Overall, the new Pure Strike VS was an effective weapon from the baseline for me, making this my favorite portion of this playtest.' With the 16x20 string pattern providing easy access to spin, I was nailing my targets in a short amount of time. I found that 'just right' feel from the baseline with the new VS Strike. This new offering exhibited a very solid feel, and I had to guess that its swing weight was somewhere around 320. He noted, 'I really liked, and played well with, the predecessors to the Babolat Pure Strike VS (the Pure Storm and Pure Control), so I was pretty excited to give this racquet a test drive. Staying true to its name, the Pure Strike VS granted Mark solid and stable strikes. Overall, the stringbed response was very uneven.' The sweetspot was on the smaller side, and when I hit directly in the sweetspot the ball would launch, but when I hit outside the sweetspot I got the opposite response. I found myself enjoying it more when I was hitting with big hitters like Michelle, so I could take the ball early and redirect the power.

When I was rallying from the baseline I had to work extra hard to get the pace and depth that I'm used to, especially compared to other Babolat racquets like the Pure Drive or Pure Aero. She explained, 'The first thing I noticed with the Pure Strike VS is that it is low powered and more of a control-oriented racquet. The Babolat Pure Strike VS complements a game that requires a lighter spec, but our review squad craved extra stability and control when it mattered the most.īrittany was surprised by her first impression of the Pure Strike VS.

Some of our playtesters struggled with the power, comfort and feel when they were hitting groundstrokes, and the overall consistency of the sweetspot, while others were able to utilize their opponent's power and hit their targets with ease. Stable and accurate on serve returns and volleys, the Pure Strike VS is a tool for counterpunching and absorbing power in pressure moments. Although it boasts the same cosmetics and name, this variation of the Pure Strike felt and performed nothing like some other Pure Strikes, including the 16x19, 18x20 and 100. strung weight and a 317 swingweight, the Pure Strike VS responded quickly for our playtesters, who deemed its maneuverability a weapon. Solid and control-oriented, the Babolat Pure Strike VS adds breadth to the established Pure Strike line.

Babolat pure strike 18x20 review