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Tennis as, most people would say, is an expensive sport. Prices for rackets and other pieces of equipment for the sport can soar up to $500 up to $1000. However, fret not, as there are several rackets that you can choose that will suit your budget. This article will discuss the best tennis racket under $100.
What are the Best Tennis Racquets Under $100?
Head Micro Gel Radical
The first entry on our list is the Head Micro Gel Radical. This excellent product is equipped with MicroGel material embedded within its frame.
This technology helps absorb and distribute the ball’s impact evenly among the rest of the racket . This also improves the overall feel and comfort when using the Head Micro Gel Radical.
According to Tennis Warehouse, the Micro Gel Radical is one of Andre Agassi’s top choices. That fact alone speaks a lot about the product’s quality and performance. The Micro Gel Radical measures 107 sq in in head size and 27 inches in width. The overall strung weight weighs 11.1 oz. This makes the Micro Gel light enough for long use, but fret not as it comes along with great power.
The overall design flaunts good aerodynamics allowing you to produce fast swings with great power. The string pattern has 18 mains or 19 crosses and is bound tight enough to absorb ball impact, reducing bad vibrations while increasing control.
The handle grip is made of HydroSorb that ultimately provides comfort and convenience while playing. AT the bottom of the strings, Gamma Shockbuster Vibration dampener is placed to help further absorb the impact of the ball.
Pros
- MicroGel infused frame
- Tight string pattern
- Robust construction
- Good aerodynamic design
- Lightweight
- Gamma Shockbuster Vibration Dampener
Cons
- Grip retains moisture
Wilson Hyper Hammer 5.3
The next entry on our list is the Wilson Hyper Hammer 5.3. This product has a reduced overall weight, however, extra mass is kept at the top of the racket hoop to further increase power with each stroke.
It has a larger head length, at 27.5 inches, it increases coverage with every hit while also generating more power.
The product is built with Hyper Carbon Construction which gives it a more robust build that is able to withstand even the harshest blows. It has a 16 x 20 cross string pattern which is also equipped with Wilson Ultra Synthetic Gut Control which adds more control with each hit.
The strings tension is tight enough to absorb each hit while reducing vibrations to reduce strain on your wrists. Lastly, the Wilson Hyper Hammer provides extra power during service while also offering better control and feel at the net.
Pros
- Larger head size
- Excellent weight distribution
- Tight string tension
- Wilson Ultra Synthetic Gut Control
- Better feel and control
- Better service
Cons
- Narrow grip
- Vibrations during impact are still evident
- Strings move more during top spin
Head Intelligence I.S12
Another worthy entry on our list is the Head i.S12. Carrying over the high praise its older brother, i.S10 and i.S12; this new upgrade dons the same playability and quality, however the i.s12 is quite longer and has a slightly thicker beam.
The throat is equipped with piezoelectric fibers that offer a better feel with every hit of the ball.
This is highly suitable for players who like hitting the backstop on the fly. The i.s12 really deserves to be called intelligent.
It has a frame that is stiff enough that provides more power with each stroke without compensating on control. Another thing that further propels the powerful output of this product is the 14 by 17 string pattern, however, it does not include a dampener, so expect lesser vibration reduction.
One huge disadvantage with this is that it puts more strain to your wrists so it would be wise to purchase a dampener along with this racket . The i.s12 measures 110 square inches for its head size while its unstrung weight is only at a minimal 8.1 oz.
Pros
- Piezoelectric fibers on the throat
- Longer head
- Thicker beam
- Robust construction
- Good grip handle
Cons
- Vibrations are evident
- Does not come with dampener
- Heavier strung weight
Wilson Federer Adult
The next entry on our list is the Wilson Federer Adult. This product has a reduced overall weight, however, extra mass is kept at the top of the racket hoop to further increase power with each stroke.
It has a larger head length, at 27.25 inches, it increases coverage with every hit while also generating more power.
With a head size of 106 square inches, the Wilson Federer guarantees great power. It has a 16 x 20 cross string pattern which is also equipped with Stop shock adds to further fortify the tension of the strings while providing better control.
Pros
- Larger head size
- Excellent weight distribution
- Stop shock pads
- Better feel and control
- Better service
Cons
- Narrow grip
- Vibrations during impact are still evident
- Strings move more during topspin
Wilson Tour Slam
The next and last entry on our best tennis racquets under $100 list comes from the same company of the entry mentioned before it, Wilson. Wilson is on a roll with their high quality rackets making subsequent entries on our list.
With the Wilson Tour Slam, you will never need to worry about missed hits because of its oversized head measuring 110 square inches.
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At a weight of only 11.5 oz, you are assured of a very lightweight racket without sacrificing “feel”, which most players look for.
While it has a light weight, the heavier portion in the head allowing for more powerful shots. The combination of a heavier head with an overall light weight construction is meant for the purpose of playing in long durations without spraining your wrist or elbows.
The strings that come along with it are highly durable and are installed in a tight yet just enough to reduce vibrations while still giving you better control with each hit. It has a 16×19 string pattern. To further aid in reducing the vibrations, the company decided to place stop shock sleeves.
Once held, you can automatically see how premium and elegant it looks. A couple hours of use, you instantly realize how robustly constructed it is. This is because the overall frame is made of Aluminum while also infused with Volcanic Frame Technology.
Pros
- Aluminum Build
- Gives better wrist support
- Stop Shock Sleeves reduce vibrations
- Oversized head
- 3 point head light
- Better control and power
- Lightweight
- Good grip
Cons
- Not for advanced players
The rackets mentioned above are our picks for the best tennis racquets under $100. While these products offer high quality build and excellent playability, keep in mind that if you are an advanced player looking for rackets in the vein of what Agassi, Federer or other legendary players use, then you are looking at the wrong list.
However, if you are an aspiring player or in the intermediate level, then these rackets will most definitely give you what you need and even more.
Among the rackets mentioned above, we can say that the Wilson Tour Slam stood above the rest. It has all the necessary specs you would expect with rackets with a heftier price tag. It is indeed a bang for the buck product! Robust build, better control and power, Excellent shock reduction, name it! The Wilson Tour Slam delivers all that and more.
To know more about this product and other similar excellent rackets, take a look at this video by Ezvid Wiki.
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What are the Essential Tennis Accessories?
After reading through the reviews mentioned above about the best racquets under $100, you may have already chose which of the products to buy. With this, it would be appropriate to buy tennis accessories, the necessary ones that will make learning tennis easier and convenient.
These accessories which are often overlooked, can lead you to become better with the sport without you even noticing it. We will discuss to you the most important accessories and gear which you can buy along with your racket.
Overgrips
The first piece of accessory we will be discussing are overgrips. Overgrips are soft, padded cloth like tape which are wrapped around the grip of a racket . According to Tennisnow.com, over grips are used to add more friction of the grip and secondly, they are used to absorb sweat which can be very helpful to avoid slippage of the rackets during plays. Other uses of over grips is to further expand the circumference of the grip, add more padding and cushioning.
World class players such as Roger Federer are fond of using over grips during tournaments. This is why you don’t see him with his Wilson racket suddenly slipping. Take note however that when you use them, they add more bulk to the grip. So if you already feel uncomfortable with your wide grip, then it’s best that you don’t add more to your problem.
Ball Pickup Tubes
Another important yet overlooked piece of accessory are ball pickup tubes. These tubes make practicing more convenient and even more easier. As the name implies, these tubes help pick up your tennis balls without the need to bending over and picking them up by yourselves one by one.
You can imagine the hassle of picking up balls scattered around the court one by one under the smoldering heat of the sun.
With ball pick up tubes, you will have a secure place to store your practice balls, they also allow easier gathering of tennis balls without you exerting more effort picking them up by hand. These tubes can be turned upside down and are equipped with lockable legs at the handles. You can use these when feeding the balls to another player. These tubes are highly light and portable so you can bring them along wherever you like.
Wristbands
While most unaware players or people who are not a fan of the sport consider wristbands as merely a statement of fashion, these wristbands actually offer far more substance that what most people know. First of all, wristbands help in keeping your moisture levels at a low even under very intense and humid conditions.
This will come in handy since sweat and moisture can interfere with your playing since it may allow your racket to slip from your hands. This is when wristbands really come in handy.
Another use for wristbands is that they reduce pressure and stress your wrists undergo when playing. Safety is very important in any sport. In Tennis, you see a lot of dislocated or sprained wrists due to overwhelming shots from players.
While wristbands never guarantee that you will not suffer from minor discomforts when playing, they, at least help reduce the stress your wrists undergo. After all, who would want to play with a broken wrist? Are you invincible? No! Pick up a wristband from the wide array of products you can see at Tennis-point.com.
How to Choose The Right Racket for you
Tennis goes way back in the 12th Century and was first introduced in the country of France. During this time, there were apparently no rackets used, in place of rackets they did a more organic somewhat ridiculous method of using their hands to hit the balls. It was first called as “jeu de paume” or in English, game of the palm.
Thankfully, in the 16th century, the people started using rackets to hit the balls. Wow! They actually needed 4 centuries to realize that it actually hurts to hit the ball with your hands; talk about being thick skinned.
It was also during this time that the game was now considered to be called tennis, because of course, who would call it game of the palm, when they no longer used their palms. Up until the 1960s, the rackets were actually made of wood.
However, with Wilson and the bright minds that brought about new technology and new discoveries, they introduced the use of steel in constructing the tennis rackets. According to Complex, the advent of steel rackets have brought rise to lighter rackets and has vastly changed the gameplay of athletes and players across the globe.
With the use of steel rackets, players had more control with hitting the ball and also gave them the opportunity to do hard hitting power shots.
From then on, several more upgrades have come into play such as more advanced string construction, neck builds, dampeners and even more that gave more advantageous benefits to players.
Also, racket construction has also vastly changed over the years, manufacturers have made good use of materials such as graphite, ceramic, fibre glass, carbon, boron and titanium to further infuse durability and reliability with the rackets.
With all the excellent options around the market nowadays, the question becomes more and more difficult, how do I pick the right racket for myself? The first thing that you need to consider is your level of playing.
Are you a beginner, intermediate or advanced player? Indeed, there are a lot of different types and models in the market nowadays, however not all can be used by beginner players for example. Worst case scenario is that they might hurt their wrists since they are not used to uneven distribution of weight which is common among rackets for advanced players.
With this, it is advisable that you first know what level you are in now before buying a new racket . The next question you need to consider is, “what type of swing do you have?”
Also you need to ask yourself, “Am I a power player, a finesse player or a combination of both?” These things need to be answered before naively buying a new racket just cause the design is nice or because it weighs just enough.
You also need to consider the model’s head size, shape, length and overall weight. All these important details need to be considered before jumping the gun.
If you have powerful strokes and hits then a heavier racket will suffice for you. However, if you are still a beginner or is physically weaker, you might want to look elsewhere and look for something lighter but with even head light.
Also, take note that some models have heavier weights at the head portion, this is meant to increase power during hits and strokes.
All these factors need to be considered before just buying any tennis racket . If you are still caught in the middle and still confused about what to buy, look no further and check our list of reviews to help narrow your decisions in buying tennis rackets.