What makes 27in. the magic number?

[pow]

Half an inch shorter (26.5) and you have a jr racquet at half the price.
Half an inch longer and you have a "plus" version.

What makes 27in. the standard? What makes extended racquets "lack maneuverability" and shortened racquets "lack leverage"? Basically I'm wondering why 27inches is the magic number for the ideal length of a normal racquet.

I'm in no means trying to bash a 27in. racquet, I use one myself, just wondering.

 

[Deuce]

I doubt very much there is any even remotely scientific answer to this.

History and tradition, nothing more.

 

[kreative]

i agree w/ duece that it's a historical number, but there was a little bit of logic to it. i do remember reading something in the past saying something like:

27" length plus 9" width was the standard for racquets b/c you could use the dimensions together to measure the height at the center of the net (36"). Then they started w/ OS racquets (Prince?), and started tweaking racquet length (Prince also?). So 27", standard is just what most players are used to.