Best Tennis Racquet of 2022: A Complete Guide

Your tennis racquet is going to be your best friend on the court, so it’s probably a wise decision to find the best tennis racquet that suits your needs. And if you don’t already know what features are important to look for, we’ll give you some pointers on that as well. But for the most part, the type of racquet you’ll be using will depend on your physical stature and personal preferences. Brand and racquet model are largely your choice, and obviously, individual tastes can vary. But with that in mind, we’ll be covering the best tennis racquet brands you can find on the market, going over each brand’s strengths and weaknesses. Let’s get going!

Tips on Selecting the Best Tennis Racquet For You

String Pattern

You have two choices here: an open string pattern (16×18) and a closed string pattern (18×20). String pattern is the amount of cross strings that are featured on the racquet, and the benefits of an open string pattern are more power and spin at the cost of durability, while closed string racquets allow for more control and last longer, while sacrificing for added power and spin.

Head Size

Head size basically means how large the racquet face is (frame and strings), and the larger the head size, the more power you’ll have. The smaller the head size, the more control you’ll have, while a head size in between will have a balance of both. The different head sizes include oversize (>105 sq.in), mid-plus (95-105 sq.in), and mid size (<95 sq.in).

Weight/Balance Point

There are three weight categories: heavy (head-light / > 11.5 oz.), medium (balanced / 10-11.5 oz.), and lightweight (head-heavy / < 10 oz.), and weight is mostly influenced by how heavy the handle is. How head-heavy or head-light the racquet is will depend on how far up or down the racquet balances at. Every 1/8 of an inch counts as 1 point, so 8 points head-heavy means the balance point is 1 inch up from the racquet, while 8 points head-light means the balance point is 1 inch down from the racquet. The benefits of light racquets are faster swings and more maneuverability, making them the best tennis racquet for beginners. On the other hand, heavy racquets provide more control and power, and are often preferred by advanced players. Medium racquets have a balance of both.

Swing Weight

Although you’re probably inclined to believe that swing weight is related to strung weight, it really isn’t at all. Swing weight is how heavy a racquet feels when swung and is given a rating anywhere from 0-1000. Typical swing weights are around 280-350, with lower swing weights allowing for more spin and faster swings while higher swing weights provides for more stability and power.

Grip Size

Grip size refers to hand sizes, and it’s especially important to find the right grip size for you. If not, using the wrong grip size can lead to poor performance, irritation, and injuries to the wrist, arm, and shoulder. Most grip sizes range from 4 to 4.75 inches, and to find your grip size, you can use our guide here.

String Material

Most tennis racquet strings are made of either gut or synthetic materials. The most common materials include natural gut, synthetic gut, multi-filament, nylon, polyester, Kevlar, and hybrids. Each material has a different feel to it, including other factors like durability, tension stability, elasticity, and of course price. It’s really all about experimenting with different types of strings to find the one you like best.

String Tension

String tension is how tight or loose your strings are. Typical ranges for string tension are around 45-65 lbs, and the types of strings you use and your swing speed should be factored in when choosing a string tension. Higher string tensions (>60 lbs) allow for more control and stability while lower string tensions (<50 lbs) allow for more power but more shock.

String Gauge

String gauge is how thick the tennis strings are, and is given a rating of 15-20. Half gauges are indicated by an L, so for example, a 16L is between a 16 and 17. Higher gauge ratings mean a thinner string while lower gauges are thicker. For the most part, thinner strings are the best since they provide for more power, spin, control, and elasticity. The only downside however is durability, so string gauge should be determined by how hard you hit and how long you want your strings to last.

Frame Stiffness/Flex

Frames are given a rating of 0-100, with most racquets falling somewhere in between 50 and 80. Frame stiffness, or flex, refers to how flexible a racquet is, and higher stiffness ratings (> 69) means additional power but more strain on the wrist, arm, and shoulders. Lower stiffness ratings (< 60), although means more energy loss, makes up for it by providing extra spin and less strain on the body. The best tennis racquet for you will depend on your personal preferences.

For a complete guide on how to choose a tennis racquet, check out this page.

Best Tennis Racquet Comparison Chart

Head Tennis Racquets

Head offers equipment for all kinds of sports, but they are most renown for specializing in skis and of course, tennis racquets. Founded in 1950, Head introduced aluminum racquets in 1969 and later on in 1997, titanium and graphite racquets. One of the top-leading tennis racquet brands today, Head offers a racquet for all levels of players so you can easily find the best tennis racquet that fits your needs. In fact, around 30% of the Top 100 tennis players on the ATP Tour use Head tennis racquets, and you can check out Head’s top players here.

Wilson Tennis Racquets

Wilson started off as Ashland Manufacturing Company in 1913, using animal by-products to make tennis strings, violin strings, and surgical sutures. Soon afterward, the company focused on making baseball shoes and tennis racquets. It wasn’t until 1925, however, that the company was renamed Wilson-Western Sporting Goods, and finally Wilson Sporting Goods Company in 1931. More than 100 years later, Wilson is still manufacturing high-quality tennis equipment, providing all types of racquets for all types of players. So, whether you’re a baseliner, attacker, all courter, or recreational player, you can find a tennis racquet for you. (They also offer junior tennis racquets). Besides producing some of the best tennis equipment, Wilson also has a team of some of the best players to back them up.

Babolat Tennis Racquets

Babolat was founded in Lyon, France in 1875, and has been laser-driven toward racquet sports ever since. In 1874, Walter Clopton Wingfield created the game of tennis, and one year later, Pierre Babolat created the first tennis strings made out of natural gut (which are predominantly considered the best type of strings). It wasn’t until 1994, however, that Babolat decided to become a “total tennis” company, creating a line of tennis racquets along with their well-known tennis strings and accessories. Babolat racquets weren’t introduced to the USA until 2000 though, but it has since become regarded as one if not the best tennis racquet brand out there. Whether it’s their constant improvements in technology, their all-star roster, or their wide variety of tennis equipment, Babolat continues to remain on the forefront of tennis.

Prince Tennis Racquets

Prince is also another company that specializes in racquet sports equipment–squash, badminton, and tennis. Founded in 1970 by Robert H. McClure in Princeton, New Jersey, Prince started of manufacturing tennis ball machines which Robert first engineered by reversing a vacuum cleaner motor. Roughly 6 years later, Prince introduced the Prince Classic 110, which featured an oversize head of approximately 110 square inches with a sweet spot 50% larger than other racquets. In 1978, Prince started manufacturing racquets made of graphite (carbon fiber) and continues to make quality tennis racquets for all levels of players.

Dunlop Tennis Racquets

Since 1889, Dunlop had already been manufacturing goods from rubber. It wasn’t until 1910, however, that the company began manufacturing sporting equipment from their headquarters located in Birmingham. Dunlop started out making rubber golf balls and later on, tennis balls in 1924 and tennis racquets in 1925. The sports division would later become an independent branch in 1928, formally known as Dunlop Sports. Little fun fact, more tennis Grand Slams have been won with Dunlop racquets than any other brand, so that goes to show the history behind the company.

Yonex Tennis Racquets

Yonex is a Japanese manufacturer of badminton, golf, and tennis sporting equipment. Although the company is widely known for its dominant role in badminton, they still offer lots of great tennis equipment as well. Founded in 1946 by Minoru Yoneyama, Yonex abandoned their previous venture of producing wooden floats for fishing nets and started manufacturing badminton racquets in 1957. When aluminum technology was introduced to badminton racquets in 1968, Yonex also began producing aluminum tennis racquets in 1969, and the rest is history.

Völkl Tennis Racquets

Founded in 1923, Völkl is a German-based sports equipment manufacturer that specializes in ski, snowboard, and tennis equipment. Starting off making skis, it wasn’t until 1972 that Völkl expanded into the tennis industry with the Zebra racquet, the world’s first tennis racquet made of fiberglass. The company has become a reputable brand in tennis because of its advancements in technology, as you can see from its evolution in racquets.