I was asked to write a post about my top 5 favorite racquets for Tennis Now and of course, I obliged. Here is a part of that post which I now call: The 5 Best Racquets of 2019 (So far). Keen to hear what you think about this. (The racquets are not in order of how much I like them.)
You can’t mention the 5 best racquets of 2019 without talking about a couple of major launches. Wilson released their new Clash series, which they call #racketrevolution and HEAD answered by their claim “Massive sweet spot dominates the game” for the HEAD Gravity series. Babolat wasn’t perhaps as bold in their release of the new Pure Strike, but since the Pure Strike is an already existing line that is selling very well, I don’t think they really need it.
The 5 Best Racquets of 2019 – Wilson Clash Tour
I had my doubts about it before the release of the Wilson Clash series, but from my first hit with the prototype, I was smitten. I would not call it a racquet revolution, but the Clash racquets are quite different in a good way. I have never played with a soft thick-beamed racquet before and it is a satisfying experience. Many tennis players suffer from elbow and wrist issues due to using stiff racquets and strings that vibrate fast and send shock down to the arm, but they still want to play with good power and spin. Thanks to technologies such as Free Flex and Stable Smart they can do that.
The flexy feel of the Clash series is quite unique and might not be for everyone. But it is a very nice racquet series that many players, from beginners to advanced, will enjoy a lot. The Clash Tour is my favorite of the series, because of the increased stability and weight, but all Clash racquets I’ve played have offered a nice experience.
Wilson Clash racquets with links to my reviews
Wilson Clash 98 – the most controlled Clash racquet. Buy the Wilson Clash 98
.
Wilson Clash 100L – the lightest option of the Clash series. Buy the Wilson Clash 100L
.
Wilson Clash 100 – the most popular option that fits a wide group of players. Buy the Wilson Clash 100
.
Wilson Clash Tour – the heaviest option for the more advanced players. Buy the Wilson Clash Tour
.
Wilson Clash 108 – the largest head size option. Buy the Wilson Clash 108
.Â
The 5 Best Racquets of 2019 – HEAD Gravity Pro
Most tennis nerds get highly nostalgic about old HEAD racquets such as the HEAD Pro Tour 630 or 280 and felt that HEAD violated their trust with the introduction of Graphene some 7-8 years ago. The racquets were crisper/stiffer and sacrificed some feel and comfort for more power and spin. Despite the negative feedback, HEAD has continued with the Graphene technology and iterated on it. It started with Graphene, then Graphene XT, Graphene Touch, Graphene 360 and now, with the HEAD Gravity series, Graphene 360+.
The HEAD Gravity line comes with Graphene technology, but the + in the name stands for something called spiral fibers, which seems to reduce the stiffness and the hollow feel of the Graphene technology. This make the new Gravity racquets somewhat of a return to the old-school feel of HEAD frames with a softer layup and a thinner beam. The increased sweet spot is said to come from the new, more rounded head shape. I find the feel excellent on these racquets and they should be a welcome introduction for also the more die-hard HEAD racquet fans.
The HEAD Gravity Pro is my personal favorite of the Gravity line so far, but all the ones I’ve tested have been very good racquets.
HEAD Gravity Racquets with links to my reviews
HEAD Gravity MP – the middle option, more spin, good power. Not as stable as the Tour and Pro. Buy the HEAD Gravity MP
here.
HEAD Gravity MP Lite – the lightest racquet in the HEAD Gravity series. Buy the HEAD Gravity MP Lite
.
HEAD Gravity S – great for beginner to intermediates that want a larger head size and a light weight. Buy the HEAD Gravity S
here.
HEAD Gravity Tour – a racquet for intermediate to advanced players. Easier to swing than the Pro. Buy the HEAD Gravity Tour
here.
HEAD Gravity Pro – the heaviest option with the thinnest beam. A pretty high swing weight too that should suit more advanced players. Buy the HEAD Gravity Pro
.
The 5 Best Racquets of 2019 – Prince Textreme Tour 100 310
As you know, I am really happy with the Prince Textreme Tour 100 310
as it is just an excellent racquet that does pretty much everything well. You get spin, decent power, good feel and comfort. Despite having an open pattern of 16×18, it still knifes the slice and gives you good control on pretty much any shot. The swing weight is also highly manageable in the low 320s, which helps the racquet swing fast and will still give you room to add some lead tape if you want even more power or stability. In the end, I play it in stock form, because I want to work on my swing speed, but this is definitely one of my favorite racquets of 2019.
I am sure the other racquets in the new Prince Textreme series are good too and I hope to test them at some point. Read my Prince Textreme Tour 100 310 racquet review
Other racquets in the Prince Textreme Tour series:
Prince Textreme Tour 100P
– a bit crisper than the predecessor but with Twaron for improved feel.
Prince Textreme Tour 100 290
– the lighter version of the 310
Prince Textreme Tour 95
– I used to play the predecessor of this one, but nowadays I prefer larger head sizes.
Prince Textreme O3 Tour 100
– similar to the standard Tour 100, but with O-ports technology for a more muted and comfortable feel. I am not a fan of the ports tech, but I know players who are and that is why Prince sticks with it.
The 5 Best Racquets of 2019 – Angell K7 Lime
The Angell K7 Lime is still one of my favorite racquets of the year. It just has this really nice flex when you hit the ball in the string bed and you feel you can place the ball around the court with the utmost precision. The tight pattern of the K7 Lime is excellent for control, while its brother K7 Red has a more open, spin-friendly response.
The K7 Lime is not a spin monster by any means, but it is great for attacking players who move towards the net frequently. It works really well for my flat, aggressive game and if you are a player that value precision and feel I can really recommend giving this one a try.
Other Angell racquets I have reviewed:
Angell K7 Red, Angell TC 97 Custom 18×20, Angell ASL 3, read more about Angell Custom Racquets here.
The 5 Best Racquets of 2019 – Babolat Pure Strike 100
Like many tennis players out there, I am curious about the new Babolat Pure Strike, but for some reason, my demo racquet has gotten lost in the post. My good friend and racquet reviewer, Henrik Wallensten, who writes for the Swedish Tennis Magazine and Tennisnerd from time to time, gave the Pure Strike 100 a glowing review, so I really look forward to testing it. But I am most interested in the 98 sq inch version that will be released later this year.
Other Babolat racquets I have reviewed:
Babolat Pure Aero 2019, Babolat Pure Drive VS, Babolat Pure Drive 2018
The 5 Best Racquets of 2019 – Summary
I hope this post gives you an idea of a few of my favorite racquets right now. These are the most interesting releases of the year so far, but there are more to come so watch this space and Tennisnerd.net.
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What are the best racquets you have tried in 2019? Did anyone of them convince you to make the switch? Please comment below.
10 comments
I guess this is the best of 2019 so far…
Some big releases next month with the new Pure Strike (98″ flavours) and the new Blades.
Yes, definitely so far! I am really looking forward to the new Pure Strike 98 and the Blades.
You Did not tested the Pro Kennex Ki Q +Tour Pro 315 or 325 (2019), very solid frames, a must try.
I will put them on my list!
i was expecting dunlop to be featured here as you had praised a lot about it.
Why didn’t it cut the mustard?
It was released in 2018, otherwise, it would be in the mustard :)
I remember that the wilson kobra was very thick but its stifness was in the low 60s. Have you ever used it?. It was like a flexible aero pro drive.
Yes, I have used that one. Quite a nice racquet! Different feeling from the Clash though, more like a softer Babolat. Good stick!
If you had to choose, what racket would you choose, Prince TT 310 or Gravity Pro ?
Right now, for my game, the Prince. It is a bit easier to swing and use. The Gravity Pro might suit more advanced players better though. It is a tough choice because I do some things much better with the Gravity, but all over I am more comfortable with the Prince.