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Published racquet measurements

Q: Why do published racquet measurements vary from source to source?

A: There are several issues that affect the measurements you commonly see attributed to tennis racquets.

First, the racquet can be measured strung or unstrung. Obviously, stringing adds about 15 grams to the weight of the bare frame, and dramatically increases the swingweight. Less obviously, a strung racquet will measure as being more flexible than an unstrung frame because the pull of the mains augment the bending of the hoop that occurs during the measuring procedure.

Second, even though manufacturers strive to have each racquet of a given model be identical, there are “tolerances” for each racquet characteristic, which means that two visually identical racquets can vary in weight, balance, swingweight, and even length, and be considered “identical” as far as the manufacturer of that racquet is concerned. Also, when measuring flex, it is not unusual for a racquet to have a different flex rating on one side of the racquet compared to the other, although side-to-side differences are rarely more than one unit.

Third, while manufacturers may not change the mold of a given racquet model, they can and do change the lay-up (an example of this is the Prince Graphite Classic, which has gone through at least four “generations,” each of which measures slightly differently than others, even though the racquet has remained basically the same). Granted, most racquets don’t “live” long enough to go through these kinds of changes, but it can and does happen, especially if the company switches manufacturing locations during the production run of the racquet.

Fourth, the racquets being measured may not have had the same grip size. Then, in addition to whatever weight differences there are from having a larger grip as compared to a smaller one, some racquet manufacturers sort frames by weight before attaching the grip “pallet,” assigning larger grip sizes to the heavier frames.

Fifth, the method used for measuring racquet specs must be calibrated, so that measurements from different machines can be directly compared.

Sixth, the machine used to measure racquet specs must be operated correctly, to ensure valid results, and the measurements must be accurately transcribed.

Thus, while published racquet measurements may be indicative of the specifications of the typical retail version of that racquet, if you are serious about matching racquets, you should check the measurements for yourself, and play-test any racquet before buying it, rather than relying on specifications alone.

From the September 2005 issue
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