| Buying a tennis racket that suits your play can seem | | | | provide a lot of control. The same theory works in |
| like a challenge, but if you know what you're looking | | | | reverse. If you play with a medium level of power and |
| for, you can see a vast improvement in your game. If | | | | control, you will need a racket that will accommodate |
| you are just starting out in the sport, a big investment in | | | | that. |
| a quality racket might be a bit of a waste. If you plan | | | | Step 3 - Match the racket to Your Playing Style |
| on making this a frequent hobby, however, you need | | | | Power players work well with small, light rackets that |
| to have a racket that will best enhance your natural | | | | provide maximum control. Control players work well |
| abilities so you can effectively control and drive the ball | | | | with medium to large sized rackets that have a stiff |
| as you want to. Below are a few tips that will help you | | | | frame and heavy body to help drive the tennis ball |
| choose the best racket for your tennis style. | | | | towards a target. If you are a combination player, you |
| Step 1 - Identify Your Level of Play | | | | will need to look for a mid-sized racket with a good |
| You have to identify yourself as a beginning, | | | | balance of stiffness, length, weight and the like. |
| intermediate or advanced player. Beginning players | | | | Step 4 - Choose Your Grip Size |
| often hit with less power and less control than other | | | | Measure the length from the middle of your palm to |
| players. Thus they need a versatile racket that they | | | | the end of your ring finger to determine your grip size. |
| can build their skills off of. A large racket with average | | | | Women usually remain in the 4 1/8" to 4 3/8", while |
| string tension will be the best in this case. For | | | | men stay around 4 1/2" to 4 3/4". If you are worried |
| intermediate players who have a greater | | | | about getting the wrong size, go with a smaller grip |
| understanding of the principles of tennis, rackets can | | | | that you can put an overgrip on. That should provide |
| become more defined. By the time most players reach | | | | you with the right fit. |
| an advanced level of play, they pretty well know what | | | | Step 5 - Choose Your String Tension |
| specifics they need out of their racket to yield the | | | | Every racket has a recommended string tension. |
| greatest performance. | | | | Some of them come pre-strung with that, and others |
| Step 2 - Analyze Your Style of Play | | | | and others are left unstrung for you to choose what |
| Your racket will greatly be determine by your tennis | | | | you want. If you need more power out of your racket, |
| techniques. A powerful player with a strong swing is | | | | get a lower string tension. If you need more control, get |
| going to have a much different set of needs when | | | | a higher tension rate. You can take this to any local |
| compared to a manipulative player with weak arms. In | | | | tennis shop to get strung, or you can custom order the |
| tennis, the key to racket selection is to find a racket | | | | stringing when you purchase your racket. After the |
| that will balance power and control with what you | | | | strings are set, simply get a case for your racket and |
| already offer. In other words, if you already have a ton | | | | test it out. |
| of power in your swing, you need a racket that will | | | | |