Together we’ve been in and around tennis for 50+ years and we’ve learnt some lessons, both positive and negative when it comes to spending your hard-earned cash on a new racket.
Remember this is based on our opinion and is only a guide to helping you make the right choice when it comes to tennis racket shopping.
Pre-Covid, this process was a lot easier; you’d head down to your local tennis shop and demo a selection of new rackets until you found the one which felt amazing! Now we hunt online, website to website to website until we get sick of the sight of rackets, grip sizes, weights and strings!!!
So here’s some tips from Dom and Harry when it comes to investing in a racket for you or your child.
JUNIOR RACKETS 19”, 21”, 23 “
Junior rackets 23 inches and under are very easy to shop for. If your child is a beginner or just starting out, you don’t need to spend crazy money, just a simple aluminium frame, costing anything up to £30.
If your child is developing and showing more interest, you might want to start looking at a graphite frame as they’re going to be hitting bigger and will need a tougher, more durable racket. These can cost anything up to £80 but shop in a sale sections and you’ll be able to find a bargain!
JUNIOR RACKETS 25”, 26”
If your child is over 8 years old, you’ll want to look for a graphite racket. They’re stronger, more comfortable and generally lighter and more manageable. At this age, the make of racket doesn’t really matter as they’re all pretty similar.
ADULT RACKETS
Now here’s the tricky bit!
Do NOT buy an aluminium frame!!! They’re useless and generally look like they’re stuck together with glue! No racket should come looking like it’s made from 10 different pieces!! It annoys the hell out of us that rackets like this are made and sold in shops!! Aluminium rackets generally are heavier, weaker and feel like you’re playing tennis with a sledgehammer!!
FOR BEGINNERS
There are some great choices of graphite rackets that don’t break the bank if you’re just starting out - Babolat Boost is a great choice for beginners. It’s made from graphite, has a light frame and is an easy racket to manoeuvre.
FOR MORE ADVANCED PLAYERS
We’re not going to go into what brand of racket to buy (because we both use different brands) but we will give you some do’s and don’t’s so you can have more of an idea of what to look for.
WEIGHT
This may be controversial but we’re going to say it; No club player should be using a racket that weighs more than 300g!!! Sorry but it’s true!! Heavy rackets are designed for hitting back heavier balls and unless Carlos Alcaraz has joined your tennis club, leave the ego at home and go lighter!!! Anything above 300g will only give you an injury and ruin your serve, your body and your confidence!!
We recommend women use 270-285g rackets and men use 280-300g rackets.
GRIP SIZE
It’s better to be safe than sorry - everyone has their own preference but if you’re not sure, get a grip 2 and you can always make it bigger by putting another grip over it. It’s harder to downsize and grip than make it bigger.
A smaller grip will give you more flexibility in the wrist and more acceleration on the serve and forehand. A bigger grip will give you a bit more control and will feel a bit more stable - the choice is yours!
BRANDS
Everyone has their favourites when it comes to brand of racket. If you’re not sure, check what racket your favourite player uses and start there!
Always buy last year’s model - it’s generally way cheaper and is usually the same frame just painted a different colour. If money isn’t an issue - GO NUTS!!!
Hope this helps guys, and as usual, if you have any questions please email us at info@btatenniscoaching.com
Dom and Harry