Types of tennis racquets

By Catalogs Editorial Staff

Find out which tennis racquet is perfect for you.

While there are many popular tennis racquet manufacturers, including famous world-famous names like Wilson, Prince, Head, Dunlop, Adidas, Slazenger, Volkl and Babolat, there is more than a brand to consider when purchasing a tennis racquet. Length, head size, sweet spots and grip are all important differences between the types of tennis racquets you’ll have to choose from.

Beginners

Players learning the sport should equip themselves with a racquet in the power tennis racquet department. These racquets are stiff and are designed for people with short swings who require help with the strength of their swing. They typically measure between 27 and 29 inches long, weigh 8 to 9.5 ounces and have an oversized head of at least 100 square inches. Oversized heads have larger sweet spots and generate power so the player can trust the racquet to deliver the strength to their swing while they focus on their technique. These racquets are generally available pre-strung by the manufacturer.

Intermediate or Power Players

Experienced players usually prefer more flexible control tennis racquets. These are also called players racquets and have an 80 to 105-inch midsize or midplus head. They usually weigh between 11.5 and 13 ounces. The heavier weight in the handle absorbs more shock than lighter weight tennis racquets, which is good for a player who packs a lot of power into his or her swing.

Types of Tennis Racquets

Super-oversize tennis racquet heads: Have 116 to 135-inch heads and are more forgiving than other racquet heads. Caution: these may provide more power than most players require.

Oversize tennis racquet heads: Have heads that measure between 100 and 115 inches. These racquets have large sweet spots, which help beginners hit the ball.

Mid-plus tennis racquet heads: These are sometimes called mid-over tennis racquets and have heads ranging from 95 to 105 inches. This is a good racquet for players looking for control coupled with power.

Midsize tennis racquet heads: These have heads ranging from 80 to 93 inches and have smaller sweet spots than midplus and oversize racquets. Intermediate to advanced players should opt for these types of tennis racquets because although they require more precision, they also provide more control.

Standard tennis racquet heads: These are tennis racquets that have heads smaller than 80 inches (typically 66 inches) and fall into the vintage tennis racquets category.~

Sizes

Youth-sized tennis racquets are between 21 and 26 inches long.

Standard-sized racquets are usually 27 inches but can be up to 28.

Long-sized racquets measure between 28.5 and 29 inches long.

String Patterns

Open-string tennis racquets are usually power racquets. These strings bend more when hit, allowing the ball to fly further which requires less power from the player.

Closed-string tennis racquets spin the ball less than open-stringed racquets. These require more power from the player but last longer than their open-stringed counterparts.

Materials

The different types of tennis racquets are made from different materials: wood was the old staple ? now most racquets are made with a lightweight graphite or graphite composite material that includes titanium, Kevlar or fiberglass. Composites offer more flexibility than graphite frames. Some racquets are also made of aluminum; these tend to be less expensive racquets that tend to vibrate and send more impact into the arm of the player.

Knowing the differences between the many types of tennis racquets will help you choose a weapon suited for your personal game. Next step, Wimbledon?