The dad playing regular comp who is still using a racquet he bought a decade ago. Check his grip size before ordering, because the wrong one is unusable rather than merely unideal.
What it is
The 98 square inch head in Babolat’s Pure Aero line, the control-oriented frame in a range better known for spin. Heavier and tighter in the string pattern than the standard Pure Aero. Amazon sets the price at checkout, and the model year varies by listing.
Why we picked it
The Pure Aero is the frame that made heavy topspin available to club players, and the 98 is the version for someone whose swing is already long enough to generate their own pace and who wants the ball to land where it was aimed. It is a real racquet rather than a starter one, which is exactly why it is a good gift: it is the purchase a regular player keeps putting off.
