In this article, I look at the racket specs of the Wilson Pro Staff 97 and Babolat Pure Drive to see how these two rackets compare to each other.
Racket Specs Comparison – Pure Drive vs Pro Staff 97
Below is a comparison of the technical specifications of the Pure Drive and Pro Staff 97 tennis rackets.
Main Differences: The Pure Drive has a bigger head size (100in vs 97in), a less head light balance (4pts HL vs 7pts HL), a lower strung weight (318g vs 332g), a slightly lower swing weight (320 vs 321), a higher frame stiffness rating (71 vs 66), and a much thicker beam width (23mm / 26mm / 23mm vs 21.5mm)
Similarities: Both rackets have the same string pattern (16×19) and racket length (27in).
| Racket Specs: | Pure Drive | Pro Staff 97 |
|---|---|---|
| Head Size (sq cm) | 645cm | 625cm |
| Head Size (sq in) | 100in | 97in |
| Length (cm) | 68.58cm | 68.58cm |
| Length (in) | 27in | 27in |
| String Pattern | 16 x 19 | 16 x 19 |
| HL or HH1 | HL | HL |
| Strung Balance (cm) | 33cm | 32cm |
| Strung Balance (pts) | 4 pts | 7 pts |
| Strung Weight (grams) | 318g | 332g |
| Strung Weight (ounces) | 11.2oz | 11.7oz |
| Swing Weight | 320 | 332 |
| Unstrung Weight (grams) | 300g | 315g |
| Unstrung Weight (ounces) | 10.58oz | 11.11oz |
| Frame Stiffness | 71 | 66 |
| Beam Width (mm) | 23mm / 26mm / 23mm | 21.5mm |
1 Head Light or Head Heavy
Pros and Cons
The Pure Drive has a Good mix of power, control, and spin, a generous sweet spot, and easy power on serves, with the main con being that it has a relatively high stiffness rating.
The Pro Staff 97 offers tons of control, has decent manoeuvrability, and is a great racket to use on slices, volleys, and drop shots.
However, it is a relatively low-powered frame that is best suited to advanced tennis players
Head to Head Comparison
The Pro Staff 97 is the better option in terms of control and Arm Friendliness, while the Pure Drive is the better option in terms of power generation and spin.
| H2H | Pure Drive | Pro Staff 97 |
|---|---|---|
| Power |  | – |
| Control | – |  |
| Spin | | – |
| Arm Friendliness | – | |
Player Recommendations
Babolat’s Pure Drive can be used by intermediate to advanced tennis players, while Wilson’s Pro Staff 97 is only recommended for advanced tennis players with good technique.
| Player Level | Pure Drive | Pro Staff 97 |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner |  | |
| Intermediate |  | |
| Advanced | | |
Pro Player Endorsements
The Pure Drive is endorsed by Karolina Pliskova, Garbine Muguruza, Fabio Fognini, and Sofia Kenin, while the Pro Staff 97 is currently endorsed by Ons Jabeur, Petra Kvitova, Grigor Dimitrov, Reilly Opelka, and Roberto Bautista Agut.
Where can you buy these rackets?
The rackets are for sale in most good online tennis shops and through the Babolat and Wilson websites.