How to choose your new tennis racquet

A tennis player is quite possibly only as good as his/her racket, although some would argue the best players in the world could easily win a round with a wooden spoon. Be that as it may, the choice of a racquet is just as important as anything else when playing a game of tennis and the best always go for the best.

Buying a new tennis racquet could be a difficult task, especially if you’re new to the game or haven’t been around it for a while. You don’t want to spend money on a piece of equipment that isn’t right for you – we’ll assume that much.

There are a number of things to consider when shopping for or picking out a new tennis racquet and this list should put you in the right frame of mind. Below are several factors begging consideration.

Your Size and Strength

The best tennis racquet for you will depend on the size of your body and the strength you wield, though the latter could be a bit tricky to judge. If you’re naturally strong, you’d probably be better off choosing a racket that allows you more control as opposed to power.

If you’re after power, a racquet with a wider frame would likely give you just that. The frame is the part of the racket between the handle and the head. It’s also referred to as the throat.

The pros typically avoid wider frame racquets as they’re generally strong enough to power shots at ease.

Your height would also come into play as taller individuals have longer arms, which usually make for a longer and more powerful swing.

Swing Type

Swing types normally fall under fast, slow, or average. A coach or experienced player could help you with finding the type of swing you boast. If you have a fast swing, you’d obviously have a more powerful swing than someone with a slower swing. In that case, you’d want a less powerful racket offering more control – a narrowly framed racket’s the one for you.

Playing Style

This one is pretty basic. Your new racquet should be picked out based on your style of play. If you’re an aggressive player, you’d probably want to go for a powerful, wide-frame racket to give you as much velocity on your shot as possible. If perhaps you’re defensively inclined, you’d want to use the pace the opponent sets with his strike. A less powerful racket would be best in such a case.

Grip Size

Not all grips are created equal and you’d have to measure your grip before purchasing a racket. The best way to do so is to measure the length between the tip of your ring finger and the second line on your palm. The length (in millimeters) corresponds to the girth of the racket handle. If there’s any doubt, go smaller than what you need, not bigger.

So onto the racquet measurements…

Head Size

Head sizes range from 93-135 square inches. Bigger heads offer more power, as well as a wider “sweet spot” which aids the ability to land a better hit. Smaller heads present the user with more control and are typically for players who are confident they can hit the ball cleanly. Roger Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam winner, changed from smaller to larger late in his career as he wanted more power from his backhand.

Federer will be a noticeable absentee when the Australian Open rolls around next month but the tournament should make for an exciting event.

Racquet lengths range from 27-29 inches but most of them are closer to 27. Longer racquets are normally lighter and produce more reach and power on a serve. However, they are harder to control.

Weight

The weight of a tennis racquet obviously has a lot to do with one’s swing. A heavier racquet, while more powerful, can quickly tire a player out so it’s worth asking for something you know you will be able to handle.

Balance

This one is pretty subjective and mostly comes down to personal choice. Have a few swings with the racquets you’re choosing from and see what you prefer. You might rather them heavier in the head or the body (throat and handle). Rackets heavier in the head are generally lighter and present more power on groundstrokes while body-heavy ones are heavier but offer more control.

Stiffness

Racquets with stiffer frames lose less energy on hits but there’s a bigger shock to your arm once you land your strike.

 Other things to note:

We’d advise purchasing a new tennis racquet without the strings already on as many strung racquets come with cheap and inferior strings that are sometimes poorly put together by the manufacturer.

Buy in pairs. If you find the perfect racquet and can afford it, buy two. You can’t rely on someone else for a racquet if your strings snap in the middle of a tourney.

Also, if you’re racquet shopping and have none of the following: strings, shoes, racquet bag, balls, overgrips. Get them too, if you can of course.

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