Tennis is an enjoyable hobby and sport. If you’re just starting out and want to be a better player, you better invest in the best tennis racquet for beginners. It will help improve and develop your skills, techniques, and strokes. Curious as to how? Read on to find out
Why Choosing The Best Tennis Racquet Is Important
Do you ever wonder why tennis is called a racquet sport? Well, it’s because the racquet is the most important thing in this sport. It determines the speed of your strikes, your accuracy, and affects your chances of being hurt or injured.
In other words, the racquet you use can make or break your game. Different players need different kinds of racquets that they will be comfortable using. If you’re a novice, using a racquet designed for advanced players could make it hard for you to learn. Usually, this can also cause confusion, frustration, and wrist pain.
With the right racquet, however, you will be able to get more balls over the net back to the other court. This equates to more fun while playing and thus, encourage you to play more.
As you spend more time playing, you also get better more quickly. Therefore, investing in an appropriate and beginner-friendly racquet is totally worth it.
What Should You Look for in the Best Tennis Racquet for Beginners?
Now that we’ve established why choosing the right tennis racquet is crucial let’s discuss how exactly you can do so. There are three most important features that you should take note of a racquet’s weight, balance rating, and swing weight.
1. Weight
Whenever a skilled tennis player picks up a racquet, the first thing he or she will notice is the frame’s weight. For beginners, I recommend a lightweight racquet so that it’s easier to handle and can help you improve your spin, power, and swing speed.
A racquet that’s too heavy will affect your racquet’s acceleration and your timing. While heavy racquets give more power and better control, this is only true for professional players who have gained the strength over years of practice.
So, choose a lightweight tennis racquet, like something weighing around 10.5 ounces. This is the best weight since it offers some stability and power without putting strain on your hand and arm.
2. Balance
The balance rating of a racquet depends on the weight distribution in the frame. A perfectly balanced racquet will have an equal weight distribution, and the balance point would be the center.
However, the weight typically goes to either the head or the handle. A racquet that’s heavy on the handle will seem lighter than when the pressure is concentrated on the head.
This type of racquet will be greatly beneficial for net play while a heavy head racquet is ideal for baseline play. You can determine a racquet’s weight distribution by resting it close to a table’s edge and determining the point at which it will start to tip.
3. Swing Weight
When you combine the effect of a racquet’s weight and balance, you refer to the swing weight. Swing weight is the “feel” when you hit a ball with the racquet.
It will affect your ability to maneuver the racquet and your overall play, which is why it is arguably the most important consideration when buying a tennis racquet.
Other Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Tennis Racquet for Beginners
Of course, there are still other factors to consider when choosing a beginner’s tennis racquet aside from the first three already mentioned. These include the following:
1. Head Size
The head size of tennis racquets can vary greatly. As a beginner, you would want something with a larger head because it will provide some allowance to cover up your mistakes.
Choose a racquet with a head size of at least 105 square inches. Not only will this offer a more forgiving bounce but will also maximize your power without exerting too much effort.
2. Racquet Length
Racquets with larger head sizes are also longer. This extends a player’s reach, allowing him to chase more balls easily. Newbies should opt for racquets that are at least 27.5 inches long.
3. Flex
The extent to which a frame flexes or deflects a ball greatly impacts its power potential. A more flexible racquet offers more give, resulting in more energy loss.
Less flex is provided by stiffer racquets, which makes them ideal for beginners who have slower swing speeds.
However, a racquet that’s too stiff will be uncomfortable to use as it transmits the impact to the shoulder, elbow, and wrist. So, if you have a history of pain or injury, you might want something with a medium flex to get the best of both worlds.
4. Handle or Grip Size
The ideal handle of grip size obviously depends on the size of your hand. Choose something that’s a little smaller since a smaller grip allows you to take better control.
Other factors that you should consider are your budget, strengths, personal needs, and playing style.
A Review Of The Best Tennis Racquet For Beginners
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1. HEAD Ti.S6 Tennis Racquet
First, we have the HEAD Ti.S6 tennis racquet. What I like about this racquet is that it is the cheapest among all models listed here, but does not come last in term of features.
This titanium and graphite construction is responsible for its strength, durability, and reduced weight. The graphite composite also gives an excellent feel to it.
Weighing only eight ounces, I love how light it is and how it allows me to make faster swings and shots. It also offers a great deal of power both for groundstrokes, baseline shots, and volleying.
It has a synthetic head gut that’s responsible for a nice spin. It also comes pre-strung with taut strings in a 16×19 string pattern which retain much of the ball’s power to put it onto your shot.
The oversized head with a measurement of 115 square inches helps in maximizing the power and reducing your misses. This racquet is also extra long with a total length of 27 and ¾ inches.
Thanks to the ShockStop™ vibration dampener, the amount of vibration is significantly reduced. This also lessens the likelihood of pain and injuries.It features a SofTac™ traction grip for comfort. This racquet is undoubtedly a game changer for beginners and intermediate players alike.
Pros
Cons
- Lightweight
- Comes with a vibration dampener
- Great for delivering power shots and precision shots
- Extra long
- Oversized head
- Cheaper than most other brands
- The frame is not as strong and durable as you would expect it to be
- The strings could be stronger and more tightly strung
- Does not come with a racquet cover
2. Babolat Drive 115
Next, we have the new Babolat Drive 115 that features almost all the same technologies of the older Pure Drive line but with larger head size and lighter weight.
Arguably the best tennis racquets ever produced by the brand, the Babolat Drive 115 offers immense power without being too heavy. The larger head size of 740 sq. Cm (115 sq. in) also increases the sweet spot area to improve your accuracy.
With an open string pattern, the racquet also makes for better spin and higher power. It is constructed with a graphite frame which provides the right stiffness to help you gain better control of your shots.
The Babolat Woofer technology improves the sensation and increases your control of the racquet. Not only that, but the Cortex System also elevates your feel for the ball and provides the comfort level you might not even know you needed.
Its maneuverability and the balance point being located at the blade makes it ideal for beginners. Despite the hefty price tag, I have faith in the brand, which has been around since 1875.
Pros
Cons
- Long handle
- Soft and nice touch
- Comfortable to use
- Very stable
- Light and fast
- Good balance
- Great power
- Easy to control
- Large sweet spot for increased accuracy
- Expensive
- The strings were cheap, a bit loose, and not the same design and pattern as shown in the picture
- Customers complain that the racquet comes unstrung
3. Prince Textreme Tour 100P
Another great beginner’s tennis racquet is the Prince Textreme Tour 100P. It features an excellent all court frame with a nice touch, and great spin and power.
What I love about it is its easiness on the arm and wrist because it is so light. However, it does not fall short when it comes to directional control and stability as you would expect from a racquet as light as 11.5 ounces.
It is also ideal for all skill players and not just for beginners. It combines speed with control, thanks to the dense 18×20 string pattern.
The Textreme layup reinforcement boosts the racquet’s stability and flexibility as well. Textreme is a substance that’s unique to the brand and gives their racquets an incredible feel and shock absorption.
This feature also helps in shock absorption without making the stringbed seem too out-of-balance even when the ball hits off the center.
The Prince Textreme Tour 100P racquet boasts an impressive headlight balance that’s perfect for smooth and powerful groundstrokes.
The head size is 645 sq. Cm or 100 sq. Inches, which is slightly smaller than what I would recommend for beginners. However, its total length of 27 inches is just right.
Pros
Cons
- Solidly constructed
- Extremely light on the arm
- Very stable
- Increased control
- Powerful strokes
- Smaller head size
- Pricey
- Arrives unstrung
4. Wilson Burn 100 LS Mid+
If you want to improve your groundstrokes and accelerate your power, this racquet which is a part of Wilson’s baseliner series is another great option. This will also help you gain more control of your strokes.
At 10.5 ounces, this lightweight racquet offers the same spin friendly attributes you’d find in heavier models. Since this is evenly balanced, it is quite easy to maneuver. With a length of 27 inches, this is slightly shorter than ideal but is alright regarding lengthening your reach.
The 100 sq. inch head is enhanced by Wilson’s Parallel Drilling technology that makes the string bed more forgiving and consistent while also significantly increasing the sweet spot.
The Spin Effect Technology of this racquet lets you deliver deep diving shots by gripping the ball really well.
The X2 Ergonomic shaft of the handle allows you to get a custom handle shape for a comfortable and personalized feel. It gives you better leverage and more successful backhands. The narrow shaft also accommodates faster grip changes.
This well-rounded racquet surprises merely you with all of its amazing features and overall performance.
Pros
Cons
- Lightweight
- Stable
- Maneuverable frame
- Powerful spins with minimal effort
- Consistent, comfortable, and stable feel
- Allows for amazing serves
- Might be too light for adults aiming to improve their strokes
- Smaller head size
- Shipped unstrung
5. Wilson Hyper Hammer 5.3
Last but not the least, if you’re a player who tends to deliver short and compact swings, the Wilson Hyper Hammer 5.3 can provide a great power frame for you!
The most notable feature of this racquet is its oversized head measuring 170 sq cm or about 110 sq. inches. This not only increases the sweet spot but is also responsible for giving the racquet more give and power when you hit the ball.
Despite the huge head, however, this racquet has a heavy head balance that increases momentum and stability. This is also the best selling racket from Wilson and has been rated under the most powerful tennis racquet category in a popular tennis magazine feature.
The racquet also has a 16×20 open string power with reduced overlapping of cross strings for spin and power. This string pattern also gives you a more powerful rebound and an enhanced feel of the ball.
The Wilson Hyper Hammer also has the ideal length of 27.5 inches, giving you more leverage, elongating your reach, and preventing misses.
Pros
Cons
- Ideal racquet length
- Oversized head
- Preferred by professional players
- Great value for money
- Lightweight and balanced frame
- Nice string pattern
- Good construction
- Requires overgrip for players with larger hands
- Pricey
- Needs to be restrung for more power
Conclusion
In summary, the best tennis racquet for beginners among all those included in this list is the Wilson Hyper Hammer 5.3. Although it is not the most affordable, it really impresses concerning head size, length, lightweight, stability, control, and construction.
So, did you learn anything from this guide? I sure hope so! If you did, make sure to leave a comment down below. You can also leave your suggestions, questions, or topics you want me to talk about!