Whether you are a new tennis player or a professional one, finding the best tennis racquet for yourself has always been a daunting task. Tennis racquets come with a wide variety of features. Some racquets help to generate high power while some offer better control. You need to check on all these essential features to find the best tennis racquets for yourself. And one of the important question people have is about oversized racquets.
Tennis racquets are available in different head sizes. Each head size is suitable for a particular level of player. Let us discuss this in more detail.
What are the different tennis racquet head sizes?
Tennis racquets are usually classified into three different head sizes. These are as follows:
- Oversize tennis racquet – It includes 105″ or larger
- Mid plus tennis racquet – It includes 98″ to 104″.
- Mid Size tennis racquet – It includes 85″ to 97″.
For beginner tennis players
An oversized tennis racquet is suitable for beginner tennis players. The larger head size of the tennis racquet helps them to make contact easily with the ball and hit accurately. It allows them to play consistently without tearing out their arm as their muscles get used to the game.
For new tennis players, a tennis racquet should come with:
- Oversized head
- Lighter frame
- More power
For intermediate tennis players
When we talk about intermediate tennis players, they are somewhat experienced with the game. Hence, they can choose a tennis racquet with smaller head sizes and more weight as their muscles develop. Moreover, they can generate more pace on their own as compared to beginners. The main objective for intermediate-level players is to keep their power in control.
For intermediate tennis players, a tennis racquet should come with:
- Oversized or mid plus tennis racket
- Medium weight frame
- Less power and more control from the tennis racquet.
For advance level players
For professional players, a mid-size tennis racquet is a great choice. They help players to play with more control, feel, and precision. There should be a balance between power and control.
For professional tennis players, a tennis racquet should come with:
- Mid plus or mid size tennis racket
- Medium to heavyweight frame
- The optimum combination between power, feel, and control.
However, certain professional players still prefer using an oversized tennis racquet. The choice completely depends upon your style of play.
Tennis racquet used by Pros
Professional players do not really prefer using oversized racquets. An oversized tennis racquet offers a larger sweet spot and helps new players to hit accurately and generate more power. However, why would you need an oversized tennis racquet when you are capable of producing powerful groundstrokes?
Professional players are pretty skilled to produce their own pace with heavy and smaller heads. Rather, they need a tennis racquet that offers them precise control. Pro players need to hit the shots quite close to the line, in order to win points. Whereas intermediate or new players can simply succeed by hitting with pace on one side of the court or other. Pros do not require a larger sweet spot as their shots are more precise than others.
Nevertheless, at certain points in their careers, some players do use an oversized tennis racquet. For example, both Williams sisters, especially Serena have used a 104 sq. inches tennis racquet.
Marion Bartoli also preferred to use an oversized tennis racquet until 2013.
In Earlier times players like Sampras and Courier preferred using an 85 sq inch tennis racquet. While some players like Agassi and Chang used 107 inches tennis racquets.
However, coming to this era, prominent players like Federer use a 90 sq. inch tennis racquet. It might be because he needs more horizontal strokes. On the other hand, Nadal, with more vertical strokes, prefers a 100 sq. inch tennis racquet.
Both players have different playing styles. Federer is more of an offensive player, while Nadal is a more defensive player. And this is why there is a 10 sq inch difference in their tennis racquet heads.
Oversized Racquets used by professionals
Wilson Blade Serena Williams Autograph v7
The name Serena Willimas itself stands for high power and precision. And this is what Wilson’s racquet offers. The extra length of the racquet provides you with somewhat extra limb extension. So that you can easily hit the balls that are beyond your reach. The 18 by 19 pattern accounts for improved control and more spin.
Babolat Pure Drive 107
Former Men’s U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick represents this Babolat racquet. With a 107-inch head size and higher swing weight, it provides all the power you would ever need. Moreover, it would never allow you to compromise on feel and precision. The anti-twisting elliptical frame offers enhanced stability so you can dominate every shot.
