Best Tennis Racquets
A complete guide for beginners, intermediates and advanced players (Updated December 2023)
If you're looking for a new tennis racquet, we can help. Our team has carefully gone through the massive inventory of current racquets to find the best racquets for every ability level. Here are our top picks.
Best racquets for beginners
| CATEGORY | OUR PICKS |
| All-around value | |
| Comfort & power | |
| More control | Head Boom Team 2022 |
Best racquets for intermediates
| CATEGORY | OUR PICKS |
| Power & spin | Wilson Shift 99 |
| Control & feel | Head Speed MP |
| Arm-friendly | Prince Ripstick 100 |
Best racquets for advanced players
| CATEGORY | OUR PICKS |
| Power & spin | |
| Control & feel | |
| Arm-friendly | Head Gravity Pro 2023 |
A closer look best beginner racquets
If you are just starting your tennis journey, you'll want a light and comfortable racquet that makes learning the game easy. Here are the three racquets you should be looking at.
All-around value- Babolat Pure Drive 110 (tie)
Why it’s the best: The Pure Drive 110 continues to be an obvious choice for any player who wants high comfort, easy power and raw speed. At under 284 grams strung, this ultra maneuverable racquet is ideal for beginners. The large hitting area provides a nice margin of error, ensuring that comfort and power remain high even when contact is less than perfect.
All-around Value- Head Extreme Team Racquet 2022 (tie)
Why it’s the best: The Head Extreme Team 2022 offers raw speed and easy targeting making it a great option for improving players looking to rise to next level. Weighing just 290 grams strung, this stick is ideal for beginners and early intermediate players looking to address the ball with confidence.
Comfort & power- Wilson Clash 108 v2
Why it’s the best: The Clash 108 v2 is the perfect pick for any dedicated beginner who wants a racquet that will reward improvement. This oversized racquet offers an outstanding feel that serves big and feels stable on volleys, while providing a higher level of control compared to its competitors.
More Control- Head Boom Team 2022
Why it’s the best: The Head Boom Team is perfect for the intermediate player who wants a speedy racquet with controllable power. The larger head size (102in) packs a wider more responsive contact zone in the upper hoop, resulting in a more expansive sweetspot and larger spin-window. For optimal results, we recommend stringing with a multifilament like Head Velocity.
A closer look at best intermediate racquets
If you're an intermediate player, you will be able to rally with moderate power and consistency. You'll want a racquet that complements your developing style, whether it be grinding out long points from the baseline or banging forehand winners from a dead sprint. Here are the racquets you should be looking at across the most important categories.
Best power & spin: Wilson Shift 99
Why it’s the best: The Shift is the newest family in the Wilson racquet lineup, and it promises easy spin and power along with good feel. Wilson engineered this racquet to fit today's game of heavy topspin. Our testers did indeed find plenty of spin potential from the Shift 99, and they awarded topspin the highest score in their review. The Shift 99 also delivers easy power, according to our playtesters, making it easier to play offensive tennis and hit that next gear during gameplay.
Honorable mentions - Power & spin racquets for intermediates
Pro tip: Spin comes primarily from your racquet’s speed and angle at contact. You can add more spin to your current racquet by selecting a stiffer string with a low coefficient of friction and/or increasing your reference tension (which will enable you to swing faster).
Control & feel: Head Speed MP
Why it’s the best: Why it's the best: This latest edition of the Speed MP thoroughly impressed our playtesters. One of them was impressed enough to make the switch, and a couple of them said it is their favorite version to date. What we liked about this version is that it feels more maneuverable than its predecessor yet delivers the blend of power, control and feel the series is known for.
Honorable mentions - Control & feel racquets for intermediates
Pro tip: If you’re looking for more control, select a racquet with a more flexible beam and smaller head size. For players with flatter mechanics, a dense string pattern can help with control. For players who hit with spin and higher trajectories, a more open (spin-friendly) string pattern can help with control. You can add control to your current racquet by increasing string tension and/or selecting a firmer string.
Arm-friendly: Prince Ripstick 100
Why it's the best: Rising intermediate players looking for an arm-friendly racquet with impressive all-around playability have come to the right place! It's called the Ripstick 100 (280) and like the best modern player's racquets, it will help you load the ball with pace and spin.
Honorable mentions - Arm-friendly racquets for intermediates
A closer look at best racquets for advanced players
If you're an advanced player, you have a fully developed game and extensive experience playing competitive matches. In addition to finding a racquet that complements your strengths, you’ll need enough mass to drive the ball powerfully through the court or redirect higher levels of pace. Here are the racquets you should be looking at across the most important categories.
Power & spin: Babolat Pure Aero 2023
Why it’s the best: The Pure Aero 2023 update feels more forgiving and controlled, without sacrificing the spin this family of racquets is known for producing. Babolat has found a wonderful middle ground between control and power that our playtesters think will more than satisfy the Pure Aero diehards, as well as newcomers in search of a spin monster.
Power & spin: Yonex Ezone 98 2022
Why it’s the best: The EZONE 98 remains one of the most user-friendly, player-oriented racquets on the market, and it will shine in the hands of intermediate and advanced players who crave comfort, control and spin. Our playtesters had excellent command of the ball without giving up too much put-away power.
Honorable mentions - Power & spin racquets for advanced players
Looking for more options? Read our Power Racquets Gear Guide or Spin Racquets Gear Guide
Control & feel: Wilson Blade 98 v8
Why it’s the best: The Wilson Blade 98 v8 offers the same top-tier playability with speed, feel spin and precision the Wilson Blade is known for. Our playtesters found the Blade 98 v8's speedy swingweight, increased stability, familiar feel and all-court versatility make it a force to be reckoned with on the court, and a must-hit for intermediate and advanced players.
Control & feel: Yonex Percept 97D
Why it’s the best: The Yonex Percept 97D occupies a unique space in the Yonex catalog. It features the brand's only 18x20 string pattern, which, when paired with its flexible 21-mm beam and near 12-ounce strung weight, gives it a unique combination of precision, stability and feel. On the court, the 97D's higher mass made for a wonderfully plush feel at impact, while also offering the necessary stability to redirect heavy pace or drive shots through the court. That said, this racquet is not without fault. Some playtesters experienced situational challenges with maneuverability and spin potential — two common downsides of heavier racquets with tight string patterns. Ultimately, though, for the experienced player in search of a stable racquet with laser-like precision and outstanding feel, the Percept 97D will prove irresistible.
Honorable mentions - Control & feel racquets for advanced players
Best arm-friendly: Head Gravity Pro 2023
Why it’s the best: Built with a thin beam and low flex, the Head Gravity Pro offers outstanding feel. With its 100-square-inch head, the racquet has an ample sweetspot, while its rounder shape allows a bit more access to spin than some other 18x20 string patterns. This Gravity Pro balances comfort, control and feel, making it a great choice for players looking for a modern classic.
Honorable mentions - Arm-friendly racquets for advanced players
Looking for more options? Read our Best Comfort Racquets Gear Guide
How We Pick
Wonder how we choose best gear recommendations? We gather from our playtesters' firsthand experiences reviewing and playing with all the tennis gear. We form our lists based on their reviews and feedback. You can find all of our product reviews here.
