HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT RACQUET These are not hard and fast rules for buying a tennis racquet as much as they are general guidelines. Like buying a car or a smart phone, sometimes you start shopping and you look at one thing, only to end up buying something completely different. We’ll take a look at the main categories that differentiate one racquet from the next and analyze various pros and cons. LENGTH THROAT
GRIP HEAD
HEAD SIZE At one point in time, racquet head sizes ranged from about 85 square inches all the way to 135 MID MIDPLUS OVERSIZE square inches. These days, the vast majority of racquets are in the 97 to 105-square-inch range. Larger Head size = Greater Power and More Experts have different theories as to why this Stability. Smaller Head size = Smaller Sweet Spot and has happened, but we believe it is because the More Nimble. average player is looking for the best balance of forgiveness, maneuverability, and stability. Provided your swing speed is the same with both, a larger racquet head will produce more power than a smaller racquet head. For example a 95’’ racquet head will produce much less pop than a 110’’. 85-94
95-105
106 - 118
STRING PATTERN This refers to the number of main (up and down) strings and the number of cross (side to side) strings. The most common patterns are 16×18, 16×19, 16×20, and 18×20. You will hear debates about “dense pattern” versus “open pattern” racquets. Dense refers to very small spaces between the strings, while an open pattern has more separation between the strings. A good way to remember is More strings (dense pattern) = More control. Less strings (open pattern) = More power and spin. 24
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Open Pattern
Dense Pattern
16x19 (or less)
18x20
• More power • More spin • Slightly less durability
• More control • Added durability • Less trampoline effect
