Tennis Rackets: Reviews

The Head Liquidmetal 8 has a list price of $250 but is widely available on the Internet for as low as $80. Beginner rackets, known in the trade as "game-improvement rackets," are lighter than rackets for more experienced… players while having larger heads to add power. The added power helps inexperienced players get the ball over the net while they develop stronger, cleaner strokes. There are more powerful tennis rackets than the Liquidmetal 8, but the pre-strung Head racket offers decent power and the best control of the "game-improvement rackets;" thus, you might take longer to outgrow it. The Head Liquidmetal 8 has a 112-square inch head and weights 9.4 ounces strung.

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The Prince O3 Speedport Red is one of the best-selling tennis rackets in the U.S. Reviews say it works especially well at the net and is capable of putting a good spin on the ball. The racket has good maneuverability and… a fast feel, due in part to the redesigned large rectangular string holes. Though not specifically designed for sore-armed players, the amount of impact at the string bed can be adjusted with the moveable string dampener. The racket has a 105-square inch head and weighs 10.5 ounces strung. Tennis Warehouse says in its review that this racket has an "almost universal appeal."

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An "Electronic Dampening System" on the Head Protector Oversize creates a microchip-controlled "counter-vibration" designed to cancel the impact you'll feel when the tennis racket meets the ball. Experts and those with… arm pain say the system really helps minimize discomfort. The only problem with such rackets is, as Tennis Magazine notes, "If you want to 'feel' the ball and know when you hit the sweet spot, this isn't for you." The Head Protector comes in mid-plus and oversized (more power) versions. The oversized model weighs 10.1 ounces strung and has a 115-square inch head.

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The Head Flexpoint Radical -- Andre Agassi's choice -- gets tweaked about every other year, and while the latest changes aren't drastic, reviews agree improvements have been incremental. This 11.3-ouncer is good for… all-court players, but it's not for beginners; it's recommended only for players with a National Tennis Rating Program score of at least 4.0. The oversize model has a 107-square inch head.

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The Babolat Aeropro Drive is well known as Rafael Nadal's racket. At 11.3 ounces, it's not the heaviest tennis racket on the market, so it offers nice power for an advanced stick but it's not for folks who just hack away.… A good deal of skill is needed to consistently hit the sweet spot on the 100-square inch head. An updated model is the Aeropro Drive with Cortex, which deadens impact a bit. If you're prone to sore arms, that might help, but some players want to feel the impact.

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