A good beginner tennis racket in Singapore costs between about S$45 and S$160, comes pre-strung, has a head of around 100 to 105 square inches and weighs about 255 to 285 grams unstrung. That's the short answer. Below I explain each spec in plain English, compare real prices from Singapore shops, show you how to measure your grip at home, and give you the five-minute test I'd do in the shop before paying.
I'm Zhanna, co-founder of ContentGenZ, an ITF tennis coach and a tennis content creator. Every season I watch new players struggle with a racket that's too heavy, too small or bought for a professional's game. The right first racket won't make you good, but the wrong one makes learning slower and more tiring than it needs to be.
What to look for in a beginner tennis racket
Four specs matter. Everything else on the label you can ignore for now.
1. Head size: bigger is easier
The head is the oval part with the strings. A bigger head has a bigger sweet spot, so a ball you hit a little off-centre still goes somewhere useful. Singapore academy Play! Tennis recommends a head of at least 100 square inches for a first racket (Play! Tennis).
One trap: Decathlon lists head size in square centimetres and most other brands use square inches. Here's the conversion:
| Square centimetres | Square inches | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 630 | about 98 | Small for a beginner |
| 645 | 100 | Good starting point |
| 660 | about 102 | Good starting point |
| 680 | about 105 | Most forgiving; fine for beginners |
2. Weight: light, but not a toy
A lighter racket is easier to swing and kinder to your arm while you learn. Play! Tennis suggests an unstrung weight of about 255 to 285 grams for women and 285 to 315 grams for men. Strings add roughly 15 to 20 grams, so check whether the label says "strung" or "unstrung".
Very light rackets aren't always better. If it feels like a badminton racket, the ball will push it around. In the shop, pick the lightest one that still feels solid when you swing it.
3. Grip size: measure it, don't guess
A grip that's too big or too small makes your forearm work harder and makes it harder to change grips. The Lawn Tennis Association's guide gives a simple ruler test: measure from the middle crease of your palm to the tip of your ring finger (LTA).
| Your measurement | Grip size (Europe) | Grip size (US) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 in (about 10.2 cm) | 0 | 4 |
| 4⅛ in (about 10.5 cm) | 1 | 4⅛ |
| 4¼ in (about 10.8 cm) | 2 | 4¼ |
| 4⅜ in (about 11.1 cm) | 3 | 4⅜ |
| 4½ in (about 11.4 cm) | 4 | 4½ |
If you're between sizes, the LTA says to go smaller: an overgrip adds about a sixteenth of an inch, and you can't make a grip thinner. In Singapore you'll want an overgrip anyway. Sweaty hands slide on a bare grip, especially on an outdoor court at 7 p.m.
4. Strung or unstrung
Buy strung. Beginner rackets almost always come pre-strung and ready to play. Performance frames are usually sold unstrung: Wilson Singapore's performance frames, for example, are listed unstrung at S$399 and up (Wilson Singapore). That's a racket for someone who already has their strokes.
Beginner tennis racket prices in Singapore
These are the prices listed on Singapore retailers' websites when I checked on 7 November 2026. Prices and stock change, so treat this as a guide.
| Racket | Where | Price | Weight | Head | Strung? | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decathlon Essential (aluminium) | Decathlon SG | S$18.90 | 270 g | 633–659 cm² | Yes | A few casual hits, not weekly lessons |
| Kuikma TR Easy Graph | Decathlon SG | S$44.90 | 275 g unstrung | 680 cm² (about 105 in²) | Check in store | A forgiving first racket |
| Artengo TR190 Lite V2 | Decathlon SG | S$59.90 | 260 g | 660 cm² (about 102 in²) | Yes | Lighter players; has grip markings for learners |
| Artengo TR500 | Decathlon SG | S$59.90 (was S$79.90) | 280 g | 660 cm² (about 102 in²) | Yes | Beginners who'll play weekly |
| Wilson Ultra Power 103 | Wilson SG | S$159 | Not listed | Midplus (103 in²) | Yes | A branded racket that will last a few years |
Sources: Decathlon Singapore's tennis racket range and the Wilson Singapore store. The Wilson was sold out online when I checked.
My view: for most people, a racket around S$45 to S$60 is the right first buy. You'll know within three months whether tennis is for you. If it is, your second racket will be a much better choice because you'll know how you play.
Where to try a racket in person
Holding a racket tells you more than any spec sheet. Decathlon stores let you pick up their rackets. For specialist shops and stringers, Queensway Shopping Centre is the best-known cluster for tennis in Singapore. Ask before you buy whether the shop has demo rackets you can try on court.
The 5-minute in-shop test
This is what I'd do before paying for any first racket.
- Measure your grip with the ruler test at home, and write the number on your phone.
- Do the finger test. Hold the racket like you're shaking its hand. You should fit one finger between your fingertips and the base of your palm.
- Shadow swing 10 times. Forehand, backhand, slowly then faster. If your wrist or forearm feels it after 10, it's too heavy.
- Hold it at arm's length for 20 seconds. If the head drops, it's too head-heavy for now.
- Check the label for "strung" and the head size, and ask what tension it was strung at.
Strings, tension and restringing
You don't need to think about strings much in your first months. A few basics:
- Tension is how tight the strings are, measured in pounds. Every frame prints a recommended range on its throat. Starting in the middle of that range is sensible; lower tension gives more power, higher gives more control.
- Strings lose tension even when you don't play. A Singapore shop's guide says strings lose around 10% of their tension in the first 24 hours after stringing, and suggests restringing as many times a year as you play per week, doubled (Sportsshop).
- Cost. The same guide, from 2021, put restringing at about S$15 to S$65 including the string, with labour around S$10 to S$20. Prices have probably moved since.
If you play once a week, that's about two restrings a year.
Your first-year racket budget
| Item | Low | Middle |
|---|---|---|
| Racket | S$44.90 | S$159 |
| Overgrips (a few, replaced every 5–10 hours of play, per the LTA) | Check in store | Check in store |
| Restringing, twice a year | S$30 | S$130 |
| ActiveSG court, 1 off-peak hour a week, citizen or PR, 50 weeks | S$175 | S$175 |
Court rates are from ActiveSG: S$3.50 an hour off-peak and S$9.50 peak for Singapore citizens and PRs (ActiveSG). Our guide to ActiveSG tennis court booking explains how to book, and what tennis lessons cost in Singapore covers coaching.
Common mistakes with a first racket
- Buying your favourite pro's racket. Pro frames are heavy, small-headed and sold unstrung. They make learning harder.
- Going too cheap for weekly play. An aluminium S$19 racket is fine for a few hits on holiday. If you're taking lessons every week, spend a bit more.
- Skipping the grip measurement. It takes two minutes and affects every shot.
- Never restringing. Dead strings feel flat and send the ball short. Your racket isn't broken; it needs new strings.
If you're brand new to the sport, start with our guide on how to learn tennis as a beginner in Singapore, which has an eight-week plan. And if you're a young woman aged 15 to 25 who has never played and wants to learn with a coach while filming your progress, ContentGenZ's beginner tennis programme includes a racket you keep. Supported by the National Youth Council Singapore.
Sources
- How to choose your first tennis racket, Play! Tennis Singapore, 2022 (read 7 November 2026)
- Understanding tennis racket grip sizes and overgrips, Lawn Tennis Association (read 7 November 2026)
- Tennis rackets, Decathlon Singapore, including the Essential, Kuikma TR Easy Graph, Artengo TR190 Lite V2 and TR500 product pages (read 7 November 2026)
- Wilson Ultra Power 103, Wilson Singapore (read 7 November 2026)
- How often should you restring your tennis racket?, Sportsshop, 3 July 2021 (read 7 November 2026)
- Individual facility rates, ActiveSG (read 7 November 2026)
