Babolat Tennis Racquets Explained

Racquet Lines

Babolat offers five different lines of tennis racquets for adults, each designed to deliver a specific set of performance characteristics to give players a wide range of options. They also offer a variety of children’s racquets for kids and juniors.

Within each line, you’ll find several tennis racquets that share the same visual look but offer distinct specifications, such as a larger head size, giving players additional options to find a racquet that most closely aligns with their needs and preferences.

In this section, I’ll discuss each line of tennis racquets and the available variations within each line. At a high level, here’s what you can expect from each line.

Pure Drive

The Pure Drive is the evolution of Babolat’s original frame they designed in 1994. Like previous generations, the racquet emphasizes power as the dominant attribute while delivering plenty of spin that aggressive baseline players crave.

However, its ability to deliver well-rounded all-court performance sets the Pure Drive apart from many other racquets in its class that provide similar power levels.

Babolat offers an extended length option within the Pure Drive line, denoted by ‘Plus,’ for even more power, spin, and reach. Rather than the standard 27-inch (68.6) length for adult racquets, these are 27.5 inches (69.9 cm) long. As a result, shorter players or those looking to maximize these attributes often gravitate toward these frames.

Overall, this line is the most approachable or user-friendly of all Babolat’s performance racquets, with several variations, including larger, more forgiving head sizes and lighter options to appeal to a wide range of players from beginners to advanced.

Pros

• Power
• Topspin
• Larger sweetspot

Cons

• Comfort
• Control

Pure Drive Comparison Table

Pure Aero

Players familiar with the Pure Aero will recognize the racquet is synonymous with Rafael Nadal, whose success and longevity have helped to make it one of the best-selling racquets.

What’s unique about this racquet is that Babolat crafted the original model to play to Rafa’s strengths, specifically to help him increase racquet head speed with an aerodynamic design that enabled him to maximize topspin.

Although Rafa still uses the original AeroPro Drive, the latest generation retains the essence of the original model with features and design considerations that emphasize spin first and foremost.

However, beyond spin, you’ll find the Pure Aero delivers plenty of power, which pairs nicely. Like the Pure Drive, it’s a well-rounded racquet that provides solid performance hitting various shots from all areas of the court.

It’s worth noting that in this family of racquets, you’ll find the Pure Aero VS, featuring a 98 in² head size vs. the standard 100 in² on the other models. With a bit of extra weight and a thinner beam, Babolat introduced the racquet to appeal to higher-level players that demand even more control.

There’s also an extended-length version, which at 27.5 inches (69.9 cm) is a half inch longer than a standard adult racquet, providing extra reach, power, and spin.

Pure Drive vs. Pure Aero

Although the Pure Drive and Pure Aero share similar attributes, I find the Pure Aero delivers added control and better feel, particularly at net, for a more well-rounded performance. At the same time, the Pure Drive offers notably more power, so a player’s preference will boil down to their priorities.

Pros

• Power
• Topspin
• Control

Cons

• Comfort
• Lack of feel

Pure Aero Comparison Table

Pure Strike

Compared to the Pure Drive and Pure Aero, the Babolat Pure Strike offers players a markedly different option, emphasizing better control and added feel for excellent all-court performance.

That’s not to say the frame is void of power and spin, but Babolat seeks to find more of a balance for those who play with added finesse and find themselves moving forward and playing the net as much as they like battling it out at the baseline.

Within this family of racquets, you’ll also find the standard options feature a slightly smaller 98 in² head size vs. the larger 100 in² you’ll find on most of Babolat’s other racquets. This change, along with a thinner beam, more flexible frame, and some added weight, aims to deliver added control and precision for more advanced players with plenty of experience.

Pros

• Balance of power and control
• Topspin
• Feel
• Stability

Cons

• Comfort

Pure Strike Comparison Table

EVO

The EVO line of racquets from Babolat is a new range with lower price points designed for two specific audiences.

First, these racquets are excellent entry-level options for adults who enjoy playing tennis for recreation and exercise. However, they’re also well-suited for younger players transitioning to full-sized adult racquets. That’s because their lighter, and thus more maneuverable, and feature slightly larger head sizes than their high-end performance models, providing extra margin for error when swinging to hit the ball.

Where some people get confused is Babolat carries the name of their performance racquets into this line, so you end up with naming conventions like the following:

• Babolat EVO Aero
• Babolat EVO Drive
• Babolat Pure Strike EVO

Although this is a separate line of racquets from the performance lines we’ve discussed in the previous sections, each has similar attributes to the higher-end models. That is Aero for spin, Drive for power, and Pure Strike for control.

From Babolat’s standpoint, this branding play begins to funnel players down a specific path earlier in their tennis journey, so there’s less guesswork for players as they mature. Suppose you’re using the Babolat EVO Aero as a beginner and enjoy the racquet. In that case, it’s logical to transition into their premium Aero line when and if you decide to upgrade your racquet.

As a bonus, all Babolat EVO racquets come pre-strung for added value, but more importantly, they result in fewer decision points for new players. If you buy an unstrung racquet, you still have to select a string and tension to match your racquet, which adds friction to getting started. The EVO lines remove this barrier by preinstalling an economical synthetic gut string within the frame’s recommended tension range.

Overall, the Babolat EVO line of racquets is an excellent entry-level and transitional option for players who demand more from their racquet than what you get with a cheap tennis racquet.

Pros

• Affordable
• Ease of use
• Power
• Spin

Cons

• Stability
• Feel
• Control
• Maneuverable

EVO Comparison Table

Boost

One step down from Babolat’s EVO racquets is their Boost line, their most economical and accessible offering. Like the EVO line, you’ll also find these racquets carry similar naming conventions to Babolat’s performance racquets, including:

• Babolat Boost Aero
• Babolat Boost Drive
• Babolat Boost Strike

These racquets are similar to the EVO line in that they’re lightweight, maneuverable, pre-strung, and feature larger head sizes for more surface area when swinging to hit the ball. However, their weight is even lighter than the EVO lines, making them the easiest to handle for players just starting.

Despite that, what I love about the Boost line is that Babolat still constructs them with graphite, the dominant material in use across all premium tennis racquets, vs. the cheaper aluminum you’ll find used for the least expensive options from other brands.

The result is a fairly priced entry-level racquet that doesn’t skimp on performance, perfectly suited for beginners.

Pros

• Affordable
• Ease of use
• Power
• Spin
• Maneuverable

Cons

• Stability
• Feel
• Control

Boost Comparison Table

Kids and Juniors

When children learn to play tennis, a full-sized or 27″ (68.6 cm) adult tennis racquet is too large, heavy, and difficult to maneuver. That’s why brands like Babolat have introduced lines of racquets designed specifically for kids and juniors.

Ultimately, the length is the most important consideration for kids ten and under when buying a tennis racquet. That is, younger players use shorter and lighter-weight racquets.

Here’s a table outlining how to properly size a kid’s tennis racquet based on age and height.

Babolat’s 26 and 25-inch kids’ racquets use graphite for their construction, while anything shorter uses aluminum. Although you’ll pay more for them, it’s a bonus that helps transition rising juniors to the feel of a graphite racquet sooner and is a unique distinction relative to other kids’ racquets of the same length.

Furthermore, all of Babolat’s kids’ tennis racquets come pre-strung for the best value using synthetic gut, an ideal low-cost string for children who are learning.