What's the deal with grip sizes?

[VeeSe]

Hey all,

I've heard from various places that it's important to choose the right size grip or you could create injury problems for yourself (most of them cited tennis elbow as an example), but we see all the pros on tour use grips suited for the current style (i.e. trending towards really small grips for more whippiness and RHS), whereas in the past, players of similar size were using much larger grips for stability.

Why put so much emphasis on the "right" grip size when you can play with multiple grip sizes and be just fine? For example, I'm 5'7, and I play with 4 1/2 or L4 grip, whereas I see people who are 6'+ playing with L3 or even L2. If they were to use the "right" size grip they would be using like 4 3/4 grips if we go based on height! And those grip sizes barely even get made because nobody uses them!

 

[LeeD]

I'm 5'11", and have always used 4 5/8th, the last 10 years with an overgrip.
Net play can use big grips.
Baseline play can use smaller grips for RHS.
Serves matter less, as it's pressured on the buttcap.
Heavier rackets can be played with smaller grips.
Light rackets don't twist with big grips.
Find your compromise.

 

[Magnetite]

You just have to try a few different grip sizes and then decide what is most comfortable. Generally, whatever is the most comfortable will benefit your game the most.

 

[MikeHitsHard93]

Gotta be able to change from bh to fh quickly enough in the heat of battle...

 

[Magic of tennis]

I have one racket with 4 3/8 the other one is 4 5/8.
Only thing I can notice is one is thick, the other is thin
heheh

 

[robbo1970]

I think as long as you feel you have a decent enough grip on the racket and your fingers dont touch your palm when gripped, then you just play with what feels comfortable.

Some prefer a larger feeling grip suits them and others a smaller grip. I think the measuring guide should just be treated as a guide, bearing in mind that the same size grip can feel different between different manufacturers.

 

[Broly4]

Firstly check any valid grip guide, imagine the table suggested your grip size should be 4 then proceed as follows:

Eastern grip: try 5
Semi: stay 4, try 3
Western: Go 3, try 2, go 2 if full western towards extreme

 

[Marshredder]

I use a semi-western grip with a L2, but I have small hands

 

[LeeD]

I use 4 5/8 with an overgrip atop, and I have average hand size. But I play net all the time.