Home :: Rackets

An Amazing Array of Racket Options Faces Today's Tennis Player. How Do You Choose?

Tennis rackets (or racquets) have come a long way. Today's players enjoy choices--in materials, weight, size, etc.--that players a generation ago could not have imagined.

Then there are the brands: Wilson, Head, Prince, Dunlop, Yonex, Fischer, Babolat--to mention a few of the better known.

If you're just starting out, or even if you've played years, you could be confused not only by the incredible array of rackets on the market, but also by contradictory advice on how to select one.

This article attempts to cut through the fog and hype around buying a tennis racket. It presents specific guidelines for selecting one that is right for you, not for the fellow or gal the next court over.

A 'Rule' to Dump

First let's clear up a myth. Many people have the idea that they should go for an extremely light racket with the biggest head possible.

Aside from the fact that you may pay a premium to get super-lightness and a big (or heavy) head in the same product, this is a "rule" you can ignore. Otherwise it could cost : in poorer game skill and in increased risk of physical injury (this type of tennis racket is hard on elbows and shoulders.)

For a few players, buying light and "head heavy" may be the way to go. But for most of us, this should not be our goal.

Here, then, are basic guidelines for selecting a racket. If you honestly assess your skill level, and know your tennis goal (whether it's to turn pro one day or just to play an occasional friendly game), then these guidelines will help you avoid a mistake. They will also give you confidence if you decide to take advantage of the racket discounts available online.

Guideline #1: Choose A Racket for Your Skill Level

1. If you're a beginner, or you haven't played in 20 years, or you play only a half-dozen times a year, then you probably need a "game improvement" or "power" racket . Most players in this category have relatively short and/or slow swings, so their rackets must deliver some of the power they currently lack.

Power rackets have large heads, but heavier weight. Frames tend to be stiff: stiffer rackets bend less, taking less energy from the ball when it contacts the strings.

A stiffer racket also has a larger sweetspot, which helps with control (something you don't want to relinquish altogether as you seek more power!).

2. If you're an experienced player, or one for whom powerful swings come naturally, then you should look for a "control" racket. Players in your category are more concerned with improving the backhand, putting a good spin on the ball, and gaining skill to put the ball exactly where you want it, than with simple power.

Control rackets have smaller sized heads, often (though not always) a lighter weight, a narrow frame, and more flexibility.

That last factor is important if your normal swing is so forceful that your balls often go long; by absorbing more of the ball's energy, a flexible racket may damp your power enough to significantly reduce your foul percentage.

3. If your skills are somewhere in the middle, choose a racket for power or control depending on which area of your game needs more development. Or, seek a balanced racket--one that strikes a happy medium between power and control features (you may see these called "between" "in-between," or "tweener" rackets).

These intermediate-level tennis rackets range from slightly head-heavy to slightly head-light, with head size somewhere in the medium range. They tend to be on the light side overall, though.

If your current skill level is balanced--with power and control about equally developed--something in this category could be a good compromise.

Guideline #2: Stick with A Standard-Length Racket, Except ...

The standard length for a tennis racket is 27 inches. You can get longer ones, up to 29 inches, the legal tournament limit.

The majority of players will do fine to stick close to the standard 27 inches.

On the other hand, if your swing is weak and nothing else has helped, you could experiment with something longer. More length will add power and reach to your swings. Drawbacks? Longer tennis rackets can cause more harm to your wrist and arm than shorter ones. They are also harder to control.

Experts debate the value (or detriment) of greater length, but our advice is to stay close to 27 inches unless and until you determine you need the reach and power that a longer racket can confer.

You can also find shorter rackets in lengths down to about 23 inches, which may be more suitable for children.

Guideline #3: Get the Handle Size Right!

Beginners (and some experienced players) often give little thought to handle circumference, but a mismatch with the size of your hand can wreck your game as surely as the wrong headsize or racket weight will.

If you want more control, a larger handle size is one way to get it. Some players prefer a smaller size, especially if they tend to be power servers.

Our advice? Use the following as a rough guide to handle size (also referred to as grip size). Later, if you decide you want something larger, you can add an overgrip or moleskin to the handle.

• Children: 4-1/8 to 4-3/8 inches
• Women: 4-3/8 to 4-1/2 inches
• Men: 4-1/2 inches to 4-7/8 inches

To help you settle on the final grip size, you should also ask yourself whether your hand is small, average, or large for your sex (or age, in the case of a child).

Fun Box: One of the most amazing "American" success stories is that of French-based racquet maker Babolat. Read how they became the third best selling racquet company in the U.S. a mere four years after entering the American market.

Guideline #4: Don't Sweat the Other Stuff

Other considerations in choosing a tennis racket, like string size and pattern, may be important at some levels of play, but for most of us they are not worth worrying about much.

If you follow our first three guidelines you will not likely go wrong as you make your way through today's forest of choices.

Of course, budget is a consideration for most of us. Happily, the Web ffers the means to comparison shop on the basis of price as well as features.

Finally, make sure you deal with those online merchants who have established a reputation for reasonable prices, good product selection, and responsive customer service.

Tennis Rackets - Recommended Merchants

Paragon Sports
One of the best choices for tennis rackets online, on sale, and with free shipping. Also, they have the revolutionary Liquidmetal rackets.

Buy.com
Rapidly becoming one of the great bargain spots on the Web for tennis gear ... and thousands of other things.

Amazon.com Tennis Shop
Not just for book lovers anymore, Amazon now offers a great selection of tennis rackets and  other game accessories and attire.