Junior tennis racket size: what length for your child's age and height

Most kids 8 and under use a 19, 21 or 23-inch racket. Kids who are 9 or 10 usually use 23 or 25 inches. A 26-inch racket is the step before the adult 27-inch frame. Those are the USTA's age bands. Then check the fit: with your child standing, the racket should hang down to just above the floor.

Age gets you close. Height decides between two sizes, and the fit test below measures it in 10 seconds.

Racket length by age

The table puts two official guides side by side: the age bands from the USTA and the racket lengths the ITF Rules of Tennis recommend for each ball stage (Appendix VIII, 10 and under tennis).

Tennis Canada suggests a shorter racket for the red court, 19 to 21 inches, and 23 inches for orange and green, with 23 to 25 inches allowed for green. Its reason is the one I'd give too: the right length and weight give a child control and feel, and an oversized racket can lead to injuries.

The 10-second fit test

Do this in the store, with your child in their tennis shoes.

1. Your child stands up straight, arms relaxed at their sides.
2. They hold the racket in their hitting hand, head pointing down.
3. Look at the tip. The USTA's test: the head is just above the floor, not touching it. The LTA in Britain says the same thing another way: the tip reaches about the ankle.

If the tip drags on the floor, the racket is too long. If it stops well above the ankle, it's too short. When two sizes both pass, my advice is to pick the shorter one. In my experience, kids rarely miss a ball because their racket is one size short, but they often swing late when it's too long and too heavy.

Match the racket to the ball

A racket and a ball stage go together. A red-ball player on a small court needs a short racket. A green-ball player on the full court needs more reach. If you're not sure which stage your child is in, our article on tennis ball stages has the court sizes and the signs a child is ready to move up.

When to move up a size

Check the fit test at the start of each season, and any time your child moves up a ball stage. Move up when the racket fails the fit test.

In my experience, the fit test is only the start. Before I tell a family it's time for the next racket, I look at three things on court: the player's age, their level, and how many hours a week they play.

Grip size basics

Most junior rackets up to 26 inches come in one grip size, matched to the length, so there is nothing to choose. Grip size starts to matter with adult rackets, 27 inches and up. Here is how Tennis Warehouse's guide explains it:

• Measure: open the hitting hand, fingers together. Measure from the bottom crease of the palm to the tip of the ring finger.
• Sizes: in North America, grips are sold in eighths of an inch: 4, 4 1/8, 4 1/4 and up. In Europe the same sizes are called 0, 1, 2 and up. Size 4 (0) is the usual size on junior rackets.
• Between two sizes: pick the smaller one. A thin overgrip adds about 1/16 of an inch, so a grip that is a little small can be built up later.

What not to buy

• A racket to grow into. A racket that is too long makes a child swing late. Buy the size that passes the fit test today.
• An adult racket for a young child, even a light one, before the fit test says so.
• The most expensive junior model for a beginner. The cheapest junior rackets are aluminum or composite and are made for kids who are just starting. Graphite ones cost more and are for kids who have played for a while.
• A size picked from the box label alone. Do the fit test before you pay.

In a first lesson with a new family, the thing I check most is the size, anywhere from 19 to 27 inches, because that's what I most often ask them to change. Sometimes the racket's weight needs to change too.

Questions parents ask

My child is between two sizes. Which one?

Do the fit test with both. If both pass, take the shorter racket. In my experience a racket that is a little short costs almost nothing, and one that is too long makes a child swing late and reach for the ball.

Can a 10-year-old use an adult racket?

Most 10-year-olds shouldn't. The USTA puts 9- and 10-year-olds at 23 or 25 inches, and the ITF recommends 25 to 26 inches for green-ball players. A tall 10-year-old who already plays with the yellow ball on the full court may fit a 26 or 27-inch racket. Let the fit test and your child's coach decide.

Does the racket have to match the ball color?

It should. The ITF Rules of Tennis recommend a length for each stage: up to 23 inches for red, 23 to 25 for orange and 25 to 26 for green. A racket in that range fits the court size and the speed of that ball.

How do I measure grip size?

Have your child open their hitting hand with the fingers together and measure from the bottom crease of the palm to the tip of the ring finger. On most junior rackets there is only one grip size anyway, so this matters mainly for adult rackets.

How often will we need a new racket?

It depends on how fast your child grows. Do the fit test at the start of every season and whenever your child moves up a ball stage. Most kids go through several sizes between their first lesson and the adult racket, so a beginner only needs an aluminum or composite junior racket.