How Much Tennis Racquets Cost (Price Guide)
Investing in a tennis racquet is one of the most crucial things that any player can do. While there are different ways to save money on certain products for tennis, spending the proper amount of money on a tennis racquet in regards to skill level is the smart move to make.
Whether this is the beginning of a tennis career, or a person has been playing for years, how much money should be spent on a racquet? Having an idea of the cost of a racquet allows shoppers to better budget for a quality option that fits their skill level.
How Much Do Tennis Racquets Cost?
| Racquet Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Performance Racquets | $150-$300 |
| Beginner Racquets | $100-$150 |
| Junior Racquets | $50-$100 |
| Department Store Racquets | $10-$50 |
Anyone buying a performance tennis racquet should expect to pay $150 or more. Beginners can get away with buying a racquet that falls in the $100-$150 range.
Juniors might be able to get a racquet for under $100, but they’ll soon graduate to something more expensive. Finally, anyone just looking to play for fun once in a while can get a tennis racquet for under $50.
Performance Racquets
Anyone who plays tennis at a somewhat serious level needs to have a performance racquet at their disposal. Most of the people who play at a high level will need at least a couple of racquets ready so that if they break a string, they can keep on playing.
Performance racquets tend to fall north of $200, although there are some exceptions. In some cases, people will find a good deal on past season models. There’s also the used market, which allows people to shop a little bit cheaper.
Is there a significant difference in performance racquets? Yes, which is why any pro, college player, or serious high schooler will have a performance racquet. They hit with power and spin that others can’t handle. They also are easy to re-string, whereas all the other options start to wear down after multiple re-stringings.
All the top brands have multiple choices to pick from. Babolat, Wilson, Head, Prince, and Yonex are just a few of the major names in the game right now. Prices have jumped up a little in the last year post-COVID-19, but it’s still usually going to cost no more than $250 to get a high-end racquet.
Of course, most serious players purchase two or three of the same racquet in case they have a string snap in the middle of a match. It’s a serious investment, but one that lasts a while even when used nearly every day.
I listed my current performance racquet recommendations in this post.
Starter Racquets
Just about all the leading companies have racquet options that fall in the starter category. They aren’t quite as expensive as the top-of-the-line options, but they still play very similarly and act as a bridge for those developing players.
Shopping for a starter racquet usually falls well under $200. Some will find steals that are under $100. They tend to be a little bit lighter so that they are easier to swing for developing players. Not only that, but the head size is usually a little bit larger so that there is more forgiveness on mishits.
The downside to starter racquet is that once a player gets to a certain level, they won’t feel like they can hit for as much power. There’s always a need to upgrade eventually. Some people who feel like they can handle a performance racquet from the very beginning will start with one because of that. Others might be overwhelmed, so a starter racquet is a step up from anything else.
Keep in mind that starter racquets don’t always mean for starters only. As one example, some older players will transition to a more starter-like frame as they get older. They like the lighter weight and the bigger head size as they slow down. Their skill deteriorates a bit, so a starter racquet once again fits for them.
I listed my beginner racquet recommendations in this post.
Department Store Racquets
It’s a nice day out, and there’s a sudden urge to go out and hit some tennis balls with friends. If tennis is looked at as merely a sport to mess around with a couple of times a year, a department store racquet is probably good enough.
It’s nothing great and they won’t last nearly as long, but people who have them sitting in the garage most of the time won’t notice too much of a difference.
Department store racquets are pre-strung, and they aren’t designed to be re-strung later on. They have very cheap strings in it, and the frame is not durable either. All of the department store racquets are lightweight and easy to swing, but they aren’t going to perform too well if the ball is hit with good pace.
The biggest advantage to picking up a couple of department store racquets is that they are very inexpensive. Most of the time, people can get them for under $50 each. If they’re barely used, they last for a few years and still perform decently well. Just make sure to store them in an area that doesn’t get wet or too hot. It can do damage to the racquet.
Convenience also plays a huge role in why department store racquets sell well. It’s hard to go out and drop a sizable investment on a performance racquet if there’s just a sudden urge to play. Going to the department store, or ordering one online, is quick, easy, and inexpensive.
Junior Racquets
The standard racquet length is 27 inches. For juniors, that’s too much of a racquet to handle confidently. That’s why junior racquets are smaller and designed for different levels of players.
Learning racquet control as a body grows is huge for selling the sport in general. A child can easily get discouraged if they are using a racquet made for grown-ups when they are under ten years old.
Along with junior racquets, there are also ball options that are more suitable for younger kids. Having a ball that doesn’t bounce as high or travels at fast speeds helps to slow the game down as well. There are even ways to shrink the court and make it easier to handle game development overall.
Brands want to get athletes hooked on the sport, so they make junior racquets that look a lot like what the pros use. For example, using a yellow and black Babolat like Rafael Nadal lets younger athletes feel special.
I listed my Junior tennis racquet recommendations in this post.
Is an Expensive Performance Racquet Worth It?
The simple answer is that if a person plays tennis somewhat consistently, an expensive performance racquet is worth it.
There’s just no comparison between a top-of-line racquet, and one from the department store. Even a knockdown, starter racquet is still going to leave most people a little bit underwhelmed.
Customizing a performance racquet makes it much more user-friendly for those who feel like they are a little overwhelmed. Whether it’s getting new string, changing the tension, adding lead to the frame, or anything else for that matter, customization makes a difference.
Not everyone has the money to invest in a performance racquet from the very beginning, but it’s eventually a much-needed expense. The great news is that there are opportunities to demo performance racquets.
Just about every local tennis shop, as well as several online retailers, have demo programs so players can playtest the racquets first. With this time, a person can feel more confident of their purchase.
