Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Review: Babolat Pure Drive Play tennis racquet

The "Play" version of the Babolat Pure Drive tennis racket contains sensors to track tennis swings and record forehand, backhand, and serve statistics. I was always interested in the racquet, but it was prohibitively expensive - at $349. However, I saw a seller on eBay for $200 (for a new 2015 version) and decided to take the plunge.


To get the Babolat Pure Drive Play racket prepared, I had to follow a particular process:
  1. Install the Babolat App on my iPhone 7
  2. Register the Babolat App on my PC and create a login
  3. Charge the Babolat tennis racket through the USB port
  4. Pair the racket with my iPhone (turn on Bluetooth on the phone and look for Babolat to connect)
  5. When trying to connect to the Babolat app, I got an error message about a failed "Firmware Update." I found a workaround on one of the Babolat bulletin boards. I had to download the firmware and install it in the root directory of the racket. Once I did that, the racket updated.
  6. Play with the racket (turn it on by pushing the power button) and review my results.
  7. I need to turn on the Bluetooth button to synchronize and hold it until the blinking light turns pink. 
I am already getting some valuable feedback from the Babolat application. I was not consistently hitting my forehand in the center. I need to focus more on hitting the ball in the racket's center. 


This was a significant revelation for me, as I mainly focused my practice on ball placement, but I did not realize that I was mishitting the ball. I need to hit the racquet's sweet spot with greater precision.

I will start using the Babolat Pure Drive Play more often and see what other aspects of my game can help to improve. I also need to develop a more powerful serve and a more reliable backhand.



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