If you find a racket model you like at a store, but they don't have it in the grip size you want, or you inherit a racket from a family member or friend that isn't your size, change the grip size to fit you. Build the grip up or take it down depending on the size. Knowing your options before you start will help you choose the best method.
Step 1
Measure your hand to determine the correct grip size for you. Take a ruler and place the starting point on the lower, horizontal crease in the palm of your hand. Measure from that point to the tip of your ring finger. This is between 4 and 5 inches for most people.
Step 2
Examine rackets with different grip sizes to see if one feels best for you. In addition to swinging the racket, check the grip by placing the pointer finger of your non-playing hand between the heel and fingers of your playing hand as you grip the racket. If your ring finger fits snugly in that space, you have the correct grip size. If there is space on either side of your fingers, or if you have to move the fingers on your playing hand away from the heel of your hand to get your ring finger in between, the grip may be too big or too small.
Step 3
Remove the plastic or leather grip from the handle if the grip is too big. Note how you remove it, so that you can rewrap the grip, reversing the process you used to unwrap it to take it off. Remove the tape from the top of the grip and unwrap the grip from the handle, top to bottom. The handle may have two-way tape underneath to keep the grip from sliding, and you may have to tug firmly to remove the grip.
Step 4
Determine if the handle is a part of the overall frame, or if it is made of replaceable parts called pallets. Pallets are snapped or screwed onto the handle, creating a particular size grip. If the racket has pallets, find a store that sells that racket and ask if you can purchase pallets in the size you want.
Step 5
If the racket does not have pallets, you will have to shave the handle down, using a file or other tool. Shave a small amount of the material from one bevel, then proceed to the next, going around the handle to shave all eight bevels evenly. Taking all of the extra material from one or two bevels creates an uneven handle. Shave only a very small amount of material from each bevel the first time around to prevent shaving the handle too much and creating a handle that is too small. After your first pass, replace the grip, wrapping it the opposite way you unwrapped it, and replacing the tape at the top of the grip when you are done.
Step 6
Add material to the handle if the grip is too small and there are no pallets. Remove the grip. Use strips of tape, applying one strip of tape to each bevel, replacing the grip and measuring to see if you have raised the grip enough. If not, add a second piece of tape on each bevel and continue the process until you have the correct size. You can also buy and apply a heat-shrink sleeve directly to the handle, after you have removed the grip. The sleeve is a small piece of material that slips over the handle, similar to putting your hand in a surgical glove. Use a hair dryer to apply the heat that shrinks the sleeve onto the handle.
Step 7
Remove the grip that comes with the racket and replace it with a thinner overwrap if the handle is too big. Place the overwrap directly onto the bare handle. You will not reuse the grip you removed. This may be all you need to do to get the correct size grip. Putting an overwrap on a racket handle is similar to replacing the grip you just removed. Simply wind the overwrap onto and around the handle in the opposite direction you unwound the grip to take it off. Generally, you will start by affixing the overwrap to the bottom of the grip with a piece of tape, then winding the overwrap upward, around the handle. When you are finished wrapping, place a piece of tape on the top of the overwrap to secure it.
Step 8
Add an overwrap to the handle, directly on top of the grip, if the grip size is too small. This may be all you need to do to increase the size of the handle.
Things You'll Need
- Tennis grip overwrap
- File
- Tape
- Ruler or tape measure
- Tennis handle pallets
- Screwdriver
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