Tennis Warehouse Playtest: Babolat Pure Drive 2025

pheonix6579

Professional
Don't know if it is just me but the PD Tours were not the same feeling that the PDRs were. Once they went to the Tours vs the Roddick, I found the standard PD+ with some added weight at 3 and 9 were better frames than the Tour version. Played the PDRs through their run then went to a modded PD+ from there on till the last version.
Last version felt hollow and lacking the original hammer feel.
 

pheonix6579

Professional
Yeah I'm curious on the string spacing as well. Originally I was all on board for the new pattern but in practice I felt it was a downgrade in performance
 

Fed Kennedy

Legend
My brief to the design team would be clone the swirly but adjust the flex/vibration to be more harmonious with modern strings
The swirly + is one of the best racquets I’ve ever tried but it only really sings with old school setups
 

Icsa

Professional
These have always been a best seller for recreational tennis, but this year they are making a come back in ATP with Perricard reaching top 30 starting 200 in January. He averages 129mph second serves and plays one handed backhand.
 

fed1

Professional
These have always been a best seller for recreational tennis, but this year they are making a come back in ATP with Perricard reaching top 30 starting 200 in January. He averages 129mph second serves and plays one handed backhand.
Jordan Thompson had a great year as well and Kenin had a bit of a resurgence also.
 

Cowboy

Semi-Pro
I'll put in for this one. I have my Blade v8 100L weighted up to be nearly identical in spec to the pure drive. With the QA tolerances, even the RA rating should be very similar.

Given the popularity of this frame, I'm sure this will have a multitude of applicants and I have no expectation of being selected. It would be fun though.
 

dudu

New User
Can somebody give a quick synopsis of the differences between the pure drive, 98, and plus?
 

codonnell

Semi-Pro
Can somebody give a quick synopsis of the differences between the pure drive, 98, and plus?
Referencing previous pure drive models the main difference is the head size, beam thickness, and the length.
The 98 will be a smaller head size, thickness of a 21-23-21 beam, and a standard length of 27 inches.
The pure drive plus is going to be a 100 head size, a thickness if 23-26-23 in the beam, and a length of 27.5. Ultimately the plus will offer less maneuverability, more pop especially on serve, good spin offering in an open string pattern, and more reach for volleys. While the 98 will offer a more controlled version of the pure drive now with a differing string pattern of 16x20 vs a 16x19, the frame will also offer better maneuverability, better feel/response, good power (not as much as the plus)and more control while maintaining the pure drive identity.
The pure drive 100 is the extended minus the .5 in length. It keeps the same string pattern, beam thickness, and mold. This will offer great power and easy maneuverability on ground strokes vs the extended. The base 100 will feel lighter with most likely lower swing weight making it less cumbersome over a longer period of match play, but you will sacrifice some power and reach in addition to maybe some added control based off preferences and mechanics.

I’d say you’d definitely notice a clear difference between all 3 frames.

To summarize
Plus - most power, best reach at net, great 1-2 racquet, high swing weight, sacrifice mobility and requiring adaptability for some
98 - more controlled response, whippier quicker through air, improved feel, more consistent response, sacrifice some power, not as strong on serve, less forgiving
100 - great power at baseline and serve, quicker and more mobile then plus, less controlled and feel than the 98.
 
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Icsa

Professional
To summarize
Plus - most power, best reach at net, great 1-2 racquet, high swing weight, sacrifice mobility and comfort (typically the stiffest of the 3)
98 - more controlled response, whippier quicker through air, improved feel, more consistent response, sacrifice some power, not as strong on serve, less forgiving
100 - great power at baseline and serve, quicker and more mobile then plus, less controlled and feel than the 98.
For the 2021 issue, according to TW, the specs are not very far apart between regular and plus, and the plus is actually less stiff:

Length27.00 inches / 68.58 cm27.50 inches / 69.85 cm
Weight11.20 oz / 317.52 g11.20 oz / 317.52 g
Balance12.99 inches12.99 inches
Swing Weight320324
Stiffness7169
 

Nostradamus

Bionic Poster
For the 2021 issue, according to TW, the specs are not very far apart between regular and plus, and the plus is actually less stiff:

Length27.00 inches / 68.58 cm27.50 inches / 69.85 cm
Weight11.20 oz / 317.52 g11.20 oz / 317.52 g
Balance12.99 inches12.99 inches
Swing Weight320324
Stiffness7169
those are strung swing weights which i really liked. will 2025 have the same SW ?
 

codonnell

Semi-Pro
For the 2021 issue, according to TW, the specs are not very far apart between regular and plus, and the plus is actually less stiff:

Length27.00 inches / 68.58 cm27.50 inches / 69.85 cm
Weight11.20 oz / 317.52 g11.20 oz / 317.52 g
Balance12.99 inches12.99 inches
Swing Weight320324
Stiffness7169
Thank you for pointing this out! When I played with the pluses I always felt as they are more stiff but looking back on previous generations, pretty much all of them are actually less stiff, I have edited my comment to reflect this information :).
 

Icsa

Professional
those are strung swing weights which i really liked. will 2025 have the same SW ?
Babolat is keeping the info about 2025 under embargo for now. We shall find out once we get the playtest racquets. The lucky winners will be announced next week.
 

ekucheraw

Rookie
Pure drive was the racquet that got me back on the babolat train. After having some middling experiences with certain Aero models and generations after my Pure Strike 1st Gen was changed, I drifted away from Babolat until I tried the last Gen Pure Drive. The crisp feel was intoxicating at the time and I still find myself pulling the stick back out from time to time. Hoping I get a shot to jump back on the train in the 98 head! I have a current gen PD98 available to me I’ve been needing an excuse to mess around with, this would be the time!
 

Djinn

Semi-Pro
I'm pretty pumped about the 98, hopefully I'll get selected for this one - also hoping it's slightly whippier, comfortable, and connected than the prior iteration.

Same here. I’m guess flax tech will be included which should help make it more comfortable feeling.
 

Soundbyte

Hall of Fame
I'm pretty pumped about the 98, hopefully I'll get selected for this one - also hoping it's slightly whippier, comfortable, and connected than the prior iteration.
The 98 is starting to spec out very similar to the Diadem Elevate. That's a straight beam vs the tapered beam of the PD.
I never hit with the PD98 (only "98" variant from Babolat I haven't hit).
 

BallBasher247

Professional
The PD98 is very good, I used it as a main for a little while. Just kills strings though, I was breaking gut/poly faster than I could believe.
Agreed on the strings; I’m not a huge string breaker but I notched 1.30 poly in about 15mins w/ the PD98. It’s a great racket IMO, only problem is the Aero 98 is better. I’m excited that the new one is 16x20 and rlly want to try it. My only concern is that it won’t be different enough from the Aero 98…hopefully they keep the balance different
 

Holic

Semi-Pro
Agreed on the strings; I’m not a huge string breaker but I notched 1.30 poly in about 15mins w/ the PD98. It’s a great racket IMO, only problem is the Aero 98 is better. I’m excited that the new one is 16x20 and rlly want to try it. My only concern is that it won’t be different enough from the Aero 98…hopefully they keep the balance different
Pa98 is one if not the best 98 in the market right now. However I have problems with my flat serve with this racquet, its the only 98 I have problems serving flat. Thats why I want to try the Pd98.
 

codonnell

Semi-Pro
I hope the stiffness is reduced on the 98 ..
It's probably one of the most stiff rackets I have ever used next to the 1st generation Burn
I like it sitting in the 67 (previous gen reported by tw) for stiffness personally. They risk losing the pure drive dna a bit if they drop it too much and the frame will lose some pop which is what the line is known for. But the flax inserts should help and it may get dropped a point or 2 which will go a long way for comfort for some users. The unstrung stiffness is also reported incredibly high on the prior gen (per Babolats website) so maybe there is a disconnect.
 

BallBasher247

Professional
Pa98 is one if not the best 98 in the market right now. However I have problems with my flat serve with this racquet, its the only 98 I have problems serving flat. Thats why I want to try the Pd98.
Yea the PD98 serves flat way better. I still serve decent flat serves w/ the Aero. For me it doesn’t matter as much since my serve only tops out around 105mph (on my EZ98’s) so I mostly kick it. Both of em hit ridiculous kick serves, but I never double fault w/ the Aero
 

hdjs94

New User
To be really honest and fair, one of the things I'm really looking forward is to the new design... I wasn't too big on the previous generation design so I'm hyped about this new one. Hearing some stuff floating around that its supposed to harken back to the older generations.
 

StringStrungStrang

Professional
Does any other modern racquet say "power" and "I'm going to serve you off the court!" quite like a Pure Drive? When you bump in to someone with a bag full of these you know the ball is going to be flying!!
 

Alcawrath

Professional
I think what I'm most excited for regarding the new pure drives is the flax inserts and seeing how that softens the harsh feel that accompanies most power racquets. I was pleasantly surprised with the pure aero update because the flax really did soften the aero 98 without sacrificing significant power or feel on the ball. Can't wait to see what the new PD line brings!!
 

SinneGOAT

Legend
I think what I'm most excited for regarding the new pure drives is the flax inserts and seeing how that softens the harsh feel that accompanies most power racquets. I was pleasantly surprised with the pure aero update because the flax really did soften the aero 98 without sacrificing significant power or feel on the ball. Can't wait to see what the new PD line brings!!
Have they confirmed it’s getting NF2?
 

Icsa

Professional
Does any other modern racquet say "power" and "I'm going to serve you off the court!" quite like a Pure Drive? When you bump in to someone with a bag full of these you know the ball is going to be flying!!
For me, Pure Drive is synonym to Fabio Fognini's power shots with his effortless short swings:
 

SinneGOAT

Legend
I just assumed since they put it in the aero and strike lines. Is it not?
I’m assuming they may not because the pure drive isn’t really meant to be a soft/flexy frame. I think it would be nice if they managed to reduce the stiff feeling without dropping stiffness to like 65, so who knows.
 

Alcawrath

Professional
I’m assuming they may not because the pure drive isn’t really meant to be a soft/flexy frame. I think it would be nice if they managed to reduce the stiff feeling without dropping stiffness to like 65, so who knows.
Maybe we had different experiences with flax in babolat frames, but flax inserts did not make the PA flexy or soft. They reduced the harsh vibrations just enough.
 

jackiechiles

New User
I think what I'm most excited for regarding the new pure drives is the flax inserts and seeing how that softens the harsh feel that accompanies most power racquets. I was pleasantly surprised with the pure aero update because the flax really did soften the aero 98 without sacrificing significant power or feel on the ball. Can't wait to see what the new PD line brings!!
Totally agree, that tech made a big difference in the PA 100 and especially PA 98 compared to the old VS.

Could be just what the pure drive 98 needs. The PA 98 is an awesome racket albeit a bit demanding.
 

Fighting phoenix

Professional
Totally agree, that tech made a big difference in the PA 100 and especially PA 98 compared to the old VS.

Could be just what the pure drive 98 needs. The PA 98 is an awesome racket albeit a bit demanding.
In @Tan Tennis ’s recent video, he shows a picture of the new pure drive, and I saw that it included nf2 in this version, which I believe is their flax tech.
 
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