It can always be difficult to choose a racquet if you’re not familiar with a range of them already and knowledgable on who a particular one may be best suited to, and it’s even a challenge if you do have that knowledge! It becomes a bit easier once you know exactly what your style of play is and that you won’t deviate from that style, but it can always be helpful to have a bit of a helping hand and somewhat narrow down the list of racquets that you may wish to try out or just simply buy straight away.
Here’s a list of the 10 best tennis racquets for beginners and intermediate players
Babolat Pure Drive
The 2021 Babolat Pure Drive delivers the explosive power and spin that has made the Pure Drive series so popular. Known for its easy power, this racquet excels from the baseline and on serves, making it ideal for aggressive players who like to hit deep, heavy shots. The updated HTR (High Torsional Rigidity) system enhances stability and power, while the SWX Pure Feel technology improves comfort by reducing vibrations for a softer feel compared to previous models.
I’ve personally found this to be the best tennis racquet when it comes to power, stability and just pure capabilty to blast your opponent off the court. What I will say is that with that power, you might have to play around with the strings a bit and playing with a tension that is high enough to not have the tennis racquet feeling too ‘launchy’, but also low enough that it is comfortable enough and as easy-going as possible on the arm.
While control has slightly improved, the racquet remains primarily power-focused, which may require adjustments for precision shots. Overall, the 2021 Pure Drive is an excellent choice for intermediate to advanced players desiring power, spin, and a modern feel.
Pros
+ Great access to ‘easy’ power
+ Good access to spin
+ Fantastic for baseliners and big servers
Cons
– Some may consider the power to be too great
Babolat Pure Aero 2023
The 2023 Babolat Pure Aero builds on its legacy as the ultimate spin machine, offering excellent access to spin and power for aggressive baseline players. With its aerodynamic frame and slightly less open 16×19 string pattern than it’s predecessor, it excels at generating heavy topspin, making it ideal for players who love to dictate with spin-loaded, high-arching shots. The 2023 version improves comfort and feel thanks to NF² Tech, which enhances vibration dampening, providing a smoother, more arm-friendly experience compared to previous models.
This is my favorite racquet and tennis racquet of choice and I’ve found it to be the best racquet when it comes to access to power and spin. It can be ideal for new tennis players, but also for intermediate and advanced tennis players too. It can be labelled as a ‘cheat racquet’ to some due to it’s easy power and spin, but with the former of those it’s not too overbearing.
While control can be a challenge for those who prefer precision over spin, the 2023 Pure Aero is perfect for intermediate to advanced players who thrive on spin-heavy, aggressive play from the baseline. It also shines on serves, offering easy power and kick.
Pros
+ Top of the range for spin production
+ Great access to power
+ Very manoeuvrable through the air, allowing you to really whip the racquet
Cons
– Beam shape may be odd to some
– Possibly too much power
– Potential difficulty to hit through the court
Yonex Ezone 98
The 2022 Yonex Ezone 98 is a well-balanced racquet that combines power, control, and comfort, making it a versatile option for a wide range of players. Known for its unique isometric head shape, the Ezone 98 offers a larger sweet spot, enhancing forgiveness and consistency on off-center hits. This model delivers excellent control and feel, while still providing enough power for aggressive play from the baseline.
The Ezone 98 is known to many as one of the more favourable tennis racquets of the last few years. It’s actually a bit polarising with regard to people’s experience with it. Some find it to be more of a power racquet, but I personally found it to have power that you can tap into, but it was more of a control racquet than I thought it would be. This may be due to how the stringbed tightens up a bit as it gets to the centre. Personally, I think it’s a great racquet if you’re a powerful and aggresive player as I think this has the level of control to keep that power in check without diminishing it too much.
The racquet features Vibration Dampening Mesh in the handle, offering improved comfort and reducing harsh vibrations for a smoother feel. With its blend of power, spin, and precision, the 2022 Ezone 98 is an excellent choice for players wanting a racquet that excels in all-court play.
Pros
+ Great blend of both power and control
+ Very manoeuvrable
+ Good access to spin
Cons
– Launch angle may be slightly low to some people
– Might need additional weight added to the hoop to increase the level of power
Yonez Ezone 100
The 2022 Yonex Ezone 100 is a power-focused racquet that offers an excellent balance of power, spin, and comfort, making it a great option for a wide range of players. With its 100-square-inch head size and the signature Yonex isometric head shape, it provides a large sweet spot, enhancing forgiveness and consistency on off-center hits. The racquet delivers plenty of power while maintaining good control, ideal for aggressive baseline players.
The addition of Vibration Dampening Mesh improves comfort by reducing vibrations, resulting in a smoother feel. Overall, the 2022 Ezone 100 is an ideal choice for players seeking a powerful, comfortable racquet with a large sweet spot and good all-around performance.
Pros
+ Offers easy power
+ Provides a little more control than something like a Pure Drive
+ Provides a ‘plush’ feeling on contact
Cons
– Launch angle may be slightly low to some people
– Might need additional weight added to the hoop to increase the level of power
Yonex Vcore 98
The 2022 Yonex VCORE 98 is designed for players who prioritize spin and control without sacrificing power. With its 98-square-inch isometric head shape, the racquet offers a generous sweet spot for added forgiveness, while the 16×19 string pattern makes it easy to generate spin. It excels at creating heavy topspin and precise shots, making it ideal for aggressive baseline players who like to dictate with spin and accuracy.
Players looking for a new tennis racquet that largely revolves around spin but may find other offerings from say, Babolat or Head to not be of their liking for whatever reasons, then this Vcore offering is certainly in the list of the best. I found it to be quite comfortable on the arm and you really notice it when you hit the sweet spot, more so than in similar racquets. If you like to get a lot of arch on your groundstrokes, you will really notice how this racquet gives the ball an easy lift as soon as you use it.
The racquet’s Aero Fin Technology enhances maneuverability, and Vibration Dampening Mesh in the handle provides a more comfortable feel by reducing harsh vibrations. Overall, the 2022 VCORE 98 is an excellent choice for players seeking spin, control, and a responsive feel.
Pros
+ Very spin-friendly
+Soft and comfortable on impact with a big sweet spot.
+ High launch angle for those who like to get a lot of lift on the ball
+ A good blend of control and power
Cons
– High launch angle could also be considered a negative if you want to hit through the court more.
Head Speed MP 2024
The 2024 Head Speed MP is a versatile racquet designed for players who want a balanced blend of power, control, and spin. With its 100-square-inch head size and a 16×19 string pattern, the Speed MP offers a generous sweet spot and easy access to spin, making it great for all-court players who like to mix up their shots. The racquet’s updated Auxetic technology provides improved feedback and feel, allowing for better control and response on each shot.
This is considered a great all around racquet and one of the most versatile, pick up and play racquets on the market. You don’t get too much of anything, but enough of everything at the same time. A good level of control, spin, power and stability. The issue I had with the Speed MP is that even though the stability has improved over the previous version, it still doesn’t match up to that which is found on the Speed Pro.
It’s lightweight enough for quick maneuverability, yet stable enough for solid groundstrokes and volleys. Overall, the 2024 Head Speed MP is an excellent choice for players at a range of levels, looking for a racquet that delivers a balanced, all-around performance.
Pros
+ A great ‘all-rounder’ racquet
+ Auexetic 2.0 makes this version more stable
+ Great control but with sufficient power
Cons
– The higher swingweight may make it feel less manoeuvrable to some
Quality control can drastically alter the experience.
Head Speed Pro 2024
The 2024 Head Speed Pro is a precision-oriented racquet designed for advanced players who prioritize control and feel. With its tighter 18×20 string pattern, this racquet delivers excellent accuracy, making it ideal for players who like to dictate with precision from the baseline and at the net. The addition of Auxetic technology enhances feedback, providing a more connected feel on every shot.
Although this racquet may be geared towards more intermediate and advanced players, I think some may still find it very usable and will appreciate the additional stability that it has over the Speed MP. It’s why I personally prefer it as you feel like you can handle everything that is thrown at you with relative ease. The only standout difficlty that I found with this racquet was the low launch angle due to the 18×20 string pattern, so without adjustment, you may that you’re dumping a few balls into the net.
Though slightly heavier, the Speed Pro remains maneuverable, offering stability and solid plow-through on groundstrokes. Overall, the 2024 Head Speed Pro is perfect for players seeking a racquet that emphasizes control, feel, and reliable performance for advanced play.
Pros
+ Also a great ‘all-rounder’ racquet
+ Fantastic level of control
+ The racquet feels very stable in stock form.
+ No glaring weaknessess and a very versatile frame
Cons
– Some people may find the low launch angle difficult
– Minimal free power, so that will have to be generated mostly by the user.
Head Extreme MP 2024
The 2024 Head Extreme MP is a standout racquet for players seeking maximum spin and power. With its 100-square-inch head size and a spin-friendly 16×19 string pattern, this racquet excels at generating heavy topspin and offers plenty of power from the baseline. The updated Auxetic technology improves feel and feedback, giving players more control despite the racquet’s power potential.
Again, it’s another case where I would say this racquet is best for people who like to play with spin. I would put it in the same bracket as the Vcore 98 and Pure Aero. For whatever reason, I did find this racquet the most difficult when it came to trying to any bit flatten out my shot, but I also found it to be the best feeling racquet when it came to my two-handed backhand. I did value the feeling on impact that this racquet provided.
It’s maneuverable enough for fast swings and quick reactions at the net, making it versatile for all-court play. The 2024 Head Extreme MP is a great option for those who prioritize spin and explosive power in their game.
Pros
+ Spin capability that rivals the Pure Aero
+ More comfortable an arm-friendly than others in it’s class
+ Good level of control despite it being a powerful frame
Cons
– The ball can sometimes sail long when flattening out your groundstrokes
– The dampened and more muted feel may not be to some people’s liking.
Wilson Blade 98 V9
The 2024 Wilson Blade 98 v9 16×19 continues the legacy of the Blade series with some excellent refinements. This racquet offers a perfect balance between control and feel, making it a favorite for aggressive baseline players. The 16×19 string pattern provides added spin potential without sacrificing precision. It maintains the flexible, arm-friendly feel that the Blade is known for, allowing for great feedback on every shot.
Compared to its predecessors, the v9 introduces subtle improvements in stability and comfort, particularly noticeable during off-center hits. It’s responsive at the net and provides solid plow-through on groundstrokes. The racquet traditionally suits intermediate to advanced players looking for a blend of control, power, and spin in a sleek package.
Overall, the 2024 Blade 98 v9 continues to impress with its versatility and performance, making it a go-to option for all-court players.
Pros
+ Fantastic level of control even in this version, the 18×20 will have the highest level of precision.
+ Very comfortable
+ Has a thin beam and a smaller head size, but despite that it has great stability.
Cons
– The smaller head size and lower level of free power than certain other frames may leave some wanting more from the racquet.
Wilson Blade 100 V9
The 2024 Wilson Blade 100 v9 16×19 is a fantastic option for players seeking a slightly more forgiving version of the Blade series. With its larger 100-square-inch head, it offers a bigger sweet spot and added power while still retaining much of the control and precision that the Blade is known for. The 16×19 string pattern allows for easy spin generation, making it ideal for players who like to dictate play with spin-heavy groundstrokes.
The racquet is slightly more powerful than the Blade 98, but it maintains a good balance between power and control. It’s also more forgiving on off-center shots, making it a bit easier to handle for intermediate players or those transitioning to a performance racquet. The feel and stability are solid, and the racquet performs well both at the baseline and the net.
Overall, the Blade 100 v9 is a great choice for players looking for a bit more power and a larger sweet spot without losing too much of the Blade’s signature control and feel.
Pros
+ A bit more user-friendly than it’s 98 sq inch brother
+ Better spin potential and power
+ Maintains a really good standard of manoeuvrability
Cons
– Unlike the 98 version, this one if anything can lack a bit of control for some players
