How Do You Choose the Right Racquet for Your Child?
A well-known stringer for the pros and a Babolat team member the past 43 years, Lucien Noguès knows a thing or two about tennis racquets. So, it’s only fitting that he shares his best practices for choosing the right junior racquet to ensure your child stays injury free, learns correct technique, and has fun playing tennis.
Choose the right racquet material based on level of play.
Tennis racquets are made of different materials and weights to help players succeed at every level - from beginners who are looking to advance quickly to high performance players looking for a tool to enhance their particular style of play.
JUNIOR BEGINNER
Try one of the lightweight Babolat aluminum racquets to help make swinging through the ball easy and fun, including the Nadal Junior, BFly, and Ballfighter racquets.
Junior beginner players transitioning to an adult racquet should try the Boost Aero or Boost Drive, both of which are the perfect combination of control and power.Become comfortable with the unpredictable.
JUNIOR INTERMEDIATE
Try one of the Babolat graphite composite racquets with a graphite core and an aluminum head, such as the Aero Junior and Drive Junior. Both provide the right balance of playability and performance to help any young player improve their game.
Junior intermediate players transitioning to an adult racquet should check out the 100% graphite Babolat racquets, such as the Evo Aero Lite and the Evo Drive Lite.These lightweight racquets are easy to handle for junior players ready to level up their game.
JUNIOR ADVANCED
Test one of the 100% graphite Babolat racquets, including the Pure Aero Junior, Pure Drive Junior, and Pure Strike Junior. These high-performance lightweight racquets provide different experiences depending on your child’s unique playing style: power (Drive series), spin (Aero series), and control (Strike series).
Advanced junior players transitioning to an adult racquet should demo the Pure Aero Lite, Pure Drive Lite, Pure Drive Super Lite, and Pure Strike Lite. These lightweight high-performance racquets are the perfect next step for competition-level players.
Choose the right grip size.
Grip size is also very important to ensure every player, whether junior or adult, feels comfortable and in control. Many of Babolat’s junior racquets also come equipped with amazing grip tools to help your kid remember the right grip, as recommended by Toni Nadal, former coach of Rafael Nadal and director of the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar. "The educational tools dedicated to these racquets make it easier for children to learn the fundamentals of tennis and to improve their game,” says Toni Nadal.
The Memo Grip to highlight where your kid should hold the grip.
The Improver Grip that shows the appropriate grip for each shot.
On some other racquets, two eyes are drawn on the edge of the racquet to help kids learn the waiting position.
To measure your grip size simply grip the racquet like you’re shaking its hand with your dominant hand, and place your other index finger in the space between your fingers. For the best fit, the gap should be just as wide as your finger.
Choose the racquet size based on your kid’s height and tennis level.
If hesitating between two racquet sizes, choose the smaller size. While a longer racquet provides more power, kids who are just starting out should focus more on the control a smaller racquet offers. Plus, a racquet that is too long is likely to unbalance your kid’s hand movement.
To ensure you have the right size racquet, try this easy test with your kid!
Ask them to hold their racket by the grip withtheir arm stretched out toward the ground.
A perfectly sized racquet should be no less than 5 cm from the ground. If more, then it’s time to move up in size.
Choose the right strings
Did you know the string is the engine of every tennis racquet? Especially as your child becomes an older, more advanced player. While most beginner racquets come strung to the correct tension, more advanced juniors will begin breaking strings and require frequent restringing. When it comes time to restring your kid’s racquet, it’s so important to pick the right string to enhance your child’s game, not hurt it (or their arm).
String Material
Natural gut, such as the Babolat Touch VS, is the most elastic and gives you an exceptional feel for the ball. Keep in mind, they do break more frequently.
Multifilaments, including the Babolat Xalt, Babolat Xcel and Babolat AddiXion+, are comfortable, powerful, hold their tension well, and can last a fairly long time. These strings are ideal for junior players, providing a comfortable, fun hitting experience without putting unnecessary pressure on the arm.
Polyamide monofilaments/Soft monofilaments, such as the Babolat RPM Soft, are powerful, durable, and ideal for developing serious spin on the ball. Junior players who are starting to break strings regularly should look into transitioning to the RPM Soft.
Polyester monofilaments, including the Babolat RPM Rough, Babolat RPM Blast, Babolat RPM Power, Babolat RPM Hurricane, and Babolat RPM Team, are very stiff, requiring strength and technique. Often used by professional players, such as Rafael Nadal, these strings are rarely suitable for junior and recreational players.
Hybrids, such as the Babolat RPM Blast + RPM Soft and Babolat RPM Blast + Touch VS, are a combination of two strings (one for the mains and the other for the crosses), allowing players to take advantage of the benefits of both strings.
String Tension
The tighter you string the racquet, the stiffer and more controlled it will be. The looser you string the racquet, the more power (but less control) you will have. Pay attention to when you feel the racquet losing tension (usually around 20 hours of play) as it may be time to restring.
String Gauge
This is the diameter of the string expressed in thousandths of a millimeter - the thicker the gauge, the more durability and control, while the thinner the gauge, the more power and comfort. Junior players should usually stick to a gauge between 120 and 125.
We know this is a lot of information, and it’s more than okay to feel a little overwhelmed when deciding what tennis equipment is best for your child. For younger children learning to play tennis, choosing the right racquet size is enough. As they progress, it becomes more vital to understand the different materials, grip sizes, and string materials to choose from.