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Diadem is a young brand in the tennis racquet industry that is becoming increasingly popular.
I recently tested all five Diadem tennis racquets, and my review of each is below. Diadem racquets feature two different lines.
Diadem Nova racquets help increase power on your shots.
Diadem Elevate racquets are geared towards control.
Each line has a few different variations that I will explain below.
This review will help you decide if Diadem racquets are right for you and help you choose the best model for your game.
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In the video below, I review 5 versions of the Nova and Elevate racquets.
Although Diadem’s racquets aren’t as popular as Babolat racquets or other major brands, it is not for lack of quality.
Both the Diadem Nova and Elevate series play as good as, or better than many of the major brands you’ll find.
Diadem highlights three technologies that add a combination of power, stability, feel, and comfort to their racquets.
You can read more about the technology behind Diadem racquets on the Diadem website.
Below, I will review Diadem racquets’ on-court performance to help you decide which Diadem racquet is right for you. They have five adult tennis racquets for all skill levels and playing styles.
The Nova series comes in three models while the Elevate racquets have two variations. These are in order from beginner to advanced, based on our recommendation.
| Nova Lite | The lightest racquet in the series, great for beginners or intermediate players who need something mobile & easy to swing. | |
| Nova | The original Nova has excellent power from the baseline while maintaining good spin and control for such a powerful racquet. Great for all skill levels. | |
| Nova + | The Nova + is slightly heavier and a half inch longer than the Nova. The added leverage can help you create even more power on your serve and groundtrokes. Good for intermediate or advanced players. | |
| Elevate | An excellent control racquet for intermediate to advanced players who want extra feel and accuracy. | |
| Elevate Tour | A slightly heavier and more stable version of the Elevate. This was my favorite racquet in the series for its stability on fast paced returns and volleys. Great for advanced players. |
The Diadem Nova racquets are great for beginner to intermediate level players who typically need help generating power on their shots.
I personally found the Diadem Elevate racquet to be one of the best I’ve played with in terms of control, feel, and stability.
The Diadem Nova tennis racquets were designed to help a player generate easy power. After playing with all three versions of the Nova racquet, that is exactly what they do.
The Nova racquets can help create depth on your groundstrokes from the baseline. All three models were easy to swing and felt very comfortable on contact.
But the best part of the Nova racquets was the surprising control and feel. For such a powerful racquet, I felt very in control of my groundstrokes.
I personally preferred the Nova + because I like a heavier racquet. The extended reach also helped me add power to my serve which was a great bonus.
The area that the Nova was lacking is on returns and volleys. Any shots slightly off the sweet spot threw the stability off and did not land in the court. However, I played a fast paced match against NTRP 4.5 & 5.0 players. For beginner to intermediate players, this won’t be an issue.
Here are the specs for the Diadem Nova tennis racquet.
Weight: 10.5 oz. unstrung
Head Size: 100 square inches
Length: 27 inches
Balance: 320 mm
String Pattern: 16 x 19
The Nova Lite is 10.0 oz. unstrung with a balance of 325 mm.
The Nova + is 10.8 oz. unstrung with a balance of 335mm and is 27.5 inches in length.
For beginners who are serious about tennis and want to improve their skills, the Nova Lite and Nova are both excellent beginner tennis racquets.
Intermediate and advanced singles players who like to rally from the baseline and want easy access to power will like the Nova or Nova +. They will help you generate a great combination of pace, spin, and depth.
If you’re an NTRP 4.5+ level player or play mostly doubles and like to serve and volley, then I’d recommend the Elevate tennis racquet instead.
The Elevate series was my personal favorite of the two, because I play a fast paced game and do like to approach the net.
Both Elevate tennis racquets are made to help you move the ball around the court with precision and spin. Their 98 square inch frames make them intermediate to advanced tennis racquets.
I particularly liked the Elevate racquets on returns and volleys. I was able to step in on returns and still control the ball even against big serves. The feel I had on my volleys was as good as any tennis racquet I’ve ever played with. I was able to easily hit touch, drop volleys and deep directional volleys.
The drawback of this excellent control and feel is in its power. I preferred the Elevate Tour because the added weight helped increase stability and power on my serve. However, it was not as easy to hit with depth from the baseline on my groundstrokes as the Nova racquets.
Here are the specs for the Diadem Elevate 98 tennis racquet.
Weight: 10.8 oz. unstrung
Head Size: 98 square inches
Length: 27 inches
Balance: 320 mm
String Pattern: 16 x 20
The Elevate Tour is 11.1 oz. unstrung with a balance of 315mm.
Advanced players who want a players’ racquet will get the most out of the Diadem Elevate racquets. If you have no trouble generating your own power and need a better control racquet, the Elevate is a great choice.
The Elevate 98 offers great control and spin, and is very easy to swing. As far as advanced, or even intermediate tennis racquets built for control, the Elevate 98 is one of the best.
The Elevate Tour is perfect for high-performance players who want a slightly heavier racquet. This racquet adds a bit more power to your shots and extra stability for a fast-paced game. This was my favorite of the five Diadem racquets.
I would not be surprised to see some professional tennis players begin to use the Elevate Tour in the years to come. Diadem tennis racquets should certainly be considered by serious players at any level of the game.
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Will Boucek is the Founder & CEO of The Tennis Tribe. He has played tennis for over two decades, including in college. Will has worked with ATP & WTA tour players and coaches. He currently lives in Austin TX where he plays USTA leagues & tournaments, writes about tennis, and teaches doubles workshops.
