This latest version of the Babolat Pure Strike 98 16x19 did not disappoint our playtest team from the baseline. Tiffani has plenty of experience with the Pure Strike line, and she was impressed by the solid feel of this update. She said, "Since the Project One7 came out, I've been a fan of the Pure Strike. I like the balance of power and control, along with the feel. I found myself comparing this version to the newest Pure Strike, the 100 16x20. These racquets felt similar to me in terms of power, control and launch angle off the stringbed. However, this Pure Strike 98 16x19 felt more solid off the ground, and it offered me more plow through and better court penetration. It did swing a bit heavier, though, so as points or games wore on, I tended to tire out. Full, confident swings were needed to get that depth and plow through consistently. This racquet enhanced my slice backhand, and I thought it fit my defensive game style well because of its stability and ability to redirect pace. Of the three Pure Strikes I tested (the Pure Strike 100 and Pure Strike 100 16x20 are the other two), this Pure Strike 98 16x19 was my favorite off the ground."

The Pure Strike 98 16x19’s combination of precision and power hit the mark for James. He said, "Hitting groundstrokes with this racquet felt best for me. Babolat has really achieved a great blend of power and control with this Pure Strike."

As a player who's very familiar with the evolution of the Pure Strike, Brittany was looking forward to hitting with this version. She explained, "I was able to playtest the Pure Strike 98 16x19 alongside both of the string patterns of the Pure Strike 100 (16x19 and 16x20). While I have playtested every generation of the Pure Strike, it had been four-plus years since the last update, so I was excited to hit with this new offering. Like I expected, there is a good blend of power and control, but this is definitely one of the more control-oriented Babolat racquets, compared to not only the 100s but the other families like Pure Drive and Pure Aero. On my groundstrokes, I had the most success on my groundstrokes when I took aggressive swings, as I was still able to maintain control over the ball. I also enjoyed hitting my slice backhand the most with the 98. I was getting good plow through to keep the ball low when I was forced to play defense."

Hitting his slice backhand with the Pure Strike 98 16x19 was a highlight for Jason. He said, "This racquet didn't feel as whippy as the second-generation version, which I used as my main racquet for a couple of years. It took a little bit to get used to, but the positive is the increased stability on off-center hits. There was also a noticeable increase in power. I liked the amount of spin I was able to get on my shots and really enjoyed it on my backhand slice."

The Babolat Pure Strike 98 16x19 2024 packs plenty of stability for confidence up at the net. While our playtesters all appreciated this, they did note a slight tradeoff in maneuverability at times. Jason liked the feel he got on his volleys, saying "This racquet offers nice stability and pop up at net. I really noticed and appreciated the stability when I had to hit a volley on a full stretch. Even when I was barely able to get a racquet on the ball, the ball was still going over the net. This update had more feel to it, which led to better drop volleys and touch shots."

"Maneuverability is key for me at net, and I thought this racquet was just maneuverable enough to get into position," Tiffani added. "Any more weight in the head, though, and I think it would have felt sluggish when blocking back body shots. I really enjoyed the stability and control I found, even on off-center shots."

This racquet worked well for Brittany's volleys. She said, "I found the Pure Strike 98 16x19 to offer a stable and decently comfortable feel up at net. I could let the racquet do the work when I was punching my volleys deep or softening my hands for a shorter angled shot. Some tradeoffs were that the racquet was a little less maneuverable at times, and a little less forgiving. Nonetheless, when I approached the net to finish a point in singles, I was able to do it successfully."

James preferred hitting higher balls at the net. He said, "I was missing a little bit of touch on my volleys, but the racquet made up for it with a nice, firm feel on overheads."

The Babolat Pure Strike 98 16x19 2024's control and accuracy helped our team find success while serving. James also honed in on the racquet's power. He described, "Serves were the shot that felt the best with this racquet. There was a great blend of power and accuracy, and I was really able to generate racquet head speed."

"The higher swingweight didn't bother me much on my serves," added Jason. "If anything, it added some pop that I was not getting with the second-generation version."

Control came at the expense of power for Brittany. She explained, "I have mixed opinions on serving with the Pure Strike 98 16x19 2024, but I think that's due to personal preference. I didn't get as much free power with this Pure Strike, and I had to rely on my slice and precision on first serves. I definitely wasn't getting as many free points as I would have liked, and I need all the help I can get on serves because I tend to get tight on that shot. Second serves were a similar story. I was able to hit them well, but at times I could have used a little more forgiveness in several areas, including power and maneuverability."

When Tiffani focused on her form, she was rewarded. She said, "This is one of the shots where I liked the Pure Strike 100 16x20 a bit more. I had a harder time adding spin to my serves with the 98 on a consistent basis. I was quite happy with the results when I was really executing my motion. I could get good spin and some decent plow through on my serves. However, as I said, it really came down to mechanics for me, and making sure I was swinging all the way through my service motion."

Good depth and placement were common themes when our playtesters discussed returning serves with the Babolat Pure Strike 98 16x19 2024. This racquet paired well with Brittany's aggressive return style. She said, "I love being able to start off offensively on returns, and I need to have a racquet that I can confidently do that with. I did prefer returning over serving with this racquet, and the control and stability contributed to that. On first serve returns, I could confidently block my shot back and use the pace of the serve to get the ball back with power and depth. On second serve returns, like with groundstrokes, I could take big cuts at the ball and still have control over where they went."

James was pleased with the response he got when hitting returns. He said, "The Pure Strike 98 16x19 felt crisp on returns, and I was able to hit with great placement and accuracy. This Pure Drive is my favorite Babolat racquet.”

Tiffani found that she really needed to stay on her game while returning with the Pure Strike 98 16x19. She said, “It was really obvious when I was lazy on returns. My shots were landing short, and they sat up for my opponent to attack. However, I liked the directional control and the depth I could achieve when I was being more explosive through my swing. I also thought this racquet felt more stable than both the Pure Strike 100 16x20 and Pure Strike 100."

While Jason liked how well this Pure Strike stood up to heavy hitters, he would have preferred a little more maneuverability on his returns. He noted, "I appreciated the stability, and the racquet's ability to absorb pace when I went up against bigger first serves. I could block a return back with depth and spin to get myself into a point. But when I tried to be aggressive and took a full swing at a ball, I was feeling that 330 swingweight and would make contact a split second later than I would've liked."