What Are Tennis Rackets Made From?

By Tennis Rackets UK Editorial Team · Updated 17 September 2026 · Sources checked

Almost every adult tennis racket sold today has a frame made of graphite composite: layers of carbon fibre set in epoxy resin. Manufacturers blend in small amounts of other materials to tune stiffness, weight distribution and vibration. The strings, grommets and grip are made from separate materials again.

The parts of a tennis racket and their materials

From wood to graphite: a short history

The full story is in our history of tennis rackets.

Graphite (carbon fibre composite)

“Graphite” on a racket means carbon fibre reinforced polymer. It became the standard because it is light, stiff and can be moulded into almost any beam shape.

How a graphite frame is made

1. Cutting the pre-preg: carbon fibre sheets pre-impregnated with resin are cut into strips.
2. Lay-up: strips are wrapped at different fibre angles around an inflatable bladder or tube. Extra layers go where stiffness or mass is wanted.
3. Moulding: the wrapped tube goes into a steel mould shaped like the racket. The bladder is inflated to press the layers against the mould.
4. Curing: heat and pressure harden the resin into one solid shell.
5. Finishing: string holes are drilled, the frame is sanded and painted, then grommets, bumper, handle and grip are fitted.

Changing fibre grade, layer angles and where extra layers go is how engineers control:

• Stiffness: stiffer frames return more energy for power. More flexible frames give longer dwell time and feel.
• Weight and balance: extra material at the head or handle moves the balance point. Check a frame’s balance with our balance calculator.
• Beam shape: thicker, box-shaped beams are usually stiffer and more powerful. Thin or rounded beams tend to be more flexible.

Titanium and tungsten

Titanium and tungsten are used in small quantities rather than as the main frame material.

• Titanium fibre or mesh is woven into the composite to add strength and stiffness without much weight. Yonex, Prince and most other brands use similar composite recipes. “Titanium” in a racket name doesn’t mean the frame is made of titanium.
• Tungsten is very dense. A little of it at specific points (often 3 and 9 o’clock on the head) adds mass exactly where it increases stability on off-centre hits.

Fibreglass, aramid and basalt

• Fibreglass is more flexible and cheaper than carbon fibre. It is common in junior and entry-level frames, and sometimes used to soften feel.
• Aramid (Kevlar) fibres are tough and damp vibration. Wilson’s original Pro Staff used a braided graphite and Kevlar construction.
• Basalt fibre has been used by some brands to absorb vibration and improve feel.

Graphene and other nano-materials

Head began adding graphene to its rackets in 2013. Other brands have used carbon nanotubes or similar reinforcements. The usual goal is to strengthen the shaft so weight can move to the head and handle.

How much any one material changes playability is hard to isolate. Treat marketing names as a guide to the frame’s design intent, not as a measurement.

What materials mean for how a racket plays

Padel rackets: same materials, different build

Padel rackets use the same composite families (carbon fibre and fibreglass), but as a solid perforated face around an EVA or foam core instead of a strung frame. Stiffer carbon faces give control, and fibreglass is more forgiving, just as with tennis frames. See padel rackets explained, EVA vs foam cores and the full padel vs tennis racket comparison.

What this means when buying

Material labels matter less than the numbers they produce: weight, balance, stiffness (RA), head size and string pattern. Two graphite rackets can play completely differently. New to the jargon? See the glossary. Starting out? Read the best tennis racket for beginners. Our guide to choosing a tennis racket explains how to read those specs, and every racket still has to meet the ITF size rules.