How to choose a kids' tennis racket
Junior tennis rackets, or racquets in US usage, are sized by length, from 17 to 26 inches, and you pick by your child's height rather than their age. A child under 3 ft 3 in (100 cm) needs a 17- or 19-inch frame; 4 ft 7 in to 5 ft 3 in (140 to 160 cm) suits a 26-inch. Between two sizes, take the shorter one: control matters more than reach, and a frame that drags on the ground pushes young players into poor technique.
Which junior racket size fits your child's height?
Age is only a rough guide. The height bands below follow the recommendations on the rackets in our own range, so measure first, then run the standing test.
The standing test: have your child stand upright and hold the racket by the handle, arm relaxed at their side, head of the frame pointing down. There should be roughly a one-inch gap between the tip and the floor. If it touches or drags, the racket is too long; if it sits well clear, your child has outgrown it.
Aluminum or graphite: which frame does your child need?
- Aluminum and alloy frames are shaped in one piece from a metal tube. They cost less, survive being dropped on a hard court and suit a child playing once a week or new to tennis, like the Babolat Carlitos Jr.
- Graphite and composite frames use carbon fiber in a resin matrix, often blended with fiberglass or kevlar. Stiffer and lighter for the same strength, so less shock reaches the arm and control improves. Worth it once a child trains weekly or competes.
Which racket length does each ball color allow?
In the USTA Youth Progression, and in the ITF's Tennis 10s program outside the US, the ball color sets a maximum racket length for competition. That is a rule, not a guideline, so your child's stage can decide the purchase. The stage balls sit in our Play & Stay balls collection.
- Red, Stage 3 (ages 4–8): 36-foot court, low-compression red foam or felt ball, racket up to 23 inches.
- Orange, Stage 2 (ages 8–10): 60-foot court, orange felt ball, racket up to 25 inches.
- Green dot, Stage 1 (ages 9–11): full 78-foot court, ball around 25% softer than yellow, and a full-length 27-inch racket is already permitted.
Which junior racket should you buy?
Babolat, HEAD, Wilson and Yonex all scale their adult flagship lines down for juniors, so a child can play a smaller version of the frame a parent or sibling uses: Pure Aero Junior, Radical Junior, Blade 26 V10. Dunlop, Tecnifibre and Racket Roots cover the entry end. Signature models carry a player's name instead of a series, among them HEAD's Coco line, named after ambassador Coco Gauff. Length matters more than the badge, so settle the size first.
Junior frames use the smallest grip sizes, labeled 000, 00 and 0. Many come in one fixed size; others, such as the Pure Aero Junior 25, run from 000 up to 1. Given a choice, take the smaller handle and build it up with an overgrip as your child grows. Kids' tennis shoes belong on the list too, our racket advisor narrows things down if you are unsure, and a fresh set of tennis strings costs far less than a new frame once the factory string gives out.
Frequently asked questions
When should my child move up to a 27-inch adult racket?
Most children switch to a full-size 27-inch racket once they are taller than about 5 ft 3 in (160 cm) and can swing a 26-inch frame through a full rally without dropping the racket head. That is usually around 12 or 13, but strength and technique matter more than the birthday.
What size tennis racket does a 7-year-old need?
A 7-year-old of average height, roughly 3 ft 9 in to 4 ft 1 in (115 to 125 cm), is normally best suited to a 23-inch junior racket. That is also the longest frame allowed in red ball competition, which most 7-year-olds still play.
Do junior tennis rackets come pre-strung?
Yes. Every junior racket in our range is sold strung from the factory with a durable synthetic string, so it is ready to play out of the box. A replacement only becomes worth it once the original breaks or has clearly lost tension.