Tennis Racquet Weight, Balance, & Swingweight Explained

Tennis racquet weight, balance, and swingweight are handy specs that you can use to help guide your decision making when buying a tennis racquet.
In this video, I share how these three measurements relate and impact performance, along with examples and charts. As a useful point of context, I also cover how to measure a racquet’s balance point with a balance board.
Full writeup: tenniscompanion.org/tennis-ra...
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Video Recap & Timestamps
0:00 - Intro
0:30 - Racquet Weight
1:14 - Racquet Balance
2:01 - Measuring Balance
2:50 - Racquet Swingweight
3:22 - Hammer Analogy
4:08 - Examples & Comparisons
4:16 - Weight Ranges Table
4:25 - Lightweight Racquet Examples
4:33 - Midweight Racquet Examples
4:40 - Heavy Racquet Examples
4:48 - Weight, Balance, Swingweight Comparison
4:57 - Finding a Preference
5:32 - Wrapping Up
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[@scoogsy]

Love the video great production really easy to follow.

[@RV-vb4jt]

Finally, a clear, concise, competently delivered explanation of weights and balance. Thank you. Subscribed.

[@juliesawyer8534]

Great explanation!

[@aerofox2023]

Excellent explanation, thank you.

[@TennisCompanion]

You’re very welcome! Happy to hear you found it helpful 😄

[@dqrocha]

Awesome clear and concise info John.

[@TennisCompanion]

Thank you, Dan! Great to hear it was helpful.

[@oscarhenriquez4818]

Really excellent video and use of graphics to explain what can be an overwhelming topic. Your racquet and string videos should be mandatory watching for anyone in the market for a new stick. My favorite part is when you wrap it up with the sensible advice that it’s really about how it FEELS for you as an individual and that these measurements are just guides in the process. Thanks for all the great content!

[@claudepiche9931]

Jon. this was great! Thanks for making me easily understand your advanced knowledge of tennis racquet. Have great day now. Ciao bye bella.

[@TennisCompanion]

Thank you, Claude! Great to hear it was helpful 😄

[@sherifhassan9791]

Great well informed well organized video with real life examples and analysis. Thanks for sharing and keep up great work.

[@TennisCompanion]

Thank you for the encouragement and taking the time to comment! Much appreciated.

[@jcarter8765]

Very helpful. Thanks!

[@TennisCompanion]

Great to hear! Thanks for taking time to share.

[@assihassan]

amazing video !

[@ZaksTurf]

Very well explained.

[@TennisCompanion]

Thank you! Happy to hear you enjoyed it 😄

[@bousemaster3989]

excellent information.

[@TennisCompanion]

Thank you! Great to hear it was useful.

[@chiloandchepo]

Thank u amazing video

[@JanitorIsBack]

good video. would like to see a video on how all these measurements help determine power and spin (assuming equal and consistent play)

[@TennisCompanion]

Thank you, and I appreciate the suggestion!

[@michaeldaunicorn5314]

Wow amazing video

[@TennisCompanion]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@csabagb]

Extremely useful video, thanks for making it. The only bit in your video that I disagree with is the weight distributed towards the racquet head increases the spin potential of the racquet. That would indicate that head heavy rackets are better for spin. However, the consensus among tennis players is that Head Light racquets are better for topspin potential because the player can swing them faster that is essential for topspin. The ball cannot spin faster than the racket speed on contact. So, players generally swing slower head heavy racquets and that creates more pancake effect on the ball. Also, the maneuverability of the racket that comes with head light racquets is key to do the micro movements that contributes to a good technique to generate spin. Topspin is a function of racquet head speed and angle of attack. Players using a head light frame would have longer, faster strokes and therefore be able to create more spin. This is the reason, why you find that head light racquets are used by most aggressive baseline pros whose game rely on spin. There are of course exceptions to every rule and we always need to take into consideration that top spin requires strong (physically) players who have the technique and athletic ability to produce swing paths and speeds.

[@workingclassveganrants440]

Hope your channel grows, great content being delivered. I was playing with the blade 98S (294g unstrung) for years (but my skill level has now outgrown this bat)..and so I recently bought the blade 98 (304g) in the hope the increased weight would help... but the racket still feels “off” and too unstable (even with 12.5g of tungsten tape added to it). So I’m thinking of demoing the 98 clash (310g) to see if I gel with it... if not I’ll trial the pro staff 97 (315g). I have a feeling I would prefer a radically more head light balanced racket (compared to the 98 blade 16x19), but not radically heavier (unstrung and uncustomised)... then if I still require a slight bump up in swingweight and/or twistweight, I can always add some weight to the hoop. Thoughts and advice would be appreciated 😝✌️

[@TennisCompanion]

Thanks, glad you like the videos! For the style of racquet (HL) you think you'd prefer, the Clash 98 and Pro Staff 97 are excellent options. Coming from the Blade, I'd recommend the Clash as a starting point to feel things out, so I'd say you're on the right track. I enjoy the unique feel of the Clash, but some do find it off-putting, so the Pro Staff is a great fall-back to test. To your point, if you like one of them, but the HL balance feels a bit too dramatic, then a slight adjustment of weight at 10 and 2 o'clock in the hoop can fix that while also adding a bit extra stability. Good luck with the demos!

[@akash4aap754]

Very nice video. Very clear Jon. Please help me with one questions - whats the difference in feel and overall usefulness when swing weight is lighter than strung weight compared to when its more than strung weight. I noticed this is one of the difference in Pure drive vs Pure Aero. Probably thats why Pure Aero is bit friendly on arm compared to Pure drive ? Another question I found confusing is - 7pt HL is same as 320mm on balance. Is it always true whenever its 320mm, i can assume its 7pt HL Please help to clarify whenevr you get change. Btw you should re-launch this video with the title "How to select your raquect" :) Good luck :)

[@blumpu4548]

Ur good at tennis

[@TennisCompanion]

Thank you!

[@bowsershark]

If you have the weight and balance of a racquet, can you use a formula to find out the swing weight without a swing weight Machine?

[@db3229]

Thanks how do you decide on weight in 3/9 vs 12 for balancing other than stability?

[@rupeshpatwa_Music]

Very useful video, I am a beginner 40 year old, can you guide me whether to use 285 gm or 300 gm be ok . My weight 74 kg , height 5.9

[@muhammadsohaibimran1402]

I like an 8 to 10 points headlight racket. I am coming from a pro staff 90. I switched to the 2020 prestige pro recently. It is 6 points headlight and feels sluggish for serve and forehand. The backhand seems fine. What would you suggest. Recently added an imitation leather grip but still think need some more weight.

[@adeljoseph7237]

Thanks for your efforts John, you're great .. As I'm 52 yo and just started Tennis few months ago, I need your advice cause I just felt a tennis elbow jam, and I noticed a lot of vibration on the FRAME and around when kicking the ball with my current racket Babolat Aero Lite, the string is Luxilon and it seems erected with high tension .. Is this because of the racket model or the string tension and what can you advise me? A friend advised me to change the racket with a very low stiffener one such as Wilson BLX five, what do you think?

[@trumpisastump9382]

Yes, change to the Wilson Triad 5 or three, and sting at a lower tension using natural gut. This setup is the most arm-friendly that you can get.

[@javierjimenez786]

All other things being equal, increasing which (weight or swingweight) will make my opponent feel my shots heavier?

[@peterochester2320]

Given that you need a machine to test sw, if you have typical racquets with weight and balance equal, how much could the sw differ? Not talking theory where the polarization could be radically different but with typical modern models. Thanks.

[@jcousack2599]

Awesome clear and concise info John! Exactly what I was looking for. I just started to have some elbow issues with the stiff Babolat Pure Aero (RA 67) and am thinking to switch to Yonex Ezone 98 (RA 64) or the Tour version (RA 62). On one side, I want the less stiff 98 Tour for my elbow, but I am concerned about the huge difference in strung weight at 318g (Aero) and 332g (98 Tour), even though the swingweight is quite similar at 324g (Aero) and 330g (Tour) and same balance at 4pts HL. Any advice on which 98 version I should go for if you were in my position? Thanks mate.

[@TennisCompanion]

Great to hear - thanks for letting me know you found it useful! If I were in your shoes, I'd first see how making a few adjustments to my current setup could help before jumping to a new racquet unless there were more reasons that you wanted to switch beyond comfort. A few suggestions for improving comfort: 1.) Consider how often you restring The fresher your strings, the more resilience, and comfort they'll offer. In particular, players that string with a full bed of polyester and wait too long to restring can end up with issues. Polys are stiff, and when they die, they can wreak havoc on a player's arm. For reference, I primarily play with polys and rarely get more than 7-10 days out of them. Yes, it can get expensive, but it's a necessary evil when using these types of strings. Of course, the same holds for other kinds of strings, but some, like multifilaments, will provide more comfort for longer. How Often to Restring: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kIqqoH6JnKiFf8U 2.) Adjust your string setup The type of strings you use can substantially impact comfort. Most players string the Pure Aero with a poly, which can work exceptionally well, but the stiffness of poly can magnify discomfort (even when freshly strung). An excellent alternative can be a poly/multifilament hybrid, and whichever you choose to string in the mains will dominate the overall feel. Also, it's worth noting some polys are more comfortable than others. For example, a softer poly like Head Sonic Pro Edge combined with the comfort of a multi like Head Velocity MLT would offer quite a bit more comfort than a full poly setup of Babolat RPM Blast. I'd start with poly in the mains to maintain topspin as a priority, and if that didn't do the trick, try the multi in the mains for added comfort. Types of Strings: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZfPdKaKgpusbtk 3.) Adjust your tension Dropping your tension 2-3 pounds can help reduce stiffness and improve comfort for any strings. There's a tradeoff, lower tension results in a higher trajectory of the ball, i.e., more power. It can take some experimentation, but it's worth considering. String Tension: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mn_Ek6Z3otF_hdk 4.) Replace your grip Over time, the grip your racquet came with will lose its cushion, so replacing it can help with comfort. Adding an overgrip on top can also provide a bit of extra cushion. However, I typically won't go beyond a new replacement grip and a single overgrip because you're changing the handle's size with each addition. tenniscompanion.org/tennis-replacement-grips/ 5.) Consider your grip size Although grip size is a personal preference, a grip that's too small or too large can lead to comfort problems. Typically, it's easier to increase the size of a grip than to reduce it, but this is another consideration for experimentation. Adding or removing a single overgrip will increase or decrease the handle's size by 1/16 of an inch or a half size. Grip Sizes: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5ewhqmbg6ilgrc Independent of the racquet, those are useful considerations when it comes to comfort. However, if I was in your shoes and I was dead set on moving to the Yonex Ezone, and I wanted to maximize comfort, then I'd opt for the Yonex Ezone 98 Tour. I consider the Yonex Ezone 98 to offer a slight bit of extra comfort vs. the Babolat Pure Aero, but it's not significant - I own both. However, the Yonex Ezone 98 Tour's greater flex and heavier weight would give you a noticeable bump in comfort. Of course, you'd need to keep in mind that comfort, along with other performance characteristics, will change. For that reason, I'd strongly encourage a demo before making that kind of switch and to vet some of my other notes as a starting point. I hope that helps!

[@jcousack2599]

@@TennisCompanion WOW thanks so much for the comprehensive response John! Alright then in that case I plan to change strings from Alu Power 125mm to a softer Poly like Volkl Cyclone 120mm and at a lower tension from 50 to 47 pounds. For the racket change, I’ve narrowed it down to Yonex Ezone 98 Tour, Head Gravity Tour/Pro, and Wilson Blade v7. Essentially all lower stiffness rackets with a heavier swingweight for more comfort. Do you have any 2 cents on any of these frames by any chance? My game will need major adjusting after all these changes but I really do not want to go through what I am going through now ever again. And unfortunately demoing rackets is not a thing in my country so online peer reviews are all I got :D. Thanks again, I seriously appreciate the help and all the best for your channel.

[@TennisCompanion]

@J Cousack I received a few emails of your reply, but anytime I checked, it was no longer there, so I thought you might have deleted it. Turns out, it was caught as potential spam, so I fixed that. I think you'll find some improvement moving to a softer poly and dropping the tension a few pounds, so I hope you see some positive results. Keep in mind that there are some softer polys out there, but Volkl Cyclone is one of my favorite and will offer more comfort than ALU Power. As for your racquet selection, that's an excellent lineup. If you're looking to maximize comfort while minimizing 'switching costs,' then the Head Gravity Tour, which offers a near-identical swingweight at 325 (vs. Pure Aero's 324) along with a 100 in² (645 cm²) head size and low 61 stiffness rating, may offer the most straightforward transition. Taking into consideration my preference on the racquets along with what you've shared - here would be how I'd stack rank them: - Head Gravity Tour 100 18x20 - Wilson Blade 98 16x19 - Yonex EZONE 98 Tour 16x19 Good luck with the selection process - I know it's not easy, especially when you can take them out on the court 🍀

[@jcousack2599]

@@TennisCompanion It is really awesome that you rank them that way. I was already leaning a little to the Gravity frame but now I think you have pushed me over the edge. Another upside to the Gravity Tour is that if I like it, I can always experiment with the Gravity Pro once I get comfortable with the extra weight and get back into better playing condition. Thanks again for the taking the time to reply to my messages, and for taking my message out of the spam folder haha. Cheers mate.

[@TennisCompanion]

@J Cousack Awesome! That's great to hear, and you're spot on with the flexibility to move within the Gravity line. Happy to help out! Good luck with the new racquet, and I hope your arm stays healthy!

[@ivanpalaca6230]

What is twistweight?

[@pres4673]

Hi, great channel, I loved the content. I need some advice: I need to choose between two racquets and I don’t know which ones. The first one is Wilson steam 105 s and the second one is Wilson 6.2 blx. I would really appreciate if you respond thx.

[@TennisCompanion]

Hi Joe - thanks for stopping by, and great to hear you enjoyed the videos! Here's a quick high-level spec comparison. *Wilson Steam 105S* Head Size: 105 in² / 677 cm² String Pattern: 16x15 Strung Weight: 11 oz / 312 g Length: 27.5 in / 70 cm *Wilson 6.2 BLX* Head Size: 100 in² / 645 cm² String Pattern: 16x19 Strung Weight: 10.6 oz / 302 g Length: 27 in / 68.5 cm The Wilson Steam 105S is an extended length racquet with a larger head size and a very open string pattern, which will deliver exceptional power, topspin, and greater margin for error when swinging to hit the ball. The Wilson 6.2 BLX, on the other hand, is a standard length racquet with a very reasonable head size and string pattern. It will still offer plenty of spin, power, and margin for error but will deliver a more balanced performance. For most players, especially those that are new to the game, I'd recommend the Wilson 6.2 BLX if I had to choose between the two. Overall, the racquet will be easier to manage and would make for an easier transition to a new racquet in the future should the player consider upgrading to a later model or higher-end performance racquet. Of course, you have to consider your preferences, so hopefully, my notes provide some useful context for you to consider.

[@pres4673]

TennisCompanion thx a lot

[@TennisCompanion]

You’re welcome!

[@davelee6002]

Just curious, if you wait till the handle drops, don't you go past the balance point? Also, if you're measuring where the handle hits your ruler, aren't you going to come up short as your racquet will be angling down from the balance bar? Any clarification would help, thanks.

[@TennisCompanion]

Hi Dave - super thoughtful observations. When you wait until the handle drops, you end up with a measurement that's ever so slightly in front of what might be considered the 'true' balance point. However, it's a minimal distance the racquet is dropping, especially considering that the butt cap extends beyond the frame's width, which reduces the distance of the drop. I experimented this weekend and raised the platform where the handle hits the scale for measurement up higher, so there was virtually no drop. The difference between the two measurements was less than a millimeter, which I'd consider negligible, especially since most players evaluate balance using the point scale where 1 pt = 1/18 inch or 4 millimeters and subsequent rounding occurs. As far as performance goes, I think it's safe to say a 1 mm variance is undetectable. Balance boards or similar tools are often used to match racquets, so as long as someone uses the same mechanism to take the measurements, you can still get an exact match.

[@matthewbush1324]

In the Weight Ranges table, shouldn't lightweight be low power, and heavy be high power?

[@TennisCompanion]

Hi Matthew - excellent question. You're correct in that all things being equal, a lighter racquet will be less powerful than a heavier racquet. However, in most cases, lightweight racquets end up with extra power because manufacturers will modify their attributes to influence it. Here are a few common adjustments that are made to increase power: - Weight is shifted toward the head - Head sizes are increased - Stiffness is increased - Beam widths are increased The result is that a lightweight racquet can end up with significant power - the Head Ti.S6 is a classic example. On the other hand, heavier racquets tend to have attributes that lean in the opposite direction of what I described above, resulting in less power despite their heavier weight. For that reason, players need to consider weight with the sum of other attributes. However, for the chart, I was hoping to describe what players would encounter evaluating racquets vs. purely with all things being equal because that's rarely the case. I hope that helps clarify.

[@sbgtrev]

in the beginning you say heavier racquets provide more power. at 4:21 however, the chart says such rackets have low power. What gives?

[@varshithkamisetty9273]

Want to know difgerence

[@Venus-go7qr]

Rook d4 check then king takes knight (forced) then rook c1 mate

[@brunoalves5790]

What is the weight of this board??

[@TennisCompanion]

Hi Bruno. If you're referring to the balance board, it's 2.53 lb or 11.15 kg.

[@brunoalves5790]

@@TennisCompanion thankss a lot

[@bowsershark]

wood wait/weight for a scale determination ☺️

[@varshithkamisetty9273]

Buy babalot junior 26 and see diference

[@TennisCompanion]

Thanks for the suggestion - I'll keep it in mind.

[@noeldacosta7621]

Suggestion, switch your intro to the beginning. It's really confusing for you to say: "Let's get started" and then instead of getting started, you go into a music intro. Like... wait... what?