Best Tennis Racquets Under $100

Tennis is an expensive sport. Amidst the sky-high prices of racquets, constant restringing, and expensive shoes, the sport can be daunting for a beginner.

It’s challenging to find a quality racket when you’re on a budget, so we’re helping you out.

Here’s our list of the best tennis rackets under $100!

OUR #1 RATED

HEAD Microgel Radical Tennis Racket

OUR #2 RATED

HEAD Ti S6 Tennis Racket

OUR #3 RATED

Babolat Pure Strike 26 Tennis Racquet

Top 10 Tennis Racquets Below $100

1. HEAD Microgel Radical Tennis Racket

The HEAD Microgel Radical is arguably one of the best tennis rackets for intermediate to advanced tennis players on a budget because of its versatility.

The racket features MicroGel technology, allowing the racquet to absorb shocks well. HEAD Microgel Radical evenly distributes the ball’s shock throughout the racquet frame for better feel and comfort. 

Keep in mind that the racquet isn’t as forgiving as the Head Ti S6. It is a racquet designed for players who can perform full and fast strokes at the court’s baseline. 

In exchange for smaller head size, the racquet gives you more control. It allows advanced players to execute shots with accuracy. 

Another feature that makes the racquet a good purchase is generating a decent pop with a nice spin even though it isn’t a power racquet.

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2. HEAD Ti S6 Tennis Racket

HEAD Ti S6 features a large head size and a light frame. A racquet is a popular option among beginners due to its budget-friendly price and a good feel.

The 115 square inch head tennis racquet gives you a larger sweet spot than similar racquets. For beginners, the racket mostly does the work for you as it’s one of the best tennis rackets for power.

Its length at 27.75 inches and large head ensures you hit the ball over the net even if you have compact strokes as there’s a lot of forgiveness.

The weight is only 9 ounces, so Ti S6 is light for the power it produces. Intermediate players and beginners who aren’t accustomed to playing extended games like how the racquet is comfortable on the joints. 

Overall, a beginner who wants to try out tennis will find a lot of value in this racquet.

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3. Babolat Pure Strike 26 Tennis Racquet

Babolat Pure Strike 26 is a junior racquet designed for children ages 10 and up. It shares many of the features that the Pure Strike 3rd generation delivers, including the 16×19 string pattern. 

Using Pure Strike 26 as a child’s first racquet makes it easier to transition into adult-sized racquets. The racquet carries a 26-inch frame, which is only an inch shorter than some full-sized racquets. It’s light in weight as well. 

What’s more, Babolat integrated the same technologies used in the adult version. The Pure Strike 26 fits competitive juniors who like to take control of the game by striking first.

The racquet features two cutting-edge technologies for better gameplay. One of the two is the C² Pure Feel by SMAC for enhanced feels, and the other being Control Frame Technology for stability and control.

Similar to other racquets of the Pure Strike line, the junior racquet is also an arm-friendly gear for children to use.

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4. Wilson Triumph Strung Adult Recreational Tennis Racket

Wilson Triumph is for players who are after a recreational tennis racquet that doesn’t burn a hole in the pocket. People who play at least once a week or a few times in a month will find the Triumph a decent racquet to use.

However, we do not recommend this for players who practice regularly or plan on taking tennis seriously. It lacks the technologies that HEAD Microgel and Babolat Pure Strike offer, so you may be prone to having tennis elbow.

On the bright side, it gives you a large head size at 112 square inches, giving you a bigger margin of error. What’s more, it features a string pattern geared for plow-throughs. The racquet is quite lengthy, sporting the same 27.5” as the Ti S6 for extra power.

For an affordable price range, it does the job well, considering Wilson pre-strung the racquet and offers a variety of grip sizes to choose from.

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5. HEAD Ti. S5 CZ Tennis Racket

The HEAD Ti S5 CZ is manufactured for beginners similar to Wilson Triumph, albeit a tad better. 

While it’s mainly targeted towards amateurs, the racquet provides enough control for intermediate-level players as well. 

The Ti. S5 CZ features an oversized head at 107 square inches, so it gives you some control and a whole lot of power. The racquet is a head heavy unit for stable shots to hit the ball over the net.

HEAD made the racquet with lightweight titanium and graphite fiber technology adding a few years into the frame’s life for durability.

Although this may come off as a little stiff, HEAD integrated new dampening systems into the racquet, so it handles shocks better than its predecessor. 

It gives you a 27.5 frame length, making it easy for a beginner to reach and hit the ball.

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6. HEAD Ti Conquest Racket

Ti. Conquest is another entry-level racquet by HEAD. The main difference that it has with the Ti S5 CZ is that it’s purely designed for a beginner tennis player.

The racquet’s weight is only 9.7 ounces, making it easy for amateurs to swing the racquet and hit the ball.

The tennis racquet features Nano Titanium technology for durability and maneuverability. The titanium alloy material does well in giving novice players a blend of power, head light balance, and stability. 

It gives you the advantage as the HEAD Microgel also offers to dampen vibration for comfort. The racket features an 18 x 19 string pattern.

HEAD Ti Conquest features an oversized head at 108 square inches, so it’s slightly bigger than the Ti S5 CZ, which ultimately translates to more power and a more forgiving racquet. It’s one of the best tennis racquets under 100.

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7. Babolat 2019 Boost Drive

Babolat Boost D is one of the best rackets for kids in their early teens. It caters to both beginner-level and intermediate-level teenagers as it delivers a nice blend of power and control.

The racquet features a 105-inch head size, which falls smaller than the HEAD Ti S6 and Ti Conquest. In other words, this offers far more control than the units with a larger racquet head.

Babolat 2019 is 27 inches long and features a 16 x 19 open string pattern. The unit is already pre-strung with Babolat’s SpiralTex synthetic gut.

Boost D is a head-heavy racquet for more power on the court. It is easy to maneuver and a good racquet of choice for baseline hitting. 

Despite being a racquet under 100, the carbon fiber frame is one of the more durable ones we’ve tested.

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8. Head LiquidMetal 8

Head LiquidMetal 8 is a good racquet of choice for an intermediate youth player. However, with its large 112 square inch head, amateurs are also taking a liking to the racquet.

The LiquidMetal line of racquets by Head features TSC technology, an innovative technology that LiquidMetal 8 also carries. 

The Total Sweetspot Construction technology provides more control to the tennis player by extending the sweet spot to the head of the racquet, a feature that amateurs appreciate. It also adds stability in every swing, which you’ll feel from the get-go.

It’s a forgiving racquet as well and easy to maneuver as the weight is only 9.3. It’s only a little lighter than the weight of  Ti Conquest.

The racquet uses a No Shox damping system to increase comfort, which means a lesser impact on your arm. It works similarly to the Stop Shock Sleeves technology by Wilson.

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9. Wilson Sporting Goods Racket

Wilson Sporting Goods offers a good value for amateurs and intermediate players. You’ll find the racquet both taller and narrower, giving it more of an egg shape in comparison to other racquet brands. 

There’s a wide variety of grip sizes available, which means you can easily find the right grip size for your hand. Wilson Sporting Goods racquet delivers decent strings that are both thin and tight, which are good string characteristics for amateurs. 

The string barely moves, so it gives you a good feel when you’re hitting the ball. Unlike most of the racquets on the list, this is a bottom-heavy racquet, meaning beginners need to have an adjustment period. However, it only takes a few games to get used to it.

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10. Wilson Sporting Goods Tennis Racket Strung 4

Wilson Federer Strung 4 is light in weight, making it easy to maneuver and swing. The racquet is not recommended for experienced players, but it holds out well for beginners and returning players. 

A feature that makes Federer Strung 4 pop-out is its anti-shock absorption pads. It gets the job done in reducing vibration for better comfort. The racquet also comes with a perforated grip, so it’s cool to use for longer games. 

Its major downside is its durability. The racket’s lightweight frame may bend or break easily for frequent players. Therefore, recreational tennis players who only play once a week are Wilson Ferder’s target audience.

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Features To Consider When Picking Racquets

features to consider

Racquet Power

The best tennis racquets for a beginner focuses more on power than control. These racquets are easy to maneuver, feature a large racquet head, are light in weight, and usually give you a 16 x 19 open string pattern. 

A racquet with a 105 square inch oversized head is suitable for beginners as it delivers more power. You can buy and find these tennis racquets under 100 on the list.

Racquet Control

The best tennis racquets for more experienced players are those rackets with smaller head sizes for better control. Usually, these rackets are 97 inches in size. 

An advanced player already has solid form and technique, meaning the player is capable of producing power without the additional push from a 105-inch head-size racket with a larger sweet spot.

Players with higher skill levels need to know their playing style to find more appropriate rackets. You can find decent control tennis rackets under 100, but it’s a little challenging to find.

String Tensions & Balance

As a general rule, the lower you adjust your string tension, the higher the power of your racket. In other words, if your racket has a higher tension, then you will have lower power, but higher control. 

The best tennis racquets are the ones that suit you the best. Athletes have a different preference for string tension, just like how players have a different grip size.

The balance of your racket highly impacts the unit’s maneuverability. A well-balanced racquet is great for an all-arounder.

tension and balance

Racquet Size

Purchasing a racket with a bigger size means having more power. Rackets with bigger sizes enable the tennis ball to sink deeper, meaning it delivers extra power in the rebound effect—a good racket for a beginner.

 A racket with a power frame does not give you control, which more experienced players find lacking. For competitive players, it’s better to go for a smaller-sized racket, but it gives you more spin and control.

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Head Size

Oversized head size is a racket at 105 square inch head and up, which will give you a bigger margin of error. However, it delivers lesser control. 

Roger Federer swapped his racket for bigger head size, going up from 90 to 97. As a result, his power increased, but his performance went down.

It’s ideal for a beginner to sport an oversized racket head as it is easy to handle. Meanwhile, a player with better control needs an 85 – 97 square inch racket head.

There are tennis racquets under 100 for both sizes.

Grip Size

The best tennis racket for any player needs to fit their grip size. There is no one size fits all solution, so you need to check beforehand if the racket offers the size variation for you.

Women have smaller hand sizes than men, anywhere between 1, 2, and 3. Conversely, men have bigger hands, so the usual sizes are 3, 4, and 5. 

If a player uses a too small or too big size, it can result in injury. In particular, tennis elbow. What’s more, it’s hard to change grip positions. Ultimately, slumping performance. Learn how to regrip your racquet here

grip size

Racquet Length

Similar to grip size and string pattern, the length of your racket varies as well. You’ll find most rackets have the length range from 27 inches to 29 inches on the list. 

You can find tennis rackets under 100 regardless of the length. Newbies often use a longer racquet to give them more reach and power. However, it’s harder to maneuver. 

Experienced players use shorter racket lengths for better control and faster reflexes when hitting volleys and returns. Moreover, the longer the length, the higher the spin potential. 

Essentially, it’s important to find a racquet length that fits your playing style and physical capabilities. 

Material

The more expensive your racket is, the better the material. However, you can find plenty of tennis racquets under 100 that offer quality materials, such as graphite. 

Cheaper rackets use aluminum. While it’s old-fashioned, these are still being marketed today. It does give you decent power, which is good for new players, but it doesn’t have the technologies to absorb shocks and vibrations. 

The question is whether you want to start with a cheaper material or invest in a pricier one and save long term.

And the #1 Tennis Racquet Under $100 is…

Based on our research and testing, the best tennis racquet under 100 is HEAD Microgel Radical Tennis Racket. Among the best tennis racquets under 100 on our list, Microgel Radical provides the most value for money due to its precision and maneuverability. 

It’s pretty tricky to find an adult racquet that provides superior control for a player with a high skill level, but we were surprised to see Microgel Radical by HEAD pulling it off. 

The racket is easy on the joints, which makes it a good unit for competitive plays.

OUR # 1 Recommendation

HEAD Microgel Radical Tennis Racket

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