The tennis-playing community is blessed with an abundance of quality racquets today. Choosing a tennis racquet is inclusive of several factors that need serious consideration, such as control, power, comfort, maneuverability, feel, and stability.
What works for one tennis player won’t automatically work for another, so it’s highly recommended that you demo a few racquets before committing to one.
To help you in your journey, here are 8 of the most popular tennis racquets.
1. Wilson Pro Staff 97
The Wilson Pro Staff 97 V13 is the quicker and lighter sibling of Roger Federer’s RF97 Autograph model. The Braid 45 update improves the racquet’s feel and stability by weaving graphite and aramid fibers at 45°, enhancing the player’s touch.
It also has a redesigned end cap and a denser string bed, contributing to greater consistency throughout every shot.
These enhancements are standard across all of Wilson’s performance racket lines. The racquet weighs a hefty 11.7-ounces, offset by a light head balance, to produce a reasonable swing weight of 321.
The red and yellow pinstripes at the neck are a nod to earlier iterations of this legendary series and are likely to be the selling point for veteran Pro Staff fans.
Above the 3 and 9 of the frame is an exposed carbon fiber weave that has been given a glossy polish for a sleek look.
The Wilson Pro Staff 97 V13 is an excellent racquet choice for advanced players who generate power and pace at will. The dense string bed takes care of control and consistency.
The head is light, allowing for effortless swings to whip up the required stroke speed when generating heavy spin and assisting the user when making shots on the run.
Pros
- Lighter Version Of Roger Federer’s Pro Staff RF97 Autograph
- Increased Stability Compared To Previous Pro Staff’s
- Terrific Maneuverability
- Excellent Shot Precision
- Improved Playability Versus Previous Models
Cons
- Doesn’t Offer Free Power
- Topspin Production
2. Babolat Pure Strike
Babolat upgraded its Pure Strike line when it released the 3rd generation in 2019. It’s powered by SMAC, a vibration filtration layup system (thin rubber at 3 and 9 o’clock on the racquet frame) that gives the racquet a dampened feel.
The Pure Strike’s hybrid frame technology combines an elliptic beam structure with the stability of a square frame that, results in a perfect blend of power, soft touch, maximum control, and a more generous sweet spot.
The extra stability in the frame design makes it ideal for players who love to take the ball early before dominating at the net with crisp volleys.
Babolat’s FSI Power technology (increased space between the cross strings) results in more comfort, spin generation, and power. With a swing weight of 327 and a strung weight of 11.4 ounces, the Pure Strike is easy to maneuver, whether a groundstroke or a volley.
Professional tennis players Dominic Thiem, Cameron Norrie, and Anette Kontaveit play with the Pure Strike.
Pros
- Excellent Control And Frame Stability
- Power
- It Caters To A Wide Variety Of Playing Styles
- Effortless Maneuverability
Cons
- Slightly Lower Power Than Previous Models
3. Head Graphene 360+ Speed Pro
The Head Graphene 360+ Speed Pro is very popular and one of the best tennis racquets available today. It features an 18 x 20 closed string pattern that gives the user a strong sense of stability and control when combined with 62-RA stiffness.
This racquet is ideal for players looking for a balanced blend of control, power, and feel, and it doesn’t force a player to sacrifice any part of their skill set to get the best out of the racquet.
The frame is made with durable graphite SpiralFiber technology in the lower head, which helps the racquet to bend perfectly at the point of impact.
The thick 100 square inches head provides ample power, with Head’s Graphene 360+ technology providing the mixture of control. The large racquet head allows for a bigger margin of error on shots, ultimately being a little more forgiving than previous models.
The 360+ Speed Pro is not as grippy as the Speed MP; however, there is massive spin potential to be unlocked when using full swings.
Overall, the Speed Pro, endorsed by the greatest tennis player of all time Novak Djokovic, is a great option for advanced players looking for a more traditional feeling racquet. It offers lots of control with more than enough power to finish points.
Pros
- Power Generation
- High Control Rating
- Stability
- Racquet Speed
Cons
- Demands Excellent Shot Technique
- Not A Beginner Racquet
- Not As Grippy As The Head Speed MP
4. Wilson Blade 98
The Blade 98 (16×19) V8 has a fresh layup and attractive shape to suit the vertical swing path used by today’s top players. The FORTYFIVE° technology is the most notable advancement since it improves frame flexibility while maintaining structural integrity, resulting in an unrivaled ball feel on every stroke.
The Blade 98 V8 rewards precise and aggressive ball strikers. The 16×19 string pattern allows for more stretch, generating more power and spin capacity. The carbon fiber handle connected with the end cap gives the racquet enhanced torsional stability when playing or defending shots.
Players with a double backhand will enjoy the top grip taper, which lends a better feel for top-handed grip placement on a two-handed backhand.
Using a parallel drilling technique in the racquet’s grommet construction results in a more forgiving string bed with an increased sweet spot, which players will appreciate.
Pros
- Respectable Level Of Power
- Connected-To-The-Ball-Feel
- Forgiving String Bed
- Enhanced Torsional Stability
- Grip Placement
- Enlarged Sweet Spot
Cons
- Have To Work Hard For Top Spin
5. Babolat Pure Drive
When Babolat, the oldest racquet company in the world, released the first Pure Drive in 1994, it was lauded for its power. Today, the 10th generation of the Pure Drive won’t disappoint the player looking for explosive power while also preferring a racquet with excellent feel.
The powerful Babolat Pure Drive is one of the most versatile and popular tennis racquets today. It features a High Torsional Rigidity (HTR) system paired with an elliptical frame structure. In plain language, it is a layup composition in the racquet hoop, increasing rigidity and producing phenomenal power.
Players enjoy the unique sound that the Babolat Pure Drive produces on most shots played. Using new SMAC technology, a vibration filtration system, which is implemented in the layup composition, the racquet generates an excellent feel at the point of contact.
The 100 square-inch head and FSI Power technology (diamond-shaped grommets) give the user a larger sweet spot to work with.
Ultimately, the manageable swing weight and the light head weight allows players of different skill levels to enjoy the power and control afforded by the mobile Pure Drive.
Pros
- Power Generation Without Muscling The Raquet
- Ability To Produce Spin
- Popping Serves
- Excellent Baseline Racquet
Cons
- Not For Players Who Suffers From Tennis Elbow
- Stiff Frame
6. Yonex EZONE 98
The 2020 edition of Yonex’s Ezone racquet has undergone a modern makeover for 2022. The Ezone 98 7th Generation racquet continues the tradition of an easy-swinging frame that incorporates stability, spin, and, most importantly, feel and accuracy.
The 2G-NAMD Speed Graphite frame ultimately gives the player equipped with a quick swing more ball speed without compromising on overall comfort levels.
Yonex revised the shaft’s construction to further increase the strength and steadiness of the racquet, and the Isometric shape of the thicker shaft ensures you get more force out of your shots, even when you hit them outside of the sweet spot.
Aesthetically beautiful with its new blue hue, the racquet is reasonably light and needs a specific string setup to ensure player control. It’s recommended for intermediate and advanced players, with most players will find that they immediately play well with the “Easy One.”
A version of the Yonex Ezone 98 is used by popular Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios, Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka, and rising South African star Lloyd Harris.
Pros
- Vibration Dampening Mesh
- Lightweight
- Raw Swing Speed
Cons
- Lacks Raw Power
- Doesn’t Stand Out In A Specific Department
7. Head Gravity Pro
The Head Gravity Pro is a racquet for more experienced players looking for maximum control of their shots.
Made popular by Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev, the Gravity Pro’s 11.7 ounces strung weight, light head weight, 18x 20 string pattern, and a very low stiffness rating of 62 combine to give the user maximum feel.
Featuring Head’s famous Graphene 360+ technology, the Gravity Pro is optimized for energy transfer, and the SpiralFiber found in the frame design does an excellent job at absorbing shock, ensuring a comfortable hitting experience.
Head creates a special hitting Sweet Zone with the racquet’s noticeable round head shape and by raising the widest string bed to the tip of the racquet.
The Gravity Pro is perfect for advanced players who prefer generating their own pace and who will trade raw power for control on any day.
Pros
- Shock Absorbing Frame Technology
- Tons Of Feel
- Comfortable Hitting Experience
Cons
- Maneuverability Of The Racquet
- Power Generation Relies On Player Input
8. Babolat Pure Aero
The King of Clay, Rafael Nadal, is one of the reasons that the Babolat Pure Aero is such a popular racquet. Previous Pure Aero’s was known to be stiff, so Babolat decided to reduce the stiffness in the 2019 version, which increased the racquet’s level of control and comfortability on the arm.
The Cortex Pure Feel technology helps with vibration and shock reduction, whereas the integration of Carbon Ply Stabilizing technology helps to improve control and reduces twisting. The Pure Aero is a top spin monster, and it’s all due to Babolat’s FSI Spin technology (more space between cross strings paired with wider grommets.)
The Pure Aero includes Babolat’s Aeromodular beam construction, which ensures the best aerodynamic movement through the air with the least wind drag possible. The Pure Aero is ideal for a baseline player who hits with heavy topspin.
Pros
- Ease Of Creating Serious Top Spin
- Increased Racquet Speed
- Rafa’s Racquet
- High Power Rating
Cons
- Stiff Frame Is Harsh On The Arm
- Not Suited For All Playstyles
The racquets above are the most popular racquets at the recreational level; if you’re wondering what the pro players use, I listed the most popular racquets on the ATP Tour in this post.