Whether it’s your first time picking up a racquet or you’ve been playing tennis for some time, there is no doubt that choosing the perfect tennis racquet is no easy task. There are so many factors to consider, and one of the ones most often overlooked is of course the tennis racquet grip size. To make the entire process a little easier for you, we’ve gathered all the information you need to know relating to the grip size of a tennis racquet, from how why it’s important and what the different sizes available are, to how to measure your own tennis grip size. So, let’s jump right in!
Why does tennis grip size matter?
If it’s your first time playing tennis, you may be wondering why your racquet grip size matters at all. Well, the answer is simple: having the wrong grip size will make your tennis racquet feel uncomfortable and awkward to play with. In essence:
- If your tennis racquet grip is too small, you could find yourself forcefully gripping the racquet harder to stop it from twisting in your hand or even slipping out all together. It could even cause painful blisters and it’s often a cause of tennis elbow and other tennis injuries.
- If your tennis racquet grip is too big, you’ll likely find yourself struggling to grip the racquet, making it uncomfortable to play with. It can often make playing more difficult by stopping you from getting enough wrist snap on your serve and in some cases can also cause tennis elbow and other injuries.
So, when it comes to choosing the grip size for your tennis racquet, taking the time to measure your grip size can be very important. Ultimately though, the grip size you feel most comfortable with will depend on your personal preference.
Tennis Racquet Grip Size Explained
The grip size of a tennis racquet is the length of the circumference of the handle, or in other words, the distance around the handle of a tennis racquet. It will come as no surprise that your tennis grip size will depend on the size of your hand. Most common grip sizes tend to range between 4 inches and 4 3/4 inches. In the UK and other European countries, that equivalent to grip sizes 2, 3 and 4.
The grip size for a tennis racquet can often be found marked on the butt cap of the racquet. Otherwise, be sure to check the throat of the racquet for a small label or print of the racquet grip size. In most cases, a tennis racquet will have both the European and US version of the tennis grip size marked out somewhere on the racquet.
Tennis Racquet Grip Size Chart
To make it easier for you to convert grip size measurements, no matter what country you’re in, here is a tennis racquet grip size chart showing European grip sizes and there equivalent sizes in milimeters and in inches:
How to Measure Tennis Racquet Grip Size
So, now that you understand what tennis racquet grip size means, you’ll want to know how to measure your own grip size. There are two common ways to measure a tennis racquet grip size:
Using Your Index Finger
This is probably the most used method for measuring grip size and is particularly useful if you’re checking out new tennis racquets in a store and get the chance to hold the grip. Simply grip the racquet handle and check out the gap left between the tips of your fingers and your palm. For the perfect grip size, you’ll want the gap to be just about the width of your index finger, like you can see in the image below.
Once you’ve found a close match for your grip size, we’d recommend trying a size up and a size down if you can. It’s a great way of making sure you are more comfortable with that one and not a smaller or bigger grip. That being said, this is just a guide and the grip you eventually choose should depend almost entirely on which grip size you find most comfortable.
Using A Ruler
If instead you’re trying to buy a tennis racquet online and don’t have the chance to physically hold the grip, measuring the size of your hand using a tape measure or ruler is a great way to find your tennis grip size. To measure your grip size using a ruler, simply open your hand with your fingers fully extended and you’ll see predominantly two large lines running almost horizontally across the palm of your hand. Align the end of your ruler or measuring tape with the bottom lateral crease and measure to the tip of your ring finger.
What if I can’t find the right tennis grip size?
If you can’t quite find the right size and you think you might be between sizes, we’d always recommend choosing a smaller grip size. It’s much easier to increase the size of a tennis grip and it is to decrease.
Increasing the size of a tennis grip can simply involve using a tennis overgrip, which are typically 1/16 of an inch in thickness. It’s actually quite common for players to buy a size down anyway and add an overgrip as it often provides a little extra padding to the handle and makes it more comfortable to play with. In some cases, you could even increase the grip size by an 1/8 of an inch by having a heat shrink sleeve added to the grip.
However, decreasing the size can often be very difficult and expensive, meaning it might just be easier and cheaper to buy a completely new tennis racquet.
