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I back up this experience. I’m a 2021 PD user, and I demo’d the 2025 models with all of the hype in the world and the expectation to buy one. I found these rackets mushy and unstable in my hands and I couldn’t find my backhand with them. I served better with the new ones at least. I ended up going with another recent racket release after demo’ing around. I really wish I liked the new ones though.

I explained it in my review video: th-cam.com/video/jDSehRvkzak/w-d-xo.html. The changes they have made are not enough to make the racket better. It's a less powerful, less stiffer and more muted Pure Drive. Pure Drives were never meant for spin. And this update has the least spin potential because it has lost the power at the same time. Maybe there is a little bit better control, but I would never buy a Pure Drive for control reasons. There were no changes to the frame geometry of the regular 300g version, it's the same shape for the last I believe 3 generations with the exact same throat etc. So how can you really change a power racket just by adding dampening and lower the RA? It doesn't make any sense. Babolat must make a new series of rackets to stay in the game. Pure Drive is a very easy example of easy concept, but they ruined it with minor changes to make the racket somehow more interesting to even wider audience. They need to expand the brand to catch with the other competitors. PD 2021 was great, super powerful and true to it's roots. It was maybe the most powerful version they have made.

Well the PA 98 is the best Advanced racquet imo, but if you don't have the skill to handle it it won't help you, that is why people buy the Pure drive it is easier to use, for example I wanted to buy a Pure Aero 98 2 days ago but I changed my mind because I know I am not on that level, however I will buy one when a new Pure Aero will be out and the old ones are on Sale just in case I get to thay level

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I like white. It's positive and fresh. When I see Medvedev or Swiatek with white Tecnifibers, it's very natural to me now. I'm also a fan of white cars. But everyones taste is different.

What I like about the new RF's is the crisp, clean feel. So the racket is not stiff, not soft, but feels overall very old-school like. And it's unforgiving, yet satysfying. Modern rackets tend to be too easy to use and less satysfying to hit with because there is no "risk/reward" ratio. So you don't have to improve that much to play with those rackets which is a shame. I agree on the design. For example the new Pro Kennex Black Ace rackets looks very old-school with those eye popping designs. Modern rackets are sometimes too serious or conservative, boring let's translate it like this.

@@CzechTennisGuy Black Ace looks amazing. Gonna test it on the testing day on Saturday.

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You are right. I took the numbers from Tennis Warehouse. Next time I will check the official page. Thanks for pointing this out. 👍

I can't get hands on any Dunlop right now.

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I am in with this oppinion Derek. The RS was amazing, the build quality and feel of the frame was super solid. Felt little bit underpowered, like a pro stock racket. And the SW 340? Crazy, unplayable. Starting with the ISO the frame feels a lot "airy", hollow, light let's say. I am also at this moment focusing more on the strings, because they are absolutely crucial for the overall good experience. And with the trap door I didn't see a single Tecnifibre racket having it. But if the pro stocks have it, it's good.

@CzechTennisGuy sorry for the typos , the keyword letters and auto correct screw up certain words , also the comment section will not let me edit and send. The 1st paragraph is strings that are very important . I believe there are a few more typos but I can not get to them while typing on my phone .

It's still all white with french drip all over... ?!?

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There is more control and feel with the Gravity.

I agree. The TF-X1 285 is a boosted 300g racket. The stability is great and power has no limits. But the manooovrlbity is not good and the racket feels slow in some critical situations.

I'm glad I could help Teoman. Thank you for your donation as well. 🙌

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Hi Jesus, thank you for your support. I didn't try PRP. For now I'm just using some creams, excercise and massage. It's a lot better. I almost don't feel it during play and also during serve, which was the biggest issue. In one of my previous videos I posted info about Super thanks and answering questions on my channel. So this is valid for everyone now and if you want answer to your question, there is a Super thanks button. It is how it is I can't answer questions for free anymore, it's just too overwhelming and I'm not getting anything from it. th-cam.com/video/K3B8Yw2skbE/w-d-xo.html

To be honest...good, yes. Excellent, no. I think Pure Strikes 4gen are a better racket update compared to this Pure Drive 2025. But still these rackets are in my opinion outdated and they don't truly offer anything new or exciting. Three old lines of rackets isn't enough in todays crowded world of tennis rackets.

No, I tested the 98 18x20. Pure Strike feel like a more solid update to me. But still, another 4 years of waiting and you don't really feel you're getting an updated version in terms of how quickly is tennis evolving. 4 years in making? That's 16 grandslams between versions. That's a lot what happened and Babolat doesn't reflect the change in balls, speed, manooovrlbity, comfort etc. So afterall the new updates from Babolat feel "outdated" because they stand on a 30 year old foundation which is no longer that important as it was in 2000's let's say.

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If you call that a war...I call it the truth. The PD 2021 was better in almost every aspect. More power, more spin, more stability, more crisp clean feel...This is just a downgraded update to please the lower RA lovers. It sacrifices so much for so less innovation it doesn't make any sense to me to switch. Happy users of the 2021 version should stay away from this one.

I don't know if you noticed it but I was critical about Babolat the last couple of years so this goes hand in hand with my ongoing opinion. And the embargo bully on my shorts video showing a buttcap of the new rackets is just a cherry on the cake that proves how Babolat is the most ossified tennis racket company on the market. Instead of being happy that someone is hyping their product for free they act from the position of power. In todays world where an opened mind should be celebrated they act exactly the opposite. Like an closed ecosystem of slowly dying dinosaurs.

Honest = crazy. So the embargo is something I forgot the day I deleted the shorts video. Remember it was a shorts video (few seconds), where I showed a buttcap of the racket. A buttcap, that has been the same for many years. And the reaction from Babolat was exactly the one you will get from companies who want to control and manipulate others from the position of power. Otherwise it doesn't make any sense to bully someone like this about a nonsense. So yes, Babolat did prove what I think about them for the last couple of years. And not only me, but also others around think the same (the players, juniors). The company is like an old skeleton sitting on a throne not willing to move anywhere. Anyway. The review is based on my 20 years of experience with Pure Drives. So I know the rackets like very few people out there. I played with them for 20 years (16-36 years old), which includes about 4 generations of the racket. So I can be biased, yes and I need to be. They've got issues with Pure Strikes as well, they are not willing to truly innovate, not willing to risk and work hard on new products and this is something I can't ignore. If it was a cheap mediocre company, I would not care but this is a premium brand that should represent tennis and offer new tennis gear in the best possible way. But it's not. I think I don't have to explain it to everyone who doesn't agree with me. Have an openend mind and question everything. That's my rule my whole life and it proves to be the best one in this crazy world.

@ Then you should also have an open minded to listen to different opinions of your videos instead of defending yourself immediately. So much negativity in this review, made it uncomfortable to watch. I’m just a regular viewer, not a PD fan or anything like I said the before. I believe I have a more neutral view than you when comes to this specific review. Every racquet has its own audience, most people buy PD won’t see your review. I saw it more like a personal rant than an actual review.

@@ulunxtns You know where is the door. If you don't like what you see and hear. Just leave. You started attacking my opinion. I explained in detail beyond my duties in the comment why is this review so critical. If you comment one more time undermining my opinion, I will have to block you from my channel. Because you don't bring any constructive ideas or views on the racket that would others benefit from. Instead of assaulting my review you can say why you don't agree with the things I said. You just only bash against the way I said it. So the problem for you is not the content or message itself, but the nature of the message, the tone let's say. It's your problem you cannot deal with it in a different way that would extend the review and bring something new to the table. So if you want to back up the racket, back it up with your thoughts. But don't attack my thoughts.

He says the review is negative. If all racquet reviews were 100% positive, they wouldn't be an honest review!!. If you are looking for reviews that are all positive with no negatives at all, then just go over to tennis warehouse! Every racquet they sell is perfect. I'm starting to think this guy is from Babolat!

@ Thank you for your support! TW is selling racquets so there is no wonder they stay away from being critical. They can't truly express personal opinion because that would hurt the sales. And that's why there are independent reviewers like me who cannot be "bought" by any company.

Once again thank you so much for your donation. 🙌 If you want to ask me a question you can do that on my channel or private sending me an email: "czechtennisguy@gmail.com". Enjoy the manooovrlbity!

Thank you John. The hand is getting better, but it's still not fully recovere. I will ask you a question - have you seen any racket review recently that will not praise the new models? Probably not. It's always the same - they improved this, it's slightly better, better comfort, better feel, better spin...really? The message is always this - buy the latest version, it's better. Sometimes the reality is, not it's not better, we just have forgotten how the old models were good. It's the "memory" issue here and the big lie that every new product is better. Question everything. With the Ezone I'm not sure. I was promised to receive them but Sportega store has long time problems with Yonex (somehow it's not so exciting brand for them) so I'm not sure whether I will receive them for a review. See, I tell you things I should not probably tell you anyway but, I can't help myself and I'm here to talk the truth. And truth most of the times hurt someone. Best, Michal

@ I have lots of respect for you, Michal! VERITAS, Best, John

Thank you John, I really appreciate it 🙌

It's part of the problem. But the bigger one is the lower RA, which is very unusual for this type of frame. Instead of super fast response the frame responds slower now. And without some changes to the geometry of the frame you cannot expect that if you lower the RA the power will remain the same. Bad engineering and lack of true innovation in my opinion.

Demo it and if you like it get it. I definitely not recommend a blind buy with this one.

@ wouldn‘t buy a racket without testing it first. I’m gonna have the Chance to test it in February, but i will definetly be cautious…thanks for the review!