Choosing The Right Tennis Racquet

Guide To Tennis Racquets For Beginners, Juniors, Intermediate Players, Women, Men, Adults & Seniors

Wondering if you should invest in a new racket or if your old one will see you through? Discovering the right tennis racket can be an exhilarating journey, one that promises not only enhanced performance but a whole new level of enjoyment on the court. But you can be overwhelmed by choice.

Will a tennis racquet make a difference to your game?

“You’ll get much more enjoyment with a racquet that matches your ability and playstyle,” says a well-known Auckland coach.

A new racquet in the right size is essential for beginners. For juniors, it can help to really elevate performance and build fun factor. It will especially make a difference if you’re an experienced player or returning social player. However, if you’re playing to encourage a 5 or 6 year old child, a fancy racquet won’t make a huge difference – but you will certainly arrive looking more stylish than with your old retro model!

Tennis racquets for beginners

Best tennis racquet for beginners - children

As a total beginner, aged between 4 up to about 9 years of age, learning is easier on a cheaper lightweight aluminium racquet with a big sweet spot, such as the Babolat B’fly (cute pink feminine colours) or Ballfighter (playful boyish colours). For cool cats who love to play with a racquet that looks the same as Rafa Nadal’s, Babolat’s Nadal Junior range with Rafa’s groovy gender-neutral colourway is one of Babolat’s top-selling tennis racquets for beginners.

It has a racquet in every size, and is ideal for young children learning on an orange or red ball. These racquet styles help to build confidence and get them hitting the ball more consistently. Plus it helps to look cool! Babolat is one of the world’s top tennis brands, and is renowned for its chic French colourways. Aluminium starter rackets cost $70-85. See below for tennis racket size charts.

Once your child can rally and play three quarter court at Hot Shots orange level or is transitioning from orange to green ball, the 25 inch Drive Junior for a 7-8 year old or the 26 inch Aero Junior are full graphite options, i.e. a racket that will last a little longer.

It in nutshell, the pros say: don’t give your children your old racquet with a big grip and older heavier frame. Coaches use mini nets, low compression tennis balls and lighter rackets; to get beginners scoring and serving sooner. Heavier rackets make it hard for them.

Tennis racquets for beginners - youth

For a youth beginner on a budget, the entry level option for a full length racket is a Babolat Evoke (around $120). It has a combo aluminium graphite frame.

For a youth beginner, check out the Babolat Evoke around $120 with a large 105” head for a super big sweet spot to really help with more consistent shots or Pulsion ($140-$160) – also a big head at 102”. A large head is a super encouraging feature (who doesn’t love a bit of encouragement?). If budget is not an issue Boost Aero $220) or Boost Drive ($220).

These are lightweight, mid-level rackets which help consistency and confidence, until they are ready to transition to a heavier frame.

Tennis racquets for adult beginners

For an adult beginner, the Babolat Pulsion or Evoke models are cheap to get you going. A cooler colourway is a little more – try the Boost Rafa ($220) or for a racket that will see you further, a lightweight Pure Aero or Evo Drive is a sure-shot. Evo Drive is an all-rounder; it suits everyone, followed by the Aero. Beginners should avoid a Pure Strike – “it’s unusable unless you’re a really good player.”

Tennis racquets for Juniors & Intermediates

Getting a racquet with some graphite in the frame enables your juniors and intermediates to develop their game and learn more about tactics and spin. Intermediate players are serving, rallying, scoring and striking not a bad tennis ball.

As children grow taller and stronger, they will need a longer racquet to match their height. Typically children get a second tennis racquet between age 9-14 and the aim is to get a lighter model. Boost is the entry-level graphite frame, Evo is one of the most popular racquets at Rebel. It’s designed for intermediates over 150cm tall, and Pure is the range for more competitive players. Transitioning to a racquet like the Boost or Evo Drive is a wise decision if your coach indicates your child is underpowered in their current gear.

When your child is playing at green ball (this is the third level of ball, after red and orange, after which children get to play with a normal yellow ball), it’s time to move up to at least a $220 full-spec lightweight tennis racquet.

Check out the Babolat Boost, Evo Drive Lite or Evo Aero Lite boost comes in five models and three weights. For a Junior 9-14, we recommend the 260g or 270g models. For 13 and 14 year olds, who are not as strong in their game yet, Evo Drive or Aero Lite are a solid option. Evo is a really popular, affordable racquet.

Tennis Racquets for playing Interclub

If your child is playing interclub and it’s their first season, it makes sense to move from an aluminium to a graphite racquet; the ball comes off the strings better. The most popular Babolat for this level is the Babolat Pure Lite range racquet for a 12-13 year old playing in a team, because it’s a full-sized lightweight racquet. There are three Pure Lite racquets – Pure Aero Lite (spin), Pure Strike Lite (control) and Pure Drive Superlite + Lite (power).

The moment you start playing in tournaments, (12 and 14 year olds are the biggest group), the Mums and Dads get keen and get coaching. Those are the years you’ll get children buying a racquet or a spare in case they bust a string in a tournament.

The stringing can make a huge difference – it’s like putting a bigger engine in the motor. Tighter or looser, polystring or lively, the string changes the racquet dynamics. The durability of strings is a consideration; a 12 or 13 year old getting coaching every night might be busting strings once a fortnight. At $40-60 a pop, you want one that’s not too hard on the arms but lively on the ball. Babolat have a good range of strings.

Fun fact: “I’ve been told that how many days a week you play is how many times a year you should restring”

The Evo range sails out the door here, retailing between $300-$360. It is a popular and forgiving range due to the slightly oversized head (104) coming in at 270-290g. If you like spin, go for the Evo Aero. For power, the Evo Drive or for a combo, the Evo Strike.

The Pure Aero Lite 285g model is a weight that many females or lighter-weight teens from 14 onwards use (good for teens who haven’t yet fully filled out). This racquet will last longer if you’re a lighter build but is at the pricey end $460-$480. The lighter weight means your arm doesn’t get so tired. Developed or experienced female players should use a 300g racquets so the racquet does a lot of work for you, for power.

Males also use 300g, but could use a 285g if they want a bit of manoeuvrability at the net.

Tennis racquets for teenagers or youth players

Younger teens who are lighter in build, may mature and fill out in their mid to late teens with more body mass, meaning they will be able to handle a heavier racquet that facilitates more power and spin. Typically, a 16-year-old boy has a mature physique.

When your child’s physique matures, they can swing a bigger racquet with more oomph, are playing a gutsier game, and hitting with more length, “you get him/her a cannon rather than a pea shooter,” explains Pro shop coach Alastair.

A suitable “cannon” might be an Evo Strike (unstrung 280g), or advanced players could look for Pure Strike, a Pure Aero, or Pure Drive in 300g.

Bablot racquets for women or men

Bablot racquets

Tennis racquets for Women or Men Returning to tennis

Perhaps you are playing tennis with your children or coming back to play recreational tennis after a break. Racquet technology has moved on so much from a generation or two ago, and so have the strings (the engine room of the tennis racquet).

The most versatile of the Babolat racquets range is probably the Boost racquets $220 for a beginner to intermediate racquet. The mid-tier Evo range retails for approximately $330-360 and 260g and has a nice big head (big sweet spot for consistency). Both are good racquets but the Evo has some aspects of a top end racquet; it will go through the air a bit better because the beam is thinner. If you want more depth to your shots, consider an Evo Drive to get killer power, but this is not advisable if you’ve had tennis elbow.

For a more experienced male or female player, the Pure Aero is a step up again ($460-$480) and is renowned for spin and accuracy.

Most older racquets have never been restrung, are 30 years old, and were factory strings that have spent a long time deteriorating on the racquet. If you can’t afford a new racquet, you need to restring. Probably your grip needs replacing too.

Best tennis racquets for players with elbow or shoulder pain

It’s no fun being away from your joyful endeavour! Strings are a massive choice here. Reduce your chance of repeat injury with “arm-friendly” (bigger head) racquets that have more flexibility, i.e. lower stiffness. A small head is 97” which is the head size professionals use. An average head size is 100” and a big head for tennis elbow is 102-105 or even 115”.

A light racquet such as the entry level priced Evoke with large 105” head, mid level Boost, or mid level Evo Drive 115” head offers better shock absorption, as they transmit less vibration up the arm due to the large sweet spot and comfortable grip. Lower string tension is also an important choice when getting it strung. Tension in general can be set from 50-59lb. Lower tension results in more power and less stiffness which helps reduce discomfort from shocks and vibrations. For tennis elbow injuries, Babolat New Zealand recommends closer to 50lb for lower vibration, and the use of dampners.

If you’ve had tennis elbow, the Babolat team encourage you to get your racquet restrung with a nylon or multi-filament string (not a polyester string) so it has more give to it. If it’s a factory new racquet, it’s probably soft anyway. “Get rid of the strings within six months of buying it,” advises the Auckland tennis coach.

Exhilaration awaits

A new racquet will motivate you, and help you to have a blast every time you step onto the tennis court. So, whether you're a seasoned player or a beginner looking to dive into the game, it's time to order your new racquet, head outdoors, and embrace the exhilaration that tennis has to offer!

P.S. If you want a racquet that’s not in stock in your local store or on the Rebel site, Rebel can get one shipped to you ex their warehouse in Auckland – better to get the model that suits you, rather than waiting weeks for it to arrive from another tennis brand’s warehouse overseas!