How to Choose a Tennis Racquet

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There’s no such thing as an ideal racquet or setup: instead, you have tailor your equipment for your individual game. It may take some trial and error, but every journey starts with a first step, and in this case it is identifying your game, stroke style and general physicality. Doing so will allow you to define some important parameters for you weapon of choice, and focus in on a small number of racquets to demo.

Racquets come in a bewildering array of sizes, weights, balances, string patterns and prices, all backed up by glamorous marketing campaigns that can feel more like dating than choosing a simple bit of sports equipment. Truth be told, building a brand is important when the differences between racquets can be pretty small, but that’s another story… Browse the following list, noting what resonates with your personal game, and remember that manufacturers tend to group certain complimentary characteristics together with a specific player profile in mind.

Head Size

Oversize heads give more power and a larger sweet spot, but score poorly on control. They tend to be aimed at the beginner and less physical players. Although the head is large, shots hit at the edge of the strings will generate lots of twisting force, changing the angle of the racquet and causing the ball to fly off with all the directional integrity of a drunk moth. As players develop their swing to create their own power, large heads will start to produce uncontrollable levels of power.

Midsize Plus heads are extremely popular for intermediates – they still have decent power, but this is slightly tempered to produce increased control. There has been a universal shift towards larger heads over the last 30 years, as the modern game has embraced power and spin over serve and volley.

Midsize heads are aimed at the advanced intermediate to advanced player looking for feel and control above all else. They tend to be low powered, so you’ll need good swing mechanics to really get the most out of them. Sweet spots are small, but players at this level will consistently hit in the center. The current darling of the traditional players’ racquet category is the 98 sq in frame, but be warned: don’t let your ego seduce you into buying one of these frames – if your game is lacking, these racquets will highlight any technical issues you have. A new sub-category of midsize heads could be called ‘modern players’ racquets. These often lurk in the 98 to 100 sq inch range and are designed to compliment the modern game, often featuring a string pattern that is suited to generating high levels of spin.

Small heads, really anything below 98 sq inches, are very specialist tools, and you should be extremely wary of buying one. 20 years ago they were very common, but the game has moved on. Even Roger Federer changed to a larger head size as the world around him evolved. If you’re a very competent player and want the ultimate in control, then demo one, but otherwise, put that ego away and try something else. Perhaps take your cue from college players: they’re dripping with talent, but they almost all use 98 sq in frames.

Small	up to 95 sq in	Ego-stick
Mid	95 to 98 sq in	Advanced
Mid-plus	98 to 105 sq in	Intermediate to Advanced
Oversize	105 to 110 sq in	Beginner and Power-Mad
Flyswatter	110 sq in to infinity	Comedy Gods and those inspirational people who are still playing in their 80s

Weight

Lightweight – easier to maneuver, these are great for doubles players at the net where speed is of the essence, players with a shorter stroke and those who don’t have the strength of a pro. They can lack stability, especially if you hit the ball off-center or are facing a hard serve.

Heavier weight – often used by more advanced players with long, fast strokes, these racquets give great stability and control, as well as more power potential. Vibration is slightly reduced, but they do require greater physicality to whip the ball for heavy spin, and are less maneuverable at the net.

Keep in mind the weights can be quoted for a strung or unstrung racquet – make sure you’re comparing like with like.

Balance

An important part of the weight equation, balance is all about where the weight ends up on the frame. Racquets are often referred to head light or head heavy or neutral. Head heavy will increase power, head light will enhance maneuverability. To confuse the issue somewhat, many heavy players racquets will be head light, whereas light power racquets will often be head heavy.

Swing-weight

Closely related to weight and balance, swing-weight gives an indication of how a racquet feels when you actually swing it. Low swing-weights give maneuverability and easy acceleration, higher values bring stability, comfort and power to the equation. As your game advances, you’ll probably favor higher swing-weights, but beware of a racquet that becomes hard work to play with after half an hour. Swing-weights are measured on the RDC scale – don’t confuse it with racquet’s static weight in grams – they can sometimes be very similar values.

Low Swing-weight	Below 310
Medium Swing-weight	310 to 325
High Swing-weight	Above 325

String Pattern

Manufacturers can vary the number of vertical and horizontal strings, as well as their exact spacing, to enhance an attribute. Generally, racquets with tighter spacing (such as 18/20 variants) are set up for control, as the string bed flexes slightly less on impact. This reduction in bed flex produces slightly less power, so tends to be suitable for players who have powerful swings and don’t rely on the racquet for power.

Open string patterns deform more impact, storing energy that is then released back to the ball, giving slightly more speed. Very wide spacing, combined with poly strings, can give great spin potential, but you can also end up with unpredictable flight paths when the ball is hit off center. Open string patterns also accelerate string wear, so big hitters should be prepared to use a durable thick string, or risk making an enemy of their bank manager.

Stiffness

All things being equal, stiff frames produce more power than flexible frames, although they’re also more efficient at transmitting impact force to the wrist and arm, so tennis elbow sufferers beware! Flexible frames deform on impact, absorbing energy and giving a softer, more controlled feel. Don’t fall for the old myth about flexible frames bending, storing energy, then releasing it all back to the ball – the catapult effect. In reality they don’t snap back anywhere near fast enough – you can’t argue with physics. Stiffness is measured on the RA scale:

Stiff	70 and above
Medium	65 to 69
Flexible	Below 64

Many advanced players like a lower power racquet that’s orientated towards feel and control, while intermediates might benefit from a little more power. The modern power and spin game is starting to favor slightly stiffer frames with low power, control orientated poly strings – think Nadal. This setup is great for aggressive hitters, but can cause problems if you have tennis elbow, or a slightly goofy stroke.

Beam Width

A hot topic among tennis geeks, the cross profile thickness of the racquet along its length affects the stiffness and precise pattern of flex for a frame. It can be varied to enhance things such as spin potential, but really the flex rating of the frame is the most important thing to note.

Length

The standard length is 26 inches, and the maximum allowed in match-play is 29. All things being equal, a longer racquet will give a little more power, a higher swing-weight and a slight loss of maneuverability. If you have several racquets, be wary of having one that’s a different length, unless you enjoy the challenges that only frustration can bring.

Grip Size

This is an easy one to get right…. in theory. Grips sizes are measured by the circumference of the grip, and range from 4.0 inches up to 4 5/8 inches. You just measure your hand, look up on the chart, and you’re done. Except that all the pictures on the internet relating to measuring your hand have the ruler starting in a slightly different place. An alternative method is to grip the racquet and measure the distance between your fingers and thumb – the index finger of your other hand should fit in the gap. That assumes we all have fingers of identical thickness… students of the hand know this not to be the case.

Another approach that might be more useful is to grip your current racquet very gently and see what happens. If you have to clamp down to stop the racquet twisting, then it may be too small, if you can’t quite relax your hand, it might be too large. The important bit here is to be able to hold your racquet gently, but still have control. Why? In order to get big power, you need a relaxed wrist to allow the racquet to snap around on impact – especially on serve. Tense up your hand, and your wrist will become less flexible, power will drop and you’ll open yourself up to all sorts of nasty wrist and elbow problems.

US (inches)	Euro	MM
4	0	102	Junior
4 1/8	1	105	small
4 1/4	2	108
4 3/8	3	111	medium
4 1/2	4	114
4 5/8	5	118	Large

It goes without saying that you’re better off with a grip that’s too small rather than too large. An overgrip adds about 1/16 inch, and a heat shrink sleeve adds about 1/8 inch. As a gentle grip is so essential to playing well, replace grips before they become worn. If you still need persuading of the importance of a gentle grip, search for a slow-motion video of a shot and watch the way the racquet vibrates and flexes, even in the hands of a pro… trust me, you don’t want all that vibration energy making its way through your wrist and up your arm. A gentle grip will provide a much-needed degree of insulation.

Different Versions of the Same Racquet – Which to Choose?

To add an element of confusion to the buying process, a racquet will often come in several versions, all aimed at a slightly different player profile and accompanied by enticing words like ‘Pro’ and ‘Tour’. Head sizes can vary from 98 square inches for the advanced version to 100+ square inches for more forgiving versions. String patterns options often include a dense control option (often an 18/20) and more open patterns for increased spin. Frames can come in a lightweight version (sometimes called a ‘team’ version), as well as a long version. Some manufacturers produce a tour version of a racquet – usually a little heavier and sometimes with a smaller headsize. The only way to cut through the confusion and hype is to examine the stats – the numbers don’t lie!

Don’t Ignore Older Models.. and Time That Purchase

Manufacturers are constantly bringing out new versions of old classics, but its usually a case of slow evolution rather than revolution. As a new model enters the marketplace, decked out in a new seductive paint-job, the previous generation starts selling at a steep discount, and can make an excellent buy. Prices also vary throughout the year, so keep your eye out for end of season deals. If you’re new to the sport or improving rapidly, don’t throw too much money at a racquet – you’ll probably want to upgrade to a more advanced frame pretty quickly.

Time to Head to the Courts

Put it all together, and you’re qualified to hunt down a few racquets to demo. It can be useful to select a couple of racquets that seem perfect on paper, then one other with completely different characteristics to act as a contrast. Take some time to hit lots of balls with each test racquet, including serves and a few volleys. Often a club pro who knows your game can be an excellent source of advice and insights, and always check out what similar players like and why.

Here are some examples of popular racquets grouped into player categories. Trying to neatly categorize tennis gear is a perilous task, but it provides a reasonable starting point, and beats choosing a racquet based on a pretty paint job alone…

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Beginner Racquets

Intermediate Racquets

Advanced Racquets