When you first begin to learn about tennis rackets it can be quite overwhelming. String patterns, weight, weight distribution, head size, grip size, etc. can all sound daunting to someone purchasing their first racket. There is a lot of information out there that will make you think you need to invest in one of the higher end tennis racket in order to begin playing. This is far from the truth. The only thing needed at the beginning stages of your tennis learning journey is desire.
Your main focus should not be so much in what racket you are using but more in establishing a consistent playing routine and finding a good practice schedule that will get you out into the courts. Getting court time is what will give you the most bang for your buck in terms of seeing and experiencing results. With this out of the way, here are a 5 things you want to look out for when buying your first tennis racket.
5 things to consider (or not) in your first tennis racket
1. Avoid oversize frames
This is probably the one and only thing you should really care about when choosing your first racket. If you are serious about getting better at tennis you don't want to get a racket with a head size over 107". This one is plain and simple. The bigger the head size the harder it is to find the "sweet spot" on the racket. While a bigger frame size may make it easier to hit the ball, it potentially leads to bad habits which you want to avoid early on. An oversize frame compensates for your inability to track the ball. This is the most important skill in tennis and should be learned early. Additionally, you won't find a professional tennis player using a racket with a head size above 107" so best to start getting used to a smaller head size racket.
2. Don't pay attention to string pattern
As a beginner, you probably can't hit consistent top spin in your shots. It is a completely irrelevant specification at this stage of your game.
3. Don't pay attention to weight (unless over 45 years of age)
Weight is somewhat important but only if you are above 45 years of age. As a general guideline, but not an end all be all rule, if you are above 45 years try to get a racket that's on the lighter end of the spectrum, that is at most 9.6 ounces.
4. Don't pay attention to weight distribution (unless over 45 years of age)
Similarly to weight. At the beginner stage, weight distribution is only important if you are above 45. If that's the case try to look for a racket that has a heavier distribution towards the head (HH) or a balanced distribution (EB).
5. Do pay attention to grip size
This one is simple too, hands vary in sizes. Your grip size ultimately depends on the size of your hand. It is determined by aligning a ruler (on your dominant hand) to the horizontal crease in the palm of your hand and measuring up to the top of your middle finger. This reading will give you your grip size. (This article shows you how to measure your grip size)
Here is a quick cheat sheet:
Height…...........Grip Size
Under 5’ 2”................4 1/8
5’ 3” to 5’ 5”...............4 1/4
5’ 6” to 5’ 8”...............4 3/8
5’ 9” to 5’ 11”.............4 1/2
6’ & taller…...............4 5/8
Bonus
6. Avoid your favorite pro's racket
I realize this might be a bit controversial. Specially if you have the money or you think you are in it for the long haul, but as said above your main focus when beginning is getting court time. There is no point in owning a premium racket when you first start out because you have no reference as to what "feels" right. Getting an affordable first racket will establish a baseline into "feel" and things will only get better as you improve your game and start upgrading your gear.
At this stage of your game, the desire to learn coupled with the willingness to play should be your primary focus. Purchasing an affordable racket will allow you to start establishing a "feel" for certain racket parameters without breaking your pocket. Below are some rackets we have filtered out for you that will provide a good baseline when you are starting out.
Your main focus should not be so much in what racket you are using but more in establishing a consistent playing routine and finding a good practice schedule that will get you out into the courts. Getting court time is what will give you the most bang for your buck in terms of seeing and experiencing results. With this out of the way, here are a 5 things you want to look out for when buying your first tennis racket.
5 things to consider (or not) in your first tennis racket
1. Avoid oversize frames
This is probably the one and only thing you should really care about when choosing your first racket. If you are serious about getting better at tennis you don't want to get a racket with a head size over 107". This one is plain and simple. The bigger the head size the harder it is to find the "sweet spot" on the racket. While a bigger frame size may make it easier to hit the ball, it potentially leads to bad habits which you want to avoid early on. An oversize frame compensates for your inability to track the ball. This is the most important skill in tennis and should be learned early. Additionally, you won't find a professional tennis player using a racket with a head size above 107" so best to start getting used to a smaller head size racket.
2. Don't pay attention to string pattern
As a beginner, you probably can't hit consistent top spin in your shots. It is a completely irrelevant specification at this stage of your game.
3. Don't pay attention to weight (unless over 45 years of age)
Weight is somewhat important but only if you are above 45 years of age. As a general guideline, but not an end all be all rule, if you are above 45 years try to get a racket that's on the lighter end of the spectrum, that is at most 9.6 ounces.
4. Don't pay attention to weight distribution (unless over 45 years of age)
Similarly to weight. At the beginner stage, weight distribution is only important if you are above 45. If that's the case try to look for a racket that has a heavier distribution towards the head (HH) or a balanced distribution (EB).
5. Do pay attention to grip size
This one is simple too, hands vary in sizes. Your grip size ultimately depends on the size of your hand. It is determined by aligning a ruler (on your dominant hand) to the horizontal crease in the palm of your hand and measuring up to the top of your middle finger. This reading will give you your grip size. (This article shows you how to measure your grip size)
Here is a quick cheat sheet:
Height…...........Grip Size
Under 5’ 2”................4 1/8
5’ 3” to 5’ 5”...............4 1/4
5’ 6” to 5’ 8”...............4 3/8
5’ 9” to 5’ 11”.............4 1/2
6’ & taller…...............4 5/8
Bonus
6. Avoid your favorite pro's racket
I realize this might be a bit controversial. Specially if you have the money or you think you are in it for the long haul, but as said above your main focus when beginning is getting court time. There is no point in owning a premium racket when you first start out because you have no reference as to what "feels" right. Getting an affordable first racket will establish a baseline into "feel" and things will only get better as you improve your game and start upgrading your gear.
At this stage of your game, the desire to learn coupled with the willingness to play should be your primary focus. Purchasing an affordable racket will allow you to start establishing a "feel" for certain racket parameters without breaking your pocket. Below are some rackets we have filtered out for you that will provide a good baseline when you are starting out.