Which tennis racket

Price match promise. Tennis banner. Our buying guides will give you all the information you need to ensure you find the perfect equipment to improve your game. Our tennis experts advise customers every day on purchasing tennis rackets. Here are some of the key factors to take into consideration before you buy:. Tennis rackets vary in weight from anywhere between grams and grams, with some extreme rackets being either side of this.

Lightweight rackets grams provide greater control and manoeuvrability but won't generate as much power. These rackets are generally aimed at juniors progressing onto full sized racket or players looking for a racket that is easier to move around the court. Mid weight rackets grams provide a combination between power and control, designed for club players who want to improve their game. Most players are one or the other which will have an effect on the type of racket you should choose.

If you are an aggressive player then you will probably want to try and hit the ball harder which means a more powerful racket might be right for you. If you are a defensive player than a lot of the time you will want to use the pace of the ball that your opponent has hit at you, in which case a narrower framed racket might be the one for you. Obviously you should take into your body shape and your swing speed here.

Technical aspects of a racket to help you narrow down the options. If you want to read a more detailed guide to tennis racket specifications then click here. Head size : This will typically between square inches. Larger heads generate more power and have a larger sweet spot thus making it easier to hit the ball well. Smaller head sizes offer more control so if you are confident that you can hit the ball cleanly and you are already quite a powerful player then a smaller head size might help.

Famously, Roger Federer moved from a smaller head to a larger head late in his career because he wanted more power from his backhand. Length: Adult rackets can be anything from inches long, though most are nearer the lower end of the scale. Longer rackets are generally lighter than standard frames, and offer more reach and more power on serve because you can hit the ball from higher up therefore being able to aim it down on a steeper angle.

But beware because a longer racket will be harder to control so make sure you are certain you can handle it before buying a long framed racket. Weight : The weight of your racket plays a major part in your swing and should therefore be a major deciding factor in the racket you buy. Heavier rackets g and beyond are generally are more powerful than lighter rackets g and below , but are less manoeuvrable and can wear a player out. Strings add around 30g to the weight of a racket.

Head-heavy rackets are often lighter, offering added power on groundstrokes, while head-light rackets are generally heavier but more manoeuvrable. On head heavy rackets, the weight in the head will build momentum on swings and lead to increased power. It does however become harder to direct shots with accuracy. Social players looking for easy power from their racket should opt for balances of mm or above. For most other competitive players, both beginners and intermediates, rackets between and mm will be suitable depending on the factors discussed above, as well as preference.

If you require more power, go closer towards the mm point, or if you prefer more control go closer towards mm. Now that you have an idea of the weight, head size and balance that you need, you can use the filters on any of our tennis racket product pages to narrow down the selection. The number of options you will be left with will depend on the combination of specifications you require as rackets are made with presumptions in mind e. To make things easier, we've grouped each racket into one of three categories based on their characteristics: Ultimate Control Rackets, Powerful Control Rackets and Lightweight Power Rackets.

Some rackets come 'factory strung' from the manufacturers while others are sold as 'Frame Only'. Advanced player rackets are usually sold as 'Frame Only' based on the assumption that an advanced player will have specific stringing requirements including the type of string and tension.

Factory strung rackets usually assume that players will want to 'pick up and play' with the rackets straight away and will not have specific requirements. As a result they are usually strung in 'all-round' polyester strings at mid-tension. We recommend sticking with these as a starting point if you are unsure what string or tension you would want instead.

If you are considering a Frame Only racket, we have a separate guide on How to Choose Tennis Strings that you may find useful. If you still need to narrow down the choice further, you can read into the product description to find out which style of play the racket is suited for.

The construction of all rackets vary in some way to differentiate them from others, for example the Babolat Pure Aero range features an aerodynamic frame engineered to help players who hit with spin. Others like the HEAD Gravity range boasts a tear-drop head shape for a larger sweet spot slightly higher up on the string bed. If you still unsure, you may consider popping into our London store to get a feel of some of the rackets, or make use of our online tennis racket demo policy to try a racket before committing to a purchase.

You may also contact our team who will be more than happy to advise you. The amount a frame deflects during ball contact directly affects its power potential. A stiffer racquet bends less, thus depleting less energy from the ball.

A flexible racquet bends more, resulting in more energy loss. A common myth among players is that a flexible racquet, that bends back more, returns more power to the ball due to a catapult-effect. The ball remains on the strings for milliseconds, much shorter than it takes a frame to recover. Control and comfort are at stake. Generally speaking, a racquet that offers more power provides less control. However, this is largely dependent on player type, ability and the type of string installed in the racquet.

An advanced player may prefer the feel and control of a flexible racquet because he or she has a long, fast swing and provides his or her own power.

A beginning or intermediate player, though, may prefer a stiffer racquet for a better blend of control and power for his or her stroke style. Many advanced players also like a stiffer and more powerful frame when combined with a stiffer and control-oriented string.

The result allows the advanced player to hit with lots of power and spin. The combination of a powerful racquet with a stiff and spin-friendly string has come to define the modern power game at the elite level.

However, a stiff racquet combined with a stiff string can result in comfort issues for amateur players. To a certain point, stiffer racquets are generally less comfortable than more flexible racquets. A very stiff frame will transmit more impact shock to the wrist, elbow and shoulder than a medium stiff frame. Comfort is difficult to measure - each player has a different perception of what feels comfortable.

Swingweight is a measurement of how heavy a racquet feels when you swing it. Racquets with higher swingweights are harder to swing, but they offer more comfort, power and stability at impact. Racquets with lower swingweights are easier to swing, but they offer less stability and comfort, espeically when playing aganst higher levels of pace.

Advanced players prefer higher swingweights because it helps them redirect the pace of big hitting opponents. It also enables them to hit with high levels of power.

Beginner and intermediate players prefer a lower swingweight because it gives them easier acceleration, which not only helps them position the racquet effectively, but it also makes it easier for them to generate the higher stroke speed required for effective pace and spin. Often overlooked by many recreational players, the string pattern of a racquet influences many aspects of its overall performance and feel. String patterns are often described as open or closed.