Best Tennis Racket for Doubles: What to Look For and Our Top Picks
By Joe, PH Tennis
Quick Summary
The best singles racket isn't always the best doubles racket. In doubles we're looking for quick reactions, a stable, solid feeling at the net and great reliability on returns. That puts a slightly different stress on our equipment.
What to look for in a doubles racket:
- Weight: heavy enough to be stable, light enough to be manoeuvrable.
- Balance: slightly head light, so the head is easy to move at the net.
- Head size: 98 or 100 sq in.
- Swing weight: somewhere between 310 and 325.
My picks:
- Control: Wilson Blade 98 16x19 or Babolat Pure Strike 100
- Power: Babolat Pure Drive or Yonex EZONE 100
- Aggressive net players: Head Speed MP or Yonex VCORE 100
- Best overall: the one that suits you best
Watch the video above to see each doubles pick and hear why it made the list.
Picks at a Glance
| Category | Rackets | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Control | Wilson Blade 98 16x19, Babolat Pure Strike 100 | Great control, good stability, good depth on returns |
| Power | Babolat Pure Drive, Yonex EZONE 100 | Good mass, huge sweet spot, adds power to your doubles |
| Aggressive net player | Head Speed MP, Yonex VCORE 100 | Nicely balanced, really stable, fabulous at the net |
| My racket | Yonex EZONE 98 Tour | Big sweet spot without being cumbersome, weighted to my preference |
Specs
| Racket | Head size | Weight (unstrung) | Balance | String pattern |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson Blade 98 16x19 | 98 sq in | 305 g | 320 mm | 16x19 |
| Babolat Pure Strike 100 | 100 sq in | 300 g | 320 mm | 16x19 |
| Babolat Pure Drive | 100 sq in | 300 g | 320 mm | 16x19 |
| Yonex EZONE 100 | 100 sq in | 300 g | 320 mm | 16x19 |
| Head Speed MP | 100 sq in | 300 g | 320 mm | 16x19 |
| Yonex EZONE 98 Tour | 98 sq in | 315 g | 320 mm | 16x19 |
What This Is
In doubles you have to react quickly, so you need a racket that can keep up with you. If your game, like mine, has moved more into doubles and less into singles, or if you're a doubles specialist, this is for you.
I'm going to take you through the specs that will aid your doubles game, then my picks by category, so you can pinpoint the right racket for you and the equipment you need to be a doubles maestro.
All of this comes with a caveat: it's personal preference. There are always outliers and always anomalies. But we're trying to guide you the best way we can, so you can start trying rackets that will help you get the most out of your doubles.
My Verdict
The best doubles racket isn't necessarily the most powerful or the most controlled. It's the one that lets you react quickly, volley confidently, return like a pro and stay consistent under pressure.
So my best overall is the one that suits you best. Pinpoint what in your game could use a little tweak, a little upgrade, then use one of these rackets to move in that direction. If you need more power on returns, choose something like an EZONE. If you need more feel at the net, choose something else. If it works for you, it's the one.
The Specs That Matter in Doubles
Weight: Heavy Enough to Be Stable
Weight is purely up to the individual. It's the racket you can swing for the longest amount of time. But with a doubles frame, we're looking for something a little different from a singles frame. You're not going to play as many long rallies, and you're not going to grind from the baseline in the same way.
So we simply want it heavy enough to be stable. At the net, you want the racket to be stable, and you often need mass to absorb the vibrations. Lighter rackets are very manoeuvrable and easy to fling around, but they don't have the mass to absorb those vibrations. String can do some of the work, but if you're using a stiff poly, it isn't doing much in terms of vibration dampening. So you need a frame with some mass that can absorb some of that.
You want it heavy enough to be stable, but light enough to be manoeuvrable.
Balance: Slightly Head Light
I would look for something slightly head light, because we want manoeuvrability. Head light means more of the weight is down towards the handle, away from the head. That makes the head easy to move around, easy to reach up and out for volleys, and easy to react in front of your body.
Keeping the weight down towards the handle means we still have some mass, so we've got that stability. We've also got plough through, which helps with stability on volleys and gives you a little easier depth on things like your return of serve, which is obviously key in doubles.
Head Size: 98 or 100
Again, personal preference, but I would always go 98 or 100. Some of you more old school players might like something smaller if you're a real precision player. But we're trying to make doubles a little easier, so we probably want a bit more forgiveness.
I would go 98. That's what I play with. Modern rackets are so good now at creating large sweet spots. That's been a real push in 2026, and with racket tech moving on, we've got great quality in the sweet spot and large sweet spots across most ranges. A 100 sq in head will give you a bigger one, but you may sacrifice a little manoeuvrability.
Swing Weight: Somewhere in the Middle
Swing weight is the internet's favourite measure, and a vital one when trying out any tennis racket. It's often a bit secretive and unknown, because most manufacturers don't advertise it. Some do, but you won't find it on most rackets.
I don't want to sit on the fence: you want something in the middle. We're trying to get the best of both worlds. Somewhere between 310 and 325 is probably going to give you a good enough swing weight to do everything we've talked about, and play doubles in the most efficient way possible.
Stability: The Tech to Look For
Because of the way the game has moved, with all this big hitting, stability has been a real focus for manufacturers in the last 12 months or so. This often comes from technology in the throat, which means less flex. You've had that with the Wilson Defyer, the Yonex VCORE and the Wilson Blade, and Head have added Hy-Bor to their range.
This extra stability on contact gives you the security and reliability you need when the ball's travelling at you fast, and in doubles it often is. So some of that tech is key, but these specs are worth considering too.
My Racket: Yonex EZONE 98 Tour
Take my own racket as an example. It's the Yonex EZONE 98 Tour, which has a static weight of 315 g. I've weighted mine slightly, with a leather grip and some weight in the handle, to bring the balance closer to the handle. That makes it slightly more manoeuvrable while keeping the considerable mass you get at 315 g.
It's a 98 sq in head, so it's a big sweet spot, but it's not cumbersome. It's not a 100 sq in head and it's not too much power. I'm still getting a bit of control, and it's still manoeuvrable enough. That might be very heavy for some players, but for me it works.
I string it with a full bed of Yonex POLYTOUR PRO, not a hybrid, at between 48 and 53 lb depending on the time of year.
But we're not here to talk about me. You're going to have to get on court and find the weight and swing weight that let you move quickly while keeping that stability.
My Picks by Category
Best for Control: Wilson Blade 98 16x19 or Babolat Pure Strike 100
The Babolat Pure Strike 100 is really overlooked in a lot of these lists and recommendations, but it's a fabulous racket. It's a great control frame with good stability, a really good all-rounder, and fantastic on control.
The Wilson Blade 98 16x19 is the king or queen of control, and it's going to be very, very good. It's manoeuvrable and balanced, it gives you enough pop, and it gives you good depth on your return if you're timing it well.
Best for Power: Babolat Pure Drive or Yonex EZONE 100
For power, I'd go for the two big hitters as far as I'm concerned: the Babolat Pure Drive and the Yonex EZONE 100. Not the Solinco Blackout. It's slightly too wild for me.
You could go 100 or 98 here, and this is where it comes down to personal preference. The EZONE, especially with its soft Minolon construction, is really plush, soft and comfortable when the ball's travelling really fast. Good mass, huge sweet spot. It's a similar story for the Pure Drive. If you want to add a little power to your doubles, those are the two rackets I'd go for.
Best for Aggressive Net Players: Head Speed MP or Yonex VCORE 100
If you're an aggressive, really hyper-energetic net player, I'd look at a Head Speed or a Yonex VCORE, with the Head Speed MP probably my choice. It's a 100 sq in head, but with quite a thin beam and some power. It sits right in the middle of Head's range in terms of what these rackets can do. Good swing weight, nicely balanced, a really good doubles racket.
Very similar things could be said for the Yonex VCORE 100. The change in tech for the current 2026 model means it's really stable and feels really secure. So it's fabulous at the net because of that stability, and really good at returning serve for the same reason. You can also generate plenty of spin with it, so if you do have to grind for a few shots from the back of the court, the VCORE will give you great depth and a really solid feel.
Best Overall: The One That Suits You
I'm going to cheat here slightly. The best overall is the one that suits you best. It's all about personal preference. What works for me might not work for you, and what works for you might not work for anybody else. But if it works for you, it's the one.
Who Each Racket Is For
Wilson Blade 98 16x19: players who want control with enough pop, and good depth on returns if they're timing it well.
Babolat Pure Strike 100: players who want a control frame with good stability that works as a really good all-rounder.
Babolat Pure Drive: players who want to add power to their doubles, with good mass and a huge sweet spot.
Yonex EZONE 100: players who want power on returns and a plush, soft, comfortable feel when the ball's coming at them fast.
Head Speed MP: aggressive, hyper-energetic net players who want a nicely balanced racket with some power.
Yonex VCORE 100: aggressive net players who want stability at the net and on returns, plus spin and depth when they have to grind from the back.
Try Before You Buy
Use these general ideas, the specs we went through and the way the racket is balanced to guide you. Then get on court and give it a try.
Our demo service lets you test any of these rackets properly, wherever you are in the UK. Add £25 to any adult racket order and we string it, fit an overgrip, add protection tape and send it out. Get on court and test it properly. If it's wrong, return it for a full refund on the racket, minus strings and the demo fee. If it's right, we refund the £25.
Book a racket demo with PH Tennis
Not sure where your doubles game needs the tweak? Book a one-to-one virtual consultation. We spend 20 minutes talking through your game, your current racket setup and strings, to guide you towards the rackets we think you should be testing next.
FAQ
What is the best tennis racket for doubles?
The one that suits you best. Our picks are the Wilson Blade 98 16x19 or Babolat Pure Strike 100 for control, the Babolat Pure Drive or Yonex EZONE 100 for power, and the Head Speed MP or Yonex VCORE 100 for aggressive net players.
Is the best singles racket also the best doubles racket?
Not always. Doubles needs quick reactions, a stable, solid feel at the net and reliable returns, with fewer long baseline rallies, so it puts a different stress on your racket.
What weight racket is best for doubles?
Heavy enough to be stable at the net, but light enough to be manoeuvrable. Mass helps absorb vibrations, especially if you use a stiff poly string.
Should a doubles racket be head light?
Slightly head light is a good starting point. The head is easier to move for volleys and quick reactions, while the mass towards the handle keeps stability and plough through on returns.
What head size is best for doubles?
98 or 100 sq in. A 100 gives a bigger sweet spot and more forgiveness, but you may sacrifice a little manoeuvrability compared with a 98.
What swing weight is best for doubles?
Somewhere in the middle. Between 310 and 325 is probably a good range for doubles.
What is the best power racket for doubles?
The Babolat Pure Drive or the Yonex EZONE 100. Both have good mass and a huge sweet spot. The EZONE feels especially plush and comfortable when the ball is coming at you fast.
What is the best control racket for doubles?
The Wilson Blade 98 16x19 or the Babolat Pure Strike 100. The Pure Strike is often overlooked but is a fabulous control frame with good stability.
What is the best racket for aggressive net players?
The Head Speed MP or the Yonex VCORE 100. The 2026 VCORE is really stable at the net and on returns, and still generates plenty of spin.
Where can I demo a doubles racket in the UK?
PH Tennis offers a UK-wide demo service. Add £25 to any adult racket order, and the racket is strung, gripped, taped and sent out. If it's not right, return it for a full refund minus strings and the demo fee. If it is, the £25 is refunded.
Find out about our demo service
Final Thoughts
The best doubles racket isn't necessarily the most powerful or the most controlled. It's the one that lets you react quickly, volley confidently, return like a pro and stay consistent under pressure.
Let me know your go-to doubles racket in the comments on the video, and even your string setup if you're getting really nerdy. Thanks as always for reading, and subscribe to the channel so you never miss a thing from PH Tennis.
About PH Tennis
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