In this article, I look at the racket specs of the Wilson Pro Staff 97 (or PS 97″) and Babolat Pure Drive (or “PD”) to see how these two rackets compare to each other.
General Info
Below is some general information on these rackets including their brand, version, composition, and colors.
| General info | Pure Drive | Pro Staff 97 |
|---|---|---|
| Brand: | Babolat | Wilson |
| Version: | 2021 | V14 |
| Composition: | Graphite | Graphite braided with aramid |
| Color(s): | Blue | Black |
Racket Specs
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: | PD | PS 97 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head Size (sq cm) | 645 | 625 | 3.10% |
| Head Size (sq in) | 100 | 97 | 3.00% |
| Length (cm) | 68.58 | 68.58 | 0.00% |
| Length (in) | 27 | 27 | 0.00% |
| String Pattern | 16 x 19 | 16 x 19 | – |
| HL or HH1 | HL | HL | – |
| Strung Balance (cm) | 33 | 32 | 3.03% |
| Strung Balance (pts) | 4 | 7 | 75.00% |
| Strung Weight (grams) | 318 | 332 | 4.40% |
| Strung Weight (ounces) | 11.2 | 11.7 | 4.46% |
| Swing Weight | 320 | 332 | 0.31% |
| Unstrung Weight (grams) | 300 | 315 | 5.00% |
| Unstrung Weight (ounces) | 10.58 | 11.11 | 5.01% |
| Frame Stiffness | 71 | 66 | 7.04% |
| Beam Width (mm) | 23 / 26 / 23 | 21.5 | 7-26% |
1 Head Light or Head Heavy
Pros and Cons
Below are what I think are the main pros and cons of the Pure Drive and Pro Staff 97 tennis rackets.
| Racket: | PD | PS 97 |
|---|---|---|
| Pros: | Good mix of power, control, and spin, a generous sweet spot, and easy power on serves | Offers tons of control, has decent maneuverability, and is a great racket to use on slices, volleys, and drop shots. |
| Cons: | Relatively high stiffness rating | Low-powered frame that is best suited to advanced tennis players |
Head to Head
Below are my recommendations in terms of which racket is better in terms of Power, Control, Spin, and Arm Friendliness.
| H2H | PD | PS 97 |
|---|---|---|
| Power |  | – |
| Control | – |  |
| Spin | | – |
| Arm Friendliness | – | |
Player Recommendations
Below are our recommendations for recreational players at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.
| Player Level | PD | PS 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.