Best Tennis Rackets For Power

Adding a powerful racket to your game can be a great way to relieve some of the pressure from your muscles and joints, help prevent injuries and increase your confidence on the court.

A more powerful racket is also likely to have a more generous sweet spot compared to a smaller, more control oriented racket. Using a racket with a larger sweet spot means you will be able to access the most amount of power a lot more of the time.

With a smaller headed racket that has a relatively small sweet spot, your timing has to be pretty much perfect all of the time to get the best out of it. When you do find it, it can feel butter smooth and pin point accurate.

However, these rackets can be very unforgiving if you are not able to find the sweet spot. On the other end of the spectrum, a thicket, larger and stiffer racket will let the ball trampoline off the strings, giving you maximum power.

This is great if you want to improve your technique, are coming back to tennis after a long lay off due to injury, or simply want to focus on your own touch and feel and let the racket do the work for you.

All of these reasons are very common for recreational tennis players, which is why powerful rackets are so popular!

With technology in tennis rackets being so advanced these days, you will find a wide range of options when looking for a more powerful racket.

However, there are a few common traits that all of the most power friendly rackets on the market share. Let’s dive into the details and see what you should be looking for!

What to Look for in a Powerful Racket

Even within the powerful racket segment of the market, there is something for everyone. Whether you are a beginner who is just looking for the most forgiving racket possible, an intermediate player looking to improve their technique or an advanced player who just needs some extra pop, there is a racket out there to suit your needs.

If you are looking for an arm friendly racket, opting for a more powerful stick can definitely help. The additional power and large sweet spot can really help to take the strain off of your arm, although you would probably want to opt for a very well dampened racket.

Whilst there is a lot of variation even in this area of the market, there are a few elements that the best rackets for power share.

Large Head Size

Having a larger head size is a great asset in a power friendly racket. The greater surface area gives you a lot more margin for error when you strike the ball.

This means that even if your timing is off or you do not hit the ball as cleanly as you would like, you can still produce a powerful shot.

A racket with a larger head size will also have a larger sweet spot. Many of the manufacturers will engineer technologies into their most powerful models in order to maximise the sweet spots.

The reason for this is that having a larger sweet spot increases the forgiveness and power generation of the racket.

The sweet spot is where the most power is generated in the racket. It is generally in the middle of the racket or just above the centre, where you will most likely try to strike the ball. Hitting the ball in the sweet spot consistently reduces the vibrations that will be sent down your arm, give you a more comfortable feel and increase the power in your shots.

Thick Beam

A racket with a thicker beam is almost always going to be more sturdy feeling than one with a thinner frame. This is because the thickness allows you to crush the ball without it flexing as much and will take out some of the harsh vibrations that you may otherwise feel on contact.

Additionally, a thicker beam increases power thanks to the increased stiffness that is often associated with these rackets.

Head Heavy Balance 

Having a lot of weight up at the top of the racket’s head helps create a real sledgehammer effect in a tennis racket. This trait really helps get the racket to drive through the ball, increases plow through and means you can club the ball with a lot of easy power.

This is great for players that want to really throw their racket into their shots and be rewarded for it.

Whilst a head heavy balance may hamper the maneuverability of the racket, if you are looking to maximise the power you can generate, this is the way to go. Having more of the weight in the hoop also tends to increase the stability of the racket, helping it to feel more solid on contact.

High Stiffness Rating

Playing with a stiff racket may not sound like the most appealing thing to do. Afterall, who wants to play with a racket that may feel uncomfortable on their arm?

Well, whilst this may be the case with some older rackets, modern technology has advanced so much that you can now find rackets with a high stiffness rating that actually feel comfortable too.

But, why would having a stiffer racket increase power? Well, if you strike the ball with a stiff racket, the frame itself doesn’t flex very much as the ball meets the strings.

This means the strings can flex whilst the frame stays relatively stable, which makes the ball rocket off the string bed. This creates a trampoline effect from your racket and reduces the energy loss that a more flexible racket may encounter.

A more flexible racket may feel more plush and connected to the ball, but a stiffer racket transfers all of its energy into the ball being sent down the other end of the court with pace.

Therefore, if you are looking for the best tennis rackets for power, a high stiffness rating is the way to go.

The Best Tennis Rackets for Power

Here are some of our top picks for power friendly rackets. Whilst we can’t simply recommend one single racket, we have tailored this section to suit a range of different requirements.

Bear in mind that the best way to get a true feel for what you are buying is to play test the rackets yourself. But, this should give you a good idea of the sort of rackets to look for and get you started on your search!

Best Power Rackets for Beginners

As a beginner player looking for power, you will be after a forgiving racket that is easy to swing and straightforward to play with. With this in mind, here are a few of our favourite choices for you.

Best Power Rackets for Intermediate Players

Generally, intermediate players will be looking for the best of both worlds when it comes to picking a racket. In this case, striking the balance between hefty weight and maneuverability and a powerful racket that still offers a level of comfort is the key.

Best Power Rackets for Advanced Players

Advanced big hitting players will still be looking for a powerful racket, but can handle a bit of extra weight and will be looking to combine their long swings with a sledgehammer of a racket. Therefore, the best power rackets for advanced players come with a bit more heft.

Takeaways

Overall, there are a wide range of powerful tennis rackets out there for players looking for a bit of extra pop on their shots. There are also different power oriented rackets depending on your level of play or setup preferences.

There are a few common themes that are present in all of the best tennis rackets for power, being high stiffness, head heavy balance, a larger head size and a thick beam. These characteristics make for heavy hitting rackets that will help you hit through the ball with ease.

Whilst this guide will definitely help you determine which racket is best for you, if you need a bit more assistance finding the perfect racket for you, give our custom fitting service a try. It really helps take the stress out of picking your perfect racket and string combination.