FAQs About Tennis Rackets

Tennis rackets are not all created equal. Different styles, brands, sizes, string weights and sport technologies used to make rackets all affect your game play. Changing rackuets can improve your speed, power, control and reach. Consider each of the racket's major characteristics before selecting one to improve your game.

Q: What is the sweet spot on a tennis racquet?

A: The racket’s strung surface is the entire stringed space inside the head. Within that strung surface is a “sweet spot” or a place where the strings create the most powerful hit on the ball with the least amount of effort for the player. This is the player's favorite area of the racket, and the portion of the strung surface they strive to hit the ball with on each swing.

Q: What are the basic head styles?

A: There are three basic head styles: oversized, mid-sized and standard-sized heads. An oversized head has a strung surface of up to 140 square inches and is meant for beginners. These racquets have a larger sweet spot so it is easier for beginners to hit with power. Mid-sized racquets are between 85 and 100 square inches of surface space and are the size frame used by post pro tennis athletes. It has both a large sweet spot and great maneuverability. Standard-sized frames range from 80 to 85 square inches and have a small sweet spot which makes it very hard to get a clean, crisp and well directed hit. They have largely fallen out of popularity since mid-sized racquets were approved for competitive game play.