Best Tennis Rackets For Beginners

As a beginner tennis player, choosing the right racket can be difficult as there are so many different sizes, types, and brands to choose from, that it can be overwhelming to find the right one to suit your skill level and playing style.

In this article, I will guide you through the process of selecting the best tennis racket for beginners, by providing an overview of the types of rackets that are best for beginners, the factors you should consider when choosing your first tennis racket, and my recommendations for the five best tennis rackets for beginners.

Best Tennis Rackets For Beginners

How to Choose a Beginner Tennis Racket

The main factors you should consider when buying your first tennis racket are its weight, grip size, head size, length, strings, and cost.

Weight

Weight

In my opinion, the weight of your racket is one of the most important factors to consider as if it’s too heavy then you will struggle to hit with power and if it’s too light then you are likely to struggle with control.

Therefore it is important that you select a frame with a weight that offers a good balance between power and control.

The ideal weight will depend on a number of factors e.g. age/skill level/sex but it the general recommendation for beginners is to stick to rackets that weigh less than 300g (10.6oz).

Grip Size

Grip Size

Another important factor is your grip size, as a tennis racket with a grip size that is too small or too big can cause discomfort, pain, and injuries to your wrist, arm, and shoulder.

Everyone’s grip size is different so it’s important that you measure your grip size before purchasing your first racket.

You can check out this excellent guide on how to measure your tennis grip size, which shows you how to measure your grip size yourself.

Head Size

Head Size

Head Sizes in tennis generally range from 85in to 110in with 100in rackets being the most popular head size at the recreational level.

The bigger the head size on a racket, the more powerful it will be so many beginners opt for oversized tennis rackets (over 100in).

However, I would recommend that you start playing with a 100in racket as they offer the best balance of power and control.

I would only recommend an oversized frame if you are a senior player who needs some help generating power on your groundstrokes.

Racket Length

If you are an adult player then most players will be best going with the standard 27in racket length.

However, you also have the option of going with a frame with an extended length, which will give you extra reach, more power, and greater stability on your shots at the cost of being less maneuverable and more tiring to play with.

Strings and String Tension

Most beginner tennis rackets come prestrung with cheaper factory strung strings, which are often not great.

I would recommend getting your racket strung with Wilson Sensation tennis strings as they are a good quality string at a reasonable price.

In terms of string tension, a safe bet is to go with a string tension of 50 lbs.

Cost

Tennis is an expensive sport with many rackets costing over $200.

However, I would not recommend spending too much on your first racket as you will be better off buying a more expensive racket once you have learned more about your playing style and technique.

For beginners, I would recommend buying a racket under $100 until you have a better understanding of your game.

Best Beginner Tennis Racket 2023

Below are my top 5 recommendations for the top beginner tennis rackets in 2023, with Babolat’s Pure Drive Lite being my top recommendation for beginners.

  • Babolat Pure Drive Lite – Best all round racket
  • Head TI S6 – Best for Absolute Beginners
  • HEAD Graphene XT Radical S – Best Budget Option
  • Wilson Clash 108 – Best Oversized Frame
  • Yonex Ezone 100L – Best balance of power, control, and spin

NB: If you purchase any of the rackets after clicking one of the buttons below you will be helping to support our blog as I will earn a small commission from the sale at no additional cost to you.

1. Babolat Pure Drive Lite

The Babolat Pure Drive Lite is my top recommendation for beginners as it offers good power without sacrificing too much control.

It also has a very manageable strung and swing weight (both under 300g) which makes it ideal for players who are just starting tennis.

Version:2021
Design:Babolat Pure Drive
Head Size:100in²
Length:27in
Strung Weight:283g (9.98oz)
Balance:1 pts HL
Swingweight:299
String Pattern:16 x 19
Beam Width:23mm / 26mm / 23mm
Stiffness Rating: 69

2. Head TI S6

The Head TI S6 is a good option if you have never played tennis before and you want to buy a very forgiving racket.

With its 115in head size and 27.75 racket length, the Head Ti S6 will provide you with tons of power with the only downside being its relatively high frame stiffness rating of 75.

Version:2007
Design:Head Ti S6
Head Size:115in²
Length:27.75in
Strung Weight:252g (8.90oz)
Balance:8 pts HH
Swingweight:318
String Pattern:16 x 19
Beam Width:27mm-28mm
Stiffness Rating: 75

3. HEAD Graphene XT Radical S

The HEAD Graphene XT Radical S is a solid racket that offers good power and spin at an affordable price.

It is also one of the more arm friendly rackets on the list with a low stiffness rating of 60.

Version:2016
Design:HEAD Graphene XT Radical S
Head Size:102in²
Length:27in
Strung Weight:295g (10.4oz)
Balance:4 pts HL
Swingweight:301g
String Pattern:16 x 19
Beam Width:22mm / 25mm / 23mm
Stiffness Rating: 60

4. Wilson Clash 108

The Wilson Clash 108 is a lightweight frame that is very comfortable to play with, has a large sweet spot, and is very forgiving.

Version:2022 (V2)
Design:Wilson Clash 108 V2
Head Size:108in²
Length:27.25in
Strung Weight:295g (10.4oz)
Balance:Even Balance
Swingweight:325
String Pattern:16 x 19
Beam Width:24.5mm
Stiffness Rating: 63

5. Yonex Ezone 100L

The last racket on my list is the Yonex Ezone 100L, which is a good option for players who may have tried tennis when they were kids and are now taking up the sport again.

Out of all the rackets on this list, the Yone Ezone 100L has the best balance between power, control, and spin.

Version:2022
Design:Yonex Ezone 100L
Head Size:100in²
Length:27in
Strung Weight:298g (10.5oz)
Balance:3 pts HL
Swingweight:308
String Pattern:16 x 19
Beam Width:23.8mm / 26.5mm / 22.5mm
Stiffness Rating: 69