Choosing the right racket
Choosing a tennis racket is a big decision, not to mention a potentially daunting experience.
Before you can select the best tennis racket for your level of play, it’s important to understand what you need to ensure that you have the right racket for your current skill level and one that will allow you to improve as a tennis player, not necessarily one that just looks super sleek & sexy…! Some players may need to find a racket that helps with power, whilst others may need a racket that provides more control.
When it comes to buying a new tennis racket, nothing actually beats playing with it before committing to it. We can talk about all the different specifications all we like, but the reality is that there is no substitute for feeling a racket in your hand. Nevertheless, there are some important terms when it comes to rackets that can be very valuable when you are looking at buying a new ‘bat’...
The best way to pick a racket might be playing with it, but there are literally hundreds of rackets out there and realistically unless you are a 'rackoholic', you can't hope to try them all. To that end, in order to get the right rackets in your hands to try, you're going to have to narrow your search down a little bit, and the best way to do that is by understanding the specifications ( specs ) of rackets. You can tell a lot about a racket by understanding what these specs mean and subsequently this can help you narrow down your search.
Unfortunately, some of the terminology is a bit complex and when you’re new to tennis it can be hard to figure out what you’re looking for. Even seasoned pros would struggle to explain some of the specs, so fear not, you’re not alone…!
The most important thing is not understanding the technical details of how and why these specs come about. It’s more about understanding how these specs affect the characteristics of a racket and how these characteristics might suit your game.
In order for you to better understand the racket specs we use, and to give you a better idea of how to find rackets that suit you, we’ve broken down some of the key specs and how they might affect a racket's playability.
Obviously, all rackets are different, and they’re going to play in their own unique way. By understanding the specs of a racket though, you can gain some insight into how a racket might play and can then figure out whether it’s one that you might want to try.
Below is a breakdown of all the specs that you might want to understand when it comes to buying a tennis racket.
Selecting the right racket for your skill level
Before you can select the best tennis racket for your level of play, it’s important to understand two important elements of racket construction : head size and weight.
TENNIS RACKET HEAD SIZES:
OVERSIZE: 105” or larger
MIDPLUS: 98” - 104”
MIDSIZE: 85” - 97”
TENNIS RACKET WEIGHTS:
LIGHTWEIGHT FRAME: 255 - 275g
MEDIUM WEIGHT FRAME: 275 - 310g
HEAVY WEIGHT FRAME: 310g or heavier
Racket Weight
This one’s pretty straightforward, but of course, being tennis it’s a bit more complicated than it should be...
The static weight simply refers to how much the racket weighs, but you will often find it listed in two different ways. At Zx Racket Lab, we refer to weight as the unstrung weight of the racket, so in other words the total weight of the racket before it has been strung. This is just a preference for when we carry out customisation work.
Here in the UK, the unstrung weight tends to be more commonly referred to, so its just something we understand a bit more easily. There isn’t a best way to measure the weight, but perhaps the strung weight is a bit more accurate, given that’s what you’re actually going to play with.
The strung weight is the total weight of the racket when it has been strung, so when you’re out on court, this is the weight you’re actually playing with. In general, the strung weight is going to be around 15 - 18g (0.5 oz) heavier than the unstrung weight. Each type of string has slightly different characteristic, so this will vary based on the type of string used.
The weight of your racket is going to have a huge effect on how it plays, and this is possibly the most talked about aspect of a racket. Here at Zx Racket Lab, we all use quite different racket weights.
I use Solinco's Whiteout 18 x 20, which is 305g unstrung, one of our Elite Performance Trainers uses an even lighter Yonex Vcore 98 racket, which only weighs 275g unstrung, yet conversely another of our Elite Performance Trainers uses his trusty Wilson Pro Staff Classic weighing in @ 350g unstrung. These might not sound like huge differences, but believe me, when it comes to swinging them, you’d definitely notice the difference. The general rule with weight is that lighter rackets will give more manoeuvrability whereas heavier rackets will generate more power.
This is a very complicated equation though - If you don’t have well developed strokes, then you’re not going to get any power from a heavy racket and you’ll get a lot more power from a lighter racket, so there is no definitive formula.
The majority of people are going to play with a racket that weighs between 290g and 315g. Once you start pushing past 315g, you’re going to need to have some pretty developed strokes to get the most out of the racket. Because many pros tend to play with heavy rackets - 320g +, I see lots of people who are obsessed with playing with a heavy racket. The fact is that many of these people don’t have the strokes to get the most out of these rackets, and they would unquestionably benefit from something lighter.
There’s no fixed rule when it comes to the weight of your racket, but you’ve got to understand your game and your level and be realistic about the weight of the racket you use.
Getting the weight of your racket right is one of the most important parts of choosing a racket. Not only is it going to affect how you play, but it’s also going to affect your body. Playing with the wrong weight of racket is a sure-fire way to pick up injuries, and this can be done by having a racket that is either too light or too heavy…!
Swingweight
We’d like to think that racket weight was pretty simple in the end…! On the other hand, swingweight is not quite so simple, but the effect it can have on a racket is just as important. The technical definition is quite irrelevant for us though and what really matters is how the swingweight affects the way the racket plays. Again, we can only speak of a general rule here, nothing is set in stone, but generally, swingweight gives some pretty strong clues as to a certain racket’s characteristics.
More swingweight normally means more stability and less swingweight means less manoeuvrability. Swingweight is actually a better indication of a racket’s power potential than weight. The added stability that swingweight gives you means the racket stays more solid on contact and less energy is lost during the collision of the ball and the racket, and this results in more power. However, the same thing applies to swingweight as to weight - If you don’t have the strokes to harness the swingweight, you’re not going to get as much power out of the racket.
Many people find that they can get more power when using something with a lower swingweight and this is entirely possible. Remember, we established that at Zx Racket Lab, Elite Performance Trainer A had the lightest racket, Elite Performance Trainer B had the heaviest racket and I was in the middle.Well, when we look at the respective swingweights, things are much closer together, my Solinco Whiteout 98 305 has a swingweight of 320, Elite Performance Trainer A’s Yonex Vcore is only 309 and Elite Performance Trainer B’s Pro Staff Classic is at 330.
It’s tempting to see the weights of the rackets and assume that the Pro Staff is by far the most powerful, but when it comes to swingweight they’re much more similarly matched.
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Balance
One of the reasons the Yonex Vcore 98 can be 20g lighter than the Wilson Project W Labs Shift 99 but still have a very similar swingweight is balance. Balance is the way in which weight is distributed throughout the racket and you will find it generally written as a number of points followed by HL (headlight) or HH (head heavy), measured in mm.
Head Size
Head size is one of my pet hates to complain about…! You see quite a few rackets these days that have massive heads and I just find them to be a complete gimmick.There seems to be some kind of idea out there that a big head equals big power but that’s not always the case. A big head might give you a bigger sweet spot because the weight is distributed further from the center of the racket, which in turn stops the racket twisting about it’s axis so much, so you might get slightly more power when you don’t hit the ball super cleanly. However, I find that there are few people out there, beginner, intermediates or even advanced players that miss the middle of the racket far too often. A racket might be advertised as super powerful, because of it’s head size, but the reality is, a massive head is just going to make the racket harder to manoeuvre and not add power to your game.
All of us at Zx Racket Lab have smaller to medium sized racket heads. Elite Performance Trainer A’s Yonex Vcore is 98 sq. inch, my Wilson Project WLabs Shift 99 is 99 sq. inch and Elite performance Trainer B’s Wilson Pro Staff is 95 sq inches.
String Pattern
The pattern of the strings might seem fairly arbitrary, but it will make a big difference to the way a racket plays. You will often hear a racket being referred to as having either an ‘open’ string pattern or a ‘closed’ string pattern - This simply refers to the number of strings in the racket and will be written like this: the number of main strings (running vertically) x the number of cross strings (running horizontally). The two main patterns are 16 x 19, a more open pattern and 18 x 20, a more closed pattern. In a 16 x 19 string pattern, there is much more space between the strings, which means they have more space to move. You will often find that the open string pattern launches the ball at a slightly higher angle than the closed pattern, but it can vary from racket to racket. An 18 x 20 string pattern on the other hand, contains a lot more strings in the same amount of racket space. This means the strings are packed much more closely together, and there is less room for the strings to move against each other. This tends to lend the closed pattern rackets to control and many players who crave extra control will be found playing with an 18 x 20 string pattern.If you don’t know whether you would prefer a racket with an open string pattern or a closed string pattern, then it’s worth finding a racket you like and seeing if it is available in both configurations . All the other specs of the racket will be the exact same, the only difference will be the string pattern and you should notice a big difference between the two rackets. Of the Zx Racket Lab team, I am the only one to play with an 16 x 19 string pattern and I love it, but each to their own…!
How to choose a racket for Beginners
Players first learning the game of tennis should start with a light racket featuring a larger head size, often called an ‘oversize’ racket. This will help them make contact with the ball consistently while learning to rally without wearing out their arm as their muscles get used to the game.
When choosing a tennis racket for beginners, here are a few things to look out for:
Oversize head size
Lighter frame
More power
Here is our list of top beginner rackets.
Head Ti S6 – Best overall
Babolat Pure Drive 107 – Best power
Wilson Clash 108 V2 – Best comfort
Head Boost Team – Best control
BABOLAT Pure Aero Lite - Best lightweight
How to choose a racket for Intermediate Players
Intermediate players can start to reduce their head size and add a little more weight to their racket as their tennis muscles develop and they learn to generate more pace of their own. Doing these two things will allow them to keep their new-found power under control.
When choosing a racket for intermediate players, keep the following in mind:
Oversize or Midplus head size
Medium weight frame
Less power generated from the racket, more control
Listed are our top picks for intermediate players.
Wilson Clash 100 – Best overall
Babolat Pure Drive – Best advanced
Head Extreme MP – Best power
Wilson Blade 98 18 x 20 V8 – Best control
Prince Textreme Warrior 100 – Best lightweight racket for women & transitioning juniors
How to choose a racket for Advanced Players
Advanced players should be using “mid-size” rackets that allow them to play with control, feel and precision. These three benefits will provide a more connected-to-the-ball-feel, allowing players to play more confidently as they go for their shots.
When selecting a racket for advanced players, keep the following in mind:
Midplus to midsize head size
Medium to heavy weight frame
Rackets optimised for control and feel such as Wilson’s Pro Staff & Blade rackets.
These are our top picks for advanced players:
Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph V13 – Best overall
Yonex Vcore Pro 97 D – Best control
Babolat Pure Aero Plus (+) - Best power
Head Gravity Pro – Best comfort
Babolat Pure Aero / Origin - Best spin
How to choose a racket best suited for Women
Women tennis players typically have better control than men but do not generate as much power or spin. So in general, power and spin are most important when searching for the best tennis racket for your game.
For beginner adult women and teenagers, the Head TI S6 is our best pick. The Wilson Hyper Hammer 5.3 is also a good option that provides a little extra mobility. These rackets are all super lightweight, with a big sweet spot for comfort, and a large head size for power.
Intermediate and advanced women tennis players will want a racket with more mobility and control, but one that doesn’t sacrifice power. For this type of player, Wilson makes the two best racquets on the market.
The Yonex Ezone100 (endorsed by Naomi Osaka) and the Wilson Blade (endorsed by Emma Raducanu) are two great options.
If you have a smaller budget, the Head Instinct MP is the next best choice.
How to choose a Child's racket
When choosing a tennis racket for your child you’ll want to pick something they can grow into. If your child is 6-12 years old, then they’re likely growing fast. The last thing you want is to buy them a racket that they will outgrow in 1 year.
Below is a sizing chart for children under 12. If they’re above or below average height and strength for their age, then you’ll want to adjust accordingly.
If you’re unsure, then buy the bigger racket so your child can grow into it.
For children just starting out, the Head Novak/Maria tennis rackets are a great option. They come in each size in the chart below.
For children over 12, we recommend adult-sized 27” rackets. If your child is a beginner or is undersized for their age, buy the Wilson Hyper Hammer. These rackets are adult-sized but lightweight, making them the best choice for beginners in their teens.
For intermediate to advanced children transitioning from a junior racket, or stronger children who don’t need as much help with power, look at the adult racquets from above. They will need a racket that will allow them to continually develop their tennis game as they grow physically.
Picking a tennis racket brand
The best tennis racket brands on the market all have a wide variety of rackets for a wide range of players. For this reason, when considering what racket is best for you, you’ll want to consider the size, weight, string pattern, and other factors, more than just the brand.
The four leading tennis racket brands are Wilson, Babolat, Head and Yonex. Tecnifibre is a less common brand that is growing in popularity. We’ve reviewed most rackets from these brands below.
Wilson racket reviews
Babolat racket reviews
Head racket reviews
Yonex racket reviews
Dunlop racket reviews
Tecnifibre racket reviews
Prince racket reviews
Other less common brands include Volkl Solinco, ProKennex, Lacoste & Diadem.
All of these brands have rackets for all types of players, and they most have multiple top professional tennis players who use and endorse their brand.
Tennis racket construction
When choosing a racket, there are three elements which affect power and control: Headsize, Weight and String Pattern :
Larger Headsize = More Power
Smaller Headsize = More Control
Lighter Racket = More Power
Heavier Racket = More Control
Open Stringbed = More power/Spin
Closed (denser) Stringbed = More Control
Conclusion
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the specs of a racket when you’re looking for a new racket.
At the end of the day though, there is no substitute for playing with a racket.
You might think the specs of a racket suit your game perfectly, but when you get out on court, you find you’re just not a match.
If you look at certain specifications in isolation, then you can be easily misled.
Take the example of the Wilson Pro Staff - if you look at the balance of this racket alone, you may think it is a super speedy, manoeuvrable racket but it’s certainly not that.
Use your knowledge of tennis racket specs to get a feel for what a racket might be like and use it to identify the rackets you want to try.
Once you’ve got the racket in your hands, you may find it doesn’t play exactly how you thought..!