How to Recognize If a Tennis Racquet Is Original or Counterfeit?

Shopping for a new racquet and you want to make sure it’s authentic or counterfeit?

You should know that there are indeed many knockoff versions of some racquet models from brands like Wilson, Yonex, Babolat, and others.

Normally, you should expect to pay between $180 and $270 for a brand-new tennis racquet. But when you buy from particulars or some sketchy websites offering racquets at a way lower price, you should be skeptical.

In this article, we’ll give you tips to help you distinguish an authentic racquet from a counterfeit one.

Purchase from Famous Retailers

The quickest and easiest way to make sure you buy an original tennis racquet is to shop from famous websites or retailers.

They are authorized sellers who sell many brand racquets, and they offer a guarantee for the authenticity of the racquet.

They also offer a satisfaction guarantee so you can return the racquet or replace it if you find anything wrong with it.

The Price is an Indication

The price of a brand-new retail racquet is between $180 and $270.

If you find a racquet selling at $50 or $100 less than the normal price, you should check carefully whether it’s authentic or not, by asking the seller/shop about the origin of the product.

Examine the Packaging

The packaging of a tennis racket is a good indicator of its authenticity. You can apply this checklist to validate your purchase decision:

Check the quality of the packaging, including the material used and the printing quality.
Examine the racquet carefully, paying attention to details such as the logo, grip, and overall construction.

Check for any signs of imperfections or differences in color, texture, or weight.
Check the string pattern as well

Counterfeit racquets are usually made with lower-quality materials, and the design can be different compared to the original product.

Here’s a good example of a comparison between an original and a fake racquet that I found.

Check the Barcode/Serial number

Every new tennis racquet has a barcode looking like this:

Run a quick search either by scanning the barcode using apps on your phone or by typing the serial number or the SKU in the search bar.

If you get the official website of the racquet, you know it’s authentic.

Here is the example where I typed the serial number of the racquet and I indeed found the official Babolat Pure Aero page.

This method is the best in my opinion. If your seller doesn’t give you the serial number and you suspect the price is too low or the quality is slightly off, then you should abort the mission and look for another trusted seller.