Tennis strings and tension, how the bed changes every shot
Strings are the only part of the racket that touches the ball. How string type, gauge and tension shape power, control, spin and comfort, and when to restring.
Tool
Grip Size Finder
Measure from the middle crease of your palm to the tip of your ring finger. The finder converts it into the tennis grip size in inches and European sizes.
How to measure
Open your hitting hand with the fingers together. Lay a ruler along your ring finger and measure from the middle of the three creases across your palm to the tip of the ring finger. The length in inches gives the grip size directly: tennis grips run in eighths of an inch from 4 to 4 5/8 inches, or sizes 0 to 5 in the European system.
A quick check with a racket: hold it with an eastern forehand grip. There should be room for the index finger of your other hand between your fingertips and the base of your thumb.
Between two sizes
If you fall between sizes, choose the smaller one. An overgrip adds roughly one eighth of an inch, so you can build a small grip up, but you cannot make a large handle thinner. A grip that is too small makes you squeeze harder; one that is too large makes wrist movement awkward. Both can tire the forearm.
Padel and golf
Padel handles are not sold in tennis sizes and vary less; players adjust them with overgrips. In golf, grip size is fitted separately, usually during a club fitting, and depends on hand and finger length.
Questions
Does grip size affect tennis elbow?
A badly fitting grip makes many players hold the racket tighter, which loads the forearm. A correct grip size is one sensible part of looking after your arm, together with technique and string choice. Persistent elbow pain belongs with a doctor or physiotherapist.
How many overgrips can I add?
One overgrip adds about one eighth of an inch; two add about a quarter. Many players use one on a slightly small handle. Beyond two, the handle loses its shape and feel, so it is better to start with a larger base grip.
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