Tennis Rackets

A good racket will be comfortable to hold and swing and give you good control and precision as well as power to hit those winning baseline shots! The size of the head, the grip size, the weight of the racket and the stringing pattern will all make a difference to the racket's performance in your hand. A good quality, well-constructed tennis racket will feel balanced and will have enough flex to avoid jarring when you hit a hard shot.

The size of adult tennis rackets describes the hitting area of the head. A larger hitting area usually suits beginner and intermediate players. With more precision and control in your advanced game, you may want to opt for a smaller head that allows you to place and define your shots accurately. Junior rackets have shorter handles, so younger and smaller players don't have to struggle with an extre-long swing for their height and reach. There are four adult tennis racket head sizes - midsize, midplus, oversize and super oversize. There are also different grip sizes to suit the size of your hand. Find out how to choose the right size for you here in our buying guide. 

As with most things in life, you can pay as much as you want for a prestigious and refined racket. But there's no need to spend an excessive amount - there's a fantastic range of tennis rackets from quality brands to suit every level of experience and budget. Aluminium rackets tend to be the cheapest - good if you're trying the game for the first time. Graphite and carbon fibre are lighter and more sophisticated materials for intermediate and advanced tennis players' rackets.pdhsports.com sells rackets for every tennis player, starting at around £25 for a basic aluminium model up to £250+ for advanced and high-end competitive models with lots of technical features to add subtlety to your game. 

In the UK, tennis grip sizes go from 1 to 5, with 5 being the largest. Women typically choose grip size 2 (4 1/4") or 3 (4 3/8") and men are more likely to select 3 or 4 (4 1/2"). Find out how to check that the grip is the right size with a simple finger gap test on the tennis racket you're considering - there's a photo to show you what to do here. If in doubt, opt for a smaller racket grip. You can always use an overgrip if you need to increase the size of a smaller handle, but you can't shave down a grip that's too large for your hand.

There's no hard and fast rule, but it's not surprising that beginner rackets tend to be much cheaper than those for advanced players. If you've played racket sports before and have a good idea that you're going to commit to tennis, you might want to spend a bit more on a beginner-intermediate level tennis racket that will last you longer. If you're not sure if tennis is for you, go for an entry level beginner racket. You may need to upgrade after a few months if you get the tennis bug - we think you will! Our adult beginner tennis rackets start from around £25 depending on promotions and stock. £40-£50 will get you a superior quality racket that's easy to use from day one, but will also support your game as you acquire more skill, control and precision. 

Quality tennis rackets made by leading brands like Head, Tecnifibre, Wilson, Babolat and Dunlop are resilient and durable if you look after them well. A heavy impact, from throwing or falling on your racket, can damage the head or frame - this is difficult to repair. Keep your racket in a case and store it carefully when not in use, to minimise the risk of accidental damage. Many players upgrade their racket because they want to take advantage of the new tennis racket features or get to grips with extra precision as their game improves.

The type of string, the power and level of your play, the length of your sessions and how many tennis rackets you have in use will all make a difference. Natural gut strings tend to retain their tension for longest, but they are the most expensive. Beginner tennis rackets are often strung with Synthetic gut, which is a good all round performer. As a rough guide, restring your racket as many times a year as you play in a week. So if you play twice a week book a restring twice a year. And don't wait for a string to break before you bring your racket in!