Best Tennis Rackets of 2024
Looking for a new tennis racket but can’t decide which one to get? Check out our advice on finding the best tennis racket and some frames we consider the best available.
If you were expecting this blog post to list the Top 10 rackets available right now, then I have some funny news for you. This guide focuses more on finding the right racket for your game, rather than labeling one racket as the absolute best.
While I’ll offer specific recommendations later on, it’s important to understand that choosing the right tennis racket is subjective and depends on individual preferences and playing style.
How to choose the best tennis racket
Choosing the best tennis racket starts with understanding your playing style. Are you a powerful baseline player, or do you prefer finesse and control at the net? Knowing your strengths and weaknesses on the court will guide you toward rackets that complement your style. This understanding will be crucial as we explore how different racket features like weight, balance, and head size can enhance your performance.
When selecting a tennis racket, several factors come into play. Weight determines the maneuverability and power potential of the racket. We’ll discuss how to find the right weight that matches your physical strength and playing preferences. Additionally, racket balance—whether it’s head-light or head-heavy—affects how the racket feels during swings, impacting your control and stability.
The grip size of your tennis racket is often overlooked but plays a significant role in comfort and control. We’ll cover how to determine the correct grip size that feels natural in your hand, allowing for proper technique and preventing injuries. Choosing the right grip ensures that you can comfortably handle the racket throughout long matches without compromising your performance.
Ultimately, choosing the best tennis racket is a personal decision that should align with your individual needs and preferences. We’ll explore how to test rackets to find the one that feels right for you. Whether you prioritize power, control, or a blend of both, understanding these key aspects will empower you to make an informed decision that enhances your enjoyment and success on the tennis court.
Find the Right Rackets for You Using Simple Physics
Hitting a tennis ball with a racket is an example of an unbalanced force acting upon an object in motion. We are taking a heavy thing (the racket), striking a lighter object (a tennis ball) and hopefully watching it sail over the net deep into the opponent’s half of the court.
You can put your physics hat on and go much deeper. Still, that momentum transfer process means only five characteristics of a tennis racket govern how it achieves that kinetic energy transfer and how it feels to the person using it. They are:
- The weight of the racket
- The balance of the racket
- The stiffness of the racket
- The string pattern of the racket
- The head size of the racket
That’s it! The job is to match each factor to a specification that suits your strengths, goals and game style.
What is the Best Tennis Racket Weight?
Weight is the main factor in determining a racket’s power. The simple rule is: the heavier the racket, the more power it has.
Unfortunately, an old myth has made many players think the opposite. I got an email recently that highlighted this issue:
New players often buy very light rackets. These rackets are easy to handle but don’t help you learn better strokes. Heavier rackets encourage longer, fuller swings that require better technique and use more of your body.
On the other hand, advanced players sometimes add too much weight to their rackets. While it feels good to hit hard during warm-up, they struggle during matches because the extra weight slows them down, causing late contact with the ball.
| PLAYER LEVEL / TYPE | UNSTRUNG WEIGHT FOR MEN | UNSTRUNG WEIGHT FOR WOMEN |
|---|---|---|
| Young people moving to an adult racket | 250-270 g | 250-270 g |
| Seniors looking for lightness and power | 240-270 g | 240-265 g |
| Beginners and beginning of 4th series | 260-275 g | 255-275 g |
| Intermediate level (near 3rd series) | 280-300 g | 270-290 g |
| Advanced level (3rd series – close to 2nd series) | around 300 g | 280-300 g |
| Advanced level (2nd series and +) | 295-340 g Good physique required from 315g | 285-315 g Good physique required from 310 g |
What is the Best Racket Balance?
The balance of a racket is how the weight is distributed. The balance point would come halfway up the frame on an evenly balanced racquet.
The balance essentially controls one thing: the ‘swing weight’ of the racquet. When reading production descriptions or reviews, you will see the terms head-heavy and head-light.
Head heavy is when more mass is further out from the centre of rotation towards the racket’s hoop. It makes the racket’s effective weight when it makes contact with the ball than it is. This adds more power to the frame at the price of making the racket harder to swing and manoeuvre.
What is the Best Racket Stiffness?
The stiffness of a racket contributes to power and comfort. A stiffer racket will give you more power. A softer frame will absorb more energy from the ball and take power away from the shot. The more rigid the frame, the less it deflects or bends on impact, and the more power is kept within the ball.
But is softer always better? But how does that relate to comfort? This is a tricky one and often boils down to personal preference. When a racket strikes a tennis ball, it vibrates. On stiffer frames, the vibrations are harsher but shorter. On softer frames, they’re less severe but last longer.
Generally speaking, most people find softer frames are more comfortable to play with and less likely to cause tennis elbow. But other players might find the exact opposite. When you combine stiffness with the string type, grip size, string pattern, etc., a stiffer-rated frame can feel just as, if not more, comfortable than a lower-stiffness racquet.
In my experience, the type of tennis string you have will affect the comfort far more than the racket stiffness, so it is never my most significant consideration.
I find stiffer rackets, with softer strings at low tension, far more arm-friendly than softer rackets.
On the specs list, a lower RA number rating indicates a more flexible racket; a higher number means a stiffer racket, with the vast majority carrying between a 55 and 75 RA rating.
Which String Pattern is Best for You?
The string pattern relates to the number of the cross and main strings on the racket, e.g. 16 main strings x 19 crosses. The pattern affects string bed stiffness and spin potential regarding how the racket plays.
The stiffer the string bed, the less variation you will get when you hit the ball. A higher string density pattern, such as an 18 x 20, produces a stiffer string bed as it deflects less on ball contact. A lower-density bed, like 16 x 19, means a less rigid string bed.
Perhaps the more significant factor, though, is spin. A looser string pattern will generate more spin than a tighter string pattern as there is more space between the strings; this creates more movement between them.
I recommend a looser 16 x 19 pattern for most players, as access to spin is a massive part of the modern game.
What is the Best Head Size for You?
Like stiffness, head size is another tricky area to say one is better. With a larger head size, you’ll see a slight increase in the power you can generate. But this is negligible, and saying a 98sq” frame is more powerful than a 95sq” while all other specs are the same isn’t always true.
A more oversized head-size racket increases rotational stability as strings have a broader surface area. The further from the centre of the stringbed the frame’s weight is distributed, the more force is required to twist the racket in your hand.
As a result, the racket can resist twisting more when you hit a ball off-centre, reducing the miss-hits and balls flying where you don’t want them. You will see the term ‘ forgiving ‘ in many racket reviews of larger head-size frames.
best tennis racket for beginners
For beginners, it is important to choose a racquet that is easy to handle, forgiving and offers a lot of power. Here are some of the best beginner-level tennis racquets:
BABOLAT EAGLE TENNIS RACKET – 275 GM
A POWERFUL YET LIGHTWEIGHT ALUMINUM FRAME MAKES IT POWERFUL AND EASY TO MANAGE. LARGE HEAD SIZES AND THE INCREASED IMPACT ZONE FACILITATE CONTROL OF THE BLOWS. THE BABOLAT EAGLE RACQUET IS AN IDEAL RACQUET FOR NOVICE TENNIS PLAYERS. THE RACQUET HAS AN ALUMINUM FRAME. THIS FRAME OFFERS A GOOD COMBINATION OF STABILITY, STRENGTH, AND CONTROL.
BABOLAT EVOKE 105 TENNIS RACKET – 275 GM
This racket is comfortable and forgiving for those first on-court experiences. With a large head (680 cm²/105 sq.in) offering more forgiveness and its aluminum construction, the Evoke 105 is ideal for beginners or recreational players looking for a light, maneuverable racket that is easy to use.
BABOLAT NADAL JUNIOR 23 TENNIS RACKET
Junior players can envision themselves accepting the court as Spanish extraordinary Rafael Nadal with this 23R01D junior racquet from Babolat. It’s optimal for tenderfoots between the ages of 6-8. This racquet highlights aluminum development and a paint work that looks simply like Rafa’s racquet of decision, the 2019 Pure Aero. It accompanies a head spread.
best tennis racket for intermediate players
Intermediate-level players need a racquet that offers a balance of power and control. Here are some of the best intermediate-level tennis racquets:
WILSON ULTRA POWER 100 (284G) TENNIS RACKET
Inspired by Wilson’s Ultra performance series, the Ultra Power 100 serves up plenty of power while mixing in elements of improved feel and control. Thanks to a Basalt Carbon Fiber composition, the frame effectively reduces racket vibrations for cleaner feel upon contact with the ball.
BABOLAT BOOST AERO PINK TENNIS RACQUET (260 GM)
Babolat Boost AERO PINK is a light weight and easy acceleration, the Boost RAFA moves fast. The crisp feel and excellent control help with targeting, and Babolat’s time-tested Woofer grommet system makes for a smooth and lively response. From the baseline the Boost RAFA not only swings easy but it manages to deliver a very precise and reliable response.
a champion.
BABOLAT G TOUR STRUNG TENNIS RACKET (BLUE/WHITE) – 295 GM
Babolat G Tour Tennis Racquet It’s time to challenge your toughest adversaries and dominating the game with your power and lift. The G Tour is the perfect compromise for players seeking spin and power.
best tennis racket for advanced players
WILSON PRO STAFF 97 V14 TENNIS RACKET – 315 GM
Babolat G Tour Tennis Racquet It’s time to challenge your toughest adversaries and dominating the game with your power and lift. The G Tour is the perfect compromise for players seeking spin and power.If you’re strong enough to handle this racket, the payoff in power is huge. The Wilson Pro Staff 97 v14 is a precision-oriented racket ideal for advanced players. Slightly lighter than the Pro Staff RF 97, it still has a high weight that’s concentrated in the handle.
BABOLAT PURE AERO 2023 TENNIS RACKET
Do you want to dominate the game with ultimate spin? The 7th generation Babolat Pure Aero tennis racquet evolves with a unique approach engineered around the spin in your game. Join players like Rafael Nadal, Leylah Fernandez, Félix Auger-Aliassime, and Carlos Alcaraz and discover which Pure Aero racquet lets you own your spin.
BABOLAT PURE STRIKE 97 2024 TENNIS RACKET 16*20 (310 GM)
Pure Strike 97 has the thinnest beam and most compact head in the Pure Strike family, this racquet delivers mindless accuracy on full cuts. It also moves extremely fast for its weight, making it great for whipping up spin, hitting shots on the run or reacting quickly at net. Compared to the previous generation, this update offers better pocketing along with a more plush feel off-center, especially in the upper hoop where the previous gen was a tad brassy.
final thoughts
So there you have it, a rather in-depth guide on how to find the best tennis racket for your game.
Remember, the above is based on my experience buying, testing and helping others choose a tennis racket. Your personal experiences may differ.
Everything I have written aside, the most important thing about buying a new racket is that you like it, how it feels to you, how it plays, and how it looks.
If a racket feels too stiff, flimsy, muted, light, or heavy, the grip doesn’t feel right, you hate the colour, or it hurts in any way when you are hitting, it isn’t the right racket for you.
If you have to think about the equipment in your hand, you will not play to your full potential. You should be able to pick up your racket and play with it without a second thought. Hopefully, this guide helps you on your way to finding the right one
FAQs
1. What should I consider when choosing a tennis racket?
When choosing a tennis racket, consider factors like your playing style (aggressive or defensive), skill level (beginner, intermediate, advanced), weight, balance, head size, and grip size. These elements will affect your control, power, and comfort while playing.
2. How does racket weight affect my game?
Racket weight influences maneuverability and power. Lighter rackets are easier to handle and swing, making them ideal for beginners and players who rely on quick movements. Heavier rackets provide more stability and power but may require more strength to handle effectively.
3. What is the difference between a racquet’s head size and string pattern?
The head size determines the racket’s sweet spot and power. Larger heads offer a bigger sweet spot and more power, while smaller heads provide more control. String pattern refers to the number of strings and their arrangement; a denser pattern offers more control, while a more open pattern allows for greater spin.
4. How do I know my grip size?
Hold a racket as you would during play to find your grip size and ensure you can fit your index finger between your fingertips and palm. Grip sizes are typically measured in inches or using the US sizing system (1 to 5). Choosing a grip size that feels comfortable to avoid injuries is important.
5. Are there specific rackets recommended for beginners?
Yes, beginners are often advised to choose lightweight rackets, that have larger head sizes, and provide more power. Some popular beginner-friendly rackets include the Wilson Clash 108, Babolat Boost Drive, and Head Ti.S6.
6. Can I customize my racket?
Yes, many players customize their rackets to suit their preferences. You can adjust the grip size, add lead tape for weight, or change the strings to alter tension and feel. However, consulting with a professional before making significant modifications is advisable.
7. How often should I replace my tennis racket?
The lifespan of a racket varies based on usage. Recreational players may replace their rackets every few years, while competitive players may need to replace them more frequently, especially if they notice a decline in performance or feel. Regularly inspect your racket for any signs of damage.
