The Best Rackets for One Handed Backhand of 2024

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If you are looking for the best rackets for one handed backhand, you have come to the right place to master this stroke. This article will give you a wide selection of recommendations and show you the racket’s strengths and weaknesses, which will surely help you find the perfect choice for your single hand backhand.

Using a one-handed backhand grip includes the reach, mobility, maneuverability, topspin, and less predictability in your slices for your opponent to read. Your slices and volleys will generally develop better while practicing this grip than if you favor the two-handed counterpart. From Roger Federer to Steffi Graf, many of the greatest pros in tennis have mastered this stroke. So there are a plethora of technical reasons why you should too.

Below we have put together a list of the seven tennis rackets with what they’re ideal for to make it easy for you to find the build you need, so stay with us till the end!

  1. Best Overall: Babolat Pure Aero 2019
  2. Best Wilson: Wilson Blade 98
  3. Best Budget: Yonex EZONE Ace
  4. Best Babolat: Babolat Pure Strike
  5. Best for Beginners: Wilson Clash 108
  6. Best for Female Players: Wilson Clash 100
  7. Best for Left-handers: Babolat Pure Drive

Best Rackets for One Handed Backhand Reviewed

With so many options on the market, choosing the best rackets for one handed backhand can be a challenge. To help with the selection process, the following list features some of the best recommendations for tennis rackets in an array of types and models at various price points.

Best Overall
The Best Rackets for One Handed Backhand Options: Babolat Pure Aero 2019
Photo: Amazon.com

Babolat Pure Aero 2019 was made popular by Rafael Nadal, and sure enough, it holds up incredibly well. The most important attribute of this tennis racket is undoubtedly its topspin. The aero modular beam construction, combined with the racket’s mid-range weight, made it easier to pick up my speed and produce a topspin without any added effort when I used it. 

However, the Babolat Pure Aero’s topspin is not the only remarkable thing about it. Combining the easily generating topspin with its great power output also makes it shine at the baseline while still feeling very comfortable. It connects very well with the arm, and it gave me just enough support when I tried it out.

As I transitioned to the net, however, the only negative thing I can say about the Babolat Pure Aero is that the stiffer frame, together with the power of the racket, forced me to concentrate more than usual.

When the Babolat Pure Areo’s 2019 version was introduced, it slightly reduced its usual stiffness, which helped make it more comfortable, but most of its stiffness remains. Overall, this racket is the best tennis racket for intermediate and advanced players.

Product Specs

  • Weight: 10.6 oz
  • Head size: 100 sq. inches
  • Length: 27 inches
  • String pattern: 16 main / 16 cross

Pros

  • Topspin
  • Groundstrokes
  • Power

Cons

  • Stiffness

Get the Babolat Pure Aero 2019 on Amazon or at Do It Tennis.

Best Wilson
The Best Rackets for One Handed Backhand Options: Wilson Blade 98
Photo: Wilson.com

The Wilson Blade 98 is a racket that focuses mainly on control and is used by outstanding one-handed backhand players such as Stefanos Tsitspas. This racket is a popular one for a reason, as it has incredible stability and still packs a punch despite its head size being on the lower side. The top-hand grip placement provides plenty of comfort, making it a joy to play with.

This racket is easy to use and ideal for even newer players. I generally felt that it performed well all around the court, in both serves and groundstrokes, with a pretty good spin.

The only thing it somewhat lacks is power, especially compared to other Wilson tennis rackets, like the Wilson Clash 100. The 16×19 string pattern tries to make up for it, and though it does help, if you are a player who values power over everything else, you should keep this in mind. 

One last thing to mention is that the thickness of the overgrip might make it harder for some people to grab. Female players generally have smaller hands; therefore, they might have trouble with this feature. And, of course, male players whose hand sizes are on the smaller side of the spectrum may also experience the same problem!

Product Specs

  • Weight: 11.2 oz
  • Head Size: 98 sq. inches
  • Length: 27 inches
  • String pattern: 16 main / 19 cross

Pros

  • Stability
  • Comfort
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Less power generated
  • Thick overgrip

Get the Wilson Blade 98 at Wilson’s Official Site, on Amazon or at Do It Tennis.

Best Budget
The Best Rackets for One Handed Backhand Options: Yonex EZONE Ace
Photo: Amazon.com

The Yonex EZONE Ace is an increasingly popular racket that offers a nice balance in its utilities, just like the previous racket on the list (Wilson Blade 98). Though this is a well-rounded racket, I consider its head size its main and most remarkable feature. 

It doesn’t have the biggest head size available, but combined with the 16×18 string pattern, it does offer a great blend between a size that makes it easier to hit, power, control, and topspin.

Another important feature to note is Yonex’s Isometric Square Head Shape, which increases the sweet spot of their rackets by 48% and reduces the number of off-center hits.

The racket is fairly comfortable, but at times, it can feel somewhat stiff. It felt comfortable enough to me while I was trying it out, but it is not the best in terms of comfort; rather, it is somewhere in the middle. Its stiffness is still reasonably low, so I recommend you try it out for yourself and see if it fits you and your preferences.

Product Specs

  • Weight: 9.7 oz
  • Head size: 102 sq. inches
  • Length: 27 inches
  • String pattern: 16 mains / 19 crosses

Pros

  • Larger head size
  • Topspin
  • Power

Cons

  • Stiffness

Get the Yonex EZONE Ace on Amazon or at Do It Tennis.

Best Babolat
The Best Rackets for One Handed Backhand Options: Babolat Pure Strike 
Photo: Amazon.com

The Babolat Pure Strike has an amazing feel. The smaller head size and beam technology make your shots feel precise. Moreover, they also give you a great amount of control. I felt that this racket’s biggest strength was its ability to place the control and placement of the ball into my hands, making me more confident and quick with my responses. 

This Babolat racket also included new dampening technology that makes you feel the ball longer as it hits the racket. It also aids with controlling the ball even further; however, it sacrifices some power in the process. Returning fast-paced balls also became a lot easier thanks to the great stability.

The biggest tradeoff here is the power. The racket is very useful for players who can generate power independently without needing an extra hand from their racket.

However, it feels slightly lacking on groundstrokes and serves compared to other rackets. For this reason, the Babolat Pure Strike is generally the best fit for players who are at least intermediate or even higher level and don’t need to worry as much about generating power.

Product Specs

  • Weight: 11.4 oz 
  • Head size: 98 sq. inches
  • Length: 27 inches
  • String pattern: 16 mains / 19 crosses

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Control
  • Stability

Cons

  • Less power generated

See our review and playtest.

Get the Babolat Pure Strike on Amazon or at Do It Tennis.

Best for Beginners
The Best Rackets for One Handed Backhand Options: Wilson Clash 108
Photo: Wilson.com

The Wilson Clash 108 is an incredibly comfortable racket that barely renounces any of its performance for its additional benefits. It might be the most comfortable racket on the market, focusing on keeping your arm healthy than either power or control. That being said, it is still a great control racket, not falling behind in that regard. Its head size also increases its sweet spot, reducing your margin of error.

With technologies like FreeFlex, the racket is made to feel very solid despite not weighing that much, and it also gives you access to sharper angles. Hence, this makes it the best tennis racket for beginners. The racket makes it a joy to play with, and I had fun using it. 

Wilson Clash 108, however, does sacrifice some of its power due to its low weight, and it is worth mentioning that it is quite expensive compared to many other rackets you can find on the market.

If you have the money to spare and are looking for a comfortable, flexible, easy-to-use racket that gives you plenty of control, the Wilson Clash 108 is a good option.

Product Specs 

  • Weight: 10.4 oz
  • Head size: 108 sq. inches
  • Length: 27.25 inches
  • String Pattern: 16 mains / 20 crosses

Pros

  • Comfort
  • Control
  • Lightweight

Cons

  • Less power generated
  • Expensive

See our review and playtest.

Get the Wilson Clash 108 at Wilson’s Official Site, on Amazon or at Do It Tennis.

Best for Female Players
The Best Rackets for One Handed Backhand Options: Wilson Clash 100
Photo: Wilson.com

I would recommend the Wilson Clash 100 the most for female players. Former WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) player Nicole Gibbs used this racket. It has a unique feel that makes it quite enjoyable and interesting to play with. It is a very flexible racket that is easy to control and feels especially good on returns. It also has a good combination of power and topspin, making it well-rounded and effortless to use.

This racket especially shines on the baseline. Playing with the Wilson Clash 100 will most often reward aggressive play, so getting close to the net and finishing the point. It is a lot of fun using this racket to play aggressively, so I would recommend it if that resembles your playing style.

The only downside of this racket that I noticed is its stability. This racket could use some added swing weight, especially in certain situations, like groundstrokes, where you feel the need for a little bit more weight. Wilson Clash 100, however, is still overall the best tennis racket for female players, despite the small drawback in the stability it offers.

Product Specs

  • Weight: 11 oz
  • Head size: 100 sq. inches
  • Length: 27 inches
  • String pattern: 16 mains / 19 crosses

Pros

  • Unique feel
  • Topspin
  • Comfort

Cons

  • Less stability

See our review and playtest.

Get the Wilson Clash 100 at Wilson’s Official Site, on Amazon or at Do It Tennis.

Best for Left-handers
The Best Rackets for One Handed Backhand Options: Babolat Pure Drive
Photo: Amazon.com

The Babolat Pure Drive is an excellent choice for left-handed players. It is a very comfortable racket with a generous sweet spot. Babolat included the SWX Pure Feel technology in this racket, making an otherwise stiff racket much more comfortable and powerful.

This racket feels extremely good on groundstrokes and the baseline, with amazing serving capability. It has a great balance of spin and power, emphasizing power, making it easy to hit a heavy ball. However, due to its string pattern, topspin also comes fairly easily. Comparing it to Babolat’s Pure Aero racket, there aren’t a lot of huge differences besides Pure Drive focusing more on power than spin and vice versa.

The Babolat Pure Drive’s only tradeoff is that its power can become somewhat unmanageable if you strike too hard. This slight issue makes controlling it somewhat more difficult at times, but this also depends on the player. However, whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or professional player, you can easily learn how to manage this problem through practice! 

All in all, this racket still provides a reasonable amount of control despite the abovementioned case.

Product Specs

  • Weight: 11.2 oz
  • Head size: 100 sq. inches
  • Length: 27 inches
  • String pattern: 16 mains / 19 crosses

Pros

  • Comfort
  • Power
  • Large sweet spot

Cons

  • Sometimes difficult to control

See our review and playtest.

Get the Babolat Pure Drive on Amazon or at Do It Tennis.

What to Consider Before Buying Rackets for One Handed Backhand

Getting started with the one-handed backhand grip in tennis is not as easy a task as you may think. It is a grip that requires a lot of skill, strength, and, most importantly, practice. So there are a few things you should consider and pay close attention to regarding your racket to make handling this grip easier for yourself.

one handed backhand grip tennis racket Mario

Grip Size

Tennis rackets come in different grip sizes, translating to a difference in the handle’s thickness. Choosing the right tennis racket grip size can prevent injuries, prevent faulty stances from developing and make your experience more comfortable. What the “right” size mostly comes down to personal preference, so pick one that feels the most suitable for you.

Tennis Racket Weight Chart

Weight

You should also pay close attention to the weight of the racket. If the racket is too heavy for you, it will be more strenuous for you to use. Moreover, it may even make you more prone to injury as it will be more difficult to control and handle. 

The most important thing to consider when buying a racket is that its weight should make it easy enough for you to swing while also having sufficient control. Usually, rackets are measured with the strings attached, but if the string weight is not included, you should be mindful that they add about 0.6 ounces (18 grams) once strung.

The 10.6+ ounces (300g+) range is ideal for the backhanded grip, but it may be too heavy for beginners and early intermediate players, so pay attention to whether it works for you; we have many selections below the 10.6 range below.

tennis racket size length chart

Length

It is also important to choose the right tennis racket length. The ideal length for a one-handed grip is the standard 27 inches, which should be easy to find. The racket’s length is a crucial factor that you should consider as you may struggle to maneuver longer rackets, and shorter ones may reduce your sweet spot. 

tennis racket head size chart

Head Size

The last thing that you should consider is the tennis racket’s head size. The head size determines the size of the area for the strings. A larger head size means a larger string area, which aids in hitting the ball more often. 

Larger head sizes are also useful for generating more power, which is another thing to consider. If you feel like the power of your swings is lacking, a larger head size may be what you need to improve on it. Try to aim between 95 and 98 inches for head size, and you will see instant changes in your performance!

While specs matter and are easy to get lost in, we always recommend trying out the racket yourself first, if you can. Try to see what feels comfortable for you, as that will be of utmost importance in the long run and make the difference you would like to witness.

Our Verdict

The single-hand backhand can be a very useful grip once you master it, and there are many crucial considerations to make in selecting your racket. For that reason, the Babolat Pure Aero 2019 is our top pick and should offer you the topspin and power to draw the major benefits of the single-handed backhand stance and make the most of it. 

Another option we recommend as the best rackets for one handed backhand is the Wilson Blade 98 if you are looking for something easier, stable, and with more control. The latter may especially be important for newer players who struggle with control in this grip, and this is another well-rounded choice if you are still learning but want something you can stick with for a while.

How We Chose the Best Rackets for One Handed Backhand

Finding the best racket for one handed backhand requires a lot of care due to the learning curve of the stroke and the preparation needed to execute it properly. We looked at several rackets spanning 8 tennis racket brands to make our selections with the utmost consideration.

Getting the right response for your stance is important for both learners who need the correct feedback and more advanced players who need a racket to reap the benefits of the grip. For this reason, we cared about the rackets offering sufficient power. 

Control was also essential since this can easily be lost in the one handed backhand, especially by beginners. Finally, comfort was also an important factor, ensuring the correct dimensions. 

Our suggestions are play tested as we believe experience matters as much as what is on paper.

FAQs

If you’re wondering which racquet is best for single hand backhand or if one-handed backhand better then keep reading to find answers.

Q: Can you hit a backhand with one hand?

The one-handed backhand is a very popular grip among professional tennis players. While it might seem like a complicated grip to learn, it is actually not too difficult once you get the hang of it. The main benefit of this grip is that it allows you to generate a lot of topspin and power while still maintaining good control over your shots. 

Q: What racquet is best for one-handed backhand?

The Babolat Pure Aero 2019 is our top pick for the best racket for one handed backhand. It offers topspin and power to help you make the most of your single-handed backhand grip. Wilson Blade 98 is also a great choice for easy control and stability.

Q: Is a one-handed backhand better?

There is no definite answer to this question as it depends on the player’s individual preference and playing style. Some players may find that a one-handed backhand gives them more power and spin, while others may find it difficult to control. Ultimately, it is up to the player to decide what works best for them!

Q: Is the one-handed backhand more powerful?

The one-handed backhand can be more powerful, but it also has a higher margin for error. If you don’t make contact with the sweet spot, your shot will likely go long or wide.

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I am Mario, a tennis player passionate about encouraging others to join the sport.

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