In order to simplify the choosing a tennis racquet process, manufacturers generally make tennis racquets to fit into one of three categories: Power/Game Improvement, Tweeners, and Player’s racquets which roughly translate to beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels of play.Įach category of tennis racquet has a certain set of characteristics. Lots of heavy hitting top spin players love closed string patterns because their tennis racket can withstand the force of their shots. However, they provide less power and spin to players. Heavy hitting players using open string patterns tend to break their strings more frequently than if using a closed string pattern.Ĭlosed string patterns provide greater string durability and control over the tennis ball. However, an open string pattern comes at the expense of decreased durability. One of the features of an open string pattern is that the tennis ball rebounds further with less strings. Well, due having less strings, an open string pattern provides playing with a better feel for the power and additional power and spin. So what are the differences? How does the use of a open or closed string pattern affect your game? The most common closed string pattern is 18 x 20. A closed string pattern has more crossing strings than an open pattern. An open string pattern is one where there are fewer crossing strings.Ĭommon open string patterns are 16 x 18 or the most common, 16 x 19.
When talking about string pattern, there are two main styles we need to talk about. This range of head sizes provides a good mix of control and power. Head sizes can range all the way from 85 sq in to 135 sq inches! However, you’ll see most players playing with a head size anywhere from 93 to 105 sq inches. This is especially useful for beginners just starting to hit the ball. A racquet with a larger head will provide more power than a racquet with a smaller head.Ī larger head size also provides greater forgiveness for off center hits. The head size of the racquet is essential in determining how much power the racquet has. Personally though, I’ve always stuck with the standard 27 inch racquet length. Now, most players can easily switch racquets to one that is a ½ inch longer without any problems. This is done to ensure the racquet remains maneuverable even as it gets longer. Most tennis racquets that feature a longer length also weigh less than their regularly sized counterparts. A longer racquet means more reach on your ground strokes and more power on your serves. Length affects the amount of leverage you have when you hit the tennis ball. 29 inches is the legal limit for tournament play so almost no tennis racquets are designed to be longer than that. LengthĪ standard racquet length is 27 inches but tennis racquets can range all the way from 27 to 29 inches long. While it won’t have as much power as a stiffer racquet, it’ll feel more comfortable and easy on your arm. If you have or in the past suffered from tennis elbow, go with a more flexible tennis racquet. Also, stiffer racquets are slightly worse at providing spin than more flexible racquets. Stiffer tennis racquets are generally less comfortable than flexible tennis racquets. Most modern racquets range from 60 – 75.Ī stiff tennis racquet will give you more power but also transmit more vibration. The racquet frame stiffness is typically measured using a common machine known as the Babolat Racquet Diagnostic Center (RDC).Īll frame stiffnesses range between 50 – 85 with 85 being the stiffest. That is why I commonly recommend people with tennis elbow buy a heavy racquet.Īn example of a Babolat racquet diagnostic machine.įrame stiffness is something that few people take into account when choosing a tennis racquet but it drastically affects the feel of each tennis racquet. Heavier racquets (typically 11.5 – 13 oz) transmit more power to the ball, are more stable, and transmit less shock to the player’s arm. Weight influences how long you can play with the racquet, the vibrations, and affects the maneuverability of the racquet. You can instantly feel the weight of a tennis racquet when you pick it up.
Weight is the most important factor of a tennis racquet. Let’s get started! Racquet Characteristics Weight/Balance
I’ll talk about how each element of a racquet affects how it plays, the different types of tennis racquets, and lastly how you should choose a tennis racquet.
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So today, let’s look at how to choose the best tennis racket for you. Every tennis player knows that the most important piece of equipment they own is their tennis racquet.