Tennis rackets: how to pick a tennis racket

Make the correct choice

• Choosing the right tennis racket for you can be an overwhelming and daunting task. That is why TennisPlanet UK has set up a simple system to help you making picking the right tennis racket for you much more straightforward: Racket Navigator.
• Racket Navigator is easy to use. Select the options you would like and click  'show the selected rackets'. This will allow you to see all the rackets that meet your specification.

The most important qualities

When selecting the tennis racket that best suits your demands, there are six major aspects that you should take into account before making your final purchase.

• Type of swing
• Head size
  
• Frame length
  
• Profile height
  
• Weight
  
• Balance point
  

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Type of swing

• The type of swing is all about how agile, flexible and mobile the tennis racket is.
• A tennis racket with good agility is useful in all rally situations. However, it comes to the fore most when you're serving and playing at the net.
• The weight and balance point of a tennis racket have a pronounced bearing on the agility.
• A tennis racket with maximum agility is light in weight, short in height and has a high balance point.

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There are three types of swing:

1. Long swing - a lot of control in the tennis racket but with less power and acceleration.
2. Average swing - an all round swing that caters for control and acceleration.
3. Short swing - more acceleration but considerably less control.

 Head size

• The head size of a tennis racket is the surface area of the strings. It can be measured in either cm² or in inch², and 1 inch² = 6.45 cm².
• Usually, the power or striking strength of a tennis racket is in proportion with the head size: the bigger the head size, the more power a tennis racket generates, but the less ball control you have.

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There are four different types of tennis racket head sizes:

1. Midsize: Small head size: Maximum of 97 inch² or 625 cm²
2. Mid plus (MP): Standard head size: 97– 105 inch² or 626 - 677 cm²
3. Oversize (OS): Large head size: 106 – 115 inch² or 678 – 742 cm²
4. Super oversize: Extra large head size: Minimum of 116 inch² or 742 cm²

Frame length

• The frame length is the length of an entire tennis racket .
• The standard length of most tennis rackets lie between 68.5 and 69 centimeters.
• A longer tennis racket, is also called a Longbody or Stretch racket.
• The advantage of a longer tennis racket is a bigger reach and more power, especially when serving. However, the agility and amount of control diminishes with a greater length.

The classifications of frame length are as follows:

1. 68.0 – 69.0 cm : tandard
2. > 69.0 cm: long body

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Profile height

• The profile height is the height or thickness of the tennis frame and is expressed in millimeters.
• The thickness of a tennis racket influences the "striking power" of a racket.
• The rule 'the thinner a tennis racket, the more flexible, the more striking power and the more comfort, but the less control' does not stand anymore.
• You also have to take into account the materials with which the tennis racket has been fabricated.
• You can assume nowadays that a thin tennis racket, meaning a tennis racket with a low profile height, is usually a heavier tennis racket which gives you a lot of ball control, but less power or striking strength.
• A tennis racket with a high profile height is usually a light racket with less ball control, but with a lot of striking power.

Overview

1. 17.0 – 20.9 mm - tennis racket with a lot of control
2. 21.0 – 22.9 mm - tennis racket with average control
3. 23.0 – 24.9 mm – all round tennis racket
4. 25.0 – 26.9 mm – all round tennis racket
5. 27.0 – 28.9 mm - tennis racket with average power
6. > 29.0 cm - tennis racket with a lot of power

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Weight

• The weight of a tennis racket is expressed in grams. Normally the heavier a tennis racket, the more ball control. If the racket is lighter you can put more power into your shots.

Weight overview

1. < 320 grams - very heavy tennis racket
2. 300 – 319 grams - heavy tennis racket
3. 280 – 299 grams - standard weight tennis racket
4. 260 – 279 grams - reasonably light tennis racket
5. 240 – 259 grams - light tennis racket
6. 220 – 239 grams - very light tennis racket
7. > 220 grams - ultra light tennis racket

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 Balance point

• The balance point of a tennis racket is the point where the tennis racket is equally balanced between the head and the handle.
• The average length of a tennis racket around 68 cm, which means that a tennis racket with a balance point of  33 to 34 cm is a perfectly balanced racket.
• When the balance point is less than 33 cm, meaning there is more weight in the handle, the racket is considered "handle heavy" or "handle weight."
• With a balance point of more than 34 cm,with more weight in the head, the racet is "head heavy" or "top weight"

 Head heavy or top weight rackets

• The advantage of this type of tennis racket is that it generates more power and strinking strength.
• The main disadvantage is that there is sometimes reduced ball control for the less experienced player.

Handle heavy or handle weight rackets

• A tennis racket with more weight in the handle offers more ball control and is designed for competitive tennis players who have enough striking strength to generate their own power..

This gives the following over view:

1. 29.0 – 30.9 cm - clear handle weight tennis racket
2. 31.0 – 32.9 cm - handle weight tennis racket
3. 33.0 – 34.9 cm – all round tennis racket
4. 35.0 – 36.9 cm - top weight tennis racket
5. < 37 cm - clear top weight tennis racket

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Please also read the following:
Racket navigator
Free gift for you
How to pick a junior tennis racket?
Correct grip size of a tennis racket
Correct tennis string for your tennis racket?
How to change the grip of your tennis racket?
How to string your tennis racket yourself? 
Brand TYGER
Tennis racket sponsor