The Best Racquets of 2025 (so far)

Written by: Jonas Eriksson | January 26, 2025

We are only in January, but there have already been SO many racquet releases to consider. Here are the best racquets of 2025 (so far).

I have tested racquets for well over a decade and also “back-tested” models coming way before that. Simply put, I have hit MANY tennis racquets. However, I have never encountered so many of them released at once. It seems like all manufacturers were keen on having something new out there for the first Grand Slam of the year.

Let’s have a brief look at all the racquets released in January. There will also be the Diadem Axis racquets coming out in February.

Tennis racquets released in 2025 (Q1)

There were power racquets, spin racquets, control racquets and all-rounders released in first quarter of 2025.

Control racquets

Tecnifibre Tfight
HEAD Gravity
HEAD Radical (March)
Solinco Whiteout V2
Heysil Tour 98 16/19
Stiga Arena

Power racquets

Babolat Pure Drive
Yonex Ezone

Spin racquets

Dunlop SX
Diadem Axis

All-rounders

Nordicdots Model 100

You can click the links for more information about each model. We will create pages for the new HEAD Radical and the Stiga Arena (our team member, Henrik Wallensten, is currently reviewing that one).

How should I choose?

The categories that I place these racquets in describe their primary benefit. So you have to ask yourself, what do you want more from your current racquet? Do you want more power, spin, or control? Or maybe you want a better balanced racquet, which then falls into the all-rounders or versatility racquet category.

We have more resources on the topic of choosing your racquet in our Guide to Racquets and Strings. We will keep updating and improving it, so keep checking back or join our newsletter for more information.

Choosing a racquet can be a daunting and overwhelming process and it is important to demo or test, if possible. Our friends at Tennis Warehouse, Tennis Warehouse Europe and Tennis Only offer demo programs. We also offer a consultation service if you need personal advice via e-mail. You can also ask questions on our racquet advice page.

Overall, usually you don’t want to do major changes unless you are really sure that is required. Just going to a slightly more open pattern for more spin or a slightly heavier racquet for better stability or a slightly lighter racquet for more maneuverability can be enough.

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The best power racquets 2025

There are two major power racquet releases in 2025 so far. The iconic Babolat Pure Drive and the Yonex Ezone. These are both excellent racquets for getting some extra depth and pop on your shots. The Pure Drive has a slightly more raw feel, while the Ezone is tad more muted/dampened and in this generation also more powerful.

For a more balanced power output, you can always go for the smaller head size, the Yonex Ezone 98 or Babolat Pure Drive 98. These are still relatively firm and powerful racquets, but the smaller head size and denser patterns offer better directional control than the 100-sq-inch counterparts. However, they are more unforgiving on off-center shots.

I prefer the more controlled Babolat Pure Drive 100 over the more powerful Yonex Ezone 100, but funnly enough I like the Yonex Ezone 98 more than the Pure Drive 98 for better forgiveness and comfort. As you can understand, it is a matter of personal taste.

There are other power racquets to consider than these two, like the Wilson Ultra or Dunlop FX or Diadem Nova V3, but these are my personal favorites.

For a more direct feel, go Babolat, for a more muted response, go Yonex. Both are excellent.

The best spin racquets 2025

When I write best, that is mainly to get your attention. This is obviously a highly subjective thing. But these are my favorites and the best ones for my game.

This is a difficult category to get in-depth on. I have not yet tried the Diadem Axis (review coming in February) and I need more time with the Dunlop SX (I only reviewed it in the blacked-out teaser cosmetic, so would prefer to test the retail edition.

So, my pick for best spin racquets is still the Babolat Pure Aero line. I am a big fan of both the Aero 98 and the Aero 100. The Yonex VCORE line is better for comfort, with more flex and a longer dwell-time, but does not work as well for me as the Aeros. My favorite of the VCORE was the 98 Tour, which is an awesome racquet.

You have to give a shoutout to the Wilson Shift line, which is quite innovative in its approach to spin generation with its vertical bending tech. The first generation was promising, but I think this is a line that can improve significantly with an update. So I am looking forward to the Wilson Shift V2.

The HEAD Extreme have always been a solid choice if you want spin but a bit more control. Many players loved the HEAD Extreme 2024 racquets, but I struggled with the feel as they felt a bit too muted to me.

For me, the Babolat Aeros are still the one to beat in terms of spin-focused racquets.

The best control racquets 2025

This is, in a way, a diminishing category if you look at what most juniors are using today. The game is faster and most players are looking for some free power, spin and forgiveness. This is why you see many Babolat Pure Aeros and Yonex Ezones out there. But some players feel like they can swing more freely with some extra control from the racquet and the Wilson Blade 98 is still the leading control racquet on the market.

So most brands try to battle with the Blade and many racquets have very similar specifications to the Blade.

The most talked-about control racquets so far in 2025 are the HEAD Gravity Tour 98 and the Tecnifibre Tfight 305S. And for good reason, the Gravity Tour 98 offers excellent feel while still offering decent power and spin potential. But the Tfight is vastly improved from the last generation, which makes it a strong contender for the control racquet of the year.

Comparing them, I would say that the Gravity Tour 98 has a higher launch angle with its open 16/19 pattern and is more suitable for players who are comfortable controlling the ball with fast swings and imparting lots of spin. The Tecnifbre Tfight 305S has a 18/19 string pattern more suitable for players who hit more flat and through the court. Both are excellent choices for the right players and the most exciting control racquets in 2025 so far.

The Solinco Whiteout V2 is a solid update and improves on the first Whiteout’s harsher feel. The V2 is for players who like a more muted sensation, but it does feel like they improved the sweet spot as well.

We will do a more in-depth review later on about the upcoming HEAD Radical, but from the players I have tested it with, we agree that this is a nice update with improved comfort and feel.

The Heysil Tour 98 is a racquet for players nostalgic about racquets without much dampening tech. Just a raw, no-frills control frame. Blacked-out and ready to go.

Many solid racquets, but the standouts are the Gravity Tour 98 and the Tfight 305S.

The best all-rounder racquets 2025

There are not many all-round racquets released so far in 2025. So far, it is only the Nordicdots Model 100. The Model 100 can compete with other excellent all-rounders like the HEAD Speed MP (the Speed offers a bit more power), the Prince Phantom 100X (the Model is a tad more powerful), and Wilson Blade 100 V9 (similar power to the model 100, but more muted in feel). The Dunlop CX 400 Tour is another solid one, but a little more lively than the racquets above.

This category of racquets is becoming more popular, since it offers something for a wide group of players. My personal favorites are the Phantom 100X and the Nordicdots Model 100, but the Speed is also excellent.

These racquets should be considered if you want a mix of power/control/spin.

Players who prefer denser string patterns should consider the ProKennex Ki Q+5, which has a dense 16/20 pattern, but not as much power as some of the racquets above.

Which racquet release in 2025 are you most excited about? Have you tested any of these racquets?

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3 comments

  1. Thx Jonas, great summary! I might disagree though with how you’re characterizing the new Tfights as “control” racquets given they seem to have tried to differentiate the Tfight line from the TF40 line (that’s a control line for sure) by adding a little more power…seems more like an all-around option to me.

  2. Just got to hit with my coach’s Stiga Arena (18×20) test frame for about 20 minutes. Unsure what it was strung with, but the feeling was great – more along the Radical stiffness than a Blade. Lower powered, great control.

Jonas Eriksson

Jonas has been known as "tennis nerd" mainly for his obsessing about racquets and gear. Plays this beautiful sport almost every day.