Tennis Racket Pro may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page.
The idea of a special women’s tennis racquet, apart from those marketed toward women by the endorsement of female players, is actually a fiction. All racquets can be appropriate for women, however, female tennis players should seek out different design characteristics than their male counterparts.
One key difference between men and women players is the choice of grip size. Women tend to have smaller hands than men, so the choice of grip size is just as critical for a female player as it is for a male player.
Female players, in general, also tend to favor lighter-framed racquets. This is, however including grip size, a generality only.
Regarding racquet length, most racquets are designed with men in mind and standard adult racquets are 27 inches. Optimal racquet length for women, which tend to have smaller frames than men, are slightly shorter than this length.
Before choosing a racquet, there are several important things to consider. Male and female musculoskeletal systems differ by quite a bit.
Compared with men, women have smaller joints, less joint cartilage, more joint instability, and a greater range of joint motion. What this means is that women are more prone to joint injury than men.
That being said, choosing an optimal grip size for you is key to mitigating hand strain and wrist and elbow injury. Also, due to the differences in joint flexibility, women should look for racquets that offer better vibration dampening to reduce joint stress and allow better communication of force to the ball.
How does a more flexible racquet help female players? Let’s consider a parallel example.
You and your neighbor have both purchased the same model of tire for your vehicles. You drive a mid-range sedan; your neighbor drives a light truck.
The optimal inflation pressure in your tires will be different from your neighbor. This is because the vehicle manufacturer determines the optimal inflation pressure, not the tire manufacturer.
On the inside of the driver’s door is a sticker that lists the front and back tire pressures. This is because the tires are part of a system with the suspension and are made to work cooperatively for optimal performance.
When choosing a tennis racquet as a woman, you need to consider the other part of the system: your arm. Selecting a slightly shorter racquet with good vibration dampening and the best grip size for you will protect you from joint injury and allow your arm to deliver more force to the ball.
But ultimately, choice of grip, racquet weight, and length come down to individual preference. Nonetheless, there is one racquet manufacturer that claims to produce a racquet design that specifically provides performance enhancement for women: Tecnifibre (discussed below).
Here we will provide our list of best choices in racquets for female players.
Comparison Table
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
|---|---|---|
EDITOR’S CHOICE  | 1. Babolat Pure Drive 2018
| Check Price |
RUNNER UP  | 2. Head Graphene 360 Speed MP
| Check Price |
  | 3. Babolat Pure Strike 100
| Check Price |
  | 4. Babolat Pure Areo 2019
| Check Price |
  | 5. Tecnifibre T-Rebound Tempo 290
| Check Price |
Our Best Women’s Tennis Racquet Reviews and Comparisons
1. Babolat Pure Drive 2018
Product Highlights
The Babolat Pure Drive 2018 model remains a solid racquet for aggressive players. It possesses a balanced set of design features that will allow for consistently good performance on the court.
The sweet spot is slightly further out on the head. This is mainly because most players tend to strike the ball just past the head mid-point.
The string spacing is designed to increase the size of the sweet spot and diamond grommets assist in better ball spin.
The Pure Drive also has a vibration dampening system (SMAC) as part of its graphite frame that reduces ball shock.
Features
- Oversized head (100 in2)
- Mid-weight (11.2 oz strung weight)
- 4 HL
- Length: 27 inches
What We Like About Babolat Pure Drive 2018
This is a low to medium power racquet that focuses more on spin and shot accuracy, ergo a control racquet. Users report that the performance of the Pure Drive is excellent, does not produce fatigue from use, and ball control is very refined.
What We Don’t Like About Babolat Pure Drive 2018
This is considered a rather stiff racquet for some players.
PROS
- Power is modest; ball spin and control are excellent
- Accurate ball placement
- Oversized sweet spot is forgiving
CONS
- Stiff racquet, but does have substantial vibration dampening
2. Head Graphene 360 Speed MP
Product Highlights
The Head Graphene 360 Speed MP is a less powerful racquet than the Babolat Pure Drive above, with more focus on ball control and spin. It is a lighter weighted racquet geared toward faster strokes.
Features
- Oversized head (100 in2)
- Mid-weight (11.2 oz strung weight)
- 4 HL
- Length: 27 inches
What We Like About Head Graphene 360 Speed MP
The 360 Speed MP has reduced the amount of vibration dampening compound applied to the graphite frame in an effort to reduce weight and increase ball feel in the grip. This model features the popular 16 x 19 string pattern, which favors better spin.
Graphene frame reinforcements are placed at 3, 9 and 12 o’clock head points in addition to a thicker beam to improve energy transfer to the ball and reduce torsion during ball strike.
What We Don’t Like About Head Graphene 360 Speed MP
Power hitters may find the racquet limits the amount of force they can apply.
PROS
- Lightweight and easy to swing
- Great ball spin
- Good maneuverability and control
CONS
- Could be heavier for better power performance
- Racquet is stiff and can cause wrist strain
3. Babolat Pure Strike 100
Product Highlights
The Babolat Pure Strike 100 is an oversized power racquet with excellent ball control and spin application.
Features
- Oversized head (100 in2)
- Mid-weight (11.1 oz strung weight)
- 4 HL
- Length: 27 inches
What We Like About Babolat Pure Strike 100
The Pure Strike uses Babolat’s proprietary C2 Pure Feel which employs the application of viscoelastic rubber at the 3 and 9 o’clock head positions to absorb ball shock and increased ball dwell time on the stringbed.
This translates to reduced vibration and improved ball contact for better shot control.
What We Don’t Like About Babolat Pure Strike 100
Reviewers of this racquet could not really agree on any consistent downsides. Some found the strings a bit tight, some found the racquet underpowered.
PROS
- Lightweight
- Good spin
- Excellent ball control
CONS
- Some find it underpowered.
4. Babolat Pure Areo 2019
Product Highlights
The 2019 model of the Babolat Pure Aero is markedly improved over its predecessors with respect to power and ball spin. It is a solid racquet for serious players and may regard it as the best all-rounder available.
It features vibration dampening material at the 3 and 9 o’clock head positions and wider string spacing (their FSI Spin technology) and oblong grommets at 6 and 12 o’clock head positions to boost snapback and spin.
Features
- Oversized head (100 in2)
- Mid-weight (11.1 oz strung weight)
- 4 Hl
- Length: 27 inches
What We Like About Babolat Pure Aero 2019
Players find that the racquet is powerful and spin-focused. Grip and balance are very comfortable and favors good ball control.
What We Don’t Like About Babolat Pure Aero 2019
Some players still find difficulty in controlling flat shots due to the “spinny” nature of the racquet.
PROS
- Great weight distribution and balance
- Lightweight for fast swings
- Excellent spin control
CONS
- Some players disliked the lack of control on flat shots and find that the racquet is not as stable as they prefer.
5. Tecnifibre T-Rebound Tempo 290
Product Highlights
Among all the racquets reviewed here, the Tecnifibre T-Rebound Tempo is the only one that claims to be specifically designed for women. The racquet length is ½ inch shorter, which is easier to swing for people with smaller frames.
The head is designed to both transmit power to the ball and mitigate shock and vibration. The beam is not of even thickness across the racquet, going from 24 mm width in the throat tapering to a maximum of 26 mm mid-head and back down to 25 mm at the 12 o’clock head position.
This makes for flexibility and a good ball feel in the racquet throat, but stiffness mid-head. The ProActive string pattern increases the gap between the main strings and cross strings which boosts power and spin.
Increased thickness in the beam mid-head boosts power and adjacent tapering adds increased maneuverability and stability. These design changes have been prompted by performance and physiological data.
Women typically have about 50% of the upper body muscle mass of men and 70% of the racquet speed is driven by upper body strength. Performance-wise compared with male players, this typically means that women generate 14% less ball speed, 25% less ball spin, and collectively result in an increase of 29% in unforced errors.
The design of the T-Rebound Tempo is intended to mitigate those numbers and boost performance for female players. Remember, it’s not just about the tires, it’s also about the suspension.
Features
- Oversized head (100 in2)
- Lightweight (10.5 oz strung weight)
- 2 HL
- Length: 26 1/2 inches
What We Like About Tecnifibre T-Rebound Tempo 290
This is a comfortable and balanced racquet, good for beginners as well as more serious players who want good ball control.
What We Don’t Like About Tecnifibre T-Rebound Tempo 290
Some users feel the racquet lacks stability.
PROS
- Lightweight for fast swings
- Balanced
- Good vibration dampening
CONS
- Not as stable as some users prefer.