Wilson Blade 98 v10 vs. Babolat Pure Strike 98 2024: Which Control Racquet Is Right for You?

The Wilson Blade 98 v10 and the Babolat Pure Strike 98 Gen4 are two of the most talked-about 98 sq. in. control racquets on the market right now. Both share the same head size, the same unstrung weight, and the same 16x19 string pattern. Both are built for intermediate to advanced players who generate their own pace and want a frame that rewards clean ball-striking.

But that's where the similarities end. These two racquets take very different approaches to control, feel, power, and stability. The Blade v10 plays softer, swings faster, and asks you to supply the pace. The Pure Strike Gen4 plays firmer, carries more momentum through the ball, and will meet you with a little more pop on contact.

We've hit extensively with both racquets on court at our Houston Superstore, and this comparison breaks down exactly how they differ, where each one shines, and which players should pick up which frame.

Specs at a Glance

The Frame DNA

The Wilson Blade has been around since 2008, and it's built an identity around one word: feel. From the n-Blade to the v10, every generation has prioritized a soft, connected response that tells you exactly where the ball hit the strings. The Blade is the racquet more Top 100 ATP and WTA pros choose than any other franchise, according to Wilson, and there's a reason for that. Players at the highest level want precision they can trust under pressure.

The Babolat Pure Strike arrived as Babolat's control line, sitting between the power-oriented Pure Drive and the spin-heavy Pure Aero. But the Strike has always been a more aggressive take on control than the Blade. It plays firmer, hits heavier, and brings a bit more pace to the party without asking you to manufacture all of it yourself. Think of it as control with a punch.

Technology: Two Different Roads to Stability

Wilson Blade v10

The v10 represents the biggest update to the Blade platform in years. Wilson introduced TurboTaper, the first tapered beam in Blade history. The beam stays thin at the throat (20.5 mm) and thickens toward the head (21.5 mm), which adds power in the hitting zone while keeping the flex and feel players love lower in the frame. StableFeel+ technology stiffens horizontal flex to reduce wobble on off-center hits, and Wilson tightened manufacturing tolerances to +/- 5g on weight, +/- 0.5 cm on balance, and +/- 5 on swing weight.

The result is a Blade that plows through heavy incoming balls better than any version before it, without sacrificing the plush, connected response the line is known for.

Read our full Wilson Blade v10 review

Babolat Pure Strike Gen4

Babolat's fourth-generation Strike uses Control Frame Technology, a hybrid beam shape that blends the stability of a square cross-section with the lively response of an elliptical one. The 21/23/21 mm beam is thicker through the throat than the Blade's, which creates a firmer platform at the point where many racquets flex the most.

NF² Tech places natural flax fibers in the handle to filter vibrations and produce a cleaner sound at impact. FSI Control technology tightens string spacing for better trajectory predictability. Together, these features give the Strike its hallmark feel: crisp, direct and responsive, with enough vibration dampening to stay comfortable over long sets.

Read our full Babolat Pure Strike Gen4 review

On Tour

Both frames have real pro pedigree, and it splits roughly along the same lines as the on-court performance below. The Blade 98 is the racquet in the bag for Stefanos Tsitsipas, Hubert Hurkacz and Aryna Sabalenka, three players whose games lean on feel and racquet-head speed as much as raw power. Hurkacz and Sabalenka specifically play the 18x20 pattern covered below. The Pure Strike Gen4, meanwhile, is the choice of Cameron Norrie, whose grinding, high-effort baseline game benefits from the extra stability and pace the Strike brings to every shot.

On-Court Performance

Power

This is the most noticeable difference between the two frames. The Pure Strike brings more free power, thanks to its higher stiffness (66 RA vs. 62 RA) and heavier swing weight (330 vs. 320). When you take a full cut at the ball, the Strike transfers more energy into the shot. The ball jumps off the strings with authority. The higher swing weight helps here too, giving the frame more momentum through contact.

The Blade v10 asks you to earn your power. It's a lower-powered frame by nature, and the softer flex means more energy goes into ball pocketing and feel rather than raw pace. That said, the TurboTaper beam does give the v10 noticeably more pop than the v9. Players who swing fast and commit to their shots will find plenty of depth available, but they'll need to supply more of the pace themselves.

Control

Both racquets are firmly in the control category, but they get there in different ways. The Blade v10 offers a softer, more flexible response that lets you shape the ball with finesse. Drop shots, angle volleys and touch shots feel deliberate because the frame's flex gives more dwell time and a clearer sense of how the ball sits in the strings. Players whose games are built on placement and precision over brute force will find the Blade rewards that approach.

The Pure Strike gives a more direct, crisp response. The ball leaves the strings faster, and the frame's firmer construction means there's less flex to interpret. For aggressive baseliners who want to dictate play and target smaller windows at higher swing speeds, that immediacy is an advantage. You commit to a shot, and the racquet delivers exactly what you put in, with minimal lag between input and output.

Spin

Both frames use a 16x19 string pattern, so neither has a built-in advantage on paper. In practice, the Blade v10 generates spin a bit more easily. The softer flex creates a longer ball-on-strings dwell time, which helps the strings grab and rotate the ball. Wilson's FortyFive carbon layup, which arranges fibers at a 45-degree angle, is designed to increase lateral flexibility for exactly this purpose.

The Pure Strike is no slouch with spin, but it tends to produce a flatter, more penetrating ball flight. Topspin is absolutely available, but it takes a faster racquet head speed to get the same level of rotation the Blade's softer response produces more easily. Players who hit with a lot of topspin will feel at home with the Blade. Players who prefer a flatter, more driven trajectory will appreciate how the Strike keeps the ball on a rope.

Feel and Comfort

The Blade v10 wins this category comfortably. At 62 RA, it's one of the softer control racquets on the market, and that shows from the first ball. The response is plush, connected, and easy on the arm. Wilson's DirectConnect technology fuses the butt cap to the carbon handle for a more stable, unified feel throughout the grip, and the TurboTaper beam effectively absorbs shock through the lower hoop.

The Pure Strike at 66 RA plays noticeably firmer. Babolat's NF² Tech does a solid job of filtering vibrations, and the frame is far from uncomfortable, but players with arm sensitivity will notice the difference between 62 and 66 RA over the course of a long match. If comfort is the top priority, the Blade has a clear edge.

Stability

Here's where the Pure Strike fights back. That 330 swing weight gives it more mass moving through the contact zone, and the thicker throat section of the 21/23/21 mm beam creates a stable platform that resists twisting on off-center hits. Against heavy hitters, the Strike holds its ground and keeps shots on line.

The Blade v10 has improved significantly in this area with TurboTaper and StableFeel+. It's the most stable Blade ever made, and it handles incoming pace far better than the v9. But it still gives up some mass at contact compared to the Strike. Against very heavy balls, the Strike will push back a bit more.

Maneuverability

The ten-point gap in swing weight (320 vs. 330) is significant. The Blade v10 is faster through the air, easier to redirect in rallies, and more forgiving when you're scrambling on defense or reacting at the net. Quick exchanges at the baseline feel more natural because you can reset and fire faster between shots.

The Pure Strike is not slow, but it demands a bit more commitment on each swing. The extra mass shows up when you're late to a ball or trying to improvise on a short hop. Players who rely on quick hands and fast racquet head speed will prefer the Blade's lighter swing.

The 18x20 Versions: More Control, Denser Pattern

Both racquets are also available in an 18x20 pattern, which trades some of the free spin of the 16x19 for an even tighter, more predictable ball flight. Denser string beds flex less on contact, so the ball comes off the strings lower and flatter, which is why 18x20 patterns tend to appeal to players who already generate their own spin and want more precision instead.

The Blade 98 18x20 v10 shares nearly identical numbers with its 16x19 sibling: same weight, same balance, same beam and RA, with only a two-point swingweight bump (322 vs. 320) separating them. Almost all of the difference in feel between the two Blade patterns comes down to the string bed itself rather than the frame. It's the pattern Hubert Hurkacz and Aryna Sabalenka both play, and it suits players who want the Blade's signature feel with an extra layer of precision.

The Pure Strike 98 18x20 Gen4 follows the same logic. It carries the same weight and beam as the 16x19, but the denser pattern pushes swing weight up to 332 (from 330), adding a touch more stability and mass through contact along with the tighter string bed. This is the pattern Dominic Thiem plays, and it's built for players who hit hard and want pinpoint accuracy over maximum spin.

Who Should Play What?

The Wilson Blade 98 v10 is built for:

Players who generate their own pace and want the racquet to stay out of the way. Games built on feel, touch and shot variety get more information about every ball from the Blade. It suits all-court players who mix up pace and spin, players who like to come forward and volley, and anyone who values arm-friendly comfort. The faster swing weight makes it a strong pick for competitive players who play long matches and need a frame that won't wear them down.

The Babolat Pure Strike 98 Gen4 is built for:

Aggressive baseliners who want a control racquet that hits heavier. Players who take big cuts at the ball, dictate rallies with pace, and want the frame to contribute some pop on contact will find that in the Strike. It rewards committed swings and full follow-throughs. The higher swing weight gives it stability against big hitters, and the firmer response suits players who like a crisp, direct connection to the ball rather than a softer, more dampened one.

The Verdict

These are two excellent 98 sq. in. control racquets that serve genuinely different styles of play. The Blade v10 is the feel-first option: softer, faster through the air, and more forgiving on the arm. The Pure Strike Gen4 is the power-control hybrid: firmer, heavier through contact, and more punishing on aggressive swings.

The best way to decide is to demo both. Our demo program lets you try before you buy, and we carry both racquets in our Houston Superstore with USRSA Certified Stringers ready to set them up however you like.

For more racquet reviews and comparisons, visit our Racquets blog.