Choosing a Tennis Racket

Tennis is a sport that can be played and enjoyed by people of differing ages, fitness levels and sporting ability.

It is a great way to increase your fitness levels while having fun, just grab a racket, book a court and off you go.

Picking the correct tennis racket is the first place to start, rackets suitable for beginners can be surprisingly affordable.

Tennis Rackets for beginners need not be expensive.

The rackets price and materials used in its construction tend to go hand in hand. You can buy a perfectly capable aluminium racket for under $50, aluminium rackets have more flex in the head than the more expensive graphite rackets.

Many players choose to start with the graphite construction rackets rather than having to change their racket down the line.

Head Size 

Using a racket with an over sized head gives beginners more chance of hitting the ball in the sweet spot of the racket, this helps with control of your shots.
Consistently hitting the frame or off center shots is more likely with the smaller sized racket heads.

The larger head size also helps with the power generated from the players swing. As your swing and skill increases many players tend to opt for a smaller, heavier racket which can offer more control on shots.

The downside with the heavier rackets is that it is up to the player to generate more of the power, which can be difficult for tennis beginners.

 Racket Weight and Construction Material 

Gone are the days of playing with a nice solid wooden racket, tennis design and construction is a highly technical industry nowadays.

Graphite is a good material for beginners rackets, they offer a light weight but still give good control on your shots.

Aluminium and titanium also have similar traits to graphite rackets but tend to have more flex in the head, they are the cheapest option and are designed with the beginner in mind.

You can also find rackets made of exotic materials like Kevlar and Boron but these are designed for skilled players who will consistently hit the sweet spot.

Should beginners tennis rackets be heavy or light? 

This question is harder to answer than it may at first appear, while lighter rackets will be easier to maneuver you will have to swing harder to generate power.
It is often more important to look at where the weight is distributed on the racket.

Rackets will often be 'head heavy' or 'head light'. If the racket is head heavy the weight will be distributed more towards the head of the racket, this will generally make it easier to generate power for a beginner.

Head heavy rackets can be slightly more tiring to play with for long periods.
Choosing a lightweight slightly head heavy racket is also a good choice for those who will generally be playing from the rear of the court and not volleying at the net.

Head light rackets tend to be used by more experienced players who generate more of their own power and require increased touch and feel with their shots.

Choosing the right grip size.

Tennis rackets come in a range of handle diameters, ranging from 4 to 4 & 5/8ths or sometimes manufacturers will use the European measurements of between 0 and 5.
The useful video by the East Gloucester Tennis Club will make it easy to pick the correct racket.

Women will normally use a grip between a 4 1/8ths and 4 3/8ths and men are normally between 4 3/8ths and 4 5/8ths.

You can use the method explained in the video to check your grip size, common sense will tell you that if you have large hands you will need a larger grip size.

If you are in any doubt it is best to get a smaller size as you can use grip tape to modify the grip size of your racket.

Best Value

Head Ti S5 Comfort

Headsize: Oversized.

Weight (strung): 8.90 oz.

Balance:  Head Heavy

Material:  Titanium

A good all round racket, large sweet spot and increased dampening for comfort.

More Details

Great all rounder

Wilson Two BLX 110

Headsize: Oversized.

Weight: strung 8.4oz.

Balance:  Head Heavy

Material:  Basalt

A fairly sturdy feel for a light weight racket. Impressive power from this head heavy racket

More Details

For Better Beginners

Head Liquidmetal 4

Headsize: Large.

Weight: strung  10.7oz.

Balance:  Balanced

Material: Titanium / Graphite

The racket head is bordering on being over-sized and the balance is slightly towards the head making this racket best for better beginners.

More Details

Summary

In general the best tennis racket for beginners should be :-

* lightweight
* have an over-sized racket face (between 105 and 130 square inches.)
* 'head heavy' (weighted towards the head for increased power from slow to medium swing)

The very cheapest tennis rackets for beginners often come with just one grip size, these rackets are best for only the very casual player or those on a strict budget. Choosing a tennis racket that is available with differing grip sizes is certainly advisable, the correct grip size will make a big difference to your comfort if you expect to play for extended periods.