It’s time to select the Best Racquets of 2022, a tradition called the Gear of the Year. Which racquet is your favorite?

The Best Racquets of 2022

When you say something is the “best”, it is obviously a subjective opinion. I have tested racquets for many years now and try pretty much all important releases in a year. I am keen to hear your opinion of what racquets you think are the best of the year, though, just put them in the comments below.

I have tried to divide them into meaningful categories for control, power and spin for the most common head sizes on the market: 98, 100 but also including two oversized ones. These are by far the most common head sizes, with 95 and 97 sq inches diminishing in popularity (at least among racquet manufacturers).

So without further ado, let’s get into the best racquets of 2022. If you want to support Tennisnerd, you can purchase any tennis racquet, string or shoe from Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe or Tennis Only.

Beginner to intermediate (oversized and lighter racquets)

HEAD Extreme Team L
This is a very good racquet with a relatively low stiffness rating, large sweet spot and good power level. The lighter HEAD Extreme racquets all impressed me in 2022. You can check out my HEAD Extreme Team review here and the rest of the HEAD Extreme racquets here.

Find out the specs of the HEAD Extreme Team L at  Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe or Tennis Only (they only have the excellent Team model currently).

Honorary mention: Wilson Clash 108 V2
Not quite as impressive as HEAD Extreme Team L, with the control is slightly less good, but hard to beat Clash-style comfort and ease of use.

You can check out my review of the V2 Wilson Clash racquets here.

Find out the specs of the Wilson Clash 108 at Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe or Tennis Only.

100 sq inch power racquets – easier to use

Yonex Ezone 100
This has been one of my favorite racquets of the year. Easy power, spin and good dampening. A controlled string bed for a power racquet, but might require a good string setup to increase comfort if you’re worried about arm issues.

Check out my Yonex Ezone 100 review.

Find out the specs and more at Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe and Tennis Only.

Honorary mention: Wilson Ultra 100
A clear improvement over the previous Ultra racquet. Softer feel, still good power and a bit better control. Not quite as solid and controlled as the Ezone 100, though.

Check out my Wilson Ultra 100 V4 review.

Find out the specs and more at Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe and Tennis Only.

98 sq inch power racquets – more advanced

Yonex Ezone 98
Stands on its own a bit among power-oriented 98 sq inch racquets. Good improvement with better control and feel over the 2020 version.

Check out my Yonex Ezone 98 review here.

Find out the specs and more at Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe, and Tennis Only.

Furi Arma Pro 98

This is a very impressive racquet for a lesser known brand. Offers good power for a racquet that looks more like a Pro Staff. It lands in between the Wilson icon and an Ezone in power level and playability.

Check out my Furi Arma Pro 98 review here.

You can only purchase the Furi Arma Pro 98 from the official Furi website at the moment.

100 sq inch spin racquets – easier to use

Babolat Pure Aero

This was the toughest category to pick a winner in. Both the new Aero and Extreme came with denser string patterns, but I felt like the Aero was the strongest improvement. However, I have heard some players still prefer the added power and spin of the 2019 version. And it’s hard not to like the Babolat Pure Aero Rafa cosmetic.

Check out my Babolat Pure Aero 2023 review here.

Find out the specs and more at Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe, and Tennis Only.

Honorary mention: HEAD Extreme MP

The Extreme is also improved with a softer feel for a spin and power racquet. The Aero and the Extreme was almost impossible to choose in between. For my own personal use, I prefer the Extreme on the one-hander, but I have better touch and volleys with the Aero. Tough choice.

Check out my HEAD Extreme MP review here.

Find out the specs and more at Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe, and Tennis Only.

98 sq inch spin racquets – more advanced

HEAD Boom Pro

HEAD have too many racquets in their line-up, but I was more impressed by the Boom Pro as their spin/control racquet than their new Extreme Tour. It also has a softer feel. However, there is more comfort and string movement in the Boom than the Extreme.

Check out my HEAD Boom Pro review.

Find out the specs and more at Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe, and Tennis Only.

Honorary mention: Tecnifibre Tempo IGA 298

The Tempo was just a cosmetic update, but it remains a good racquet offering easy power and spin, with foam feeling to offer decent comfort and stability.

Check out my Tecnifibre Tempo 298 IGA racquet review.

Find out the specs and more at Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe, and Tennis Only.

100 sq inch control racquets – easier to use

HEAD Speed Pro

The combination of a medium-thick beam, 18×20 pattern, and a 100 sq inch head size is a good versatile option for the advanced baseliner. The auxetic makes the feel more solid and responsive compared to the previous edition.

Check out my HEAD Speed Pro 2022 Review.

Find out the specs and more at Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe, and Tennis Only.

Prince ATS Tour 100P

One of Prince’s best racquets. It brings back some of what made the first generation so good – a softer feel and controlled response.

Check out my Prince ATS Tour 100P review (on YouTube).

Find out the specs and more at Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe, and Tennis Only.

98 sq inch control racquets

Tecnifibre TF40 305 18×20 and 16×19

The TF40 is an excellent competitor to racquets like the Blade 98 and although the second generation wasn’t a huge improvement, it made some improvements and offered an excellent 16×19 option with a lower swing weight.

Check out my Tecnifibre TF40 Review (18×20) and 16×19

Find out the specs and more at Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe, and Tennis Only.

Artengo TR960 Control Tour

Monfils started the year announcing his switch from the Wilson Ultra Pro to the Artengo TR 960 Control Tour. Most pundits thought he would still play with his old H19, but a closer look showed that he actually used this racquet, which was designed by a famous racquet designer some years back. And the racquet plays great. It offers more control than the TF40, but I felt like it required more weight in the head for added stability.

Check out my Artengo TR 960 Control Tour Review here (18×20) and 16×19.

You can only purchase the Artengo TR 960 Control Tour from Decathlon.