A Love-at-First-Hit Moment
Carlos Moya has always been closely associated with the Babolat Pure Drive, and for good reason. The Spanish champion first picked up the frame during practice in 1996, immediately sensing something special. Despite playing with a different racket at the time, he held off on switching until later that year at a tournament in Paris, where he defeated Tim Henman and Boris Becker back to back before reaching the quarterfinals, using only two rackets he had brought along for practice.
That breakthrough experience convinced Moya to commit to the Pure Drive full-time. Within weeks, he was competing in the Australian Open final, and the momentum carried him all the way to the greatest achievement of his career: the 1998 French Open title, secured by defeating fellow Spaniard Alex Corretja. Moya has described the racket as giving him the power he needed to elevate his game at a critical moment, something he had not found with any other frame.
The 30th Anniversary Spectra Edition
Now, Babolat is celebrating three decades of the Pure Drive with the launch of the Gen11 Spectra Edition, a colorful update timed to coincide with the US Open at Flushing Meadows. The new model incorporates flax fibers at the racket's core, which Babolat says help filter unwanted vibrations while preserving clean, direct feel on every shot. Grand Slam champions including Kim Clijsters and Garbine Muguruza have used Pure Drive frames during their title runs, adding to the racket's remarkable competitive legacy.
Moya, who later joined Rafael Nadal's coaching team after retiring from the tour, remains one of the frame's most iconic ambassadors. TennisDraw users following Moya's career highlights will find him a fascinating figure in the rich history of Spanish tennis.
