Walk into a tennis shop and you face a wall of rackets and a blizzard of numbers. But choosing the right frame comes down to five variables: head size, weight, balance, string pattern, and grip size. Match these to your level and playing style, and the specific brand barely matters. Get them wrong — usually by buying a heavy player’s frame too soon — and even a great racket will hold you back. Here’s how each one works.
1. Head size
Head size (the strung area, in square inches) is the biggest forgiveness factor:
- Oversize (105–115+ sq in): huge sweet spot, easy power. Best for beginners.
- Mid-plus (98–104 sq in): the all-round sweet spot — power and control balanced. Best for intermediates.
- Midsize (85–97 sq in): maximum control and feel, small sweet spot. For advanced players.
Bigger heads forgive off-centre hits and add power; smaller heads reward precise hitting with control. Start larger and move down as your strokes develop.
2. Weight
Weight affects power, stability, and how tiring the racket is to swing:
- Light (under ~285g): easy to swing and manoeuvre, but less stable. Best for beginners.
- Medium (285–305g): the versatile sweet spot for most players.
- Heavy (305g+): stable and powerful with plough-through, but tiring and demanding. For advanced players.
Counterintuitively, a slightly heavier racket can be easier on the arm because it’s more stable and absorbs shock — see rackets for tennis elbow.
3. Balance
Balance describes where the weight sits:
- Head-light: weight in the handle. Manoeuvrable and quick — favoured for control and net play.
- Head-heavy: weight in the head. Adds power to lighter rackets — common in beginner frames.
- Even balance: a middle ground.
Light beginner rackets are often head-heavy to add power; heavier player’s frames are usually head-light to stay manoeuvrable despite the mass.
4. String pattern
The number of strings affects spin and control:
- Open pattern (16x19): fewer strings, more spin and power, livelier. Most popular.
- Dense pattern (18x20): more strings, more control and durability, less spin.
Choose open for a spin-heavy, aggressive game; dense for a flatter, control-oriented game. This ties directly into control vs power.
5. Grip size
Grip size is the one spec people most often get wrong, and it matters for comfort and arm health. A grip that’s too small makes you squeeze harder (straining the forearm); too large reduces wrist action and control.
Quick grip-size check: Hold the racket in a forehand grip. You should be able to fit the index finger of your other hand snugly in the gap between your fingertips and palm. No room means too small; loose means too large. When in doubt, size down — you can build up with an overgrip, but you can’t shrink a grip.
Putting it together
- Beginner: oversize head (105–110 sq in), light (under 285g), head-light/even, open pattern, correct grip. See best beginner rackets.
- Intermediate: mid-plus head (98–100 sq in), medium weight (~300g), then choose pattern by game. See rackets for intermediates.
- Advanced: midsize head (95–98 sq in), heavier (305g+), head-light, pattern to suit your style.
One thing that outranks the frame for arm comfort: your strings. Even a great racket strung with stiff polyester at high tension can hurt your arm. Sort your strings and read string tension explained.
Still building your kit? Start with the beginner gear checklist, then demo a few frames before buying — feel is personal.