Junior Tennis Racket Size Guide

Junior tennis racket size depends on height, not age. Match your child to the right length using the chart below, then shop the exact size in our junior tennis racket collection. Beginners starting this term can also check the Back to Tennis collection, where the Yonex Junior 2025 range is reduced by up to 40 percent, with a racket and backpack bundle at £15 while stock lasts. This guide explains how to choose, written by the racket fitting team at Central Sports.

A racket is the only piece of equipment between a junior player and the ball, and one sized for an adult forces a child into a grip and swing their arm cannot support. Unlike a grip or a pair of shoes, a junior racket is not something a child grows into. It is something they grow out of, typically once a year and sometimes twice during a growth spurt, so getting the size right at each stage matters more than the brand on the frame.

How to size a junior racket

The Lawn Tennis Association's rule of thumb is the one inch rule: stand the racket on the ground next to the child, held down by their side. There should be roughly a one inch gap between the frame and the floor. Height is the reliable guide, not age, since two children of the same age can differ in height by a head or more.

Source: LTA ClubSpark, Racquet sizes for junior players, clubspark.lta.org.uk

Sizes by height and age

17 inch tennis racket

For children under 100 cm, roughly ages 3 to 5. The first racket most kids hold.

• Yonex Jr 17 2025: £17.40 (was £29.00)

• Babolat B'Fly 17: £15.79 (was £30.00)

19 inch tennis racket

For children 100 cm to 110 cm, roughly ages 4 to 6.

• Yonex Jr 19 2025: £18.60 (was £31.00)

• Babolat B'Fly 19: £16.48 (was £29.99)

• Wilson Intrigue Junior 19: £19.50 (was £26.00)

• Head Radical Jr. 19: £13.50 (was £28.00)

21 inch tennis racket

For children 110 cm to 120 cm, roughly ages 5 to 7.

• Yonex Jr 21 2025: £19.80 (was £33.00)

• Babolat B'Fly 21: £16.48 (was £29.99)

• Wilson Intrigue Junior 21: £19.50 (was £26.00)

• Head Radical Jr. 21: £19.99 (was £28.00)

23 inch racket

For children 120 cm to 130 cm, roughly ages 6 to 8.

• Yonex Jr 23 2025: £21.00 (was £35.00)

• Babolat Ballfighter 23: £20.90 (was £32.99)

• Wilson Slam Junior 23: £16.61 (was £26.00)

• Head Radical Jr. 23: £23.99 (was £30.00)

25 inch tennis racket age

For children 130 cm to 137 cm, typically ages 8 to 10. The last junior size before stepping up to a 26 inch and then a full 27 inch adult racket.

• Yonex Jr 25 2025: £22.20 (was £37.00)

• Babolat B'Fly 25: £24.74 (was £32.99)

• Wilson Slam Junior 25: £20.00 (was £26.00)

• Head Radical Jr. 25: £22.99 (was £30.00)

26 inch racket

For children 137 cm to 148 cm, roughly ages 10 to 12. The bridge into adult length frames, where construction starts to matter as much as length.

• Babolat Carlitos Junior 26: £38.00

• Head Speed 26 Junior: £48.00 (was £60.00)

• Wilson Clash 26 V3.0: £79.99 (was £110.00)

• Yonex Ezone Jr 26 Graphite: £94.99 (was £120.00)

Moving up a size

Re-check the one inch rule every few months rather than waiting for a birthday. A racket that now rests flat on the ground, or a child who has started choking up on the grip to control it, is the clearest sign it is time to size up. It is better to keep a child on a slightly small racket for a few extra weeks than to move them up early: an oversized frame is heavier and harder to keep horizontal through contact, which is exactly the habit coaches spend the most time correcting later. Brand matters far less than fit at this stage. Until around age 10 or 11, most junior rackets across Yonex, Babolat, Wilson and Head are built to a similar weight and flex for their size, since young players are using low compression balls that neutralise most of the differences between frames.

Pair a new racket with a professional restring if you are handing down an older frame rather than buying new, and browse the full junior tennis racket range for the next size up when it is time.

FAQs

What size tennis racket does my child need?

It depends on height, not age. Use the one inch rule or the chart above: a child under 100 cm needs a 17 inch racket, rising through 19, 21, 23, 25 and 26 inch as they grow, before moving to a full 27 inch adult racket at around 148 cm.

Can my child use a slightly bigger racket to save money?

Not recommended. A racket that is too big is heavier and harder for a child to keep horizontal at the point of contact, which teaches poor technique and raises the risk of arm strain. A racket on the smaller side is the safer compromise if you are sizing between two options.

What is the difference between a 25 inch and a 26 inch junior racket?

Length is close, but 26 inch rackets tend to move toward adult-style construction and weight distribution, since players at this stage are usually stepping up their ball speed and swing. Expect a wider price range at 26 inch as a result, from entry level frames to genuine performance models.

Do I need to buy a new racket every year?

Most children do outgrow a junior racket roughly once a year. Growth spurts vary, so check the one inch rule every few months rather than assuming last year's size still fits.

Which brand is best for a junior racket?

None of the major brands has a meaningful edge at junior sizes. Yonex, Babolat, Wilson and Head all build junior rackets to a similar weight and flex for each length, so fit and budget are better deciding factors than brand until a child reaches advanced junior level.