How to choose the right size tennis racket for your child

Choosing the right size tennis racket for your child, whether they’re 4 or 14, is so important to help them get the most fun and success when learning to play. So here’s how you can find the perfect fit for your little one…

I was having brunch with a friend recently and over a pot of tea and a crispy bacon sandwich she proudly told me two things. Firstly, and certainly in her mind most importantly, she had finally won a 5 year battle with her partner: their little one George was going to try tennis before rugby. It was a seemingly impossible triumph over her die hard Saracens fan husband, but she had somehow convinced him!

Secondly, she told me the new racket she had bought George in preparation for his first ever lesson was “a little too big, but he’ll be fine, he can grow into it”. 

Now, as a somewhat biased friend of course I was delighted her son was to step onto a tennis court before a rugby pitch. However, and she won’t mind me telling you this, I wasn’t so delighted with her choice of racket for him… 

Having a suitable size tennis racket, particularly for children starting out in the game, is really important – and it’s surprising how many don’t. I appreciate it can get a bit expensive – there is certainly a bigger cost involved with having to buy a new racket every time your child has a growth spurt, from a purely financial point of view it makes sense to just purchase one that will carry them through a good few years.

But trying to play with a racket that starts too big and and then ends up too small can really hinder the progress and enjoyment they have when playing.  

A diddy toddler trying to swing a big heavy racket may look cute, but it is going to be difficult and not much fun for them. Likewise, a racket too small can hinder a child’s progression of learning the right technique and a good contact point, which could affect their confidence and ultimately their enjoyment.

There is also the concern that the wrong size tennis racket could add unnecessary stress or strain to their body causing a lot of discomfort and perhaps result in injury.

So all in all, not a good start!
 

How do you find the right size children’s tennis racket? 

Junior tennis rackets are measured by length (from the base of the handle to the top edge of the frame) and as a loose rule each length corresponds with the height and age bracket of the child. 

Below I’ve put together a table with the height of a child, their age, and the racket length to then go for. 

Of course there are exceptions, and if your child is short or tall for their age you might want to try rackets outside of their usual age bracket.
 

Expert tip: How to measure your child for a tennis racket

To double check the size is suitable once you have the racket, have your child stand up straight with it touching the floor by their dominant side, racket head down and handle up.  

If it’s the right fit, your child should be able to stand up straight and comfortably place the palm of their hand on the butt of the handle (as shown in picture 1 below - orange racket).

If the handle is out of reach and your child has to bend down (picture 2 - green racket) or alternatively their arm is bent to touch the top of the handle (picture 3 - purple and black racket) then it’s not the right size. 

Once your child reaches 61 inches in height (5ft 1inches or 155cm), I would recommend switching to an adult size racket which tend to start at 27 inches in length.

What about the grip size?

The grip size on a tennis racket refers to the circumference of the handle and is generally measured in inches, with the majority of junior rackets being manufactured to 4 inches.

A good little test to see if the grip is suitable, is if your child wraps the fingers of their dominant hand around the handle, and using the index finger on their other hand place it in the gap between the tips of their fingers and thumb.

If their finger fits snugly (picture 1 - black grip) then the grip should be just right, if however they can’t push their finger in completely (picture 2 - white grip), or there is too much of a gap (picture 3 - red grip) then you may need to make some adjustments.

If the grip is too small, then look to buy an overgrip (as opposed to a replacement grip) to wrap over the handle (if you’ve never done this before get a coach or watch a YouTube video to help you). It’s unlikely you will need to make the grip too much bigger so the overgrip will add a small increase in size and these can be easily found at any tennis store or online.

If the grip is too big then adjustments are a bit harder to make, so try to find a smaller gripped racket, or if needs be talk to a coach or specialist racket/tennis store to ask for assistance in shaving off some of the grip to make it smaller.

Let me know how you get on and if you have any other questions when purchasing your little one’s racket please do get in touch.

(PS You’ll be pleased to hear George has now got a more suitable racket size for his first tennis lesson and he can’t wait to get on the court!)

See also:

A gift for life - why every child should learn to play tennis

The Emma Raducanu Effect - What to do next if your child gets the tennis bug

Lizzie Flint is a writer and a practicing level 3 LTA professional tennis coach.

She has been in love with the game since picking up a racquet at the age of four – and she has seen it from every possible angle: playing, analysing and reporting on tennis all over the world. Read more about Lizzie here.