The right grip size makes a huge difference in how a racquet performs. If you are not sure of your proper size, here are two simple ways to measure:

Hold your racquet with your forehand grip. You should be able to fit the index finger of your non-hitting hand snugly into the space between the tips of your fingers and the butt of your thumb as shown in the photo. If there isn’t enough room, the grip is too small. If there is too much room, the grip is too large. Usually you can go up or down one size to accommodate your particular feel. However, an improper sized grip can lead to problems. A grip that is too small will require you to squeeze the grip more tightly to stabilize the racquet upon impact to keep it from twisting in your hand. Prolonged use of a grip that is too small will usually lead to tennis elbow and/or shoulder and wrist pain. Grips that are too large present the same problems, requiring more strength to hold onto the racquet and can lead to arm pain.

If you don’t have a racquet handy, you can measure your grip using a simple ruler as shown in the photo below. With the palm open and fingers extended and close together, align the ruler with the bottom lateral crease of your palm and measure to the tip of your ring finger.

If you’re buying racquets, keep in mind it is easier to increase handle size on most of today’s racquets than to decrease. In fact, the majority of modern frame handles cannot be reduced in size. If you’re between grip sizes, go with the smaller size and we can build it up 1/16 of inch (half size) for a perfect fit.

We also recommend that you replace your grip regularly. Grip materials usually contain a cushion backing that can compact after use, decreasing the size. Also as you play, the grip absorbs the oil and perspiration from your hand loosing its feel and tack. A fresh, properly wrapped grip will provide you with better racquet control and comfort for your hand and arm. Check our page on How to Wrap a Grip.

What can I do if I love my racquet, but hate the shape of my handle?
We can (in most cases) re-mold your handle. Different companies have different shapes of handles. Head and Volkl handles have wider face bevel (the sides with the strings) than other companies. This produces a more flat feel in the hand. Wilson and Prince handles tend to have all four main bevels almost equal. This produces a more round feel in the hand. So if you like your Head racquet, but want the handle feel of your old Wilson, we can do that. However it is not cheap. We have to create a custom mold for your handle. Once the mold is created, we can mold all your racquets, so that all are alike. If you are interested in this service, call and speak to one of our technicians and we can give you more details.

We can also do other customizations of handle shapes. Some are done with the molding process described above and others are done using other methods. Call and discuss your particular needs with one of our technicians.