The Best Tennis Racquets for 2018

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Are you on the hunt for the best tennis racquet? Look no further.

We have hand-selected the most complete and thorough list of the 22 best tennis racquets for 2018, organized with all the important details you need to select the perfect frame for yourself or as a generous gift.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this article – click any of the following links to jump to that section of the article:

• Who will find this guide useful?
• What you should get out of this guide
• Tips for using our guide
• How we selected the best tennis racquets for 2018
• A comprehensive review for each the top 22 tennis racquets

If you’re like us, you probably can’t wait for the good stuff, so here’s a convenient table that showcases the tennis racquets that made our list of the top 22 this year.

To learn more about each racquet and why they made it on our list of the best tennis racquets click any of the following links:

• Babolat Pure Strike 16×19
• Babolat Pure Aero
• Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph
• Yonex EZONE DR 98 Blue
• Babolat Pure Drive
• Head Graphene XT Speed Pro
• Wilson Blade 98 Countervail 18×20
• Volkl V-Sense 8 300g 85
• Yonex VCORE Duel G 97 310g
• Wilson Ultra Tour
• Prince Phantom Pro 100
• Wilson Burn 100 Countervail
• Wilson Six.One 95 18×20
• Volkl Super G 10 Mid 320
• Prince Textream Tour 95
• Yonex VCORE SV 98+
• Prince Warrior Textreme 100
• Wilson Burn FST 95
• Volkl Super G 7
• Tecnifibre T-Flash 300 Dynacore
• Prince Textreme Beast 100
• Wilson Ultra 100 Countervail

Ready to get started? Let’s dive in!

Who will find this tennis racquet guide useful?

We created this guide for players of all ages and levels. However, we have focused our energy on full-size tennis racquets.

Recognizing this, if you’re a parent looking for a kids racquet (typically geared towards children ages 10 and under), then we’d encourage you to jump over to our guide for kids tennis racquets.

What you should get out of this guide

By the time you’ve completed reading this guide, you should have a solid grasp of the best tennis racquets on the market.

More importantly, you should have a clear understanding for the “why” behind the ranking of each racquet. In other words, we haven’t just provided you with a flat list of the best tennis racquets.

We’ve taken things a step further and go deep into the attributes that make each racquet unique to bring you a genuinely useful guide that you can use as a jumping off point for selecting a new tennis racquet.

Last but not least, you should feel confident in the quality of the racquets selected. At TennisCompanion, we live and breathe tennis, and we’re well equipped to provide recommendations having play-tested every racquet on the list.

Tips for using our guide

Hopefully, you find this list easy to use and navigate. As you review each tennis racquet here are a few things to keep in mind:

Your age, experience level, technique, and strength

Tennis racquets typically fall into one of three different categories or types of racquets: power, control, and tweener.

Each type of racquet comes with pros and cons with the primary goal of helping provide specific types of players with unique qualities that will contribute to maximizing their success on the court.

Your style of play (or the style you’d like to develop)

Consider the following styles of play:

• A scrappy baseliner who hits with a ton of topspin and runs down every single ball
• A serve and volleyer who hits a big serve and follows their shots into the net to close out the point quickly

As you can imagine, the tennis racquet that will work well for each of these styles will likely differ with each looking for specific characteristics that will align with their game and help them perform their best.

The good news is that we can evaluate each racquet across a consistent set of attributes. Of course, some will deliver better results in certain areas. For example, a racquet that scores high on power might not provide the best control.

Knowing the style of play that you have, or you’d like to develop, will help you narrow down the racquet that will work well for your game.

Your opinion

While we’ve done the hard work to help narrow down the best tennis racquets, it’s important to use this article as a guide. In other words, let it help point you in the right direction but make sure to keep in mind the above tips and do your best to avoid being swayed by what other players are using – including the pros.

What’s the best way to develop a strong opinion? It’s simple. Demo a racquet before you buy it. I recommend demoing at least two racquets before you make a decision, so you have at least two points of reference.

Don’t forget about the strings

Your experience level will influence how much weight you should put into selecting tennis strings, but it’s important to note that the type of strings you choose and the tension you string your racquet at can have a huge impact on the performance of your racquet.

Here are a few resources we’ve built to help you find the perfect set of tennis strings:

• The Best Tennis Strings
• The Ultimate Guide to Polyester Tennis Strings
• Tennis String Gauge and Its Impact on Performance
• How Often Should I Change or Replace My Tennis Racquet Strings?

Check the above resources out. They should help make selecting a set of strings you’ll love much easier.

Selecting the Best Grip Size

When you purchase a new tennis racquet, it’s important to make sure you choose the appropriate grip size.

To help make selecting the best grip size for your racquet easy, we have a handy article that will walk you through exactly how to choose the perfect grip size. Check it out to learn more.

How We Selected the Best Tennis Racquets for 2018

In our attempt to provide an objective selection of the top 20 tennis racquets on the market we’ve evaluated each racquet across a consistent set of six attributes and six strokes.

We played with each racquet and then rated its performance on a scale of 1-10 for each attribute and stroke. To calculate the overall score for a racquet, we take the average of the 12 scores.

The attributes and strokes we selected for evaluation are listed below with descriptions for reference.

Attributes

The following are six common attributes used to evaluate the performance of tennis racquets.

Power
Great players can hit hard and generate power through proper technique regardless of the racquet you put in their hands. However, some racquets make generating pace significantly easier. Powerful racquets tend to have larger head sizes, stiffer frames and sometimes are longer.

Control
Typically, the more experienced a player becomes, the more control they’ll seek from their racquet because placement and directing the ball exactly where they want it to go becomes increasingly important. Control-oriented racquets often have less stiff frames and smaller head sizes.

Comfort
Players often associate comfort with the shock that is sent to your arm when striking the ball or the vibration that you feel after hitting the ball. However, a player also might associate comfort with the weight of the racquet relative to their strength. Comfort-oriented racquets tend to be a bit heavier, more flexible and focus additional weight towards the handle to help absorb shock.

Touch/Feel
Touch or feel is a bit nuanced and frequently tied to a sense of control and connectedness especially when hitting volleys and finesse shots like drop shots. Racquets that provide enhanced touch tend to be heavier, with smaller head sizes, and use more flexible frames.

Maneuverability
Easy to maneuver racquets tend to feel “light” in your hand and make it easy to change the direction of the racquet head. This feeling is often a result of the racquet’s overall weight combined with the balance of the frame being head ‘head light’ often denoted as HL. In other words, a greater portion of the racquet’s weight falls lower on the racquet towards the handle.

Stability
Stable tennis racquets are responsive and help instill a positive sense of consistency and accuracy that you can rely on when striking the ball. Often, stable racquets are a bit heavier, have smaller heads and less stiff frames.

Tennis Shots

The following are the tennis shots we used to evaluate each tennis racquet. We won’t go into great detail here on each of these, but you can check out our article on the different types of tennis shots to learn more.

• Serves
• Volleys
• Returns
• Groundstrokes
• Topspin
• Slice

Hopefully, you now have a good sense of how we’ve evaluated our selection of the top 20 tennis racquets. Let’s start by reviewing our pick of the best tennis racquet for 2018.

What’s the best tennis racquet for 2018?

In 2018, and for the second year in a row, we’re naming the Babolat Pure Strike 16 x 19 the best overall tennis racquet despite a few new frame releases and more than 300 total on the market today.

There were a few key reasons that the Babolat Pure Strike won us over in 2017 to earn our badge as the best tennis racquet, and those reasons remain consistent into 2018. However, the Pure Strike’s defining feature and what sets it apart from other racquets on our list is its broad appeal to a wide range of styles and levels of play. With its 11.3 oz strung weight and 98 square inch head size, it’s a very approachable tennis racquet.

In other words, we feel the vast majority of players would pick this racquet up and have a blast as it scores well across the board. You could just as easily flip that statement and say that this racquet is unlikely to offend anyone either.

Players that will likely enjoy Babolat’s Pure Strike are all court players that like to attack the net and are looking for a well-balanced tennis racquet that performs consistently across a wide range of attributes and strokes.

Babolat Pure Strike Technologies

Babolat’s Pure Strike makes use of the following three key technologies.

Woofer
The design of the frame allows the strings to move freely so that they can work together for a more generous sweet spot, additional power, and less shock.

Hybrid Frame Construction
The frame makes use of square and elliptical shapes to offer a unique blend of control and power that is highly responsive with excellent feel and precision.

FSI Power
Babolat Pure Strike also makes use of their FSI Power technology which provides more spacing between the cross strings. The result is more power, spin, and comfort when striking the ball.

Why We Love It

Here’s a look at the Pure Strike’s top three attributes based on how the racquet scored in our evaluation.

Maneuverability
At 11.3 ounces and clocking in a swingweight of 323, the Pure Strike is delightfully easy to maneuver which makes bringing the racquet back for groundstrokes effortless and transitioning to the net to hit a setup volley loads of fun.

Groundstrokes
Off the ground, the Pure Strike was a delight. The frame along with its 98 square inch head delivered plenty of power while it’s 16×19 string pattern helped produce fantastic spin. At the same time, everything felt under control helped by a slightly more flexible frame than some of the other racquets in the Babolat family.

Returns
With strong rating on groundstrokes, it should come as no surprise that this highly maneuverable racquet delivered fantastic performance when hitting returns where you need to be able to react quickly and pull your racquet back fast.

Of course, what makes the Pure Stike unique is that it maintains its high marks up at the net with volleys.

Tradeoffs

Overall, while we felt like the Babolat Pure Strike left us feeling pleased across the board, it may leave some players longing for a bit more. In particular, baseline players that hit with heavy topspin may prefer more pop.

However, the slightly lower power delivered by the Pure Strike is offset by the precision, control, and touch that it offers to ensure it performs consistently no matter where you’re playing on the court.

Babolat Pure Strike 16×19 Ratings

Variations of the Babolat Pure Strike

If you like what you see with the Pure Strike, you should check out some of the different racquets in the Pure Strike series. Here’s a list for quick reference:

• Babolat Pure Strike 98 18×20
• Babolat Pure Strike 100
• Babolat Pure Strike VS Tour
• Babolat Pure Strike VS
• Babolat Pure Strike Team

Players Using or Endorsing Babolat’s Pure Strike

• Heather Watson
• Thanasi Kokkinakis
• Dominic Thiem
• Timea Bacsinszky
• Alize Cornet
• Elena Vesnina
• Mirjana Lucic-Baroni
• Bethanie Mattek-Sands
• Samantha Stosur

Babolat Pure Aero

Next up on our list is the Babolat Pure Aero, made popular by clay court king Rafael Nadal. Without a doubt, the racquet’s defining features center around its ability to generate topspin.

The Pure Aero features an open 16×19 string pattern and Babolat’s FSI Spin technology which places more spacing between the number 5 and 12 cross strings along with wider oval grommets that allow the strings to move freely and snap back into position. This combination results in the racquet’s ability to generate increased topspin.

Combine those features with a 100 square inch head size and stiff frame that clocks in with a 69 flex rating and you get power on top of topspin giving this racquet plenty of pop.

True to its name, the Babolat Pure Aero also features Babolat’s Aeromodular design that varies the shape and form of the frame at key parts of the racquet and allows the racquet to swing quickly through the air.

As you might imagine, players that love to hit with topspin and grind points out from the baseline tend to be an excellent fit for the racquet.

Why We Love It

Here’s a look at the Babolat Pure Aero’s top three attributes based on how the racquet scored in our evaluation.

Power
Of all the racquet’s characteristics, it scored highest with us on power. Overall, the Pure Aero packs a punch and delivers easy access to power when you need it while helping heavy topspin players generate the pace they require on their shots.

Topspin
Next up, this racquet performed very well when it came to topspin. The aerodynamic headlight frame made it easy to swing helping us generate increased racquet speed, and left us feeling like we didn’t have to work as hard to produce topspin. At the same time, turning up the topspin didn’t feel like it was putting a drag on the ball aided by the higher power rating of the racquet.

Groundstrokes
Through the combination of power and topspin, we found fantastic performance with the Babolat Pure Aero at the baseline. Again, it felt comfortable and easy to swing, and the heavier ball that we were able to hit kept our opponent on their toes.

Tradeoffs

While the Pure Aero excels off the ground, it did leave a bit to desire as we transitioned to the net. The stiffer frame and higher power of the racquet required extra care and focused at the net. While it certainly gets the job done, it might not be the first pick for players that like to move forward and close out points quickly.

Even though the racquet felt plenty comfortable to hit with, players suffering from tennis elbow will likely find its stiffer frame a bit harsh on the arm and might want to seek a more forgiving frame.

Babolat Pure Aero Ratings

Variations of the Babolat Pure Aero

If the Babolat Pure Aero looks like the racquet for you, then be sure to check out the other variations on this tennis racquet. Here’s a list:

• Babolat Pure Aero Plus
• Babolat Pure Aero Tour
• Babolat Pure Aero VS
• Babolat Pure Aero Lite
• Babolat Pure Aero Team
• Babolat Pure Aero Play Pure Aero

Players Using or Endorsing the Babolat Pure Aero

• Rafael Nadal
• Sam Querrey
• Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
• Caroline Wozniacki
• Monica Puig
• Jack Sock
• Viktor Troicki
• Daniela Hantuchova
• Johanna Konta

Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph

A new twist on a classic, the Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph is Roger Federer’s signature version of the Wilson Pro Staff 97.

Without a doubt, this racquet’s central and enduring feature is control which is a result of a refined concoction of unique attributes common to Pro Staff models.

The racquet makes use of a braided graphite construction, thin beam, head light balance, and tops it off with a unique torsion control system that places extra weight on the sides of the racquet head at 3 and 9 o’clock.

Add to that a smaller 97 square inch head and one of the industries heaviest strung weights of 12.6 ounces, and you end up with a control oriented tennis racquet that rewards intermediate to advanced players who can confidently swing it.

Of course, as Roger Federer’s signature model the frame received a few stylistic refinements including a sleek matte black velvet finish that is soft to the touch, chrome highlights, and laser engravings that truly make this racquet unique.

Why We Love It

While the Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph was a strong performer across the board here are the top 3 reasons why we loved it.

Control
Many tennis racquets offer control however the Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph delivers it with a truly unique and weighty feel. Whether we were serving, hitting groundstrokes, approaching the net, or hitting volleys the racquet felt incredibly stable and lent itself to consistent shot making with a high level of accuracy.

Volleys
One of our favorite places to hit with Roger’s Pro Staff was up at the net. It felt solid in our hands and allowed us to hit crisp and controlled volleys with little effort. Combined with a heightened sense of touch and it gave us the feeling that we were in control when we approached the net.

Slice
Another area the RF97 stood out to us was hitting with slice. Whether it was a forehand, backhand or approach shot it felt controlled, and its weight and stability offered a level of plow through that allowed us to take the air out of the ball and neutralize the point even off of an aggressive topspin shot.

Tradeoffs

While we love the Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph, its heavier weight can make it feel difficult to maneuver at times especially if you’re coming from a lighter racquet. Sound technique and excellent preparation will help cut down on this for many players, but it’s worth noting for beginners with an eye on this racquet.

Similarly, players may debate its power level. On the surface, it doesn’t provide the easy-to-access pop that other racquets provide because it’s power is derived from its weight combined with sound technique. True to its style, the Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph is a timeless players racquet.

Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph Ratings

Variations of the Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph

• Wilson Pro Staff 97

Players Using or Endorsing the Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph

• Roger Federer

Yonex EZONE DR 98 Blue

The Yonex EZONE DR is a fantastic all-court racquet that provides excellent control and is loaded with unique technology to help provide players with an optimal hitting experience.

One of the racquet’s defining features is Yonex’s Nanometric DR carbon graphite composition which allows the frame to flex while snapping back into place on contact. Additionally, the racquet features their oval pressed shaft (OPS) system that narrows the racquet’s shaft and allows greater flexibility of the frame at that point on the frame.

When these technologies are combined, they result in a lower flex rating of 62 which overall makes for a control oriented tennis racquet, especially when coupled with a 98 square inch head size.

The EZONE DR also features Yonex’s trademark isometric square head shape (ISO) intended to increase the size of the sweet spot by up to 48% compared to other tennis racquets. And with a 16×19 string pattern, the racquet offers plenty topspin.

Last but not least, Yonex adds Quake Shut Gel to the racquet’s handle to reduce vibrations and increase comfort while hitting.

Why We Love It

The following are the Yonex EZONE DR’s top three attributes based on how it scored in our playtest.

Control
As expected, the EZONE DR provided an impressive level of control. Whether we were at the baseline or up at net, we felt we were able to direct and place the ball with confidence. However, what made the racquet unique is that it still felt lively compared to other similar control oriented tennis racquets.

Groundstrokes
From the baseline, we enjoyed the Yonex EZONE DR. Its control orientation helped us feel confident in our strokes and allowed us to place the ball deep in the court with a high level of consistency. Moreover, we found we were easily able to work the ball from side to side and change the direction of the ball.

Touch
What the racquet lacks in delivering power it makes up for with excellent touch. Overall, the racquet provides a very connected feel when hitting, which helped further increase our confidence level on the court.

Tradeoffs

As a control oriented tennis racquet, players may find that the EZONE DR lacks a bit in the power department.

Lower power is a relatively common tradeoff with control-oriented racquets and worth taking note of when considering this racquet. Of course, the more flexible frame and reduction in power are the specific characteristics that result in its strengths.

Yonex EZONE DR 98 Ratings

Variations of the Yonex EZONE DR

• Yonex EZONE DR 100 Blue
• Yonex EZONE DR 98+ Blue
• Yonex EZONE DR 100+ Blue

Players Using or Endorsing the Yonex EZONE DR 98

• Nick Kyrgios

Babolat Pure Drive

Over the years, the Babolat Pure Drive has become an iconic tennis racquet backed by some of the games top players including Andy Roddick in the early 2000s and more recently Garbine Muguruza.

A high power level and easy access to topspin define the Pure Drive which makes it a fantastic choice for baseline tennis players and big servers. Combined with its 100 square inch head and 11.2 ounces strung weight it’s also a very approachable racquet for beginners.

Of course, the Babolat Pure Drive comes loaded with a variety of features to help you perform your best on the court. Babolat’s FSI technology combines their long-time woofer system that increases power and the size of the sweet spot by allowing the strings to work together, while a tighter string pattern within the sweet spot aids in control.

The racquets elliptical geometric design helps reduce flex and increase the frame’s overall rigidity aiding in power. To further enhance the strength of the racquet head, Babolat also made use of their carbon fiber GT technology. Last but not least, they integrate their active cortex technology at the top of the racquets handle to reduce shock and vibration during ball contact.

Why We Love It

There’s a lot to love about the Babolat Pure Drive but here were our top three reasons.

Power
First and foremost, we love the Pure Drive’s ability to help generate power without breaking a sweat. The 100 square inch head provides a generous sweet spot, and the lighter 11.2 ounces strung weight makes it easy to swing. There’s no need to muscle this racquet to generate pace. It delivers and makes for a fun racquet off the baseline.

Spin
The good news is that with all that power the Babolat Pure Drive also provides excellent access to topspin to help control your shots and keep the ball in the court. Again, the frames 100 square inch head and 16×19 string pattern help deliver that topspin which we found came easily and helped us keep our opponent on their toes.

Serves
We loved serving with the Babolat Pure Drive. We were able to easily generate the pace we desired on our first serve but also found that our kick serves received some added pop that helped keep it well out of our opponents strike zone.

Tradeoffs

Players that are used to a weightier control oriented tennis racquet will likely find the lower weight and higher power associated with the Pure Drive to be overbearing. Of course, it’s those very characteristics that make it perfect for other players.

One thing to keep in mind is that Pure Drive is one of the stiffer frames on the market, so players with tennis elbow should carefully consider that before taking the leap and going with this racquet.

Babolat Pure Drive Ratings

Variations of the Babolat Pure Drive

• Babolat Pure Drive Plus
• Babolat Pure Drive Tour
• Babolat Pure Drive Tour Plus
• Babolat Pure Drive Wimbledon
• Babolat PLAY Pure Drive

Players Using or Endorsing the Babolat Pure Drive

• Fabio Fognini
• Garbine Muguruza
• Dominika Cibulkova
• Karolina Pliskova

Head Graphene XT Speed Pro

The Head Graphene XT Speed Pro is the frame of choice for Novak Djokovic, so there’s no surprise that it delivers excellent performance on the baseline allowing for big groundstrokes with heavy topspin and exceptional maneuverability on returns.

One of the key features of this frame is that it uses Graphene, an ultra strong and lightweight nanomaterial. You can think of it like traditional graphite on steroids.

This material has evolved into Graphene XT which allowed Head to make a frame that reduces the weight through the midsection of the frame and then redistribute that weight to the bottom of the handle and top of the head. Ultimately, this produces a fast swinging racquet with easier access to power – all without added weight keeping the frame light and maneuverable.

The Graphene XT Speed Pro also comes with 100 square inch head, and it’s one of the few tennis racquets on our list that makes use of a 18×20 string pattern. The larger head size helps provide a larger sweet spot and increase power while the tight string pattern helps players remain in control without giving up the ability to generate heavy topspin.

At the net, the racquet feels light and provides a crisp response that’s stable and allows for accurate placement.

All in all, The Head Graphene XT Speed Pro is a fast swinging and easy-to-maneuver frame that allows for aggressive play with plenty of topspin from all areas of the baseline.

Why We Love It

Here are our top three reasons for loving the Head Graphene XT Speed Pro.

Groundstrokes
One of the first things you’ll notice is that the Head Graphene XT Speed Pro feels great in your hand. At 11.7 ounces it feels solid, but with its 7pts head light balance, it swings effortlessly. From the baseline, this results in a super fun tennis racquet that allows you to accelerate quickly through to contact and take big cuts at the ball while the tighter string pattern helps keep things under control for hitting with precision.

Returns
Everything we loved about the Graphene XT Speed Pro translated perfectly to our returns, and the easy maneuverability came in handy. We felt like we could be aggressive and step into our shots even when our opponent turned up the heat.

Control
While there is more than enough pop to this frame, it’s control oriented, so you’ll rely more on your technique and racquet acceleration to generate power. Ultimately, this keeps you in the driver’s seat and allows you to swing confidently and hit your spots with precision.

Tradeoffs

Often with more control comes less power so players that are looking for a frame that brings more pace with less effort may not find the racquet of their dreams.

The one place where this left us a little underwhelmed was on our serve where we found accurate placement but didn’t feel like we could go as big as we would have liked.

Head Graphene XT Speed Pro Ratings

Variations of the Head Graphene XT Speed Pro

• Head Graphene XT Speed Rev Pro

Players Using or Endorsing the Head Graphene XT Speed Pro

• Novak Djokovic

Wilson Blade 98 Countervail 18×20

Over the years, the Wilson Blade has undergone a few transformations with the Countervail prevailing as the latest version with favorable tweaks and upgrades.

At its core, the Wilson Blade is a control oriented players racquet. However, what makes it particularly unique is that at 11.3 ounces it’s considerably lighter for this type of racquet.

New technologies include a braided graphite and basalt construction which increases the racquet’s flex, improves feel, and ultimately delivers more control. If you’re not familiar, basalt is a volcanic rock which can be manufactured to produce fibers with unique characteristics similar to fiberglass.

In addition to the racquet’s unique composition, the racquet makes use of Countervail, a unique carbon fiber intended to improve comfort by reducing shock and vibration.

The Wilson Blade 98 Countervail 18×20 also takes advantage of parallel drilling which is simply the process of drilling the grommet holes for cross strings parallel to each other. You may be thinking, “Don’t all racquets place the grommet holes parallel?”

The truth is, while grommet holes are always placed directly across from each other they’re not always drilled perfectly parallel to each other especially towards the curved edge of the racquet’s head at the top and near the bottom. Overall, by drilling parallel, Wilson claims up to a 27% increase in the sweet spot.

And last but not least, the Wilson Blade Countervail incorporates their X2 Ergo handle that allows you to build up your racquets upper handle for a more sturdy backhand grip with inserts that you can get 3d printed at your local office supply store like Staples.

Why We Loved It

Here are our top three reasons for loving this frame.

Control
One of the challenges with some of the top-tier player’s racquets that provide excellent control is that they’re simply too heavy for a wide range of players. Wilson addresses this with much success in the Wilson Blade Countervail that weighs in at 11.3 ounces, with a 98 square inch head and tighter 18×20 string pattern that delivers control in a lightweight package.

Stability
Wilson’s strategic use of materials produces a frame that remains stable even with its lighter weight and a mid-range flex rating of 65. This balance helps ensure consistent and reliable contact with the tennis ball and makes the Wilson Blade Countervail feel like a true players racquet.

Comfort
The Wison Blade Countervail 18×20 also delivers on comfort with its unique balance of material construction, weight, and flex rating. Overall, the racquet has a dampened low-vibration feel that made for a pleasant and comfortable hitting experience.

Tradeoffs

While the Wilson Blade Countervail offers a respectable level of power, some players may find it a bit more challenging to access higher levels of topspin with its tighter 18×20 string pattern. Of course, the topspin potential is there, but you might need to work a little harder for it.

Wilson Blade 98 Countervail Ratings 18×20

Variations of the Wilson Blade 98 Countervail 18×20

• Wilson Blade 98 (18×20) 84
• Wilson Blade 98S (18×16) Countervail 82
• Wilson Blade SW104 Autograph Countervail (Serena’s Racquet)

Players Using or Endorsing the Wilson Blade 98 Countervail 18×20

• David Goffin
• Milos Raonic
• Kiki Bertens
• Nicole Gibbs
• Madison Keys

Volkl V-Sense 8 85 300g

The Volkl V-Sense 8 300g is a fun tennis racquet that has developed a fan following with its lightweight blend of power, spin, maneuverability and surprising comfort.

Weighing in at an arm friendly 11 ounces, with a 100 square inch head, 16×18 string pattern, and a slightly stiffer flex rating of 70 we found the Volkl V-Sense 8 300g did a lot of things well.

The Volkl V-Sense 8 300g also makes use of a handful of technologies to aid in performance. First, the racquet uses Volkl’s super grommet system that allows its cross-strings to move freely to help generate power while the V-Sponse material helps reduce vibrations.

Next up, the racquet uses a mid-sized beam construction that is a blend between their traditional control-oriented beam that’s smaller and their larger or boxier Organix beam to find that sweet spot for precision and power.

Last but not least, the handle of the tennis racquet makes use of Volkl’s VSENSOR handle with an EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) molded dampening core to help significantly reduce vibrations. EVA is similar to rubber, but it’s softer and extremely elastic, perfect for this application.

Why We Love It

Here are the top three reasons we loved this frame.

Maneuverability
One of the first things you notice when you pick it up is how easy the racquet is to maneuver. It feels light and is easy to swing, but its 4pt head light balance keeps the weight towards your hand to maintain stability along with its stiffer 70 pt flex rating. Overall, it made for speedy reaction times when returning and allowed for quick reflexes up at net.

Topspin
With a 100 square inch head, open string pattern and super grommet system, the Volkl V-Sense 8 300g provides excellent access to topspin especially combined with the maneuverability as mentioned above that allows you to generate plenty of racquet head speed necessary to produce topspin. Furthermore, the topspin was useful to help reign in and control the power that comes along with the racquet.

Comfort
While the V-Sense 8 also came complete with plenty of power we enjoyed the comfort level when playing with this racquet. Not only was its lighter weight easier on our arm, but it also did an excellent job at reducing shock and vibration compared to other lighter racquets with relatively stiff frames.

Tradeoffs

With all that you get with the Volkl V-Sense 8, you might expect a little bit of give and take along the way. With more than enough power, we did find that control suffered a bit with the ball getting away from us a here and there. If we were to miss it was typically long, but luckily the topspin we were able to generate helped us to strike a balance where this wasn’t a major issue as we played more with the racquet.

Volkl V-Sense 8 300g Ratings

Variations of the Volkl V-Sense 8 300g

• Volkl V-Sense 8 285g
• Volkl V-Sense 8 315g

Yonex VCORE Duel G 97 310g

The Yonex VCORE Duel G 97 is a well-balanced tennis racquet that delivers across the board as an excellent option for all-court players that love to hang out on the baseline but also enjoy moving around the court and coming to net.

Overall, the Duel G 97 will suit a broad range of players looking for control without the added weight that often comes with control oriented tennis racquets. Weighing in at 11.5 ounces, with a 97 square inch head, and a 7 pt head light balance this racquet is easy to maneuver, offers tour level control, and doesn’t skimp too much on power.

Of course, coming from Yonex, this racquet doesn’t skimp on unique technologies to deliver a great hitting experience. The head uses their signature isometric square head shape increasing the size of the sweet spot while the 3D vector shaft (from the handle through the throat of the racquet) uses deep grooves to reduce twisting of the frame increase stability.

The Yonex Duel G 97 also features a unique blend of carbon graphite as well as an elastic material dubbed Black Micro Core at 10 and 2’oclock to improve stability when the ball makes contact with the upper portion of the racquet’s head. Furthermore, Yonex adds Tough G Fiber to the midsection of the racquet to increase flex and to help generate extra power and more spin.

Last but not least, the Duel G 97 features a lock booster system that tightens up the grommet spacing towards the upper part of the racquets head as well as groves within the channel of the grommets to help secure the string and increase control.

Why We Love It

Our top three reasons for loving the Yonex Duel G 97 include control, groundstrokes, and touch/feel.

Control
The Yonex Duel G 97 is yet another fantastic control oriented tennis racquet which is unique in that it offers a high level of control without giving up too much power or weighing too much. At 7 pts headlight, that translates into a maneuverable racquet that’s easy to swing and generate racquet head speed for reliable and well-placed groundstrokes.

Groundstrokes
Overall, we had the most fun with this racquet at the baseline where we found terrific placement and the confidence to go for our shots while hitting our targets. We also enjoyed our backhand slice which felt solid. The frame felt stable enough and allowed us to move the racquet head through the ball for a crisp shot.

Touch/Feel
Even with its lower 11.5-ounce weight, the Duel G 97 delivered excellent feel off the ground and played well up at the net where volleys felt crisp and under control.

Tradeoffs

Not surprisingly, the biggest tradeoff with the Yonex Duel G 97 is easy-to-access power. As with most control oriented players racquets, the Duel G 97 consists of features that first and foremost support accuracy and precision. However, the good news is that it doesn’t give up power like some of the other control oriented tennis racquets.

Another thing to watch out for is stability. While the racquet’s lighter frame makes it easier to maneuver and more accessible to a wider range of players, it can be a little bit unstable with off-center shots that don’t connect with the sweet spot.

Yonex VCORE Duel G 97 Ratings

Variations of the VCORE Duel G 97

• Yonex VCORE Duel G 97 (330g)

Prince Phantom Pro 100

The original Prince Phantom 100 with O3 ports receives an upgrade to the Phantom Pro 100 with a solid beam (minus the O3 ports) while maintaining the core characteristics that made the racquet popular and we believe a nice improvement on a previously lower scoring frame.

With 100 square inch head, the Phantom provides ample surface area for making a clean connection with the ball and avoiding mishits while also featuring a 16×18 string pattern that provides access to generating topspin without having to work too hard.

Furthermore, with an 11.4oz strung weight and a low stiffness rating of 54, the Phantom will suit players looking for a control oriented players racquet that’s arm-friendly.

One unique aspect of the Phantom Pro 100 is that it’s able to maintain stability without increasing its stiffness rating through the use of Textreme, Princes ultra-thin carbon that’s baked directly into the frame. Combined with a move away from the O3 ports f the previous version and you end up with a much more responsive frame overall.

Like the previous version, the Phantom Pro 100 takes full advantage of the Constant Taper System (CTS) that transitions from a thinner 16mm shaft for flexibility and feel to a thicker 20mm head to maintain a bit more power and avoid a racquet that forces you to work too hard.

All in all, with a slant towards intermediate to advanced players, we feel Prince has done a great job evolving the previous version of the Phantom which hadn’t previously made our cut of the best racquets.

Why We Love It

Here are the three key reasons we enjoyed the Phantom Pro 100.

Control
From the baseline, the Phantom Pro 100 provided respectable control with the ability to generate plenty of topspin that allowed us to dictate points with accuracy. We were even more delighted when we approached the net as the racquet’s flexible frame helped maintain control and direct the ball where we needed. We felt the Phantom Pro improved quite a bit from its predecessor at the net.

Maneuverability
Keeping most of the weight in the handle at 6pts HL, the Phantom Pro also maintains plenty of maneuverability despite its heavier 11.4oz weight. The head-light balance was particularly useful up at the net where we never felt like we were forcing the racquet into position, it just came along for the ride.

Comfort
The Phantom Pro is one of the most comfortable racquets that we’ve played with making it an excellent option for players in need of an arm-friendly companion.

Tradeoffs

Overall, the Prince Phantom Pro is a well-rounded tennis racquet that will likely suit a variety of different styles of play. Some players may find the racquet leaves them wanting more in the stability and control department considering the racquet isn’t huge on power – a tradeoff that usually results in higher levels of control.

Prince Phantom Pro 100 Ratings

Players Using or Endorsing the Prince Phantom Pro 100

• John Isner

Wilson Ultra Tour

The Wilson Ultra Tour is one of the latest frames in Wilson’s popular Ultra line of tennis racquets. It’s a unique low powered addition to the series that will provide players with serious control combined with a less daunting strung weight of 11.4 ounces compared to similar racquets that tend to push 12 ounces.

The Ultra Tour will come with a smaller but relatively forgiving 97 square inch head along with a dense 18×20 string pattern. Layered on top of that will be the racquet’s lower 63 stiffness rating and thinner beam width of 21mm all around.

The combination of these features results in maximum control so players should expect they’ll need to generate power on their own. However, the lighter 11.4-ounce weight and 6 pt head light balance result in a manageable 319 swingweight that will help players generate plenty of racquet head speed.

Players that have shied away from some of the industries control centric frames in the past because of the higher weights may want to give the Wilson Ultra Tour a serious look.

At the same time, players that enjoy the higher swingweight and plow-through of weightier frames but desire room to personalize will likely enjoy the lower 11.4-ounce weight which serves as an excellent platform for customization.

All in all, the Wilson Ultra Tour is a classic feeling stick that will likely appeal to a wide range of players as arguably one of the games more accessible control oriented tennis racquets.

Why We Love It

Here are the three reasons we love this new addition to Wilson’s Ultra line.

Control
On the court, the high level of control and precision are immediately apparent with the Wilson Ultra Tour. Off the ground, we felt we could easily place and move the ball around the court. At the net, we felt this frame was a confidence booster providing us with the ability to direct the ball exactly where we wanted.

Groundstrokes
One of our favorite places to hit with the Wilson Ultra Tour was from the baseline where we felt we could go for our shots. The frame was easy to swing, and the lower weight of the racquet provided plenty of maneuverability without giving up too much stability.

Touch/Feel
From all areas of the court, there were no surprises. We felt you knew exactly how the Ultra Tour would respond which gave us the confidence to go for our shots. In particular, we found this to be a tremendous asset at the net where the frame allowed us to play with a little extra finesse.

Tradeoffs

The Wilson Ultra Tour is a lower powered tennis racquet, so players should feel confident in their technique and strokes allow them to generate the power they desire otherwise they may be disappointed.

Another point to keep in mind is that the smaller 97 square inch head combined with, the tighter 18×20 string pattern doesn’t lend this frame to easy topspin production. While the lighter weight does allow for a faster swing to help compensate, it’s worth keeping in mind that the ball is going to stay a bit flatter and require a little extra effort to generate higher levels of topspin.

Wilson Ultra Tour Ratings

Players Using or Endorsing the Wilson Ultra Tour

• Gael Monfils
• Madison Keys
• Borna Coric
• Feliciano Lopez

Wilson Burn 100 Countervail

The Wilson Burn Countervail is a revised version of the original Wilson Burn geared towards a wide range of intermediate to advanced tennis players.

Overall, the Burn Countervail is a well-balanced tennis racquet that excels in all areas of the tennis court with the ability to produce excellent topspin and fantastic performance off the baseline and with returns.

This version of the Burn uses countervail or a special carbon fiber blend that helps reduce the transfer of shock and vibration to the player’s arm.

In addition, this racquet takes advantage of Wilson’s parallel drilling where all grommet holes are intentionally drilled parallel to each other to increase the size of the sweet spot while delivering a more forgiving feel.

Lastly, the Wilson Burn Countervail makes use of the X2 shaft where the throat of the racquet is shortened slightly to allow for a longer handle while also incorporating X2 ergo that allows inserts to be placed towards the top portion of the handle to provide a solid backhand grip.

Why We Love It

These are the main reasons for why we loved playing with the Wilson Burn Countervail.

Groundstrokes
Off the baseline, the Wilson Burn Countervail excelled. Compared to the original Wilson Burn the swingweight is a bit more balanced coming in at 4pts HL vs. the original at 5pts HL. Add to that a strung weight of 11.2 ounces, and it made for an easy to swing racquet that consistently delivered on power and topspin.

Returns
With improved maneuverability over the original Wilson Burn, we found that this upgraded version performed well on returns and had a respectable level of stability. This security gave us the confidence to swing through the ball while allowing us to block or slice back some of the bigger serves we returned.

Topspin
On both our groundstrokes and returns we enjoyed the topspin that the Burn Countervail provided. It’s 100 square inch head, combined with the 16×19 string pattern allowed for plenty of grip with the topspin coming very naturally.

Tradeoffs

While the Wilson Burn Countervail delivers on control, it’s higher power level may leave some players wanting to tone things down a bit. The good news is the Burn Countervail comes with plenty of topspin that allows players to maintain plenty of control.

Another thing to keep in mind is that this racquet is on the higher end of the spectrum when it comes to stiffness. Players may find a little less comfort, but the good news is that it’s an improvement over the first generation of Wilson Burn. Add to that the racquet’s use of Countervail which works to reduce shock and Wilson has done well to counteract the higher stiffness.

Wilson Burn 100 Countervail Ratings

Variations of the Wilson Burn 100 Countervail

• Wilson Burn 100S Countervail
• Wilson Burn 95 Countervail

Players Using or Endorsing the Wilson Burn 100 Countervail

• Kei Nishikori
• Simona Halep
• Kristina Mladenovic
• Elina Svitolina

Wilson Six One 95 18×20

The Wilson Six One 95 18×20 is an enhanced version of an old classic that receives a few updates in technology but stays faithful to its roots as a member of the Pro Staff family delivering unmatched precision and control.

At 12.3 ounces strung, this model weighs in as one of the heaviest tennis racquets on the market. Even with its 7pt head light balance, you’re still going to get a higher end swingweight of 332. The result is a solid frame that’s comfortable on contact and moves through the ball with ease – even when your opponent turns up the heat.

As with any Pro Staff model, this frame features a head light balance at 7pts, a thin 22mm beam all the way around, a braided graphite construction, and added weight at the 3 and 9 o’clock points of the frames head to prevent frame twisting and improve overall stability.

Add in a 95 square inch head and a tight 18×20 string pattern, and you’ve got yourself a frame built from head to handle to provide players with the utmost in control.

The Wilson Six One 95 also incorporates Wilson’s parallel drilling technology. This technology is pretty similar to how it sounds where Wilson drills the grommet holes directly parallel to each other rather than parallel to the frame. The result is an increased sweet spot and overall more forgiving string bed – a feature that makes perfect sense for the smaller 95 square inch head.

Of course, no redesign would be complete without a fresh paint job. The Wilson Six One 95 keeps its trademark red and white color scheme but makes a statement with using white from top to bottom. The frame then uses red highlights at 3 and 9 o’clock at the head, for the Wilson lettering, and on the butt cap. Touches of gray and silver lettering give the frame a refined feel and signature look.

All in all, the Wilson Six One 95 18×20 keeps a good thing going.

Why We Love It

As one of the best tennis racquets on the market, here’s why we’re giving this frame the thumbs up.

Control
The Wilson Six One 95 starts and ends with precision in mind keeping the player in the driver’s seat with a solid feel and reliable response. Whether you’re at the baseline, hitting returns, or closing the net, this frame will have you hitting your spots while out on the court.

Groundstrokes
Off the ground, this racquet feels solid and moves smoothly through the ball while its head light balance clocking in at 7 points helps with maneuvering the racquet’s heavier weight of 12.3 ounces. Whether we were trading groundstrokes at the baseline or attacking the net with an approach shot, we felt confident in going for our shots. This frame was also ideally suited for hitting our slice as well.

Touch/Feel
The more we played with the tennis racquet, the more it felt like a natural extension of our arm offering up great feel. You really can let the frame do most of the work for you. Hitting drop shots or redirecting the ball up at net came a bit easier than with other frames and kept us moving forward with confidence.

Tradeoffs

One of the first things players should be comfortable with is the Wilson Six One 95  18×20’s 12.3 ounces strung weight. As one of the heavier tennis racquets on the market, players should consider this as many will find it daunting.

If you can get past the weight, you’ll need to get comfortable with the racquet’s low-end power, less forgiving 95 square inch head, and tight 18×20 string pattern that won’t hand over easy spin but will instead make you work for it.

On the flip side, this frame will reward players that are confident enough in their game with serious stability, control, feel, and comfort that this classic style racquet can provide.

Wilson Six One 95 18×20 Ratings

Volkl Super G 10 Mid 320

The Volkl Super G 10 Mid 320 is a reliable control oriented players racquet that does just about everything well without the highs and lows that come with other racquets. As a result, you’ll be unlikely to find an attribute that stands out, but you’ll also be hard-pressed to find anything to complain about either.

On the heavier side, it weighs in at 11.8 ounces strung giving you plenty of mass to swing through the ball, but its 7pt head light balance helps keep it easy to maneuver with a 320 swing weight.

The Super G 10 Mid 320 makes use of a 96 square inch head size providing players with control. However, Volkl has incorporated a slight V in the throat of the racquet helping extend the length of the mains and expanding the sweet spot just enough for a little extra forgiveness in a smaller head size.

The frame has higher stiffness rating of 70 which you might perceive as a less comfortable tennis racquet, but Volkl compensates for this with a few key features.

First, the racquet’s heavier weight helps reduce overall shock and vibration. Next up, the frame makes use of Volkl’s Bio Sensor handle system with V-Sponse pin that extends through the handle to help dampen vibrations. V-Sponse is simply a specialized plastic material used by Volkl to help dampen vibrations.

The racquet also takes advantage of their Speedgrommets that use V-Sponse to help reduce vibration but also allow the strings to move more freely which increases the size of the sweet spot and helps return more energy to the ball.

All in all, Volkl’s Super G 10 Mid 320 is a solid tennis racquet that provides players with an excellent blend of features that are sure to compliment a broad range of games.

Why We Love It

Here are the top three reasons for why we loved this tennis racquet.

Control
Without a doubt, the Super G 10 Mid 320’s standout feature is the control the frame provides from all area’s of the court. At the baseline, we felt like we were able to swing through the ball and go for our shots with confidence. Up at net, the racquet had solid maneuverability and provided us with the feel we needed, and on returns, the head light balance came in handy, while the heavier weight gave us the stability to deal with bigger serves.

Spin
While this frame isn’t the most spin friendly on the market, we enjoyed more than enough spin with a lower 320 swing weight that allowed us to generate plenty of racquet head speed even at the higher 11.8 ounces strung weight.

Maneuverability
For a heavier frame, the Volkl Super G 10 Mid 320 was surprisingly easy to swing. Even though it weighs in at 11.8 ounces strung, its 7 pts head light balance helps lower the swing weight for a quick stick that’s easy to deal with in all situations.

Tradeoffs

While there’s no doubt there’s little to complain about with this well-balanced frame from Volkl, it certainly is a slightly heavier control oriented tennis racquet.

As such, this tennis racquet will require more from the player to generate pace and will reward players with proper technique.

Volkl Super G 10 Mid 320 Ratings

Variations of the Volkl Super G 10 Mid 320

• Volkl Super G 10 Mid 330
• Volkl Super G 10 (295g)
• Volkl Super G 10 (325g)

Players Using or Endorsing the Volkl Super G 10 Mid 320

• Nicolas Almagro

Prince Textream Tour 95

If you could sum up the Prince Textream Tour 95 in one word, it would be “control.” As racquet manufacturers have pushed the boundaries of racquet design with lighter and stiffer frames along with larger head sizes, Prince has made a bold move with a classic feeling tennis racquet for players seeking the utmost in control.

Prince’s Textream line of tennis racquets features their unique Textream material which is a super thin carbon fiber fabric that integrates directly into the shaft (handle and throat) of the tennis racquet to help enhance stability and increase control.

Weighing in at 11.8 ounces the racquet provides a little extra weight, which combined with a 95 square inch head size, 16×19 string pattern, and incredibly low stiffness rating of 60 results in a racquet built for precision and accuracy.

Last but not least, even though the racquet weighs in at 11.8 oz, it’s 8pts head light balance allows players to generate plenty of racquet head speed to generate necessary topspin on their shots.

All in all, the Prince Textream Tour 95 is a classic feeling tennis racquet that’s perfect for players seeking high levels of control.

Why We Love It

Here are the top three attributes that we enjoyed while hitting with the Prince Textream Tour 95.

Control
Out on the court, all of Prince’s ingredients come together nicely and deliver on the control that you’d expect from the Tour 95. The racquet is solid off the ground and gave us the confidence to swing through the ball and hit our spots.

Touch and Feel
As you’d expect from a control oriented tennis racquet, the Prince Textream Tour 95 provides exceptional feel. Off the ground, we felt connected with our shots, and up at net, we were delighted with our ability to direct the ball with a high level of accuracy.

Comfort
With its 11.8 ounce weight, low stiffness rating of 60, and head light balance that keeps the weight in the handle, the Textream Tour 95 did a great job at absorbing the shock and vibrations that come with each shot and provided great comfort.

Tradeoffs

While you’ll get an exceptional level of control with the Prince Textream Tour 95, the biggest tradeoff you’ll make is with power.

Everything about the racquet is designed to keep the reigns tight on power and deliver on control, but some players may find it swings the pendulum too far towards control and lacks the power they need when they’re looking to generate some extra pace.

Of course, players should also be aware of the smaller 95 square inch head size which can also be less forgiving.

Prince Textream Tour 95 Ratings

Variations of the Prince Textream Tour 95

• Prince Textream Tour 100P

Yonex VCORE SV 98+

The only extended length tennis racquet in our mix of the best tennis racquets for 2018 gets an extra half inch extension resulting in a higher swingweight and providing the racquet with more power and spin for huge groundstrokes and big serves.

As far as specs go, the VCORE SV 98+ incorporates Yonex’s SV frame technology. SV is the combination of the aerodynamic shape used on the shoulder of the tennis racquet (just above the racquet’s throat on either side) and their Nanometric XT carbon at the upper portion of the racquet’s head to provide increased flex.

The result is longer dwell time with that the ball sitting on the strings longer and then a faster rebound for extra control and power. Of course, Yonex didn’t stop there. They’ve also fitted this racquet with their Aero Fin technology at the top of the frame’s head to reduce air resistance which subsequently increases swing speed.

The combination of their SV technology and their Aero Fin technology ultimately helps increase spin potential with the ability to generate maximum racquet head speed.

Additional features include their 3D Vector Shaft that incorporates grooves through the racquet’s throat to reduce frame twisting as well as their unique Isometric Head shape that increases the sweet spot of the string bed.

Overall, the Yonex VCORE SV 98+ packs a punch and delivers a strong performance worthy of consideration.

Why We Love It

The following are the top three reasons for adding this frame to our list of the best 20 tennis racquets.

Power
The VCORE SV 98+ weighs in at a very reasonable 11.4 ounces strung and a 5pt head light balance, but when it’s all said and done the extra frame length at 27.5 inches help boost this racquets swingweight to a substantial 340. Combined with a healthy set of tech features and a 98 square inch head size and this frame delivers power with ease making it particularly fun to hit with at the baseline and when serving.

Serves
Hands down our favorite stroke to hit with this frame was our serve with power and spin coming easily. We found we could pound our first serves and give our kick serve some extra spin and bite that had them leaping off the ground and out of our opponents strike zone. All in all, this frame gave us an extra layer of confidence at the service mark and felt like it helped immediately improve our serve.

Groundstrokes
At the baseline, this frame delivered as well. Even though the racquet features a slightly denser 16×20 string pattern, we didn’t have any trouble generating topspin as we were able to produce tons of racquet head speed. On contact, the frame felt stable and moved smoothly through the ball, and we were able to generate plenty of power that combined with ample topspin allowed us to hit a heavy ball deep in the court.

Tradeoffs

It should come as no surprise that the extra power this frame adds to your game reduces control to a degree. The level of topspin you can generate helps compensate for this, but it’s worth keeping in mind when evaluating this frame.

Of course, if you play with a standard 27-inch tennis racquet then you can most likely expect a bit on an adjustment period if you were to make the transition.

Yonex VCORE SV 98+ Ratings

Variations of the Yonex VCORE SV 98+

• Yonex VCORE SV 98
• Yonex VCORE SV 98 Lite
• Yonex VCORE SV 95
• Yonex VCORE SV 100
• Yonex VCORE SV 100 lite
• Yonex VCORE SV 100+
• Yonex VCORE SV 100S

Prince Warrior Textreme 100

The two attributes that best describe the Prince Warrior Textreme are power and spin. The 100 square inch head, open 16×18 string pattern, and a slightly higher flex rating of 66 combine to produce plenty of pop and more than enough grip to enhance your topspin.

This updated version of Prince’s Warrior 100 integrates Textreme a specialized ultra-thin carbon fiber fabric that increases strength and rigidity without adding considerable weight. The result helps enhance the racquet’s power, control and feel.

With a strung weight of only 11.14 ounces, less weight in the racquet head at 6pts HL and a lower 320 swingweight, it’s a user-friendly tennis racquet that most players should find easy to maneuver from all areas of the tennis court.

Overall, the Prince Warrior Textreme 100 is a great tennis racquet that airs on the side of power while providing balance in other areas such as control and feel to appeal to a wide range of tennis players.

Why We Love It

The following are the top three reasons we loved hitting with this tennis racquet.

Power
When it came to playing with the Warrior Textreme, power came easily through a combination of attributes blended by Prince. We enjoyed the power from the back of the court where the racquet felt perfectly suited for trading big groundstrokes with our opponent.

Spin
The 100 square inch head combined with the open 16×18 string pattern gave us plenty of bite and allowed us to get more topspin on our shots without having to work too hard.

Groundstrokes
Without a doubt, our favorite area of the court to play with the Prince Warrior Textreme 100 was from the baseline where the racquet delivered power and spin. Similarly, we found the Warrior Textreme to work well for us hitting returns where the 6pt head light balance allowed us to quickly and easily maneuver the racquet.

Tradeoffs

While the Warrior Textreme certainly isn’t overbearing when it comes to power, it may leave some players longing for a bit more control. In particular, that control could come in handy up at net where we had to maintain some extra focus.

Prince Warrior Textreme 100 Ratings

Variations of the Prince Warrior Textreme 100

• Prince Warrior Textreme 100T
• Prince Warrior Textreme 100L
• Prince Warrior Textreme 107
• Prince Warrior Textreme 107T
• Prince Warrior Textreme 107L

Players Using or Endorsing the Prince Warrior Textreme 100

• John Isner

Wilson Burn FST 95

The Wilson Burn FST 95 is the well-balanced control oriented tennis racquet preferred by Juan Martin Del Potro. Players that are comfortable generating power on their own and demand a frame that performs well from all parts of the court will find the FST to be an option worthy of consideration.

With a 95 square inch head size, 11.9 ounces strung weight and 16×19 string pattern it’s easy to see where this racquet gets its control. Add to that a higher flex rating of 71, and it provides a crisp and clean feel when hitting.

Technologies include Wilson’s high-performance carbon fiber which is where the frame gets much of its stiffness. Also, this version of the Burn uses Wilson’s FST frame design to allow the racquet to swing easily with less drag. Last but not least, the racquet incorporates their X2 Ergo handle that allows players to increase the size towards the top of the handle for gripping the racquet when hitting a backhand.

Why We Love It

These are our three reasons we’ve added the Wilson Burn FST 95 to our list of the best tennis racquets.

Control
One of the main reasons we enjoyed the Wilson Burn FST 95 was because of the control it provided. At the same time, the higher swingweight of this racquet allowed us to move the frame through the ball and generate plenty of pace. All in all, we felt comfortable going for our shots and letting the racquet do the hard work for us.

Spin
The Burn FST is unique in that it finds a nice balance between control and spin. Often, many control oriented tennis racquets have left us wanting easier access to topspin, but this racquet delivers which helped us feel in control of our groundstrokes and helped us place the ball with even more accuracy.

Volleys
With a higher frame stiffness of 71, the Wilson Burn FST felt crisp, under control, and stable at the net. Its control allowed us to place our volleys accurately and overall we felt like we could be a bit more aggressive with our placement.

Tradeoffs

As you might imagine, the biggest trade-offs with the Burn FST are its power level and maneuverability. On the power side, it’s worth noting that this racquet does come with a fair share of pop. However, players shouldn’t expect easy-to-access power that you might find with other tennis racquets.

With regards to maneuverability, some players might find it challenging to wield the heavier 11.9-ounce weight of the racquet. Of course, that weight and the feel that comes along with the Wilson Burn FST is what many players are looking for in a racquet so as usual, it comes down to personal preference.

Wilson Burn FST 95 Ratings

Variations of the Wilson Burn FST 95

• Wilson Burn FST 99S

Players Using or Endorsing the Wilson Burn FST 95

• Juan Martin Del Potro

Volkl Super G 7

The Volkl Super G 7 is a user-friendly tennis racquet that offers an excellent blend of features along with a forgiving 104 square inch head size and low swingweight at 319 for easy maneuverability.

The Super G 7 makes use of Organix material which according to Volkl is high-tech nano tubes surrounded by cellulose fibers that give the racquet a springboard effect which results in a stiffer frame and more power.

The racquet also makes generous use of their V-Sponse material in the grommets which are 20% more flexible than the plastic used in their standard grommets to absorb vibration and return more energy to the ball. Also, the frame makes use of Volkl’s super grommets which are larger and allow the strings to move more freely thus increasing the size of the sweet spot.

V-Sponse is also used as the core of the racquet handle to improve overall feel and reduce racquet vibrations for more comfort also known as their BioSensor and pin system.

All in all, Volkl’s Super G 7 incorporates a slew of features to assemble an easy to maneuver frame that delivers on power, spin, and improved comfort over prior models.

Why We Love It

Here are our top three reasons for adding this tennis racquet to our list of the top 20.

Power
With a larger head size at 104 square inches, stiff frame rating of 73, and larger grommets that allow the strings to move freely, the Super G 7 is a lively tennis racquet that provides easy access to power without being overbearing. At the same time, the racquet left us with plenty of control so that we could hit our spots.

Groundstrokes
Our favorite place to hit with the Super G 7 was from the baseline. We were able to put the power to use, keep the ball deep in the court and swing freely to generate topspin without feeling like we were going to send the ball to the fences.

Returns
With a mid-range strung weight of 11.2 ounces and a swingweight of 319, the Volkl Super G 7 is maneuverable which made getting our racquet back for returns a breeze while the 104 square inch head size and enlarged sweet spot gave us a bit of extra margin for error.

Tradeoffs

As a lighter frame with a lower swingweight and larger head size, the Volkl Super G 7 wasn’t designed as a control oriented tennis racquet with rock-solid stability, so players with those attributes at the top of their list likely won’t find what they’re after with this racquet.

However, players that are looking for a forgiving and easy-to-use tennis racquet that is easy to maneuver and has plenty of power and spin will find a racquet that delivers.

Volkl Super G 7 Tour Ratings

Tecnifibre T-Flash 300 Dynacore

The T-Flash 300 Dynacore comes from one of two lines of men’s competition level tennis racquet’s that Tecnifibre offers. This model packs easy-to-access power and topspin all in a maneuverable package that weighs only 11.2 ounces which should appeal to a broad range of tennis players.

First and foremost, this tennis racquet makes use of Tecnifibre’s flagship Dynacore construction technology where a high-tech flexible material is added to the frame to improve stability and provide players with a softer feel which reduces muscle fatigue while increasing response.

At the top of the frame’s head, the T-Flash 300 Dynacore receives Tecnifibre’s durable and reinforced Armor Cap bumper guard to help protect and extend the life of the racquet.

The T-Flash 300 Dynacore also uses their Horse Back Strip for the racquet’s grommets that provide individual saddles for every string helping extend the life of the strings, particularly on off-center hits.

Last but not least, the frame incorporates Tecnifibre’s unique EZ Lock Eyelets at the tie off point for the strings which are larger and flatter to help ensure optimal knot tie off and to reduce wear and tear of the grommets.

Overall, the Tecnifibre T-Flash 300 Dynacore is a well-balanced and lightweight frame with an emphasis on power and spin designed for a wide range of players, especially those that love to trade big strokes at the baseline.

Why We Love It

These are the three reasons why we loved the Technifibre T-Flash 300 with Dynacore.

Power
With the T-Flash 300’s 100 square inch head and stiffer frame rating of 71, the racquet delivered plenty of power that came rather effortlessly but at the same time didn’t feel overbearing.

Groundstrokes
We enjoyed the power of this frame the most at the baseline. We settled in quickly with the racquet and found we were able to trade big shots and play great offense with plenty of topspin taking advantage of the open 16×19 string pattern.

Maneuverability
At 11.2 ounces, this lightweight frame made for an easy to maneuver tennis racquet that afforded us great preparation on our groundstrokes and easy handling up at net.

Tradeoffs

As a lighter frame that’s very easy to maneuver, we did find the Tecnifibre T-Flash 300 Dynacore to provide a bit less stability particularly when returning bigger serves.

At the same time, we felt that the stiffer frame which helps provide the racquet’s power lacked at times in the comfort department and required us to work a bit harder to find that effortless touch up at net.

Tecnifibre TFlash 300 Dynacore Ratings

Variations of the Tecnifibre TFlash 300 Dynacore

• Tecnifibre T-Flash 265 Dynacore
• Tecnifibre T-Flash 285 Dynacore
• Tecnifibre T-Flash 315 Dynacore

Prince Textreme Beast 100

Replacing their popular Warrior line of tennis racquets, Prince has released their new Beast frames. The Textreme Beast 100 is the updated version of the best selling Prince Textreme Warrior 100 that comes with some new technology while maintaining the essential characteristics that made the Warrior popular in the first place.

Perhaps one of the most distinct spec changes for the Beast 100 compared to its predecessor is the move from a 16×18 to a 16×19 string pattern. The result is a slightly firmer feel, but at the 100 square inch head size we found didn’t give up too much in the spin department.

Textreme, or Prince’s ultra-think carbon material, is still used in the frame to aid in stability without increasing overall racquet stiffness, but this new series of tennis racquets also integrates Twaron to improve dampening and sound on impact for a difference you can hear.

The racquet roughly maintains it’s weight compared to the warrior at 11.2oz and players will continue to benefit from the higher end power level that this racquet provides making it an approachable tennis racquet that will appeal to a wide range of players.

Why We Love the Prince Textreme Beast 100

Here are the three main reasons this racquet made our list.
Power
Without a doubt, the Prince Textreme Beast 100’s standout feature is its ability to generate power with ease, which was a standout feature of the frame’s predecessor. On both our serve and groundstrokes the racquet delivered plenty of pop that we thoroughly enjoyed.

Topspin
Of course, all that power without the ability to generate topspin would make for a challenging racquet to play with, but the Beast 100 doesn’t disappoint in providing players with access to spin which helped us to control our big groundstrokes and strike the ball with confidence.

Groundstrokes
As far as strokes go, we enjoyed hitting with the Textreme Beast from the baseline. The power level helped us generate significant pace without having to work too hard, and the topspin gave us the confidence to swing through all while keeping the ball deep in the court.

Tradeoffs

The most significant tradeoff with the Prince Textreme Beast 100 is control relative to the frame’s power level. While the topspin provides players with the ability to manage the power, it can take some getting used to if you’re moving from a control oriented frame. With that said, we’d believe this racquet will appeal to beginner to intermediate level players.

Prince Textreme Beast 100 Ratings

Wilson Ultra 100 Countervail

The Wilson Ultra 100 Countervail is the second generation of the original best-selling Ultra 100. Designed to appeal to a wide range of players this lighter 11.3-ounce frame provides players with a forgiving 100 square inch head and offers up easy access to power and topspin.

Similar to the previous model, the upgraded version of the Wilson Ultra 100 maintains the use of Wilson’s parallel drilling technology which increases the size of the sweet spot and provides a more forgiving stringbed. However, the racquet also features a few updates as well.

First and foremost, the frame integrates Wilson’s Countervail technology which reduces shock and negative energy on contact with the ball to help decrease muscle fatigue and increase comfort while providing more control and improved response.

Next up, the Ultra 100 Countervail integrates Wilson’s power rib throat which uses a unique design towards the upper portion of the racquet’s throat that helps increase stability and racquet stiffness for more power.

The throat of the frame also takes advantage of Wilson’s crush zone grommet system for the six center mains. When making contact with the ball, these unique grommets compress to increase the dwell time of the ball and improve overall feel while returning more energy to the ball to enhance power.

The net result is an approachable tennis racquet that should appeal to a broad range of players looking for an easy-to-manage frame that provides plenty of power and topspin.

Why We Love It

Here the top 3 reasons for why we love the Wilson Ultra 100 Countervail.

Power
Much of this racquets design and feature-set is geared around providing players with the ability to generate maximum power with minimal effort. On the court, that power is delivered and by far the racquet’s most distinct feature which was apparent from our first stroke especially when paired with the frame’s large sweet spot.

Topspin
We also enjoyed the Wilson Ultra 100 Countervail’s ability to generate topspin. The racquet’s lower 11.2-ounce weight and 320 swingweight make it easy to swing and generate the racquet head speed necessary for topspin. Your swing is then enhanced with the frame’s 100 square inch head and open 16×19 string pattern that allows for the strings to move and snap back into place to help make topspin even more effortless.

Groundstrokes
The combination of power and topspin made groundstrokes our favorite stroke with the Ultra 100 Countervail. The frame felt easy to maneuver, and we simply didn’t have to work too hard to generate pace. Overall, you can expect the frame to deliver a consistent response while at the same time benefiting from a larger sweet spot which means you’ll get a bit more out of your off-center shots.

Tradeoffs

While the increased power potential may be desirable for some players, it may leave others players longing for control. During our playtest we found this to be more apparent when we looked to be aggressive with our shots. Ultimately, it forced us to be a bit more conservative and aim for larger targets to keep the ball in play.

Another point to bear in mind is the frame’s higher stiffness rating of 74. While Wilson’s use of Countervail carbon technology certainly helps increase comfort by reducing shock, some players may find it also results in a slightly muted or disconnected feel when combined with the crush grommets.

Wilson Ultra 100 Countervail Ratings

Variations of the Wilson Ultra 100 Countervail

Players Using or Endorsing the Wilson Ultra 100 Countervail

• Feliciano Lopez
• Lucie Safarova

Conclusion

There you have it! Our list of the 22 best tennis racquets for 2018 – updated from our reviews in 2017. If you’ve enjoyed this article, we encourage you to bookmark it and share it with your friends, family, and teammates who also might find it useful.

We’ll update and refresh this content every year to take into consideration the latest and greatest tennis racquets being released by top racquet brands.

Have a question about any of the tennis racquets on our list or want to recommend another frame for our community to check out? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

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