Whether you are serious about your tennis or just getting started playing the game, you'll want to put some thought into your racket. If you're new to the game, you can pick a racket off the display wall, pre-strung, to help you get started, as long as you pick a beginner's racket. As you get better, you'll want to pay more attention to specific features and customizations to match the right frame to your game.
Pick the Right Frame
Tennis rackets come in three basic styles: game improvement, tweener and player's. Game improvement rackets are for lower-level players and feature technologies that enhance the playing style of less-skilled players. These rackets use materials and string bed sizes that aid players with slower swings and more mishits. these beginners rackets have larger heads, weigh less and are more flexible. Player's rackets are made for powerful, trained, coordinated athletes and have smaller heads, more weight and more stiffness. Tweener rackets are for players in between these skill levels and feature technologies in between the other two types.
String it Correctly
Ideally you don't hit the ball with the racket--you hit the ball with the strings. For beginners, a custom string job will provide only incremental benefits, since the main needs of less-skilled players include creating power and minimizing the effect of off-center shots, both of which the frame does. Pre-strung rackets are usually fine for beginners, strung at a tension that complements the frame's playing characteristics. As you get better, you'll be able to gain more benefit from a good string job since you'll have a better idea of your swing speed, how much topspin you produce, what type of strategy you use during a match and how hard you hit the ball. Frequent recreational players may develop tennis elbow, and a string job may help minimize their pain.
Try Head Tape
If you need a larger sweet spot, or area of maximum control and comfort in the string bed, and can't afford a new racket, you can place leaded tape around the perimeter of the head of your racket to do this. Manufacturers noticed that top players were customizing their rackets this way in the 1980s and created rackets with more weight in the head by decreasing the weight in the handle. Using a racket with more weight toward the head will give you a bigger sweet spot, whether you buy a racket with this feature or customize yours.
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