Even though legendary Spaniard Rafael Nadal is set to miss this year’s French Open, fans and players alike can now own his signature racquet like never before.
Recently releasing the Pure Aero Rafa Origin, Babolat’s bold move to give the consumer a Tour level frame did not fail.
Being sponsored by Babolat for nearly 20 years, I have tried each and every Babolat Pure Aero to date. They have all passed the test of being great racquets, and user-friendly.
That said, the Pure Aero Rafa Origin is a completely different racquet from anything that Babolat has ever released. Known for creating powerful frames, the Pure Aero Rafa Origin is by far the most powerful racquet I have ever hit with.
Let’s now take a look at our review of the Pure Aero Rafa Origin.
Here’s your Exclusive Review:
Let me start by saying that this racquet lives up to the player that made it famous. It is a true game-changer for any player seeking power and spin on court.
As an avid tennis player for over 30 years, my initial impressions of the Babolat Pure Aero Rafa Origin racquet were that this frame is not for everyone.
Its hefty strung weight of nearly 12 ounces (strung) will certainly cause arm fatigue for those players that are not used to heavier frames.
However, that weight does in fact translate into even more power than a stock Pure Aero 2023. You will need to generate a ton of spin to keep the ball in the court as flat-hit shots will sail over the baseline.
A Hefty Frame:
The head heavy nature of this frame is also a-typical to most of the previous Pure Aero racquets.
Hitting with a lot of spin on my forehand, I found that my shots were actually heavier with the Pure Aero Rafa Origin than with a stock Pure Aero. I usually customize my frames anyways to make them heavier and more handle heavy, but the effortless power that this racquet created was truly impressive.
Hitting slice backhands was also a lot of fun, but striking my flat two-hander was challenging to say the least. With power to spare, I did find that I was overhitting quite a bit on my backhand side.
Power to Spare
Serving and volleying with this racquet was a dream, and the “solid” nature of the frame really did allow for great plow-through on a variety of different serves and volleys.
As mentioned, the standout feature of this racquet is its incredible spin potential. Thanks to the innovative FSI Spin technology and the open string pattern, which is set at 16 mains and 19 crosses.
Another aspect that was impressive was the stability of the Pure Aero Rafa Origin.
The racquet provided excellent control at contact and minimized vibration at impact. It ultimately provided confidence to go after aggressive shots without sacrificing accuracy (especially on the forehand side).
Furthermore, the racquet’s massive sweet spot allowed for continuous power to be generated throughout the 2-hour hitting session. Even off-centred shots were dropped in on a consistent basis.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the Babolat Pure Aero Rafa Origin is a must-have racquet for any Nadal fan and it certainly lives up to its reputation as the weapon of choice for the 22-time Major winner.
The striking pink, yellow and black colour aesthetic continues to pay homage to Nadal’s iconic style, which usually showcases loud, and bold colours.
The racquet’s exceptional spin potential, and rock-solid stability make it an ideal choice for players seeking an abundance of power.
Designed for advanced to tournament level players, the Babolat Pure Aero Rafa Origin is now available to purchase at TennisWarehouse and TennisWarehouse-Europe.
Racquet rating: 9/10
