Best Tennis Racket for Beginners | 2022 Guide and Reviews
If you are a newcomer to tennis, deciding on a suitable racket requires you to ask yourself a few key questions. Firstly, your age will determine your ultimate choice of racket, with slightly different things to bear in mind depending on whether you are an adult or child. You also need to decide what exactly you want from a racket. Some beginners seek out a racket that will help create more powerful shots, while others prefer a racket that will allow for better overall control. If you already have good levels of physical strength, you probably want a tennis racket that will help you maintain more control over your shots. Need more guidance on what to look for when shopping for the best tennis racket for beginners? Our in-depth guide has everything you need to know about buying the best tennis rackets for beginners.
Size of the Racket
The first thing any beginner needs to think about when shopping for a tennis racket is frame size. Newcomers to tennis are usually best suited to a larger frame. A racket with a larger frame will make it much easier to add power to your shots. If you are a complete novice, you probably also want to pick out a racket that is more forgiving than more advanced models. While more proficient tennis players can effectively use a small racket and consistently make contact with the ball in the same place, those with less skill will struggle to make consistent contact. A racket with a larger head will provide you with a much larger contact area, meaning you do not have to worry about being precise when you come to make contact with the ball.
Grip Specifics
Those who are completely new to tennis often overlook the importance of grip size. Most racket models provide you with a range of grip size options. Grip size specifications are printed on the bottom edge of the racket itself. Grip sizes begin at 4 ⅕ and go up to 4 ⅝. Not all rackets will include the grip size in fraction form, with some specifying the grip as a number instead. Beginners should look for rackets with a grip size of 4⅜ whenever possible. If you do not see a fraction, look for the number 3 printed on the bottom of the frame itself. You may wish to deviate from this guidance, however. Players with smaller hands will probably do best to invest in a smaller grip. If your hands are larger than most, follow the same guidance and opt for a larger grip size.
Selecting a Suitable Weight
Beginners will definitely benefit from a racket that is lightweight and easy to carry. A lighter racket is much easier to swing, allowing you practice and play for longer stretches of time before succumbing to fatigue. Those with little to no playing experience also need to think about building up strength in the right muscles. If you attempt to play with a bulkier racket too early on, you run the risk of injuring yourself and putting yourself out of the game before you have even had a chance to start.
A suitably lightweight racket should result in zero strain when it comes to picking it up and swinging. At the same time, you should avoid purchasing a racket that is significantly lighter than the average model. An ultra-lightweight racket can impact your training and the development of your skills, leading to improper playing technique.
Other Key Things to Consider
Unlike rackets for intermediate and advanced players, string and tension specifics are not something beginners need to worry about too much. In fact, you can slash the cost of your investment by opting for affordable strips when picking out your racket. However, when it comes to stringing the racket, manufacturer guidance should be followed to the letter for best results. This guidance can be found printed on the racket frame. To make life simple, simply pick the midpoint of the printed range.
If you want a much larger sweet spot and more power from your shots, loose strings are preferable. Looser strings are also a good bet if you suffer from existing ailments like tennis elbow as you will not be required to swing with as much gusto. The absolute beginner will benefit from looser strings, but those who have developed a little more skill will certainly want to think about tighter strings. If you want a little more control over the ball and are prepared to make compromises when it comes the overall size of the racket sweet spot, tighter strings are the way to go.
In Summary
As a beginner, it is worth remembering that the first racket you invest in will not be the one you use for the rest of your playing career. In fact, you will be no doubt be looking to upgrade as soon as you fine-tune your foundation skills and enter the intermediate and advanced levels of playing ability. Therefore, do not overthink the purchase of your first tennis racket too much. You will of course want to bear in mind the essential guidance we have already laid out, particularly when it comes to frame size and weight, as this will ultimately affect your learnt technique that you will take forward.
Avoid the lure of top-end rackets with dizzying price tags as you will quickly outpace the use of one. Additionally, you should avoid tennis rackets marketed towards the beginner that big boasts when it comes to cutting-edge technologies and design details. Remember, you are looking for a racket that is easy to handle, with a good feel and plenty of forgiveness. An over-sized frame is also a must-have, even if the overall racket looks bulky and cumbersome. Once you have improved you technique and built up a good slate of skills, you can think about investing a little more in an intermediate racket. When you upgrade to this next tier of rackets, you can start enjoying improved aesthetics and enhanced technologies to take you even further.
Wilson US Open Junior Tennis Racquet
The Wilson US Open Junior Tennis Racquet is a great, reliable racquet that comes in multiple sizes for multiple age ranges and skill levels.
There is a 19 inch length model which we recommend for children aged 4 and under.
There is a 21 inch length model which we recommend for children under the age of 4-5.
There is a 23 inch length model which we recommend for children 6 years and above.
The rackets heads are made of aluminium making them super light and convenient to use for younger players and beginners coming to grips with the game. This racket is very maneuverable making it great for beginners and children giving them the confidence to plate like a pro. The head size is also relatively large making it very forgiving to use and easier to generate that all important power!
You are also buying a Wilson racket so you know what kind of product you are buying. A renowned brand that is devoted to tennis, with a Wilson racket you are guaranteed reliability.
A great, light-weight beginners racket that comes in multiple sizes for age ranges.
Wilson Federer Tennis Racket
A solid bet for a senior beginner tennis player looking to play with a more power power based game.
When strung, the 11 oz, racquet gives players the ability to strike the ball with power and whistle the tennis ball past your opponent. The special Volcanic frame technology greatly increases your power and stability meaning you’re definitely going to hit the ball well with this racket.
A nice feature for a racket of this price is the in-bulit shock-pads which mean that when you continue to pound the tennis ball into submission over a long period of time, your wrists and hands remain in great condition to carry on playing, and trust me your going to want to carry on playing.
In addition to the above, the racquet head is oversized (110 square inches if you’re interested) meaning that the sweet spot is very big. This means that even if you do not have much experience with the sport, you are bound to connect a few “worldies” every game you play.
All in all, a solid bet for a beginner senior tennis player providing serious power to their game.
HEAD Speed Kids Tennis Racquet – Beginners Pre-Strung Head Light Balance Jr Racket – 21″, Red
A great beginners tennis racket with different models available for different ages of tennis players.
There is a 19 inch length model which we recommend for children aged 4 and under.
There is a 21 inch length model which we recommend for children under the age of 4-5.
There is a 23 inch length model which we recommend for children 6-8 years old.
There is a 25 inch length model which we recommend for children aged 9-10 years old.
This particular brand of racket is head-light meaning that it is very maneuverable and easy to use for beginners and children alike. The balance also greatly helps with avoiding vibrations meaning you can definitely focus 100 percent of your attention on the game at hand. The racket is also very stable making it perfect for coming to grips with the game as you work on and develop your shots.
The racket is made from an aluminium o-beam construction making it very durable and great for kids and beginners as they delve into and learn the game.
A great range of beginner children’s’ tennis rackets with different sizes available for different age groups.
Wilson Tour Slam Lite Tennis Racket
A great light-weight beginners racket that is really enjoyable to play with.
The special Wilson V-matrix technology means that the sweet spot on the racket is very large meaning you will definitely be able to time perfectly hit shots as you work on your game. The airlite alloy frame is light but durable and sturdy making it a really fun racket to use and play with on a regular basis and is quite easy on the arms. The in-built power bridge makes the strings that extra bit longer really helping with your timing and helps you hit the ball that extra bit harder.
The racket itself also has a larger head than usual and this is great for beginners because you have a larger racket face to play with and a bigger sweet spot which is definitely a great bonus.
The stop shock sleeves really help with racket vibrations making it really comfortable to play with for that additional comfort.
A nice light-weight racket that has a really good feel to it.
HEAD Ti. Conquest Tennis Racquet – Strung, 4.375
An ideal racket for a range of different beginner and casual players.
The head of the racket is over-sized to 108 inches which is great for players just starting off to play the game. The greater racket area available to play shots with and the bigger sweet-spot as a result make the Head Ti. Conquest a joy to play with helping you time the ball to perfection with perfect precision.
The racket also has a head light balance which is great for stability when hitting the ball and also makes the racket feel lighter in your hands both of which are great for beginners starting to get a feel for the game. The light-headed feature also makes the racquet really maneuverable which is great for a faster racket speed and a more intense game!
The frame itself is made from a strong titanium alloy which makes the racket very durable and sturdy yet helps you play with more stability and power.
A great, head-light beginners or casual player’s racket which is a breeze to play with!
Wilson Junior Burn Pink Tennis Racquet
The Wilson Junior Burn Pink Tennis racket is a great racket for progressing junior tennis players.
The racket comes in four different sizes for different age groups of players.
There is a 19 inch length model which we recommend for children aged 4 and under.
There is a 21 inch length model which we recommend for children under the age of 4-5.
There is a 23 inch length model which we recommend for children 6-8 years old.
There is a 25 inch length model which we recommend for children aged 9-10 years old.
The unique Wilson design means that it is not too heavy meaning your children will have a blast playing with it! It is also possible to hit the ball with a solid amount of power meaning you will definitely have a blast playing with the racket!
The design is also very eye catching meaning your kid will definitely have a blast showing off their shiny new racket to all their friends.
Oppum Adult Carbon Fiber Tennis Racket, Super Light-Weight Tennis Racquets Shock-Proof and Throw-Proof,Include Tennis Bag Tennis Overgrip
This is a good quality, affordable beginners tennis racket that is perfect for beginners and more casual players.
The racket itself is made from a combination of carbon fiber and aluminium making it both durable and light-weight – it only weighs 0.61lb unstrung! The racket is also very good at absorbing vibrations. The handle is made from wood and it combines with the head to form a triangle shape great at absorbing vibrations. A shock-absorbing hand glue is used for additional benefit!
The strings and frame are especially designed to maximize the elastic effect when you hit the ball giving you that nice “ping” sound when you hit the ball.
The racket is 27.2 inches in length making it a great length for adults to use. The racket also comes with an over-grip and a great case tailor-made for the tennis racket.
All-in-all a great,durable racket that will do a good job for a beginner tennis player.
