Yonex vs Babolat Tennis Rackets (Best Picks for 2023)

What to Consider When Choosing Your Next Racket

Before we dive into the full comparison between Yonex and Babolat tennis rackets, let’s consider what is important when choosing your next tennis racket.

It’s all very well choosing a racket just because your favourite player happens to use that brand, but there is much more to picking your perfect stick than that.

Your Game Style

The first thing to consider when picking your perfect tennis racket is how you actually like to play the game. The racket you go for should complement your natural game style, supporting your strengths and shielding your weaknesses.

For example, if you are a counter puncher that likes to sit back behind the baseline and rip ground strikes, then a power or spin friendly racket may be best off for you.

It will help you play more consistently and with more margin for error. Whereas, if you are the type of player that likes to get into the net frequently and win your points with precision volleys and drop shots, then a more control oriented racket would be a better fit for your game.

It will help you place the ball exactly where you want to with greater accuracy and control.

Weight

The weight of your racket plays a major role in how accessible it is to use, how it feels in the hand and ultimately the playing characteristics of the stick.

The racket should feel comfortable to swing but also solid enough that it doesn’t send unwanted vibrations up your arm when you strike the ball.

A heavier racket will generally be more difficult to swing, but will offer more control and plough through on your shots. It will also have a solid feel and be more suitable for intermediate to advanced level players that hit the ball hard.

Whereas, a lighter racket will usually be easier to swing, offer more power and forgiveness whilst also feeling a little more tinny or flexible.

Lighter rackets tend to be more suitable for beginner to intermediate level players and juniors, as they don’t require as much physical strength or perfect technique to be used effectively.

Head Size

The size of a racket’s head actually plays quite a significant role in determining how easy or difficult it is to use. A racket with a larger head will offer more power and more margin for error, making it more forgiving to play with.

On the other hand, a smaller headed racket will offer more precision and control, as well as less power.

Generally speaking, less advanced players will tend to prefer a racket with a larger head, as it will be easier to time the contact of the ball and there is a lower degree of difficulty when using this type of racket.

Whereas, a more advanced player may prefer the feel and precision that comes with a smaller headed racket, as they also don’t need the extra power on their shots.

Yonex Tennis Rackets

Yonex is an iconic tennis brand that is not afraid to push the boat out and try new things in their racket designs.

They are famous for their Isometric racket heads, which are quite square to look at compared to the traditional oval shape.

Yonex rackets are suitable for players of all experience levels, from beginners right up to the professionals. Some of the best players of all time have used Yonex rackets, so there is plenty of pedigree in their brand!

Babolat Tennis Rackets

Babolat were first recognised on the tennis scene for producing some of the best strings out there.

However, in more recent years they have become one of the most popular and recognisable tennis racket producers on the planet. Sponsoring players like Rafael Nadal, Carlos Moya, Andy Roddick and Garbine Muguruza.

Babolat prides themselves on bold designs, extreme rackets and being on board with passionate players that aren’t shy to show their emotions on the court.

Their spin and power friendly rackets are very popular with recreational players looking to get the most out of their games.

Rackets for Power

Babolat Pure Drive

As far as power tennis rackets are concerned, there aren’t many more recognisable names than the Babolat Pure Drive.

This iconic stick has been wielded by the likes of Fabio Fognini, Carlos Moya and Andy Roddick, who all brought power and personality to the court in spades.

The Pure Drive has a pretty thick beam and is a relatively stiff racket, which improves its energy transfer and helps it produce such easy power.

Yonex Ezone

The Yonex Ezone is the most user friendly, comfortable and powerful racket in the line up.

The Ezone offers controllable power which isn’t overwhelming, but will help players that need a bit of extra pop on their shots.

It is not quite as powerful as the infamous Pure Drive, but will be a little more plush and offer a better feel.

Rackets for Spin

Babolat Pure Aero

Arguably the most famous and best selling racket of all time is the Babolat Pure Aero. Rafa’s racket of choice, this spin machine keeps the ball in the court by offering ungodly RPMs.

The Pure Aero is designed to cut through the air with ease, helping you to generate as much racket head speed as possible and rip your shots from the baseline.

Yonex VCORE

The VCORE by Yonex is a great all rounder performance racket that places the emphasis on spin and speed. It encourages you to swing quickly and whip the ball around the court in order to create angles and get your opponent moving.

The VCORE is best suited to players that like hitting a heavy ball from the baseline and want to dominate their opponents with spin and power.

Rackets for Control

Babolat Pure Strike

A racket built for the insane demands of the modern game is the Babolat Pure Strike.

Used by the heavy hitting Dominic Thiem, this control oriented racket does a great job of taming the raw power of players that take big cuts at the ball.

There is great feel on offer with the Pure Strike too, so if you like finishing off your points at the net, it will definitely suit your game style.

Yonex VCORE Pro

The most performance orientated racket in Yonex’s lineup is the VCORE Pro series.

These are weighty rackets that offer fantastic control, plough through and stability. You’ll get plenty of precision with a VCORE Pro, but beware they aren’t for the faint hearted.

You’ll need solid technique and timing to get the most out of a VCORE Pro, but if you can handle it, you’ll be able to dominate the court!

Which Brand is Best?

It is difficult to choose between two iconic brands like Yonex and Babolat, as they both offer high quality rackets that cover a range of needs.

Whilst Yonex arguably produce more performance focussed rackets, Babolat manage to cover more bases with their line up. Babolat’s rackets are also a little easier to distinguish, as they have clear segments in their range.

For a player new to the Yonex brand, it may be a little more difficult to choose between the different models.

Therefore, Yonex is a great brand for die hard tennis players that want the best performance from their racket and want to be loyal to one type of racket.

Whereas, Babolat offers a wider range of racket types that cater for many different needs, and it is also easier to pick one Babolat racket from another thanks to their clearer branding and better distinguished racket feel.

Conclusion

Overall, both Yonex and Babolat have something to offer tennis players of all levels. Many professional players use both of these iconic brands, so they’re clearly doing something right!

There isn’t much to pick between them, but it can be argued that it’s easier to identify one Babolat racket from another, due to their bolder colour schemes and contrasting racket feels.

However, Yonex rackets can actually offer higher levels of performance, particularly in their VCORE Pro range, so it really does come down to personal preference!