For Babolat’s most popular tour tennis racket, the Pure Aero, the design’s focus sits squarely on aerodynamics, all meant to give players a fast racket that generates oodles of spin. The brand-new Pure Aero Gen9 takes speed and spin a step further when it launches Feb. 19.
“This ninth generation was crafted by science and shaped by the wind,” Maxime Olejniezak, Babolat tennis product line expert, tells me. “Tennis is still evolving with players being taller, hitting earlier and harder and moving faster. Based on this assessment, the goal of this update was to optimize the aerodynamics of the frame to make the new Pure Aero easier to swing fast and generate even more spin.”
With a spin-focused silo that first launched in 2003, the shape of the racket’s beam has always allowed fast swing movements that improve spin potential. The tinkering has never stopped. The last major overhaul in 2002 is now followed up with the ninth generation, which Olejniezak says saw Babolat working with Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, to better understand players’ swings, specifically in the forehand, by using high-speed motion capture and analytics.
“From a scientific standpoint, we noticed a direct link between the vertical velocity of the racket and spin generated,” Olejniezak says. Babolat infused the throat of the racket with its Aeromodular 4 technology geometry, meant to reduce drag during key moments of the swing, just before ball impact. Olejniezak says the shift allows a 6% improvement in aerodynamics and a 3% increase in ball RPMs compared to the Pure Aero Gen8.
“With the new Pure Aero Gen9, players will feel more spin, allowing them to unleash their shots with full confidence and put away their opponents,” Olejniezak says. During playtesting, she says initial reactions from players had them saying the frame felt thinner and sharper, suggesting a more fluid swing. Then, after more time with the racket, players said they felt more maneuverability and spin on the ball, allowing them to hit harder while staying within their margin of safety.
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The Feb. 19 launch of the Pure Aero Gen9 is a full six-frame lineup, including one new model. Five of the frames feature the popular 100-square-inch head, with the Pure Aero 98 the only outlier. Along with the main Pure Aero and the Pure Aero 98, comes an Aero+, Aero Team, Aero Lite and Aero Super Lite. The new Super Lite is designed to help juniors transition to an adult frame. The weight and size specifications for the Pure Aero line remain akin to the previous generation to help players easily migrate to the new generation.
The update also features a new dampening perspective, simply using the brand’s Flax 2.0 material. The flax fiber was introduced in Gen8, meant to offer vibration dampening up to seven times more efficient than carbon fiber. Babolat is moving the flax around within the frame to produce specific feel properties for different types of players. For example, the lighter weight models feature more dampening, with the heavier models offering less dampening to give those players the racket feedback they look for.
With a new iteration comes a new look. Olejniezak says they aimed to create a design that reflects the technical performance of the frame with a modern, bold attitude. The French-based brand chose metallic grey paint to express the technical, performance-driven side of the product, much like in race cars. This grey-green base offers a new look in tennis, she says.
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The Aero pillar has long featured double yellow lines. “Once again, the idea was to make the racket stand out from a distance,” Olejniezak says. “An acid-lime yellow was the perfect choice to bring a younger, fresher and more modern energy to the design.”
Expect to see a host of Babolat players promoting the new Pure Aero Gen9 on tour, including Carlos Alcaraz.