Knowing how to properly size your kid’s tennis racquet is the first step in their success on the court. If you’re not able to come to one of our stores to speak with our Experts, this guide will give you the tools you need to ensure your kid’s enjoyment and development.
In North America, junior tennis racquets are sized in inches and range in size between 17″ and 26″. The most important factor in determining the correct size racquet is the child’s height. The following is the guideline for racquet length based on the child’s height:
Merchant of Tennis Rule of Length
Another good way to assess what length racquet your child needs is to have them do the following: ask them to hold their racquet in their playing hand. While gripping the racquet firmly at the base of the grip have them hold this arm straight down against the side of their body.
If the tip of the racquet easily touches the ground, the racquet is too long. Should he or she play with it, it will likely be too difficult for them to swing. In addition, the head of the racquet is too far from their hand, it will likely be difficult for them to find the sweet spot on the racquet face.
If the racquet falls above your child’s ankle bone, the racquet is too short. Should he or she play with it, they will likely miss-hit their shots as the racquet’s sweet spot is too close to the child’s hand. Too short a racquet will also put the child at a disadvantage as they will not have as much power in their shots since there is less leverage produced by a shorter racquet.
The ideal length is when the racquet falls an inch or two above the ground. However, for growing potential the racquet can gently touch the ground.
If you don't have a racquet for measurement, you can use a measurement tool to determine what length of racquet works following the same guidelines.
Bottom Line:
Both of these guidelines are designed to give you an idea of where to start, however, you need to also consider the skill level of your child. If the child has been taking lessons, developing good technique and is starting to play matches they may be able to handle a racquet that is slightly longer than what the guidelines recommend. Their tennis coach should be able to make this assessment. You could also bring them into one of our stores where one of our team members can watch your child swing a racquet to determine what length racquet is right for them.
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