The 17 Best Tennis Rackets for All Skill Levels (2023 Guide)

Tennis is a sport that requires not only skill, but also the right equipment. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a beginner just starting out, choosing the best tennis racket can make all the difference in your game.

But with so many different options available, it can be overwhelming to decide which racket is right for you.

That’s why I’ve compiled a list of the best tennis rackets in 2023 for all skill levels. From power to control, I’ve considered every aspect of the game to ensure that there’s a racket for everyone.

So, whether you’re looking to dominate the court with your aggressive playstyle or looking to perfect your technique with a racket that offers more control, I’ve got you covered.

Quick Summary

Importance of Choosing the Right Tennis Racket

Choosing the best tennis racket for you is an essential factor that can significantly impact your performance on the court. With the right racket, you’ll have better ball control and a more comfortable swing, allowing you to hit better shots and enjoy your game more.

Choosing the wrong tennis racket can cause injury and affect your overall performance. If your racket is too heavy or too light, it can strain your arm and shoulder muscles and even cause tennis elbow, which is a painful condition. The incorrect grip size can also cause discomfort and reduce your ability to control the ball.

Therefore, taking the time to select the right tennis racket is crucial to ensure you can play comfortably and avoid any injuries, which can ultimately help you play better and enjoy tennis for years to come.

Images above: When I represented Western Australia using a Tecnifibre racket.

Factors to Consider when Choosing a Tennis Racket

When it comes to choosing a tennis racket, it’s important to consider your skill level, playing style, and budget.

Skill Level

The first step in choosing a tennis racket is to determine your skill level. You can categorize yourself into one of these three groups:

• Beginner: If you’re just starting to learn tennis and have little to no experience.

• Intermediate: If you have played tennis before but are still honing in on your skills.

• Advanced: If you play tennis frequently and can control the placement, spin, and power of your shots.

Once you have determined your skill level, it’s essential you consider your playing style and budget. These factors will help you find the best racket for your particular needs.

Playing Style

Your playing style is another crucial factor to consider when choosing a tennis racket. Different rackets provide varying levels of control, power, and maneuverability, and finding the right one can help you improve your game.

If you prefer to play with more power and speed, a racket with a larger head size and lighter weight might be a good choice. These rackets provide more power and can help you generate more speed on your shots. They may, however, give up some control.

If you want more control over your shots, a racket with a smaller head size and heavier weight is a good option. These rackets offer more precision and accuracy, but they may require more effort to swing.

Your playing style can also have a major impact on the type of strings you choose for your racket. If you generate a lot of power, you may prefer stiffer strings to help control your shots. If you need more spin, you may prefer more flexible strings.

See my list of the best tennis strings to find out which ones are right for you.

Budget

Budget is also an important factor to consider. Tennis rackets can range in price from very affordable to very expensive, and your budget will determine which options are available to you.

If you’re just starting out and aren’t sure how much you’ll be playing, it might not make sense to invest in an expensive racket. Instead, you might consider a more budget-friendly option that will still allow you to learn the basics of the game.

However, if you’re serious about tennis and plan to play frequently, investing in a high-quality racket can make a big difference in your game. These rackets are typically more expensive, but they offer better control, power, and durability, and can last for years with proper care.

Make sure you get a good quality tennis bag so you can protect your rackets.

Remember that the cost of a racket isn’t the only expense you’ll face. You may also need to purchase strings, overgrips, and other accessories over time, so include these costs in your budget.

Key Features of a Tennis Racket

When shopping for tennis rackets, you’ll notice that manufacturers like to showcase a variety of features to help you better understand a racket. Here’s a rundown of what each feature means:

• Head Size: The head size of a racket refers to the area of the racket head that comes into contact with the ball. A larger head size provides a larger sweet spot, which can be beneficial for beginners. A smaller head size offers more control and precision.

• Weight: Weight refers to how heavy a racket is. This can be displayed as either strung or unstrung. Lighter rackets are easier to maneuver and generate more racket head speed, making them ideal for beginners. Heavier rackets provide more stability and power but require more strength and technique to use effectively.

• Length: The measure of a racket from the bottom of the handle to the top of the head. A tennis racket’s standard length is 27 inches, but some rackets have extended length options that can provide more leverage and reach. However, they are heavier and more difficult to maneuver.

• Balance: The balance refers to the distribution of weight throughout the racket. A racket can be head-heavy, meaning the weight is concentrated at the top, or head-light, meaning the weight is concentrated at the handle. A head-heavy racket provides more power, while a head-light racket offers more control.

• Grip Size: Grip size is also a key feature of a tennis racket. The most common sizes are 4 ⅛, 4 ¼, 4 ⅜, 4 ½, and 4 ⅝. Most players will be fine with a grip size of 4 ⅜, but depending on your hand size, you may want to go up or down a grip size. I always recommend downsizing because you can always increase the size of a grip with overgrips.

• String Pattern: The string pattern refers to the number of main and cross strings on a tennis racket. The most common string patterns are 16×19 (open string pattern) and 18×20 (closed string pattern). An open string pattern provides more power and spin, while a closed string pattern provides more control.

• Swingweight: Swingweight refers to how heavy a racket feels to swing and is measured on a scale from 0 to 600. A higher swingweight requires more effort to swing but offers more power and stability.

• Stiffness: The stiffness of a racket refers to how much it flexes when it makes contact with a tennis ball. The stiffer the racket, the higher the rating, and the more flexible the racket, the lower the rating. A stiffer racket provides more power and control, while a more flexible racket offers more comfort and feel.

Types of Tennis Rackets

There is a variety of factors to consider when choosing a tennis racket, including the type of racket that best suits your playing style. Generally, tennis rackets fall into three categories: power rackets, control rackets, and tweener rackets.

Power Rackets

Power rackets are designed to generate more power behind your shots, making them ideal for players who have a slower swing speed or need a bit of extra help hitting the ball harder.

These rackets typically have larger heads, longer lengths, and are lighter, with a head-heavy balance to help generate more power.

Control Rackets

Control rackets are intended for players who already have a strong swing and want to improve their precision and accuracy.

These rackets typically have smaller heads, shorter lengths, and are heavier, with a head-light balance to provide more control over the ball.

Tweener Rackets

Tweener rackets are a cross between power rackets and control rackets.

These rackets have a larger head size than control rackets but a smaller head size than power rackets, as well as a medium length, medium weight, and a balanced distribution.

This makes them ideal for players seeking a mix of power and control in their shots.

Reviews of the 17 Best Tennis Rackets

1. Yonex EZONE 98

Price: $$$

2022 marked the release of the new Yonex EZONE 98, and it doesn’t disappoint.

Endorsed by Nick Kyrgios, the Yonex EZONE 98 offers the perfect combination of power and spin while maintaining control, making it an excellent choice for a wide range of players.

Yonex has also made some minor changes to the latest version of the EZONE 98 to improve it even further. The racket’s mass has been increased to help deliver more pop to the ball, and the beam has been widened for added stability and power. Yonex also incorporated their 2G NAMD Speed technology into the frame to improve flex and ball feedback.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the unique head shape found on all Yonex rackets. According to Yonex, this isometric head shape increases the sweet spot and helps with the maneuverability of the racket.

When testing out this racquet, I found that I could generate effortless power and spin on the ball. However, I did find that my arm was starting to feel tired after long periods of use due to the heavier weight. 

The Yonex EZONE 98 is my pick for the best tennis racquet for all skill levels.

Players Endorsing

• Casper Ruud
• Nick Kygrios
• Belinda Bencic
• Alexander Bublik
• Naomi Osaka
• Ben Shelton

Specs

2. Babolat Pure Aero

Price: $$$

The Babolat Pure Aero is an excellent tennis racket endorsed by many top players such as Carlos Alcaraz, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Rafael Nadal.

The Babolat Pure Aero is widely regarded as one of the most powerful and spin-friendly rackets available, making it ideal for aggressive players. This racket is relatively light at 11.2oz, allowing for easy acceleration from the baseline and quick handling at the net.

The stiffness of the new 2023 model has been reduced from 67 to 65, which is the most significant change from the previous model. This is due to the introduction of NF² Technology, which makes the frame much more comfortable and arm-friendly. They’ve also improved the FSI Spin technology to give you more control over the ball.

I found that the Pure Aero could generate loads of spin with ease, which would help players who hit the ball hard and need a racquet that’ll give them more control. However, I did find that the racquet struggled with stability when returning serves. You could combat this by adding lead tape to increase the weight of the frame.

This is an ideal racket for intermediate to advanced tennis players who have an offensive game style.

Players Endorsing

• Rafael Nadal
• Carlos Alcaraz
• Felix Auger-Aliassime
• Holger Rune
• Leylah Fernandez
• Danielle Collins
• Adrian Mannarino
• Benoit Paire

Specs

3. Wilson Pro Staff 97 v14

Price: $$$$

The Wilson Pro Staff 97 is one of the most iconic tennis rackets with this being Roger Federer’s racket of choice.

The Pro Staff 97 v14 provides unrivaled ball control and feel, with the ability to add impressive pop when needed. At 11.7oz, this racket feels very solid and can control pace with ease helping you feel confident and stable on the court.

Wilson clearly focused on control when updating this racket, with new upgrades such as Paradigm Bending and FORTYFIVE technology being included to help with racket flex and bending so you have more command over the ball. But one of my favorite updates is the color. The new Pro Staff has a bronze design that shimmers from maroon to gold under different lighting creating a unique look that I am a huge fan of.

As it is a heavier racket, I did find it a lot harder to accelerate on the ball. However, if you’re looking for control and stability, you can’t get much better that the Wilson Pro Staff.

I’d recommend this racquet for advanced players as the heavier weight is more difficult to maneuver which may be a challenge for beginner/intermediate players.

Players Endorsing

• Dusan Lajovic
• Grigor Dimitrov
• Daniel Evans
• Roberto Bautista-Agut
• Petra Kvitova
• Ons Jabeur
• Jiri Lehecka

Specs

4. Babolat Pure Drive

Price: $$$

The Babolat Pure Drive is a popular tennis racket among many players, including the likes of Fabio Fognini, Garbine Muguruza, and even Andy Roddick back in the day.

The Pure Drive is known for its explosive power while remaining spin-friendly, allowing you to dominate from the baseline. Plus, with a weight of only 11.2oz, this racket is easy to swing, enabling you to generate even more power while remaining comfortable.

The new 2021 model also includes plenty of features. Babolat’s new HTR System improves the rigidity of the frame, helping transfer more energy to the ball. They’ve also included their FSI Power Technology, which helps boost string performance and improves the grommet system. This increases the size of the sweet spot and provides extra power.

The Babolat Pure Drive has been my racquet of choice for over a year now, and I love it. The downside is that it is not the best for control but when paired with a control string, you can create a deadly combination.

Players Endorsing

• Fabio Fognini
• Garbine Muguruza
• Jordan Thompson
• Karolina Pliskova

Specs

5. Head Speed Pro

Price: $$

Endorsed by Novak Djokovic, the Head Speed Pro is one of the game’s most versatile tennis rackets.

The Graphene 360+ is a lightweight and strong material that helps strengthen the frame in strategic areas for increased stability and power. With the new 2022 model, Head added SpiralFibers to help with racket flex, absorbing more vibrations and making this racket more arm-friendly.

The Head Speed Pro has a large head size of 100 square inches, which provides a more prominent sweet spot, allowing you to add more power to your strokes. However, this racket also has an 18×20 string pattern, which gives the ball more control and spin, resulting in an outstanding blend. However, I would’ve liked the racquet to be a bit more powerful.

The Head Speed Pro is a well-balanced tennis racquet for advanced players who have an all-court game. 

Players Endorsing

• Novak Djokovic
• Jannik Sinner
• Bianca Andreescu
• Nikoloz Basilashvili

Specs

6. Head TI S6

Price: $

The Head TI S6 is the perfect choice for those who are new to the world of tennis and aren’t looking to spend too much money on their first racket.

Because of its large head size, it has a larger sweet spot, allowing you to generate power with ease. Furthermore, this makes it a very forgiving racket, which helps you build confidence in your game. When combined with the 16×19 string pattern, which adds spin to the ball for control, you have a pretty nifty racket.

The Head TI S6 is extremely lightweight, making it comfortable and arm-friendly to use. It also helps you work on accelerating through your strokes, which is why I think this is the best racquet for beginners.

However, I wouldn’t recommend this racquet for intermediate or advanced players as it lacks a lot of control and would not be heavy enough.

Specs

7. Wilson Blade 98 v8 16×19

Price: $$$

The Wilson Blade is one of the most popular tennis rackets in the world for all skill levels.

The Wilson Blade 98 v8 is a very comfortable and arm-friendly racket that is easy to maneuver. Its 98 square inch head provides a great balance of power and control, while the 16×19 string pattern allows for a good amount of spin.

Wilson included their FORTYFIVE technology, previously known as FlexFeel, with the new v8 version, which helps increase the stability and flex of the racket, making for an even more comfortable experience. They’ve also introduced Direct Connect Technology that fuses the butt cap into the handle for added stability.

When testing the Wilson Blade, I found that it provided excellent control, which is a must as an experienced player. However, it does lack a lot of power.

The Blade v8, like the Pro Staff 97 v14, features Wilson’s new Chameleon Paint, with the Blade changing shades of green depending on the lighting.

Players Endorsing

• Stefanos Tsitsipas
• Alex De Minaur
• Emma Raducanu
• Paulo Badosa
• Pablo Carreno Busta
• David Goffin
• Karen Khachanov

Specs

8. Yonex VCORE 100

Price: $$$

The VCORE is one of the most popular models in the Yonex range due to its power and spin capabilities.

Yonex redesigned the VCORE 100 in 2023, with a reengineered frame shape and wider hitting area to create a more stable and powerful racket. They’ve also included the previous generation’s 2-NAMD FlexForce Graphite to add more flex to the racket for increased control and comfort.

The VCORE 100 has always been a beast when it comes to power and spin. However, what I was very impressed by was the amount of control you got from the new 2023 model, which has been a major issue with the Yonex VCORE 100 in previous years. This blend of power, spin, and control is why I’d choose this racket over the VCORE 95 and 98.

The VCORE 100 is ideal for intermediate to advanced players looking for a racket that adds power to their strokes while maintaining ball control.

Players Endorsing

• Denis Shapovalov
• Tommy Paul
• Elena Rybakina
• Caroline Garcia

Specs

9. Head Gravity Pro

Price: $$$$

Released in 2019, the Gravity Pro is one of the newest rackets made by Head.

Its unique teardrop-shaped head and 18×20 string pattern provides excellent control and precision helping you keep your powerful shots inside the lines. With a weight of 11.7oz, I found the Gravity Pro to be very stable and could absorb pace with ease.

The Head Gravity Pro also features Graphene 360+ technology, which combines Graphene 360’s easy power and stability with flexible SpiralFibers for added comfort and feel.

While this racquet offers lots of control and stability, I would’ve liked to have seen Head make the new model more powerful. Plus, it feels quite heavy, making it harder to accelerate on the ball.

The Head Gravity Pro is ideal for experienced players who are looking for a stable racket that can control their powerful strokes.

Players Endorsing

• Alexander Zverev
• Andrey Rublev

Specs

10. Tecnifibre TFight ISO 300

Price: $$$

The Tecnifibre TFight ISO has become very popular in recent years with many ATP Tour players endorsing this racket on the pro tour.

The TFight ISO 300 is designed for intermediate and advanced players who are looking to add control and consistency to their game.

Tecnifibre updated this racket for 2023 with their new ISOFLEX System, which produces a more consistent feeling string bed so you have more control over your shots. They’ve also included their RS Section Beam technology, which provides the ideal balance of control and power.

The TFight ISO 300 was my racket of choice for many years, and it didn’t disappoint. I enjoyed the blend of power and control the racquet offered, but I would’ve liked more stability as I found it struggled when returning fast serves.

Players Endorsing

• Daniil Medvedev
• Joe Salisbury
• Arthur Rinderknech
• Tallon Griekspoor

Specs

11. Prince ATS Textreme Tour 98

Price: $$

The ATS Textreme Tour 98 is the newest member of the Prince Tour family.

The racket has excellent control and power, as well as great spin potential, making it ideal for players who prefer to play from the baseline. Because the ATS Textreme Tour has a relatively light head, I found it easy to maneuver and allowed for more acceleration on my shots.

With a stiffness of 62, I found the Prince ATS Textreme Tour 98 to be very comfortable and arm-friendly, making it ideal for players who struggle with tennis elbow.

This racket is great for intermediate players who want a racket that is easy on the arm and provides a good balance of power and precision.

Specs

12. Tecnifibre Tempo 298

Price: $$

The Tecnifibre Tempo 298 is a lighter tennis racket that is designed for speed and spin.

Endorsed by World No.1 Iga Swiatek, the Tempo 298 is slightly lighter than your typical, modern-day racket with a weight of 11oz. This helps you accelerate faster on your strokes adding more explosiveness to your game. The 98 square inch head and stiffness of 71 help you control this extra speed for a great combination of speed and precision.

Tecnifibre also included Dynacore XTC technology to help reduce harsh vibrations which can be a problem with lighter tennis rackets. However, I found that it struggles with stability when receiving pace. This is because it is lighter than a lot of the other rackets on this list.

This racket would be great for intermediate players who are looking for a frame that is lighter and easier to maneuver.

Specs

13. Head Radical MP

Price: $$$

The Head Radical has been a popular racket for many years, first appearing in the 1990s when it was used by Andre Agassi.

Compared to the Radical Pro, the Head Radical MP is slightly lighter making it easier to accelerate on your strokes and react quicker at the net. I also found that this racket provides a good amount of spin and power due to the 98 square inch head and 16×19 string pattern.

For 2023, Head improved the ball feedback of the Radical MP by adding a flexible Auxetic construction to the racket’s throat. They’ve also included Graphene 360+ technology, which is seen across many of the modern-day tennis rackets made by Head.

One feature that I like is Head’s Control Pattern technology, which reduces the spacing between the eight mains in the center of the racket for improved control, without sacrificing the benefits of the 16×19 string pattern.

I felt that this racquet had excellent control but wasn’t the most arm-friendly due to the stiffer frame.

Players Endorsing

• Taylor Fritz
• Andy Murray
• Diego Schwartzman
• Sloane Stephens

Specs

14. Babolat Pure Strike 16×19

Price: $$

The Babolat Pure Strike is a popular choice among intermediate to advanced players seeking a combination of power, control, and feel.

The Pure Strike has a 98 square inch head size and a 16×19 string pattern, providing a good balance of power and spin potential. Its stiffer frame makes it easier to generate power while maintaining stability.

One of the racket’s standout features is its feel which is due to Babolat’s Control Frame Technology. I found that the Pure Strike provided excellent feedback, allowing me to feel in control of every shot. Another key feature of this racket is how effortless it is to maneuver making it easy to generate power and react for volleys.

However, the stiffer frame means that it wasn’t the most arm-friendly racket I’ve tested.

Players Endorsing

• Dominic Thiem
• Cameron Norrie
• Anett Kontaveit

Specs

15. Wilson Clash 100 v2

Price: $$$$

The Wilson Clash is one of the most unique tennis rackets in the world due to how flexible it is.

With a stiffness rating of 57, the Wilson Clash v2 is one of the most flexible rackets on the market. This makes it ideal for players who suffer from arm injuries, such as tennis elbow, and want a racket that is comfortable to use.

The Wilson Clash’s flexibility comes from its FORTYFIVE technology, which allows the racket to bend more and soften the impact of the ball.

I found that the Clash was relatively powerful, which was surprising as it is very flexible. This is an excellent choice for intermediate players looking for a lightweight, arm-friendly option. However, I wouldn’t recommend it for advanced players as it lacks stability due to its lighter weight.

Specs

16. Dunlop FX 500

Price: $$

The Dunlop FX 500 is a great racket for advanced players who are looking to add more pace and spin to their game.

The FX 500 has a larger head and thicker beam than other rackets on the market, giving you more power and precision with your shots. The stiffer frame allows you to add more control to the ball, giving you the confidence to accelerate on your shots without fear of missing the lines.

Weighing in at 11.3oz, the Dunlop FX 500 is on the lighter side making it easy to swing fast on your shots and use at the net.

Although the 2023 model is more flexible than the previous model, I still found this frame to be very stiff and unsuitable for people looking for an arm-friendly tennis racket.

Specs

17. Head Boom MP

Price: $$$

The Head Boom MP racket is designed for intermediate-level players looking for more power and comfort.

The teardrop-shaped head differs slightly from other Head rackets but allows for more easy power making it a good choice for intermediate players. Furthermore, at 11.1oz, it is a light frame meaning you can accelerate more on your strokes and move around the court with ease.

The Boom MP features Head’s Graphene 360+ technology as well as Auxetic technology to help with power and flex. This makes the Head Boom MP a comfortable and arm-friendly racket to use. But, as it is lighter, I found it lacked stability which is important for advanced players.

Specs

Final Words

Finding the perfect tennis racket can make all the difference in your game. Whatever your skill level, there’s a racket out there that will suit your needs.

I hope this article has helped you in your search for the best tennis racket and has taught you some things you may not have known.

All you need to do now is choose your weapon of choice, and let your game speak for itself!

Featured Image: Gonzalo Facello