The best tennis rackets for beginners, according to tennis pros

Tennis season is in full swing, so whether you’re looking to get some exercise, leisurely practice your serve against a wall or enroll in a competitive game of doubles, your best bet is to start off by investing in the perfect tennis racket for beginners. And as with pickleball, another popular racket sport, you’re going to need the proper tennis essentials. But where should you start?

First, determine the category of beginner tennis player you might fall into, whether that’s “the beginner that wants to improve [or] the occasional player,” says Eric Gaudreau, professional tennis technician and web director at Tenniszon. He explains that the occasional player might decide to opt for pre-strung rackets, which are less expensive and made of cheaper materials like fiberglass and aluminum. “These rackets are ready to go but simply won’t perform and won’t really help the progression of the player,” says Gaudreau.

The beginner looking to level up should opt for higher-quality frames made of finer, more responsive materials like carbon graphite. Depending on your level of strength and stamina, he says these types of rackets might improve shot consistency and facilitate athletic development. “A pre-strung graphite racket will come strung already and with a grip,” says Larry Howes, master racket technician and owner of Racquet Science. “All you have to do is buy it and a can of tennis balls and hit the courts.”

Once you settle on your dream racket, be sure to keep it on hand to avoid having to borrow someone else’s or rent a different model. “It’s very important to never use two different rackets,” says Gaudreau. “This process would considerably slow the natural progression of the player since different weights, balances and stiffness levels would impact muscle memory and make the process a lot harder to master.”

While there are several elements to consider when choosing a beginner-friendly tennis racket, there’s no need to get too bogged down in the details just yet, according to Monica Puig, 2016 Olympic gold medalist and Athleta Power of She Collective member. “When selecting a tennis racket, the most important thing is finding the right weight and size for you, especially weight if you’re just starting out,” she says. “You can tinker with the rest later as you get more comfortable.”

How to choose a tennis racket

Head size

Gaudreau says the average tennis racket head size measures 100 square inches, which Puig recommends for any player. “Smaller head sizes, while good for control, can lack power, and larger head sizes add more pop on the ball but might be a bit tougher to control,” Puig explains. That means you’ll want to opt for a larger head size, since it’ll be easier to hit the sweet spots, which Gaudreau defines as the area you want the ball to hit on the string bed for maximum power and control. Howes recommends capping head size at around 120 square inches.

Weight, stiffness and length

Given that the average tennis racket frame weighs 300 grams, you might opt for something lighter to help maintain stamina. Gaudreau explains, “a lighter racket will raise the speed of the swing, which will improve your natural power but will lower your natural control of the frame.” Howes suggests looking for a weight range between 260 and 295 grams, which “will help you swing the racket more easily, get the head of the racket around and hit through the ball.” For a beginner, Puig recommends staying away from heavier rackets that aren’t only difficult to handle, but also may cause undue stress on your joints.

Gaudreau explains that frame weight helps determine the racket’s flexibility. The RA scale measures each racket’s level of stiffness, which ranges from 55 to 75, with the lower end of the spectrum representing a more flexible frame. While heavier rackets tend to be more flexible, they require self-driven power, so beginners might prefer a lighter frame with stiffer strings. The thickness of the frame also helps determine the string’s flexibility, with thicker frames contributing to stiffer rackets. Keep in mind that stiffer strings might feel uncomfortable over time, so you want your strings to have a bit of give — even if that means going up slightly in frame weight.

A standard-length racket measures 27 inches from the tip of the handle to the top of the head. “Some longer versions of usually half an inch longer or so will generate more natural power but will lower the level of control,” says Gaudreau. Beginners will enjoy the greater reach a longer racket provides, along with reduced vibrations for added comfort and fewer distractions on the court.

Balance, string pattern and grip size

The weight of your racket isn’t necessarily distributed evenly. “Weight balanced toward the head will be more powerful, while a weight balanced toward the handle will accentuate the maneuverability of the frame,” says Gaudreau. Beginners should thus consider aiming for head-heavy rackets to help them deliver more power.

A basic string pattern measures 16 by 19 strings, according to Gaudreau, adding that one of the most popular patterns for advanced players is 18 by 20 strings. Because more strings make the bed string tougher to break on spins and require self-driven and natural control, an open pattern of fewer strings is the way to go for beginners.

And if all these parameters seem like a lot to keep in mind when choosing the perfect tennis racket for beginners, you’ll breathe a sigh of relief at the knowledge that you don’t have to make any tough decisions about grip size.

“This is the only feature that can’t really be chosen,” says Gaudreau. “Once you find your perfect grip size, you’ll certainly use that one.” To measure your grip size, Howes recommends looking for space between the ends of your fingers and the palm of your hand, about the width of an index finger. “If it’s too small, you may use your wrist too much in the stroke and cause tennis elbow,” Howes says. “Too big of a grip and the racket will be difficult to hold onto and may spin out of your hand more easily.”

Budget

If you’re just starting out, there’s no need to shell out an arm and a leg for a new racket (you’ll need those for your serve). “Rackets come in a variety of prices, everything from $20 for an aluminum framed racket to $350 for a very similar racket to what the pros play with,” says Howes, adding that you want to stick to the $100 range for a pre-strung graphite racket for beginners. This way, he says, it’ll be less of a financial burden to re-string it or apply a new grip once both have been worn out after 50 to 60 hours and 15 to 20 hours of game play respectively.

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