The Yonex Ezone 98 and Babolat Pure Strike are both 98in head size tennis rackets that are particularly popular with recreational players who hit with a single handed backhand.
The Ezone 98 tennis racket is endorsed by Nick Kyrgios and Naomi Osaka, while the Pure Strike is endorsed by Cameron Norrie and Alize Cornet.
This article will look at how these two rackets differ from each other so you can get a better idea as to which may suit you better!
Racket Comparison
For this racket comparison, I will be comparing the 2022 Version of the Ezone 98 (or “E98”) and the third generation of the Pure Strike (or “PS”).
The PS has an 18×20 and a 16×19 version but for this comparison, I will only be using the 16×19 version as the E98 only comes with a 16×19 string pattern.
Racket Specs
| Ezone 98 | VS | Pure Strike |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Version: | Third Generation |
 | Design: |  |
| 98in | Head Size: | 98in |
| 27in | Length: | 27in |
| 323g (11.4oz) | Strung Weight: | 323g (11.4oz) |
| 6 pts HL | Strung Balance: | 4 pts HL |
| 318g | Swingweight: | 327g |
| 65 | Stiffness Rating: | 66 |
| 23.5mm / 24.5mm / 19.5mm | Beam Width: | 21mm / 23mm / 21mm |
| Low to Medium | Power Level: | Low to Medium |
| Blue and Black | Colors: | Blue and Black |
| 16 x 19 | String Pattern: | 16 x 19 |
| Yonex Synthetic Grip | Grip Type: | Babolat Syntec Team Grip |
Head Size and Length
Both of these tennis rackets have the exact same head size (98in) and racket length (27in).
Strung Weight, Swing Weight, and Balance
The E98 and the PS have the exact same strung weight (323g) so they will feel very similar when you are holding them in your hand.
However, the E98 (6pts HL) has more of a head light balance when compared with the PS (4pts HL) so this makes the swing weight of the E98 (318g) around nine grams less than the PS (327g).
Stiffness Rating
Both tennis rackets have very similar stiffness ratings with the Ezone 98 having a stiffness rating of 65 while the Pure Strike has a stiffness rating of 66.
In terms of arm friendliness, both of these tennis rackets are very similar.
Beam Width
The Pure Strike has a thinner beam width than the Ezone 98 so the Pure Strike will be slightly better in terms of control but the Ezone 98 will be slightly better in terms of power.
Power Level
Both the PS and the E98 are low to medium powered rackets with both being closer to the low range than the medium range.
String Pattern
As mentioned previously, both of these frames have a 16 x 19 open string pattern which means it will help you to generate more topspin on your shots.
Recommendations
I would not recommend either of these two tennis rackets to a beginner as I think they are far too heavy, have a relatively small sweet spot, and don’t generate enough free power for a beginner to play with.
A better option for a beginner would be to go for an oversized racket with a big sweet spot that makes generating power on your shots a lot easier e.g. Wilson Clash 108.
If you are an intermediate/advanced player then these rackets may suit you better as they offer a good mix of power, spin, and control for players who have a full swing and have no issues generating their own power.
Where can you buy these rackets?
Both rackets are available to buy at most good online tennis shops like Tennis-Warehouse, Tennis Express, and Tennis-Point.