How to Choose a Kids Tennis Racket (2023 Buyer’s Guide)

Wondering what tennis racket you should buy for your kid? In this post, we’ve outlined what you should be looking for when buying a kids tennis racket (for kids age 4 to 12, as well as under 4), as well as our top picks and reviews of the best junior tennis racquets on the market today.

Before we dive in, here are our top picks. 

List of Best Junior Tennis Racquets

Click on any of the links below (available sizes in parentheses) to jump to the individual reviews of each racket in this post.

• Wilson US Open Junior (19, 21, 23, 25) – Best Junior Racquet Overall
• Wilson Burn Junior (21, 23, 25)
• Wilson Burn Junior Pink (19, 21, 23)
• Wilson Slam Junior (21, 23, 25)
• Wilson Serena Williams Junior (19, 21, 23, 25)
• Wilson Federer Junior (19, 21, 23, 25)
• Head Speed Junior (19, 21, 23, 25)
• Head Instinct Junior (21, 23, 25)
• Head IG Gravity Junior (25, 26)
• Babolat B Fly (19, 21, 23, 25)
• Babolat Pure Aero Junior (25, 26)
• Babolat Nadal Junior (19, 21, 23, 25) – Best For Serious Competitors
• Street Tennis Club Junior Tennis Racquet (17, 19, 21) – Best For Young Kids
• Weierfu Junior Tennis Racket (17)

What to Look for in a Junior Tennis Racket

Buying a junior tennis racket is a different undertaking than buying an adult tennis racket. Here are a few key things you should keep in mind when buying a tennis racket for your kid. The racket should be:

• Appropriately sized & lightweight – using an appropriately sized racket will make playing tennis more enjoyable and help prevent arm discomfort and injury. For younger kids, you might also consider buying tennis balls specifically designed for kids (with reduced bounce for extra control).
• Pre-strung – unless you are prepared to string the racket yourself or have it strung at a pro shop.
• Durable – some kids have a tendency to bang their rackets into walls, fences, the floor, etc. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
• Affordable – depending on their age, your kid might outgrow their racket in 6 months to a year, so inexpensive is usually best. You can get a great junior racket for $20-30, and a top-of-the-line one for around $100.

Fortunately, most junior tennis rackets meet these criteria, and so you just need to focus on getting the right size for your kid.

Choosing the Right Size Tennis Racket for your Kid

Junior rackets come in lengths of 19, 21, 23, 25 and 26 inches. The USTA recommends the following tennis racquet sizes based on age:

• 4-5 year olds: 19 inch
• 5-6 year olds: 21 inch
• 7-8 year olds: 23 inch
• 9-10 year olds: 25 inch
• 10-12 year olds: 26 inch

For kids older than 12, you should consider purchasing an adult size racquet. 27 inches is the standard length for an adult size tennis racquet. There are also racquets ranging from 26.5 to 29 inches, with 29 inches being the maximum length allowed for tournament play.

These are rough guidelines, and to get more specific, it comes down to how tall your kid is. This video helps explain the ideal length of a racquet compared to the child’s height. 

With their hands hanging by their sides, measure the distance from their wrist to their ankle. This is the ideal length for a kids tennis racket.

Tennis Rackets for Toddlers

If you’re looking for a tennis racket as a toy for toddlers, check out these toddler tennis rackets on Amazon.

• Aevdor Kid Tennis Racket Set
• RuiyiF Kids Tennis Racket Set
• Tennis Training Kit for Kids
• Crefotu Kids Tennis Racket Kit

If you’re looking for a tennis racket for kids under 4, you might try a junior racket even smaller than the minimum 19 inches, like these:

• Street Tennis Club Junior Racquet – 17 inch
• PIKASEN 17″ Kids Tennis Racket

These rackets are included in our list below as well.

Best Junior Tennis Rackets – Our Top Picks & Reviews

And now, here are our top picks for the best tennis rackets for kids.

The Wilson US Open Junior tennis racquet is approved for play by the USTA in their Ten and Under tennis program. It’s a very popular option for kids up to 10 years old, with size options of 19, 21, 23, and 25 inches.

It’s also very inexpensive, which makes it the perfect starter racket for your kid learning to play tennis.

This is the junior racquet version of the popular Wilson Burn Series tennis racquet. It’s inexpensive, durable, and comes in 3 different sizes, making it a great option for kids learning to play tennis.

You can also get it in pink.

For those young tennis players who love pink, this pink version of the Wilson Junior Burn Series tennis rackets is a great option.

The Wilson Slam Junior is another great junior tennis racquet from Wilson. It’s got a fun, cartoony, kind of loud design, which some kids like. If that suits your kid, the Slam Junior might be perfect.

The Serena Williams Junior Tennis Racquet by Wilson is perfect for young Serena Williams fans. It’s a solid racquet with an attractive design, and comes in several sizes.

The Federer Junior by Wilson is a great racquet for young Roger Federer fans. It comes in several sizes, and is a lightweight, quality junior tennis racquet.

Additional sizes: 19 inch, 25 inch

Head is a well respected brand in the tennis world, and their junior racquets are no exception. The Speed Junior is a great lightweight, maneuverable racquet for young tennis players.

The Instinct Junior is another great junior racquet from Head. It comes in a blue and purple frame design.

The Head IG Gravity Junior comes in 25 inch and 26 inch sizes, and it’s a bit more expensive. This racquet is a great option for older kids, age 10-12, who are getting a bit more serious about their tennis play. It’s durable, lightweight, and offers a good amount of power.

This cute tennis racquet by Babolat is a popular option. It comes in 19 inch, 21 inch, 23 inch, and 25 inch sizes. The design of the 19 inch is the most “cute” and suitable for small kids, with the larger sizes being more professional looking and perhaps better suited to older kids.

Babolat is a well respected brand in the tennis world, and the B Fly is a great junior tennis racquet for young kids.

This is the junior version of the very popular Babolat Pure Aero tennis racquet. It’s expensive, but it’s worth the price if you’re looking for a top-of-the-line junior tennis racquet for your serious tennis player kid.

This is our top pick for kids getting more serious about tennis, because it’s actually a pretty good Babolat racquet at a very reasonable price. Extra bonus if you or your kid like Nadal.

The Babolat Nadal Junior racquet is a Rafael Nadal-branded junior replica of the popular Babolat Pure Aero. Great for younger developing players. You can also find it in 26 inch, 25 inch, 23 inch, 21 inch, and 19 inch, making it an option for kids of any age.

The Street Tennis Club junior racket is a fun way to introduce kids to tennis. It’s designed specifically for kids and comes in 17 inch, 19 inch, and 21 inch sizes. It’s a solid, durable, and lightweight racket with a fun kid-friendly design. And it’s one of the most popular, well-reviewed, and inexpensive tennis rackets for kids on Amazon.

The Weierfu Junior Tennis Racket is specifically designed for toddlers. This 17 inch racket is a great option for kids 4 and under who want to play tennis.

Summary & Recommendations

If you’re looking for a solid, well-reviewed tennis racket for your kid age 4 – 12, we recommend the Wilson US Open Junior Tennis Racquet. It comes in sizes of 19, 21, 23, and 25 inches, making it a great option for kids up to 10 years old.

If you’re looking for a more playful (but still technically sound) racket for younger kids, try the Street Tennis Club Junior Racket. It has an available 17 inch size, making it an option for kids even younger than 4.

And if your kid is a competitor taking tennis more seriously, and you’re looking for a racquet that’s fit for tournament play, check out the Babolat Nadal Junior Tennis Racquet. You can find it in 26 inch, 25 inch, 23 inch, 21 inch, and 19 inch, making it an option for kids of any age.

Post last updated on January 13, 2023