- Joan Hahn
- March 11, 2021
- Last Updated on
The Women Tennis Association has over 2,500 players worldwide, competing for the $146 million cash prize. With 47% of the total tennis population being female tennis players, you need all the help you can to maximize gameplay.
Here are the best tennis racquets for women that may give you both power and spin.
- Spin-friendly racquet
- Easy access to power
- Racquet head speed
- Good spin
- Great aesthetics
- Easy to maneuver
- Arm friendly
- Power and control
- Better comfort
- Good swing weight
- Power and spin
- Stability
- Accurate returns
- Easy to maneuver
- Good sweet spot feel
Top 10 Tennis Racquets for Women in 2021
1. Babolat Pure Drive
The Pure Drive family by Babolat is a highly anticipated line of tennis racquets since the debut in 1994. The tennis racquet is known for having easy playability and superior power levels.
Based on research, Babolat Pure Drive gives you easy access to power spin, giving you fast racquet head speed for groundstrokes. For more experienced players, you can increase speed on your approach shots.
Although players are quick to identify this as a baseliner racquet, the Babolat Pure Drive delivers a crisp and responsive feel for volleying. It’s easy to maneuver and gives a good feel for drop volleys as well.
PROS
- Spin-friendly racquet
- Easy access to power
- Racquet head speed
- Good spin
- Great aesthetics
CONS
- Unforgiving outside sweet spot
2. Babolat Pure Aero
Topspin potential and power are the two key factors that make the Babolat Pure Aero a popular tennis racquet among men and women baseliners as it adds a little pop for groundstrokes. The unit features a 16 x 19 open string pattern.
The 2019 version of Pure Aero delivers a lesser stiff response than its predecessors, increasing comfort levels and a more fantastic feel without having to sacrifice power.
What’s more, the tennis racquet is easy to control at the net. Using Babolat’s latest tech, the racquet sports Aeromodular beam construction reduces wind drag and faster racquet head speed.
PROS
- Easy to maneuver
- Arm friendly
- Power and control
- Better comfort
- Good swing weight
CONS
- Flat shots
3. Babolat Pure Strike
While the Pure Strike isn’t as popular as the Aero or Drive, the Pure Strike 2017 version offers the same playability as the other two Babolat families.
The unit is not pre-strung, which is great for experienced players who like to have more personalization. Pure Strike needs a 16 x19 open string pattern.
The racquet gives you a superior level of control and spin for baseline shots, making it a good option for advanced female tennis players looking for a powerful racquet without compensating comfort.
Pure Strike uses a graphite frame, so it’s easy on the arm. Despite having the same 16 x 19 string pattern with Babolat’s Pure Aero, it’s a notch higher when it comes to power, spin, and depth.
PROS
- Power and spin
- Stability
- Accurate returns
- Easy to maneuver
- Good sweet spot feel
CONS
- Could be heavier
- Not for beginners
4. HEAD Graphene 360 Speed
HEAD updated Graphene 360 Speed to make it fit for today’s modern tennis game. Just like its name, the unit swings fast while delivering control. The unit is not pre-strung.
It gives you more expansive spaces between the HEAD Graphene’s cross strings, so it gives you more spin and strength for every stroke.
The racquet features a 100 square inch head with a thicker beam. The racquet’s head uses Graphene for stability and effortless acceleration.
In comparison to its predecessor, HEAD Graphene 360 is more user-friendly and forgiving. It comes with a large sweet spot and a higher launch angle.
PROS
- Good depth
- Spin
- Maneuverability
- Durability
- Acceleration
CONS
- Stability on serves
- Needs mass for volleys
5. Yonex Ezone 98
Yonex Ezone 98 is one of the best tennis racquets for women, thanks to its power and feel.
A commendable tennis racquet against big hitters, generating spin comes easily as well. With minor adjustments to the string tension, it’s easy to swing, produces a good response and excellent depth.
The Yonex Ezone 98 delivers crisp and comfortable gameplay for volleys. It’s a point-and-shoot racquet for putting away volleys and droppies.
The racquet helps you achieve heavy serves with spins due to its maneuverability. Female players enjoy using Ezone 98 in a doubles game because of its effortless power. What’s more, this is already a pre-strung unit.
PROS
- Easy to maneuver
- Spin
- Heavy serves
- Easy to swing
- Gives good response
CONS
- Adjustments on slices
- Might be too muted
6. Yonex VCore 100
VCORE 100 results from Yonex’s many tech integrations, including the Aero Trench and Linear Tech. What’s more, they’ve upgraded the frame to be more spin-friendly, making it a good racquet for women.
The Aero Trench technology works by reducing drag, helping women achieve faster head speeds for spins. Yonex does this by concealing the grommets situated at the topmost of the racquet’s frame.
The racquet gives you more string movement on the VCore 100’s outer spaces for higher spin potential. The Isometric shape delivers a more significant sweet spot by 7% more without compensating for power.
The racquet features a 100 square inches head with a weight of 11.2 ounces, making it an excellent option for intermediate and advanced players.
PROS
- Spin
- Precision
- Large sweet spot
- Easy depths
- Easy to use
CONS
- Unstable high loop
- Incompatible for novice
7. Wilson Sporting Goods
Wilson Sporting Goods is one of the best tennis racquets for women who like to have more power from the baseline. At 11.68 ounces, it’s about the same weight as the Yonex VCore 100, a lightweight racquet for easy maneuverability.
Wilson uses Spin Effect Technology to give your shots more spin to them, increasing rpm without changing your swing. The racquet’s parallel drilling delivers a consistent and more forgiving bed response, giving you a nice feel.
The racquet uses high-grade carbon fiber, which increases frame stiffness for more explosive gameplay.
PROS
- Forgiving
- Nice response
- Lightweight
- Easy to maneuver
- Quality frame
CONS
- Stringing could be better
- Not for competitive matches
8. Dunlop Sports FX500
Dunlop gave the tennis racquet FX 500 a full makeover in 2020, making it pop out a women’s tennis match.
Aside from its cosmetics, it features user-friendly specifications fitting for an intermediate and advanced tennis player who is after a powerful unit with good spin.
What’s more, the tennis racquet features plenty of technologies, including the Sonic Core and the integrated Infigergy material in the hoop.
It uses the Flex Touch Resin technology in the tennis racquet’s shaft for better comfort, which reduces vibration, making it a joint-friendly tennis racquet for female tennis players.
Finally, the Power Boost Grooves technology in the racquet’s grommet system brings a little more cushion upon impact.
PROS
- User-friendly specs
- Comfort
- Good feel
- Cushions impact
- Spin potential
CONS
- Lacks control
- Erratic on full swings
9. Tecnifibre T-Rebound Tempo 26
The T-Rebound Tempo 26 is as a beginner as it can get. The French brand, Technifibre, designed and developed T-Rebound Tempo 26 for a tennis player between the ages of 10-11 years old. It is possibly the best tennis racquet for junior players.
The tennis racquet makes it easier for a beginner to transition into adult racquets. This is mainly because the racquet offers the same features as the Tempo 290, albeit smaller.
Its head size is larger than the standard, allowing young female tennis players to receive the ball accurately. With the use of Pro-Active String Pattern Technology, it increases racquet spin and comfort.
What’s more, Tecnifibre integrated the SuperLight cap tech at the top of the tennis racquet for better maneuverability, making Tempo 26 one of the more suitable tennis racquets for kids.
PROS
- Comfort
- Easy to maneuver
- Large head size
- High connection accuracy
- Powerful unit
CONS
- Slow swing speed
- Lacks depth
10. Wilson Blade Serena Williams CV Autograph v7
Serena Williams, a legend in women’s tennis, is feared and loved among female players because of her power and technique, so it’s only natural she’s the face of the Wilson Blade v7.
Despite the tennis racquet’s modest weight at 11.4 ounces, it’s nowhere near lightweight. The tennis racquet’s extended length at 298 inches gives a heavier swing than the Pro Staff RF 97.
It’s one of the best tennis racquets for comfortable baseline depths, even if you are giving off shorter swings. The Wilson Blade v7 delivers a hammer-like feel for backcourt shots.
Between Serena Williams and Roger Federer, who do you think would win?
PROS
- Superior power
- Good plow through
- Swinging volleys
- Great returns
- Good Spin
CONS
- Lacks control
- Tricky to maneuver
Buying Guide
Budget
A tennis racquet for high school female players costs $80 to $130 plus. The price range varies depending on the material, tennis strings, build quality, technologies, and celebrity endorsements.
A beginner tennis player does better with a more oversized head-size tennis racquet for higher connection accuracy. You can purchase a budget racquet with an inferior build and cheaper tennis strings.
However, an intermediate-level female player requires a racquet with better maneuverability, and integrated technologies are pricier.
Another factor to consider is how frequently you play. Intermediate players and advanced players who train more also need a more high-end tennis racquet.
Long-term Goal
High school tennis players who plan on getting serious with the game need to consider the material build and technologies in a tennis racquet for longevity.
Paying more upfront allows you to save in the long-term. Cheap racquets are made from alloy, meaning it’s heavier in weight.
Meanwhile, high-quality tennis racquets feature graphite, titanium, and carbon fiber. The higher-priced racquets have lighter weight but sturdier.
Power Racquets or Control Racquets?
A power racquet is mainly for beginners, while a control racquet targets intermediate to advanced players.
Heavier tennis racquets are more powerful and give you less vibration and feature a larger sweet spot. The bigger head size of the racquet allows for a more significant margin of error for amateurs.
Meanwhile, the latter is for experienced tennis players who can generate their own power through their refined skill and technique.
Head Size
There are three head sizes categories, which translates to the three types of tennis racquets.
- Mid for Control Racquet
- Mid-Plus for a Tweener Racquet
- Oversized for a Power Racquet
A mid-sized racquet is generally between 85 – 97 square inches, the ideal head size for a professional player as it delivers higher control.
A mid-plus tweener racquet is between 98 – 104 square inches. It delivers well-balanced specs in power, spin, and a medium-sized sweet spot. It falls in the in-between category.
Lastly, an oversized tennis racquet is over 105 square inches in head size, a good option for a beginner player as it focuses on power.
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Grip Size
Women normally have grip sizes of 1, 2, and 3, depending on their hands’ size. On the other hand, male tennis players have a grip size of 3, 4, and 5.
However, your grip size is different for everyone else, so ensure you have the ideal size for female players.
The best racquets for women aren’t too small on the grip as it needs more muscle strength to ensure your gear is in place. Using it over a long period may result in tennis elbow problems.
On the contrary, a racquet with too large of a grip size leads to snap on your serves and makes changing grip from forehand to backhand difficult. The best tennis racquets deliver the optimal size for you.
Playing Style
The best racquet for women fits her playing style in the game. The four playing styles are the aggressive baseliner, serve-and-volleyer, counterpuncher, and all-court player.
The aggressive baseliner wins using their strength in groundstrokes, and they like to hit aggressive winners from the back of the court. A heavier unit is recommended.
A serve-and-volleyer likes to play up the net. These players approach the net almost every after the first serve during the game. Women who use this playing style need gear with excellent control, maneuverability, and feel.
A counterpuncher wins the game through the defense. They don’t usually hit a winner but gains many points from the opponent making an error. Comfort and control are two essential aspects.
Lastly, an all-court player requires a well-rounded tennis racquet that delivers the right balance in every aspect.
Type of Stroke
- A good serving racquet features a mid-sized head with a forgiving feel. In comparison, a groundstroke requires a heavier racquet with more strength to them.
- A forehand groundstroke needs a heavier racquet with a slightly large head size.
- A backhand groundstroke requires a gear with more strength and technique from the player.
- A volley needs a unit that delivers control, comfort, and accuracy.
- A lob means hitting the ball high and deep to the opposing competitor’s court, which requires a unit with a smaller head size but better control.
- An overhead needs a moderately heavy unit for the athlete to perform a smash.
Does My Racquet Choice Matter?
Yes. When searching for tennis racquets for women, you need to consider the racquet’s weight, string pattern, grip size, and material.
For the best women’s tennis racquet for beginners, the weight should be heavy enough to give adequate power, but with a light enough weight for a novice to pick up and swing.
The weight shouldn’t be uncomfortable to use, or else it would lead to aches and pains. You need to play regularly to find out your type of play, comfort level, and preference; this allows you to play at your best in games.
FAQS
There is no difference between women’s and men’s racquets since racquets are not gender-specific.
It all boils down to your preference on the racquet’s weight, string pattern, size, technology, and aesthetics, as there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Men may prefer a heavier racquet with a bigger grip size as they are more comfortable with it to play. Meanwhile, women may choose lighter ones with smaller heads and smaller grip sizes.
Ultimately, it depends on your technique, playing style, and skill level.
Oversized tennis rackets are for beginners, while mid-plus-sized rackets are for intermediate to advanced level players.
Using a larger head size gives the beginner a bigger margin of error, increasing accuracy and power, but lacks control. However, tweener rackets or a mid-plus unit give the athlete more control, maneuverability, and precision.
And the #1 Tennis Racquet for Women Players is...
Based on our research, Babolat Pure Drive wins the round-up. It’s a powerful racquet that features the latest FSI Technology, making it an excellent option for intermediate female players.
It delivers immense put-away strength with a solid feel, and despite having lightweight graphite build, Pure Drive gives you adequate strength to plow through opponents.
OUR # 1 Recommendation
Babolat Pure Drive
- Uses FSI Technology
- Lightweight build
- Head speed
- Great spin potential
