How to Measure a Tennis Head Size for a Racket
One of the most important measurements for a tennis racket is the head size. This area measurement describes the stringed "face" of the racket used to hit a tennis ball. New players should opt for a larger head size because it affords greater power and offers more stability for poorly placed hits. Smaller head sizes offer greater control and may be preferred by professionals who already have sufficient power in their swings. Small head sizes are rarely used and measure 80 square inches or less. Midsized tennis rackets are between 85 and 104 square inches. Oversized rackets measure 105 to 117 square inches, and super-oversized rackets can exceed 118 square inches.
Measure the width of the tennis racket's stringed area across the widest point.
Measure the height of the stringed area across the longest point.
Multiply the width times the height times 0.785 to calculate the head size. As an example, for a tennis racket measuring 10 inches by 14 inches, multiply 10 times 14 times 0.785 to calculate an oversized head size of 110 square inches.
Multiply the inch measurement by 2.54 to convert the measurement to centimeters, if required. In the example, 112 times 2.54 calculates the head size of 284 square centimeters.
- Comstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images