Despite the proliferation of individual models, magazines, retailers and experts agree about the basic features to shoot for in a tennis racket. Most of these guidelines were created by the United States Racquet Stringers Association. They include:

  • Head size. The bigger the hitting area, the more power the racquet provides. The smaller the hitting area, the more control you have.
  • Weight. The trend is toward lighter racquets made with space-age materials like titanium, graphite and carbon, as well as combinations of these and other metals. Better players, including pros, often prefer heavier racquets because they like the increased control and power.
  • Length. Less advanced players tend to go for longer racquets, since they compensate somewhat for slower foot speed and give better leverage to slower swings.
  • Grip. As The Tennis Company says, "When gripping your racquet, there should be a space between your finger tips and your palm. The correct amount of space is measured by laying the index finger of your off hand in this space. If it fits snugly, it is the correct size grip. If there is extra room, then the grip size is too big."
  • Try before you commit. Manufacturers and experts encourage you to "demo" several tennis rackets that seem to fit your level and style of play.

Buying tennis rackets is like buying a pair of shoes. You want them well-constructed, you want them designed for specific tasks, you want them at a good price, and it helps if they look cool, too. They can be all that, but if they don't fit you, you can hurt yourself. That's why major retailers of high-quality tennis rackets, even those that sell online, will let you demo three or four models at a time to see which one works best for you. And after you find one that works, there are all kinds of tweaks that can be done to get an even better fit, even if it's just a little lead tape to alter the balance.

Stringing is a whole other specialty. You can buy rackets prestrung, but on better rackets, you can have the stringing customized. There are more than 1,000 kinds of string including natural gut, synthetics and hybrids, and you can even string with a combination of these to achieve the desired effect. You can go to a stringing specialist, or you can take lessons so you can string your own rackets. For more information, there are a couple excellent links in our Best Research section.

Most good rackets can be purchased in various grip sizes, and within reason a pro shop can do minor alterations to get a better fit. There is some disagreement recently over how crucial perfect fit on the grip may be. Experts long believed that the wrong size grip could lead to injury; however, a December 2006 report in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, based on studying 16 college players, said improper form may be a more frequent case of tennis elbow than the wrong size grip. The study does say that recreational players ought to use the usual grip standards as a starting point, however, and then adjust if it feels uncomfortable. Note that some reviewers think ultra-light tennis rackets, despite vibration-dampening devices you can insert at the base of the strings, can contribute to tendonitis.

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