Babolat Aero Pro Drive review

[ryando]

A little about me: I was 1 singles in high school for a few years, and have recently rekindled my passion for the game after a few years off (A fairly solid 3.5 player.). I have joined a singles league, started playing in drills weekly and just bought an old ball machine. I am just starting to feel competitive again.

Now about my racquet experiece: I started out playing with a POG oversize in high school, then switched to a Slazenger Pro Braided when I started back up for more control. I then demoed a dunlop 200g, 400g, yonex mp tour-1 and I also tried out some classics like the dunlop 200g max, and some pro staff models. I like the yonex the best, but thought it was to demanding, there were good aspects to all of the racquets but none felt like the perfect racquet that I have been searching for.

Then I bought an Aero drive to see what the hype was about. Well after playing a few weeks with this racquet I fell in love. I am hitting serves, and ground strokes with more consistency and power than I have in my life. It was originally strung at about 58 pds and I was shocked at the amount of power I could hit the ball with and still land it in the court consistently. I then had it restrung at 55 lbs with a hybrid setup. Now I feel like I am hitting even better. I am still getting the hang of volleying with it, but that has never been my specialty anyways.

[Noveson]

That's the first review of the Apd without the word "spin", or any variation of, I have ever seen. That is an accomplishment in itself. Congrats:)

[ryando]

Well I should add that the reason why I can hit so hard consistently, is because I can put so much topspin on the ball.

[Safina]

my forehand is lethal with the APD... it just feels amazing.
i can hit huge topspin crosscourt passing shots or blast it down
the line.
i can't say the same for my backhand though.. my timing is totally off.
i hope hitting more with it restores my stroke, but right now it feels like it weighs 4oz on my two-hander. i guess some lead tape might help... dunno.

my last match, though, every shot felt "noodley" and twice as flexible as normal, but the strings might have dropped a lot of tension and be on their last legs.

[Kevo]

I demoed the Aero Pro Drive recently. I also found that it seemed off on the backhand. Forehand was fine. My one hander seemed to have too much spin. It would dip down into the net unless I really focused on driving through the ball. I also demoed the Pure Storm and it seemed quite natural on both sides. I liked it the best out of the four I got for demo.

[Xevoius]

I just finished demoing the APD and I think I may have to pick up a couple of frames next week. I thought that it would feel flimsly when playing against a heavy hitter but I was wrong.

Blocking back shots works well with this frame and I felt I was able to hit both a flat and a heavy topspin shot at will.

I usually play with an Aero Pro Control but the added zip and manueverablity on the APD is what makes me want to change.

I just felt that I had way more options on the court.

[cabernetjunkie]

The APD is a great racquet. It's one of those racquets that does alot of things right. I guess if I had to pick one thing that its not that good at it would be the volleys, but dont get me wrong its not that its bad at volleys it just takes time to get comfortable with it at net. I think if alot of people around here would give it a good demo period there would be alot more picking it as there main racquet. Just my opinion.