Updated 5th October 2024
We get a lot of questions about the right tennis racquets for kids. We will give you some guidelines to follow below.
In terms of tennis balls for kids, it is best to follow this progression:
Kids and juniors should play with different balls until they turn around 12-13 years old (depending on their physical ability/size). Ages 3-5 should use foam balls, ages 6-8 should use red dot balls, ages 9-10 should use orange dot balls, and ages 11-13 should use green dot balls.
When it comes to strings, most kids’ racquets come pre-strung. You don’t need to worry about tennis strings until they get up at a higher level and like 11-13 years old.
We generally advise against polyester strings until they reach a higher competitive level and break multifilament strings regularly. And if they use poly strings, it is essential to string at lower tensions, 20 kg / 44 lbs or even lower. The philosophy is arm-health above anything else.
When they are 12-13 and start hitting with more velocity and put more strain on the strings, then it is time to consider softer polyester strings or hybrids setups, but before that, stick to multifilament strings.
Tennis Racquets for Kids – Ages 3-5
Start them young! If your kid or the kids you coach are of the ages 3-5, they should get a racquet that is between 19-21 sq inches. To put that into perspective, an adult standard frame is 27 inches. This means that as soon as your kids grow and go beyond 5, it is time to move to a larger head size. The good thing is that kids racquets are not as expensive as adult ones.
You can check out some good racquets for ages 3-5 on Tennis Warehouse Europe, Tennis Warehouse or Tennis Only. These shops are all excellent, but you don’t need a tennis specialist shop for this, you can also check Amazon.
Tennis racquets for ages 6-8
When your kid is between the age 6-8, it is time to upgrade the racquet. Sure, if your son or daughter are still relatively small for their age, they can stay with a 21 sq inch racquet, but ideally they should be playing with a 23 sq inch racquet. You don’t need to worry so much about racquet specifications, strings or brands at this stage of their tennis development. We generally advise not to skimp on quality, but most racquets will do just fine.
One suggestion can be to go for the more famous brands at this stage such as Babolat, Wilson, HEAD and Yonex.
You can check out some good racquets for ages 6-8 on Tennis Warehouse Europe, Tennis Warehouse or Tennis Only.
Tennis racquets for ages 9-11
As the kid gets older, the right racquet becomes more and more important. Depending on size and strength, they should use a 23 sq inch or 25 sq inch racquet. In 90% of the cases, it is time for a 25 sq inch.
You can check out some good racquets for ages 9-11 on Tennis Warehouse Europe, Tennis Warehouse or Tennis Only.
Tennis racquets for ages 11-13
Alright, things are getting serious and it is soon time for an adult-size racquet. But before that, it is best to use a 26 sq inch racquet. Tennis development is about progressions and this is also important in terms of equipment. As you strength increases and your skills advance, you evolve your equipment as well.
You can check out some good racquets for ages 11-13 on Tennis Warehouse Europe, Tennis Warehouse or Tennis Only.
Again, it is wise to choose name brands and follow recommendations from the coach.
Make sure also to progressively use the right tennis balls for kids.
