Babolat PureStorm GT review
I looked forward to reviewing the Babolat PureStorm GT, especially since I had been using Babolat tennis racquets when I began playing tennis. I purchased a Babolat, that was a favorite of mine, so picking up the Babolat PureStorm GT brought back some good memories of when I had just started out. At first sight of the PureStorm Tour GT, I thought it was a great looking stick. The paint makes the racket look ‘fast’. Holding the racket in my hand, I noticed how light it was in the head (6 points head light), this made it apparent that I would have to work a little more to get the racket speed through the ball on my strokes.
The head lightness was obvious with the Babolat PureStorm GT when I was hitting some warm up ground strokes. I had to swing a little more to get the depth and power I’m used to playing. Once I got the hang of the way the Babolat PureStorm GT played, I was able to really use it to my advantage!
Hitting some big forehands came extremely easily, especially when I had the time to set up correctly. With my one-handed backhand, I was able to easily flick the ball cross court or flatten it out down the line. Carving slice shots was extremely easy and fun, the ball bit into the court and pretty much stopped on a dime when extra backspin was added.
On serves, hitting a flat serve down the “T” was at times a little more challenging than I had hoped for; getting the ball to turn towards the “T” was kind of a struggle; putting power and spin together was challenging, but I eventually figured out the perfect balance of the two. With the open string pattern (16×20) of the Babolat PureStorm GT, kick and slice serves were easy and fun. I was really impressed with the action I was able to get on the ball with the kick serve; the ball would jump up and out aggressively so that was pretty neat. My hitting partner mentioned that my kick serves were more difficult for him to time since it was bouncing in the opposite direction he thought it would.
On volleys, the Babolat PureStorm GT is perfect for penetrating and drop volleys. The racket is a little stiffer than most, so getting the ball down to the base line was a breeze. The only problem I faced at the net was the low passing shot, you know, the ones at the shoelaces, getting the ball up and land softly proved to be a little more difficult than what I was used to. The ball tended to sit up which allowed my opponent to put it away easily.
Overall, the Babolat PureStorm GT is engineered for the more seasoned player. The weight and balance is ideal for a player who can generate their own power and has the ability to put the ball where they want. This racket is also ideal for the player who enjoys hitting with a lot of spin.
Babolat PureStorm GT Racquet Specs:
Head Size: 98 sq. in. / 632 sq. cm.
Length: 27 inches / 68.6 cm
Strung Weight: 11oz / 312g
Balance: 1 pt Head Light
Swingweight: 327
Stiffness: 63
Beam Width: 21mm
Composition: Graphite Tungsten
Power Level: Low
Swing Speed: Fast
