Pros (Past and Present) Who've Swung a Babolat Pure Strike & Predecessor Control-Oriented Frames [Includes major winners]

[gino]

A lot of you are big fans of the 6.1 95 thread I made under this pretense. Will work on a list of various control-oriented frames.

*this exercise excludes aero and drive lineage frames, even the more control oriented offerings like the aero storm, aero vs/98 and pd vs/98

Feel free to comment some suggestions in the thread!

Babolat Pure Strike 98 Mold:
Dominic Thiem 18x20 (2020 US Open) - d. Cilic, de Minaur, FAA, Medvedev, & Zverev
Brandon Nakashima
Alexander Shevchenko 18x20
Felix Auger-Aliassime 16x19
Sebastian Ofner

Babolat Pure Strike 97/VS Mold:
Yuvan Nandal
Yulia Starodubtseva (nice catch at AO24 from @naturalexponent )

Babolat Pure Strike 100 Mold:
Dominic Thiem (switched in 2024)
Jo-Wilfred Tsonga
Anett Kontaveit
Heather Watson

Babolat Pure Control Tour Mold:
Cameron Norrie
Christian Garin
Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi
Brian Baker

Babolat Pure Storm Tour GT:
Pete Sampras
Alejandro Falla
Rajeev Ram
Jerzy Janowicz
Santiago Giraldo
Maximo Gonzalez

Babolat Pure Storm GT:
Samantha Stosur
Alize Cornet
Vivek Ramaswamy

Babolat Pure Storm LTD:
Jack Sock
Rohan Bopanna
Ryan Harrison

Babolat Pure Storm XL:
Fernando Gonzalez

Babolat Pure Control Swirly:
Daniela Hantuchova
Jan Hernych
Kenneth Carlsen

Babolat Pure Control Original:
Nico Massu
Robby Ginepri
Benjamin Becker
Luis Horna
Brian Vahaly
Lars Burgsmuller
Gisela Dulko
Scoville Jenkins
Tommy Haas

 

[gino]

 

[colan5934]

Others who used the Storm/Control mold include:
Sam Stosur
Nico Massu
Nadia Petrova (used the 103 and 98/97)
Tommy Haas tested it, but I don't think he used it in competition
Benjamin Becker
Jerzy Janowicz used the LTD as a junior

I'm sure there are more but they're escaping me right now

 

[gino]

Others who used the Storm/Control mold include:
Sam Stosur
Nico Massu
Nadia Petrova (used the 103 and 98/97)
Tommy Haas tested it, but I don't think he used it in competition
Benjamin Becker
Jerzy Janowicz used the LTD as a junior

I'm sure there are more but they're escaping me right now

Thanks for the feedback - massu a great shout. totally forgot about Becker, that was low hanging fruit

had no clue about Haas, do you know what time period that was?

 

[colan5934]

Thanks for the feedback - massu a great shout. totally forgot about Becker, that was low hanging fruit

had no clue about Haas, do you know what time period that was?

It was the CarbonXtreme paint, so sometime around '07/08. I'm fairly certain it was just an off-season test that included other frames.

 

[gino]

It was the CarbonXtreme paint, so sometime around '07/08. I'm fairly certain it was just an off-season test that included other frames.

So cool, that was right around the time he went back to head. Think he went TGK 238.1 -> PT57A in 2009/2010

 

[A_Instead]

A similar pure drive thread would be cool... Even a pure aero thread would be cool..

 

[colan5934]

So cool, that was right around the time he went back to head. Think he went TGK 238.1 -> PT57A in 2009/2010

Yeah he might’ve been with Dunlop at that time? Or maybe it was from when he switched to them

 

[gino]

A similar pure drive thread would be cool... Even a pure aero thread would be cool..

I think those threads would be a laborious exercise lol especially the aero one

 

[naturalexponent]

Babolat Pure Storm GT:
Samantha Stosur
Alize Cornet
Vivek Ramaswamy

 

[gino]

 

[naturalexponent]

thanks for putting this together @gino! Fun way to mark the release of the latest strikes.

Also brandon nakashima who was rocking a strike before the switch to YY.

 

[vsbabolat]

A lot of you are big fans of the 6.1 95 thread I made under this pretense. Will work on a list of various control-oriented frames.

*this exercise excludes aero and drive lineage frames, even the more control oriented offerings like the aero storm, aero vs/98 and pd vs/98

Feel free to comment some suggestions in the thread!

Babolat Pure Strike 98 Mold:
Dominic Thiem 18x20 (2020 US Open) - d. Cilic, de Minaur, FAA, Medvedev, & Zverev
Alexander Shevchenko 18x20
Felix Auger-Aliassime 16x19

Babolat Pure Strike 100 Mold:
Jo-Wilfred Tsonga
Anett Kontaveit
Heather Watson

Babolat Pure Control Tour Mold:
Cameron Norrie
Christian Garin
Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi

Babolat Pure Storm Tour GT:
Pete Sampras
Alejandro Falla
Jerzy Janowicz
Santiago Giraldo
Maximo Gonzalez

Babolat Pure Storm GT:
Samantha Stosur
Alize Cornet
Vivek Ramaswamy

Babolat Pure Storm LTD:
Jack Sock
Rohan Bopanna
Ryan Harrison

Babolat Pure Storm XL:
Fernando Gonzalez

Babolat Pure Control Original:
Nico Massu
Robby Ginepri
Benjamin Becker
Scoville Jenkins
Tommy Haas

Tommy Haas has never used the Babolat Pure Control

 

[gino]

Tommy Haas has never used the Babolat Pure Control

Read the thread

 

[vsbabolat]

Read the thread

Some guy claims he tested it in practice. That’s not someone who has used it.
That’s like saying Nadal switched to HEAD MXG because he tested in an off season.

 

[lidoazndiabloboi]

He could probably beat the majority of the guys on the forums

 

[vsbabolat]

He sucks and he’s an absolute moron.

 

[gino]

delete

 

[gino]

Some guy claims he tested it in practice. That’s not someone who has used it.
That’s like saying Nadal switched to HEAD MXG because he tested in an off season.

The thread title says swung mate

 

[naturalexponent]

Let’s find some more strike / control / storm users!

 

[gino]

thanks for putting this together @gino! Fun way to mark the release of the latest strikes.

Also brandon nakashima who was rocking a strike before the switch to YY.

Added ! Forgot he won San Diego with the PS!

 

[vsbabolat]

He could probably beat the majority of the guys on the forums

He sucks

 

[naturalexponent]

Chela

 

[Seth]

Mariusz Fyrstenberg bounced around Babolat most, if not all, of his career. He had the Carbon Xtreme Pure Storm and a GT Storm model.

 

[Seth]

Dinara Safina
Camila Giorgi
Juan Sebastian Cabal
Alejandro Falla
Santiago Giraldo
Ramon Delgado
George Bastl
Marcel Felder
Florent Serra

 

[gino]

Chela

Dinara Safina
Camila Giorgi
Juan Sebastian Cabal
Alejandro Falla
Santiago Giraldo
Ramon Delgado
George Bastl
Marcel Felder
Florent Serra

Excellent work fellas OP will be updated

 

[colan5934]

Some guy claims he tested it in practice. That’s not someone who has used it.
That’s like saying Nadal switched to HEAD MXG because he tested in an off season.

OP’s choice to count it or not lol. But because it’s SUCH a big deal that he didn’t use it in competition…I agree that he shouldn’t be on the list

 

[PistolPete23]

“Nationally-ranked junior”

Edit: I can’t find any info on his junior ranking, just a nebulous “nationally-ranked junior” everywhere I look. One article said his strokes are fluid. I played in HS with nationally-ranked juniors on my team in NorCal. They don’t hit like that or had footwork like that.

 

[colan5934]

He sucks and he’s an absolute moron.

Won’t disagree, but reportedly he’s a 5.0 which is at least above average for this place lol. Though I can’t find verification so I’d imagine there’s some degree of BS there

 

[PistolPete23]

Won’t disagree, but reportedly he’s a 5.0 which is at least above average for this place lol. Though I can’t find verification so I’d imagine there’s some degree of BS there

If he’s 5.0, watching him hit, I feel like I should rate myself at least 0.5 higher.

 

[colan5934]

If he’s 5.0, watching him hit, I feel like I should rate myself at least 0.5 higher.

Eh. Strokes only tell so much. Doesn’t everyone on this board rate at least 0.5 higher anyway?

 

[vsbabolat]

Won’t disagree, but reportedly he’s a 5.0 which is at least above average for this place lol. Though I can’t find verification so I’d imagine there’s some degree of BS there

I saw the video of him hitting forehands. He’s a 4.0-4.5 max. I wasn’t impressed by his technique. Also his foot is deplorable. Horrendous

 

[PistolPete23]

Eh. Strokes only tell so much. Doesn’t everyone on this board rate at least 0.5 higher anyway?

Come to think of it, to have strokes and footwork that look like his does, and have the confidence to post a video of himself playing shirtless while running for the highest office in the land, he must have amazing confidence on the court. So maybe it is possible he’s a 5.0

 

[taylor15]

I saw the video of him hitting forehands. He’s a 4.0-4.5 max. I wasn’t impressed by his technique. Also his foot is deplorable. Horrendous

Last UTR was a 9.04, is that a 4.5? Maybe he has impeccable tennis IQ. The happy Gilmore step into the forehand is hilarious.

 

[gino]

Yo anybody know some pros who used a strike storm or pure control?

 

[vsbabolat]

Last UTR was a 9.04, is that a 4.5? Maybe he has impeccable tennis IQ. The happy Gilmore step into the forehand is hilarious.

He played a guy that is 5.xx that he barely beat 6-4, 7-6 and played an 8.xx that’s smoked him 6-0, 6-0. I think his true rating is UTR 5.to 6.0. No way he’s a UTR 9.04
Also it’s only league matches in Ohio and no USTA tournaments and no ITF tournaments.
I wonder how he can play with his tinfoil hat?

 

[gino]

He played a guy that is 5.xx that he barely beat 6-4, 7-6 and played an 8.xx that’s smoked him 6-0, 6-0. I think his true rating is UTR 5.to 6.0. No way he’s a UTR 9.04
Also it’s only league matches in Ohio and no USTA tournaments and no ITF tournaments.
I wonder how he can play with his tinfoil hat?

He sucks and he’s an absolute moron.

He sucks

I saw the video of him hitting forehands. He’s a 4.0-4.5 max. I wasn’t impressed by his technique. Also his foot is deplorable. Horrendous

you coming in here to "correct" me about Haas then going on a 4-post Vivek rant is just incredible comedy. we get it, you don't like the guy. his addition to the list was a joke

if you care so much about poster accuracy/staying on topic, what exactly is this little Vivek rant all about?

any additional players to add to the list? or just want to let us know about your political proclivities? really distracting from the intended purpose of the thread

 

[PistolPete23]

you coming in here to "correct" me about Haas then going on a 4-post Vivek rant is just incredible comedy. we get it, you don't like the guy. his addition to the list was a joke

if you care so much about poster accuracy/staying on topic, what exactly is this little Vivek rant all about?

any additional players to add to the list? or just want to let us know about your political proclivities? really distracting from the intended purpose of the thread

I mean, reference to any politician on these forums (or anywhere on the internet), joke or otherwise, is an invitation for a rant … this one was funny though

 

[gino]

I mean, reference to any politician on these forums (or anywhere on the internet), joke or otherwise, is an invitation for a rant … this one was funny though

The hypocrisy is my biggest issue. If you’re so intent on making sure that everything that said on these boards is correct, then maybe you should follow the pretense of threads

 

[PistolPete23]

The hypocrisy is my biggest issue. If you’re so intent on making sure that everything that said on these boards is correct, then maybe you should follow the pretense of threads

I’m just amazed that people here have knowledge like Haas once “tested” a PC during practice. How do you even go about getting that info?

 

[aus89]

Luis Horna another South American Pure Control user

 

[mavsman149]

Daniela Hantuchova used the Pure Control + swirly
Brian Vahaly Pure Control Team MP (I think it was a VS Control though)
Lars Burgsmuller VS Control/Pure Control
Jan Hernych Pure Control swirly
Gisela Dulko Pure Control
Brian Baker Pure Control before he went Aero

 

[mavsman149]

Kenneth Carlsen used the pure control swirly

 

[mavsman149]

Rajeev Ram used a Pure Storm Tour

 

[gino]

OP updated! Keep me honest, sure im missing more!

 

[mavsman149]

@gino the ones you labeled Pure Control original are more likely Pure Control Swirly, like the Pure Drive, there is a pre woofer original that was a 95 head.

 

[innoVAShaun]

Pratt

 

[innoVAShaun]

Crabb

 

[innoVAShaun]

 

[mavsman149]

Pratt

Nice! There weren’t a whole lot of players with the Zylon series pj’s