How to Select the Right Racquet
Kids
Age 2-3: 17” racquet
Age 2-4: 19” racquet
Age 4-6: 21” racquet
Age 6-8: 23” racquet
Age 8-10: 25” racquet
Age 9-11: 26” racquet
FYI standard adult racquets are 27”
“If your child is significantly bigger or smaller than most of their friends, they might be more comfortable using the next size up or down.
If you're unsure whether a racquet is the right size, ask your child to grip it with their arm by their side and the head of the racquet pointing towards the ground. If the racquet is brushing the floor, it's probably the right size. But if the racquet's bumping against the ground, it's almost certainly too big, and if the racquet is some distance from the floor, it’s likely to be too small.” Head.com
Learning Balls
Red Balls
-“significantly slower and easier to hit than regular tennis balls
-10 and under on 36’ courts
-19”-23” racquets”
-Wilson.com
Orange Balls
-“slower and easier to hit than regular tennis balls
-10 and under on 60’ courts
-23”-25” racquets”
-Wilson.com
Green Balls
-“slightly slower and easier to hit than regular tennis balls
-developing juniors and beginner adults on full size courts
-25”-27” racquets”
-Wilson.com
Adults
Tennis racquet construction
- Larger Headsize = More Power; Smaller Headsize = More Control
- Lighter Racket = More Power; Heavier Racket = More Control
- Open Stringbed = More Power; Denser Stringbed = More Control
Tennis racquet head sizes
-oversize (105” or larger)
-midplus (98” to 104”)
-midsize (85” to 97”)
Tennis racquet weights
-light (9-9.7oz/255-275g)
-medium (9.8-11oz/275-310g)
-heavy (11oz/310g or heavier)
Tennis racquet grip sizes
“Racket grip sizes are measured 0 through 5, or in the US, 4(0) – 4 5/8. Most adult women find success with a 4 ¼ (grip size 2), while men typically gravitate towards 4 3/8 (grip size 3).However, recent trends have seen players using smaller grip sizes to generate more spin. If you’re unsure about what grip size is best for you, it’s always best to go with a smaller handle because you can use overgrip to build up the thickness of the handle. The main rule with grip size is that you want a handle big enough so that there is some space between the tips of your fingers and your hand (like the image on the left). If your fingers go all the way around the handle and run back into your hand (like the image on the right), you need a larger grip size.” Wilson.com
Beginners
“Players first learning the game of tennis should start with a light racket featuring a larger head size, often called an “oversize” racket. This will help them make contact with the ball consistently while learning to rally without wearing out their arm as their muscles get used to the game.”
-oversize head size
-lighter racquet
Intermediate
“Intermediate players can start to reduce their head size and add a little more weight to their racket as their tennis muscles develop and they learn to generate more pace on their own. Doing these two things will allow them to keep their new-found power under control.”
-oversize or midplus head size
-medium weight
Advanced
“Advanced players should be using “mid-size” rackets that allow them to play with control, feel and precision. These three benefits will provide a more connected-to-the-ball feel, allowing players to play more confidently as they go for their shots.”
-midplus to midsize head size
-medium to heavy weight