Babolat Pure Aero Plus Racquet Review

Groundstrokes - Score: 87

Phenomenal power and spin were the standout features of the Pure Aero Plus on groundstrokes. Chris said, "Easy power and easy spin pretty much summed up my experience from the baseline. I loved how I could rally with good pace with this racquet while exerting little effort. It was a great fit when I was playing on clay and looking to conserve energy on long rallies. When I stepped inside the baseline I really enjoyed the spin I got because it helped me control the racquet's power. All of my shots were working well, and I felt right at home with the Pure Aero Plus. I thought the comfort was improved over the previous version. I could also transition to this racquet from my Pure Drive Plus with ease. The Pure Aero Plus is a little crisper and more direct, but the difference in feel between Aero and Pure Drive was less than ever."

Marco noticed some added juice on his shots from the baseline. He said, "The added leverage did allow me to get more plow through on my groundstrokes, and I felt as though there was more pace on my ball compared to hitting with the regular Pure Aero. I did have less maneuverability than I had with the regular version, which is why I favored the regular length version over the Plus version for groundstrokes."

The Pure Aero Plus let our playtesters turn defense into offense with the flick of a wrist. Andy noted, "This racquet is simply a rocket launcher from the baseline! The extra half-inch of length and the more open string pattern gives the Pure Aero Plus explosive power and mind-bending spin potential, but I still had enough control to go for my shots with confidence. Because the racquet's forgiveness took away my fear of mishitting when I was going for my shots, turning defense into offense was easy with just one big swing. When I was 'in the zone' during this playtest, I felt like I could do no wrong, but I struggled at times when I tried to take a little pace off the ball and just get the ball back into play. I think I'd opt for a racquet with a bit more 'feel' for the times when I'm not on my A-game."

Sebastian found ample power from the Pure Aero Plus, and once he got used to the added length he found it a comfortable stick to swing. He explained, "I did enjoy more powerful groundstrokes with this extended length Pure Aero Plus compared to the standard length version. Personally, I felt more comfortable hitting forehands since I naturally put more spin on that shot compared to my backhand. There were times I was struggling to keep my backhand in play, but I was able to benefit from the powerful feel when I focused on adding some extra spin."

Volleys - Score: 77

Our playtesters had mixed feelings when it came to volleying with the Babolat Pure Aero Plus. It fell right into Chris' wheelhouse. He stated, "I volleyed very well with this racquet. It was super easy to maneuver into position, yet there was a pleasingly solid feel at impact. I was finding surprisingly good touch on my angle volleys. I also liked the power I found when I was forced into a defensive situation. I was able to get my shots back with decent pace even when I was stretched."

This racquet provided plenty of pop up at net for Marco, who said, "The extended length helped my reach on volleys and gave me a little more stick on the ball. It felt more sluggish up at net when compared to the regular version, and that left me hitting a few volleys late."

Sebastian had trouble getting comfortable with this frame at net. He explained, "I needed a significant amount of time to get used to hitting volleys with this Pure Aero Plus. Its maneuverability is definitely not the same as the standard length Pure Aero, which made it more difficult for me to hit volleys. While the extra length helped me get to almost all volleys, I wasn't fully convinced with its feel and maneuverability."

Andy found it tough to get really comfortable with this frame at the net. He said, "I had mixed feelings when I approached the net with the Pure Aero Plus. On the one hand, the racquet's forgiveness, stability and extra reach made it easy to poke back tough volleys deep in the court, especially when I was dealing with shots struck away from me or down at my feet. On the other hand, the power and stiffness of this racquet didn't provide much feel, and I found it difficult to go for finesse volleys or take a little pace off the ball. I found the extended length's benefit to be a trade-off for maneuverability. For example, it was a little tricky getting the racquet in position during quick net exchanges in doubles."

Serves - Score: 92

The Babolat Pure Aero Plus was a unanimous winner on serves. Andy exclaimed, "Simply put, this is my favorite racquet to serve with, PERIOD! Power and spin are easily accessed, and the extra length gives me the added leverage to go for my serves with total confidence. I feel like the extra reach let me hit kick and slice serves shorter in the box, and my big flat serves had just a bit more 'oomph' to them. There's also more than enough control to help me go for small targets in the service box."

Chris was very impressed with this update. He added, "I love the Pure Drive Plus on serve, and that love is now shared with the Pure Aero Plus. This racquet came through contact very well, giving me great pace and spin. All of my serves were working well. I found I didn't have to put in as much effort to get good results. This and the Pure Drive Plus are by far my favorite two serving racquets."

Sebastian echoed similar sentiments, saying, "I did enjoy hitting serves with this powerful Babolat Pure Aero Plus. The extra length added more pop and an aggressive feel not only on my first serves, but on my second serves as well. I enjoyed some extra spin on my second serves, making it more difficult for my opponents to attack. Overall, I was pleased with the results of this Pure Aero Plus when hitting serves."

Just like Sebastian, Marco found the added length helped him get the ball zipping through the court. He said, "I really did get a lot of pop on my serves, and I could generate some great power and spin with this racquet. This is one stroke where I did like the added length; it got the ball zinging through the court and I could still control where my serves were landing."

Returns - Score: 82

Our playtest team felt like they had plenty of options on their returns. Chris found a nice blend of power and control that helped him get the ball landing where he wanted. He explained, "The power and spin I was getting from this racquet made it fun to return with. I could hit some big shots, yet the power also helped me neutralize bigger serves. My chip and block returns were working very well. I felt like I had a lot of options when returning and really enjoyed this part of the playtest."

Marco had slightly more mixed feelings on return, although he did find it easy to inflict damage on his opponent. He said, "I enjoyed how the Pure Aero Plus allowed me to put my opponent under immediate pressure off my return. While the maneuverability made it slightly tougher to get the racquet in position quickly, when I got set up I really enjoyed the combination of power and control."

Similarly, Andy noticed it was a little tougher to caress the ball into pockets of the court, saying, "Hitting effective returns was so easy with this racquet. The extra half-inch gave me added reach when stretched wide and also more leverage when I took a big cut at the ball. Short, compact swings were enhanced by the racquet's power and spin, making it easy to shorten up and deflect hard hit first serves. It was tricky at times when I tried to use a little finesse to place the ball where I wanted because of the lack of feel. However, I was returning effectively throughout the test."

Sebastian struggled to find his groove on returns, and while he could appreciate the easy power, he couldn't find a rhythm. He said, "It took me a while to find my rhythm on my returns of serve. My timing was quite off when I tried to go for my returns of serve. I started to feel more comfortable hitting my returns once I got used to the extra leverage and its unique specs, but I never felt as comfortable hitting returns with this racquet as I did with the Pure Aero."

Overall - Score: 86