Babolat Pure Aero 2026 Tennis Racquet Review

The Pure Aero 2026 is the easiest way into Babolat's 2026 spin line. A lighter frame with a bigger head and an open pattern that hands you spin and power without asking for a full professional swing.

What changed for 2026

The Pure Aero has always relied on a wing-shaped aerodynamic beam to cut through the air during a fast swing. For 2026, Babolat reworked the throat section to help the vertical brushing swing that Nadal popularized and that juniors are now taught. It is an efficient way to make pace and spin, and our testers felt the new frame was a touch quicker through the air than the 2023 model.

That speed pays off when you are rushed. On a fast vertical path, the frame lets you brush up on the back of a ball you reached late and still keep it in the court, which is a real help for an improving player. The 100 keeps its slightly thicker cross-section and its open 16x19 pattern, so it stays the more spin-friendly and forgiving of the two.

Comfort improved as well. The Pure Aero has always carried a high stiffness rating, and that put some players off. New flax inserts in the sides of the head dampen vibration, so the frame is more comfortable than the number suggests. Our demos were strung with RPM Rough, but a softer multifilament or a synthetic gut makes it an easy racquet for an intermediate or a junior to pick up.

How it plays

Power is the first thing you notice, and it comes easily. One of our testers, a heavy-topspin baseliner, preferred the 100 of the two. The lighter frame let the power come out more naturally, especially on the forehand, where the ball simply took off.

Easy power, easy spin

The bigger head and open pattern make the spin easy to find, so a semi-western grip gets rewarded on both wings. You do not have to swing out of your shoes to get depth, which is what makes the 100 feel effortless next to the denser 98.

Spencer, Tennis Express playtester

Forgiveness and the late ball

The 100 gives you more margin. The larger head widens the sweet spot, and the quick vertical swing means a ball you reach late still gets brushed back in. For a junior who wants more pace and rotation, or a player still building consistency, this is the one, and a softer string only makes it more comfortable.

Light but stable, and happy at the net

Light does not mean loose here. A tester making the move on the spin against a heavy incoming ball found that the head stayed put, so you can hit through the ball and put power through it. That stability, on a frame this quick through the air, lets you swing fast and still control it, and it holds up when you come forward to finish.

100 or 98?

The 100 and 98 share the 2026 updates but suit different players. The 100 is lighter, has the bigger head and the more open 16x19 pattern, so it is the easier, more forgiving and more spin-friendly choice. If you want a heavier, denser, more control-focused frame to take on big pace, read our take on the Alcaraz-endorsed Pure Aero 98.

Sam, Tennis Express playtester, on the new vertical-swing aerodynamics

Who should buy it

The 100 is a strong option for intermediate to advanced players who want easy power and heavy spin from a forgiving frame, and for improving juniors chasing more pace. It is an all-court racquet, strong from the baseline, where the Pure Aero name was made, and confident coming forward to the net.

If you want a heavier, more stable platform for taking on big hitters, look at the Pure Aero 98, and if you want control ahead of spin, a frame like the Blade sits further that way. For most players who want the modern Aero feel with less effort, the 100 is the place to start.