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Racquet weight and balance, explained
Why two racquets of the same weight feel different, what swingweight means, and how to choose without getting lost.
Two racquets can weigh exactly the same and feel completely different. The difference is where that weight sits.
Weight
Total weight usually runs between 270 and 340 grams unstrung. A heavy racquet absorbs a fast incoming ball better, drives through it and stays stable; a light one swings faster and tires you less.
The idea that a beginner needs a very light racquet is only half true. Too light forces you to supply all the force with your arm, and that punishes the elbow too.
Balance
Balance tells you whether the weight sits toward the head or the handle. It is measured in points: head heavy, even, or head light.
- Head heavy: more mass where you strike, so it hits harder with less effort. Slower to maneuver.
- Head light: reacts very fast, ideal at net and on serve. It needs you to supply the power.
As a rule, light racquets tend to be head heavy to compensate, and heavy racquets tend to be head light so you can still move them.
Swingweight: the number nobody checks
Swingweight measures how hard the racquet is to move, and it is what you actually feel when you hit. A racquet can be light on the scale and feel heavy through the swing if the mass sits far from your hand.
If you ever tried two racquets of the same weight and one felt like a sledgehammer, that was swingweight.