Tennis Warehouse: Babolat Pure Aero 98

[Yamin]

Thank you very much @TW Staff for this opportunity. Greatly appreciate this forum.

String and tension used for test: Volkl Cyclone Tour 50 Lb
Tennis experience/background: Returned to tennis this past year after 10 years. Recovering from shoulder surgery. Playing in 3.5 - 4.5 leagues.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Carving out a section for this because I have different needs in a racket than most people have. I would like to note that this racket is great for certain types of players, but I will be reviewing how this racket performed specifically for me and my style below:

Used to be a power baseliner, but I am now moving toward an attacking / all court game as I usually receive weak replies off most of my strokes. I use a full western to Hawaiian grip with one handed backhand, and on service games I usually serve + 1. Used to use rackets 330-345 SW around the same balance, so thought this may be a good fit.

Current racquet/string setups: Clash 98 with Volkl Cyclone Tour 50 Lb
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 8 hours
My Specs : 11.36oz strung (don't have tools for accurate measurement of other specs)

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke:

Groundstrokes 7/10: This thing would be a beast in the right hands. Power and depth are very good when hitting the sweet spot. This racket is designed to be played by players with full fast swing. I found the 16x20 pattern was really good in this application as slices were great. My ground strokes often have too high launch angle given my swing speed and grip. This wasn't the case with this racket. Very good penetrating shots, sometimes even violent. I was able to shape the ball nicely on other shots, such as reverse follow through and topspin lobs. The racket responded nicely and created trajectory equivalent to what you would want/expect given your swing path. I was able to hit powerful flat winners, but also got great depth with balls that would bounce almost Pure Aero level if needed.

There are a few places this racket fell short for my play style. For one, I don't think this gives anything to players with short/fast swinging styles. I wasn't getting anything out of the racket on those type of shots more so than I could with other rackets. Given my western/hawaiian grip, this racket did not agree with my swing path. I found it... very turbulent. When going all out the racket will violently pick up speed once it gets out in front, and suddenly rip downwards toward my hip on follow through. I don't think the aero shape works well for me. I also had troubles adjusting inside the court. When I needed to be quick to react, the weight distribution didn't transition smoothly, and the racket head would end up places I wouldn't expect. Finally, I use the edges of my racket, which is why I really value a racket that has a larger sweet spot, but with defined edges. This certainly had defined edges but I would say a smallish sweet spot. I didn't get the consistency I needed. I could aim for a deep corner but sometimes ended up with a short angle winner.. Like the PAVS this still has a high drop off in power outside the sweet spot, but it almost feels like there's a second beam you're bottoming out on when you hit hard and make contact at the edges as the previous model did.

Serves 8/10: This racket worked differently for me than my clash 98. My flat serve wasn't as strong and couldn't hit a hundo. I rely on whip for most of my serves, but my kick serve was FAR better than I get with the clash, and it was clear my slice had more action on it.. A hard topspin/slice serve is my default on the deuce side, and this is excellent for the serve +1. The serve is where the aero qualities for the most part actually seemed to be agreeable with, or accentuate my swing path. Given more time I'm sure I could get the flat down as well.

Volleys 7/10: The stability on this racket wasn't as exceptional out of the box given other reviewers, but I ended up preferring it that way. It is definitely better than my clash 98 and it actually gave me pretty high confidence at the net if I was playing aggressively. I didn't love it for for any placement outside of drop shots as I sometimes wouldn't make clean contact and the ball would fall very short. My volleys currently are not the greatest, so I appreciate a low powered but more consistent response across the string bed in this regard. When you got it right though, this had much better put away power than my clash, and overheads etc were very good.

Serve returns 8/10 : Stability was great as I could whip my wrist or go for big returns with confidence. Far better than the clash 98 against strong servers, as I always have swing out with that racket. Blocking balls back with the clash 98 or playing defensive against stronger hitting players is not really possible. With this racket you could use a very short swing and get powerful returns. This is the one place the I liked the smaller sweet spot of the 98. I could swing at the ball and it would pretty much always stay in on returns. Either really spinny with great height if hit outside the sweet spot, or a blaster but always good depth.

Comments on racquet performance in each area

Power/Control 7/10 : Power of this racket was very high on the sweet spot. The overall specs are exactly what I was looking for in a racket which is why I was thrilled for this playtest. I was able to hammer finishing shots easily, but as mentioned before the sweet spot is a bit small and I found the racket a bit turbulent for my swing so it wasn't a great match for me control wise. This racket is made for players that stand a few feet off the baseline. It does not have a limiter like many rackets do these days. With my Clash 98 once you get a few feet off the baseline it's incredibly hard to generate power or get back in the point. The PA98 didn't have this issue. I could take a big swing and easily play a few feet off the baseline with the great stability and power. IMO that is the area of the court this racket shines from.

Top Spin/Slice 8/10 : Great spin and slice on this racket. You can tell that it produces more spin than its counterparts of similar specs given the aero properties. You get can whip shots confidently and always have good clearance over the net. You can hit insanely high spinning balls with enormous bounce, sharp slice, etc. Definitely a noticeable characteristic of this frame.

Comfort- 7/10 : Great improvement over the PAVS. Off center hits felt like I was going to break the frame, whereas on the PAVS it felt like the frame was going to break me. I did have some hand pain issues with this racket in the beginning as I sized down on the grip and it feels a bit hard/hollow..

Feel 3/10 : Pretty awful. This new flax is a good update comfort wise, but feel wise I don't think I've ever played with anything dampening tech worse aside from VDM, but that's because I feel VDM both does nothing for comfort and mutes the feel. PA19 to the new PA I also felt the same about the flax. The feeling is vague, and it feels like something is broken in the racket or rattling like a maraca. VCT was far too soft in this racket, but recalling the new PA demo I also tried, I hated the same feel with the super stiff TW strings. The PAVS was similar to VDM in that it felt muted but extremely harsh. This one feels strange soft and mushy, but is definitely a big improvement comfort wise if you can get past the feel.


Maneuverability 7/10 : The PA98 is EXTREMELY fast through the air if you have a SW grip/swing. It naturally wants to follow a certain swing path though and if you go against it, it actually makes it less maneuverable. This feels faster through the air than other variable beam rackets, but it also feels much more clunky than rackets with straight beams. My blade 98 v7 18x20 for example has similar specs (a bit more heavy) but the thin/straight beam makes it more maneuverable/consistent/faster through the air for my swing path.

Stability 9/10 : This became rock solid once I threw a dampener on. The stability and power was actually a bit too much so I took it back off. The stability of this racket gave me a lot of confidence going down the line again on my 1hbh compared to my clash 98. It was also much better on defensive service returns/play.

Final Thoughts: All in all, this racket is very good. In my opinion, this is an upgrade from the PAVS for my play style. I found it more maneuverable than the PAVS, more comfortable, and the tip was less dead. The grommet shape change I think actually had an effect as well, as I had some erratic response out of the PAVS on certain shots, but not with the PA98.

I wanted to love this racket, but it isn't designed for me. It would be amazing in the hands of someone who hits with power/spin from behind the baseline with larger strokes. I end up mostly inside the court so I don't experience much of these benefits. Definitely for advanced players / higher level tennis. Overall for someone who matches the criteria above, has SW grip, and doesn't mind the feel, this is a very good racket.

 

[Soundbyte]

Stability 9/10 : This became rock solid once I threw a dampener on. The stability and power was actually a bit too much so I took it back off. This gave me a lot of confidence going down the line again on my 1hbh

I assume this is purely a mental thing as adding a string dampener would not impact stability, from a physics perspective.

 

[Yamin]

I assume this is purely a mental thing as adding a string dampener would not impact stability, from a physics perspective.

Weight is weight I guess. Mine was pretty maneuverable but a bit shaky on off center volleys. Dampener got rid of that shakiness. Revised the other sentence...

 

[A_Instead]

After continue use of this PA98..
I know what racket it reminds me of..
A 98 inch Aux Speed.. but with control..
And the more I use it is more hefty than the PAVS .
It also hits a bigger and spinner ball
That little bit of weight transfer has done this frame justice..

 

[lidoazndiabloboi]

String and tension used for test: Babolat RPM 17 at 50/46
Tennis experience/background: Played high school, USTA 4.0-4.5
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): All court player
Current racquet/string setups: RF97 with Head Lynx Tour at 52/49
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 8 sessions, about 18 hours

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: I think groundstrokes is where this racket excels. With my heavier spec racket, I felt it helped generate a great amount of power, without feeling like I would over hit. Forehands were landing deep towards the baseline, with a good amount of ball arch. Backhands, I had a slight timing issue. Since the racket is easy to maneuver, I was ahead of the ball too often, and need to focus to get the timing right.
-Serves: The racket has very maneuverable on serves, and helped with generating racket head speed. The heavier swingweight allowed for a good plowthrough of the ball on flat serves, and didn’t hinder on the kick or slice. Overall, it was easy to whip the racket through the serve.
-Volleys: Volleys were very tough for me as the racket was very firm when the ball makes contact. The ball comes off the strings very fast. It did not feel like the ball had any dwell time on the racket. So I have issues trying to control where to place the ball. The racket was easy to maneuver, and the heaver SW provide good stability. But I felt it lacked in the touch and feel for good placement volleys.
-Serve returns: I had a difficult time trying to block back serves especially on the OHBH, due to the light weight compared to my RF. In order to get return, I had to prep earlier and get the racket back, making a decent cut at the ball. If I got a good swing on it, the returns were good. But without a good cut, shots would hit off center, and land short back.

Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
-Power/Control: As my racket came in with a heavier swingweight, I felt my racket had a very good amount of power for a control style racket. It does not have as much free power as 100 sq in rackets, but comparing this to the PA2023, I felt this actually had more power. Control wise, this racket almost had a point-and-shoot type of feel to it. I felt like most shots were under my control, and did not think I would overhit.
-Top Spin/Slice: You get a decent amount of ball arch and topspin from this racket, but just not extra spin like from a 16x19 racket. I was surprised that my forehands could still kick the ball up towards my hitting partners shoulders, as I did not expect that. One area I felt it lacked was on low balls that I tried to pull up, I had a hard time feeling the strings bite the ball. Many times I would end up dumping the ball into the net. On slices, the ball comes off the strings very fast, so getting the timing down took some getting used to. Overall it hit a normal slice shot with an average amount of backspin.
-Comfort: I think this is where the biggest improvement was from the previous PAVS, the over comfort of the racket. In the past, when I used my PAVS, within 5 minutes of hitting, I would feel a tingle pain going down my right arm, and I would have to top after 10-15 mins. With this racket there is the tiniest bit of tingle in my arm, and I am able to continuing playing with it. So it is definitely softer than the previous version. I have 3 other PAVS users try it and they also felt it was softer.
-Feel: This version is slight more muted compared to the PAVS. The racket was overall very firm in all aspects. When it came to touch shots, I felt some disconnect, and it was hard to get good feel on those shots.
-Maneuverability: Even with my heavier SW and more head heavy balance, I will felt the racket was easy to maneuver and swung very fast. As I had previously stated, there were times on my OHBH that I would swing too fast to the ball, and cause some mistiming. At the net, it was easy to move the racket around from low volleys to high smashes.
-Stability: Stability was very good if I took a full cut at the ball. Where it struggled was trying to bunt certain shots back. On off center volleys, I could feel the pushback by the ball.

General reaction/comments on overall performance:
After my first two sessions with this racket, I seriously considered this could be my next racket. But two things are stopping me. One, is the overall comfort of the racket, being that it is a Babolat, the frames are just much stiffer than my liking, and even though this version is softer, its still not to my liking. Two, is the lack of feel from trying to top spin low balls, and being unable to feel the racket grab the ball up. I did not want to have to change my actually regular swing technique in order to satisfy the racket change.

For any PAVS users out there, I would highly recommend looking into this version. The PAVS had a move tinny sound to it, and was more stiff. This PA98 is essentially the same racket, just made slight more comfortable. Everything else like top spin, ball arch, trajectory, power felt the same for me. Disclaimer, my PAVS is modded to have a high SW. If comparing stock to stock, there would be a greater difference.

My last two cents about this racket. I think this is a good alternative for Babolat users. If you play with a 100 sq Aero and feel you overhit sometimes, then this could be the answer you are looking for. As this by rating is lower powered than a PA 100sqin, you would be able to swing harder at the ball, without the worry that the ball will fly out. You get a above average amount of spin that will make sure the ball drops into the court. The racket is less forgiving than the 100sq in, so it would best be for intermediate to advanced players than know how to generate pace and spin.

I thoroughly enjoyed this playtest and am very grateful to @TW Staff and Babolat for this opportunity! Thank you so much!

Unstrung Specs: 307.5g 32.2cm SW306
Strung Specs with over grip: 330g 32.9cm SW339

 

[FrankyRelax]

String and tension used for test:
Tier One Sports Durafluxx 1.23/Ghostwire 1.17 at 44lbs

Tennis experience/background:
I started playing at age 7 with many seasonal breaks in between. I played varsity tennis in high school and club tennis at the University of Texas. I took some time off from tennis (about 9 years) after college and have been playing tennis regularly again for the past 4 years.


Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
I am a 4.0 Aggressive baseliner that loves to attack short balls and end points in the midcourt. I like to swing hard. I am 5 foot 6 but still manage to get some pop on my serve compared to others at my level. I use a semi-western grip on my forehand and have a two-handed back hand. My strengths are my forehand and my first serve. My weaknesses would be my second serve (some consistency issues and lack of pace) and a low-powered back hand. I have a solid net game when I get to the net, but I prefer to keep points at the baseline.

Current racquet/string setups:
I currently play with a Wilson Blade v8 18x20 spec'd up to 330-335 swingweight and 339g. I test a lot of strings, but my go to recently has been Durafluxx 1.23/Ghostwire 1.17 with tensions varying from 42-45 on the mains and 40-44 on the crosses.

How many hours did you play with the racquet?
I played about 15 hours with the racquet with ball machine drill work and in 2 weekly league matches.

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):

-Groundstrokes:
This was my favorite aspect of this racquet. I got easy power on both wings. Control was also great on topspin shots. I needed some time adjusting to hitting out on flat forehands and they would sometimes fly on me, but with time I was able to dial those in more. My two-handed backhand with this racquet was a revelation for me. As mentioned above, one of things about my game that needs work is more power on my backhand. This racquet was really whippy on the backhand side and I could get some great angles. Flattening out on my backhand down the line was a delight.
-Serves:
Serves with the PA98 were a struggle for me. The racquet felt clunky compared to what I am used to. However, when my timing was on, the power on serves was really great. Second serves was were it was more of a deal-breaker for me. Once again it felt clunky and hard to get through the air. Slice serves were better. I could get good action hitting serves through and in more so than up as in a kick serve. The downside was that I felt I was double faulting more than I could stomach.
-Volleys:
Volleys were solid. I found good easy depth and could redirect hard shots to the other side of the court well. Touch volleys were not as great and I felt they floated a bit more than I would like. Overheads where great with deep penetrating put away power.
-Serve returns:
One of the struggles with my current Blades is the return of serve. This is especially true on my backhand side. Serve returns were good with the PA98. When facing slower serves that I could really swing out on, I felt confident that I could take control of point or end them right away. The backhand side returns with the PA98 were definitely better than my current setup. Even on blocked back returns I could get good depth rather than hitting a ball that my opponent could immediately attack.

Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)

Power/Control-
Easy power with good control on topspin shots. I felt like I could really swing out without too much fear of going long. Flat forehands would fly on my sometimes and would take some time to dial in before I would be fully confident in that shot.
Top Spin/Slice-
Slices were average. I was expecting more low penetrating slices with this stick, but felt underwhelmed by that shot. Topspin was great, especially compared to my current setup. I have played with vcores, prince ATS racquets, and ezones over the past 4 years and this is easily the most topspin I have been able to achieve. Very easy to get topspin and depth with shots that feel heavy on the other side.
Comfort-
My experience with Babolat racquets is limited, but compared to other racquets that I have used recently, I would not say that this is an overly comfortable racquet. It is not jarring by any means and does not feel overly stiff on contact, but I did notice some shoulder discomfort a couple days after a match. I will say that it felt most uncomfortable on serves, and that could be due to that clunky, slow feeling I got. Serves that missed the sweetspot definitely made me pay attention to my shoulder after a while. On groundstrokes however, I did not feel much if any discomfort on any shot.
Feel-
The feel on this racquet was not great for me. I would describe it as pingy, and definitely something that I am not used to. Touch volleys and dropshots floated on me more than I would like. In more experienced and higher level hands, I think this racquet would have sufficient feel and touch. However, on groundstrokes it had decent and noticeable dwell time, giving me confidence in hitting balls with pretty good pinpoint accuracy.
Maneuverability-
Despite the twistweight numbers being pretty high with this racquet, I found no problems with maneuverability on groundstrokes and volleys. However, as I have mentioned, I struggled with manuverabilty on my serves. I felt as if my swing was slower going up and found myself shortening up my normally delayed serve swing path to try and catch the ball that the best time.
Stability-
Very stable racquet. One of the most stable racquets I have hit with in recent memory. This surprised me as I expected a more hollow-feeling stick. Not once did I feel like the racquet gave out on off center shots. It had great plowthrough on both wings.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This was a very solid playtest for me that really made me contemplate a change to this racquet. The stability was top notch, and the controllable power on topspin groundstrokes was great. Two-handed backhands gave me the power and control I was looking for. However, for my game, the downsides of this racquet were too much to overlook. I could not get past the clunky feeling I got on the serves and the slight discomfort I felt was something I feared could flareup more and more over time (I had a similar uncomfortable experience after spending a longtime with the 2020 Ezone Tours). I think this racquet would be great for high level players who love to swing out on balls. The sweetspot was about average for a 98 inch racquet, but someone with more consistency than I would really get the most out of this stick. The PA98 is powerful and it is made for an all poly setup. I feel like having a multi or a syn gut in this racquet would not be controllable.

Lastly, I want to thank Tennis Warehouse and Babolat for the opportunity to playtest. I had a blast. I learned a lot about my game and what I can get out of a racquet by playtesting the Pure Aero 98. As I continue my search for the best racquet for my game, I will take the knowledge gained here and continue on my journey.

 

[ne1410is]

String and tension used for test:
Head Velocity MLT 17g (53lbs)

Tennis experience/background:
Started tennis when I was 7yo, intermittently until High School, played on High School team JV then Varsity. Only recreationally thereafter. Long break 10+ yrs, only playing 1-2x/yr.
Started to play more regularly again in 2020.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
All court player, love coming in to volley, should probably do it more frequently since I’m more comfortable there, but junior tendencies default me to baseline if I don’t will myself forward. Serve was bigger and reliable in my younger days, but have had the yips since returning 2020. Forehand is reliable and where i have confidence, but everyone compliments my 2 handed backhand.

Current racquet/string setups:
Prince Phantom 100LB
Head Velocity MLT 17g (53lbs)

How many hours did you play with the racquet?
15-16h (mixture of main league matches, practice hitting, practice matches, and backup league USTA matches)

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: 9/10
Never really hit with a Babolat more than a couple points before. Always felt Babolats had easy power and spin.

This seemed quite true with the Aero 98. Much easier blend of power and spin. Honestly, at first, I thought the power was way too high for me. Delicious sensation when you hit a shot bang on. Even if it sailed long, I was floored by how good it felt on contact. A solid, stable, satisfying thumping sensation.

Using more spin helped most shots dip just inside the baseline. Even smaller amounts of spin are accentuated. When I tried harder for spin, the results were much more than I can typically generate. It was really fun to hit a topspin groundie that kicked up and caught opponents off guard. It inspires me to use more spin and power in my game.

The control wasn’t quite point and shoot, but if I used spin and left myself margin, I felt like I ended up winning more points than I normally do, which again motivates me to add more spin to my repertoire.

-Serves: 7/10
So I’ll be honest, I’ve had the yips on my serve since restarting tennis a few years ago. It’s a terrible feeling since I used to rely on it so heavily! So I’m sure this affects my impression.

For me, I really had to spin and kick serves in. While flat serves felt amazingly powerful, and I was loving the sensation of smacking a ball harder than I typically can, I couldn’t reliably direct my flat serves where I needed in a match. The plentiful spin does help slice serves slide out wide and kick up wide which caught plenty of opponents by surprise.

-Volleys: 9/10
I truly love volleying. This racket definitely shone at the net for me. The satisfyingly solid stability made me feel invincible at net. I volleyed an overhead and my opponent was in disbelief, but it felt rock solid at impact, and no discomfort.

I’ve been having some right elbow issues, so the stability really let me volley without hesitation. The racket really didn’t twist or translate pain to my elbow. I felt confident to attack balls or block them back at will.

The extra power helped me stick stretch volleys into the corners. Meanwhile the spin really helped with droppers. It was easy to add some extra slice/side spin to volleys, scooting them that much farther out of reach.

-Serve returns: 8/10
Stability really helped returns, especially returning bombs. If I shortened the swing, I still got good depth, with just enough spin to keep it in. It took less effort to block returns to the corners, putting the server on defense.

Timing-wise, I needed a bit of adjustment to get the best results. If I tried to attack a shorter serve, I really had to remember to add spin to get the ball in play, otherwise it might sail long. It still felt great to give the ball a ride, but you know, gotta get them between the lines!

Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- Power 10/10, Control 7/10. The power is plentiful! At first, I was afraid it was too powerful. But once I started tinkering, I learned that its propensity for spin helps drop balls in.

It's a different form of control than what I’m used to, with my flatter strokes. You have to use spin and go for bigger targets because of the extra power. But it’s really fun when you make monster spin and force the error.

Top Spin/Slice- 10/10. The amount of spin I could generate was ridiculous. Like the power, you don’t have to try hard to add a bunch of topspin or slice. I really enjoyed skimming the net with a low slice crosscourt, slightly short, often just out of reach for my opponent. Topspin is easy and plentiful, especially to hit high kicking balls to the opponent's backhand!

Comfort- 10/10. As I mentioned above, I’ve been having elbow issues recently, but felt no discomfort playing with the Aero 98. The stability lends itself to a comfortable sensation at impact. Even shadow swinging the racket, the balance and how it cuts through the air is really pleasurable.

Feel- 9/10. Magical sensation at contact. Stability blended with power makes it something everyone should experience. It really feels amazing hitting a ball. Even if the ball went sailing long, I would still marvel at how good it felt! Of course, adding more spin to keep balls in is newer for me. Fun, but I’m more used to relying on flatter strokes.

Maneuverability- 9/10. I don’t think I had any complaints on maneuverability. Mostly I just needed that adjustment time to a new racket, to figure out my timing. The stability helped even if my timing was a little off. I felt the plow-through covered some of my timing mistakes. It was surprisingly easy to get tons of spin, so I think maneuverability is strong.

Stability- 10/10. Wonderfully stable. Really easy to get the racket into position and block heavy balls back, including on volleys. Any additional small movements would add much more pace and made for a really fun playtest. The stability really helps to inject lots of pace to the ball. With my recent elbow pain, I have been hesitant going after shots at times, but the stability and plush feel really let me go after my shots with abandon.

General reaction/comments on overall performance:
Overall, its a top flight racket for me. Exceptional power, spin, and stability. Plush and satisfying feeling at contact. Need to use spin to keep balls in play, including on serves. It’s definitely inspired me to explore all the wonders of playing with more spin. I find that’s one of the benefits of trying different rackets, they all have unique strengths that help you realize how to incorporate new elements into your game.

Thank you Tennis Warehouse and Babolat for this fantastic opportunity to share my thoughts on the new Babolat Aero 98. It was a really fun experience. Thank you again!

 

[n80aoag]

Tried lead in various amounts at 10 and 2, blue tack in handle. Then at 3 and 9, with about 2 grams in handle. Kind of just felt sluggish, not much difference in plow or comfort in either variation. Prefer it in stock form, with a softer spin string like Gosen G Spin 3, and it can produce very heavy shots once you get used to the smallish sweet spot. Small sweet spot relative to the regular PA that is.

 

[Seth]

*Note: I avoided reading other reviews as to not skew my own thoughts.

String and tension used for test: RMP Blast at 50lbs

Tennis experience/background: I've been playing for 22 years (I'm 35 now) and would consider myself a solid 4.0. I play doubles mostly these days, but was playing Ultimate Tennis leagues for several years. In UT I was rated 5.0 in doubles and 4.5 in singles, but as anyone who plays UT knows, those rankings are a bit inflated.

Bonus: Here's some footage of lazy rallying from a few years ago. Shoutout to @J011yroger and the Brotherhood of the Traveling Radical.

Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I'm a 6'5" lefty who started as a power baseliner with a love for coming to net, but nowadays fancy myself as an all-courter who tries to get to net ASAP.

Current racquet/string setups: Head Pro Tour 2.0 strung with PSGD 17g at 55 lbs (string always subject to change).

How many hours did you play with the racquet? Approximately 12 hours - singles hitting and drilling/point play, social (yet competitive) doubles

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):

-Groundstrokes: The PA98 reminded me of the first Aero Storm in groundstrokes. I found a really sold feel off the ground, and was hitting a heavy ball. My groundstrokes took a bit of adjusting since the frame is lighter than my usual PT2.0, but once I had my timing down, I was hitting penetrating shots. My two-handed backhand felt especially strong.

-Serves: I found this racquet to be a good serving racquet, but not exceptional. My flat serve was decent, but my slice/kick serves felt great. I would not buy this frame specifically for a boost in serve, but I don't think it hindered my serve.

-Volleys: Volleys were average for me. What I mean by that is: This frame probably wasn't made to be a great volleying frame, but it doesn't HURT to volley with it. I'm used to the PT2.0 feel at net, and so turning to the PA98 felt like a cheapened experience. But, again, it wasn't bad at net, just not incredibly comfy.

-Serve returns: Similar to groundstrokes here. The racquet was solid enough that I felt like I could take solid cuts at returns, but also easily block bigger serves back without the ball floating. I tend to enjoy returning serves in the first place, and this frame made it easier.

Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- Plenty of power, but not as much as I was anticipating. To me, this was a good thing. I didn't have issues with the ball flying too much, which was also helped by spin. I've hit with quite a few Babolats over the years, and this one of my favorites when it comes to the balance between power and control. Again, reminded me of the first Aero Storm.

Top Spin/Slice- Working hand-in-hand with the power/control, the spin potential was great. REALLY balanced the power out, and I was hitting deep groundstrokes with relative ease. My backhand slice had good bite, but not as much as a denser-patterned frame. Topspin was great, which is expected with Babolat.

Comfort- Here's the cool part about this frame - I had the power and spin that I have come to expect from Babolat, but none of the discomfort. I used the 2015 PD for a while and never felt quite satisfied in the "comfort" department. The PA98 felt comfortable through the playtest, which was welcome. I can't extrapolate this over a long period of time, but I can say that I didn't feel any discomfort from this frame during the playtest.

Feel- Better than most Babolats, but the PA98 didn't have next-level feel. Compared to most modern frames, I'd guess it has comparable feel. Using the PT.20 full-time, the PA98 had a lot less feel, but was nevertheless decent in this category. I'm also not a regular user of RPM Blast, so that could play a role as well.

Maneuverability- No issues here. Plenty of maneuverability, but didn't feel too light. After adjusting the lighter weight (compared to my main frame), I thought it moved well through the air, and I didn't struggle at net during quick exchanges. If anything, I was worried that it would be TOO quick, but that was not the case.

Stability- This was one aspect that really surprised me. Babolats, in my opinion, can often feel hollow and sometimes tinny. Not the case with the PA98. This stick was solid, strong, and had the build quality I would expect for such a steep price.

A couple of notes to add: I thought this was a great evolution of the PA98 line. REALLY solid in-hand, and the paint quality was top notch. Like I mentioned earlier, for such a steep price, it had better be top notch. All-around great frame that allows the player to hit big from the ground. I would not choose this frame if you're looking to rush net often, but power baseliners will crank diesel.

Thanks TW and Babolat!

 

[n80aoag]

Follow up on my review for the TW Playtest:
I have switched to the PA98 after getting used to it and stringing it with Gosen G Tour 3 at 48 lbs. Won a few 4.5 league matches since January and love how much control I get and still be able to swing out despite the power this thing offers. I often get opponents waiting for my shots to sail past the baseline but they end up dropping in last sec and jumping off the court. Getting used to the frame over several hitting sessions, and having soft poly in it has made a huge difference in comfort, and now I can play 2-3 hour matches without feeling tennis elbow symptoms or soreness in arm or shoulder. I have some strings pending for this stick, like Co-focus, Gosen G Spin 3, and Tier 1 black knight. If anyone has tried these strings in their PA98, please share what tensions you've liked. I plan on trying them at 48-50 lbs.

String and tension used for test: Head Lynx Tour 17 gauge Black @ 50 lbs
Tennis experience/background: Been playing for 30+ years, consistently 4.5 and a stretch at 5.0 level briefly
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): baseline bashing 90% of the time; recently discovered the value of counterpunching and hitting high percentage (boring) shots in order to win. I do enjoy volleying when I play doubles on occasion. I love long rallies and hitting winners rather than forcing errors.
Current racquet/string setups: 2023 VCore 98 with Head Lynx Tour @ 52 lbs
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 8 hours; 4.5 singles match, some clinic time and hitting with my 5.0 friend

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: Very easy power and spin. I favor my 2hbh over my inconsistent eastern forehand. Trying to undo years of bad form with my FH. Once I got used to the location of the sweet spot (which is much smaller and lower than the 2023 VC98), I could hit with a lot of spin, play deep, and my flat-hitting opponents struggled to keep the ball in their strike zone. Easily pushed people back and kept them from being aggressive due to heavy, spinny balls. Not so much penetrating, deep shots as you can hit say with a VC95 or Blade 18x20. I'd rate it 8 out of 10.
-Serves: struggled big time with my flat 1st serve. Love hitting bombs with my VC98 and the adjustment period was minimal with that model. But even after 8 hours and especially during my singles match, my 1st serve percentage was likely 30%. Balls would land about a foot long and it was difficult to feel exactly where I was placing my spin or kick serve. Just aim for big targets and you'll be fine until you can really get used to this frame. 4 out of 10.
-Volleys: only hit volleys consistently during clinic drills. no complaints with the PA98, more control/precision than the 100 sq in PA and it was satisfying to hit the sweet spot when volleying. lacked touch when picking up low, short balls, and not as maneuverable as a pro staff or prestige obviously, but it'll get the job done with easy put away power. 7 out of 10.
-Serve returns: big serves pushed the frame around. and the small sweetspot made it more challenging to return deep. most returns landed well inside the service box until I hit enough returns with it. You really have to swing fast and through the ball to get it to land deep, not so much brushing up which is hard to do anyway with returns in general. couldn't block back the ball so much with the PA98, perhaps due to it being softer and the feeling of plushness, dwelling on the stringbed with the lynx tour. 6 out of 10.

Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- More power than the 2023 VC98, less power than the 2022 EZone 98. MUCH more power than Speed MP Auxetic, Blade 98 V8 16x19. Control comes via how much spin this PA98 can generate. Once you get used to the frame, you can do some real damage with aggressive shots if you like hitting with power and spin. 9/10
Top Spin/Slice- HUGE top spin. Loved Lynx Tour in this as its shaped but also smooth, a perfect combo to me. Slices were low but I never felt totally comfortable with my BH slice due to the thicker beam feeling chunkier than it looks. I caught the frame with this more than I hit satisfying BH slices. Similar to how I felt with the EZ98. I feel much more comfortable and produce more flat, low, laser like BH slices with my VC98. 10/10 top spin, 6/10 slice (not my forte to be honest though)
Comfort- sorry to report that I did have some elbow tenderness even after the first 2 hour hit with it on day one. not immediately after, but later that evening I felt some tenderness in my elbow, some tightness in my shoulder from serving. 1 week playing with it exclusively and I have some persistent soreness in my right elbow, but nothing close the sharp stinging pain that I got with the PAVS with RPM blast. Much improved over the PAVS which I loved but couldn't stand the TE I got from it. The PA98 feels a bit softer, plusher, and higher in SW than the PSVS which felt brassy and hollow for me. personally rate this 5/10 comfort, but then again so many people have zero issues with Babolats. So far this is the most comfortable Babolat I've hit with, followed by the current gen pure strike 98 16x19 (which also gave me bad TE)
Feel-if you felt the 2022 EZ 98 lacked feel, the PA98 has even less. Drop shots were hard to really feel confident hitting, and I can't hit corners like I do with my VC98. But this is all something you'd have to play with the PA98 for months to really develop, but its just not as ready "out of the box" to have pinpoint placement as most tweener frames are. 5/10
Maneuverability- no issues here. could swing easily, freely, and felt like it cut through the air swiftly much like my VC98 (although not as whippy as the Yonex). PA98 felt a big more solid, a little more heavier in SW, and a little more head heavy than the PAVS I briefly owned. 8/10
Stability- felt great in stock form without any need for customization EXCEPT with returning serves. I love how maneuverable it is in stock form, and I feel there is plenty of room to customize for those who desire adding lead tape for more stability. Especially with trading heavy groundstrokes I never felt like I got pushed around, only with serves. 7/10

General reaction/comments on overall performance:
Thank you TW and Babolat for the opportunity to play test the Pure Aero 98. I definitely recommend slippery, shaped polys to maximize bite and spin. A round slick poly would work great too especially the softer offerings out there for elbow sensitive folks out there. I definitely appreciate this frame as a baseline basher and a real weapon for all court players with the feel and skill to get the most out of its potential. For now, I'm sticking with the 2023 VCore 98 just because its easier to play with and I gelled with it right away. I've shied away from Babolats in the past due to flaring up of TE, but many will love the controllable power of this frame and especially for competition. While its enjoyable to play with frames like prestiges and Blade Pros, it's EASIER to compete with frames like the Pure Aero 98. I'd highly recommend the PA 98 for the competitive 4.0+ baseliner who loves to hit winners from the baseline. Once you spend enough time with it and dial in your serve, it can really do some damage with easy power and spin

 

[iceman_dl6]

After continue use of this PA98..
I know what racket it reminds me of..
A 98 inch Aux Speed.. but with control..
And the more I use it is more hefty than the PAVS .
It also hits a bigger and spinner ball
That little bit of weight transfer has done this frame justice..

I feel the same way! Which one do you prefer between the PAVS and the PA98?

 

[A_Instead]

PA98... more heft and beefy shots without tinkering with weight..

 

[iceman_dl6]

PA98... more heft and beefy shots without tinkering with weight..

Awesome! For me, just for rallying, the PA98 feels effortless and solid feeling because of the heft, like you said. However, during points play, when I need to hit that precise spot to break my opponent, or any other important point, that polarized weight distribution is annoying and makes the frame very twitchy! i.e: down the lines go wide, deep balls go out, etc… No such issues with the old PAVS.

Currently, I am trying to find a way to depolarize the PA98 without sacrificing too much maneuverability, as unfortunately I can’t redistribute the weight from tip to the handle or throat, it’s just technically not possible. The only way to depolarize is to add some weight at 7 inches from the buttcap without slowing it down too much.

 

[Power Player]

Bought a PA23 and was hoping that it would feel better than the PA98. Good news is it does. Much more pocketing. I think the smaller head and the tighter string pattern just made the PA98 feel a bit boardy to me even though I strung it in the mid 40s. I much prefer the PA23 in general.

 

[jdx2112]

Awesome! For me, just for rallying, the PA98 feels effortless and solid feeling because of the heft, like you said. However, during points play, when I need to hit that precise spot to break my opponent, or any other important point, that polarized weight distribution is annoying and makes the frame very twitchy! i.e: down the lines go wide, deep balls go out, etc… No such issues with the old PAVS.

Currently, I am trying to find a way to depolarize the PA98 without sacrificing too much maneuverability, as unfortunately I can’t redistribute the weight from tip to the handle or throat, it’s just technically not possible. The only way to depolarize is to add some weight at 7 inches from the buttcap without slowing it down too much.

Maybe use a thinner string to lessen weight in the hoop while adding weight under the butt cap.

 

[UruguayanPLayer]

Coming from a blade 18x20, looking for more power, tested this and ezone 98 22. Back to back same specs and strings(329sw, 32.2cm.336gr), the babolat had 0 feel, too responsive and a metallic sound to it. The aero had a bit more spin than the ezone but much less control, also felt quit unstable or unforgiving sometimes(might be it didnt let me swing out with that much confidence coming from a blade). Ezone on the other hand is plush, x10 more forgiving and more controlled, same power/spin can be achieven with ezone with good technique.
Ezone strung with blast at 49lbs is my new choice, down here in south america we dont have much of an utr measurment, but id probably be a 10-10.5.

 

[FrankyRelax]

Coming from a blade 18x20, looking for more power, tested this and ezone 98 22. Back to back same specs and strings(329sw, 32.2cm.336gr), the babolat had 0 feel, too responsive and a metallic sound to it. The aero had a bit more spin than the ezone but much less control, also felt quit unstable or unforgiving sometimes(might be it didnt let me swing out with that much confidence coming from a blade). Ezone on the other hand is plush, x10 more forgiving and more controlled, same power/spin can be achieven with ezone with good technique.
Ezone strung with blast at 49lbs is my new choice, down here in south america we dont have much of an utr measurment, but id probably be a 10-10.5.

I also came from a blade 18x20 and thought the exact same thing about the PA 98

 

[Holic]

Coming from a blade 18x20, looking for more power, tested this and ezone 98 22. Back to back same specs and strings(329sw, 32.2cm.336gr), the babolat had 0 feel, too responsive and a metallic sound to it. The aero had a bit more spin than the ezone but much less control, also felt quit unstable or unforgiving sometimes(might be it didnt let me swing out with that much confidence coming from a blade). Ezone on the other hand is plush, x10 more forgiving and more controlled, same power/spin can be achieven with ezone with good technique.
Ezone strung with blast at 49lbs is my new choice, down here in south america we dont have much of an utr measurment, but id probably be a 10-10.5.

Hey, what are your ezone98 specs?

 

[ajspurs]

Bought this blind and played with it today for the first time after already owning a standard Pure Aero. First thing I will say is that although they are not the same rackets and certainly have their differences, I find them to be very transferrable too. To me, it felt similar enough for me to transition really well into using this and I didn't need to adjust too much. I certainly enjoyed feeling more of a capability to hit out, and enjoyed that little bit more of control that was evident. The racket also felt solid too, but also very manoeuvrable. In fact that was my probably my favourite thing about the racket, the manoeuvrability paired with that stable feeling, just really felt like I was holding that Pure Aero in a more condensed and easy to move around form, without and drawbacks other than power, but with a few things added. I like slicing with the Pure Aero but the 98 felt really, really good to slice and I felt comfortable taking really big cuts at the ball to slice it so that was enjoyable.

Really impressed so far, but it also just goes to show how personal and subjective a take on a racket can be and why views from others can only be taken so into account to a certain degree. I've tried both the Ezone 98 and Blade, hated the former, liked the latter a lot actually in terms of feel alone but felt I was getting bullied a bit with it.

 

[UruguayanPLayer]

Hey, what are your ezone98 specs?

336gr 32.2cm 329-330Sw, got a leather grip+og+ lead at 12. Rpm blast 1.25 49lbs.

 

[y0035215]

Here are a few positive experiences. I've been on a bit of an odyssey looking for a stick and am now in good mood, though not sure, that I've found a stick that fits.

When I ordered the stick, I was really worried that it would have too much power and I wouldn't get enough control from it. Overhitting and lack of directional control is a typical problem of mine. I only bought the racket because the WO18x20 is not yet available in Europe. So in the first game with the PA98 I made more unforced errors than I had in a long time. The sweet spot seems small and my strokes were uncontrolled and tended to overhit. But despite that, I was able to win my matches easily.

So I stayed on it. Also because the racquet is so easy to swing. The swing feels so natural, like no other racquet. During my first practice with the PA98, my coach noticed that my backhand, which is usually too tight, was free. He said I never had so many good balls in one practice. I have to mention that my first tennis racket was a BAPD. Maybe that's why the PA98 feels so natural. But unlike the PAVS and the PA19, the balls no longer fly too high and too long.

The racket always lets me find the right height whether I want to play a high spin ball or a flat attack ball. I was also worried about arm pain, but it hasn't happened so far. The racquet doesn't feel hard, but it doesn't feel soft either.

Because of the high twist weight, the racquet is forgiving to the arm. However, that doesn't apply to shots. On hits outside the sweet spot, the racket has noticeably poorer performance.

I have the feeling that the racket expects to hit fully. Hesitant strokes with the sense of "get it in first" resulted in insufficient spin for me, making it difficult to control balls and power. So I'm encouraged to hit the sweet spot regularly and hit with full strokes to make the PA98 fit. Let's see if I can do it.

All in all, I prefer the racket today to the Extreme Tour, IGA 298, Shift 300, ATS 98, Blade v8 16x19.

I also bought the racket because rather already in stock it has a recoil weight suitable for me. So I do not have to make any changes and the overall weight remains low. I have taken directly the bi-pack. The measured SW of the strung racket measures 326.

 

[iceman_dl6]

Here are a few positive experiences. I've been on a bit of an odyssey looking for a stick and am now in good mood, though not sure, that I've found a stick that fits.

When I ordered the stick, I was really worried that it would have too much power and I wouldn't get enough control from it. Overhitting and lack of directional control is a typical problem of mine. I only bought the racket because the WO18x20 is not yet available in Europe. So in the first game with the PA98 I made more unforced errors than I had in a long time. The sweet spot seems small and my strokes were uncontrolled and tended to overhit. But despite that, I was able to win my matches easily.

So I stayed on it. Also because the racquet is so easy to swing. The swing feels so natural, like no other racquet. During my first practice with the PA98, my coach noticed that my backhand, which is usually too tight, was free. He said I never had so many good balls in one practice. I have to mention that my first tennis racket was a BAPD. Maybe that's why the PA98 feels so natural. But unlike the PAVS and the PA19, the balls no longer fly too high and too long.

The racket always lets me find the right height whether I want to play a high spin ball or a flat attack ball. I was also worried about arm pain, but it hasn't happened so far. The racquet doesn't feel hard, but it doesn't feel soft either.

Because of the high twist weight, the racquet is forgiving to the arm. However, that doesn't apply to shots. On hits outside the sweet spot, the racket has noticeably poorer performance.

I have the feeling that the racket expects to hit fully. Hesitant strokes with the sense of "get it in first" resulted in insufficient spin for me, making it difficult to control balls and power. So I'm encouraged to hit the sweet spot regularly and hit with full strokes to make the PA98 fit. Let's see if I can do it.

All in all, I prefer the racket today to the Extreme Tour, IGA 298, Shift 300, ATS 98, Blade v8 16x19.

I also bought the racket because rather already in stock it has a recoil weight suitable for me. So I do not have to make any changes and the overall weight remains low. I have taken directly the bi-pack. The measured SW of the strung racket measures 326.

What is the string you are using and tension?

 

[y0035215]

What is the string you are using and tension?

Mayami Tour Hex 25/24 kg (~55/53 lbs).

 

[ulunxtns]

Here are a few positive experiences. I've been on a bit of an odyssey looking for a stick and am now in good mood, though not sure, that I've found a stick that fits.

When I ordered the stick, I was really worried that it would have too much power and I wouldn't get enough control from it. Overhitting and lack of directional control is a typical problem of mine. I only bought the racket because the WO18x20 is not yet available in Europe. So in the first game with the PA98 I made more unforced errors than I had in a long time. The sweet spot seems small and my strokes were uncontrolled and tended to overhit. But despite that, I was able to win my matches easily.

So I stayed on it. Also because the racquet is so easy to swing. The swing feels so natural, like no other racquet. During my first practice with the PA98, my coach noticed that my backhand, which is usually too tight, was free. He said I never had so many good balls in one practice. I have to mention that my first tennis racket was a BAPD. Maybe that's why the PA98 feels so natural. But unlike the PAVS and the PA19, the balls no longer fly too high and too long.

The racket always lets me find the right height whether I want to play a high spin ball or a flat attack ball. I was also worried about arm pain, but it hasn't happened so far. The racquet doesn't feel hard, but it doesn't feel soft either.

Because of the high twist weight, the racquet is forgiving to the arm. However, that doesn't apply to shots. On hits outside the sweet spot, the racket has noticeably poorer performance.

I have the feeling that the racket expects to hit fully. Hesitant strokes with the sense of "get it in first" resulted in insufficient spin for me, making it difficult to control balls and power. So I'm encouraged to hit the sweet spot regularly and hit with full strokes to make the PA98 fit. Let's see if I can do it.

All in all, I prefer the racket today to the Extreme Tour, IGA 298, Shift 300, ATS 98, Blade v8 16x19.

I also bought the racket because rather already in stock it has a recoil weight suitable for me. So I do not have to make any changes and the overall weight remains low. I have taken directly the bi-pack. The measured SW of the strung racket measures 326.

Good review. I like it quite a lot but it's somehow demanding. If you can hit the sweet spot constantly, it's a beast. The biggest issue with me is the small sweet spot, trying to adjust strings and tension to open it a little more.

 

[y0035215]

Good review. I like it quite a lot but it's somehow demanding. If you can hit the sweet spot constantly, it's a beast. The biggest issue with me is the small sweet spot, trying to adjust strings and tension to open it a little more.

Yes, good conclusion. The racket requires full commitment on every shot and good accuracy when hitting the sweet spot. Which can be more difficult with the slightly higher SW and polarization.
From one point of view, this can also be a training effect.

Longer term, I wonder if the racquet will be versatile enough. While I like to play mostly behind the baseline, I am practicing getting into the field to play volleys as well as more touchy balls with precision.

 

[CroPlayer]

I have been playing with this racquet since February. So far I haven't had any problems with comfort, for me this is a comfortable racquet. I would agree more that it is not a big sweet spot with all the strings. BHS7T 1.30 turned out to be an excellent string and the good thing is that they are lighter than most 1.25 strings and do not increase the swingweight of the racket. What I struggle with is that it is difficult to play volley with these strings because they seem very elastic and I feel that I have no control over the ball. Two weeks ago I put on the Razor Code Soft (23.5 kg) and I've been playing for about 6 hours now, and I have to admit that I was surprised how well the racket behaves with that round string. The satisfaction is how good it feels to hit a short ball with a flat shot, it becomes addictive. The sweet spot seems to me to be much larger compared to the BHS7T and the response is consistent with every shot. I have no problems with flat shots, nor with top spin shots. What I'm stuck on is the kick serve, which will obviously take me some time to get used to. Otherwise, all my strings last quite short, so if these strings last me 8-10 hours of play, they will definitely be the first choice for this racquet.