In my opinion, the one handed backhand is the best-looking shot in tennis, but if you want to execute this shot effectively, it’s important to have the right racket.
So in this article, I’ll be taking a look at some of the best tennis rackets for one-handed backhands currently on the market as well as providing some tips on what to look out for when selecting a racket.
5 Best Tennis Rackets for One Handed Backhands
The below tennis rackets are in no particular order but if you are a beginner to intermediate then I would recommend going for the Wilson Clash 98 as it has the best combination of power, control, and spin and is a lot more forgiving than the other options on this list.
My other recommendations are below.
- Advanced Players: Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph V13
- Players with Arm/Elbow Issues: Wilson Clash 98 V2
- Flat Hitters: Wilson Blade 98 V8
1. Wilson Blade 98 18×20
The Wilson Blade 98 18×20 is one of Wilson’s top selling rackets, which focuses on control rather than power and is endorsed by pro one handed backhand players like Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The Blade 98 series has been around for a long time and is very popular amongst recreational players (especially those with a one handed backhand) as it is a good option for players who like to hit slice backhands, then come to the net to hit volleys to finish off points i.e. an all court game.
Also at a weight of 305g unstrung, the Blade 98 is on the lighter side of the rackets in my list but it still gives good plow-through for your backhand and it has good stability at the net.
In 2022, Wilson released the V8 of the Blade 98 which is very similar to V7 in terms of specs, which long-term Blade 98 fans will be happy to hear.
Wilson Blade 98 18×20 Specs
| Head Size: | 98in² |
| Length: | 27in |
| Unstrung Weight: | 305g |
| String Pattern: | 18 x 20 |
| Stiffness Rating: | 62 |
Where can you buy the Wilson Blade 98?
The Wilson Blade 98 is available to buy from Amazon and if you purchase it after clicking on the button 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.
2. Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph
The Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph is Roger Federer’s current weapon of choice and for that reason alone, is also one of the most popular frames sold by Wilson.
When Federer made the switch from his old Pro Staff Six One 90 to the RF97 in 2014, his new racket helped him be more consistent on his backhand wing, with many pundits calling it Federer’s “Neo Backhand”.
His new RF97 helped him to beat Rafael Nadal at the 2017 Australian Open Final, as in previous meetings between Federer and Nadal, Nadal had picked on Federer’s backhand but this was no longer the case with his new racket.
In terms of the rackets endorsed by the big three of tennis (Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic), the RF97, in my opinion, is a better option for a one handed backhand player than Djokovic’s Head Speed Pro or Rafa’s Babolat Pure Aero.
Up until recently, The RF97 was my racket of choice as I loved hitting my backhand with it but I did find it a bit heavy if I was playing for more than an hour with it.
I decided to switch to the lighter Wilson Clash 98 as I felt my game wasn’t at a high enough level to play consistently well using the RF97.
However, if you are an advanced player, then the RF97 Autograph is the best tennis racket you can get for your one handed backhand, as it offers excellent plow-through and provides great feel and control on your shots, with the only downside to the racket being that it is on the heavy side.
From my own experience, playing with the RF97, I have found that I would play great for a set and a half but then my arm would start to feel tired and this would lead to me losing some power on my groundstrokes and serve.
However, this is probably more due to my lack of fitness and the quality of my technique rather than it being the fault of the racket.
This was also more of an issue for me in singles as I have never had any issues in doubles when playing with the RF97.
Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph V13 Specs
| Head Size: | 97in² |
| Length: | 27in |
| Balance: | 9pts Head Light |
| Unstrung Weight: | 340g |
| String Pattern: | 16 x 19 |
| Stiffness Rating: | 68 |
Where can you buy the Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph?
The Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph is available to buy from Amazon and if you purchase it after clicking on the button 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.
3. Yonex Percept 97H
The Yonex Percept 97H is endorsed by three-time grand slam winner Stan “The Man” Wawrinka and is a very stable racket from the baseline, which makes it perfect for a one handed backhand.
Like the RF97, the Yonex Percept 97H is fairly heavy at 330g unstrung so I wouldn’t recommend Percept 97H to beginners.
However, for intermediate to advanced players, this is a great racket for your backhand as it feels great to hit a one handed backhand with the Percept 97H, and the extra bit of weight the racket has gives you good stability at the net.
The Percept 97H has a fairly average stiffness rating of 62 so it may not be as arm friendly as other frames on this list, such as the Clash 98 but it is still a solid option for single-handed backhand players.
Yonex Percept 97H Specs
| Head Size: | 97in² |
| Length: | 27in |
| Unstrung Weight: | 330g |
| String Pattern: | 16 x 19 |
| Stiffness Rating: | 62 |
Where can you buy the Yonex Percept 97H?
The Yonex Percept 97H is available to buy from Amazon and if you purchase it after clicking on the button 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.
4. Babolat Pure Strike 18×20
The Babolat Pure Strike 18×20 is endorsed by Dominic Thiem who in my opinion, has one of the best one handed backhands in pro tennis.
Unlike many other rackets on this list, the Babolat Pure Strike has a string pattern of 18×20, which gives you more control over your backhands.
Babolat Pure Strike 18×20 Specs
| Head Size: | 98in² |
| Length: | 27in |
| Unstrung Weight: | 320g |
| String Pattern: | 18 x 20 |
| Stiffness Rating: | 66 |
Where can you buy the Babolat Pure Strike 18×20?
The Babolat Pure Strike 18×20 is available to buy from Amazon and if you purchase it after clicking on the button 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.
5. Wilson Clash 98
The Wilson Clash 98 is an excellent choice for players who want control but don’t like the stiffness of some other control-oriented frames on this list e.g. RF97 Autograph or Babolat Pure Strike 18×20.
The Clash 98 is the most arm-friendly option on this list as it has a low stiffness rating of 55 and at a weight of 310g unstrung, it is more manageable for beginner to intermediate players to play with.
I have recently switched to playing with the Clash 98 and I couldn’t be happier with it as I have found it to be much easier on my arm than my old RF97.
Wilson Clash 98 Specs
| Head Size: | 98in² |
| Length: | 27in |
| Unstrung Weight: | 310g |
| String Pattern: | 16 x 19 |
| Stiffness Rating: | 55 |
Where can you buy the Wilson Clash 98?
The Wilson Clash 98 is available to buy from Amazon and if you purchase it after clicking on the button 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.
Below is a video summarising my picks for the best rackets for single handed backhands.
What should you look for in a racket for your one handed backhand?
Although having a good one handed backhand, probably has more to do with the technique you use than the racket you use, there are still some things you can look out for when buying a one handed backhand tennis racket.
If you are looking for the best tennis rackets for one handed backhands then the main things to look out for are the beam width, length, head size, and weight of a frame.
Beam Width
Most rackets that are suitable for one handed backhands have a beam width between 18mm and 21mm as a thinner beam will give you more control and precision on your single-handed backhand.
Head Size
You should look for a racket with a head size of between 95 and 98 inches, and you should avoid oversized frames as they won’t offer you the control you need.
Looking at the rackets used by the tennis pros below, you can see that the vast majority of them fall into this range.
I have hit my backhand with a head size of 100 inches or more in the past and I never get the same feeling on my backhand as I have when I hit with a sub 100in head size.
Length
It is best to stick with rackets that have a standard 27in length as extended frames are usually less maneuverable.
Weight
Strung Weight
Look for rackets in the 300g plus range but preferably in and around 320g strung.
This range would be considered very heavy for beginner to intermediate players but if you want the best tennis frame for your one-handed backhand, then you need to be looking in this range.
Swing Weight
You will want the strung weight of your racket to be at least 300g but preferably at or over 320g.
What Tennis Rackets do Tennis Pros with one handed backhands use?
ATP Players
Just over 10% of the top 100 ATP players in 2023 used a one-handed backhand and I have listed some of those players below and detailed what racket they currently endorse.
Many ATP players play with a racket that is painted to look like the racket the player is endorsing so I have done our best with the list below, to include the actual racket used by the player.
| Player | Racket Used or Endorsed |
|---|---|
| Stefanos Tsitsipas | Wilson Blade 98 18×20 |
| Denis Shapovalov | Yonex Vcore 95 |
| Dominic Thiem | Babolat Pure Strike 18×20 |
| Roger Federer (Retired) | Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph |
| Daniel Evans | Wilson Six One 95 |
| Grigor Dimitrov | Wilson Pro Staff 97 |
| Dusan Lajovic | Wilson Pro Staff 97 |
| Lorenzo Musetti | Head Extreme Tour |
| Richard Gasquet | Head Liquid Metal Instinct Tour XL |
| Daniel Altmaier | Yonex Ezone 98 |
| Pablo Cuevas | Head Prestige MP |
| Marco Cecchinato | Babolat Aero Storm GT |
| Dusan Lajovic | Wilson Pro Staff 97 |
| Tim Van Rijthoven | Yonex Ezone 98 |
WTA Players
Tatjana Maria and Diane Parry are the only WTA tennis players currently ranked in the top 100 who have a one-handed backhand, with Maria endorsing the Yonex Vcore 100 and Parry endorsing the Wilson Blade rackets.
In the past, the one-handed backhand was more popular on the WTA tour with grand slam winners like Steffi Graff, Justine Henin, Margaret Court, and Martina Navratilova all having a one-handed backhand.
However, this is no longer the case as most players on the WTA tour now use a two handed backhand.