The following provides an overview of Tennis Racket features. This should help you in selecting a used Tennis Racket.
Tennis Racket Length
Tennis Racket lengths are usually between 68 and 75 cm. Longer Tennis Rackets provide players with additional reach on ground strokes, more power and increased serve leverage. Longer Tennis Rackets tend to be lighter in weight to provide more player flexibility in shot selection.
Tennis Racket Head Size
The larger the Tennis Racket head size, the larger the sweet spot and the more power you will generate. The sweet spot is the area in which the strings create the most power for the least amount of effort. Mid range Tennis Racket head sizes can measure anywhere between 200 and 350 square centimeters. Smaller Tennis Racket head sizes appeal to advanced players who want more control of the ball with speed and direction.
Tennis Racket Weight
The heavier the Tennis Racket, the more power and stability it has. Heavier Tennis Rackets have less vibration than lighter Tennis Rackets. Lighter Tennis Rackets provide players with increased maneuverability and quicker swing releases. Tennis Racket weight can be split into three categories:- Heavy, Medium, and lightweight. Tennis Racket weight is influenced by how heavy the handle is. Light Tennis Rackets have fast swings and more maneuverability, making them the best Tennis Racket for beginners. Heavy Tennis Rackets provide more control and power, and are used by advanced players. Medium Tennis Rackets have a balance of both Light and Heavy Rackets.
Tennis Racket Balance
Tennis Rackets that are head heavy provide more maneuverability for players who want more control and generate most of the Racket's power. Tennis Rackets that are head light, provide more increase swing flexibility on groundstrokes, without sacrificing much power.
Tennis Racket Frame Stiffness
Tennis Rackets with stiff frames bend less, hence depletes less energy from a struck Tennis ball. Tennis Racket Frames that are more flexible create energy loss to Tennis balls, which decreases serving power.
Tennis Racket String Pattern
A Tennis Racket String pattern is the amount of cross strings. The benefits of an open string pattern are more power and spin at the cost of durability, while closed string Tennis Rackets allow for more control and last longer, while sacrificing for added power and spin.
Tennis Racket String Tension
A Tennis Racket String tension is how tight or loose the strings are. Tennis Racket string tension are around 45-65 lbs. Higher string tensions (greater than 60 lbs) allow for more power and stability but more shock, while lower string tensions allows more feel(i.e. touch) and control
Tennis Racket String Gauge
A Tennis Racket String gauge is how thick the Tennis strings are. Thinner strings are the best for providing power, spin, control, and elasticity.
Tennis Racket Grip
A Tennis Racket Grip size refers to hand sizes, and it’s especially important to find the right grip size. Players should be able to touch the tips of their thumbs to the top knuckle on the middle finger. An incorrect grip size can lead to poor performance, irritation, and injuries to the wrist, arm, and shoulder.
Tennis Racket Materials
Most of today's Tennis Rackets are made from Graphite. This provides a lightweight construction with above average strength and shot power. Older Tennis Rackets are made of Aluminum and fiberglass and tend to be heavy.