Perhaps your string and tension? Soft poly in the low 40s is the way to go
Tennis Warehouse: Babolat Pure Aero 98
- Thread starter TW Staff
- Start date
GimmeBackMyDog
Rookie
No, I don't think it's the string/tension.
It's RPM Blast @ 47lbs.
My VS has ALU Power @ 51lbs. No problems
Extreme Tour has Head Lynx Tour @ 51lbs. No problems.
It's definitely something with the racket causing it.
Eh, could be. I personally think RPM Blast is a crazy harsh string. But hey if it's bothering you, it's bothering you. No reason to put yourself through it and risk injury
I played another two hours this morning. The racket is definitely more on the comfortable side. Even a friend who plays with the Blade v8 16x19 tried the racket and said it was more comfortable than his Blade. What I noticed is that the racket plays stronger than the specifications indicate. I think that in the future this racket will gain a large number of Blade, Ezone and other 98-inch rackets in the 305-315 gram category because it is a type of racket that is very easy to pick up and play. For those who have problems with comfort, be sure to skip the RPM Blast, which is brutally hard in most rackets.
Moveforwardalways
Hall of Fame
Agree. String it up with a soft poly or non-poly and it plays quite comfortably.
GimmeBackMyDog
Rookie
I'm glad you guys are having good luck with it.
I'm almost certain it's not the strings. I think it has something to do with the swingweight and balance.
After playing and aggravating my elbow, I went home and swung all my rackets in the living room without even hitting a ball.
And I could feel the pain flair up more when picking up and swinging the PA98 more than with any of the other rackets.
It's something concerning the racket itself causing it.
ALU Power isn't any less harsh then the RPM Blast. And even at a higher tension the ALU Power in the PAVS doesn't bother me very much.
When I started playing last summer, I put RPM Blast in my two regular Pure Aeros @ 53lbs. No elbow issues whatsoever.
I have three packs of Hyper G Soft I could use to restring the 98.
But I'm almost certain it's not the strings.
Either way, I ordered three other rackets to demo from TW. An Ezone 98, the new Radical Pro and the new Extreme Tour.
So I can test those and decide what to do from there.
It's a bummer because I like the way the 98 plays. But if I can't play it without pain there's not much I can do but find a racket I like almost as much and make the switch.
That being said, I'm glad most aren't have the same problem.
Because the VS/98 is a fantastic playing racket. I kind of breaks my heart to have to make a switch.
I'm almost certain it's not the strings. I think it has something to do with the swingweight and balance.
After playing and aggravating my elbow, I went home and swung all my rackets in the living room without even hitting a ball.
And I could feel the pain flair up more when picking up and swinging the PA98 more than with any of the other rackets.
It's something concerning the racket itself causing it.
ALU Power isn't any less harsh then the RPM Blast. And even at a higher tension the ALU Power in the PAVS doesn't bother me very much.
When I started playing last summer, I put RPM Blast in my two regular Pure Aeros @ 53lbs. No elbow issues whatsoever.
I have three packs of Hyper G Soft I could use to restring the 98.
But I'm almost certain it's not the strings.
Either way, I ordered three other rackets to demo from TW. An Ezone 98, the new Radical Pro and the new Extreme Tour.
So I can test those and decide what to do from there.
It's a bummer because I like the way the 98 plays. But if I can't play it without pain there's not much I can do but find a racket I like almost as much and make the switch.
That being said, I'm glad most aren't have the same problem.
Because the VS/98 is a fantastic playing racket. I kind of breaks my heart to have to make a switch.
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That's not how tennis elbow works.
And for what it's worth, the weight and balance of the PA98 is nearly identical to dozens of other frames. So you're little living room swing experiment is more mental on your part than having any physical/biomechanical truth.
So after trying out for a good 1-2 solid matches…
I will main this racket as a 3.5 player. Play style is aggressive baselines/pusher. Previous racket is pure strike tour, pure aero tour and Rf97a.
Pro:
I can really go all-out with this racket with no fear of it landing short or long. Has good spin and good control. Great for baseliners.
My passing shots feel great and controlled. I can topspin it at their feet or go down the line or cross court if needed.
approach shots was solid can angle it and topspin it in.
backhand was solid as a 2hander.
My consistency in general is up with solid shots and can blast one if I feel like it’s the right time to do so. I also felt like I could easily change on the dime heavy topspin versus flat. The strike tour and aero tour was to uncontrollable for me. The strike lacked topspin imo and the aero tour was just like a rocket launcher if I went all-in with a shot.
Cons:
First serve still trying to figure out. My aero tour has more pop and my strike tour was more consistent? I dunno I have to figure it out.
Second serve did the job but nothing wowed me.
Backhand slice didn’t wow me. I would personally avoid doing backhand slice with this… it def isn’t crisp like Rf97a.
neutral:
volley.
returns: I felt like with the strike tour I could just block it back and have it land safely without giving opponent an easy ball. With the 98 I feel like if I just block it- it doesn’t feel as sturdy- so I feel myself swinging into a return instead of blocking it.
All in all this racket is literally an alcaraz play style racket…? Or an aggressive baseline racket. I do enjoy it and plan to use it for my main in 2023. Although I’m exhausted right now. I feel like to get the most out of this racket you have to really hit the ball, leg drive and all.
Hitting hard baseline shots and retrieving is exhausting… but fun!
I will main this racket as a 3.5 player. Play style is aggressive baselines/pusher. Previous racket is pure strike tour, pure aero tour and Rf97a.
Pro:
I can really go all-out with this racket with no fear of it landing short or long. Has good spin and good control. Great for baseliners.
My passing shots feel great and controlled. I can topspin it at their feet or go down the line or cross court if needed.
approach shots was solid can angle it and topspin it in.
backhand was solid as a 2hander.
My consistency in general is up with solid shots and can blast one if I feel like it’s the right time to do so. I also felt like I could easily change on the dime heavy topspin versus flat. The strike tour and aero tour was to uncontrollable for me. The strike lacked topspin imo and the aero tour was just like a rocket launcher if I went all-in with a shot.
Cons:
First serve still trying to figure out. My aero tour has more pop and my strike tour was more consistent? I dunno I have to figure it out.
Second serve did the job but nothing wowed me.
Backhand slice didn’t wow me. I would personally avoid doing backhand slice with this… it def isn’t crisp like Rf97a.
neutral:
volley.
returns: I felt like with the strike tour I could just block it back and have it land safely without giving opponent an easy ball. With the 98 I feel like if I just block it- it doesn’t feel as sturdy- so I feel myself swinging into a return instead of blocking it.
All in all this racket is literally an alcaraz play style racket…? Or an aggressive baseline racket. I do enjoy it and plan to use it for my main in 2023. Although I’m exhausted right now. I feel like to get the most out of this racket you have to really hit the ball, leg drive and all.
Hitting hard baseline shots and retrieving is exhausting… but fun!
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GimmeBackMyDog
Rookie
Yes, that's how tennis elbow works.
GimmeBackMyDog
Rookie
Maybe I can ask you what your personal experience with tennis elbow is?
I'm a physician.
So humeral lateral epicondylitis (aka tennis elbow) occurs most commonly with repetitive wrist extension against resistance. In fact there's a test we do called the Cozen's test which effectively recreates this movement to help diagnose the condition.
My point is that there's not some innate quality of the frame, with regards to shadowing swinging in your living room, that would exacerbate your tennis elbow.
It can be argued that when striking a ball, the frame transmits more vibration than other frames with the same weight, swing weight, balance, etc to the lateral epicondyle. However to imply that with shadow swinging ONLY the PA98, and not other rackets, causes you discomfort is highly improbable.
I don't doubt you have tennis elbow. But I don't want someone, perhaps new to the game of tennis, to read comments such as yours and to think the Pure Aero 98, or other Babolat frames in general, are going to automatically give them elbow issues.
If you had simply stated that playing with the frame caused you arm discomfort, I would have not had an issue with that. The Pure Aero 98 very well could have been the cause of your most recent flare up. But its the shadow swinging comment that I take issue with.
Regardless, I do hope you have a good recovery. If you haven't already, check out Pro Kennex frames. They, albeit largely anecdotally, seem to help people immensely who struggle with tennis elbow.
EDIT: Also trying natural gut strings (or at least the mains). Again, thats another thing that many of my clients seems to endorse as helping too.
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GimmeBackMyDog
Rookie
I appreciate the reply.
But I can tell you I had sever tennis elbow all through high school. Yes, that was a long time ago now.
I played entire seasons of baseball, basketball football and tennis trying to manage severe tennis elbow pain.
During that time constantly wearing a tennis elbow strap and rubbing Aspercreme, Ben Gay and whatever else I could find on my elbow to make it though each practice.
And none of it was cause by tennis string reverberation.
Throwing a baseball was by the worse. Followed by throwing a football, shooting a basketball and lastly hitting a tennis ball.
So string vibration isn't the only thing that can cause tennis elbow as I had it fairly bad before ever picking up a tennis racket.
I found the PA98 to definitely be softer than the pavs, so it's probably the specs that brought about your discomfort (given the shadow swinging you mentioned). I had given the Ezone 98 and PAVS the arm destruction awards of rackets released the last few years (enough to remove me from competition/play after demoing with TW string/tension, the tips were so stiff/dead). While the PA98 is still very unpleasant when you "bottom out" around the edges, it's much improved over the PAVS comfort wise. Curious to hear your thoughts on the Ezone 98 comfort in comparison.
I did have some issues with hand discomfort as I sized down for Babolat, and there was a bit of instability/twisting... I don't think people need to or should size down. A second overgrip took care of the hand pain.
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Oh I agree 100%. Wrist extension against resistance is the most common cause. So in the case of throwing the baseball, football, shooting a basketball, etc, can all cause it.
Believe it not we see it commonly in professional painters. Tennis players get a bad wrap for the naming, but it's not a tennis only thing.
iceman_dl6
Professional
I had the same issue with the 2022 EZ98. Added 16g in the handle and problem solved! Same treatment with the new PA98 and still no arm issues.
GimmeBackMyDog
Rookie
Tennis does get a bad rap IMO.
Until just this last week, I've never had much issue with my tennis elbow flaring up while playing tennis.
It was mostly other sports that aggravated it.
GimmeBackMyDog
Rookie
I'll let you know about the Ezone in comparison. I should receive the demos tomorrow.
Comfort wise, it's a bit odd.
While hitting the ball, the PA98 w/ RPM Blast @ 47lbs does feel more plush and comfortable that the PAVS w/ Luxilon ALU Power @ 51lbs.
Yet the PAVS has never bothered my elbow very much while the PA98 is killing it.
Despite the arm pain, when I hit the ball with the PA98 w/ RPM Blast @ 47lbs it feels really plush and ball does seem to sit on the stringbed.
Which is why I'm demoing the Ezone 98 and not the Ezone 98 Tour.
Ezone 98 has specs more in line with the PAVS while the Ezone 98 Tour has a higher swingweight like the PA98.
TennisManiac
Hall of Fame
Babolat's are just arm wreckers. They're notorious for it.
TennisManiac
Hall of Fame
You didn't!
I was surprised by how soft the previous PA, Strike Tour, and the current PD play. PA98 is now fine as well.
Ezone 98, Vcore Pro 97 regular, ezone tour thought my arm was going to fall off (all comparisons using TW demo string/tension). Think Babolat has learned a little about dampening, and Yonex has some work to do compared to other manufacturers in that regard.
Flax is pretty awful though feel wise. Feels like something loose in the racket like a maraca sometimes, and the new PA100 was a big step backward in comfort, while it works in the PA98. Most likely due to weight on the 98.
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DontQuixote
Rookie
String and tension used for test: Grapplesnake Tour Sniper 16g 52lbs and RPM Blast 17g 52lbs
Tennis experience/background: NTRP 3.5
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Baseliner
Current racquet/string setups: Extreme Tour 2022
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 20 hours
-Groundstrokes: The forehands are fantastic. The racquet is probably one of the best in this category. What else could you want? It has power, stability, and the spin. I feel confident swinging out. I just need to make sure to hit with lots of spin to control the balls. However, my two handed backhand seems to have issues with this racquet. I was missing lot of my shots long or I was miss hitting my backhands a lot with this racquet. I am not sure what the issue was, as I do not usually have an issue with my backhands. It didn't have the solidness on the backhand as I felt when I used the Boom Pro or the Extreme Tour. I think perhaps because of the spinny nature of the balls my backhand had issues. I think I still need to dial in my backhand for this racquet even after playing with it for 20 hours.
-Serves: This racquet is also great for serving. I do not think I have served better on any other racquet. The racquet is extremely powerful as you will read in my review, but also has the stability/spin so it has everything that you would want in serving. Spin serves were easy and flat serves were powerful. I cannot do kick serves well yet so I cannot comment on that but every serve I was doing was really accurate so I was extremely surprised and impressed with the racquet.
-Volleys: Volleys were just okay. The overall theme of this review is that the racquet is (Stability A+, Powerful A, Spin A-, Control B) So for volleys were just okay, yes the racquet is stable so you will be able to bounce back powerful shots with your volleys, but do not expect precision control with the volleys. The racquet has good spin and is powerful so it does have the potential for good volley shots, but the feel and the launch angle made this not the best volley stick available.
-Serve returns This part is phenomenal. The racquet is stability king so it can return serves really nicely. I felt confident returning even the most powerful serves. I didn't have any issues with the stability of my returns and I was able to return powerfully.
Power/Control- The racquet is extremely powerful. I would say that it is more powerful than a typical 98 tweener type racquet. You will get Babolat power from this racquet. Expect a non Babolat 100inch frame's power from this racquet. It does feel a lot more powerful than the Pure Strike, Ezone 98, and Extreme Tour. Given that the racquet is extremely powerful and very spin friendly, the control is not as precise as a control stick. You will not get a point and shoot with this racquet. You need to be able to tame the spin and power of this racquet and use spin to aim broadly at the location to control the ball.
Top Spin/Slice- This racquet has a lot of top spin and is quite good for slicing as well. The racquet has less spin than the Extreme Tour, but more spin than the ezone 98. Still, this racquet produces quite a lot of spin compared to most and since racquet is powerful and spin friendly slices are quite easy and effortless. The feedback on spin that I heard from my hitting partners are that the balls doesn't have the spin level of the Extreme Tour. The balls seem to have a medium level of spin and is quite powerful. The launch angle is high, but the overall feedback seems to be more about the power than the spin level of the racquet.
Comfort- The racquet is quite comfortable. I had no issues playing with it. However, you can tell the racquet is stiff. Compared to the ezone 98 and extreme tour, this racquet feels a lot stiffer. I would not say it is a harsh racquet as babolat seems to have made strides in improving this aspect. Comfortable, but still feels stiffer racquet than most. I don't notice the stiffness when I am using the racquet, but when when I change to a different racquet, I can notice the increased comfort of the other racquets.
Feel- The racquet feels like a Babolat racquet. If you ever hit with any Babolat, you can imagine how this racquet feels. The sweetspot is muted, the stick feels solid and stiff and the ball doesn't have too much of a pocketing feel. But this is what you can expect from a Babolat stick. This racquet is no different in this aspect.
Maneuverability- The racquet has a high twist weight on paper, but I had no issues with the maneuverability. I felt that the racquet was easy to maneuver.
Stability- This is one of the best features of this racquet. This racquet really is the stability king. Off hit balls will land inside the court. The racquet is able handle fast powerful shots and extremely solid on serve returns. I feel confident swinging out no matter the type of balls that come my way. I think the combination of the stiffness of the racquet and the power of the racquet makes this racquet the stability king without losing any maneuverability.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
Overall, fantastic racquet. This is one of the best racquets that I have ever played with. If you are looking for a powerful spinny tweener type racquet, this racquet is for you. I will repeat my scores for the racquet in order of best: Stability A+, Powerful A, Spin A-, Control B. I think this is racquet would fits the needs of most intermediate players.
Tennis experience/background: NTRP 3.5
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Baseliner
Current racquet/string setups: Extreme Tour 2022
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 20 hours
-Groundstrokes: The forehands are fantastic. The racquet is probably one of the best in this category. What else could you want? It has power, stability, and the spin. I feel confident swinging out. I just need to make sure to hit with lots of spin to control the balls. However, my two handed backhand seems to have issues with this racquet. I was missing lot of my shots long or I was miss hitting my backhands a lot with this racquet. I am not sure what the issue was, as I do not usually have an issue with my backhands. It didn't have the solidness on the backhand as I felt when I used the Boom Pro or the Extreme Tour. I think perhaps because of the spinny nature of the balls my backhand had issues. I think I still need to dial in my backhand for this racquet even after playing with it for 20 hours.
-Serves: This racquet is also great for serving. I do not think I have served better on any other racquet. The racquet is extremely powerful as you will read in my review, but also has the stability/spin so it has everything that you would want in serving. Spin serves were easy and flat serves were powerful. I cannot do kick serves well yet so I cannot comment on that but every serve I was doing was really accurate so I was extremely surprised and impressed with the racquet.
-Volleys: Volleys were just okay. The overall theme of this review is that the racquet is (Stability A+, Powerful A, Spin A-, Control B) So for volleys were just okay, yes the racquet is stable so you will be able to bounce back powerful shots with your volleys, but do not expect precision control with the volleys. The racquet has good spin and is powerful so it does have the potential for good volley shots, but the feel and the launch angle made this not the best volley stick available.
-Serve returns This part is phenomenal. The racquet is stability king so it can return serves really nicely. I felt confident returning even the most powerful serves. I didn't have any issues with the stability of my returns and I was able to return powerfully.
Power/Control- The racquet is extremely powerful. I would say that it is more powerful than a typical 98 tweener type racquet. You will get Babolat power from this racquet. Expect a non Babolat 100inch frame's power from this racquet. It does feel a lot more powerful than the Pure Strike, Ezone 98, and Extreme Tour. Given that the racquet is extremely powerful and very spin friendly, the control is not as precise as a control stick. You will not get a point and shoot with this racquet. You need to be able to tame the spin and power of this racquet and use spin to aim broadly at the location to control the ball.
Top Spin/Slice- This racquet has a lot of top spin and is quite good for slicing as well. The racquet has less spin than the Extreme Tour, but more spin than the ezone 98. Still, this racquet produces quite a lot of spin compared to most and since racquet is powerful and spin friendly slices are quite easy and effortless. The feedback on spin that I heard from my hitting partners are that the balls doesn't have the spin level of the Extreme Tour. The balls seem to have a medium level of spin and is quite powerful. The launch angle is high, but the overall feedback seems to be more about the power than the spin level of the racquet.
Comfort- The racquet is quite comfortable. I had no issues playing with it. However, you can tell the racquet is stiff. Compared to the ezone 98 and extreme tour, this racquet feels a lot stiffer. I would not say it is a harsh racquet as babolat seems to have made strides in improving this aspect. Comfortable, but still feels stiffer racquet than most. I don't notice the stiffness when I am using the racquet, but when when I change to a different racquet, I can notice the increased comfort of the other racquets.
Feel- The racquet feels like a Babolat racquet. If you ever hit with any Babolat, you can imagine how this racquet feels. The sweetspot is muted, the stick feels solid and stiff and the ball doesn't have too much of a pocketing feel. But this is what you can expect from a Babolat stick. This racquet is no different in this aspect.
Maneuverability- The racquet has a high twist weight on paper, but I had no issues with the maneuverability. I felt that the racquet was easy to maneuver.
Stability- This is one of the best features of this racquet. This racquet really is the stability king. Off hit balls will land inside the court. The racquet is able handle fast powerful shots and extremely solid on serve returns. I feel confident swinging out no matter the type of balls that come my way. I think the combination of the stiffness of the racquet and the power of the racquet makes this racquet the stability king without losing any maneuverability.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
Overall, fantastic racquet. This is one of the best racquets that I have ever played with. If you are looking for a powerful spinny tweener type racquet, this racquet is for you. I will repeat my scores for the racquet in order of best: Stability A+, Powerful A, Spin A-, Control B. I think this is racquet would fits the needs of most intermediate players.
tlsmikey
Rookie
Has anyone been able to measure the swing weight of their demo? TW seems to have updated the SW of this new version to 327 which is a dramatic increase from the ~317-318 the previous version was listed at. I'm curious if these are coming in at the 317 range or closer to this higher spec that they are now listing. Seems like most of the other sites still have them in the lower band around 320.
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
Above are the posted swingweights of the demo racquets received by 2 of the playtesters. There does seem to be a significant increase in SW in the new PA98 over the prior PAVS.
lidoazndiabloboi
Hall of Fame
One of the PA98 review videos I saw on youtube recently, they measured the specs at
307.2g 31.7cm SW291 with the plastic on grip.
so we are looking at about 305g 31.8cm SW291 unstrung. After stringing, he measured at 323g 32.9cm SW324
Big difference compared to my racket SW306
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
Yeah, even at SW291 unstrung, that's significantly higher than the 2 PAVSs I have and the 1 PAVS I sold. IIRC, the one I sold was about SW275 unstrung and the ones I still have are ~SW280-285 so strung, all 3 are between 305-315.
Moveforwardalways
Hall of Fame
No wonder people say that stick was unstable at 305-310 SW
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Yeah I listed my specs earlier in this thread. 297 SW unstrung - 327 Sw strung with Black Knight 1.23
mad dog1
G.O.A.T.
yes, the PAVS at 305-310 would need quite a bit of lead. at 320ish strung, it's plenty stable for me.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Babolat lists SW for the PA98. It's on their website. The listed SW is 295 unstrung.
SlowTiger
Professional
Dang, so they do. I stand corrected
What does tweener raquet mean? Does this mean it’s for like 3.0-3.5 players? Sorry if I don’t get the terminology…
GimmeBackMyDog
Rookie
I don't have a scale.
But I can tell you that those numbers seem correct. The 98 is quite noticeably heavier than the VS.
My strung SW (stock) came in at 333 (fixed typo!).
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Moveforwardalways
Hall of Fame
That is incredibly low. Do you mean 333?
Yeah, sorry - I'll fix the typo. 333 was the number.
Pasteing here from another thread, I'm not on the playtest.
VS is sturdier and stiffer, noticeably more mass in the throat and shoulders, so that its tip seems too light, it was made for pro use, made to add a lot of lead at 12, and then it feels balanced. VS has that ridiculous energy return too, if you flatten a forehand and nicely connect it's a projectile. PA98 still gives nice generous power, but not like that, PA98 has a bit more flex, less punch and less energy return. VS is rock solid, like RF97A, Yonex VCP 330g or Rad Pro G360+, while PA98 can slightly vibrate on some flat shots, but nothing much, like most other good racquets for advanced players.
PA98 is noticeably smoother and more linear over the whole stringbed, not just the sweetspot like VS. Significantly lighter and less stiff/sturdy in the throat and shoulders, its mass is more evenly distributed, whereas the VS is very depolarized. PA98 has higher sw, noticeably more mass at the tip of the racquet. PA98 is stock just like I have my VSes modded, with 2-3g of lead at 12. PA98 reminds of Radical MP in terms of weight and flex distribution, but gives more power.
With both VS with lead and PA98 stock, same-ish sw, VS needs constant superfast hitting and crucially attacking the ball in front of the body, it feels good in fast rallys. PA98 is way more forgiving in that sense, you can dig yourself out of the corner with it more naturally and easily, it'll also work great in faster but not fastest ball exchanges, and it doesn't need lead at all. You can swipe at the ball slightly late with it, that works a bit better with PA98, defensive or grinding points sometimes too.
Simply put, VS is (too) stiff, and too demanding, made for people who play Futures level and up, and who hit the ball 4h daily, with fresh strings. It's a race car. Babolat made it for Alcaraz, and we'll see many other pros play with it over the years, painted in PA98 colours.
PA98 is for everyone else, your arm won't fall off, you lose some of the punch and stability, but not that much if you're not a hard hitter always looking to flatten the ball and punch through. PA98 is easier to use than VS, and I think a lot of people will really like it. A defensive counterpuncher or a grinder won't like it all that much though, as it will still ask to attack the ball consistently, with a nice long full swing, and a lot of energy, not just a snowflake
VS is sturdier and stiffer, noticeably more mass in the throat and shoulders, so that its tip seems too light, it was made for pro use, made to add a lot of lead at 12, and then it feels balanced. VS has that ridiculous energy return too, if you flatten a forehand and nicely connect it's a projectile. PA98 still gives nice generous power, but not like that, PA98 has a bit more flex, less punch and less energy return. VS is rock solid, like RF97A, Yonex VCP 330g or Rad Pro G360+, while PA98 can slightly vibrate on some flat shots, but nothing much, like most other good racquets for advanced players.
PA98 is noticeably smoother and more linear over the whole stringbed, not just the sweetspot like VS. Significantly lighter and less stiff/sturdy in the throat and shoulders, its mass is more evenly distributed, whereas the VS is very depolarized. PA98 has higher sw, noticeably more mass at the tip of the racquet. PA98 is stock just like I have my VSes modded, with 2-3g of lead at 12. PA98 reminds of Radical MP in terms of weight and flex distribution, but gives more power.
With both VS with lead and PA98 stock, same-ish sw, VS needs constant superfast hitting and crucially attacking the ball in front of the body, it feels good in fast rallys. PA98 is way more forgiving in that sense, you can dig yourself out of the corner with it more naturally and easily, it'll also work great in faster but not fastest ball exchanges, and it doesn't need lead at all. You can swipe at the ball slightly late with it, that works a bit better with PA98, defensive or grinding points sometimes too.
Simply put, VS is (too) stiff, and too demanding, made for people who play Futures level and up, and who hit the ball 4h daily, with fresh strings. It's a race car. Babolat made it for Alcaraz, and we'll see many other pros play with it over the years, painted in PA98 colours.
PA98 is for everyone else, your arm won't fall off, you lose some of the punch and stability, but not that much if you're not a hard hitter always looking to flatten the ball and punch through. PA98 is easier to use than VS, and I think a lot of people will really like it. A defensive counterpuncher or a grinder won't like it all that much though, as it will still ask to attack the ball consistently, with a nice long full swing, and a lot of energy, not just a snowflake
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GimmeBackMyDog
Rookie
I like the VS. I'm going to keep that one.
Demoed the Ezone 98, Head Auxetic Extreme Tour and Head Radical Pro.
I'm probably going to send the PA98 back in for the Extreme Tour via TW Trade-In Program.
The newer Extreme Tour feels like a softer VS.
The extra swingweight and mass at the tip of the PA98 just isn't for me.
Demoed the Ezone 98, Head Auxetic Extreme Tour and Head Radical Pro.
I'm probably going to send the PA98 back in for the Extreme Tour via TW Trade-In Program.
The newer Extreme Tour feels like a softer VS.
The extra swingweight and mass at the tip of the PA98 just isn't for me.
DontQuixote
Rookie
A tweener racquet is like a racquet for an intermediate player. It is not a hard racquet like a players racquet and it is not an easy racquet like 100+ square in racquet with a low weight.
BBender716
Professional
I am legit close to selling my Pure Aero 2023, PAVS and AeroPro Drive OG because I prefer the PA98 that much to them. IMO it's less "extreme" in that it isn't super muted, super powerful, super spinny, it's just a very solid frame that performs great in most categories without being eccentric.
RafaBabolat
Rookie
String and tension used for test: RPM Blast 17, 52 Lb
Tennis experience/background: USTA 4.5, play college club tennis, played varsity HS.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Aggressive, I like to serve and hit heavy to end points early.
Current racquet/string setups: Pure Aero 2016, Solinco Hyper G 16L, 54 Lb
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 30 hours, serving, some light rallies, a few competitive sets.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: 10/10, this is where the racquet shines. I can swing out confidently, and the ball will land in no matter what. Coming from the PA with the insanely high launch angle, I had to adjust but I think it makes me a better tennis player. The feel is soft, but not muted enough that I can't feel where the ball is going. It pockets well and feels great with my 2HBH. One thing I could not get was the backhand slice. It may be because I don't want to screw up the paint sometimes (LOL) but getting the ball off the string bed for a slice is difficult for some reason.
-Serves: 8/10, Not the best in the world, but it does its job. Kick serves are okay, maybe a different string will help with this. Flat serves have enough power, and I feel like the directional control is there like the groundstrokes.
-Volleys: 8/10, Not especially stable with repelling hard-hit shots, but it feels good at the net. I can finish quite well, and the touch at the net is good for me to make drop volleys.
-Serve returns: 10/10, The racquet excels here like the groundstrokes; I feel that I can direct shots with pinpoint accuracy, and it doesn't feel unstable like the volleys at the net.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- 10/10, it is what you are looking for if you like to swing out and make your own power. You can be a baseliner or come up to the net, and it will suit you well if you harness the potential it has. Easy winners.
Top Spin/Slice- 7/10, Top spin is good for an Aero racquet, but the slice is something I cannot get a handle of. I think a more shaped string could help with this, where the bite on the ball is better. I just resort to my regular backhand, which isn't a problem because it is insane how my backhand improved with this racquet. I can finish winners down the line with the flat shots.
Comfort- 9/10, really easy on your arm. For a racquet with RPM Blast, which usually makes my racquets feel super stiff, it feels great to swing and the contact is clean.
Feel- 8/10., it's not a very "crisp" or "pop" racquet, but it makes up for that with how you can feel the ball pocketing in your strings. It's a great feeling Babolat, almost like the Pure Controls of years ago.
Maneuverability- 9/10, swings well. It comes around your body pretty well, I'd say it's very maneuverable and easy to swing.
Stability- 8/10, groundstrokes are fine, but at the net it could be better. When I compare it to something like a RF97, it definitely is jarring if you don't center your volleys. If you have perfect technique unlike me, then you will be fine. However, stability on the regular groundstroke swings was amazing.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: Great racquet. Overall a 9.5/10 in my books, one of the best I've ever tried. I'm finally parting with my PA 2016 set and moving to this racquet. I love how it plays, and it's what I have been looking for years. There are aspects that could be better, but with proper technique this is definitely not a huge problem.
Thank you to TW and @TW Staff for this amazing opportunity, I can't believe that I got to playtest this racquet, and I am so happy to have found an amazing racquet!
Tennis experience/background: USTA 4.5, play college club tennis, played varsity HS.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Aggressive, I like to serve and hit heavy to end points early.
Current racquet/string setups: Pure Aero 2016, Solinco Hyper G 16L, 54 Lb
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 30 hours, serving, some light rallies, a few competitive sets.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: 10/10, this is where the racquet shines. I can swing out confidently, and the ball will land in no matter what. Coming from the PA with the insanely high launch angle, I had to adjust but I think it makes me a better tennis player. The feel is soft, but not muted enough that I can't feel where the ball is going. It pockets well and feels great with my 2HBH. One thing I could not get was the backhand slice. It may be because I don't want to screw up the paint sometimes (LOL) but getting the ball off the string bed for a slice is difficult for some reason.
-Serves: 8/10, Not the best in the world, but it does its job. Kick serves are okay, maybe a different string will help with this. Flat serves have enough power, and I feel like the directional control is there like the groundstrokes.
-Volleys: 8/10, Not especially stable with repelling hard-hit shots, but it feels good at the net. I can finish quite well, and the touch at the net is good for me to make drop volleys.
-Serve returns: 10/10, The racquet excels here like the groundstrokes; I feel that I can direct shots with pinpoint accuracy, and it doesn't feel unstable like the volleys at the net.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- 10/10, it is what you are looking for if you like to swing out and make your own power. You can be a baseliner or come up to the net, and it will suit you well if you harness the potential it has. Easy winners.
Top Spin/Slice- 7/10, Top spin is good for an Aero racquet, but the slice is something I cannot get a handle of. I think a more shaped string could help with this, where the bite on the ball is better. I just resort to my regular backhand, which isn't a problem because it is insane how my backhand improved with this racquet. I can finish winners down the line with the flat shots.
Comfort- 9/10, really easy on your arm. For a racquet with RPM Blast, which usually makes my racquets feel super stiff, it feels great to swing and the contact is clean.
Feel- 8/10., it's not a very "crisp" or "pop" racquet, but it makes up for that with how you can feel the ball pocketing in your strings. It's a great feeling Babolat, almost like the Pure Controls of years ago.
Maneuverability- 9/10, swings well. It comes around your body pretty well, I'd say it's very maneuverable and easy to swing.
Stability- 8/10, groundstrokes are fine, but at the net it could be better. When I compare it to something like a RF97, it definitely is jarring if you don't center your volleys. If you have perfect technique unlike me, then you will be fine. However, stability on the regular groundstroke swings was amazing.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: Great racquet. Overall a 9.5/10 in my books, one of the best I've ever tried. I'm finally parting with my PA 2016 set and moving to this racquet. I love how it plays, and it's what I have been looking for years. There are aspects that could be better, but with proper technique this is definitely not a huge problem.
Thank you to TW and @TW Staff for this amazing opportunity, I can't believe that I got to playtest this racquet, and I am so happy to have found an amazing racquet!
BBender716
Professional
I now have that racquet and can see where that thinking is. However, it still feels much whippier than my Blade or even my Pure Aero. Definitely less whippy than my PAVS 2020.
I'm actually really happy with the heavier swingweight tbh.
This just goes to show how much I appreciate having the Briffridi. I spec out all my frames now. The spec variance, especially swing weight is sometimes surprising. I just had 2 frames that were near identical for weight and balance, but SW was off by 7 points. Luckily it's easily fixed with a few inches of lead.
But that's why personal reviews for frames can be all over the place. Tight spec tolerances simply aren't there most of the time.
String and tension used for test:
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I play a generally “all court” style - I have a fairly flat strokes.
Current racquet/string setups: My main racquet is the Pure Strike VS (2022) - aka PSVS. I play with different setups, but my current favorite is RPM Soft mains at 55 and Cream crosses at 50. I have it customized to about 340g static, with a 32cm balance and a 340 SW.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? I played about 10 hours with this racquet, mostly practice sets. I intended to play with it for at least 10 more hours but came down with Covid last week and won’t be back on the court for a bit.
Strung specs: I did not customize this racquet at all - I just strung it up. Strung specs are: 332g, 32.5cm balance, and a 333 SW (as measured on the Briffidi).
Groundstrokes 9/10: - Groundstrokes are bread and butter for this racquet. I found it easy to get good pace and depth off both sides, though my forehand is always better no matter what. I was impressed by the slice backhand - I rely on the slice heavily, and it did well, both defensively and with more offensive/touch shots too. The racquet is more head-heavy than I am used to, but it comes through the air very nicely and so did not feel sluggish at all. Launch angle was maybe a bit higher than the PSVS, but not ridiculously high.
Serves 9/10: Serves were excellent. I was able to get more action on the ball with less effort than I usually can. I was very happy with the power level and had no real issues with control, though I was not as accurate as I am with the PSVS. That’s just a matter of time, however - this is a great serving stick.
Volleys/Overheads 7/10: I liked this racquet a lot on volleys - it felt very maneuverable and stable in all areas at the net. I hit some killer drop volleys and was also able to punch it deep without a problem. The SW is high enough that it didn’t take much effort to redirect with pace. Overheads were not an issue either.
Serve returns 7/10: Return was the one area that I struggled, and that was because of the increased power. Against bigger servers I was hitting a lot of returns long that I’d normally keep in play by just blocking them back. Full poly would help with this a lot, and I regret not having had time to play 5-10 hours with full poly.
Power/Control- 9/10: I found this to be a very powerful racquet. Directional accuracy was also very good, as it’s firm beam is very direct. The spin levels also made it pretty easy to keep in the court when taking full cuts. Where I struggled with control was more in cases where I had to block the shot back (on bigger serves and groundies from my opponent). I think a firmer/deader string would help here, so full poly is probably the answer. The downside to that would be the feel.
Top Spin/Slice 9/10: As mentioned above, this racquet has no problem with spin and slice is great also. It’s pretty effortless to get lots of bite on the ball in both directions, and I’m no spin-meister. Especially when taking full cuts, or finishing short balls, this racquet was a dream.
Comfort 7/10: Comfort with the Excel/RPM setup was OK - it got better with each session. Ultimately, the PSVS is way more comfortable for me, but I could see getting used to playing with this if I used it full time, and I don’t think it would hurt my arm. The vibration dampening seemed good, without making it dead. You can still feel the ball on the strings.
Feel 5/10: Not surprisingly, the feel was not great. It was OK, but not in the ballpark of a great “feel” frame. Still, you can feel the ball on the strings, and it’s not actually harsh or anything, so it’s something you could probably get used to. It’s just never going to be described as “plush” or “buttery”, at least not by me. But, the feel of crushing your opponents with heavy topspin and blistering forehands might make up for that, if you are into that kind of thing
Maneuverability 8/10: I had no issues with maneuverability - in stock form it plays great, and mine was a bit on the heavy end and more head-heavy than I like. While not exactly whippy, it is very aerodynamic and cuts through the air nice and quick.
Stability 9/10: Stability was great - very stable racquet. I felt no flutter and was not pushed around by bigger serves. I really don’t think it needs any mods to play quite well, and I’m someone that prefers a 335-340 SW and 340-345 static weight.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
I won’t be switching to this racquet, but I think it is a great one. It’s not going to win any prizes for feel, but the performance is outstanding. If I were to commit to using it full time, I think I would do very well, and it probably would do me more favors than harm.
With that said, I definitely prefer the feel and performance of the PSVS, which has more flex in the throat, and just has an overall plushness that I can’t really live without. Additionally, I can play with softer strings in the PSVS and still get great control. In those same matches where I was struggling to keep returns in with the PA98, with the PSVS I was blocking them back with relative ease. Now, I know that this could likely be solved with different strings, and more time with the racquet, so it’s not totally fair there, but I'm still not switching...
I think that the PA98 is better suited to more advanced players than I, ultimatley, or at least a different type of player. Not that it’s hard to play with, because it’s not, but a better player with a more modern game would get more out of it.
Thank you @TW Staff for selecting me for this playtest. I really enjoyed it, and look forward to continuing to hit with this frame now and then.
- Excel 16 @ 55 LB in mains
- RPM Blast 16 @ 50LB in crosses
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I play a generally “all court” style - I have a fairly flat strokes.
Current racquet/string setups: My main racquet is the Pure Strike VS (2022) - aka PSVS. I play with different setups, but my current favorite is RPM Soft mains at 55 and Cream crosses at 50. I have it customized to about 340g static, with a 32cm balance and a 340 SW.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? I played about 10 hours with this racquet, mostly practice sets. I intended to play with it for at least 10 more hours but came down with Covid last week and won’t be back on the court for a bit.
Strung specs: I did not customize this racquet at all - I just strung it up. Strung specs are: 332g, 32.5cm balance, and a 333 SW (as measured on the Briffidi).
Groundstrokes 9/10: - Groundstrokes are bread and butter for this racquet. I found it easy to get good pace and depth off both sides, though my forehand is always better no matter what. I was impressed by the slice backhand - I rely on the slice heavily, and it did well, both defensively and with more offensive/touch shots too. The racquet is more head-heavy than I am used to, but it comes through the air very nicely and so did not feel sluggish at all. Launch angle was maybe a bit higher than the PSVS, but not ridiculously high.
Serves 9/10: Serves were excellent. I was able to get more action on the ball with less effort than I usually can. I was very happy with the power level and had no real issues with control, though I was not as accurate as I am with the PSVS. That’s just a matter of time, however - this is a great serving stick.
Volleys/Overheads 7/10: I liked this racquet a lot on volleys - it felt very maneuverable and stable in all areas at the net. I hit some killer drop volleys and was also able to punch it deep without a problem. The SW is high enough that it didn’t take much effort to redirect with pace. Overheads were not an issue either.
Serve returns 7/10: Return was the one area that I struggled, and that was because of the increased power. Against bigger servers I was hitting a lot of returns long that I’d normally keep in play by just blocking them back. Full poly would help with this a lot, and I regret not having had time to play 5-10 hours with full poly.
Power/Control- 9/10: I found this to be a very powerful racquet. Directional accuracy was also very good, as it’s firm beam is very direct. The spin levels also made it pretty easy to keep in the court when taking full cuts. Where I struggled with control was more in cases where I had to block the shot back (on bigger serves and groundies from my opponent). I think a firmer/deader string would help here, so full poly is probably the answer. The downside to that would be the feel.
Top Spin/Slice 9/10: As mentioned above, this racquet has no problem with spin and slice is great also. It’s pretty effortless to get lots of bite on the ball in both directions, and I’m no spin-meister. Especially when taking full cuts, or finishing short balls, this racquet was a dream.
Comfort 7/10: Comfort with the Excel/RPM setup was OK - it got better with each session. Ultimately, the PSVS is way more comfortable for me, but I could see getting used to playing with this if I used it full time, and I don’t think it would hurt my arm. The vibration dampening seemed good, without making it dead. You can still feel the ball on the strings.
Feel 5/10: Not surprisingly, the feel was not great. It was OK, but not in the ballpark of a great “feel” frame. Still, you can feel the ball on the strings, and it’s not actually harsh or anything, so it’s something you could probably get used to. It’s just never going to be described as “plush” or “buttery”, at least not by me. But, the feel of crushing your opponents with heavy topspin and blistering forehands might make up for that, if you are into that kind of thing
Maneuverability 8/10: I had no issues with maneuverability - in stock form it plays great, and mine was a bit on the heavy end and more head-heavy than I like. While not exactly whippy, it is very aerodynamic and cuts through the air nice and quick.
Stability 9/10: Stability was great - very stable racquet. I felt no flutter and was not pushed around by bigger serves. I really don’t think it needs any mods to play quite well, and I’m someone that prefers a 335-340 SW and 340-345 static weight.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
I won’t be switching to this racquet, but I think it is a great one. It’s not going to win any prizes for feel, but the performance is outstanding. If I were to commit to using it full time, I think I would do very well, and it probably would do me more favors than harm.
With that said, I definitely prefer the feel and performance of the PSVS, which has more flex in the throat, and just has an overall plushness that I can’t really live without. Additionally, I can play with softer strings in the PSVS and still get great control. In those same matches where I was struggling to keep returns in with the PA98, with the PSVS I was blocking them back with relative ease. Now, I know that this could likely be solved with different strings, and more time with the racquet, so it’s not totally fair there, but I'm still not switching...
I think that the PA98 is better suited to more advanced players than I, ultimatley, or at least a different type of player. Not that it’s hard to play with, because it’s not, but a better player with a more modern game would get more out of it.
Thank you @TW Staff for selecting me for this playtest. I really enjoyed it, and look forward to continuing to hit with this frame now and then.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Really want to say thank you to everyone at TW for making this demo happen. It really is awesome to be able to review and keep a racquet, especially during times like this when frames are not cheap. Just a huge benefit of being a member of TT, thank you.
String and tension used for test: Tier One Duafluxx 1.23 48#s.
Tennis experience/background: Retuning to league play after a year off due to injury, playing on USTA mens 4.0 team
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Attacking baseliner
Current racquet/string setups: Ezone 98 and Blade Pro 98, both with Durafluxx 1.23
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 8
My Specs : unstrung - 304 grams, 297 SW, 31.6 balance.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke:
Groundstrokes 8/10: I really enjoyed this frame off the ground. Easy power, like a typical Aero, but the control off the strings is much better for me. The 16x20 string pattern is awesome, especially since the center mains are more open than the usual 16x20. I like to approach sometimes with slice off either side and I was able to keep the ball low and deep. Of course this frame really shines from the baseline and rewards an aggressive swing. I like to run around my BH when I have time, and hitting the I/O FH with this frame is a pleasure. The ball shape I could generate gave me really good net clearance, but I could bring the ball back down with spin safely inside the baseline. This is a very consistent frame to attack from the baseline with. My negative is the frame comes through the air a bit clunky and feels almost like a 100 with a small sweet spot instead of a faster and more nimble 98.
Serves 8/10: Loved serving with this racquet, easy pace and spin. My main serve is a top/slice that I vary different ways throughout the match. I found easy access to spin, but the frame felt a little clunky coming through the air. Still a small niggle as this racquet really was strong on the serve. The more HL balance compared to the 100 Pure Aero helps in generating whip through the ball, but I still found it a bit slower through the air than I would prefer.
Volleys 7/10: Exceptionally stable on volley but not as easy to get into place compared to my Ezone. I found this frame to deliver at on volley but the sweet spot was a bit smaller than I expected for a Babolat frame. As a result I wasn't volleying as clean as with other frames due to being a split second later to the ball and not getting clean contact.
Serve returns 8/10 : Stability stood out for me on returns. This is a great frame for dealing with big flat serves. I did not have much issue getting depth from the frame, and since I am a pretty aggressive returner the stability was helpful if I took a little too much of a swing and made off-center contact.
Comments on racquet performance in each area
Power/Control 8/10 : I can compare the power to something like a Blade Pro, where it can really boom the ball. The difference is the feel of this frame and lack of dwell time makes it a little tough sometimes for me to gauge depth, so that power can come with a price. For a 98 this is one of the bigger hitting frames in it's class.
Top Spin/Slice 8/10 : Awesome spin for a 16x20. I think this is an area where the frame shines. If you like 16x20 frames but wish you could get a little easier access to ball shape and spin then I believe this would be a must demo. Additionally you get a bit more free trajectory which helps hit those deep i/o FHs.
Comfort- 7/10 : Good comfort for a babolat frame but I did not feel it to be great. Off center hits were a bit jarring and it feels like they muted the frame a bit much to try and hide those vibrations. Which leads me to..
Feel 4/10 : I tried multiple strings in this frame and I never found it to feel remotely close to good. Vague and lacking pocket were my main gripes. I believe my next try will be Luxilon element because I use that in my Pure Drive 2012 and it feels nice. But the thing is, the 98 PA loses that big forgiving sweet spot of the 100 models and I believe that is the biggest impact to the feel of this frame. The reason I don't mind the feel of the Pure Drive or PAs/APDs is because the big sweet spot gives way from that firmness that babolat is known for. It basically opens up more on contact than the PA98 does and I just really could not jive with that. Compared to the Blade Pro, which I think is the best feel of any newer frame, and the Ezone 98, which I really enjoy the pocketing and feedback of, the PA98 does not come close to them in the feel department. Just my opinion, I will update this thread if I change my mind. If you do not care about the feel of a frame, then the PA98 remains a must demo.
Maneuverability 6/10 : The PA98 is not tough to swing, but it just feels like a 100 when you swing it. Compared to a Yonex Ezone, it is a lot bulkier through the air and feels a bit more bulky than my Blade 98 as well. Tough to explain this one, but basically while the frame is not sluggish, it still has a bit of a frying pan vibe going for it. Actually has some shades of my Head IG Extreme, which I dubbed the Berritweeny. If you have used that monster, you will know what I mean.
Stability 9/10 : This is where the frame shines, it is extremely stable and will hold up to the mythical Heavy Hitters we all see at the rec level. IMO it will hold up on any level, so that is not an issue. The key really is clean contact out in front, but its more fun to judge a racquet there than our own timing and hand eye coordination.
I have been on a 98 binge lately and trying this frame was on my short list. With league tennis starting in a few weeks, I needed to make a decision. Of course as we know, these decisions are rarely permanent. But for now I still prefer the Ezone 98 with a little lead on it followed by the Blade Pro and Regna 98 as backups. Over time I hope to give the PA98 more chances to shine but for now, I will remain with the YY.
String and tension used for test: Tier One Duafluxx 1.23 48#s.
Tennis experience/background: Retuning to league play after a year off due to injury, playing on USTA mens 4.0 team
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Attacking baseliner
Current racquet/string setups: Ezone 98 and Blade Pro 98, both with Durafluxx 1.23
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 8
My Specs : unstrung - 304 grams, 297 SW, 31.6 balance.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke:
Groundstrokes 8/10: I really enjoyed this frame off the ground. Easy power, like a typical Aero, but the control off the strings is much better for me. The 16x20 string pattern is awesome, especially since the center mains are more open than the usual 16x20. I like to approach sometimes with slice off either side and I was able to keep the ball low and deep. Of course this frame really shines from the baseline and rewards an aggressive swing. I like to run around my BH when I have time, and hitting the I/O FH with this frame is a pleasure. The ball shape I could generate gave me really good net clearance, but I could bring the ball back down with spin safely inside the baseline. This is a very consistent frame to attack from the baseline with. My negative is the frame comes through the air a bit clunky and feels almost like a 100 with a small sweet spot instead of a faster and more nimble 98.
Serves 8/10: Loved serving with this racquet, easy pace and spin. My main serve is a top/slice that I vary different ways throughout the match. I found easy access to spin, but the frame felt a little clunky coming through the air. Still a small niggle as this racquet really was strong on the serve. The more HL balance compared to the 100 Pure Aero helps in generating whip through the ball, but I still found it a bit slower through the air than I would prefer.
Volleys 7/10: Exceptionally stable on volley but not as easy to get into place compared to my Ezone. I found this frame to deliver at on volley but the sweet spot was a bit smaller than I expected for a Babolat frame. As a result I wasn't volleying as clean as with other frames due to being a split second later to the ball and not getting clean contact.
Serve returns 8/10 : Stability stood out for me on returns. This is a great frame for dealing with big flat serves. I did not have much issue getting depth from the frame, and since I am a pretty aggressive returner the stability was helpful if I took a little too much of a swing and made off-center contact.
Comments on racquet performance in each area
Power/Control 8/10 : I can compare the power to something like a Blade Pro, where it can really boom the ball. The difference is the feel of this frame and lack of dwell time makes it a little tough sometimes for me to gauge depth, so that power can come with a price. For a 98 this is one of the bigger hitting frames in it's class.
Top Spin/Slice 8/10 : Awesome spin for a 16x20. I think this is an area where the frame shines. If you like 16x20 frames but wish you could get a little easier access to ball shape and spin then I believe this would be a must demo. Additionally you get a bit more free trajectory which helps hit those deep i/o FHs.
Comfort- 7/10 : Good comfort for a babolat frame but I did not feel it to be great. Off center hits were a bit jarring and it feels like they muted the frame a bit much to try and hide those vibrations. Which leads me to..
Feel 4/10 : I tried multiple strings in this frame and I never found it to feel remotely close to good. Vague and lacking pocket were my main gripes. I believe my next try will be Luxilon element because I use that in my Pure Drive 2012 and it feels nice. But the thing is, the 98 PA loses that big forgiving sweet spot of the 100 models and I believe that is the biggest impact to the feel of this frame. The reason I don't mind the feel of the Pure Drive or PAs/APDs is because the big sweet spot gives way from that firmness that babolat is known for. It basically opens up more on contact than the PA98 does and I just really could not jive with that. Compared to the Blade Pro, which I think is the best feel of any newer frame, and the Ezone 98, which I really enjoy the pocketing and feedback of, the PA98 does not come close to them in the feel department. Just my opinion, I will update this thread if I change my mind. If you do not care about the feel of a frame, then the PA98 remains a must demo.
Maneuverability 6/10 : The PA98 is not tough to swing, but it just feels like a 100 when you swing it. Compared to a Yonex Ezone, it is a lot bulkier through the air and feels a bit more bulky than my Blade 98 as well. Tough to explain this one, but basically while the frame is not sluggish, it still has a bit of a frying pan vibe going for it. Actually has some shades of my Head IG Extreme, which I dubbed the Berritweeny. If you have used that monster, you will know what I mean.
Stability 9/10 : This is where the frame shines, it is extremely stable and will hold up to the mythical Heavy Hitters we all see at the rec level. IMO it will hold up on any level, so that is not an issue. The key really is clean contact out in front, but its more fun to judge a racquet there than our own timing and hand eye coordination.
I have been on a 98 binge lately and trying this frame was on my short list. With league tennis starting in a few weeks, I needed to make a decision. Of course as we know, these decisions are rarely permanent. But for now I still prefer the Ezone 98 with a little lead on it followed by the Blade Pro and Regna 98 as backups. Over time I hope to give the PA98 more chances to shine but for now, I will remain with the YY.
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