It looks so good, better than I thought from first pics.
Tennis Warehouse Playtest: Babolat Pure Drive 2025
- Thread starter TW Staff
- Start date
BallBasher247
Professional
That PJ is dope. And the 98 is 16x20? Now I really wanna try one. Hopefully I got in!
Alcawrath
Professional
I really like that all three of their old VS lines moved to 16x20 with the Strike 97, PA98, and PD98. I personally love the 16x20 pattern on sub 100" frames, now I just hope it plays well!
The PD98 just makes me curious about control and spin.
The Strike had a pretty flat trajectory but you could still rip some short angle winners and whip the spin up.
A controlled pattern in a power frame makes me really curious.
travlerajm
Talk Tennis Guru
My Volkl G9 Organix was 18x20 and very very stiff. Interesting spec. I much preferred it after I chopped it to 26.75” as it dramatically increased comfort regardless of added mass distribution.
Its just have to be low swingweight and twistweight, like 320 and 14. The stiffness should make the racquet stable.
Then up the rhs to get ridiculous spin and also power due to stiffness.
Somewhat like ezone 98 but with much higher stiffness, not 18x20 like sweetspot thus more spin friendly and much lower beam thickness to up that rhs.
dudu
New User
I'm very excited about this playtest. Look forward to seeing pics when they get into the playtester's hands.
For me, Pure Drive has been probably my favorite racket I've regularly played, and reading that 98 will have a more closed pattern really makes it different than what I've been playing.
So will be a really wonderful experience. If I don't get selected, I will certainly demo it if/when they have it in stock, though a true playtest would be much better considering how much you truly must play with a frame in order to determine it's strengths and weaknesses and how it fits your game.
For me, Pure Drive has been probably my favorite racket I've regularly played, and reading that 98 will have a more closed pattern really makes it different than what I've been playing.
So will be a really wonderful experience. If I don't get selected, I will certainly demo it if/when they have it in stock, though a true playtest would be much better considering how much you truly must play with a frame in order to determine it's strengths and weaknesses and how it fits your game.
codonnell
Semi-Pro
I am too! I also love the 16x20 like many here, I also heard that the hoop is more boxed beamed toward the top and the pictures I’ve seen looks like it too, so even the shift in mold is exciting. I think it will pack more control than many would think and will play distinctively different from the other VS/98 and 97 models!
TennisHound
Legend
You know, 16x20 is just one extra string. Not sure why that’s so important on a 98 (where power is needed, since the smaller frame provides control)? I could see some benefit on the PS100 16x20.
A lot of times you can add an extra string on a 16x19.
A lot of times you can add an extra string on a 16x19.
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StringStrungStrang
Professional
Pics anyone !! Another good looking Babolat !!
dudu
New User
Great aesthetic... classic with a modern twist.Pics anyone !! Another good looking Babolat !!
dak95_00
Hall of Fame
I agree. Michelle's hair is fantastic!
TennisHound
Legend
The cosmetic is a little bland. I like the letters though.
codonnell
Semi-Pro
I am in for the 98! I am so incredibly excited for this playtest and have been highly anticipating this racquet release. I will do side by side comparison with the latest aero 98, along with my aero storm, and take into account the previous pure drives and its vs counterpart. Thank you TW!
Fighting phoenix
Professional
Wow I'm in for the 98 also! Really excited about this one, as after a multi-year racquet journey I seem to be zeroing in on '98 power frames (maining the Vcore 98 right now - awesome stick). Mained the PA98 for about 6 months, so will be very easy for me to compare it to that one - I consider the PA98 the gold standard of pleener 98s, didn't stick with it mostly due to feel. Hoping that this go around the PD98 can make a similar name for itself in the marketplace.
WJ155
Rookie
It seems way, way less chaotic than the 2021 PD. I’m still making my mind up about the red on it (and it’ll probably grow on me), but I like the brighter blue a lot. Little sad I couldn’t get into the playtest, but I’m sure I’ll have many other opportunities (for racquets that probably are closer to what I’d like).
JonnyAbs
Semi-Pro
I'm in on the pd 98 also. At first I signed up for the regular PD, but when I saw the drill pattern was the same as 21 and 18, I changed it to the 98 because I think I will like the 20 crosses to tighten it up slightly.
I'm excited as this is my first playtest since summer of 2015 when I got picked for the 2016 PA!
I'm excited as this is my first playtest since summer of 2015 when I got picked for the 2016 PA!
this is the first time i've seen this. is it confirmed that 2021 and 2018 have same pattern? i thought 2018 was more open than 2021
I’m fairly certain it was confirmed back in the 2021 thread. I’ve had both and they looked the same to me, but that’s a layover comparison. I didn’t get into this one, but I’m going down to tdub to get a pure drive + and a blackout 27.5 to demo.
JonnyAbs
Semi-Pro
18 and 21 are the same. 25 has identical spacing from what I can tell in pics. The top cross is very high (as is the bottom) which opens up the string bed.
Because I don't like it, I use a pd 2006. Pd 2015 is too tight in the middle. Pd 2012 had a sub 310sw. Pd 2009 launches the ball more than 2006, which has more spin to bring the ball down.
TwinCinema
Professional
Congrats! That’s your second one this year, right? (Pure Strike was January). What’s the secret! Good posting I’m sure - and your review of the 16x20 was great…
Alcawrath
Professional
What I'm really interested to hear about, and I'll probably end up demoing for myself, is how the PD98 plays in comparison to the PA98. The problem with the last Gen PD98 was that the PD98 did nothing better than the PA98. Both were substantially different from the strike 97, but they were too close to each other. I hope this iteration of the PD98 distinguishes itself in some positive ways from its yellow and black sibling.
Fighting phoenix
Professional
Well said - agreed. Really interested to see if there's a place for the PD98 as a differentiated frame - I think it can be if done right, so can't wait to test it.
Fighting phoenix
Professional
Haha - no I switched to the Strike 16x20 for about 6 months, and posted a good deal about it, but wasn't on the playtest. I was on the Phantom playtest however, which was fun. However these days I'm loving the Vcore and Babolat in general. The previous Pure Drive was just too stiff for what I'm looking for, hoping that with the new flax tech and this being a 98, it will be a better fit for my game.
Alcawrath
Professional
I'm glad you got picked, I always enjoy reading your gear reviews and think they're well thought out and level headed!
that's good info to know. will have to see how it plays. string spacing is only one part of the equation in my experience.
Power Player
Bionic Poster
Glad you got one of these. I pretty much align with you on how I like my APDs and PDs setup so I will follow your review closely on this one.
Totally agree, I personally liked the 2018 more than the 2021 due to the layup. Also could be it was the tour, so was more aligned with the weight I am used to
codonnell
Semi-Pro
Thank you! When it comes in feel free to ask me as many questions too, I’ll answer whatever I can before the full review
stapletonj
Hall of Fame
I got in!
VanDerVaart23
Rookie
Congrats to the lucky ones selected.
I'm not in
I'm not in
StringStrungStrang
Professional
Congrats to all that got in !! I know a bunch of us will be waiting for your takes. What a great way to end the year !!
Can't wait to see how this Babolat playtest turns out!
Wondering what is in store for 2025 !!
Can't wait to see how this Babolat playtest turns out!
Wondering what is in store for 2025 !!
codonnell
Semi-Pro
I will be stringing my PA98 fresh with most likely the same string and definitely tension for this playtest. I’ll let you know if the PD98 exceeds the PA98 on anything.
TennisHound
Legend
Lots chosen on the PD98, not so much on the others…
Icsa
Professional
Maybe there is still hope - I applied for the PD+. Wouldn't that be wonderful?!
Congrats to all that got picked!
jimdontcare
Semi-Pro
My first adult weight racquet was a Babolat 98, most of my tennis life has been spent with a Babolat 98, so it’s probably appropriate that my first TT playtest is with a Babolat 98.
Hope people find my thoughts helpful. I’ll probably keep my attention to this thread at a minimum once racquets start coming in, but looking forward to reading reviews on the whole line. I’ve been really curious how an NF2 Pure Drive would work since it fixed the Strikes.
Hope people find my thoughts helpful. I’ll probably keep my attention to this thread at a minimum once racquets start coming in, but looking forward to reading reviews on the whole line. I’ve been really curious how an NF2 Pure Drive would work since it fixed the Strikes.
Alcawrath
Professional
I'm curious now as to when these will be officially posted by retailers and babolat. They certainly will be unveiled before reaching the hands of TW playtesters so this means we should get official photo and spec releases soon. I would then assume they won't be for sale or demo until January. Is that correct?
JonnyAbs
Semi-Pro
I'm surprised I got in on the 98. Looks like a lot of you requested that as well. I would have loved to test the 100 had it also reverted back to the 2013 and earlier APD and PD drill pattern.
On the hand, maybe this pd 98 will be a nice bridge between the pa 98 and the pd 100. I thought the pa 98 was a bit under powered. I never tried the previous pd 98 because of the drill pattern but maybe I would have liked that open string pattern with the smaller head and thinner beam.
On the hand, maybe this pd 98 will be a nice bridge between the pa 98 and the pd 100. I thought the pa 98 was a bit under powered. I never tried the previous pd 98 because of the drill pattern but maybe I would have liked that open string pattern with the smaller head and thinner beam.
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jimdontcare
Semi-Pro
Is anyone reviewing the 100? Lol. I thought about requesting the 100 but I assumed it would have plenty of Pure Drive veterans asking for a playtest. My opinion is probably more valuable for the 98 anyway since I have more history with that type of frame and others have plenty to compare the new Pure Drive 100 with.
Based on a TennCom short it looks like the 98 underwent a mold shift in addition to the extra cross. I don't really know what getting a boxier beam near the tip will do, but I'm interested in finding out.
Based on a TennCom short it looks like the 98 underwent a mold shift in addition to the extra cross. I don't really know what getting a boxier beam near the tip will do, but I'm interested in finding out.
I have high hopes this will be the case--not just differentiated from other Babolat frames, but from others in the power 98 category as well. The design shifts tell me they're not just trying to make an answer to the Ezone 98 anymore.
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Fighting phoenix
Professional
Any idea when these will ship? Pretty cool to be getting them in our hands so far in advance of the actual release date, assuming that will be the case to some degree.
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