Looking to buy a new Tennis Racket - any suggestions?

I play with the blade 98...it's a great racket, it's a tweener racket the provides a good blend of power and control and isn't too heavy

Two handed, one handed backhand, or both?

The new civics are nice.

quote:

---

Looking to buy a new Tennis Racket - any suggestions?

---

Be careful. Don't want to get caught racketeering

quote:

---

Babolat Pure Drive

---

this

Yeah, Tennis Warehouse is a great company. I was making fun of Babolat on another board for having like 30 racquets and not knowing where to start trying them. A rep. came in and broke it down for me.

quote:

---

Begin with the family:

Pure Drive - Our highest power line that also offers a great deal of versatility
Pure Aero - Not as much power as the Pure Drive, but still a higher than average power level, and most notably, high spin potential
Pure Strike - Less power than the Drive & Aero, but more control, response/feel, and precision in your shots.
Pure Control - Our lowest power line with the most feel & control.

Then, you can dive into each family.
Standard (no name after the racket) - This is the standard model from each family and will offer the most balanced experience within that family. There is typically only one standard in each family (Pure Drive, Pure Aero, etc), except the Pure Strike, which has an 18x20 & 16x19. The 18x20 offers more control whereas the 16x19 is more power & spin.
Plus - These are the extended length versions of each racket that are 27.5". The extra length offers more power, though the maneuverability suffers.
Tour - These are the heavier versions of each racket that typically weigh in at about 315 - 320 grams unstrung. Tour rackets offer more heft, more plowthrough, more stability, and more power if you can swing at the same speed as the standard. Of course, the extra weight may slow down your swing speed, and this may translate into less spin.
Team - The team is a slightly lighter version of each standard model. These versions are more lighter and more maneuverable, but you sacrifice power (from the lack of weight), unless you're swinging faster to make up for less weight.
Lite - An even lighter version of the standard model. Again, this is more maneuverable and lighter than standard, even moreso than the Team versions, but with the same drawbacks.

Of course, there are unique ones in each family, such as:
Pure Drive 107/110 - These oversize versions of the Pure Drive are lighter than the standard version but the larger head size offers more power than similarly weighted Team & Lite versions, plus a bit more forgiveness. Also, the lighter weight than standard also provides extra maneuverability.
Pure Strike 100 - This is the lightest Pure Strike model and it has a larger head size. These attributes, plus the open string pattern, give it a bit more spin and forgiveness as well as maneuverability.
Pure Control 95 - This is our most "classic" frame. It has the highest level of control and the lowest power. It also has plenty of feel for those who seek it.

---

I've been playing the Wilson Juice for the last 4-5 years and really like it. However, racquets are about preference and skill level so it is very hard to recommend a racquet to you. They make racquets now with so many slight variations (weight, head size, string pattern, etc) that it's even harder to make a recommendation. Do you have a USTA ranking?