearly not the most important aspect of a racket, we certainly wouldn’t mind being seen out and about with this one!

The Pure Strike is a head-light racket, which is what gives it the feel of a heavier racket. With the weight being centered slightly over the grip, it feels like you have a very solid racket in your hands.

The balance of the Pure Strike is complemented by a standard size 630cm sq. head, which is forgiving enough to allow for the odd little mistake, but firm enough that you still get great feedback from your shots.

The 18 x 20 string pattern looks like it’s been squeezed into a very small space here, but we found that the added precision really suited the style of the Pure Strike.

If you had to categorize this racket, it would neatly fit into the control category, but if you want to loosen everything up a bit and have a little more power and spin potential then you can always opt for the 16 x 19 or 17 x 20 versions, which should make those things just a little easier.

To help you tease a little bit more spin and power out of your game, Babolat has introduced some new technology in their latest version.

FSI Power Technology has been introduced to try and add a little bit more spin and power in the  18 x 20 version , this has seen the gap between the upper-cross string slightly widened to allow for a little bit more movement and thus more spin.

The beam has also been thickened slightly compared to previous versions to increase power and stability through the stroke. We found that these small adjustments did have a slight effect on the racket versus previous versions; the racket felt wonderfully solid throughout all shots, and we did seem to be able to generate a little bit more spin.

While we are aware that the rackets the pros endorse aren’t necessarily the rackets they use, it seems like Babolat has sought the advice of plenty of their pro players for this racket and has aimed to create a pro-style racket without the excessive weight.

We love the idea of this, but I was dubious about dropping down from a much heavier weight, especially to something that is just 305g.

I have to say though, I really loved the result, and Babolat has really hit the nail on the head with this racket.

Babolat says their racket is designed for attacking-minded players “who dare to strike first,” and they’ve got a pretty good ambassador in Dominic Thiem.

It’s difficult to know exactly what specification the pros use in their personal rackets, but it did seem like Thiem had at least some part in the development of the racket.

On trialing the racket, he told Babolat Insiders,

“I loved contributing to the development of the new Pure Strike in a concrete way, it’s important to be able to interact with the Babolat teams, to provide feedback, and to be able to evolve the racket that has allowed me to climb in the world rankings since entering the circuit.”  

Whoever is responsible for this racket, they certainly deserve all the money they received. The  Babolat Pure Strike  does exactly what it’s designed to do; offering the control and stability of a much heavier racket, but the easy swing acceleration of a lightweight racket.

This lends itself to the ultra-attacking tennis players out there who love to take big full swings at the ball and take their opponent out with pinpoint accuracy.

Groundstrokes

9.5 out of 10

From the very first ball we hit, the  Pure Strike felt extremely solid and wonderfully balanced.

It just felt right in my hand, and the headlight balance encouraged me to hit through my shots and get the most out of my swings.

This was particularly helpful on my backhand where I felt I was really getting my right hand (my non-dominant hand) through the ball and creating all kinds of power.

This is something I often struggle with when using my much heavier 334g Head Touch Pro, and I loved the fact that no matter how far out of position I found myself, I could take a big swing and go after the ball.

My backhand is always a very solid shot for me, I don’t miss off that side very often, but all too often it isn’t the weapon I need it to be, and my opponents are happy just to pin me on that side, away from my forehand.

They may be disappointed, however, if I choose to switch over to the Babolat Pure Strike.

The lighter frame was helping me to generate real power off the backhand wing, but I still felt that wonderful control that Babolat promises with the Pure Strike.

One of our most commonly discussed questions at TheTennisBros.com is whether you want a racket that minimizes your weaknesses or accentuates your strengths.

So, with my weakness well and truly minimized by the Babolat Pure Strike, I set about trying out some forehands, fearful that it might take a little something off my best shot.

The short answer is yes it did, but certainly not in a big way. With my Head Speed Pro, I feel like I have the racket that is best suited for my forehand, everything feels like a dream, and I get all the spin, power, and speed that I could want for.

The Pure Strike is not a million miles off though! Once again, the racket feels brilliant throughout the swing, and the feeling off the racket is exactly what I look for.

The one thing I struggled with was creating the spin off the forehand that I am accustomed to.

I love to hit with high net clearance and lots of spin to push my opponent back, but I was finding that hard to do with the Pure Strike.

I feel like this could be due to the light weight of the Pure Strike and was one of the reasons I was a little dubious about moving down in weight to 305g.

This could just be a case of getting used to the racket though, and of course, you can always customize the string tension and strings you use to suit your game.

Overall, the Pure Strike gets a 9.5 for groundstrokes. It has been designed with attacking groundstroke play in mind, and it seriously ticks that box. Control and stability are its key qualities, and it allows you to swing through the ball with complete confidence.

Where did it drop “.5”?

It just felt like it lacked a tiny bit of spin potential compared to other rackets. Clearly, that’s something Babolat is quite aware of, and they made steps with the last update, but we would expect they might make another jump forward with their next update.

8 out of 10

I used the  Pure Strike straight after demoing the Babolat Pure Aero Tour, which feels like it turns your serve into a rocket launcher, so I was wondering if I might struggle to get much power with the more control-oriented Pure Strike.

It certainly doesn’t have the effortless power of its Babolat cousin, but that’s not what you expect from this style of racket.

Instead, you get a continuation of the positives the Pure Strike shows on the groundstrokes: control and perfect feel throughout the shot.

I may not have been hitting bombs with the Pure Strike, but what I was able to do was really go after my placement.

Larry suffered the brunt of the Pure Strikes accuracy, getting nowhere near four or five aces in the short time we played (he probably cut those from the video).

If your game is all about hitting big serves with a racket that gives you lots of power, the Pure Strike might be difficult to adapt to at first.

But what you lose in power you do make up for in control and feel.

Personally, I feel like there’s an extra 10-15 mph that I can find in my serve if I maximize my technique, so I wouldn’t be too worried about losing a little power from the racket.

We give the Pure Strike an 8 out of 10 for the serve. It has excellent control and feel, but perhaps not the easy power some people enjoy on their serve.

The  Pure Strike  has great characteristics for volleying, namely a solid feel, and lots of control.

If you can get your volleys out in front and keep the swing nice and punchy, you’re going to benefit from this racket.

It has great feel for those crucial situations when you need to put your volley on a dime, but also feels very solid when a ball has been smashed at you.

The headlight balance feels beautiful in your hands when you’re hustling around at the net, and despite being “an attacking groundstroker’s” racket, it is still a lovely racket to volley with.

If doubles is your thing, then the Pure Strike is still an excellent option.

You may not be going after quite as many attacking groundstrokes, but the control you can get on the return and volleys is a real bonus.

The Pure Strike gets a solid 8 from us on the volleys, it’s probably not your first option if you chip and charge off every ball, but it is more than adequate for anyone with an all-round game style.

9 out of 10

The  Pure Strike  is a great racket for the modern baseline tennis player and would really suit men and women from intermediate to high standard tennis players who seek control from their racket.

This is the first racket in this weight category that I have felt can offer the control characteristics of a heavier racket, and you also benefit from putting a little less strain on your body with the lighter weight.

From the moment we picked this racket up, we really enjoyed the experience and were particularly impressed with the control we got off our groundstrokes.

Babolat advertise the Pure Strike as the racket for aggressive players, and it certainly rewarded us when we looked to take control of the point.

Overall, we loved this racket and gave it a very strong 9 out of 10. The balance and control are exactly what we love in a racket, and it brought the best out of our games.

If control and feel are the big things for you when trying a racket, then get out and give this one a go!

Final Thoughts

If you love control from a lightweight racket, then you have to check out the Babolat Pure Strike 18 x 20! Babolat has also released a 3rd Gen Babolat Pure Strike 18 x 20 , so check out our review on the new model!

Think the Pure Strike is the right racket for you? Find out with a personalized custom fitting!

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Nov 7, 2023 • Babolat Pure Aero

Babolat Pure Aero 98 (2023) Review

Looking for a high-performance tennis racket that will take your game to the next level? The Babolat Pure Aero 98 (2023) might just be the answer. In this review, we'll dive into the features and benefits of this popular tennis racket, helping you make an informed decision before your next…

Aug 31, 2023 • Babolat Dunlop Head Prince Wilson Yonex

Men’s vs Women’s Tennis Rackets: What’s the Difference?

Is there really a difference between men’s and women’s rackets? This is a commonly asked question that doesn’t have a very clear answer. Whilst there aren’t specific rackets that are designed for men or women tennis players, there are some trends in both the men’s and women’s games that make…

Babolat Pure Strike Tour Racket Review

Power and precision come together in the Babolat Pure Strike Tour . This racquet provides the exceptional control players have come to expect from the Pure Strike line, while its extra mass loads shots with pace. We took a trip around the world and asked our playtesters from California, Europe and Australia to swing this racquet for a month-long playtest. The Pure Strike Tour offered our players an enticing blend of control, stability and plow through. Despite the racquet's heftier nature, our testers hit each ball with confidence, and the precision rewarded fast swings with accurate targeting and plow through. This frame gave our most aggressive players added control, but some of the testers were hoping for more touch and feel considering the heavier weight. Still, experienced ball crushers who are looking for extra mass behind their shots should give the Pure Strike Tour a go!

• Spin-potential
• Lack of touch and feel

Bottom Line

This racquet puts extra mass behind the ball for advanced players and fast ball strikers who are looking for more control.

Groundstrokes - Score: 85

Starting off our playtest with our team in California, Michelle put this Pure Strike Tour to the test with her big groundstrokes. She shared, "I liked the weight and swingweight of this racquet from my very first hit. I also loved how confident I felt hitting aggressively, even from a defensive position. The racquet swung relatively fast considering its swingweight and felt pretty stable. There was good dwell time in the stringbed, and I could launch the ball back out with power and mass. There didn't seem to be a huge difference between the standard weight Pure Strike and this Pure Strike Tour. If I had to be critical, this Tour version felt like it had a slightly smaller sweetspot, and I was really hoping for more control from this heavier Strike. I normally prefer the heavier version of most racquets, but for some reason, I think I liked the standard-weight Pure Strike more."

The weight and swingweight of this Pure Strike Tour felt just right to Troy . He said, "I enjoyed hitting groundstrokes with the Pure Strike 16x19, but the heavier spec of this Tour version felt even better. There was enough mass in this racquet for it to feel solid and stable on contact, even when facing big-hitting opponents. The 320-gram frame felt rather maneuverable from the baseline compared to my racquet of choice, which weighs 330 grams. I felt comfortable hitting heavy topspin and attacking with a flat ball when needed. The spin was better than most 98-square-inch racquets on the market, and I felt more confident attacking flatter groundstrokes with this Pure Strike Tour than with the Pure Aero Tour or Pure Drive Tour. I wasn't overwhelmed with the amount of touch and feel this racquet gave me when hitting drop shots or slice backhands, but that's because I have primarily used heavier and thinner beam player's racquets over the years."

Safwane , one of our playtesters in Europe, loved playing with the Pure Strike Tour from the baseline. He said, "The Pure Strike Tour offered really good feel, and I was expecting something a bit harder to swing due to its 320-gram weight. To be honest, it didn't feel that heavy. I like to play with a lot of intensity, so I need a racquet that offers tons of control on each shot. The Pure Strike Tour gave me the precision I needed, and it performed really well for my game. I was able to place the ball wherever I wanted with good depth. It gave me the control I needed without sacrificing power, and I could execute topspin or slice easily. On my forehand and backhand slices, this frame provided great feel thanks to its stability and stiffness, which helped me control the ball. I had a lot of fun with the 16x19 string pattern; I was able to generate a decent amount of spin on my shots, and it helped me neutralize my opponent far behind the baseline. Also, I don't usually notice the sound that a racquet produces, but when I hit the ball with this Pure Strike Tour I was surprised to almost hear the power it provided along with its responsive and crisp feel. It's tough to explain, but I definitely suggest you try it!"

Simon , another of our European playtesters, had no worries with the Pure Strike Tour's maneuverability from the baseline. He said, "I was able to be aggressive from the first swing and finish the point within two or three shots. The balance between power and control was great. It allowed me to play relaxed because the mass of the racquet added extra weight behind the ball, and it provided a good amount of plow through. I had the confidence to let my swings go, and I still had a lot of precision on my offensive shots. This frame definitely helped me hit the ball with more spin, and the open string pattern was a plus for my defensive game, as I found the depth I needed. I also found better angles to get my opponent off the court. However, my one complaint from the baseline was that I struggled to hit efficient backhand slices, and the ball often sat up too high."

Moving to our team Down Under, Jaye was able to take full advantage of the Pure Strike Tour's power. He explained, "I had no major drawbacks from this racquet off the baseline. The higher swingweight and plow through offered enough stability to help me counterpunch faster balls. Whenever I had the chance to hit big and swing fast, I was able to generate a bit more power than usual. The feel was definitely plush and comfortable, and I found the sweetspot to be slightly bigger as well. I truly felt connected to the ball; however, I did find a bit of an uneasy feeling when I hit outside of the sweetspot."

"I absolutely love the Babolat Pure Strike line, and the control I had with this Tour was amazing," said Justin , another of our Australian reviewers. "It pocketed the ball very well, and the precision of this stick let me easily control the depth of my shot. This racquet has a higher swingweight than what I'm used to, and it felt really solid. The Pure Strike Tour offered a lot of plow through as well. It allowed me to put more mass behind the ball and hit heavier shots. Also, this racquet helped me build my points correctly and hit great angles. I thought it lacked a bit of power for my game and was more control oriented, but I will happily trade some power for the extra precision I was getting."

Volleys - Score: 77

When coming to the net, our team found plenty of stability and accuracy, but some testers struggled a bit on volleys with the Pure Strike Tour . Troy shared, "As I mentioned on my groundstrokes, the touch and feel weren't great, although they weren't bad either. I felt enough connection to the ball to execute sharp angles and drop volleys. In terms of the feel and responsiveness, it wasn't quite on par with certain older Babolat racquets, such as the Pure Control Tour. I also enjoyed the more flexible feel when hitting my volleys. There was just enough mass in this Pure Strike Tour for it to feel stable on my volleys, especially when facing big hitters."

Jaye preferred hanging out at the baseline. He explained, "I really only approach the net when I'm feeling confident on court, so I can't say I was up there volleying often. I had somewhat mixed feelings in this area; even though the racquet is on the stiffer side, I did find the throat to flex a little too much for my liking. This is just a personal preference, though, and not a knock on the racquet itself."

Safwane continued to gel with the Pure Strike Tour at net. He described, "I just loved hitting volleys with this racquet! I had great control and precision, and it really helped with my overall confidence at net. I could do whatever I wanted with the ball. I was able to hit my drop shots well and strike the ball with ease on aggressive volleys. The racquet felt solid on each shot, which allowed for great touch and control."

Justin found himself putting balls away at the net with the Pure Strike Tour. He said, "I really enjoyed the accuracy and punch for deeper volleys, although I did note a lack of touch and feel on my drop shots. I wasn't able to hit with finesse, and I felt disconnected from the ball a little bit."

Frenchman Simon noticed the difference in stability between the Pure Strike Tour and his racquet of choice, the Wilson Blade 98. He elaborated, "This racquet was much more stable and precise than my Blade, but at times it became too demanding for me on faster shots against bigger hitters. The frame is heavier than my liking, so I found it a bit tough to get into position."

The Pure Strike Tour felt fairly stable up at net for Michelle , and it allowed her to tap into aggressive volleys. She said, "Compared to my very stable Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph, the Pure Strike Tour was a bit more flimsy, but I loved it on swinging volleys! I have to admit there were times it didn't feel as maneuverable as I expected, and I felt jammed every now and then. However, when I was reaching for volleys the racquet held up and didn't crumble against big hitters. I could easily hit deep volleys and felt confident moving forward into the court with this racquet in hand."

Serves - Score: 80

The Pure Strike Tour's control was once again on display for our team when it came to serves. Safwane explained the pros and cons of starting points with heavy racquets, saying, "Serving with heavier racquets can be really rewarding when swinging fast. They allow you to put more mass behind the ball, and they offer extra stability at impact, but they can be tough to serve with sometimes. With that being said, I didn't have any particular issues when serving with the Pure Strike Tour. I found easy targeting, and on my second serves I was able to topspin or slice the ball very effectively."

This racquet never gave Justin the immense power or spin he gets from the Pure Aero, but it more than made up for it in other areas. He said, "The Pure Strike Tour offered superb control and accuracy. Along with pinpoint precision, the dampened feel off the stringbed helped keep me connected to the ball and gave me the ability to place the ball wherever I wanted. If you ask for my personal opinion, the Pure Strike Tour is the ultimate serving racquet!"

Michelle felt that the Pure Strike Tour could just about do it all when serving. She explained, "I could get some good pace going, and I felt pretty precise as well. I also loved serving with the standard-weight version, so this was no surprise for me. I've been trying to be more consistent with my serves lately, which means I'm taking a bit off my serve and going for bigger kicks and better targeting. This racquet helped with that. It was easy to hit my targets and grab the ball and load it full of spin. I could also effectively slice the ball into my opponents or slice it off the court to get them reaching, leaving a big chunk of the court open."

Though he had to adjust his timing on serves, Simon still found success starting points with the Pure Strike Tour. He said, "At 320 grams, this racquet is heavier than what I'm used to, but it's still relatively maneuverable for its weight. The great plow through helped me reach my targets with power and precision. But I had to let the racquet do its job instead of trying to muscle the ball out."

Jaye was impressed with the Pure Strike Tour's accuracy, but he wasn't quite as blown away by the racquet's level of power. He described, "With most racquets, I either hit big or aim consistently on serves. It can be tough to have both, and I was missing a bit of power with the Pure Strike Tour. I'm used to playing with racquets such as the Head Gravity Pro or the Yonex EZONE 98, which can explain my wanting more power, but the Pure Strike Tour happened to perform well in the precision department. My first serves and kick serves came with ease, and I was in full control of the ball. This stick allowed me to bring a lot of variety to my serving game, and I truly enjoyed surprising my opponents with different shots."

Troy found a nice blend of power and precision when serving with the Pure Strike Tour. He said, "Although the power came with ease, I found the Pure Strike Tour to be very controllable. It wasn't quite the rocket-like power you would get from a Pure Drive Tour Plus, but I still generated a lot of pace. Often, when I serve with a racquet like the Pure Drive Tour Plus, I hit some of my biggest and most shocking serves, but at the same time I'm not as consistent or precise. With this Pure Strike Tour I felt like I was maximizing my serve power without becoming erratic or inconsistent. The open string pattern allowed for heavy spin on my kick serves, which was a big improvement for me over the first Pure Strike Tour with its 18x20 pattern."

Returns - Score: 81

Our team found the stability of the Pure Strike Tour to be an asset on serve returns, and big swings were consistently rewarded. The racquet's overall weight and stability made blocking big serves back more bearable for Jaye . He explained, "I would say returning is the weakest part of my game at this stage, but I found I was getting into points more easily thanks to this racquet's higher swingweight and mass coming through the ball. I was simply able to control the ball better. Returning is something I need to work on, but as far as this racquet goes, it gets a big thumbs up for me."

Similar to his volleying experience, Simon appreciated the Pure Strike Tour's stability. He offered, "I found I could block balls back with ease, and the extra mass helped me attack weaker serves. I could also hit great angles with the open string pattern and pull my opponents off the court."

Both on paper and on court, this racquet was right up Troy's alley. He said, "If you have ever read my racquet review comments in the past, you likely know I prefer a hefty, solid racquet to hit returns with. I need a racquet that won't twist in my hands or feel like it's getting pushed around when facing 100-plus mph serves. This Pure Strike Tour did a good job of blocking back big serves and providing enough plow through to help push my returns deep when I didn't have the time to take a big swing. Even with all that mass, this racquet never felt sluggish, and I could muster up some big, aggressive returns whenever my opponent was foolish enough to leave one sitting up on my forehand side. If I needed to slice a backhand return, there was enough plow through to help me keep the ball low and deep in my opponent's side of the court."

"I don't think I missed many returns with this Babolat Pure Strike Tour," added Safwane . "The racquet felt very stable. Therefore, I wasn't overwhelmed by my opponent's powerful serves. I could counterpunch with ease and take control of the point right from my return. It was hard to find ideal depth at times, but I think that's something that I could have adjusted to with more time on court."

Michelle also liked the extra weight and heft this racquet offered compared to the standard Pure Strike 16x19. She said, "This Pure Strike Tour felt a bit more stable than the lighter version. It was fun to take big cuts with this racquet. At times, I felt I was going for too much, but I loved the angles I could generate, especially in doubles. Also, the Pure Strike Tour felt stable when I was returning against bigger servers, and I could block balls back effectively."

While Justin found that the Pure Strike Tour was sturdy enough to keep him in control, he felt that its lack of power held him back at times. He concluded, "The racquet's stability allowed for some great countering shots. I was able to knife the ball well or block the ball deep to reset the rally thanks to the higher swingweight. Once again, though, I lacked the extra power I needed to put away some serves that I normally would."

Overall - Score: 82

Troy - "The weight and swingweight combine to give this Pure Strike Tour the perfect blend of stability and plow through without making it feel sluggish. Power comes with ease, and there's more feel and response than the Pure Aero Tour and Pure Drive Tour."

Michelle - "It's always fun to swing a Babolat racquet! I like that this Pure Strike Tour is more controlled than the Pure Drives and Aeros. It's easy to generate good power and place the ball where I want. I enjoy serving and dictating points with this racquet."

Safwane - "The Pure Strike Tour is not really in my spec range, but against all odds, I really like it! It is easier to play with than I expected. I like the crisp and responsive feel at impact. This Tour version is the most stable and control-oriented racquet in the Pure Strike line, and it doesn't sacrifice power."

Simon - "The Pure Strike Tour is stable and comfortable and has a great blend of power and control, which is perfect for my game. The performance on groundstrokes is fantastic. I'm happy to be able to play long tennis sessions with a racquet of this weight without encountering any physical issues. I really enjoy playing with this racquet, and I'm placing it in my top five."

Jaye - "I like the feel on contact and being able to play the same game style I would with my current racquet."

Justin - "I love the combination of the Pure Strike Tour's stiffness, balance and swingweight. It offers great control and precision for groundstrokes and serves."

Troy - "Not a major knock, but this Pure Strike Tour doesn't quite offer the touch and feel that I am looking for from heavier racquets in a similar spec range. I have been primarily using extended-length racquets as of late, and I wish Babolat would introduce a Plus version in the Pure Strike line."

Michelle - "I'm really not sure why, but I feel like modifying the standard Pure Strike 16x19 would work better for me than this Tour version. Maybe it's because the racquets are pretty similar, and when I'm playing with a 'tour' frame I'm looking for something to stand out and differentiate itself. I didn't necessarily find that here."

Safwane - "When a ball comes fast at me I struggle to shorten my swing and hit a quick defensive shot, so I hit the ball late sometimes. The Pure Strike Tour is harder for me to maneuver due to its 340-gram strung weight. That would be the only downside for me."

Simon - "This frame is tough to maneuver at the net and on serve returns, especially on powerful shots. Feel could be improved, and the launch angle tends to be a bit too high on my backhand slice."

Jaye - "I feel some discomfort outside of the sweetspot. The forgiveness isn't quite there for me, and I will definitely restring the racquet at a lower tension to see if that helps."

Justin - "The Pure Strike Tour lacks touch and finesse, especially on slices or touch volleys."

Comparing the racquet to others they've tried, our testers said:

Troy - "Compared to the original version, which had an 18x20 string pattern, this racquet plays with a bit more power and yields a higher launch angle. I found the feel of this Pure Strike Tour to be firmer and crisper, whereas the original felt a bit softer and more muted in response. I found the power, control and overall playability of the Pure Strike Tour to be pretty similar to the Yonex VCORE 98 305, but with more mass and stability."

Michelle - "It wasn't really a tough adjustment from the standard-weight Pure Strike. Similar to what I said when we reviewed the Pure Strike 16x19, this Pure Strike Tour reminded me of the Head Radical Pro. It has good plow through and precision, with access to power and a nice muted feel."

Safwane - "I would say this Pure Strike Tour is pretty similar to the Head Radical Pro, but with a bit more stability. It's also close to the Tecnifibre ATP TFight 320 XTC, but with a different feel."

Simon - "The Pure Strike Tour has more stability than my Wilson Blade 98 16x19. It also reminded me of the Radical Pro due to its blend of power and control."

Jaye - "I was really excited to playtest this Pure Strike Tour since the previous Pure Strike 98 16x19 was my racquet of choice for a long time. Comparing it to this Pure Strike Tour , I would say that I was able to hit the ball flatter and harder, but I wasn't able to grind and spin the ball as much as I'm used to because of the higher swingweight. The feel was similar, but if I had to choose between the two, I think the Pure Strike 98 16x19 is just a slightly better fit for me."

Justin - "The Pure Strike Tour felt similar to the previous Pure Strike 98 16x19 version with some welcome improvements. I feel like this newer model has better control and dampening while remaining on the stiffer side. The Pure Strike 98 16x19 allows extra spin due to the lighter head balance. I think this Pure Strike Tour also has similarities with the Yonex VCORE Pro 97 330."

Playtester Profiles

Troy: 5.0 lefty all-court player with a full Western Forehand and a two-handed backhand. Troy currently plays with a Yonex VCORE Pro 97 300.

Michelle: Open level baseline player with a semi-western forehand and a two handed backhand. She currently plays with the Wilson Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph.

Safwane: A lefty aggressive baseliner with a semi-western forehand and a two handed backhand. Current racquet of choice is the Yonex VCORE Pro 97 310.

Simon: Aggressive baseliner with a two-handed backhand. He currently plays with a Wilson Blade 98 16x19.

Justin: Aggressive baseliner with a two-handed backhand. He currently plays with a Yonex VCORE 95.

Jaye: Aggressive baseliner with a two-handed backhand. He currently plays with a Babolat Pure Strike 98 16x19.

Review date: October 2019. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us. All content copyright 2019 Tennis Warehouse.

Babolat Pure Strike 100 3rd Gen Racquet Review

The third generation Babolat Pure Strike 100 brings improved feel and playability to an already popular racquet line. This updated model continues to offer easy maneuverability, generous access to spin and a control-oriented nature. New to the frame is C2 Pure Feel technology, which increases dwell time and offers enhanced comfort. This modernized feel was immediately apparent to our playtesters, and it made the racquet stand out from past iterations. On groundstrokes, our players felt connected to their shots, achieved easy depth and could counter pace with optimal control. However, some found that it took more effort to produce their own power. Moving into net, reaction time was quick, and the stability of the frame allowed our team to punch volleys back with confidence. The spin-friendly nature of the racquet gave our playtesters an advantage on serves, while the control-oriented aspects of the frame allowed for big swings on returns. Overall, fans of the Pure Strike line should enjoy the updated feel and stability of the new Pure Strike 100. Those looking for a lightweight player's frame that is loaded with spin, stability and control should be sure to check out this option.

• Nothing we could agree on

Bottom Line

This updated racquet provides an optimal blend of power and control with improved stability over the previous version.

Intermediate to advanced

Groundstrokes - Score: 84

Our playtesters all agreed that this third-generation Pure Strike 100 outperformed its predecessors. No stranger to the Pure Strike line, Jason noticed familiar playability with an updated feel. He said, "The ease of use is similar to that of the previous Pure Strike 100. I felt like I could pick up the racquet and be comfortable using it right away. It's quite maneuverable, so I could generate lots of spin and pace on my groundstrokes. I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to get easy depth with this racquet even though it's lighter than I'm used to. I think the biggest update is the feel. I was more connected to my shots, so I had a better idea of where they were going to land. Slices tended to float a little, but topspin shots were right on point."

Chris felt dialed in from the back of the court. He commented, "I loved trading groundstrokes with this racquet. I found the Pure Strike 100 to have an addictive blend of power and control. I was able to easily find depth even when pushed into defensive positions. Likewise, generating pace was super easy. Did it offer Pure Drive-like power? No, but I found ample power to hit all of my shots. Fortunately, I also felt very dialed in with the Pure Strike 100 and was able to control its power very well. On aggressive swings, I found a clean and crisp response that allowed me to place the ball accurately. When looking to play steadily, I was able to relax, let the racquet do the work and focus on my targets. All of my shots were working, and I had a ton of fun testing this racquet."

Although the specs were familiar to Brittany , she required some time to get used to the frame. She described, "Having plenty of experience with 100-square-inch Babolat racquets, the Pure Strike 100 specs are right in my wheelhouse. I wasn't the biggest fan of the previous version, and I felt Babolat made steps in the right direction with this update. The Pure Strike 100 offers more control and has a different feel than a Pure Drive or a Pure Aero. I found the most success on my groundstrokes when I took the ball early and redirected it using my opponent's pace. I had to work harder to create my own pace, especially on put-away groundstrokes. I did need a small adjustment period to get used to the beefier feel, but I used this to my advantage on my slices. However, I never got fully dialed in on my topspin backhand and struggled with the timing. This was tough because that's normally my favorite shot to hit."

Mark was pleasantly surprised with how well the racquet complemented his counterpunching baseline game. He said, "Often when I first test a new racquet I'm not aware of its specific weight and balance, which forces me to focus more on its unique qualities instead of what I think it should play like. Generally, I knew the new Pure Strike 100 was still a 300-gram, standard-length frame, so I expected it would be a faster swinging racquet. To my surprise, this new edition felt about as heavy and stable as a Pure Aero Plus. It did take me more than an hour of baseline play and one switch of strings to get the new Pure Strike 100 dialed in, but from there I liked it more and more from the baseline every time I played with it. Babolat's new offering absorbed pace nicely and provided easy access to spin, allowing me to play both offensively and defensively from the backcourt."

Volleys - Score: 82

Staying connected to the ball is important at net, and the Pure Strike 100 offered the feel and stability necessary for our playtesters to feel confident when moving forward. Brittany noted, "This update to the Pure Strike 100 offers more stability than the previous version, which is important when hitting tough volleys. However, I did have to focus on really punching my volleys deep when I wanted to end the point. Nonetheless, I was impressed with a couple pick up volleys that I was able to return to extend the point. This is normally not a strength of mine, and I appreciated getting some free points."

Mark was able to react quickly with the Pure Strike 100 when closing the net. He said, "Without any maneuverability issues and the same high degree of stability that the new Pure Strike 100 afforded me at the baseline, this racquet complemented my volley well. Even at full stretch and with off-center contact of the ball, I was able to execute some great point-preserving and point-ending volleys."

"I volleyed well with this racquet," said Chris . "While it didn't offer the same amount of power as my current racquet, I found plenty of power to punch volleys away. Just as I found on my groundstrokes, the racquet offered a very clean feel at net. I could tell immediately where my volleys were going to land the instant the ball left the strings. I also liked the blend of stability and maneuverability the Pure Strike 100 offered. I felt very confident with it in my hands, and I found myself volleying aggressively and more willing to take risks."

Although Jason prefers a bit more heft in the hoop to aid his volleys, he appreciated the feel and response when he found the sweetspot. He described, "I tend to volley off center more often than I care to admit, so I would've liked a bit more weight in the hoop to help with stability. It was better than the previous version, but there's still room for improvement. When I did make solid contact, I thought the racquet was really nice up at net with good feel, good access to spin and enough power to put away shots."

Serves - Score: 80

Access to spin and optimal control were the Pure Strike 100's key attributes on serves, and they helped our playtesters hit their spots with high accuracy. Brittany tapped into the high spin levels when serving. She said, "When it came to starting points, I stuck with hitting slice and kick serves. I wasn't able to easily generate power on a flat first serve, so I only hit those a couple times to give my opponent some variety. Regardless, I was very successful hitting slice out wide on my first serve. The feel was pretty consistent, so I was very confident in my aim, which let me take a couple more risks. Additionally, I could tap into the spin potential on second serves, and I never felt like my serve was getting attacked."

Jason also found success when spot serving. He said, "What the racquet lacks in power, it makes up for in control and consistency. I felt like I was hitting my spots well (better than average) and was serving at a high percentage. The spin I could put on my serve made it effective, and didn't always allow my opponents to tee off."

Pace, spin and control came together for Chris on serves. He explained, "The Pure Strike 100 worked well for me on serves. I was very happy with the amount of pace I was able to generate. My first serves had plenty of zip to them and were penetrating the court nicely. Again, getting spin with this racquet proved to be easy. My slice serves were biting nicely. On topspin serves, I was able to get enough spin to serve with lots of pace and still keep my shots inside the lines. I continued to have a high level of confidence with the Pure Strike 100 and had no hesitation serving for the corners or flirting with the lines."

Although specs of the Pure Strike 100 are different from what he usually prefers, Mark still felt right at home when serving with this racquet. He noted, "I typically prefer racquets that weigh more than 300 grams on serve, so I was a little surprised that I got the desired heavy-racquet effect on my serve. There was not a tremendous increase in my serve velocity, but the result was effective and effortless to produce."

Returns - Score: 81

With its control-oriented nature and generous access to spin, the Pure Strike 100 allowed our playtesters to swing through the ball and start off points strong when returning. Chris said, "I had zero complaints with the Pure Strike 100 on returns. The blend of power, control, stability and maneuverability was a great fit for me. My drive returns had solid pace and spin. I felt like I was hitting my forehand return especially well with it. The ball got in and out of the stringbed quickly, which gave the racquet a very crisp and precise feel. I liked how I could add spin with ease. The spin gave me some additional angle on cross-court returns, and I could go higher over the net for more margin for error and still get the ball to drop in."

Jason added, "I was able to return well and with variety with the Pure Strike 100. It was whippy enough that I could take a full swing at faster serves. Surprisingly, balls were still landing with some depth when I blocked or chipped a serve back."

The more time Mark spent on court, the more he could get dialed in to his favorite return tactics. He stated, "As with the groundstroke and volley portions of this playtest, it took more time for me to adjust to this frame than usual, but after that adjustment period, I was definitely rewarded. I chip the serve back into play most of the time, and the weight and balance of the Pure Strike 100 did cater to that option. What surprised me was that by the end of the testing period I got pretty confident with my topspin return."

Brittany felt very confident returning with the Pure Strike 100 in her hands. She described, "I preferred hitting returns over serving with the Pure Strike 100. I used the racquet's stability to my advantage and could swing out without any fear of overhitting. Most of my returns were landing deep in the middle of the court. I used the pace from my opponents' first serves to force them to move out of the way before they could hit their response back. This allowed me to stay in a neutral to offensive position at the start of the point. I did struggle to create my own pace when I had to return a second serve, though."

Overall - Score: 82

Jason - "The Pure Strike 100 is easy to use, maneuverable, and has good access to spin and control. The feel is better than previous versions."

Chris - "I like pretty much everything about the Pure Strike 100. The specs feel well suited to my game. The blend of power and control feels perfect for me. Getting spin is easy, too. The racquet feels fast, but it's still solid enough to trade shots with heavy hitters."

Brittany - "The stability, plow through and control-oriented response are all standout features."

Mark - "I really appreciate how many ways the Pure Strike 100 complements my game. It feels solid from anywhere on the court. Although I may prefer the cosmetic of the older Pure Strike frames, I far more prefer the feel and performance of the newer one."

Jason - "The Pure Strike 100 is still a little too light, and it does get pushed around against bigger hitters."

Chris - "None. This is my favorite of the new Strikes so far (still haven't hit the 18x20, though)."

Brittany - "I am just looking for a little more free power from my racquet."

Mark - "This is more of a head-scratcher than a gripe, but I am vexed by how much better the new Pure Strike 100 played with the RPM Blast, relative to the other polyester string we used for the playtest."

Comparing the racquet to others they've tried, our testers said:

Jason - "This updated Babolat Pure Strike 100 has better feel and is slightly more stable than the previous version."

Chris - "I preferred this new version of the Pure Strike 100 over the one it replaces. I felt like I had a better connection to the ball with it. I loved the blend of power and control, and I found this racquet to be one of my favorites of 2019. Compared to my Tecnifibre TFlash 300 PS, the Pure Strike 100 offered more control, feel and stability. It lacked a little of the forgiveness, maneuverability and subsequent spin I get from my Tecnifibre, but the results felt pretty close. Last time around, I tested the Pure Strike 16x19 first and was so impressed by it I kind of overlooked the 100. Not this time! I had a blast testing this Pure Strike 100 and prefer it over the 16x19 version."

Brittany - "Compared to the previous version, I thought this updated Pure Strike 100 was more stable and less maneuverable, and I found a more control-oriented response. Other racquets that play similarly include the Head Graphene 360 Speed MP, Dunlop Srixon Revo CV 3.0 F, Yonex VCORE Pro 100 (300) and Tecnifibre ATP TFight 295 XTC."

Mark - "We can definitely compare the new Pure Strike 100 to the 2017 model, although the newer model swings a bit heavier. That segues me into comparing it to the Wilson Blade 98 (16x19), which is also a racquet that weighs in the low to mid-11 ounce range, but is paired with a hefty 320-ish swing weight. The Tecnifibre ATP TFight 300 XTC also qualifies, along with the ProKennex Ki Q + Tour (2019) and Prince Textreme Beast 100."

Playtester Profiles

Chris: 4.5 all-court player currently using the Tecnifibre TFlash 300 PS. Chris uses a full-western forehand grip, has a fast swing style and hits a one-handed backhand.

Brittany: Open level player with a semi-western forehand and a two-handed backhand. She currently plays with the Yonex EZONE 100 (300g).

Mark: 5.0 lefty all-court player with a one-handed backhand. He currently plays with the Head Graphene 360+ Gravity Pro.

Jason: 4.0 baseliner with a semi-western forehand and two-handed backhand. Currently using a Babolat Pure Strike 16x19 (Project One7).

Review date: August 2019. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us. All content copyright 2019 Tennis Warehouse.

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If you have any questions, please email [email protected] . As always, thank you for choosing Tennis Express. We look forward to helping you improve your game.

How do I get started? Select 1 - 3 demo racquets from the brands above. Click "Add to Cart" and you will be directed to the checkout page where you may enter your payment information. For any additional questions regarding demos, please call demo department at 713-435-4816. When will I receive my demos and how long can I keep them? Tennis Express will ship the demo racquets via FedEx Ground Delivery (Express Option Available). You will receive your demos within 2-5 business days of placing your order. You have one week from the day you receive the demos until you need to return them. For example, if you receive the demos on a Monday, you will need to ship them back the following Monday with the pre-paid label provided in the box. How do I ship them back? Put the demos in the original box, affix the enclosed return address label, and drop the box off at one of the thousands of conveniently located manned FedEx locations (Go to FedEx.com to find the location nearest to you.) DO NOT leave the demo racquet box outside an unmanned drop box or with any carrier other than FedEx. If you have any questions, please call our Customer Service department at 713-435-4818 and they will be happy to assist. **There are no additional fees when you return the racquets, assuming you've returned them on time. What string is in the demo racquet? Learn about our stringing specifications for demo racquets. Get $25 OFF after demoing Once you have decided on a new racquet, you can use the demo discount code attached to your order to get $25 off your brand new racquet over $149. (Discounts does not apply to Limited Edition Racquets)

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How Trump’s Conviction Could Reshape the Election

The guilty verdict in his manhattan criminal trial is set to become a key piece in the 2024 campaign..

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Featuring Maggie Haberman and Reid J. Epstein

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Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube

Last week, Donald J. Trump became the first U.S. former president to be convicted of a crime when a jury found that he had falsified business records to conceal a sex scandal.

Nate Cohn, who is the chief political analyst at The Times, Maggie Haberman, a senior political correspondent, and Reid J. Epstein, who also covers politics, discuss how the conviction might shape the remaining months of the presidential race.

On today’s episode

Nate Cohn , who is the chief political analyst for The New York Times.

Maggie Haberman , a senior political correspondent for The New York Times.

Reid J. Epstein , who covers politics for The New York Times.

Background reading

The political fallout is far from certain, but the verdict will test America’s traditions and legal institutions .

Watch a video analysis of whether this newfound moment sticks politically.

Democrats are pushing President Biden to make Mr. Trump’s felonies a top 2024 issue .

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

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Maggie Haberman is a senior political correspondent reporting on the 2024 presidential campaign, down ballot races across the country and the investigations into former President Donald J. Trump. More about Maggie Haberman

Reid J. Epstein covers campaigns and elections from Washington. Before joining The Times in 2019, he worked at The Wall Street Journal, Politico, Newsday and The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. More about Reid J. Epstein

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Babolat Pure Strike 98 Gen 3 Racquet Review

The third generation of the Babolat Pure Strike has been out for a while, but I have not gotten around to reviewing the 98, 16×19 version until now.

The Pure Strike is Babolat’s line of racquets for the more flat-hitting attacking player. What the French company does well is not to introduce too many racquet lines in their range. You can read about the different ones on my page of Babolat tennis racquets . The Pure Strike came out in 2014 in the Darth Maul-inspired black and red paint job and had both Tsonga and Thiem as poster boys. Tsonga went on to the Aero Pro Drive (which later became the Pure Aero ), while Thiem remained with the Babolat Pure Strike 98.

The new Babolat Pure Strike 98 continues the white paint job that was introduced with generation 2 ( Project One Seven ) but makes it bolder with black and red lettering across the frame. It is clear that this racquet is made to communicate towards the daring, aggressive player.

Thanks to All Things Tennis for sending me a demo racquet. It is hard to get the brands to ship things to Malta and we don’t have much of a tennis racquet market here, so I really appreciate it. Use the code TENNISNERD and get 5% off on all racquet purchases and a free stringing. You can buy the Pure Strike 98 from All Things Tennis .

Specs and tech

“ Better vibration dampening thanks to a new material integrated into the graphite of the racket that provides an incredible sound and a pure feel.”

The racquet also comes with FSI Power technology “which features wider spacing between the upper cross strings for easier access to spin and pace.”

What we can learn from all this is that the racquet is supposed to be more muted and comfortable than the predecessor and offer a bit more spin and power.

If this is what they intended to do, they really succeded. The new Babolat Pure Strike 98 16×19 is definitely more powerful, muted, and offers a higher launch angle than the predecessor. Personally, I enjoy the improved comfort, but the power is often too much and I struggled to control my shots at times.

My strung specs (one overgrip) were on the heavier side

Head size: 98 sq inches Beam: 21 / 23 / 21 mm String pattern: 16×19 String: Solinco Confidential 1.25 at 54 lbs Weight: 336g Balance: 32.5 cm Swing weight: 342

How does it play?

Like you can read in the first sentence, the Pure Strike 98 is all about power. More advanced players might find it to be a bit too much and long for the more connected feel of generation 2. I prefer the 2017 version over this one, but I find this racquet to be ultra-stable, powerful, and very easy to generate depth with. The muted feel is not my cup of tea, but I still managed to hit touch shots with it, so it’s not as disconnected as I felt at first.

My racquet felt pretty heavy with those specs. Not sure what happened in the QC department, but the TW review demo was 323g strung and had a 327 SW. So I definitely got a racquet at the top of the range in specs. I have talked about the issue before, so no need to dwell on it. Most manufacturers fail to offer decent quality control, especially considering that a tennis racquet is not cheap – if you pay more than $200 for a product, you need to expect something more.

Despite the heavy specs, I enjoyed hitting with the Pure Strike 98. When I was in the zone and playing well it was a huge weapon and allows the player to blast winners left, right and center. The issue is that the power might be overbearing when you’re not playing and moving well.

Stroke by Stroke

Groundstrokes were POWERFUL. You definitely need to add some spin on your shots to get the ball to land in. This is definitely the racquet in the Babolat range that requires the most from the user. This generation is definitely more spin-friendly than the previous generation. For my game, I enjoy a really controlled launch angle and would probably play better tennis with the improved control of the 18×20 version. If you hit with some spin and want to come at your opponent “all guns blazing”, this is a must demo.

Volleys  were STABLE. This racquet performs really well at the net. I was very impressed by the rock-solid stability of the Pure Strike when directing the pace from my opponent. Yes, I had a high spec racquet, but the high stiffness and the higher swing weight of gen 3 will make volleys easy.

Hitting Serves was a BLAST. Yes, serving with this racquet was another area I enjoyed. It is definitely a racquet for the player who wants to win the point and not wait for the opponent’s mistakes. You get a lot of free power and spin and the racquet comes through the air faster than with a Pure Drive or Aero.

Decent on Touch shots.  It took some time to get used to the muted feel, but once you do, you can actually hit with pretty good touch as well. I was actually positively surprised in this area.

Comfort is still a bit of an issue. Despite the dampening tech, it is not going to be your elbow’s best friend. It is more comfortable than gen 2, but it is still a stiff racquet, so it cannot really be recommended to players who suffer from tennis elbow or wrist issues.

Who is it for?

The Pure Strike 98 is for advanced players who like to play aggressively and go on the attack. The high swing weight makes it more suitable for players ranked NTRP 4.0 or above. If you have arm issues, there are more suitable frames. Using a full bed of multifilament or gut strings in this racquet will make it into a rocket launcher.

Final verdict

This is a nice racquet for players who are looking for power to finish off a point from anywhere on the court. You need to have quite good footwork and technique to harness all that power though and that is where I struggled. I preferred the previous version and felt like the Tecnifibre TF40 plays somewhat similar but with better comfort and feel. Still, there is no denying that this racquet can be quite intoxicating to use when you’re on your game. It could be a very interesting frame for advanced doubles players as it worked great on both serves and at the net.

Video review

Jonas Eriksson

Jonas has been known as "tennis nerd" mainly for his obsessing about racquets and gear. Plays this beautiful sport almost every day.

Should Djokovic Step Down?

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The best racket I have hit with in the past 2 years.

UTR 10.5 (2012 PD Roddick user.)

What’s the difference between this and the one in the https://tennisnerd.net/gear/racquets/racquet-reviews/babolat-pure-strike-tour-racquet-review/19869 review ?

Yes, I might do a video of that, but in my case, with the specs being so close – there is no noticeable difference at all.

Looks like you may have got a Tour frame by mistake.

BELLA RECENSIONE, RISPETTO LA BLADE V7 16 19 COME SI COMPORTA? PENSAVO ALLA BLADE PERCHE’ PIU’ CONFORTEVOLE E SIMILE COME PRESTAZIONI, MI SBAGLIO?

The Blade does not need any customization (and does not offer much room for it) and is perhaps a bit plusher. The Ultra Pro offers less power and more control but is up to you how much weight you want to add.

I love this racquet and I fin it’s the best racquwt to rip single BH with. Spin and power is rediculous from 98sq frame. Ur review is spot on thatbu need good footwork and technique. Most players will only get to feel 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th gear with this racquet. Most players wont be able to feel (5th gear) what a weapon this racquet is because it requires excellent footwork, technique, physical strength and spin production. Basically if i have a similar style and swing speed and racquet head speed like Thiem u will be able to access this hidden 5th gear.

Could you compare and contrast this frame with the Prince Textreme Tour 100 (310)? I really like the balance, feel, and solid playability of the Prince but I need enough power and spin to get good court penetration also. Could I get that with the Prince or do I need to go with this frame to achieve an aggressive backcourt style of play? I am a 4.0 counterpuncher aspiring to improve my game with a new frame (coming from Rebel 95). Thank you.

I tried all the pure strikes 1st,2nd and 3rd gen and as TN said the 3rd gen with the muted feel made me feel disconnected to the ball , it was like i was not interacting with the ball enough, it just didn’t work for me.

2nd gen is a good racket with everything in moderation and the feel is also above okayish i would say.

But the first generation pure strike with the red and black paint job is one of the BEST RACKETS i have ever played with ever, every ball that goes from the racket makes you feel the ball, the racket is extremely good at groundstrokes with just the right amount of power and spin considering it is a control based racket, the net play , the slices. I just loves everything about the 1st gen pure strike and couldn’t switch at all specially to the newer pure strikes it seems like they are just mixing pure drive and pure strike to make a newer racket from 2nd gen onwards. I would say if you have a 1st gen pure strike don’t sell it to get a newer one and if you really have to buy a racket similar to this, then try get a 1st gen pure strike if you can and see if it works for you 1) HEAD PRESTIGE (VERY SIMILAR) 3) WILSON PRO STAFF 97(everything is good you just have to get used to this racket) 4)WILSON BLADE (VERY SIMILAR) 5)HEAD RADICAL PRO 2021 ( I did not love it tbh but a good racket works for some people amazingly) 6) PRINCE phantom 7) PRINCE EXO3( very difficult to play with but is awesome) and the textreme is also really nice. there are a few more ik but i think it is enough u can ask me for more though. and tennisnerd you are just the best tennis channel out there , following from the very beginning.

hey ryan, i think you should get the textreme tour superb frame to play with, it also has some good spin potential and is very stable for the high weight it has and considering your requirement check out the pure strike 1st or 2nd gen and maybe the prestige and blade. The prince textreme tour has a very strong feel which you are definitely going to miss on the pure strike 3rd gen

Hello Jonas, Very nice review once again.

Can i ask you about difference in launch angle between this one and Prince beast 98 ? which do you find better on 1HB

Best regards, Drago

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