Tennis is a game of footwork. It’s not as much about hitting the ball, as it is about placing your feet and your body there where you will have the easiest time hitting. Sounds almost philosophical, right? But I really believe this is the essence about the technical and tactical game of tennis, or any racket sport for that matter. This in turn puts emphasis on the gear that we put on our legs and feet. If we choose wisely, we are armed with gear that can support our footwork and we can clearly accelerate our level of play. If we choose poorly, we tend to get in trouble fast… Trust me, I have am not lying when I tell you I’ve made countless mistakes when buying tennis shoes (and socks). They have cost me, literally and figuratively speaking, but the good part is that now I can help you to consider some points before you buy. So in this article I’ll talk you through it.

In a hurry? These are my top three picks for best cheap tennis shoes for men and women (in 2022):

Best for narrow footbed (women)

ASICS Women’s Gel-Dedicate 7 Tennis Shoes, 8.5, White/Pure Silver

Best for narrow footbed (men)

ASICS Men’s Gel-Dedicate 7 Tennis Shoes, 8.5, White/Black

Best for wide footbed (men)

adidas Men’s GameCourt 2 Tennis Shoe, White/Core Black/White, 12

1,979 Reviews

1,817 Reviews

362 Reviews

Check price and availability at Amazon

Check price and availability at Amazon

Check price and availability at Amazon

Best for narrow footbed (women)

ASICS Women’s Gel-Dedicate 7 Tennis Shoes, 8.5, White/Pure Silver

1,979 Reviews

Check price and availability at Amazon

Best for narrow footbed (men)

ASICS Men’s Gel-Dedicate 7 Tennis Shoes, 8.5, White/Black

1,817 Reviews

Check price and availability at Amazon

Best for wide footbed (men)

adidas Men’s GameCourt 2 Tennis Shoe, White/Core Black/White, 12

362 Reviews

Check price and availability at Amazon

One of the best ways to get better at playing tennis, is too… hit a lot of balls. Haha, didn’t see that one coming, right? Well, training and playing in the Netherlands, we’re actually not used to grow up and play with tennis ball machines. It actually is seen as an inferior way of training… But ask the father of Andre Agassi, with his grand goal of letting Andre hit a million tennis balls to swing his way into professional tennis, and you’ll find that a tennis ball machine can actually be a great aid while perfecting your training routine. In this article we’ll take a deeper look into the area of tennis ball machines, which ones are best for your goals, and how you can actually get the most out of them.

In a hurry? Here are my top three picks:

Best machine

SPINSHOT PLAYER Plus-2 Tennis Ball Machine (Plus2 Model =Plus Model + Player Model)

Best allround machine

LOBSTER Sports – Elite Two Tennis Ball Machine with Elite 10-Function Remote Control – Triple Oscillation – Lightweight – 4- to 8-Hour Battery Life – 50 Degree Lobs – Optional Accessories

Best budget machine

Lobster Sports – Elite One Battery Tennis Ball Machine – Corner-to-Corner Sweep – Top & Backspin – 60° Lobs – 4 to 8 Hr Runtime – Charger Included – Easy to Use – 42 lb

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79 Reviews

27 Reviews

383 Reviews

Check price and availability at Amazon

Check price and availability at Amazon

Check price and availability at Amazon

Best machine

SPINSHOT PLAYER Plus-2 Tennis Ball Machine (Plus2 Model =Plus Model + Player Model)

79 Reviews

Check price and availability at Amazon

Best allround machine

LOBSTER Sports – Elite Two Tennis Ball Machine with Elite 10-Function Remote Control – Triple Oscillation – Lightweight – 4- to 8-Hour Battery Life – 50 Degree Lobs – Optional Accessories

–

27 Reviews

Check price and availability at Amazon

Best budget machine

Lobster Sports – Elite One Battery Tennis Ball Machine – Corner-to-Corner Sweep – Top & Backspin – 60° Lobs – 4 to 8 Hr Runtime – Charger Included – Easy to Use – 42 lb

–

383 Reviews

Check price and availability at Amazon

Why buy a tennis ball machine?

Before we dive deeper into the subject of tennis ball machines, we might consider for a second here why we might want to buy such a machine in the first place. To get better at tennis, in general, we have two options: take lessons or go to court to practice with a (team)mate. Ideally, you’ll want to do a bit of both to get better fast.

Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world. Tennis lessons can be quite expensive, and your (team)mate can get sick. Which leaves you with… watching some tennis at TV?

Not necessarily! This is where the aid of tennis ball machines come in handy. Ball machines are designed to feed you numerous tennis balls, often in a variety of ways, which can simulate – some level of – rally practice. The good news here: you can keep training, independent of the availability (and price) of a tennis trainer or the fitness level of your (team)mate.

Lessons vs. ball machines

However, it is worth taking a closer look to the actual value of lessons vs. ball machines before we proceed. Of course, hitting a 1.000 balls in practice, or during a private lesson, is not the same as hitting 1.000 tennis balls from a tennis ball machine. Consider that you have a faulty technique, then hitting a 1.000 balls with a ball machine will not actually make you better. However, it most often will not make you worse!

New vs. used

One tempting option might be to wander the internet to find a second hand tennis ball machine, to save some upfront expenses. This can be a logical option if you can find a great deal on relatively new machine, but keep in mind that with the aging of a tennis ball machine, up go the costs of maintenance on them. If you’re technically skilled, this does not necessarily have to be a downside. However, you will need to have proper access to parts to keep them as good as new.

How to choose a tennis ball machine?

Before rushing off to spend your hard-earned savings, there are a couple of questions you should ask yourself before buying a tennis ball machine.

How often will you use a machine?

This may seem like a no-brainer, but it surely isn’t. Tennis ball machines are expensive, so any upfront estimation of the frequency of use can be a smart excercise. Generally speaking, if you plan to play multiple times a week, you can justify the cost of buying a machine within the higher price point range.

However, if you can, most definitely try to rent one first, or even lend one from a buddy. This gives you the opportunity to get some first hand experience before breaking the bank.

What is your budget?

Talking about breaking the bank, do you have a strict budget in mind? While this of course depends on the going pricing range of these machines, having a budget in mind is always a good idea. However, keep in mind that cheaper tennis ball machines are bought around a 1.000 dollars and the more expensive models will cost you two, three or even four times that amount.

What is your skill level?

Based on your experience and skill as a tennis player, you’ll probably need different features as a beginner, as opposed to an advanced player. These differences come into play when taking a closer look to features of different tennis ball machines and what options you have to tweak their functionality.

Features of tennis ball machines

Let’s take a closer look on actual differences between tennis ball machines and how they play out.

Tennis ball capacity

A ball machine that holds up to 40 balls generally will suffice for a beginner. However, if you are a more advanced player you’ll find that you probably go through 40 balls pretty quickly and have some pop left.

Hopper window.

Feed rate

Feed rate stands for the amount of time you have between hitting shots. A lower feed rate can be sufficient for beginners, while a higher feed rate can be more challenging for more advanced players.

Oscillation

Oscillation really means the ability to shoot the balls under different angles and distances. As a beginner you might put the ball machine in a position to feed the forehand for a while, and afterwards you might change it manually to face your backhand side. But having a machine that can mimic so-called X-patterns will benefit more advanced players.

Ball speed & spin

Beginners can’t really handle the highest speeds on tennis ball machines. That’s perfectly normal, but good to consider upfront. In general, beginners are good with speeds up to 40 mph (or 64 kmph). More advanced players can opt for higher speeds, wit most top machines offering speeds up to 80 mph (or 120 kmph).

In addition, some machines will have the option to include top spin or even some back spin on the ball. Probably not really necessary for beginners, however, for more advance players this will allow for a more typical rally style of play.

Custom drills

When it comes to tennis, you can’t really do enough drills. Some hate them, some swear by them. However, having a machine that can simulate drills really is an extra that can go a long way and really is a newer feature that wasn’t available on older machines.

Control: phone, app, remote or panel

Back in the day almost every tennis ball machine had a back panel for chaninging settings. Nowadays, you can mosten often find at least a remote control being shipped with the ball machine or even a phone app, that let’s you control your next shot. This is of course added luxury, but can help you decide between to models.

Size and weight

Size and weight might not be the first thing you think about when considering a tennis ball machine, but as tennis success lies within repetition, so is training with your new ball machine. This means you will have to carry it to court a lot (unless you can make that great deal with your local club or trainer to store the machine right there). Everything above 50 lbs can’t be really considered a portable machine anymore. Also, keep in mind that the lowest weights might be very portable, but might start to wobble at higher ball speeds.

Power (types)

Back in the day there was only one choice when it comes to powerin your ball machine: find the nearest (wall) outlet. Luckily, more and more machines come with a battery these days. However, battery life itself is something that you must consider when going for one of these machines. 

Types of tennis ball machines

Tennis ball machines come in to main types: compressed air and rotating wheel machines. I’ll describe the main differences between the two of them here.

Compressed air

The most afforable option is to go for a machine with compressed air as main driving unit of the machine. While being the cheapest, compressed air units share some disadvantages in comparison to rotating wheel units. Compressed air machines can be noisy and they are not very consistent when shooting balls, especially not so when loading the machine with different ball types, which we address in a later paragraph.

Rotating wheel

Rotating wheels offer the best accuracy, but are the more expensive driving units of these ball machines. They don’t make that much noise neither on court. However, tennis balls will wear out faster with the use of these driving mechanisms, so while they are cheaper, they might come with higher repeating costs in the form of extra tennis balls.

Balls and accessories

Opposed to what you might think or feel is right, tennis ball machines work best with pressureless tennis balls. And you’re going to need a lot of them if you’re serious about training with a ball machine. The main reason to choose playing with pressureless balls over playing with pressurized tennis balls, is that pressurized tennis balls, generally speaking, will wear and tear faster.

However, not all pressureless tennis balls are created equal and you can buy a lot of cheap tennis pressureless tennis balls that are… wel, crap. In general, pressureless tennis balls will have thicker rubber and thicker felt to compensate for not having a filled, pressurized inner core in order to keep the stability of the ball construction high.

In all, don’t worry, because you can buy good pressureless tennis balls in bulk.

Frequently Asked Questions on tennis ball machines

Which ball firing option is better?

While this might depend on your perspective, in general, rotating wheel tennis ball machines have the better ball firing option because of consistency.

Do tennis ball machines deliver serves?

No, in general, they don’t.

Conclusion

There are many aspects of a tennis ball machine to consider upfront, before buying your next machine. The main drivers of your choice should be your experience and skill level, which in turn will determinate the type of features that you are looking for in a machine (which I discussed in the paragraphs above). A close second driver should be your budget. Keep in mind that next to the purchasing costs of a machine, you should also factor in costs for (pressureless) tennis balls.

One of the most overlooked items of a tennis player? Socks, for sure. Next up? Tennis bags. It seems strange to think that we put so much effort in finding that perfect next tennis racket and then just agree to dump it in some old, left over textile we have laying around. For some reason most people think they’ll just do fine with the cover they got with the racket in the first place, but fail to think what items you often really want to take with you to court. So in this article we’ll dive into the best tennis bags for women and present you with our shortlist.

In a hurry? These are our top three picks for the best tennis bags for women.

Ame & Lulu Hamptons Tennis Tour Bag (Blueberry)

Tennis Tote Bag, Tennis Racket Shoulder Bag for racquet with a head size between 80 and 100 sq. inches, Large Pickleball Tote Bag with Zipper & Shoulder Strap for Badminton Racquet, Sport Tote for Women Men (Orange)

Tennis Bag Tennis Backpack 2 Rackets for Women Men Large Racket Bags with Insulated Pocket and Ventilated Shoe Compartment to Hold Badminton Squash Racquets, Pickleball Paddles and Balls Accessories

32 Reviews

25 Reviews

69 Reviews

Check price and availability at Amazon

Check price and availability at Amazon

Check price and availability at Amazon

Ame & Lulu Hamptons Tennis Tour Bag (Blueberry)

32 Reviews

Check price and availability at Amazon

Tennis Tote Bag, Tennis Racket Shoulder Bag for racquet with a head size between 80 and 100 sq. inches, Large Pickleball Tote Bag with Zipper & Shoulder Strap for Badminton Racquet, Sport Tote for Women Men (Orange)

25 Reviews

Check price and availability at Amazon

Tennis Bag Tennis Backpack 2 Rackets for Women Men Large Racket Bags with Insulated Pocket and Ventilated Shoe Compartment to Hold Badminton Squash Racquets, Pickleball Paddles and Balls Accessories

69 Reviews

Check price and availability at Amazon

1. Ame & Lulu Hamptons Tennis Tour Bag (Blueberry)

This stylish canvas tennis bag has a removable, adjustable shoulder strap and features two, handy interior water bottle pockets. It’s made out of cotton and nylon and comes in 7 available colors. It also has an exterior pocket that can hold up to two rackets and a zip pocket at the front. You can put up two water bottles inside, each fitted in separate pocket.

• ‎20.5 x 18 x 2.52 inches
• ‎1.27 Kilograms
• ‎Cotton, nylon

Things we like:

• Classy, vintage tennis look
• Exterior pocket that can hold up to two tennis rackets
• Two interior pockets for water bottles

2. Tennis Tote Bag

Looking for a large tennis or pickleball tote bag, that you can carry over the shoulder? This classy and lightweight bag allows room for some rackets, bottles and towels. It’s made out of neoprene, which will guarantee it’s waterproof while still being flexible, avoiding the wear and tear you see on other tennis bags. It’s an adjustable long strap, which means you can use it as a shoulder bag or hand bag too.

• 16 x 6 x 13 inches
• ‎0.83 Kilograms
• ‎Nylon

Things we like:

• Neoprene fabric, keeping the bag water proof and elastic
• Lightweight
• 6 possible color combinations

3. Tennis Backpack for Women

This medium sized backpack has it all. Well, almost. One of the main benefits of this nicely designed bag is the insulated (side) pocket, where you can put some water or soda bottles and keep them cold, while you are playing. It has a large racket compartment, with room for up to two rackets. At the back, this compartment is padded, so you won’t hurt your back. At the front, you’ll find some pockets for small items, like keys, cards and phones. At the sides, you have the ability to store another water bottle or an umbrella. Another plus is the separate shoe compartment, with ventilation. Handy, if you want to changes shoes right away. Looking for a court side place to store your items, but no bench around? No worries, because this backpack comes with a fence hook, with which you can just hang your bag almost literally at arms length.

• ‎12.6 x 9.1 x 17.9 inches
• ‎0.47 Kilograms
• ‎Polyester

Things we like

• Shoe compartment
• Isolated bottle or food compartment
• Fence hook

Frequently asked questions about tennis bags

Most of us have an idea of why we want to use a tennis bag, but as always, the devil is in the detail. That’s why I have taken the time to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about tennis bags (for women).

How much is a tennis bag?

A typical tennis bag costs between 25 and 75 dollars, with some more expensive ones selling for more thant 100 dollars. Racket covers can cost quite a lot less though and often are shipped for free with the purchase of a new racket.

Why are tennis bags so big?

The problem for beginners is that they might mistake a racket cover for a typical tennis bag, which allows room for multiple rackets, but also for necessary racket sport items, like water bottles, caps, towells and sometimes even shoe compartments. A racket cover is just simply that, a cover for your racket. It does not allow room for other items and if you do decide to put extra items in, you run the risk of damaging your racket and strings.

Can you wash tennis bags?

In theory, yes, you can wash tennis bags. The need for washing a tennis bag might seem logical. Putting sweaty clothing or even shoes back in to your bag is a guarantee for nasty smells. However, in order to get your bag in the washing machine, you have to fold it and this process doesn’t benefit the structural integrity of the bag. So putting it in the machine will lessen the life span of your bag. A smarter way of keeping your bag clean is to care for it manually, by getting your items as quickly out of your bag when you return home, and then use basic clothes and water to clean your bag on the inside.

How to wear a tennis bag?

Tennis bags come in a variety of ways. Depending on the available straps on your bag, you can carry them on your back, shoulder or diagonally across your back and shoulder.

What size tennis bag should I get?

This is an important question, which mainly depends on the answer to the question of how many rackets you want to store. When you look for buying a tennis bag online, you’ll probably find that racket bag sizes are measure by the multiple of rackets you want to carry. There are bags for 3 rackets, 6 rackets and 12 rackets. However, as you’ll become a better (or: more fanatic) player, you’ll find that the needed size of the bag isn’t so much decided by the amount of rackets you’ll carry (as amateurs we normally carry a minimum of two), but by the amount of extra items we want to take with us to court. You might think you don’t need much at first, but this can add up quite quickly.

Think of it: you’ll probably want to have a water bottle and a snack, but also a towell to wipe of a sweaty head or grip, get an extra cap against the sun and your keys. But what if you have an appointment after training? Then you’ll need some fresh clothes and some shower items. It adds up quickly; think large when it comes to space.

What type of tennis bags are there?

Classic racket bags are like blown up backpacks. They have one or two straps, which you can use to carry it on the back or over the shoulder. However, there are actual backpacks too, that have extra compartments for rackets, and tote bags, that are more fashionable. The latter look more like your typical gym bag, with to handles that you carry as a normal brief case.

Are tennis bags allowed on planes

Tennis bags are allowed on planes, but it might vary from airline to airline if they are suitable as hand luggage or you will need to check them in, as a suitcase. Also, it is not a good idea to carry tennis balls with you on a plane, as they are pressurized. They might not even be allowed on planes, but they also can be damaged. Just don’t take them with you.

When it comes to playing tennis, or any other racket sport for that matter, feet and legs are the main contributor to success. ‘Mind your footwork’ is something you’ll hear often court side, when you visit training sessions or tennis matches. However, as players, we are used to spend a great deal of research on the best footwork training techniques or the newest pair of clay court shoes, but no so much to attention goes out to the first thing we put on when we want to play. Yes, I’m talking about tennis socks.

So, in this article I’ll dive a bit deeper into the what and why of tennis socks and why it is important to choose the right ones for you.

In a hurry? These are my top three picks. 

Best quality overall

Best quality overall

Best ‘classic’ socks

Best ‘ankle cut-off’ socks

Thorlos TX Max Cushion Crew Tennis Socks, White (1 Pair), Large

adidas Men’s Athletic Cushioned Crew Socks (6-Pair), White/Black, Large

adidas mens Athletic Cushioned (6-pair) Low Cut Sock, White/Black, Large US

1,821 Reviews

14,568 Reviews

14,798 Reviews

Check price and availability at Amazon

Check price and availability at Amazon

Check price and availability at Amazon

Best quality overall

Best quality overall

Thorlos TX Max Cushion Crew Tennis Socks, White (1 Pair), Large

1,821 Reviews

Check price and availability at Amazon

Best ‘classic’ socks

adidas Men’s Athletic Cushioned Crew Socks (6-Pair), White/Black, Large

14,568 Reviews

Check price and availability at Amazon

Best ‘ankle cut-off’ socks

adidas mens Athletic Cushioned (6-pair) Low Cut Sock, White/Black, Large US

14,798 Reviews

Check price and availability at Amazon

Tennis Socks Buyers Guide

Basic points to consider:

• What type of cut-off do you like (high, mid, ankle)
• What type of materials do you like (full cotton, polyester, mix or other synthetics)
• What level of support do you like? 
• How much do you want to spend?
• Can you buy in bulk?

What type of cut-off do you like (high, mid, ankle)?

One of the most typical images of playing of tennis players on a gravel court, is the amount of red dust above their ankles. As a frequent player on gravel courts, I’ve encountered this numerous times myself. I can tell you from personal experience, you’ll find gravel dust everywhere. Above and in your socks, all around your shoes and of course, in you’re bag and even washing machine. 

That’s why I like to play with high ankle socks in any case. By having the highest cut-off out there, at least I’m limiting the amount of gravel dust that comes in my socks. I’ve played with ankle cut-offs too (when my long socks were in the washing machine) and I can tell you from first-hand experience, that it gets worse with every lower cut-off height. 

For playing purposes, there really can’t be said that one should be preferred over the other. I like longer cut-offs because they allow me some margin. On colder days, I pull them a bit higher. On warmer days, I’ll push them down a bit more. This is completely personal, of course. 

My best friend preferred playing with ankle cut-offs. That worked better for him. 

One question you could ask yourself here is, how often you play on gravel courts. If you play the majority on red clay, I would definitely recommend playing with higher cut-offs. Keep in mind though, that the same idea applies to artificial grass courts. Because the top layer is often sand, you’ll find a lot of sand in your socks too. However, you probably won’t be bothered that much by sand as opposed to gravel dust. 

What type of materials do you like (full cotton, polyester, mix or synthetics)?

Tennis and racket sports socks come in all types and variants. So you’ll find them in a lot of fabrics too. Mainly full cotton, polyester, mixed materials or other synthetics. Cotton is the most commonly known material, that used to be the main fabric for almost all tennis clothing. However, nowadays, cotton is considered to be an inferior fabric. Cotton will absorb moisture like sweat, but will not allow for fast evaporation of the moisture. That’s why you typically see large sweat stains on cotton shirts.

Polyester fabrics aren’t much better when it comes to dealing with moisture, but at least they are a bit better. Some people don’t like the feel of polyester, especially when it comes to socks, but in general, they can ‘glide’ a bit more in your shoe.

There are tons of combinations of mixed materials and full synthetics, so you’re only choice is to check out the labels or product descriptions before you buy.

Personally, I like the look and feel of full (white) cotton tennis socks the best, because they don’t slip so much in my shoes (I have more room between my feet and socks and the outer sole of my gravel court shoe). Also, because the full cotton socks are a bit thicker, they help dampen the shocks on my feet and toes a bit more (I also use special protection gear for my feet).

What level of support do you like?

Modern day tennis socks come with a variety of available feet support. Most commonly, they have added cushioning in the heel section and or instep section of the feet. This extra support can prevent a bit of friction on the most intensively used parts of your feet during a game, but also can put some added pressure on your feet in general. However, this is quite personal, but I don’t like it. Especially when your feet will ‘inflate’ a bit during a game, with extra blood in them, your feet can use all the extra space you have in your shoe. But if you like a bit more of cushioning, this type of sock could be just for you.

How much would you like to spend?

Now, this is a tricky one to answer… Socks will be probably your biggest repeat expenditure, just right after tennis racket strings, and that means you better have a good idea of how smart you’re spending it. But this mainly depends on how much you actually need to spend on it. If you’re a beginner, you won’t use that many socks during a season. If you’re a top level amateur, you’ll need a great deal of them.

Most often, you’ll just start to spend more on tennis socks as you’re level of play starts to grow and the frequency you play with. However, keep in mind that if you play on gravel courts, this process will only be sped up and count on spending even more on them. This is because the red dust is devastating for your full (white) cottons and they will naturally deteriorate faster over time. They will loose their ‘stretch’ and become more prone to breaking. You can wash them as many times as you want, but you will never get them fully cleaned again.

My personal advice would be to replace your socks, when you feel they have lost all ‘stretch’, feel a bit uncomfortable on your skin and are not fully white anymore after washing them. In general, full cottons will wear out faster than polyester or mixed socks.

Considering all the above, you’ll probably need to find a perfect match between durability and price point. This is a difficult journey, because it all depends on your own demands and desires, but generally speaking (and based on my own experience) I would stay away from the most expensive socks, as well as the cheapest ones out there. Find a range or budget that you are comfortable with, and start buying some different sets and test which ones you like best. Then, start to look for good deals on them, which you can probably find when you can buy them in bulk or at least bigger numbers.

Can you buy in bulk?

Buying tennis socks in bulk sounds easier than it is, of course. Where do you find these good deals, and at the same time, are not forced to buy by plane or ship load. This used to be a tedious process, but luckily Amazon has done the bulk of the work for you. You can find some good deals on larger sets, that won’t break the bank. Also, by buying multiple sets in one go, you’ll save on shipping costs, unless you’re already in the Prime program.

Luckily, tennis is a sport where men and women have co-competed for a long time now. This is even being showcased by the amount of tennis courts and stadiums across the globe that are named after famous female tennis players. Court Suzanne Lenglen for example really is one of the most beautiful courts on tour and among the Grand Slams.

However, with a lot of tennis on tv at the moment, you might be wondering to pick up a racket yourself. Starting out, you are probably researching the best tennis rackets for women by reading a lot of posts and guides.

As I’m being asked this question quite a lot in my shop too, I decided to make a detailed post on this myself, sharing my top 10 picks for the best 10 tennis rackets for women that you can buy today.

I’ll summarize my findings first and then I’ll dive into more detailed explanations.

Need a quick recap? Here are my top three picks:

Winner

Babolat Pure Drive 2021 Tennis Racquet – 4 1/4″

Runner-up

HEAD Gravity Pro Tennis Racquet – 27 Inch Performance Adult Racket – 4 3/8 Grip, Unstrung

Third place

WILSON Blade 98L 16×19 v6.0 Tennis Racquet

–

Check price and availability at Amazon

Check price and availability at Amazon

Check price and availability at Amazon

Winner

Babolat Pure Drive 2021 Tennis Racquet – 4 1/4″

Check price and availability at Amazon

Runner-up

HEAD Gravity Pro Tennis Racquet – 27 Inch Performance Adult Racket – 4 3/8 Grip, Unstrung

–

Check price and availability at Amazon

Third place

WILSON Blade 98L 16×19 v6.0 Tennis Racquet

Check price and availability at Amazon

If you need some extra answer on the most commonly asked questions about tennis rackets for women, please check that section down below.

1. Babolat Pure Drive 2022

Babolat is one of the best know brands out there, due to the likes of Rafael Nadal and Garbine Muguruza and the Pure Drive has been one of the best selling rackets since the early 2000’s. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the racket has made it to this list too. The Pure Drive has become known for its versatility and performance, when it comes to speed and spin potential.

Although the Pure Drive is being updated almost every year with a new paint job, the core specs of this racket haven’t quite changed that much over the years. However, the latest paint jobs on this best selling Babolat model are a treat to the eye, at least in my modest opinion. Although it comes in a range of (sub)models, each with different total weights that could benefit your technique level, the most common sought after model is the Pure Drive with the total weight of 300 grams. That weight will surely not slow you down in any case, but will have enough mass to benefit your swing and depth of shots once you progress.

The head size is a standard 100 squared inches or 645 squared centimeters with a 16 x 19 string pattern; all of which are specs that fall into the all-round category of specs. Great for attacking players, as well as defending players who like to stay around the base line and are more into counter punching.

The updated version of the Pure Drive also features Cortex, that is believed to reduce the amount of vibration and shocks to the arm and body. It comes with a standar Syntec Pro grip, which is a great stock grip. However, as with all rackets, be sure to get it in the right grip size.

Things I like:

• Great design and all round feel
• Weight distribution making it ideal for spin groundstrokes
• Availability of different weight models (Lite and Team models)

2. Head Gravity Pro

Another great contender for the top of this list, is this Head Gravity Pro racket, that was the weapon of choice of the just retired Ashley Barty. Known for her attacking (yet still controlling) type of play, the Head cuts through the air like a knife cuts trough butter. It is definitely a racket that accommodate the more advanced players, but can als help you develop a more solid technique along the way. The racket therefore requires more preparation, but also gives back more power and control.

This rackets weighs 11.1 ounces and comes with a 100 square inch head. The length is standard cut at 27 inches and comes with a 18×20 string pattern that matches the fans of control. The frame is made out of graphite, which still is a rock solid option.

Things I like:

• Great box beam frame that gives you a more classic feel
• Head light balance point of 315mm gives enough manoeuvrability to a hefty frame
• Slick design and color palette

3. Wilson Blade 98L

No top list is complete without a version of the famous Wilson Blade series. Widely appraised since the introduction of the – now classic – [K] Blade series, this version of the 98 Blade is actually a bit lighter than the original. This allround players frame could benefit control oriented players as well as more attacking players, thanks to the 16×19 open spin pattern. Blending these two features, at the price point is being sold normally, makes this frame a true value-for-money racket.

Slightly lighter, coming in at just under 11 ounces strung this Blade 98L will move around a bit quicker than the other heavier Wilson Blade 98 models, but still leave you with enough mass to drive a good groundstroke. With it’s almost perfect even balance, you’ll also find it easy to strike some precise volleys at the net, enhancing your all round game.

Things I like:

• Great box beam frame
• Open string pattern of 16×19
• Wilson brand quality and durability

4. Wilson Burn 100LS

Wilson has made some interesting product introductions over the last years with the Burn and Clash series being two of them. Although the Clash frame is an interesting addition to the complete Wilson range, I haven’t had a chance to playtest it yet. I have been playing with the Burn series and really like the all round playing characteristics of it. One could argue this was Wilson’s first move towards Babolat, trying to compete with their popular Pure Drive series.

However, the Burn has become a true frame on it’s own the last years, combining classic Wilson control features with the more spin oriented rounded frame that we know from other brands. When we take a look a the specs, this Burn 100LS is a slightly lighter addition to the series, coming in at 298 grams when the racket is already strung. It has a neutral balance point at 333mm. The 18×18 open string pattern really allows for some serious spin potential, while the higher stiffness rating of 71 RA give it a rock solid feel.

Things I like:

• All round playing characteristics
• Open string pattern of 18×16
• Higher stiffness rating of 71 RA

5. Head Speed Team 2022

Another big brand in the industry is of course Head, which is also know for it’s wide range of products in other sports, like padel and even skiing. Head has produced an immense line of products and rackets over the years and it is easy to get lost in the options, even when you’re already filtering in on selecting a Head tennis racket. The new addition to the Head Speed series, with it’s new Auxetic technology it raises stability on impact, while still being very maneuverable and averagely weighted at 285 grams.

Things I like:

• Stability on impact
• Low swing weight
• Great overall quality and durabilty

6. Head Graphene 360 Radical MP

The Radical has been a popular choice on the market ever since Andre Agassi first took it out of his bag on court, back in the 90’s. Have gone through a couple of updates during the years, the recent Head Graphene 360 edition of this famous line is still a rock solid choice for all rounders, looking to play forward with a lot of control.

The downside of playing with the Radical used to be it’s higher stiffness rating but for this edition Head have increased the total weight of the racket a bit, while lowering the stiffness rating of the racket, adding a bit more forgiveness to the feel of the racket. Although this racket has a 98 squared inch or 645 squared centimeter head size (as opposed to the industry standard of 100 squared inches or 645 squared centimeter), it’s open spin pattern of 16×19 still give it a lot of spin potential.

Things I like:

• Versatility of the frame; a true all round classic
• Lower stiffness rating
• Solid feel on ball impact

7. Yonex Ezone 98L

Yonex is of course widely known for it’s brand name within the badminton sport. However, not many beginners actually know that Yonex is also one of the greats when it comes to tennis rackets. It’s manufacturing proces for producing top of the line models is even considered as being the best in the industry. Nevertheless were Yonex models considered to being suited more towards top players, and not so much beginner or intermediate players.

This has changed with the introduction of the Ezone series and the Yonex Ezone 98L is a great example of this. It’s typical isometric head shape offers a slightly bigger sweet spot for the same head size, which allows beginners to play with a more forgiving racket, while stil having the racket specs of a true allround and intermediate players frame. It comes at an average total weight of 285 grams and has a neutral balance at 330mm. It’s Vibration Dampening Mesh is added to the handle to reduce the amount of vibrations moving through the frame, resulting in less stress on the wrist and arm.

Things I like:

• Isometric head shape for bigger sweet spot
• All round specs to benefit the majority of players
• Vibration Dampening Mesh

8. Head Graphene 360 Extreme S

The Extreme used to be a specialist racket, but has developed into a more main stream model over the course of the years. The weapon of choice of one handed backhanders like Richard Gasquet and Ivan Ljubicic, it was a clearly spin oriented frame for players who like the bigger head size. However, the racket series has expanded into a couple of unique flavours, where the Extreme S is a lighter weight option for players who are looking to hit big but don’t want to swing around as much weight.

One of the most striking features of this Graphene 360 Extreme S is of course it’s over sized top, featuring 677 squared centimeters, allowing for more off center shots, whilst still keeping the ball in play. Combined with it’s 16×19 open, spin pattern and it’s lighter total weight of 275 grams, it can be a good option for the more serious beginners, looking to make a lot of hours on court when they start out.

By shifting the balance point up towards 34 centimeters, the racket still can swing away enough at your opponent’s groundstrokes. However, when you get better you might want to start to add some lead tape or move towards a heavier, more control oriented frame.

Things I like:

• Bigger head size makes it quite forgiving
• Light weight frame makes it more suitable for beginners
• Relativley flexible frame at 63 RA

9. Wilson Clash 100L

If you are looking for a sturdy, but lightweight option to hit with power and comfort, definitely give this newly updated V2 version of the Wilson Clash 100L a try. Featured with Wilson’s uniquely patented FORTYFIVE carbon construction, this is one of the most flexible but powerful frames on the market. Weighing an average 280 grams, this racket will suit all kinds of levels of play and training. If you are looking for a racket that minimizes the risk of shoulder injury, this could be your next pick.

Things I like:

• True flexible frame at 55 RA
• Light weight frame makes it more suitable for beginners and intermediate players
• Combination of RA and weight makes it forgivable for the shoulder and arm

10. Yonex Vcore 100L

Just one touch lighter than it’s big brother, the Vcore 100, this 100L can be more forgiving for beginners and intermediate players, looking for a racket that can carry them easily through a 3rd-set tie break (without the sore arms and lost match points). The 280 grams of unstrung weight just allow for more manouvrability, which makes it a great choice for juniors too, looking to switch from 26 inchs frames to a more demanding 27 frame.

Things I like:

• Color styling of the frame
• The manufacturing quality of Yonex, one of the best brands on the market
• The allround weight of 280 grams

Getting the basics right is very important in tennis. That applies to your technique but also for your gear. When you take a look at getting the basics right for your technique, you can focus best on training your footwork. When you apply that to your gear, you’ll understand that you can best invest some time and money in getting the right shoes for your feet.

That’s why I put together this tennis shoes buyer guide where I’ll, well, guide you through the buying process when you’re on the search for your next pair of shoes. I’ve bought a lot of them and a lot of them weren’t a great succes, however, a couple were and now you can learn from my mistakes. Not such a deal, right?

One of the first things we need to focus on when buying shoes is getting the basics right. Where did we hear that before? What I mean by that is the fact that when you’re looking for tennis shoes you’ll know your basic foot size and the main surface you’ll be playing on. 

Your basic shoe size is easily determined by the shoe size you most often select for your normal pair of shoes or sneakers + 1. If you don’t know or are uncertain, you can also visit a shop where they can size your feet. Be aware that there might be differences between your left and right foot and while that might be an extra challenge while searching, you still want to pay attention to it. Your feet a very important element in tennis and there is a saying that tennis players have the ugliest feet on the planet. That’s for a reason and you don’t want to make this worse by neglecting your feet. 

So, in my case, my basic shoe size is 43 so normally I am on the lookout for tennis shoe size 44. The reason we calculate a shoe size bigger is because of the space we need extra for accounting for a (thick) tennis sock and the space we need for our feet to ‘breathe’. This means we want the feet to be able to expand a bit and maybe nudge just a little bit within the shoe, but not to much, because otherwise we would get our toe nails black and blue. So, rule of thumb, is to check if you have half a thumbnail space left, which would be perfect.

Determining your main shoe size would be rather easy if you only have clay courts around the area you live and play and likewise, if you only have seen a hard court your whole life. Of course, nowadays we see a lot of different courts which makes the choice for the shoe sole a bit more complex. Logically, when you play on a lot of different surfaces you would probably look for an ‘all court’ tennis shoe sole but this makes sense when we look at the aspect of durability. A ‘all court’ shoe sole normally means it is suited for use on hard courts and has added cushioning. That makes it a good all round shoe (sole), but does not add anything special when playing on clay for example. Furthermore, while testing all court shoes in comparison to specific clay courts soles, I was surprised by the difference in starting and stopping power the clay court soles bring to the table. So, let’s just say you play 60 percent of the times on clay court… or even a bit more complicated; let’s say you play most of your tournament matches on clay court. In that case, my advice would be, rather to choose one all court shoe to accommodate all of your playing session, to choose a specific shoe for your clay courts matches and another one for your all court sessions or, if you are on a limited budget, choose the clay court over the all courts and calculate that they will last a bit shorter.

Another point to look out for of course is the overall durability of the shoe, which normally has a lot to do with the resistance of the exterior of the shoe. There are shoes fabricated with artificial leather (this used to be called ‘sky’ when I was younger, I believe…) or synthetic plastics that are designed to withstand the heat and friction of hard courts and clay courts. Believe me, if you have found the shoe that fits you best only to find that you can throw it away after one round of play because you teared a hole into the sides, you will get disappointed many times… You have to match the exterior of the shoe with the interior and shoe sole in order to pick a winner.

The one time I’ll recommend playing with shoes of artificial leather is when I advise them to beginners, who will look for some basic shoes and who are on a tight budget. Other than that, try to avoid them as much as possible unless you are playing on natural grass (but in that case you’ll need another sole…)

So we’re definitely getting there but I want to add a thing about space and room to breathe. Imagine a hot, humid summer day and a nice, cushioned start to your food work because you are playing with all court shoes that fit cushioning fabrics all around you foot. While that’s great starting outside in January or February, you’ll cook your feet in July or August. You’ll lose the match for sure, because you’re feet won’t be able to move without pain and you won’t like the smell of them after the match neither (well, to be honest… I’ve never actually liked the smell of my feet after any tennis match I’ve ever played). But trust me on this, that’s why breathing room for your feet is so important but breathing materials on your shoe are too. Know these running shoes with the small holes in the exterior? It’s called mesh and it allows your feet to breathe optimally and release heat while running.