Babolat Pure Strike 100 16x20

Brand: Babolat
Model: Pure Strike 100 16×20
Blade size: 100 sq/inch
Weight: 305 gr
Balance: 31.0 cm
Stringing pattern: 16×20
Length: 27 inches
RA: 61
Beam: 21mm / 23mm / 21mm
Swingweight: 320

This racket is delivered free strung with a string of your choice from our webshop! Excluding cover.

Playing characteristics Babolat Pure Strike 100 16x20:

Recently Stephan tested this racket very extensively for us:

From the baseline, the Pure Strike 100 16×20 feels very solid. Less direct than its cousin the Pure Aero, which meant that I had to hit the balls a little more in front of me to get a predictable result in terms of direction and length. Where you can hit the ball a little later with stiffer rackets, you have to adjust your point of contact a little with rackets that flex more. It doesn't make much difference, but you can definitely notice the difference between an RA of 61 or an RA of 71. Furthermore, you have to go all out for your shots from the baseline to get enough length and rotation. Partly caused by the relatively low weight and the low balance point of the racket. Personally, I would add some lead on 10 and 2 to increase the stability but especially the heaviness of my shots so that you can let the racket do more of the work when you hit through the ball.

The racket feels very comfortable with which I could execute all my strokes from the baseline perfectly. My slices also came off well but could fly too long every now and then due to the flex. The spin was also a lot less than for example with the Pure Aero family. Which is also logical, but something to take into account if you depend on a lot of spin in your game.

Network and service:

At the net, the Babolat Pure Strike 100 16×20 performs excellently. Due to its low balance point, I could easily get the racket moving quickly. On the other hand, the racket is on the light side, which sometimes made it difficult for me to handle hard incoming balls. In terms of accuracy, this racket does excellently, the tighter 16×20 string pattern provides more control and precision. Although it is not the best racket for volleying (I think more of a Pro Staff), this racket performs above average for a 100 sq/inch racket. A little extra weight helps to tackle the heavier balls with confidence.

Serving with the Pure Strike 100 16×20 was great. The low balance point and relatively light weight allowed me to create a lot of racket speed. It takes little effort to fire big cannonballs. However, this is at the expense of precision. You will have to choose your targets a little wider to prevent the balls from landing too far. The 16×20 string pattern does help to keep the abundance of power under control. The properties of this racket are suitable for an average player. If you are big and powerful, adding some extra weight and a harder stringing could help to get the power under control.

All in all, the Pure Strike 100 16x20 is a modern control racket with a forgiving feel and sweet spot and a nice low RA for players who mainly generate their own speed.