I have played tennis for almost 3 decades and have tried out dozens of tennis racquets over those years. I started out with the wooden racquets that needed to be put in a frame so that they wouldn't get warped when you weren't using them. With technology has come lighter more powerful racquets that allow even the most beginner of players to play the game of tennis. Choosing a tennis racquet can be a daunting task as there are all sorts of features to consider - head size, grip size, string tension, power, control, and your playing ability. Beginner tennis players are advised to go with an oversized head and a string tension that is "tighter" than "looser". With a tighter string tension you will get more control and with the wide body racquets you should still have enough power to get the ball over the net. More advance players can reduce the tension of the strings and still have enough control to keep the ball in play. I personally like a tighter strung racquet because I take a big swing at the ball and create my own power. I use topspin to maneuver the ball around the court and therefore have plenty of control when I need it.
Beginners often walk into a store and buy the first racquet they put in their hands. Keep in mind that grip size is very crucial in deciding what racquet you pick. You'll see grips that measure 4 3/8", 4 3/4", 4 1/4" etc. - feel the differences between the grip sizes. Too small of a grip and you'll be hard pressed to get the spins necessary and too large of a grip you will find the racquet hard to control in your hand. Have a store employee help you get fitted for the proper grip size. Most racquets are offered in all sorts of sizes and you can always do an overgrip on a smaller grip to "thicken" it up a bit.
Head size - the larger the head the more forgiving it will be and that is why novice players should look at the oversized racquets for the best combination of power and control. The thicker the frame, the more power you will get as well. For beginners, it's always been a fine balance between lack of control and too much power. Intermediate players who can hit with spin and control can take on the added power of a mid-size frame (similar to what Roger Federer uses). If you have good ground strokes then adding a little more power could be a good thing. Just remember that keeping the ball in play is the key to winning, unless you are talented enough to hit clean winners from the baseline. Pros use racquets that weigh a little more than what the average weekend warrior uses simply because they can use the added weight to generate more power on their strokes. Stick with the most control you can get when first starting to play.
Top Brands - I have always used Head tennis racquets, but certainly names like Wilson, Babolat, Yonex, Prince, Fischer, Vokl, and Dunlop are solid names to consider. The pros like Serena Williams use a Wilson and Andre Agassi used Head. They all make various size racquet heads and you can get any racquet custom strung to the tension you prefer. Expect to spend at least for a real beginner racquet and more like 0 to 0 for an intermediate to advanced racquet. Demo programs are a great way to get a feel for almost any racquet. Your local pro shop should be able to set you up with a demo and get you playing almost immediately. Try out at least 2 or 3 racquets with varying string tensions to see which one fits your game best.
Tennis is a game you can play your entire life (my dad still plays at 80) and it's great exercise. Buy a racquet and get started to a better game.
