Tennis as a sport is gradually moving towards lighter and lighter racquets. Gone are the days when tennis was played with unwieldy wooden rackets, which were less powerful. With the advent of graphite racquets, Tennis racquets have undergone a revolutionary change. Lighter racquets have also changed the way the game is played. Players are serving better, hitting harder and deeper, thanks to the light weight tennis racquets.
Racquets now a days weigh about 11 ounces. The Racquet weight is progressively decreasing with time. As a simple rule of thumb, the lighter the racquet is, the easier it is to swing.
Lots of professionals use light weight racquets due to their great swing. A hit with a light weight racquet means that you are placing less weight behind the shot and therefore, you have to swing harder to get powerful shots going. This usually comes with practice.
Generally speaking a racquet’s stationery weight is defined as the weight of the racquet, if you were to place the racquet on a scale. It does not take into consideration the distribution of weight. The distribution of the weight could vary throughout the length of a racquet.
The head-heavy racquets have more weight towards the head region and similarly the head-light racquets have more weight towards the butt region.
Head heavy racquets always feel heavy. A heavy racquet will be that much harder to maneuver and can potentially cause injuries. A lighter racquet on the other hand also has got its flip side. A lighter racquet can transmit more shock to your arm, resulting in tennis elbow. It is always better to make a judgment on the choice of a heavy or a light weight based on your playing needs and your physical attributes.
The ideal racquet weight also depends on our style of play. Adults should generally go for racquets that weigh more than 10 ounces. Less than 10 ounces and they become too light to protect your arm from frequent shocks, resulting in tennis elbow. If you can wield it with comfort, more weight is always advantageous. Most players though find more than 12 ounces too heavy.