Your child's tennis racket: weight, strings and grip (once you know the size)

Length comes first, and our guide to junior tennis racket size covers it by age, height and ball stage. Once you know the length, three more things decide whether the racket helps your child or fights them: how heavy it is, what it's strung with, and how the handle feels in the hand.

First, a 10-second recap of the size

Your child stands up straight with the racket in their hitting hand, arm relaxed at their side, head pointing down. The head should sit just above the floor. That's the at-the-side check the USTA describes, and the size article explains what to do when two sizes both pass.

Size also follows the ball. In both Tennis Canada's and the USTA's programs, children move through the same stages: red (the smallest court and the slowest ball), orange, green, then the full court with the yellow ball. A racket that matches the stage matches the court and the speed of the ball. If you're not sure where your child is, read our article on tennis ball stages.

Weight: lighter than you think

A junior racket should feel easy to swing with one hand, held out in front. If your child needs two hands to hold it steady, or the head drops as soon as they lift it, it's too heavy for them right now.

In my experience, a racket that is too heavy shows up the same way every time: the child is late on the ball, they swing from the shoulder to make up for it, and they get tired halfway through a lesson. A lighter racket lets them swing on time.

I've seen it with players I coach: after moving to a lighter racket, their technique got better and their arm had no pain.

Two things to watch when you shop:

• Junior rackets are made light on purpose. Beginner junior rackets are usually aluminum or a composite, and they are light. That is exactly what a young player needs.
• A "light" adult racket isn't a junior racket. It's light for an adult, not for a child, and it's longer than the fit test allows.

Strings: soft and comfortable

Most junior rackets come already strung, and that factory string is fine for a beginner. When the strings break or it's time to restring, ask the stringer for a soft, comfortable string at a moderate tension.

The string to avoid for a young child is a stiff "poly" string (polyester). Many strong adult and older junior players use it because it controls big, fast swings. For a child, it's stiff and harsh on the arm, and it gives back very little power on a short swing. A softer multifilament or synthetic string is kinder to the arm and helps the ball off the strings.

What I'd ask the stringer for: a soft multifilament or synthetic gut, strung in the middle of the tension range printed on the racket. Polyester can wait until your child is older, strong, and breaking strings often. Even then, ask their coach first.

The grip: size and overgrip

Most junior rackets up to 26 inches come in one grip size, so there's nothing to choose until your child moves to an adult racket. The size article explains how to measure an adult grip.

What you can change is the overgrip: a thin, tacky tape wrapped over the handle. It's cheap, it takes a couple of minutes to put on, and it changes how the racket feels:

• A fresh overgrip is tacky. The racket doesn't twist in a sweaty hand.
• It adds a little thickness. On a handle that's slightly small for the hand, one overgrip is often enough. Two overgrips make it thicker again.
• Change it when it's slippery, shiny or torn. A slippery grip makes a child squeeze harder, and squeezing makes the arm tense.

Most junior rackets come with a factory grip and no overgrip. If your child's hands get sweaty, or the handle feels a touch small, an overgrip is the first thing I'd add.

Questions parents ask

How do I know the racket is too heavy?

Ask your child to hold it out in front with one hand, arm straight, for a few seconds. If the head drops or they reach for it with the other hand, it's too heavy. On court, a heavy racket shows up as late swings and tired arms.

Should a beginner's racket be restrung right away?

No. The factory string is fine to start. Restring when a string breaks, or when the strings feel dead and the ball stops coming off them. Our article on looking after your child's racket has a simple rule for how often.

Does my child need the same strings as the pros?

No. Many pros use stiff polyester strings because they swing very fast. A child's swing is shorter and slower, and a soft string helps more and is kinder to the arm.

What is an overgrip and does my child need one?

An overgrip is a thin, sticky tape wrapped over the racket's handle. It gives a better hold and can make a small handle a little thicker. It isn't required, but it's cheap and it helps most children who play every week.