Subtle tweaks to a new Babolat Pure Drive
Tennis players of all levels would do well to try the new (2021) Babolat Pure Drive.
From Carlos Moya to Andy Roddick, to score of top-20 players in recent years, the Babolat Pure Drive has meant unparralleled power and a healthy amout of control for success on the tennis court.
A COVID-19-friendly press conference during the U.S. Open introduced the media to the entire Pure Drive line.
A best seller for more than 25 years, the Pure Drive is evolving in 2020, promising a game that is as explosive as it is powerful. This year, it will be complemented by a new, complete range including strings, shoes, apparel, bags, and other accessories to delight Pure Drive aficionados. Eric Babolat, President of Babolat, and Antoine Ballon, International Director of Tennis at Babolat, took the lead with this press conference and even former top-player Moya chimed in with his endorsement of the new Pure Drive.
I thought with previous editions of the Pure Drive, it was easy to overhit. You could get "wristy" and still gemerate too much power.
This version is still powerful, but a different feel provides more stability and even more head speed with what feels like more control.
My ball wanted to launch off the strings and land deep in the court. All good as I always felt like I was in control. Improved feel was felt on volleys and overheads. I took balls out of the air with swinging volleys and guided the ball both down-the-line and cross-court with ease.
The serve is where this raquet really shines. It's power and more power with less effort. It's the right amout of spin and bite when you need it.
Add a little more spin to your groundstrokes as the ball will really release on flat strokes. The Babolat team was additionally right saying there would be less vibrations, even on miss hits and shots that are off the sweetspot. This frame has been updated with Babolat's new HTR System, the Pure Drive's graphite layup has been reengineered for higher torsional rigidity, resulting in more efficient energy transfer to the ball.
Every three years or so we get a refresh of the Babolat Pure Drive. It's well worth the wait for this update. This follows with previous updates in there being subtle changes. Why mess with something that is almost perfect.
So whether you are a weekend warrior or aiming for a world ranking. Give this frame a try; along with Babolat strings and grips.
Specs: 10.6 oz (unstrung weight), 100 sq. in (head size), 320 mm (balance), 16x19 (string pattern)
The new Pure Drive retails for $229.