The Yonex Ezone 100 and the Babolat Pure Drive are two rackets that offer a good mix of power, control, and spin for intermediate to advanced tennis players.
The Ezone 100 is endorsed by tennis pros Belinda Bencic, Sorana Cirstea, and Casper Ruud, while the Pure Drive is endorsed by Fabio Fognini, Karolina Pliskova, and Garbine Muguruza.
Both of these tennis rackets have very similar racket specs, so this article will look at what differentiates these two rackets so you can get a better idea as to which will suit your game better.
Babolat Pure Drive vs Yonex Ezone 100 Comparison
For this racket comparison, I have used the 2022 Version of the Ezone 100 (or “E100”) and the 2021 Version of the Pure Drive (or “PD”).
Racket Specs
Main Differences: The Ezone 100 has a slightly lower swing weight (317 vs 320), a lower frame stiffness rating (67 vs 71), and a thicker overall beam width (23.8mm / 26.5mm / 22.5mm vs 23mm / 26mm / 23mm) when compared with the Pure Drive.
Similarities: Both tennis rackets have the same head size (100in), racket length (27in), strung weight (11.2oz), head light balance (4 pts HL), and string pattern (16 x 19).
| Specs | Ezone 100 | PD |
|---|---|---|
| Version: | 2022 | 2021 |
| Design: |  |  |
| Head Size: | 100in | 100in |
| Length: | 27in | 27in |
| Strung Weight: | 318g (11.2 oz) | 318g (11.2 oz) |
| Swing Weight: | 317 | 320 |
| Balance: | 4 Pts HL | 4 pts HL |
| Frame Stiffness: | 67 | 71 |
| Power: | Low to Medium | Low to Medium |
| Beam Width: | 23.8mm / 26.5mm / 22.5mm | 23mm / 26mm / 23mm |
| Composition: | Graphite | Graphite |
| Colors: | Blue and Black | Blue and Black |
| String Pattern: | 16 x 19 | 16 x 19 |
| Grip Type: | Yonex Synthetic Grip | Babolat Syntec Pro Grip |
| Price: | Check Price on Amazon | Check Price on Amazon |
Both the E100 and the PD have the same racket head size (100in), Length (27in), Strung Weight 318g (11.2 oz), Balance (4 Pts HL), and String Pattern (16 x 19) so the rackets will be very similar to play with.
In terms of differences, the Pure Drive has a slightly heavier swing weight at 320g but the Ezone 100 is only 3g lighter so you are not going to feel a huge difference.
The PD is also the stiffer of the two rackets (71 vs 67) so the E100 is likely to be the more arm-friendly of the two rackets to play with.
In terms of their beam width, the Ezone 100 has a slightly thicker beam width (23.8mm / 26.5mm / 22.5mm vs 23mm / 26mm / 23mm) so it will be easier to generate power with the E100 when compared with the PD.
Recommendations
In my opinion, both of these tennis rackets are not suited for beginners as they are too heavy and don’t provide a ton of free power.
Beginners would be better off going for a tennis racket with a bigger head size and a lower-strung weight like the Wilson Clash 108 or the Pure Drive 107.
However, if you are more of an intermediate to advanced player then the E100 and PD can be good options for you.
As both tennis rackets have very similar specs, you aren’t going to feel a huge difference playing with either of these two rackets but I would give a slight edge to the E100 as it gives you a little more help in terms of power and is a less stiff racket than the PD.
Where can you buy these rackets?
Both rackets are for sale in most good online tennis shops and through the Babolat and Yonex websites.