The Best Tennis Rackets

A question we often get asked is simply “which is the best tennis racket I can buy?”.

This is a difficult question to answer because there’s such a wide range of rackets on the market, let alone the fact that every player’s wants and needs are individual to them.

However, we have put together a complete, comprehensive guide to help you find the best tennis racket possible!

Whilst there is of course no single ‘best tennis racket’ out there, there are certainly some rackets that perform different roles better than others.

The 11 Best Tennis Rackets

WILSON CLASH 100UL

  • Good for Beginners

  • High-Level Comfort

  • Powerful

Buy Now

BABOLAT BOOST AERO S

  • Good for Beginners

  • Easy Spin

  • Budget-Friendly

Buy Now

BABOLAT PURE STRIKE TEAM

  • Good for Beginners

  • Great Control

  • Good Feel

Buy Now

HEAD TITANIUM TI.S5 COMFORT ZONE

  • Good for Beginners

  • Excellent Comfort

  • Large Sweet Spot

Buy Now

BABOLAT PURE DRIVE

  • Good for Intermediates

  • Tons of Power

  • Plenty of Spin

Buy Now

BABOLAT PURE AERO

  • Good for Intermediates

  • Easy Spin

  • Maneuverable

Buy Now

WILSON BLADE 98 V7

  • Good for Intermediates

  • Excellent Control

  • Great Feel

Buy Now

YONEX EZONE 98+

  • Good for Intermediates

  • Lots of Comfort

  • Plenty of Power

Buy Now

BABOLAT PURE DRIVE TOUR

  • Good for Advanced Players

  • Tons of Power

  • Great Maneuverability

Buy Now

HEAD GRAPHENE 360 EXTREME PRO

  • Good for Advanced Players

  • Good Spin Potential

  • Lots of Power

Buy Now

WILSON PRO STAFF RF97

  • Good for Avanced Players

  • Tons of Control

  • A Classic

Buy Now

Whilst there is of course no single ‘best tennis racket’ out there, there are certainly some rackets that perform different roles better than others.

Some rackets are better for control, some for spin, and some for arm friendliness.

So, whether you are an advanced player looking to sharpen your game or a beginner that is looking for your first proper tennis racket, this guide will serve you in finding the ideal tennis racket for you!

What Makes the Best Tennis Racket?

A tennis racket should feel like an extension of your arm as you hit the ball.

It should fit like a glove and feel as natural and smooth as possible if it fulfills your needs correctly.

When you are choosing a new tennis racket there are a range of factors you should look for, such as weight, balance, and stiffness. 

However, tennis rackets can be much like shoes in the sense that it can be a long and arduous process to actually find the option that fits you perfectly.

What works for one player may be too heavy, stiff, or powerful for another.

Additionally, even when you find a racket that is a great fit, you may then want to add a different grip, change the weight or balance of the racket and string it with your favorite string set up.

Again, this can add to the long and time-consuming process of getting your racket exactly the way you want it.

However, this is important to do as it will help you feel more confident on court, improve your game and prevent unwanted injuries.

In order to speed up the process, why not try our signature custom fitting service?

It is a fantastic way to understand what your most suitable options are when it comes to picking your next tennis racket.

We tailor the service to suit your needs, as you will fill in our detailed player questionnaire that helps us understand your needs, wants, and playing preferences.

We can then recommend a variety of racket, string, and tension options to take for a demo, helping you find the best on-court weapon for you!

How to Choose the Best Tennis Racket

Now, when it comes to actually choosing your new racket, it can be easy to let your emotions get the better of you.

Many players want to use what they think is the same racket as their favorite player they see on TV, but in reality, the pros use heavily modified and customized pro stock rackets.

This means that even if the racket you see in your local pro shop looks similar to the one Rafael Nadal is using, it will actually perform very differently.

With that being said, actually choosing a tennis racket that suits your game style, level of play, physicality and specialized requirements can be a daunting and time-consuming task.

Particularly if you are inexperienced in choosing tennis rackets for yourself, finding the correct weight, balance, stiffness, technology, head size, grip size and beam thickness on your own can be a minefield!

And we haven’t even got started on strings! So, if you are having trouble deciding on the type of racket to go for, feel free to check out our custom fitting service after you finish reading this guide.

You will have an experienced pair of hands on your side, guiding you through the process step by step, helping you find the perfect racket to suit your game.

You should go for a racket that you can swing comfortably, without having to strain your body to hit the ball with.

It should be heavy enough to give you a good amount of plow through on your shots, but not so heavy that your arm is aching after playing for half an hour!

Of course, the quality and type of racket you use will also be determined how often you actually play tennis.

So if you are playing every day and competing regularly, a control focussed racket would probably suit you well.

Whereas, if you are only playing once per week, a more arm-friendly or forgiving racket that offers a bit more forgiveness and a larger sweet spot would be more appropriate.

The 11 Best Rackets

So, here we are.

Whilst we can’t give this accolade to one individual racket, we have broken down our list into categories based on playing experience and specific qualities you may be looking for.

These are power, spin, control, and comfort. The reason for this is that each player is individual and will need a racket to provide them with assistance in different ways.

A junior player that has only just picked up a racket for the first time would struggle massively trying to play with a racket optimized for an experienced professional tennis player!

So, with that being said let’s explore the 12 best tennis rackets for 2021!

The Best Rackets for Beginner Players

As a beginner player, you will be just starting out on your tennis journey.

Everyone has to start somewhere, so whatever your age and previous experience, we can find a racket that will suit you!

Most beginner players will have had little to no previous tennis experience, so will be looking for a forgiving racket that will offer them accessible power as they focus on developing their technique.

Therefore, a racket with a larger head size that will offer access to easy power, whilst remaining stable and have a consistent, reliable feel is the ideal fit for a beginner player.

Now, whilst this rule of thumb is certainly a good general approach for beginners, certain rackets are better designed for power, spin, control of comfort than others.

It is important to understand what you are looking for in your racket in general, but this should start you off nicely!

Here are some of our favorites, but check out our article on the best beginner tennis rackets for even more info!

Best Beginner Racket for Power - WILSON CLASH 100UL

  • Good for Beginners
  • High-Level Comfort
  • Powerful
Buy Now!

The Wilson Clash 100UL is a slightly more up-market choice for a beginner player, but it is perfect if you are looking for controllable power from a comfortable yet stable racket.

Being able to swing with confidence is a huge part of staying relaxed on the tennis court, and this racket will certainly help you achieve that thanks to its revolutionary FreeFlex and StableSmart technologies.

The Clash family of rackets from Wilson are designed to deliver stability, power, and control, with the 100UL focussing on accessible power from a lightweight, easy-to-use frame.

Best Beginner Racket for Spin - BABOLAT BOOST AERO S

  • Good for Beginners
  • Easy Spin
  • Budget-Friendly
Buy Now!

This entry-level Babolat is designed for beginner to intermediate players that are looking to generate a lot of spin.

This budget-friendly racket is ideal for beginners that want a lot of heavy spin on their groundstrokes, but still need a large sweet spot and plenty of margin for error.

The Babolat Boost Aero S is a great pick if you are after a whippy racket that can help you carve up the ball however you desire!

Best Beginner Racket for Control - BABOLAT PURE STRIKE TEAM

  • Good for Beginners
  • Great Control
  • Good Feel
Buy Now!

The Babolat Pure Strike Team is a great all-rounder that gives the beginner player great access to precision and control without compromising on playability.

Babolat’s new C2 Pure Feel technology utilizes existing cortex technology and combines it with a rubber compound, optimizing the feel and crisp contact from the racket.

This gives you supreme feel and touch, along with a predictable outcome on your shots.

The Pure Strike Team is perfect for a player new to the game that is looking to improve their precision!

Best Beginner Racket for Comfort - HEAD TITANIUM TI.S5 COMFORT ZONE

  • Good for Beginners
  • Excellent Comfort
  • Large Sweet Spot
Buy Now!

Head has been famed for creating some of the most accessible, comfortable and arm-friendly rackets on the market over the years.

And none are more comfortable than the Comfort Zone.

Its huge 107sq in. hoop offers a very large sweet spot, which combined with the dampening Comfort Zone technology gives you the confidence to swing through the ball with ease.

This is a great choice for a player who is getting back into tennis after a long injury layoff, or simply is looking to pick up the game for the first time but wants as friendly of a racket as possible!

The Best Rackets for Intermediate Players

The intermediate player is after a bit more performance from their racket, whilst retaining that easy-to-use, comfortable playability that beginner rackets offer in spades.

Ideally, it allows you to build on the techniques you have already developed and fine-tune them further is what you should look for.

Now, this is not always easy to find, as you may find yourself in a halfway house between player-friendly, easy-to-use rackets that don’t offer the feel you seek, but you may also find playing with incredibly stiff, heavy rackets aimed at performance players too challenging.

Intermediate rackets are perfect for good-level club players and weekend warriors that are looking to get the most out of their game, but don’t want to feel like they are trying to thread a needle every time they try to hit the ball!

For an even more detailed look at the best rackets for intermediate players take a look at our dedicated article.

Best Intermediate Racket for Power - BABOLAT PURE DRIVE

  • Good for Intermediates
  • Tons of Power
  • Plenty of Spin
Buy Now!

The Babolat Pure Drive has always been a mainstay for intermediate players that are looking to maximize the power from their game.

It is aimed at clean ball strikers that want to focus on producing smooth, effortless strokes rather than muscling the ball into court.

The Pure Drive fits the bill and offers fantastic power that is tapered and controllable.

You can also generate a good amount of spin from the Pure Drive, something that the Pure Aero rackets are more famed for.

So, if you are looking for a bit of extra boost in your game, the Babolat Pure Drive is a great choice to try!

Best Intermediate Racket for Spin - BABOLAT PURE AERO

  • Good for Intermediates
  • Easy Spin
  • Maneuverable
Buy Now!

We couldn’t mention spin rackets without mentioning the Pure Aero range of rackets.

This best seller is a fantastic option for the intermediate player looking to maximize their spin generation.

Designed from the ground up for players that love to rip the ball, the Babolat Pure Aero is a weapon best wielded by players with fast, aggressive swings that want to be aggressive from the back of the court.

Best Intermediate Racket for Control - WILSON BLADE 98 V7

  • Good for Intermediates
  • Excellent Control
  • Great Feel
Buy Now!

Wilson has a reputation for some of the most control-oriented, feelsome rackets out there.

Tracing all the way back to the pro staff models, the US powerhouse has always engineered control and feel into their rackets.

This is even more apparent in the new Blade line of rackets, specifically the 98 v7.

This racket is ideal for an intermediate player looking to find angles, mix up their game and play with poise.

You’ll get a crisp feel on volleys and a nice bite on your slices with the Blade, but you won’t have to lose any pop because of it!

Best Intermediate Racket for Comfort - YONEX EZONE 98+

  • Good for Intermediates
  • Lots of Comfort
  • Plenty of Power
Buy Now!

One of the plushest, flexible and forgiving rackets you will find on the market is the Yonex EZONE 98.

It delivers a great blend of power and feel, whilst being butter smooth and incredibly easy to swing.

The 98+ comes with a slightly extended length, helping you to generate a bit of extra pop on the ball, which is great if you are looking for even more comfort and easy access to power.

This is a great stick for intermediate players who are looking for an arm-friendly racket.

The Best Rackets for Advanced Players

When it comes to rackets aimed at advanced players, we are looking at options for the most experienced and athletic players out there.

These rackets are optimized for performance in their respective areas, so no expense is spared here!

These finely tuned rackets are ideal for those players that need a reliable, high-performing weapon they can take on to court and trust in the biggest moments.

We’ve picked out some of our favorites, but for a more detailed look, check out our article on the best rackets for advanced players.

Best Advanced Racket for Power - BABOLAT PURE DRIVE TOUR

  • Good for Advanced Players
  • Tons of Power
  • Great Maneuverability
Buy Now!

Another feature from the Pure Drive range of rackets! The Tour is the most performance focused racket in the range, offering unparalleled power and plow through.

It is the ideal companion for a player looking to focus on pure ball striking and impose their powerful game on their opponent.

The open string pattern also offers great access to spin so you can control that brute force, but this is a great racket for the advanced player seeking to crush the ball from the baseline!

Best Advanced Racket for Spin - HEAD GRAPHENE 360 EXTREME PRO

  • Good for Advanced Players
  • Good Spin Potential
  • Lots of Power
Buy Now!

This spin machine from Head is the ideal choice for a player looking to get their serve kicking like a buckaroo! The Extreme Pro is weighted very nicely.

It is stable enough to feel confident to hit through the ball, but whippy and maneuverable enough to allow you to swing very quickly through your shots and generate as much spin as you possibly can!

The Graphene 360 grommet technology offers the optimal string spacing for spin generation in this racket, meaning the strings will move around more in the string bed, creating a nice bite on the ball.

Best Advanced Racket for Control - WILSON PRO STAFF RF97

  • Good for Avanced Players
  • Tons of Control
  • A Classic
Buy Now!

The weapon of choice of the great Roger Federer himself, the Pro Staff 97 is a fantastic choice for the player looking to command as much control over the ball as possible.

This weighty, feelsome racket offers a great blend of spin, precision, and plow through so you can still attack the ball from the baseline, whilst the high weight makes it very stable up at net.

This makes it perfect for the all-court player that is looking to dictate play and win points on their terms!

Finding the perfect racket and string setup isn't easy! Take some of the stress out of the process with a custom fitting.
Get Your Custom Fitting!

Takeaways: The Best Tennis Rackets

Overall, there are a wide variety of great rackets out there for players of all abilities to try.

Finding the stick that suits your needs is the best way to get great results on court.

Therefore, understanding your game and your individual needs is a great place to start with your research for a new racket.

This is, after all, a very important decision to make, so it’s about taking your time and gathering as much information as possible.

Therefore, using our custom fitting service can really help take the stress out of the initial racket choosing process, as we recommend a range of options based on your specific needs.

A very important next step is to actually playtest the rackets you are considering!

This will give you a true insight into how they feel and whether they really do match up to your game.

Hopefully, by this point, you will be able to pick the best racket for you!

We hope our guide gave you some valuable insights and good luck with your search!

Explore more