In the past, we called this the Gear of the Year, but since there aren’t many strings released each year and we don’t try every new shoe, let’s focus on the best racquets of 2025.
There were many releases in 2025, especially at the start of the year, which made it challenging to be a play-tester and reviewer. Luckily, I had access to a bunch of racquets before their release, but when you thoroughly play-test many racquets over a period, you tend to lose your muscle memory. Still, work comes first and as always we try to be as honest as possible with our thoughts and opinions about each racquet. We try them over longer periods of time with different tensions, customization and other players to give you as much of a well-rounded opinion as possible.
We also appreciate your feedback; of course, as racquets are personal and some will work for certain players and some won’t. Remember to use a string setup you are familiar with when you test racquets. You want to know how the racquet plays and using an unfamiliar string, will make it difficult to know what is the racquet and what is not.
For the Best racquets of 2025, I have divided them into categories of Power, Spin, and Control. I will also mention and list racquets released before 2025 there as reference. There were not many spin racquets released in 2025 (make sure to check out all the exciting racquets released in 2026 for that).
Check also my video review below on the best racquets of the year.
The Best Power Racquets of 2025
This is by far the most interesting category for the year. The year started with a bang with the Babolat Pure Drive being released alongside the Yonex Ezone, two of the most popular lines of racquets. Later in the year, Wilson released a new Ultra V5 (these racquets are all blue, for some reason), and recently Dunlop released the new FX. HEAD and Tecnifibre’s power racquets will be updated in 2026.
What do you expect from a power racquet? A high stiffness, a thicker beam, and “flat” power. This means the ball does not launch as high as it does with a spin racquet. It has a lower trajectory over the net, which makes it an easier transition from a control racquet than if you go to a spin racquet (Aero, Extreme, VCORE, etc).
The high stiffness of these frames can lead to arm issues for certain players, so be careful not stringing them at a high tension with a firm poly string like Babolat RPM Blast, Yonex Poly Tour Strike, Luxilon 4G, or Dunlop Explosive Speed for example.
Taming the power can be an issue for some players. I recommend considering a lower-powered frame rather than increasing the tension above 55 lbs if that is the case for you.
All power racquets mentioned come in two main models, one 100 square inch “standard” version and one 98 square inch “advanced” version which offers better control but also requires more from the player.
Here you have the main models released this year.
- Yonex Ezone 98
- Yonex Ezone 100
- Babolat Pure Drive 98
- Babolat Pure Drive 100
- Wilson Ultra Pro 99
- Wilson Ultra 100
- Dunlop FX 500 Tour
- Dunlop FX 500
Choosing among the best racquets is not easy, as they are all pretty good.
The best 100 square inch power racquets
This is the standard category. The trend that the Pure Drive started more than 30 years ago. But nowadays there are so many racquets from small to large-scale brands creating powerful 100 sq inch racquets with a 16/19 string pattern. It is what you buy when you don’t know what to get, kind of.
Still, these racquets are also becoming popular among top pros. We have a number of players using the Pure Drive specifically on tour. Mpetschi Perricard, Arthur Cazaux, Fabio Fognini when he played, Titouan Droguet and it is also a popular frame on the WTA Tour. And there are even more players using 100-square-inch spin racquets on both tours.
So you can use the 100 sq inch power racquet from beginner to the highest level of tennis. Pros control the power thanks to fast racquet head speeds, so it can be more difficult to control for club players. Counterintuitively many club players do better with control racquets, while the pros can go towards more power. But it was always like that. Before it was a about being able to maneuver a high swing weight, now the swing weight is lower but the racquets have become larger, stiffer and more powerful.
This is just to remind you that power racquets are increasingly more popular, but not for everyone.
I have been trying to get even more power than my Aero 98 and the Babolat Pure Drive has been the racquet I have used the most of all the racquets in the list above. The dampening is really improved in the 2025, the string pattern is dense but you can still get some lift on your shots and it balances the power/control ratio pretty well. This is a very solid racquet and my favorite power racquet right now.
There is a lot to like about the new Yonex Ezone 100. It feels a bit more solid than the predecessors and the sweet spot is more generous. I think they have upped the power level slightly as well. Many of my fellow play-testers liked this one a lot, but I found the ball flying on me a bit more often than with the Pure Drive. And I tend to prefer the standard head shape over the Isometric one, but that is a personal preference.
The Ezone 100 is still good and I think players will struggle to choose between the Pure Drive and the Ezone.
Wilson has not been able to make the Ultra as popular as the aforementioned racquets. When you think of Wilson, your head immediately goes to Blades and Pro Staffs. It is not a popular sight on tour, whereas every other player seems to be swinging a Blade (this seems to be changing as more players are looking for power). The Ultra 100 V5 has improved comfort over its predecessors and plays well. Still, I found it a little too dampened and muted and like it lacked a little power compared to the Drive and the Ezone. Not bad, but not quite there.
The Dunlop FX 500 has been a favorite Dunlop racquet of mine for a long time and that remains with V3. This racquet has zig-zag grommets called Power Wave Grommets, “which deploys an innovative wave pattern to stiffen the center of the stringbed, creating a more even feel and power level across the hitting zone”. This racquet is solid, powerful and fun to use. It is all there and this one competes with the Drive and the Ezone on equal terms. Personally I do not find it easy to pick between this one and the Drive.
This would be my list of the power racquets of the year.
- Babolat Pure Drive
- Dunlop FX 500
- Yonex Ezone 100
- Wilson Ultra 100
Controlled power – comparing the more advanced power racquets
I have tested all these racquets extensively throughout the year. The Ezone 98 I used as my match frame for a while, but it became kind of “pingy” and metallic-feeling after a while. I think players with sensitive arms might do well to stay away from this one. It feels plush at first but it creeps up on you and it has happened to a bunch of players I know. You will likely be fine with a softer poly like Yonex Polytour Pro, but stay away from PT Strike and firmer strings. Still, a great racquet that many players love.
The Babolat Pure Drive 98 became softer in 2025 compared to the 2021 version. Not a lot softer, but a little bit. It also got an extra cross string and became 16/20. This was a good thing, but the racquet is still pretty demanding and swings a bit like a log with a high swing weight. When you contact the ball well, it has massive plow-through for its head size, but if you hit late, your arm might be a little unhappy. The standard 100 square inch one is a little wild at times, but a lot more forgiving than his brother. Definitely not a bad racquet, but like with the Ezone 98, leaves something to be desired.
Wilson re-released the Steam 99 and called it the Ultra Pro 99. Henrik and I asked for this in a review in 2024. The Ultra Pro 99 features SI3D layup technology, which is supposed to increase pocketing and spin. It also has the trademark Steam 99 inner-hoop power grooves to enhance the strings’ ability to absorb shock and transfer energy to the ball. This can sometimes make the racquet rather wild. Still, there is a reason the Steam is back and it is a good stick. I would prefer it with De Minaur’s 16/19 string setup, though over the more open 16/18.
Last but not least of the controlled power frames is the Dunlop FX 500 Tour. I tried this racquet in the prototype cosmetic. I instantly connected with it. It does have a slightly higher launch angle than the other racquets in this line-up and feels somewhat more aerodynamic than the Ezone and Pure Drive 98. Still, when you compare it to the regular 500, you will need to put in more work with the Tour version; that is clear. But it is the racquet among the power racquets that came out in 2025 that feels closest to the big brother. Just a bit more controlled.
The Dunlop has a more direct feel than the other frames. But it is also a little less potent in terms of swing weight. The PD 98 and Ultra Pro 99 are both tanks, while the Ezone 98 and the FX 500 Tour lack something in the hoop. It is easily fixed with a few grams of lead, but you need to be open to customization. If you manage to get it customized, it might be the best one of the bunch.
Like I said, all these racquets are good; none of them have convinced me that it is the ONE for 2025. The closest to that feeling was the Dunlop FX 500 Tour followed by the Ezone 98.
If I were to rank my personal favorites in this category, it would look like this:
- Yonex Ezone 98
- Wilson Ultra Pro 99
- Dunlop FX 500 Tour
- Babolat Pure Drive 98
But it would be a pretty tight race.
The Best Control Racquets of 2025
2025 was about power. And control. There were a bunch of control racquets released, many of them good.
I decided to place the Tecnifibre Tfight into the control category, although I think Tecnifibre sees it as more of a versatile frame (the TF40 is their competitor to the Blade 98).
HEAD are known for their excellent control and feel-based racquets but have struggled a little more in the power and spin categories (although the Extreme is picking up some steam). In 2025, they released the Auxetic 2 version of the Gravity racquets, including the new Tour 98. They followed that up with the iconic Radical 2025. Now in highlighter orange, also with Auxetic 2.
The Gravity Tour 98 was a hit with some, but I would have preferred a slightly denser pattern (16/20 over the current 16/19). When you have a more flexible racquet and an open pattern, it can lead to some inconsistency in the string bed and I personally struggled with that in this racquet.
The other Gravity racquets did not change a huge deal; the Pro is still excellent, and the MP should not be underestimated as the more forgiving choice.
From HEAD, the Radical MP was the big winner in terms of control racquets. It is one of those racquets that just works well straight from when you pick it up. When I recommend this racquet in consultations, I rarely get any disappointments. However, you need to string that racquet with a softer string or a hybrid setup, with a stiff poly, it can be too dead and not give you enough power.
Babolat and Yonex focused on cosmetic updates of their control lines. The Percept became Midnight instead of Mint and the Strike turned into Carbon instead of the standard white. Nothing changed in terms of the playability, though.
Smaller brands
Nordicdots is a small and up-and-coming brand, but they released their new Model 98 racquets, with the 98 Pro impressing the players in our review. I also liked the 98S, but it did not quite have the plush feel and the precision of the 18/19 patterned Pro.
Another big thumbs up goes out to the ProKennex Black Ace Pro, a racquet that delivers beautiful flex and pocketing reminiscent of legendary racquets, but with a bit more power on tap. If you like a racquet where the ball stays a long time on the strings and excellent comfort and feel, this one should be considered.
The Mantis Pro 310 does also have some pocketing but a higher stiffness and a tad more power than the ProKennex. A pleasant racquet to play with though, moves fast through the air, nice feel when you connect with the sweet spot. If you are into control racquets, this is not a bad choice.
I felt like the STIGA Arena 98 was a little underpowered with a thin beam profile, low flex and an 18/20 string pattern. This feels like a throwback to times where control was everything. If you like flexible racquets with max precision, you should consider this one, which plays a bit like an nBlade 98. But for most players who want some forgiveness and pop, this is not the one.
Australian Heysil came out with a 16/19 version of their Tour 98 and that played like the V5 Blade, which is a good thing. An enjoyable racquet, but I did feel like it needed some beefing up from stock form. A slightly higher stiffness could have improved it, in my opinion.
My favorites
This was tough list to make. They are many good ones here. I did not add the cosmetic updates of the Yonex Percept and Babolat Pure Strike carbon to this list. There are enough racquets to list anyway 😉
- HEAD Radical MP
- Nordicdots Model 98 Pro
- ProKennex Black Ace Pro
- Tecnifibre Tfight 305S
- Solinco Whiteout 305
- Mantis Pro 310
- HEAD Gravity Tour 98
- Heysil Tour 98
Which one is your favorite control racquet of 2025?
Find most of these models at our partners below:
The Best Spin Racquets of 2025
Although 2026 will be the year of SPIN, with ultra-popular racquets like the Pure Aero and VCORE being released alongside the new Wilson spin line, there were still some spin racquets released in 2025.
The new Dunlop SX was more green and less yellow. Let’s call it a colorful release that also performed well on court. This test was a little weird to me because it was the first time I think I had a difficulty telling the 300 and 300 Tour apart. I probably received them closer in specifications than was intended, but not necessarily a bad thing as both racquets played well. They had a lower launch angle and less pop than the Aeros or VCORE and was a little more alike the HEAD Extremes. Meaning solid control for a spin-oriented racquet. In short, I liked it, but it did not carry the magic of the Aero 2023 for me.
Another spin racquet released in 2025 was the Diadem Axis. Diadem is a relatively new company in the tennis industry. Besides, tennis they also focus on pickleball. Previously, Diadem has developed some good sticks, the Elevate V3 for control and the Nova V3 for power. So it was time for a spin-oriented racquet.
The shape of the Axis looks very similar to the Aero, but with slightly sharper lines in the throat. From the first stroke, you do notice a more muted and dampened feel than the Aero. This is good for comfort, but less good for a connected feel. Here the difference between the 98 and 100 was more noticeable and I did enjoy the Axis 98 more due to better control. A slightly less powerful and connected Aero, but with a big benefit being the improved comfort.
I did not try the Prince Ripstick 300 V2, but instead opted for the Ripstick 98 as that was a new racquet in the line-up. This racquet looks extreme with its aggressively-sized O-ports, but does not play as extreme. Sure, you get a high launch angle and some good power, but the racquet remains aerodynamic enough to be swung fast. I noticed some brassiness outside the sweet spot (which is not huge), but I did enjoy the play-test. Some other play-testers enjoyed it more than me and was ready to make the switch. Certainly an interesting racquet that also works for the one-handed backhand (despite the thick beam, luckily its thinner in the throat).
Last, but not least, came the update to the Solinco Blackout. This racquet is Solinco’s power and spin racquet and was just reviewed on Tennisnerd. We tested the 300-gram “regular” model, but there is also an extended one called XTD and one lighter one called 285.
They have significantly lowered the stiffness and introduced more damping materials compared to V1. That is mainly a good thing, but it does eliminate some feel. I liked hitting with it, but when I was pushed during match-play and had to defend, I could not really trust its precision. Finding short angles or small targets proved difficult. But if you hit with loads of spin and like to go for larger targets, you should consider the Blackout V2. It plays a bit like a more comfortable Aero 98 with a slightly more open string bed. The author of this article prefer a denser pattern on his racquets, but this is a personal thing, obviously.
When we get to ranking the best spin racquets released in 2025, it is quite difficult. I would put many of them on tied spots in the table, so take all this with a pinch of salt.
My favorite spin racquets of 2025
There were some good bats in this list, but nothing managed to sway me away from the Aero 98.
- Dunlop SX
- Prince Ripstick
- Solinco Blackout
- Diadem Axis
Adding current spin racquets, I would put Aero and VCORE at the top here. But we will see how the new ones play in 2026.
My top 5 overall favorite racquets in 2025
Alright, so what is the best racquet released in 2025 if you ask me? It is a difficult one and I would not read too much into this list, but I am making myself a little challenge to do it.
- Babolat Pure Drive 2025 – the one I have played my best tennis with.
- HEAD Radical MP – my favorite control stick overall.
- Nordicdots Model 98 Pro – close to the Radical, also great with a better cosmetic.
- Yonex Ezone 98 – impressive update, close rival to the Pure Drive.
- Tecnifibre Tfight 305S – Very good update
- ProKennex Black Ace Pro – the best feeling racquet in 2025? Has some weaknesses, though.
Am I unfair? Did I miss something? Let me know in the comments.