Pure Aero Rafa

Posted by

Babolat Cyprus

May 27, 2026

On March 16, 2026

I ALWAYS WORK WITH A GOAL –
AND THE GOAL IS
TO IMPROVE AS A
PLAYER AND A
PERSON.”

– Rafael Nadal

THE VALUES OF VAMOS

Never Give Up
Out of respect for the game, your opponents, and yourself: always give 100%.

Work hard & Embrace Every Challenge
Every day is an opportunity to improve & be better than yesterday.

Believe in Yourself
It’s not the size of the bull in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the bull.

Good Person > Good Player
Who you are as a human is more important that who you are as a tennis player.

1995: The story begins…

A promising young Spanish player needed a new racquet. Uncle Toni believed the Babolat Soft Drive—the racquet used by Carlos Moya—was the perfect weapon for his nephew, Rafael Nadal.

2002: Who is this kid from Mallorca!?

Rafa announced his arrival on tour by winning his first ATP match at just 15 years old. The tennis world took notice.

2004: The future is spin.

Convinced of Nadal’s potential and believing spin would come to dominate the game, Babolat worked with Rafa to develop the Aeropro Drive. The racquet featured an aerodynamic design to increase racquet head speed and spin production, proliferating Rafa’s topspin-heavy game.

2005: Bonjour, Paris. Je t’aime…

Rafa reigned supreme during the clay season, culminating in 24 consecutive victories and his first title at Roland-Garros.

2009: Black is the new yellow.

Always looking to innovate, Babolat and Rafa worked on a new string to push the boundaries of spin production. Featuring a unique shape and coating, RPM BLAST—the infamous black string—helped take Rafa’s game to new heights.

2010: More than the King of Clay.

By capturing the US Open title, Rafa completed the career Golden Slam: winning all four tennis majors and an Olympic singles gold medal. Not bad for a “clay court specialist.”

2016: Innovation never stops.

Modern players continued to hit bigger and heavier shots. Babolat & Rafa needed an answer. The Pure Aero rose to the challenge, again setting the benchmark for spin & power. It’s unofficial nickname on courts around the world? “The Spin Machine.”