Choosing a Tennis Racquet

Generally introduction
The parts of a tennis racket are the head, rim, face, neck, and handle.
Modern tennis racquets vary in length, weight, and head size. 21" to 26" is normally a junior's length, while 27" or 27.5" are for stronger and taller adult players. Weights of a racquet also vary between 8 ounces unstrung and 12.5 ounces unstrung. Head size also plays a role in a racquet's qualities. A larger head size generally means more power, and a larger "sweet spot" that is more forgiving on off-center hits. A smaller head size offers more precise control. Head sizes of recent racquets vary between 88 sq. inches and 137 sq. inches as the Pro Staff 6.0 (85 sq. inches) went out of production last year.

Choosing a tennis racquet
Choosing the right racquet will often boost a player's game. There are plenty of racquets to choose from; however, choosing the right one for a player's game is the key. There are several guidelines such as weight, balance, length,grip size, head size, flex and string patterns to take into considerations before making the investment.

 

Weight
Nowadays, most manufacturers offer sub 10 ounces racquets. Heavier racquets are less maneuverable but more powerful and more stable than the lighter counter part. Lighter racquets generally are best suited for beginner and intermediate players because of their maneuverability. More accomplished players tend to prefer heavier racquets. When examining the weight of the racquet, it is also important to understand the weight balance.

 

Balance
Racquets with the same weight could have different balance. A racquet with more weight distributed on the head rather than the handle is called a head heavy racquet, and the opposite is called a head light racquet. Head heavy racquets give players more power but lack maneuverability because of weight distribution. On the other hand, head light racquets provide more control and maneuverability. Most accomplished players tend to choose head light racquets.

 

Racquet length
The standard length of a tennis racquet is 27 inches. However, in recent years, manufacturers introduced extra long or stretch racquets which ranges from 27.5 to 29 inches long. These racquets, called extended length racquets, can give players more power and slightly extra reach. Usually, the extra long racquet is lighter in weight compared to its standard length counterpart to keep it maneuverable.

 

Grip size
Choosing the right size of grip is essential. The grip size is measured as the length of the perimeter of the octagonal cross-section of the handle. Grip sizes 3⅞ and 4 are for juniors where 4¼, 4⅜, 4½, and 4⅝ are for adults. The average size for female is 4¼, while the average size for male is 4⅜.
A method for determining the right grip size is to hold the racquet where the palm is on the same level as the string face. It should be possible to comfortably fit the index finger of your non-racquet hand into the space created between the ring finger and the palm that is holding the racquet. If there is not enough space for the index finger, then the grip is too small. If there is too much space then the grip is too big. If one is in between two grip sizes, the advice is to pick the smaller one.
It is always possible to make the grip bigger by adding an overgrip which will increase the size by 1/16 or half a grip size.

 

Head size
Head size is the measure of the hitting area. A midsize racquet has a hitting area of 85–95 square inches, mid-plus 95–105 square inches, and oversize greater than 105 square inches.
Bigger head size racquet offer more power and spin; however, they lack maneuverability and stability. Smaller head size racquet offer more control and less power.
In general, more accomplished players tend to use mid-size and mid-plus racquet because they can generate more power on their own and need a racquet that they can control their power with. Larger racquets usually appeal more to beginner and intermediate players who are looking for more power and larger sweet spot..

Flex
The flex or stiffness of a tennis racquet is the racquet’s resistance to bending or deforming upon impact with the ball.
A stiffer racquet bends less, thus depleting less energy from the ball and offers more power.
A flexible racquet bends more, resulting in more energy loss and less power, but more control of the ball.
Players with short swing would want to have stiffer racquets since it will give the most power.
A much less stiff racquet give less power and would suit players with longer swing who can generate their own power.
Stiff racquets also offer solid feel while less stiff racquets have a softer feel. One thing to keep in mind is the highly stiff racquets tend to give players tennis elbow.

 

String pattern
String pattern is measured by how many strings go up and down (called mains) and how many strings go side to side (crosses) when the racquet is fully strung.

Editor: Yvonne Huang