Babolat’s Andy Roddick Cortex Pure Drive is a serious upgrade in the Pure Drive tradition, perhaps the most comfortable, stable, and satisfying Pure Drive to date.

The combination of power and an access to some serious spin made serving with the new Pure Drive a real pleasure. I gained velocity on flat serves down the middle, and not only did spin serves bite and kick, but the ball moved in the air like a baseball, surprising opponents with its sharp mid-flight curves. On service returns, the added weight of the new model meant a more stable, predictable response, and I was able to vary my swing to effectively return a variety of serves, from the flat heater to the wide slice.

 

 

 

 

 

Powerful ground strokes have always been a signature of Roddick’s game, and the Cortex Pure Drive delivers. With easy access to slice and topspin, the racquet allows you to use these weapons effectively, varying your shots and keeping opponents off balance. While I found the racquet challenging on low, flat balls, those accustomed to racquets in the weight range of the Pure Drive will find it responsive and an improvement in the Pure Drive line.

 

At net, volleys are firm, crisp off the string bed and powerful. While less maneuverable than other, more head light player’s sticks, the solid feel and depth on volleys were an acceptable trade off. Overheads hit with the Cortex Pure Drive will remind you why the shot is sometimes called a “smash.”

 

Don’t be fooled by appearances: the new Babolat Andy Roddick Pure Drive looks almost identical to its predecessor. However, Babolat’s new Cortex technology significantly absorbs vibration above the handle and makes the Pure Drive more comfortable and arm friendly. The new model also features some additional weight, resulting in a big swinger’s stick that compares favorably to the best of the player’s racquets on the market.