Racquet: Babolat Pure Aero 98 ($279/single; $539/pair)
Once upon a time, a soft drink was marketed as “the choice of a new generation” and now the Babolat Pure Aero 98 could make a similar claim. With Carlos Alcaraz, Holger Rune and Fils all using the frame—and RPM Blast strings to boot—it clearly appeals to some of the biggest talents in the next era of men’s tennis.
With its smaller head size and thinner, more flexible beam, the Aero 98 is the most demanding and control-oriented member of the franchise. Its 16x20 string pattern allows you to direct shots into tighter windows and employ more all-court tactics, yet still produces a lively ball.
A nice feature for competitive players needing multiple racquets is the Aero 98 is offered as a single or in matching pairs. The two matched racquets are intended to have a maximum weight variance of just 1 gram, well below industry standard.