Finding the Best Tennis Rackets for Counter Punchers isn’t easy as you need a racket that will provide you plenty of power from the baseline without sacrificing too much control.
This article will look at some of the best racket options for Counter Punchers and also provide some recommendations based on a player’s skill level in tennis.
5 Best Tennis Rackets for Counter Punchers
Below are my recommendations based on a player’s current level of tennis, with the Head Gravity Pro being my top pick for the best tennis racket for counter punchers.
Best Racket for Beginners: Wilson Clash 100
Best Racket for Intermediate Players: Babolat Pure Drive
Best Racket for Advanced Players: Head Gravity Pro
Wilson Clash 100
The Wilson Clash 100 is an ideal choice for beginner tennis players as it offers a great balance of power, spin, and control and is great from the baseline which is what most counter punchers care about.
The Clash 100 also has one of the lowest stiffness ratings for a racket of this type at 57 so if you are at all worried about getting tennis elbow, then this is the tennis racket for you.
Version 2 of the Clash 100 is currently on sale in shops and online.
There is also a pro version of the Clash 100 racket that weighs 326g strung which may suit more advanced tennis players.
Wilson Clash 100 Specs
| Head Size: | 100in² |
| Length: | 27in |
| Strung Weight: | 312g |
| Swing Weight: | 313 |
| Balance: | 7 pts HL |
| String Pattern: | 16 x 19 |
| Stiffness Rating: | 57 |
Where can you buy the Wilson Clash 100?
The Clash 100 is available to purchase from Amazon by clicking on the button below.
Please note that if you purchase the Clash 100 by clicking on the button below, I will earn a small commission from Amazon.
This commission comes at no additional cost to you and will help support the running of the site.
Babolat Pure Drive
The Babolat Pure Drive is a great all round racket that is a good fit for many different playing styles including counter punchers.
The Pure Drive excels from the baseline and gives you plenty of power and spin on your shots.
The only downside I found with playing with the Pure Drive was that I had a tendency to overhit my groundstrokes on occasion but I think that is because I am used to hitting with heavier rackets like the Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph and Clash 98.
In my opinion, the Pure Drive is the perfect racket for beginner to intermediate players who need some free and easy power on their shots.
Once you are able to have a full swing and generate your own power then you may find the Pure Drive doesn’t have the control you need so you may be better off switching to a Wilson Clash 98 or Head Gravity Pro.
Babolat Pure Drive Specs
| Head Size: | 100in² |
| Length: | 27in |
| Unstrung Weight: | 300g |
| Strung Weight: | 318g |
| Swing Weight: | 320 |
| Balance: | 4 pts HL |
| String Pattern: | 16 x 19 |
| Stiffness Rating: | 71 |
Where can you buy the Babolat Pure Drive?
The Babolat Pure Drive is available to purchase from Amazon by clicking on the button below.
Please note that if you purchase the Pure Drive by clicking on the button below, I will earn a small commission from Amazon.
This commission comes at no additional cost to you and will support the running of the site.
Head Gravity Pro
The Head Gravity Pro is endorsed by top ATP Pros Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev and has become very popular amongst counter punchers at the recreational level.
Head Gravity Pro Specs
| Head Size: | 100in² |
| Length: | 27in |
| Unstrung Weight: | 315g |
| Strung Weight: | 332g |
| Swing Weight: | 332 |
| Balance: | 6 pts HL |
| String Pattern: | 18 x 20 |
| Stiffness Rating: | 62 |
Where can you buy the Head Gravity Pro?
The Gravity Pro is available to purchase from Amazon by clicking on the button below.
Please note that if you purchase the racket by clicking on the button below, I will earn a small commission from Amazon.
This commission comes at no additional cost to you and will help support the running of the blog.
Wilson Clash 98
I recently switched to playing with the Wilson Clash 98 myself and although I wouldn’t classify my game as a counter puncher, I did find that the Clash 98 was great from the baseline and I found that the tennis racket was a lot more forgiving than my old RF97 Racket so I was able to get lots more balls back.
One of the main reasons I switched to the Clash 98 was its low stiffness rating as I have had tennis elbow issues in the past.
But since switching to the Clash 98, I haven’t had any elbow issues and I felt like I am able to play at a higher level for longer as my arm wasn’t getting tired as quickly as it did when I played with my old RF97.
Wilson Clash 98 Specs
| Head Size: | 98in² |
| Length: | 27in |
| Strung Weight: | 326g |
| Swing Weight: | 327 |
| Balance: | 8 pts HL |
| String Pattern: | 16 x 19 |
| Stiffness Rating: | 60 RA |
Where can you buy the Wilson Clash 98?
The Clash 98 is available to purchase from Amazon by clicking on the button below.
Please note that if you purchase a Clash 98 by clicking on the button below, I will earn a small commission from Amazon.
This commission comes at no additional cost to you and will help support the running of the site.
Babolat Pure Aero Rafa
If you are a counter puncher who loves to hit heavy topspin on your shots then the Babolat Pure Aero Rafa could just be the racket you are looking for.
Along with tremendous spin potential, the Rafa version of the Pure Aero also gives you plenty of power and feel on your shots.
The design of the tennis racket is also really nice and will really make you stand out at your local club.
The only real downside to this tennis racket was its relatively high stiffness rating of 67 so if you have had arm issues in the past you might be better opting for the Clash 100 or Clash 98.
Babolat Pure Aero Rafa Specs
| Head Size: | 100in² |
| Length: | 27in |
| Unstrung Weight: | 300g |
| Strung Weight: | 318g |
| Swing Weight: | 324 |
| Balance: | 4 pts HL |
| String Pattern: | 16 x 19 |
| Stiffness Rating: | 67 |
Where can you buy the Babolat Pure Aero Rafa?
The Babolat Pure Aero Rafa is available to purchase from Amazon by clicking on the button below.
Please note that if you purchase the Pure Aero Rafa by clicking on the button below, I will earn a small commission from Amazon.
This commission comes at no additional cost to you and will support the running of this website.
What should you look for when buying a tennis racket for a Counter Puncher Playing Style?
The main things you should look out for when buying a tennis racket for a counter puncher playing style is whether the tennis racket helps you generate topspin on your shots, is forgiving on off center shots, and has a good balance between power, control, and spin so that you keep your ball in play shot after shot.
1. Helps you generate easy Top Spin on your shots
A tennis racket that helps you generate more topspin without changing your technique is worth its weight in gold as the more topspin you have on your shots, the more consistent you will be playing a counter puncher style from the baseline.
2. Is forgiving on off centre shots
As a counter puncher, it is likely that you will be scrambling to get every ball back so it is good to have a tennis racket that is forgiving on the odd off center shots.
One tennis racket I found is great for this is the Wilson Clash 98 as many times I have hit the ball off the frame of this racket and it still somehow made it over the net.
3. A good balance between power, control, and spin
There is no point in getting a tennis racket that gives you plenty of power from the baseline if you can get your balls to land in on the other side of the court.
Instead, you should look for a tennis racket that gives you a good balance of all three so that you feel like you can’t miss when hitting balls from the baseline.