If you’re a beginner at the noble art of smacking a ball over a net, you may be feeling overwhelmed by the choice available of things to smack it with. A racket is essential for tennis, and there are a lot of them.
And although it’s perfectly possible to spend a lot of money on your racket, if you’re just starting out playing tennis, you don’t need to. There is a huge range of beginner rackets available, and some are so reasonably priced that you won’t mind if they spend some time stored in the cupboard or garage when you don’t have time to play.
The racket you choose, aside from things like celebrity endorsements and brand names, will have characteristics that will affect the way you play. A thicker, larger racket will allow you to get more power behind your shots. If it’s enhanced control of the ball you’re looking for, then a smaller, lighter racket may be the best choice. Your physical size also plays into which racket you pick as well as your swing speed and style, so it’s worth talking to your tennis coach to get some advice.
If your swing is already fast, then you may want to experiment with a smaller racket and see if you can place the ball more accurately as a result. A slower swing can benefit from a racket with a bit more weight behind it, to enable the ball to move faster over the net. Heavier rackets are more stable in your hand, but don’t use one that’s so heavy it becomes tiring or uncomfortable to play with. Lighter ones are helpful if you want to apply topspin to the ball.
There are also five grip sizes to consider, numbered from 0 (smallest) to 5 (largest). Try holding a variety of rackets in different sizes and weights before you make up your mind, as this will enable you to decide which weight and grip combination suits you best.
Best tennis rackets for beginners at a glance:
- Best for absolute beginners: Wilson Tour Slam Lite - £35, Amazon
- Best for a budget buy: Artengo TR110 - £20, Decathlon
- Best for junior players: Babolat Nadal Junior - £36.17, Central Sports
- Best for a step up: Head MX Speed Novak - £80, Sports Direct
- Best for an all-rounder: Head Radical TI 27 - £26.50, Argos
- Best for power players: Artengo TR990 Power Pro+ - £100, Decathlon
- Best for comfortable play: Head Ti S6 - £95, Amazon
- Best for moving up the ranks: Tecnifibre T-Fight 255 RSX - £138.99, Amazon
Shop below
Wilson Tour Slam Lite
Best for: absolute beginners
This unisex racket won’t break the bank and is a good choice if you’re just starting out playing tennis. It has a lightweight alloy frame and a broad sweet spot - the part of the racket you’ll actually want to hit the ball with - which, combined with shock-absorbing pads, means it’s a forgiving racket that will perform well whatever your level of skill.
Buy now £35.00, Amazon
Artengo TR110
Best for: a budget buy
Sometimes you just want something you can use to play casually on a sunny day, and this budget model from Artengo offers just that. With a robust aluminium frame and a large head, it’s a racket that will allow you to enjoy the game even if you’re not sticking to the rules too strictly, and is versatile enough to carry you forward as you improve at the game.
Buy now £20.00, Decathlon
Babolat Nadal Junior
Best for: junior players
Tennis rackets come in a variety of head sizes, and the smaller you are, the smaller (generally) you’ll want your racquet to be. If you’re a junior player, you’ll want to look out for rackets offered in special junior sizes that depend on your height, from 19cm up to 26cm. This one looks like the racket used by the King of Clay himself, Rafael Nadal, and is suitable for players up to 140cm tall.
Buy now £36.17, Central Sports
Head MX Speed Novak
Best for: a step up
A slightly more expensive racket made from an advanced crystalline composite material, the Novak looks a lot like a cheaper version of Head’s Speed MP, which is a top choice for serious players. As such, it offers a lot of power but also acts as a good all-rounder, though its smaller sweet spot may prove challenging for absolute beginners.
Buy now £80.00, Sports Direct
Head Radical TI 27
Best for: an all-rounder
Another budget racket, made of aluminium and similar in looks to ones used by Andy Murray, the Radical TI is suitable for just about anyone and offers a nice blend of power, comfort and accuracy. If you’re just starting out, or getting back into playing tennis after a break, then this is a very good place to start.
Buy now £26.50, Argos
Artengo TR990 Power Pro+
Best for: power players
If you’re a taller, stronger player, then a racket like this might be just what you need to send the ball over the net in a way your opponent doesn’t stand a chance of returning. It’s long, heavy and stiff, so it can be a challenge to control adequately, but if your arms are up to it there's nothing like it for putting some speed behind the ball.
Buy now £100.00, Decathlon
Head Ti S6
Best for: comfortable play
Head makes a lot of tennis equipment, and this model channels the company’s professional know-how and distils it into a beginner-friendly form. Made from titanium for lightness and strength, it’s slightly longer than some other rackets and has a large head, making for a larger sweet spot too. It’s the ideal tool for an enjoyable knockabout with friends, but when you need to start taking things more seriously, it will deliver too, offering plenty of power in the serve and an easy swing when playing from the baseline.
Buy now £95.00, Amazon
Tecnifibre T-Fight 255 RSX
Best for: moving up the ranks
Some rackets will be discarded by their owners once they begin to progress in the sport and want something that will allow them to stretch their skills further, but this is not one of those rackets.
Despite being friendly to beginners, it offers the kind of stability and feel that more advanced tennis players will appreciate. Note, however, that like a lot of higher-end rackets, it’s bought unstrung, so you’ll need to factor that into the price.
Buy now £138.99, Amazon
