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Grip size
There are five grip sizes availables, 4 1/8, 4 ¼, 4 3/8, 4 ½ and 4 5/8. Also, some adult racquets can be availables in the grip size zero which is considered as a junior grip size.
Important: having a grip size too small for you could cause injuries such as tennis elbow. On the other way, a too big grip size will makes the racket less maneuverable.
Ideally, there should be between 5-10mm between the base of the thumb and the ring finger while holding a racket. To verify this, hold the racket as if you were shaking someone's hand, firmly but not too tightly. Hold the grip naturally and verify if the measurement applies for you.
Top Weight
How to choose the good weight for you depends more of your game level and your physical abilities.
Assuming that all tennis racquets tested are the same:
The lighter racket will be more maneuverable and easy to swing with, but the heavier racket will have more power. A heavier frame will be more resistant from twisting on ball impact and will have less vibrations also.
Ideally, lighter and head heavy racquets are better for the slower game as they deliver more power.
Heavier even balanced or headlight racquets are better for advanced players to have a faster game without injuries and to have more control.
A beginner should use a lighter frame because a too heavy racket could be hard to play with and could give shoulder problem with the time.
Top Stiffness
Stiffness of a raquet varies between 55 to 80. There are five categories"
*Please note that the measurements made for the site where done on non-strung racquets. The stiffness between a strung racquet and one that hasn’t been strung varies.
55-59 Soft
60-64 Semi-stiff
65-69 Stiff
70-74 Very stiff
75-79 Ultra stiff
Whenever you hit a ball the racquet will bend or flex. How much the racquet bends depends on how stiff it is. The most important thing you need to know about stiffness is that the stiffer the racquet, the more energy is returned to the ball. The ball is only on your racquet's strings for a very short time so any flex in the racquet is wasted energy and that translates into less power. Stiffer racquets generate more power and they also have a larger sweet spot.
A stiff racquet should have a good anti-vibration system at the frame level so that is absorbs the shocks. A soft racquet could cause damages to the arm and shoulder of someone who does not play with great acceleration speed at the moment of hitting the ball.
Top String
Tension of the strings goes from 18 kg or 40 pounds to 35 kg or 77 pounds.
NATURAL GUT :
Natural gut strings are made of cows' gut.
ADVANTAGE:
Superb elasticity, incredible playability, great power, good spin, comfort, tension stability and sensation.
DISAVANTAGE:
The natural gut is more expensive and is easy to break.
NYLON :
The most popular used string type. Nylon strings are among the most reasonable tennis strings and are normally made of a single nylon core and various resistant wraps. They are basic strings.
ADVANTAGE:
The average strings. Not expensive..
DISAVANTAGE:
Less comfortable than the natural gut and multifilament. It can quickly loose its tension and playability.
POLYESTER :
Polyester strings is consisted of a single polyester fiber with a thin coating. This type of construction is termed "monofilament". Polyester strings are little elastic and feel quite stiff compared to nylon or multifilament strings, but on the other hand they provide significantly better durability and control.
ADVANTAGE:
Great durability, control, great spin.
DISAVENTAGE:
Less comfort and sensation than the natural gut or multifilament.
MULTIFILAMENTS:
To bring synthetic strings' playability more similar to the natural gut, many microfibers (which can be of many different materials) are twisted together to a string, which is wrapped with a resisant cover.
ADVANTAGE:
Higher elasticity and great playability. Less expensive than the natural gut.
DISAVANTAGE: multifilament strings tend to break soon once the outer wrap is damaged.
Top Head size
Refers to size of strung area of a racquet and usually measured in square inches. A larger head size provides more power, spin and a larger sweetspot, while a smaller headsize gives you more control and feel.
Top Game level
1.5
You have limited experience and are working primarily on getting the ball in play.
2.0
You lack court experience and your strokes need developing. You are familiar with the basic positions for singles and doubles play.
2.5
You are learning to judge where the ball is going, although your court coverage is limited. You can sustain a short rally of slow pace with other players of the same ability.
3.0
You are fairly consistent when hitting medium-paced shots, but are not comfortable with all strokes and lack execution when trying for directional control, depth, or power. Your most common doubles formation is one-up, one-back.
3.5
You have achieved improved stroke dependability with directional control on moderate shots, but need to develop depth and variety. You exhibit more aggressive net play, have improved court coverage and are developing teamwork in doubles.
4.0
You have dependable strokes, including directional control and depth on both forehand and backhand sides on moderate-paced shots. You can use lobs, overheads, approach shots and volleys with some success and occasionally force errors when serving. Rallies may be lost due to impatience. Teamwork in doubles is evident.
4.5
You have developed your use of power and spin and can handle pace. You have sound footwork, can control depth of shots, and attempt to vary game plan according to your opponents. You can hit first serves with power and accuracy and place the second serve. You tend to overhit on difficult shots. Aggressive net play is common in doubles.
5.0
You have good shot anticipation and frequently have an outstanding shot or attribute around which a game may be structured. You can regularly hit winners or force errors off of short balls and can put away volleys. You can successfully execute lobs, drop shots, half volleys, overhead smashes, and have good depth and spin on most second serves.
5.5
You have mastered power and/or consistency as a major weapon. You can vary strategies and styles of play in a competitive situation and hit dependable shots in a stress situation.
6.0 to 7.0
You have had intensive training for national tournament competition at the junior and collegiate levels and have obtained a sectional and/or national ranking.
Top Lenght
A longer frame gives more power and reach but will also decrease the maneuverability of the racquet.
27Inches is the standard length of a tennis racquet. Anything shorter is referred as a junior racquet and anything longer is referred as a longbody.
Top Weight distribution
Weight distribution varies between 250 to 350. There are seven classifications for weight distribution.
260 - Hyper light head
261-280 Very light head
281-295 Light head
296-310 Even
311-324 Heavy head
325-349 Very heavy head
350 + Hyper heavy head
Measure of how heavy a racquet feels when swung (maneuverability). The swingweight is dependent on several factors, including racquet weight, length, balance, head size. A heavy swingweight racquet is more powerful and will have more stability than a light swingweight racquet but will be less maneuverable. Also, a heavy swingweight racquet can be relatively light in overall weight by placing the majority of weight in the head.
However, a too heavy racquet in the head can give shoulder problem if you do not have the ability to play with a head heavy frame.
Top Type of racquet
1. Power.
Those racquets usually come with oversize or super oversize heads (105-135 square inches), are extremely light in weight (8-10 ounces), wider in their profile (26mm-30mm+ viewing the racquet's width from the side), longer than the standard 27 inches, and are usually balanced more on the head heavy side, placing more of the weight in the area of ball impact. These racquets are also pretty stiff and when you combine all of these characteristics, they serve to compliment a player with a slower more compact swing.
2. Control Racquets
This racquet is also sometimes referred to as a player's racquet because it's designed for the more advanced hitter. They have a narrow profile (17mm-22mm), smaller head size (85 sq in to 100 sq in), are much heavier (11 oz & up), and are more evenly balanced in weight, allowing for more manoeuvrability at the net due to the lighter head weight. Players who use these racquets aren't looking for the racquet to produce power. Their playing ability allows them to generate all the power they will ever need in any given situation. This player is looking to maximize control in their game.
3. In-Between Racquet
Sometimes referred to as allround racquet, these models offer a nice mix of characteristics between the other two categories mentioned. They can be as light as 9 ounces and as heavy as 10.5 ounces, balanced anywhere along the spectrum, can have any head size the player prefers, and can be a standard 27 inches long or longer. In short, these racquets are not specific to one particular player as is the case with the game improvement or control models. Players using this racquet are not beginners and are usually not extremely advanced in their play either. They fall somewhere in between. Intermediate to advanced players will find this category fits their profile more often than not.
4. Adult Pre-strung
These are generally considered price point racquets that are great for any beginner looking for an introduction to the game of tennis. Pre-strung models are very inexpensive, with price ranges as low as $49.99 up to $119.99.les
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