The 11+ Best Tennis Racquets for Beginners in 2019

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If there’s one thing that can make getting started with tennis tricky, it’s the dizzying selection of tennis racquets coupled with marketing jargon that suggests every tennis racquet is the best.

Today, we’re going to walk you through step-by-step how to approach selecting a racquet if you’re new to the game and share our recommendations and reviews for the best tennis racquets for beginners in 2019.

Here’s a look at what we’ll cover in this article. Click any of the following links to jump straight to that section.

• Does it matter which racquet I choose?
• Questions to Ask Yourself
• Types of Tennis Racquets
• Key Racquet Attributes for Beginners
• Popular Racquet Brands
• Men’s vs. Women’s Tennis Racquets
• Tennis String Basics
• Racquet Guide for Beginners
• Best Racquet for Beginners

Looking for a sneak peek at what’s to come? Here are our top 12 picks for you to check out. Keep scrolling to learn which racquet is best for you.

Does it matter which racquet I choose?

I’m going to level with you. On day one as a beginner, your tennis racquet is not going to make a huge difference. Don’t get me wrong; there are good and bad tennis racquets for beginners and key attributes to consider.

However, many players new to the game overemphasize the importance of their tennis racquet when first getting started. The hard truth is that buying Roger Federer’s tennis racquet is not going to help you play any better. In fact, for most beginners, it would be a poor choice. (More on that to follow).

At the same time, zero consideration for your racquet won’t set you up for success either. As we’ll cover, there are a few key attributes that help make learning how to play tennis as a beginner easier and more fun.

Questions to Ask Yourself

The following two questions are helpful to consider before buying a new tennis racquet as a beginner. If you can answer “yes” to either one of the following questions, then the racquets we cover in this article are going to be terrific options to consider.

On the other hand, if you answer “no” to either of them, then you may want to consider something less expensive.

Is your budget more than $50 for your racquet?
If you don’t have a lot to spend and you’re just getting started, then you don’t have to overspend to get started playing tennis. Our list of affordable tennis racquets offers an excellent selection to choose from to get a feel for the game, and you can always upgrade later.

On the other hand, if you have a little extra to spend, you’ll likely come to appreciate the nuanced differences in our racquet recommendations covered in this article as your skills improve. Of course, that brings us to our next question.

Are you committed to improving your game?
If you want to get out on the court with friends a few times a year and don’t have any intention of playing tennis frequently, then there’s not much reason to spend a bunch of extra money on a tennis racquet. You’ll have plenty of fun with an inexpensive racquet.

However, if you’re planning on taking lessons or committing yourself to play for the long haul, then you’ll likely come to appreciate what a mid-range model offers as your skills develop.

The most important takeaway here is that your tennis racquet won’t make you a better player on its own. Give Rafael Nadal a $20 kids tennis racquet, and you know he’ll still be 98% of tennis players in the world.

Instead, a quality tennis racquet can do wonders to compliment a player’s style of play and enhance their skills, but it all starts with building the fundamentals which takes time.

Types of Tennis Racquets

To better understand why we’ve selected and recommended the tennis racquets in this article, it’s helpful to have an understanding of the different types of tennis racquets. They are as follows:

• Power
• Control
• Tweener

Let’s do a quick review of each racquet below so we can highlight the differences and the type of player that will benefit from each.

Power Racquets

As the name suggests, this category of tennis racquets is designed to provide players with easy access to power. To accomplish this, you’ll typically find these racquets have the following attributes:

• Large head size
• Stiff frame
• Open string pattern
• Lightweight

The larger head sizes increase a players margin for error when swinging which combined with the stiff frame and open string pattern return more energy to the ball and provides easier access to power. At the same time, the lightweight frames make them easier to swing and handle.

This combination of attributes makes them a popular option for beginners as well as an older generation of tennis players who still enjoy the game late into their lives but need something lighter and easier to handle.

You may also hear these referred to these as game improvement racquets.

Control Racquets

On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have a selection of tennis racquets that emphasize control and are often called players racquets. The following attributes are frequently shared as part of this category of racquets to help provide players with more control:

• Smaller head size
• Flexible frame
• Closed string pattern
• Heavier

The above features combine to produce a frame that delivers more control to players while requiring a player’s finely tuned technique to generate power. Of course, the smaller head size reduces a players margin for error as well, and the heavier racquets are harder for an inexperienced player to maneuver. As a result, we typically won’t recommend control racquets for beginners.

Earlier, we mentioned that Roger Federer’s racquet typically isn’t an ideal choice for beginners. That’s because it’s a heavy control racquet that will tend to frustrate a new player and generally is a better option for players to consider once their skills develop.

Helpful tip: many players that are new to the game read the description for control racquets and quickly jump to the conclusion that if they buy a control racquet, it’s going to solve all their problems and keep the ball in the court.

It’s important to note that while the design of a control racquet will enhance a players ability to control and direct the ball, it’s typically not a difference that a beginner will be able to detect and generally aren’t well suited for beginners.

Tweener Racquets

At first glance, you may have been thrown off by the odd name of this type of tennis racquet, but this is a common category of tennis racquets that strive to provide a balance between power and control racquets, i.e., somewhere in-between, which is how they get their name. As you’d expect, their attributes tend to fall somewhere in the middle:

• Mid-sized head
• Balanced flex, frequently with a lean toward a higher stiffness rating
• Open string pattern
• Mid-range weight

All in all, you’ll tend to see a broader mix of attributes associated with tweener racquets as manufacturers tweak them to appeal to a variety of different style players. While we generally see adults put more consideration into the power racquets, we find most younger players who are just starting tend to gravitate toward tweener racquets.

The truth is, they can be a fantastic option for both groups of players and provide a terrific starting point while allowing players to grow into them.

Key Racquet Attributes for Beginners

When purchasing a tennis racquet, there are a variety of attributes to be aware of and a few key characteristics to consider. Below I’ll share the three most important for beginners and cover a few others for reference.

Grip Size

When you buy an adult size tennis racquet, you’ll have the option to select a grip size which is a measurement of the handles circumference.

Finding the right grip size can help prevent injury by avoiding a grip that’s too small or too large, but it’s mostly a preference, i.e., you want to find something that feels comfortable to you. Here’s a table that shows you the different size grips.

While selecting the right grip size isn’t an exact science there is a simple measurement of your hand that you can take to get in the right ballpark – all you need is a ruler.

With your ruler, measure the from the tip of your hand’s ring finger down to the bottom crease on your hand that starts between your pointer finger and thumb and runs sideways. Here’s a photo for reference.

In the photo, you can see my hand measures just above 4 3/8 or 109 mm. Most players don’t find their measurement lines up precisely with the chart like mine. If you’re buying online, I’d recommend you purchase the grip size that’s smaller than your measurement because while you can increase the size of a grip, it’s much more difficult to make it smaller.

However, if you can, I’d recommend you head out to any store that sells adult size tennis racquets and hold the two grip sizes that are closest to your measurement to get a feel for things. Whichever is more comfortable to hold is the grip I’d recommend.

Head Size

The head size of a tennis racquet is a square inch or centimeter measurement of a racquets head where you’ll find the strings. For beginners, head size is important for two key reasons:

• First, a larger head size will make it easier to hit the ball or increase your margin for error when swinging because the stringbed is larger. Select a racquet head that’s too small, and you may find the ball hitting the frame which is a quick recipe for frustration.
• Second, a larger head size will generally provide easier access to power which is a welcome feature as you work towards developing proper technique and generating power on your own.

For reference, you’ll find head sizes typically range from 93-107 square inches. For beginners, we’d recommend you only consider racquets with a 100 square inch head size or higher.

Weight

Next up, another important characteristic to consider as a beginner is the weight of the tennis racquet. Generally, retailers and manufacturers express the weight of a racquet as the strung weight which as you probably guessed is the weight of the racquet with strings.

Weight plays a significant role in the performance of a tennis racquet. However, the main thing to be concerned with when you’re starting is not buying a racquet that’s too heavy. You want it to be comfortable to hold for an extended period while also being easy to maneuver.

Most racquets will fall somewhere between 10.5 – 12.6 ounces, but for beginners, we’d recommend you stay at or below 11.6 ounces.

Other Attributes

When you’re just getting started, I encourage you to not get too wrapped up in the following attributes, but I always encourage players to at least become familiar with them.

Below we’ll walk through exactly what each of the attributes represents, how they’re measured, and generally how they impact racquet performance.

• Balance: racquets will either be head light (HL), head heavy (HH), or equal balance (EB) which represents the distribution of weight for the racquet and measured in points, i.e., 4pts HL. Many beginners appreciate tennis racquets that are HL which makes them easier to swing and maneuver.
• Swing weight: not to be confused with strung weight, this is a measurement of how heavy a tennis racquet feels when swinging and can be useful for comparing one racquet to another. The balance of a tennis racquet has a substantial impact on the swingweight and is expressed as a numeric value, i.e., 324.
• Stiffness: a stiffness rating represents the amount of flex a tennis racquet exhibits and is shown as a numeric value, i.e., 67. Generally speaking, the stiffer a racquet, the more power or energy will be returned to the ball while a frame with more flex will result in less power and subsequently more control for a player.
• Beam width: the beam of a tennis racquet is the measurement of the width of the frame in millimeters. Typically, a thicker beam results in more power while a thinner beam less power. Some racquets will have a consistent beam-width all the way around, while others will vary at different points around the frame.
• String pattern: the string pattern of a tennis racquet refers to the number of main or vertical strings and cross strings. A tennis racquet with fewer mains and crosses has an open string pattern, i.e., 16×19, while on the other end of the spectrum you’d end up with a closed string pattern, i.e., 18×20. An open string pattern tends to increase power and spin while a close string pattern typically provides more control.

Popular Racquet Brands

Now that you’re familiar with the essential racquet attributes to be aware of, let’s quickly touch on a few popular tennis brands you’ll come across.

By far, the most popular racquets these days come from three major brands that include:

• Wilson
• Babolat
• HEAD

A few others to be aware of include:

• Prince
• Yonex
• Technifibre

The truth is, each of these manufacturers produces excellent frames that cater to a wide range of players and much of the decision for which brand to go with comes down to personal preference.

Men’s vs. Women’s Tennis Racquets

A common question with players that are new to the game is whether there is a difference between men’s and women’s racquets. Today, virtually all tennis racquets on the market are unisex, and you’ll find top men and women using the same models.

One exception is the Technifibre T-Rebound Tempo which is marketed specifically for women and per Technifibre seeks to account for common psychological traits of women. However, there are plenty of tennis racquets that accomplish the same thing without being explicitly marketed toward women.

With that said, there are indeed tennis racquets that are more popular with women or men because of their attributes and manufacturers often market their racquets accordingly. The most significant characteristic that we tend to advise female players around is racquet weight.

In recent years, racquet manufacturers have recognized the demand for lighter versions of their popular racquet models, so it’s more common than ever to find these available. However, men and women use the light versions of their racquets, so they are not explicitly female racquets.

Next up, let’s take a look at tennis strings and what to expect when getting started.

Tennis String Basics

We’d be remiss to cover the best tennis racquets for beginners without any mention of tennis strings so let’s dive in for a quick review.

Luckily, when you’re just getting started with tennis, you won’t need to worry too much about your tennis strings. The differences that various strings offer are relatively nuanced and will be hard to detect for players that are new to the game.

However, as your technique and skills develop, you’ll find the strings you use, and the tension you string your racquet at can have a dramatic impact on the performance of your racquet.

For that reason, we want to provide some helpful information regarding the different types of tennis strings you’ll encounter and the key factors to consider when selecting a set of strings as a beginner.

Types of String

The following are the two main broad categories of tennis strings:

• Natural gut: made from cow gut or intestine, these have long been regarded as some of the highest quality strings money can buy. However, due to their low durability and high cost aren’t the most popular, nor do we recommend them for beginners.
• Synthetic: the vast majority of strings these days are synthetic and provide players of all levels with a wide variety of options and price points. Synthetic strings have come along way and become so good that even many tour level players don’t even bother with natural gut anymore.

Within the synthetic bucket of tennis strings, you’ll find a few different types of materials. By far, the two most popular are nylon and polyester strings both of which provide players with different playing characteristics. Here’s a high-level overview of what you can generally expect from each:

Nylon

• A softer material
• Power
• Arm friendly
• Low durability
• Good tension maintenance

Polyester

• A stiffer material
• Control
• Topspin
• High durability
• Lack of tension maintenance

It’s worth reiterating that the above characteristics aren’t hard and fast rules, rather solid guidelines for what to expect with each material. Another element that comes into play is the quality of the nylon or polyester used which often reflects in the price of the strings.

Construction

Beyond the material used, it’s worth noting that strings are also frequently constructed in different ways. We won’t dive too deep here but two popular string constructions to be aware of are multifilament and monofilament.

Multifilament tennis strings consist of thousands of microfibers woven together and are a popular construction for nylon strings while monofilament strings are made of a single solid filament and are how you’ll frequently find polyester strings made.

Gauge

Last but not least, it’s good to be aware that strings come in different thickness or gauge. As you may have guessed, durability is a factor in that thicker strings will tend to be more durable.

However, the thickness of a string also impacts the spin potential and feel of a set of tennis strings with thinner strings typically providing more of both while being susceptible to breakage.

Here’s a quick table of the various gauges available for reference:

Helpful tip: notice that the higher the gauge the thinner the string. New players often assume the opposite, so it’s worth taking note.

Recommended Strings for Beginners

As a beginner, we’d recommend you focus your string selection on two key factors: price and durability.

When you’re just getting started, there is no reason to overspend on tennis strings because it will be hard to detect the difference with one set over another. At the same time, you don’t want to have to have to replace your strings frequently either, so getting something that’s durable and will last is a great option and will save you some extra cash.

Here are some recommend guidelines for your first set of strings:

• Price: $10 or less
• Material: synthetic/nylon
• Gauge: 16

For reference, a few popular options include:

• Prince Synthetic Gut 16 with Duraflex
• Wilson Synthetic Gut Power 16
• Babolat Spiraltek 16

As you’ll see in our guide below, many beginner tennis racquets come pre-strung. If you select one of those racquets you won’t even have to worry about selecting tennis strings to start.

Racquet Guide for Beginners

At this point, you should feel equipped with the essential pieces of information that will help you select the best tennis racquet for your needs.

Of course, we want to help narrow things down for you, so we’ve pulled together a list of our 12 favorite racquet picks to consider.

The Best Tennis Racquet for Beginners

With a wide range of tennis racquets to choose from for beginners, our top pick for 2019 goes to the Babolat Boost Drive.

Babolat Boost Drive

When it comes to beginner tennis racquets, the Babolat Boost Drive delivers on all fronts. If it looks familiar, it’s the younger brother to the more expensive Babolat Pure Drive and comes with a near identical light blue paint job.

First, its 105 square inch head is a great size for beginners – not too big or too small and it’s the most forgiving head size in the Boost lineup. Next up, it features an open string pattern of 16×19 (again that’s 16 main strings and 19 cross strings) which helps it pack some extra punch while also providing plenty of topspin.

At 9.8 ounces it’s also light and easy to maneuver which is ideal for beginners looking to develop their strokes. Add to that a very reasonable price point and it comes in as our pick for the best tennis racquet for beginners in 2019.

Key Specs

Babolat Tennis Racquets

Babolat offers up a great category of tennis racquets for new players that come with the Boost name at terrific price points. While the Babolat Boost Drive is our favorite pick in the bunch, the Aero and Strike models we discuss below are also excellent options for beginners.

Babolat Boost Aero

If you’re a Nadal fan, then you’ll likely recognize the paint job of this tennis racquet. The Boost Aero is the younger sibling to Nadal’s stick of choice, the Babolat Pure Aero but is priced at a fraction of the cost making it a great starter frame for any beginner.

The racquet comes in the same 9.8-ounce weight as the Boost Drive for easy maneuverability, but it’s smaller head size results in a bit less power. At the same time, its 16×19 string pattern provides plenty of access to spin. Regarding power and control, this racquet sits comfortably between the Boost Drive and the following racquet the Boost Strike.

Key Specs

Babolat Boost Strike

As the heaviest racquet in the Boost family weighing in at 10.4 ounces, the Babolat Boost Strike will provide new players with the most control when compared to the Boost Drive and Aero.

Like the other Boost racquets, it’s the starter version of the Babolat Pure Strike with a near identical paint job and a price tag that’s easier on the wallet. The racquet still features a forgiving 102 square inch head size and 16×19 string pattern which is a friendly setup worthy of any player looking to pick up their first tennis racquet.

Key Specs

Wilson Tennis Racquets

With an extensive lineup of tennis racquets used by the likes of Roger Federer and Serena Williams, Wilson knows a thing or two about building tennis racquets that deliver performance. The following are our favorite picks for beginners.

Wilson Burn 100 Team

The Wilson Burn 100 Team is a lower powered starter racquet that provides players will a solid mix of features at a very reasonable price point.

The Burn 100 Team also comes in at a strung weight of only 10 ounces, so it’s a quick racquet that’s easy to maneuver and ideal for beginners.

The head size comes in at 100 square inches, which is the smallest we’d recommend for beginners to help ensure there’s plenty of margin for error when swinging to hit the ball. A closed string pattern of 16×20 and relatively flexible frame combine to make this racquet one of the more control oriented entry level frames on our list.

Key Specs

Wilson Ultra 110

The Wilson Ultra 110 is an all-around fantastic tennis racquet for beginners. For starters, it features a generous 110 square inch head size which provides ample surface area for easy contact with the ball. Add to it an extended 27.5-inch length (a half inch longer than your standard 27 inches) and 10.1-ounce strung weight and this racquet delivers easy access to power in a package that’s quick and easy to swing.

The open 16×18 string pattern on the larger head size also provides players with more than enough topspin. For any new player to the game, this racquet is sure to deliver.

Key Specs

Wilson Hyper Hammer 5.3

At 9 ounces, the Hyper Hammer 5.3 is an extremely lightweight tennis racquet with an oversized head of 110 square inches. Combined with a half inch extended length at 27.5 inches and beginners will find it has more than enough power while also being forgiving.

What makes this racquet different compared to others on our list is that it still feels like it has a pretty good weight to it when swinging. That’s because it has a substantial head heavy balance, i.e., the weight of the racquet skews toward the head, which is a common attribute among the Hammer line of tennis racquets and where they get their name. The extra weight helps with a solid feel on contact with the ball while the overall eight is still low and easy to handle.

Key Specs

Wilson Triad Three BLX

The Wilson Triad Three BLX is a unique racquet on our list for beginners and is designed to deliver maximum comfort. Everything from the Triad Technology that produces an incredibly low stiffness rating to the grommet holes (the tiny holes where the strings enter the racquet frame) are designed to reduce shock and vibration and in turn plush comfort.

However, it also features a host of other attributes that make this frame a powerful beginner friendly tennis racquet such as its oversized 113 square inch head size and light 9.7-ounce weight. All and all, if comfort without sacrificing power is a p-priority, then this will be a terrific tennis racquet to try out.

Key Specs

HEAD Tennis Racquets

While players that are new to the game might be familiar with Babolat and Wilson tennis racquets, HEAD is another hugely popular brand that offers an impressive lineup of racquets with some fantastic options for beginners.

HEAD Titanium Ti.S6

For years, HEAD’s affordable Titanium series of tennis racquets have been an incredibly popular choice for beginners. For starters, this racquet features the largest head size on our list at 115 square inches for a large sweet spot. Along with its titanium makeup and extended 27.75-inch length and this racquet will provide tons of power.

The Ti.S6 is also feather light at 8.9 ounces and comes with a 16×19 string pattern which combined with a larger head size makes this a spin friendly tennis racquet as well. Last but not least, this racquet also comes pre-strung and read-to-go which will save you some extra cash up-front.

Key Specs

HEAD Graphene 360 Speed Lite

This tennis racquet lives up to its name as the lightest in HEAD’s line of Speed tennis racquets at 9.9 ounces. The result is that it’s super easy to maneuver and swing fast which is where this racquet performs best.

It features a more conservative 100 square inch head size and a 16×19 string pattern which put it on the lower end of the power spectrum for a beginner tennis racquet while still provides plenty of pop.

Key Specs

HEAD Graphene Touch Instinct Lite

What makes the HEAD Graphene Touch Instinct Lite an excellent racquet for beginners is its well-balanced feature set. For example, it has a 107 square inch head which is great for beginners and right in the middle compared to the other racquets in our list which range from 100 square inches to 115 square inches. Similarly, it comes with an extended length, but at 27.2 inches long it’s minimal while aiding in power.

The Graphene Touch Instinct Lite also weighs in at 10 ounces strung, which is a great starting point for most beginners – not too heavy or light. The frame also comes with a 16×19 string pattern which combined with the 107 square inch head will provide access to generous amounts of topspin. All in all, it’s a terrific racquet that’s perfect for beginners.

Key Specs

Yonex Tennis Racquets

If you’re not familiar with Yonex, they’re an increasingly popular brand that’s worth keeping your eye on as you evaluate tennis racquets.

A defining feature of all Yonex tennis racquets is their Isometric Square Head Shape, which according to them increases the sweet spot of their racquets by 48%, and you’ll find looks slightly different than the typical oval head shape common with all other tennis racquet brands.

Yonex EZONE Feel

While many of Yonex frames tend to lean toward a more experienced audience, the Yonex EZONE Feel is an excellent option to consider hitting on many of the key attributes that new players will appreciate.

First, it comes with a 102 square inch head size, which while not nearly as big as some of the others on our list is a great starting point. The racquet also weighs in at 9.6 ounces strung and features a 16×18 string pattern that will offer up a nice blend of controlled power and topspin.

The EZONE Feel is also a comfortable tennis racquet that’s less stiff than others on our list and features Shockless Grommets at the top of the racquet’s throat which promotes control and increases overall feel.

Key Specs

Prince Tennis Racquets

A well-established brand in the tennis world, Prince, has helped define and shape modern racquet and string technology. Today, they continue to offer a fantastic line of tennis racquets that are worth checking out for any players new to the sport.

Prince Textreme Warrior 100L

With many tennis racquets in their lineup, the Prince Textreme Warrior 100L stands out as their most beginner-friendly.

While the head size is the smallest size we’d recommend for beginners at 100 square inches, it fits right into the pack of other racquets on our list weighing in at an easy to maneuver 9.6 ounces. At the same time, a good chunk of that weight makes its way into the head of the racquet, so it still feels solid and stable when hitting.

Like the Yonex EZONE Feel it also leans toward more control with a lower stiffness rating that emphasizes feel though still offering up restrained power in a spin-friendly package.

Key Specs

How to Choose the Right Racquet

If you’ve made it this far, you may still be feeling a bit overwhelmed at where to start and which of the racquets in our list are the best for you.

To help, it’s worth considering your personal preferences. Here’s a brief list to consider that will narrow the above list quite a bit:

• Affinity towards a specific brand
• A desire for a lightweight racquet
• The need for a high-comfort frame
• A large head size to increase your margin for error

Do any of these resonate for you? If so, then you’ve just narrowed your options. For example, if you’re really into Babolat racquets, then you have three great options to choose from in our list.

Of course, don’t forget to revisit the two questions at the beginning of this guide as well. If the price of your racquet is a concern or you’re not sure whether you’re going to like playing tennis, then those considerations will also limit your selection to the more affordable options on the list.

If you’re still stuck, then the very best way to choose a tennis racquet is to get out on a tennis court and demo some racquets.

Your local tennis club or pro shop will likely have a few on hand you can try, and even if they’re not on our list, you can take note of their attributes like weight and head size to use as a point of reference when considering the racquets on our list.

Another route you can take is ordering any of these racquets through one of the demo programs available through online retailers.

Questions?

We’d love to hear from you. If you have questions or need help picking out a tennis racquet, then drop us a note in the comments below. We’d love to answer any questions you have.

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