Tennis is a great sport to play both professionally and as a hobby. As you advance from being an amateur to intermediate level to an advanced player, you will need to change and adapt new techniques and tools to use. Among the tools of play is the tennis racket. When you move up to the advanced level, your racket has to move up with you. This is because as you upgrade, your needs for the game change and the racket greatly affects your gameplay. Advanced level means you will need more strategy and placement rather than extra power in your hits.
The advanced game level also means that you serve with more spin. You therefore need a racket that will accommodate these needs. The tennis technology is also fast changing and progressing so finding the right racket for your level can be a tough task. Your overall gameplay also affects the type of racket you choose. For players with fast or long swings, you will need a racket with a smaller frame since you will generate a lot of power with the hit. A small frame allows you to provide extra control over the hits. For players with slow or short swings, you already have control so you will need a powerful racket.
There are many factors to consider when choosing a racket. However, in this article, we are going to look at the best tennis racket for advanced players (players with 4.0 ratings or higher). The following section describes the top tennis rackets for advanced players.
Here are the best tennis racquets for advanced players
Head Graphene 360 Speed Pro
Head is known for making some of the greatest tennis rackets in the market today. Once again, they do no wrong with the Head Graphene 360. It is a great choice for an advanced player looking for a balanced racket. It is medium sized, with the head measuring 100 square inches. With it, you will be able to generate relatively great power as well as provide spin for your shot. This is why it is so good for groundstrokes. Although it is categorized as an advanced level tennis racket, it can be used by intermediate level players. It is commonly used by Novak Djokovic.
The Head Graphene Pro uses an 18 x 20 string pattern to widen the spaces between cross strings. This is done for extra spin and power. This racket also has a thick beam with little dampening material. This adds to the general feel of the racket in your hand. Graphene material is used to make the shaft of this racket stronger and enforces the head when hitting on 3, 9 and 12 o’clock angles. It also gives it a heavier feel and insulates your arms from vibrations and shocks. So if you’re into big swings, this is the right racket for you. It is a great choice for the advanced layer who prefers control overpower without affecting the spin. This racket is available on Amazon at an affordable price. The following are the pros and cons of the Head Graphene Speed Pro
Pros
- It is a well-balanced racket
- Is easy to handle for both singles and doubles
- provides the player with a nice feel due to the graphene material used to make the shaft
- It provides a great and perfect combination of power and control
Cons
- Not great for players who prefer power over control
- It is not the best when it comes to doubles only players
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Wilson Blade 98 v7
Wilson is probably the most popular tennis racket brand in the world. It is difficult to compare Wilson rackets with other rackets due to the superior quality they offer, meaning Wilson rackets are only compared with each other. They cater for all player levels from beginner to advanced levels. The Wilson Blade 98 will do no wrong for you if you’re an advanced level player. It is famously used by Serena Williams which goes to show you how amazing it is. The wilson blade is the perfect choice for advanced level players that prefer control and comfort over anything else. It was recently released as the seventh version of Blade and so far it is the best of them all.
The Wilson Blade is a balanced racket that uses a new FlexFeel technology that takes comfort to a whole new level. The feel and touch are premium, soft and sturdy giving it a heavy stable feel. It is a great racket for groundstrokes and volleys. It weighs just over 11 ounces making it a good choice for both advanced level players and intermediate ones. The string pattern used here is 16×19 for a great spin during groundstrokes when hitting from the baseline. This is why it is a quiet racket and you will not hear a lot of swoosh sounds while playing with it. The general look of this racket is also something worth mentioning. The Wilson Blade has the huge Wilson logo on the strings in contrasting colors. If you are the type of player that loves placement and reaction shots instead of power, then the Wilson Blade v7 should be your first choice.
Pros
- Provides great comfort and feels very sturdy and stable in the hands
- It is a well-balanced tennis racket
- Provides good touch and feels for volleys
- The Wilson Blade has the huge Wilson logo on the strings in contrasting colors giving it a rather striking look
- It is a good choice for both advanced level players and intermediate
Cons
- The Wilson Blade does not provide a lot of power
- It can take a while to get used to its style of play
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Technifibre TF40 305
The Technifiber Company is one of less known tennis racket brands. This however does not mean that their rackets are not great. On the contrary, the Technifiber TF40 is one of the best tennis rackets for advanced players. The recent success if Daniil Medvedev has shown this to be true. The Tf40 measures about 98 square inches. It also has a tight string pattern that increases its control and general feel. It uses what they call Dynacore XTC technology on the strings to assist in control and touch. This racket weight 11.4 ounces which is rather light. This weight enabled the advanced player to hit volleys easily. There is also an Xtense BG grommet system that allows the strings to absorb shock and vibrations. This aims to increase comfort. The wider string channel implemented on the exterior of the frame allows easier string fitting.
The TF40 is an excellent choice for a high level intermediate player as well as an advanced player. It is great for players who can generate power and need assistance on the control of their shots and strokes. The following are the pros and cons of this racket
Pros
- Light and easy to swing
- It is perfect for players who generate their own power but need help with their touch and control
- The TF40 provides great control for volleys and groundstrokes
- It is a good choice for both advanced level players and intermediate
Cons
- It does not provide an impressive spin
- It is not great for power
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Babolat Pure Aero 2019
Babolat is known for making amazing professional tennis rackets and with the Pure Aero, they have proved themselves once again. It is a tennis racket that has been built with two factors in mind: spin and power. The frame is 100 square inches meaning the hitting area is bigger. This tennis is commonly used by Rafael Nadal and that says it all. It is built to be arm-friendly for control although some users have said that it can be stiff.
The design used on it is aerodynamic to allow is to cut through the air easily as you swing it. This will allow the player to generate more speed and consequently increase spin on the ball. The Babolat Aero is great for advanced tennis players that want to spin their hits with groundstrokes, hit powerful serves and smash volleys with ease. If you need an element of control in your game, then choose another tennis racket as the Babolat is built for spinning opponents and hitting strong serves. The following are the pros and cons of this racket
Pros
- It is one of the best rackets for spin and power for both powerful serves and groundstrokes
- great for players in all game levels
- Is stable and feels very sturdy in your hands
- It is comfortable and has a large sweet spot
Cons
- It is poor for ball control
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Wilson Pro Staff 97 Tennis Racket
There is no surprise that there is another Wilson racket on this list. Wilson makes some of the best tennis rackets and the Pro Staff 97 is no exception. This racket provides superb control as you’ve never seen before. You can control the ball easily from any point in the court using the Wilson Pro Staff 97. This is made possible by the small frame it uses that measures about 97 square inches. This means that the sweet spot is also small. It might be difficult to find these sweet spot consistently when first using this racket but as you get used to it, it becomes easier. The Wilson Pro Staff has a string pattern of 16×19 which provides a super spin and a great feel. A key feature of the Pro Staff 97 is that it is light. This means that the player does not get tired fast and can play comfortably as long as the game requires. It is a fast swing speed tennis racket with full stroke style
This tennis is mainly for the players who value mobility and control over any other thins. It is also great for singles and doubles. It is the perfect choice for high level intermediate players that play tennis a lot and advanced players.
Pros
- The Wilson Pro Staff 97 provides great mobility at the net
- It is very precise and accurate when you strike at the sweet spot
- Is excellent for spins and comfort
- Great for volleys and provides great control for groundstrokes
- It is great for advanced players as well as intermediate ones
Cons
- The sweet spot is small meaning mishits can occur easily especially for inconsistent players
- It is slightly heavy for an advanced level tennis racket weighing about 11.7 ounces
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Babolat Pure Drive
Babolat appears once again on our list with what can be considered the best tennis racket in the market – the Babolat Pure Drive. The Pure Drive is a great tennis racket and can be used by all levels from beginners to advanced game levels. It is the perfect choice for baseliners that want lots of power as well as spin. It is used by professional tennis players worldwide such as Andy Roddick.
The Babolat Pure Drive measures 100 square inches which is rather larger than a lot of advanced tennis rackets. But the large is great because the sweet spot is also large and this is why it can be used by beginners too. This wide frame also gives it a power and control combo that is paramount in a game of tennis. This is why Pure Drive is an excellent choice for controlled groundstrokes from the baselines especially for advanced players. But even with this large frame, this tennis racket is lightweight.
If you do miss the sweet spot with this racket, you will lose control. And this shouldn’t be a surprise as it is built for power and spin over control. The following are the pros and cons of the Babolat Pure Drive
Pros
- Due to the large sweet spot and lightweight, it is great for all skill levels
- It provides the perfect balance of power and spin
- Is great for groundstrokes and serves
- It uses an open string pattern that provides excellent spin
Cons
- If you need control, this is not the right tennis racket for you
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HEAD Micro-gel Radical Strung tennis racket
HEAD has been making a great tennis racket for a long time now and their recent release has continued to prove this. This high quality tennis racket uses micro-gel technology for ultimate comfort and protection against vibrations and shocks. It is a great tennis racket for both intermediate users and advanced level users. It is a well-balanced tennis racket with augmented width to provide maximum spin. This tennis racket uses a tight string pattern that does not provide loads of power but instead increases accuracy and delivers maximum pop. For the handle, the texture has a soft but solid feel while providing ultimate comfort and control for your arm.
The head measures about 98 square inches with a string pattern of 18×20. The HEAD weighs only 10.4 ounce and measures 27 inches in height. It is made from silicon based materials thus the lightweight it measures. The following are the pros and cons of the HEAD Microgel Radical Strung tennis racket
Pros
- It is one of the best rackets for spin and power for both powerful serves and groundstrokes
- Great for players in all game levels
- It is stable and feels very sturdy in your hands
- Comfortable and has a large sweet spot
Cons
- Not great for players who prefer power over control
- It is not the best when it comes to doubles only players
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Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph
The Wilson Pro Staff RF97 is one of the best tennis rackets in the market today. It is great for advanced level players as well as high level intermediate level players. It is an excellent choice if you are the type of player that loves placing the ball rather than smashing it blindly. The first thing you will notice about this racket is the striking look it has. There is a large Wilson logo on the strings imbibed in contrasting colors to give it such a beautiful overall look. This may be because it was codesigned by Roger Federer himself. For a tennis racket launched three years ago, it features some of the best game experiences. It comes with a large head size for the perfect sweet spot. It is also well-balanced providing a great blend of power, spin and comfort.
The following are its pros and cons
Pros
- It comes with a large head size for the perfect sweet spot.
- Is well-balanced providing a great blend of power, spin and comfort.
- It is a very powerful tennis racket
- The Wilson RF97 provides nine points head point balance
Cons
- It is expensive
- It comes when it’s unstrung
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Final verdict
The right tennis racket for an advanced player heavily depends on the type of gameplay the player uses. If they are the type of player that prefers power over control, then they should go for something light and swift such as Wilson Pro Staff 97. If you are the type of player that wants raw power when hitting the ball, go for a powerful Babolat Pure Drive tennis racket.
