Are you an intermediate or advanced tennis player looking for your next tennis racquet? If so, you’re in the right place. We’ve put together this list of the best tennis racquets that money can buy in 2021. Every single racquet on this list is somebody’s absolute favorite tennis racquet of all time. With any luck, you’ll find yours, too.
Quick note, if you’re looking for a tennis racquet for a beginner, or for casual play, or if you’re looking for junior tennis racquets for kids, then we recommend checking out our other posts on those topics instead.
Babolat Pure Aero
Rafael Nadal’s racquet of choice. Lightweight, aerodynamic, and build for speed and spin.
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Babolat Pure Drive 2021
Designed for ultimate speed, spin, and power, with a dampened, muted feel.
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HEAD Graphene 360+ Gravity Pro
A low-powered, comfortable racquet designed for maximum control.
View on AmazonBest Tennis Racquets for Intermediate and Advanced Players
These are our top picks for the best tennis racquets for intermediate players and advanced players in 2021. Click on the links to jump to the individual reviews in this post.
- Babolat Pure Aero
- Babolat Pure Drive
- Babolat Pure Strike 16×19
- Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph
- Wilson Blade 98 16×19 Countervail
- Wilson Clash 100
- Head Graphene 360+ Gravity Pro
How to Choose the Best Tennis Racquet for You
Choosing the “best” tennis racquet is highly subjective. There’s no one tennis racquet that’s best for all levels and style of play. What works for one player doesn’t work for another.
If there were a single best tennis racquet (or even 2 or 3), then everyone would be using them, and there would be no need for a post like this. But the “best” tennis racquet will be different for everyone, and depends on a number of factors, including level and style of play.
Level of play – If you’re a beginner, you most likely don’t need to spend the extra money on a tennis racquet designed for intermediate and advanced players. In fact, beginners might have a hard time using more advanced racquets.
But if you’re getting serious about tennis, and you can rate yourself around a 3.5 or 4.0 on the USTA scale, you could stand to benefit from a more advanced racquet (along with some good tennis strings a pair of actual tennis shoes).
Power vs control – Most tennis racquets tend to prioritize either power or control. Which you prefer will depend on your style of play and stroke.
Tennis Racquet Reviews
And now let’s jump into the reviews of our top picks for tennis racquets for intermediate and advanced players. Starting with our top pick, the Babolat Pure Aero.
Babolat Pure Aero
$$$$- Tons of spin
- Lightweight
- Great feel
- Attractive design
- High price tag
The Babolat Pure Aero is Rafael Nadal’s racquet of choice. That alone makes it turn heads. Designed for speed and spin, this racquet is lightweight and aerodynamic. If you’re a fast-paced, agressive player, this might be a great fit.
Read our full review of the Babolat Pure Aero here.
- Extremely powerful
- Speed-oriented
- Great for spin
- Some complaints of arm/wrist issues
The Babolat Pure Drive is consistently well reviewed. It offers tons of power, speed, and spin, and has a solid, muted feel with low vibration and feedback.
Read our full Babolat Pure Drive review here.
Try the Babolat Pure Drive Lite if you’re looking for a lighter version of the Pure Drive. Read our full review of the Babolat Pure Drive Lite here.
- Ideal balance of power and control
- Good stability and maneuverability
- Large, forgiving sweetspot
- Less control on slower strokes
The Babolat Pure Strike 16×19 is an all-around good racquet. It doesn’t necessarily stand out in any particular category, but it offers what many consider an ideal balance of power and control. It’s also very comfortable and easy on the arm.
You can read our full Babolat Pure Strike 16×19 review here.
- Excellent stability and control
- Tons of power
- Easy access to topspin
- Comes with Roger Federer’s autograph printed on the frame
- Quite heavy and may be difficult or tiresome to swing
This is the racquet that Roger Federer uses, making it a popular option for Federer fans. It’s a heavier racquet, and best suited to advanced players who want a solid frame that can generate tons of power, control, and spin. This is not a very lightweight or maneuverable racquet, which may take some getting used to for some. It’s extremely solid and on the heavier side, which may be a perfect match for stronger tennis players.
You can also get it pre-strung with recommended Luxilon strings. Be sure to contact the seller immediately after purchasing, to make sure they are using Luxilon strings, and to check what tension they will string it at.
Note: The Pro Staff RF97 Autograph is quite heavy and can be tiring to swing for a lot of players. You might consider other versions like the Pro Staff Team or Pro Staff 97 Countervail, if you want a lighter, more maneuverable racquet.
- Easy access to power
- Great spin potential
- Extremely comfortable
- Wilson’s Countervail technology helps reduce arm fatigue
- Less power on serves
- A bit heavier and less maneuverable
The Wilson Blade 98 16×19 Countervail features Wilson’s Countervail technology, which is designed to reduce arm fatigue, thereby improving your shot control. This means you get a more comfortable, arm-friendly racquet and more control.
Wilson Clash 100
$$$$- Flexible, adapts well to any swing style
- Good balance of power and control
- StableSmart frame geometry adds some stability
- Too lightweight and unstable for some players
The Wilson Clash 100 features Wilson’s FreeFlex technology, which makes the racquet more flexible and adaptable to lots of swing styles, offering more control. It’s also a very comfortable racquet, and grabbed the top spot on our list of arm-friendly tennis racquets.
It also features Wilson’s StableSmart technology, which gives the frame added stability. It’s surprisingly stable for such a lightweight frame, but some players find that it’s too lightweight and unstable for their liking.
If you’re looking for a racquet with easy access to power, spin, and control, with a flexible feel, then the Wilson Clash 100 is a great racquet to try.
- Tons of control
- Excellent stability
- Lightweight and flexible, but high swingweight allows you to plow through the ball
- Some may find it lacks some maneuverability
The HEAD Graphene 360+ Gravity Pro is a lower powered racquet that offers tons of control and stability. It’s lightweight but has a high swingweight so you can really drive through your shots and get some serious power behind them.
This is a great racquet if you like a very stable racquet with a lot of control.
You can also get it in a MidPlus size, which comes with a 16×20 string pattern for extra spin.
Honorable Mentions
Here are some other tennis racquets that are excellent for intermediate and advanced players, but didn’t quite make our reviews list.
Summary & Recommendations
Like we said, there’s really no “best” tennis racquet for all players and play styles. Choosing the best tennis racquet for you is a matter of personal preference.
We recommend the Babolat Pure Aero for players who want a lightweight, fast tennis racquet with a great blend of power, control, and spin.
For players who want a racquet with a ton of power, and feel comfortable being able to control their shots, we recommend the Babolat Pure Drive.
And for players who want tons of control from their racquet, we recommend the HEAD Graphene 360+ Gravity Pro.
And if you’re looking for something a little more budget friendly, check out our list of the best tennis racquets under $100.
Have fun out there!
Post last updated on January 13, 2023