What Is Your Tennis Grip?

April 27th, 2012

One of the most overlooked aspects of a tennis racquet is the grip, because when most people think about a racquet, head size, weight, balance, and price come to mind. However, playing with the wrong type of tennis grip can make or break your game.

Keep in mind there are two types of tennis grip: the replacement grip is the one that comes already on the racquet, and if removed, reveals bare wood or plastic depending on the material of the racquet under the grip. The other type is the overgrip, which is put on top of the replacement grip, for players seeking a new feeling grip every time they play.

All brand new racquets come equipped with a replacement grip, and it is recommended to change the grip once it becomes either slippery or loses the tread that gives you a tight hold of the racquet.

There are grips that are made to be especially absorbent, like the Head Hydrosorb, that cater to players with sweaty hands looking for something to absorb the moisture.

Another type of grip is the contour grip, which means there’s a small ridge spiraling along with the grip when it is wrapped, allowing the fingers to sit in grooves for maximal traction.

There are also tacky grips, meaning they are stickier than a normal replacement grip, for players looking for the extra hold on the racquet when their hands get sweaty.

And for those players looking for a solid, squared, old-school feel, there are leather grips similar to the ones found on wood racquets. These grips are far denser, and also less rounded than other replacement grips. They tend to range from about $4.99 for a basic replacement grip, to $12.99 for a leather grip.

For the players seeking that brand new grip feel every time they play, I recommend trying an overgrip. This grip is put on top of the replacement grip, and adds only about 1/16 of an inch to the grip size.

For players seeking a clothy feel, I would recommend Tourna grip. For those that want the stickiest grip possible, throw on a Yonex Super Grap to give that extra tackiness to your grip. Keep in mind that these grips don’t last as long as replacement grips and need to be changed every 1-5 times you play. Most overgrips can be bought for about $3.99 for a 3 pack, and you also won’t need to change your replacement grip as often.

So when deciding which tennis grip you want, make sure to consider tackiness, feel, and whether or not you want to change your grip every few times you play.

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