Choosing a tennis racquet, especially for beginner players, is often an intimidating task. The top brands in the market are a great place to start, as there would be fewer unpleasant surprises with the purchase. In the Head vs Babolat vs Wilson tennis racquet battle, which brand stands out the most so that you can put your trust in?
Head Vs Babolat Vs Wilson Tennis Racquet: An Overview
Head
Head, an Austrian racquet manufacturer, is known for building the first oversized metal tennis racquet. It’s also an industry-leading brand in badminton and racquetball.
Head tennis racquets’ popularity began to take off following the success of Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi back in the ’90s. They have topspin and flat shots for both conventional and modern games.
Today, top players, including Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and Maria Sharapova, endorse the brand and contribute to the rising brand awareness.
Babolat
Babolat invented the first tennis string from sheep intestines in 1875, which revolutionized the sport forever. The brand has built a significant fanbase since the start of Rafael Nadal’s reign.
Babolat racquets are geared towards modern play by providing a lot of topspin. Besides Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick is another name that built up its reputation across competitive and recreational tennis players.
Wilson
World-class players like Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, and Williams sisters are some of the best known of Wilson. Wilson racquets offer stability and reliability and also bring variation to personal playability.
The Pro Staff line is the best-known among performance players, used by Pete Sampras and Roger Federer.
All three racquet brands offer a diverse spectrum of models, weights, sizes, and string patterns to suit different play types. However, since choosing a tennis racquet comes down to the feel, it’s hard to pinpoint the best brands.
Yet, Head, Babolat, and Wilson are the leading brands in the racquet market, and their royal followings manifest their products’ quality and reliability.
Head Vs Babolat Vs Wilson Tennis Racquet: A Detailed Comparison
Product Range
Head
Head’s main lines are Gravity, Speed, Radical, Instinct, Extreme, and Prestige.
Head offers a wide range of frames, with the majority of its products built for modern players. However, within one racquet family, the brand also offers options for different skill sets.
For example, the majority of Radicals are on the heavy side to suit intermediate and advanced players. Yet, there are also S versions for strong beginner players.
Babolat
Babolat offers three main series for players of all levels, from beginner to advanced.
- Pure Aero: These yellow and black racquets are geared towards intermediate and advanced players. The whole series features an aerodynamic beam to promote vicious power and spin to the game.
- Pure Strike: Beginners will find the Pure Strike Team racquets from this series a great choice since they are the lightest and easiest to swing. From intermediate and advanced levels, Pure Strike 98 16×19 and Pure Strike 100 give more power, whereas the Pure Strike 98 18×20 offer extra control.
- Pure Drive: This lineup is suitable for modern games with a mixture of power, control, and spin. Light options like the Pure Drive Lite and Pure Drive Team are great for new players.
Heavier choices such as Pure Drive Plus, Tour, and Tour Plus cater to intermediate and advanced levels. Meanwhile, seasoned hitters will find the Pure Drive VS’s excellent combination of feel, speed, and power appealing.
Wilson
The product range of Wilson is extensive to cater to different levels, including junior players:
- Clash
- Blade
- Burn
- Pro Staff
- Triad
- Ultra
- US Open
Subcategories: L (light), UL (ultra-light). Wilson provides these lighter options across the racquet ranges to fit junior and beginner players.
The Verdict: Head and Wilson offer more extensive options to cover different play types. The light and ultra-light choices across the Wilson rack ranges help it cater to a broader range of players.
Design
Head
Head racquet’s frames are known for bold, striking colors, making them appealing among young players. Vibrant orange Radical, yellow Extreme and blue Instinct can stand out thanks to their bright color frame.
Babolat
The signature design of a Babolat racquet is a combination of white and blue and the distinctive double stripe. However, there are other variations in the color mix, such as black and yellow or white and red. Black and white or black and blue are also available but less common.
Wilson
Wilson sticks to the basics with simple yet elegant black frames. There are full black frames or green, red, and orange stripes on the Head.
The Verdict: For players who love simplicity, Wilson’s minimalist yet elegant design would catch their attention. The bold, aggressive color blend from Head is attractive to young, dynamic generations, while Babolat is somewhat in the middle and not equally impressive compared to the two brands.
Price
Head
The speed is the most well-known Head’s line with a great combination of power and control with excellent spin potential. These racquets are ideal for all-court players who can play at the net and on the baseline.
Most Head offerings are highly accessible, ranging from $129 to $229.
Babolat
The Pure Aero has gained significant popularity thanks to the endorsement of Rafael Nadal. With three racquet ranges, Babolat does not fail to cover a broad spectrum of players.
The price range of Babolat is slightly higher than Head, starting from $139 to $249 for a decent racquet.
Wilson
The Wilson Pro Staff RF 97, endorsed by Federer, is one of the most expensive racquets available. This racquet, if combined with a custom paint job, can cost as high as $300. However, there are also lower-end Wilson offerings for around $139.
In general, except for the Pro Staff RF 97, Wilson’s price range is quite similar to Babolat, starting around $139 and can go up to $249.
The Verdict: Head racquets are slightly more budget-friendly than the other two brands. However, the price difference is not significant.
Check out this video by Tenniscompanion for a detailed review of the Wilson Pro Staff 97: Wilson Pro Staff 97 v13 [Deep Dive Review & Playtest]
Head Vs Babolat Vs Wilson Tennis Racquet: Which Suits You Best?
Head, Babolat, and Wilson top various reviews as the best tennis racquet brands. Yet, it’s hard to tell which brand is the best since they all offer different models of virtually similar specifications to compete against each other.
It also depends on the model, the playing type, and the game to determine which racquet performs better. The best advice is to take out different racquets and demo them.
Conclusion
Head, Babolat, and Wilson are the top 3 in the tennis racquet industry, with their reputations standing the test of time. It is understandable why people are often in two minds between Head vs Babolat vs Wilson tennis racquet: they all offer excellent racquets.
Overall, Head and Wilson offer a more comprehensive range of options to choose from, while the color choices are distinctive in the three brands.
Purchasing the first tennis racquet might be intimidating, yet as long as you stick to these household names, you’re likely to have a quality racquet for your game.
