I have written a lot about How to Choose a Tennis Racquet. There is no exact science, but there are some things we can keep in mind on our racquet journey.
You like what you like
This sounds almost silly, but it is key. Sometimes, you like a racquet setup that makes little sense or is old, or your coach says it is too difficult for you. I think that is fine. You should play with what you enjoy as long as it doesn’t hurt you. It is only if you feel that you want more out of your current racquet and string that starting the search makes sense. It is important to understand that looking for a new racquet can be fun, but also very frustrating and make you feel like you are going nowhere. So don’t change unless you really feel like it’s time and it would do you good.
If you need help on your journey, we offer a personal consultation via e-mail to help narrow down the choice. This also includes string advice.
Tennis is about having fun, after all. But if you are a competitive player, you might be looking for something more from your racquet. Let’s have a look at what that could be.
You want more from your racquet
There could be several aspects of your racquet setup that you find lacking. We all know that tennis is mainly about technique and footwork and skills, but having a racquet that feels at home to you is not unimportant.
These are characteristics you might be looking for.
Power
Spin
Control
Comfort
Does this mean that you should go searching for that category of racquet? No. Power racquets are focused on power, Spin racquets are focused on spin and launch, Control racquets are low-powered and Comfort racquets are focused on vibration dampening. It might not mean that just because you want more power than your Prestige, you should go to a Pure Drive, which is the power icon in the racquet world.
Also, there are many options for more comfortable racquets, while the racquets in the Comfort category, like the Wilson Clash V3 might be too extreme in terms of what you are looking for.
You have to always start where you are with your current setup. Many things can be adjusted with string setups or customization.
For more power, you go for a lower tension or higher swing weight. For less power, you can go with a higher string tension or lower swing weight. For example.
You can find definitions and a glossary in our Guide to Racquets and Strings
You can also customize the racquet to have more power and stability, for example. It is usually wise to try tweaking your current racquet before you give up on it.
A change does not need to be drastic
You will most likely not want to stay too far away from your current racquet in terms of racquet specifications (see the section below). The reason is that you are used to your racquet (muscle memory) and going for a drastic change might be very difficult to adjust to. This of course depends on what you want to change. If you want a much lighter or heavier racquet, then you need to demo that first to see if it can work for you.
There are multiple categories of tennis racquets to consider. Most players should look into the weight range of 285-305 grams unstrung. If you are a beginner, young junior or veteran player, you can go lighter, but overall this is the most common range. If you are an intermediate to advanced player (3.5-5.0 NTRP – you can see tennis levels in different countries here) you will most likely be happy with a 300 gram, 100 sq inch or 305 gram and 98 sq inch unstrung racquet. These are most standard models. 305 works more for advanced players, while 300 and 100 sq inch racquets has wide range.
Racquets are obviously highly personal. You might not want to go for “conventional” wisdom or what your coach tells you. I think that is fine as long as you enjoy your tennis and the racquet does not hurt your in any way.
Before we move into some recommendations, we can have a look at the different categories.
Racquet categories
There are many different types to consider when choosing a tennis racquet. We write about this below under “Different types of racquets”, but will deal with it in short here.
If you are a player who plays with lots of spin, it might not necessarily mean a spin racquet is the way to go, you might want to get a more controlled racquet to control the trajectory and if you hit with lots of touch and feel, you might want to get a power racquet to help you get more free depth. The best idea is to demo and see.
Power racquets – Babolat Pure Drive, Yonex Ezone, Dunlop FX, HEAD Boom, Wilson Ultra, Tecnifibre TF-X1, Diadem Nova (both power and spin)
Stiffer and thicker frames which will you give you free depth and power on your shots. These have lower shot trajectories than Spin racquets, which is another popular category today. Power racquets often come in 98 sq inch versions for you who want some power, but not all the way to the standard 100 sq inch versions. These racquets are stiffer so are not always ideal for players who struggle with arm issues (but you can adjust some of that with the right string and tension).
Spin racquets – Babolat Pure Aero, Yonex VCORE, Dunlop SX, HEAD Extreme, Wilson Shift, Diadem Axis
Medium stiff and thicker frames more focused on string movement and aerodynamic properties for players looking for higher launch angles and maximum spin potential. They are usually not quite as stiff as power racquets, but still produce lots of free depth and the shots tend to bounce high, which can be difficult for the opoonents to deal with.
Control racquets – Babolat Pure Strike, Yonex Percept, Dunlop CX, HEAD Radical, Wilson Blade, Tecnifibre TF40
Lower stiffness, thinner frames, focused on dependability and precision. The player needs to produce the power, depth and spin using good footwork and technique. Demanding racquets for players that prefer to do more of the work. There are 100 sq inch, more forgiving and powerful control racquets these days like the Blade 100, Gravity MP, Percept 100, Strike 100, Dunlop CX 400 Tour…
The in-between – HEAD Speed MP, Nordicdots Model 100, Tecnifibre Tfight
(and you can put control 100 sq inch racquets like Dunlop CX 400 Tour, Babolat Pure Strike 100 16/20, Yonex Percept 100)
There are racquets that try to do balance all of the above. Control, spin and power in equal measures, kind of. Sounds like the perfect racquet? Well, it depends, they work for many but not everyone.
Others – Wilson Clash (comfort), HEAD Gravity (control), Prestige (control/precision), Pro Staff (control/precision),
There is no easy right and wrong here. You need to test a few different racquets in various scenarios and see what works for you. If you don’t like a racquet after 30 min of playing, it’s unlikely you will love it after a week. Usually you like the racquet straight away and with some tweaking and time you learn to love it.
Racquets for beginners
Head size: 100-110 sq inches. You can go for an even more oversized racquet, but somewhere maneuverability drops, so I think 110 max is fine.
Weight: 260-290g unstrung. A lighter racquet will make it easier for you to swing it, but it will have less stability and impact on the ball.
Balance: will depend on the weight of the racquet. If it is 260g (9.2 oz), it will be more head-heavy to maintain stability. It is 285g (10 oz); it should be more head-light to improve maneuverability. You do not need to worry about swing weight or customization.
Stiffness: try to avoid strung RA values at 70 or above. Some players struggle with high racquet stiffness, which in my experience, can lead to tennis elbow.
Strings: If you’re a beginner, I think it makes to use a multifilament string at around 1.25 to 1.30 gauge (thicker = better durability) at a medium-high tension of 53-57 lbs, depending on the head size. This will give more comfort and power than using a polyester string.
If you use a polyester string, don’t string the racquet higher than 52 lbs. I will give string recommendations after the racquets.
Racquet suggestions
The Babolat Pure Aero is one of the more popular racquets on the market for a reason. A nice feel, easy spin and power and quite maneuverable.
The Clash is such a player-friendly racquet. The focus on comfort should be excellent for many beginners who might struggle with their technique. A forgiving and fun racquet to use.
There are lighter models, but I think the regular Clash 100 can work from beginners up to the intermediate level. If you are unsure if you can handle the weight, I’d for the Clash 100L instead.
This is such a light and user-friendly racquet with great feel and comfort. I would say my personal fave of the beginner racquets.
For the budget-conscious, this racquet delivers fantastic value. A solid starting block as a beginning tennis player at 99 USD!
Racquets for Intermediate players
There is an abundance of choices for intermediate players. We’d pick some favorites that should work for a vast group of players.
I think most intermediates should focus on a 100 sq inch racquet with a mix of abilities.
This is a new model from Tecnifibre that balances power and spin with a decent level of control. It is relatively forgiving but still rewarding when you hit the sweet spot. A weapon for flatter hitters.
Compared to the Tfight, this has a slightly softer feel and is lower-powered than the Tfight. It has a slightly higher launch angle, which should suit players who like to generate more top spin, while the Tfight is a better choice for flatter hitters.
The Speed is such a versatile choice it should be demoed by many different types of players. It can produce a heavy spin ball, but also has enough control for all court tennis. A higher launch angle compared to the Pro version, for example.
This racquet gets overlooked quite a bit, but it is an excellent frame that balances power and control really well. The launch angle is slightly lower on this one, allowing for more precision when attacking.
Racquets for advanced players
Advanced players can generate more racquet head speed and often require slightly less forgiveness than intermediate players.
There is a reason you see the Blade everywhere. It’s an icon in the game for players who can generate power and want the racquet provide the best possible control on their shots.
There is a Blade 100 for intermediate players, which should be considered if you like a Blade-style racquet but need more forgiveness.
HEAD Radical Pro
