9 Best Tennis Brands In The World (Ranked)
It takes time for most players to figure out what brand they like best in the tennis world. Some will gravitate towards whatever their favorite player uses, while others will go through an extensive process to test everything out and see what looks and performs best.
This is a look at the nine best tennis brands in the world right now. While the rankings can be up for debate at times, all nine brands are bringing quite a bit to the table.
9. Penn
- Only Tennis Balls
If there’s one thing that Penn is known for in tennis, it’s their tennis balls. In fact, they might be the most popular tennis ball in all of tennis right now, as they offer several different versions for all different types of play.
It’s billed as America’s #1 selling ball, and they are always trying to come up with new ways to make them more dependable each time.
Whether it’s premium tennis balls, or those just for technical training, Penn is only focusing on balls at this point. They also sell racquetballs, but Penn isn’t trying to get into the tennis game by selling other products. They are fine being the ball company tennis players rely on.
I listed the best Penn tennis balls in this post.
8. Prince
- All Tennis Gear & Clothing
- Sponsored Players: John Isner, Lucas Pouille
Prince’s legacy so far has been all about offering older players a chance to keep a traditional look at a pretty affordable price point.
The racquets might not seem like they are the most technologically advanced, and their clothing and shoes are a bit stuck in the past, but it works from a business standpoint. They sell a lot to older players, but they still push the envelope a bit to bring in newcomers as well.
They are a company that does a very great job of catering to players who might not be at the highest level. They have a slew of bigger racquets that are easier to handle for players who aren’t crushing the ball and playing a modern baseline game. This is great for doubles, older players, and those just starting to get a feel for the game.
Their shoes and clothing pricing is pretty affordable, which is nice for those who don’t need anything too fancy. They get the job done and come in pretty standard colors.
Prince’s formula might not be for everyone, but they’ve been having success in the tennis industry for quite some time. They aren’t fading away anytime soon.
Here’s what I recommend from Prince:
7. Lacoste
- Only Tennis Clothes
- Sponsored Players: Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev
Even though Lacoste is known outside of tennis for its outstanding clothing, this is a company founded with tennis roots.
René Lacoste was one of the best players in the game during his generation, and he launched a clothing line with a mascot that reminded people of his nickname. The croc on the clothing is now one of the most recognizable logos in sports.
They produce high-end tennis clothing and shoes, and they’ve dabbled in other products over the years as well. They currently have the #1 and #2 players in the world, Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev, as sponsored athletes on their roster.
6. Yonex
- All Tennis Gear & Clothes
- Sponsored Players: Naomi Osaka, Nick Kyrgios
It’s been an interesting ride for Yonex over the years, as the Japanese company has found its niche in tennis thanks to doing things their way.
The biggest difference with Yonex is that they use a more squared racquet shape, instead of an oval. They believe this gives players better performance overall, and those who use Yonex racquets tend to stay loyal to the brand because of that.
They also do a great job with strings, which allows players to mess around with a few different things to see what works for them. For a long time, their focus was simply stringing, but they’ve now branched out into bigger opportunities as well.
The clothing and shoes are getting better and better each year from Yonex. They have a few deals with professionals to help get the brand out there as well. They will never be huge in the clothing and shoe market, but carving out their niche just like with racquets has helped them quite a bit.
Here’s what I recommend from Yonex:
5. Adidas
- Tennis Shoes & Clothes
- Sponsored Players: Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev
Like Nike, you won’t be seeing Adidas racquets on the pro tour anytime soon. They did try to make it some years ago, but since then, they’ve stuck to the clothing and shoe side of things.
That’s worked out well for them, as they work with several top pros to make a name for themselves. They always have at least a few players competing for Grand Slam titles, which keeps the brand very relevant.
They’ve also decided to take some chances here and there as far as working with celebrities to help make tennis clothing popular and work in streetwear as well. A Pharrell Williams collaboration a few years ago at the U.S. Open was well received, and they’ve taken a few other chances as well.
Here’s what I recommend from Adidas:
4. Nike
- Tennis Shoes & Clothes
- Sponsored Players: Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams
Nike might not be thought of as a traditional tennis company, and that mostly comes down to not producing racquets.
However, they are still prominently seen at just about any tennis tournament, as they are a leading manufacturer of clothing and shoes. A lot of top players are sponsored by Nike, meaning that the swoosh is a big deal in the tennis world.
Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal are the two big stars for Nike right now, but they’ve also endorsed the likes of Roger Federer, Andre Agassi, and countless other players throughout their history.
Nike has never dabbled into actually making racquets, but they are arguably the leader in fashion on the court. They’ve stayed involved in tennis for a very long time, and they have a dedicated line that sells well every year.
Here’s what I recommend from Nike:
3. Head
- All Tennis Gear & Clothes
- Sponsored Players: Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev
There’s been a ton of professionals who have relied on Head racquets throughout their career to have success.
They are very dependable racquets overall, and it has helped them branch out into other categories for tennis as well. They put out clothing, shoes, and other pieces of equipment, but racquets will be their biggest category by far.
The Head Speed might be the most famous of all the racquets, as plenty of pros use this midsize option. It’s truly designed to fit just about any person’s game, which is great news for those wanting to try something new and see where it takes them.
Where Head lags behind some of the other companies is that they don’t seem to have too much of a focus on signing sponsorship deals for clothing or shoe purposes.
There are a few players on tour who wear Head clothing, but they slot in as a budget option for the most part. If they expanded beyond racquets a bit more, they could be ranked higher.
Here’s what I recommend from Head:
2. Babolat
- All Tennis Gear & Clothes
- Sponsored Players: Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem
A relative newcomer to the sport tennis, Babolat has exploded in popularity things in large part to their racquets and strings.
In particular, landing sponsorship deals with the likes of Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem certainly helped push their line. They’ve also been very aggressive in signing young players to deals to get their equipment in the hands of juniors.
Babolat seems very much built for the modern game, as the racquets are powerful and the strings give a lot of speed and spin on the ball. They have some more traditional setups as well, but they definitely lean towards the younger side.
Other parts of their tennis line have started to take off as well, but their main effort is behind the racquets and strings.
Their shoes, in particular, have been noted as one of the most durable options out there for players who are rough on them. They have a partnership with Michelin tires to use similar technology with the soles to make them extremely durable.
Here’s what I recommend from Babolat:
1. Wilson
- All Tennis Gear & Clothes
- Sponsored Players: Roger Federer, Serena Williams
A lot of people view Wilson as one of those classics, traditional brands that have been in tennis virtually forever. They have put out everything from racquets to balls, and they are one of the most successful brands worldwide as well.
Casual players know Wilson as a tennis brand because of their availability in general stores, but some of the best players in the world like Roger Federer and Serena Williams also use the brand for the racquets.
Wilson does a great job of offering a price range that fits nearly any type of budget. Some people want to get the cheapest options available so that they can get involved in the game, while others want the best of the best. They’ve been very innovative with racquet technology in the last few years, coming out with Wilson Clash as one example.
Innovation doesn’t stop there, as they also introduced the Wilson Triniti ball meant to last longer and be more sustainable than any other tennis ball ever. They’re always trying new things, but they have a few old reliable options as well to make them one of the biggest brands in the game.
Here’s what I recommend from Wilson:
