Tennis Racket Grip Size: How to Measure Yours (UK Guide 2026)

Quick answer: Your tennis racket grip size is the circumference of the handle, listed in the UK either as L0–L5 or in inches from 4" to 4 5/8". To find yours, measure from the middle crease of your palm to the tip of your ring finger — that measurement in inches is your grip size. Most adult men take L3 (4 3/8"), most adult women take L2 (4 1/4"). If you fall between two sizes, always choose the smaller one, because an overgrip can build it up but nothing can take it down.

Grip size is the single most overlooked spec on a tennis racket, and the one most likely to cause problems. Weight and head size get all the attention, yet a handle that is a size too big is a genuine cause of wrist strain and lost racket-head speed. This guide covers the UK sizing chart, two reliable ways to measure at home, how overgrips change the number, and what to do for juniors. At Central Sports we fit and re-grip rackets every week, so most of what follows comes from the counter, not a spec sheet.

What tennis racket grip sizes actually mean

Grip size measures the circumference of the racket handle, including the grip already fitted at the factory. Two labelling systems are used side by side in the UK, which is the main reason buyers get confused. European brands and most UK retailers use L-numbers. American sizing uses inches. They describe exactly the same thing.

• L0 — 4" — 100–103 mm — junior and small adult hands
• L1 — 4 1/8" — 103–106 mm — smaller adult hands
• L2 — 4 1/4" — 106–109 mm — the most common women's size
• L3 — 4 3/8" — 109–113 mm — the most common men's size
• L4 — 4 1/2" — 113–116 mm — larger adult hands
• L5 — 4 5/8" — 116–120 mm — rare, usually special order

So when a listing says "Grip 2" and another says 4 1/4", nothing has changed — it is the same handle. Each step up is one eighth of an inch, roughly 3 mm of circumference. That sounds trivial. In the hand it is not.

How to measure your tennis grip size at home

You need a ruler and thirty seconds. There are two methods, and it is worth doing both.

The ruler method. Open your playing hand, palm up, fingers together and extended. Find the horizontal crease that runs across the middle of your palm. Measure from that crease to the tip of your ring finger, following the line of the ring finger. The result in inches is your tennis racket grip size. A measurement of 4 3/8" means L3. Round to the nearest eighth.

The index finger test. Hold a racket in a continental (chopper) grip as if you were about to serve. Slide the index finger of your other hand into the gap between your fingertips and the base of your thumb. One index finger should fit snugly. If there is room to spare, the grip is too large. If the finger will not fit at all, it is too small.

If the two methods disagree, trust the index finger test with a racket in your hand, and go with the smaller size. Any Central Sports store will let you hold both options side by side, which takes the guesswork out entirely.

Should you size up or size down?

This is where most buying guides stop short, and it is the part that matters. When you are between sizes, buy the smaller grip. The reason is one-directional: you can add an overgrip, a thicker replacement grip, or a heat-shrink sleeve to make a handle bigger, but you cannot meaningfully shave one down without ruining the frame's balance and feel.

A grip that is too large forces you to squeeze harder to stop the racket twisting on off-centre hits. That constant tension is what travels up into the forearm. A grip that is slightly too small lets you rotate the handle freely between grips — useful for modern western forehands and heavy topspin — and is easily corrected for a couple of pounds.

Rackets sold unstrung in the UK are almost always available in L1 to L3. If your size is L4 or above, order early or expect a wait.

How overgrips and replacement grips change your grip size

This is the section almost no page on the first page of Google covers properly, and it is the one that stops people buying the wrong racket.

Your racket arrives with a replacement grip (also called a base grip) already fitted — a cushioned, tacky layer roughly 1.5–1.8 mm thick. That grip is included in the stated grip size. An overgrip is a thin 0.5–0.7 mm wrap that goes over the top of it and is replaced every few weeks as it wears.

• One overgrip adds roughly 1/16" — about half a grip size.
• Two overgrips add a full grip size, though the feel gets spongy.
• Removing the base grip and fitting a thinner one can drop you by up to half a size.
• A heat-shrink sleeve fitted by a stringer adds a full size permanently.

The practical consequence: if you are an L3 and the racket you want is only in stock in L2, buy the L2 and add an overgrip. That works. The reverse — buying L4 and hoping to shrink it — does not. Browse the full range of grips and overgrips at Central Sports to see the options.

Grip size, tennis elbow and wrist pain

Grip size will not cause tennis elbow on its own, but the wrong size makes it considerably more likely. The mechanism is straightforward: an oversized handle increases the twisting force on the frame at impact, you grip tighter to resist it, and the extensor tendons on the outside of the elbow absorb the extra load rally after rally.

If you are already dealing with elbow discomfort, the usual fix is a slightly smaller grip with a softer, more cushioned overgrip, combined with a lower string tension and a more flexible frame. Grip size is the cheapest of those three changes to test — a £3 overgrip is a far quicker experiment than a new racket. Persistent pain should be looked at by a physiotherapist rather than solved with kit alone.

Junior and kids' grip sizes

Junior rackets are sized by length first — 19", 21", 23", 25" and 26" — and their grips are proportionally smaller, typically well under L0. Do not try to apply the adult chart to a child. A junior should be able to wrap their hand around the handle with a comfortable overlap of the fingers and thumb, and the racket should be light enough to swing without dropping the head.

Most children move to a full 27" adult frame in L1 around age 12 to 13, depending on height rather than birthday. Our junior tennis rackets are listed by length so you can size by height and skip the grip maths entirely. If you are choosing a first adult frame at the same time, our guide to choosing a tennis racket covers weight, balance and head size.

Top picks from Central Sports

All in stock at centralsports.co.uk at the time of writing. Prices vary slightly by colour and pack size.

• Yonex Super Grap Pure AC108EX (Single) — from £2.33. At 0.6 mm it is the thinnest option here, so it adds the least to your grip size. The right choice if you are already at the top of your size band and want tack without bulk.
• Tourna Grip DRY FEEL TG-10XL — from £2.95. The dry-feel grip that gets tackier as your hand sweats, rather than slicker. The one to try if your problem is slipping in summer, not sizing.
• Wilson Pro Overgrip – Black — £5.43. The default tour overgrip and the safest bet if you have never experimented. Predictable half-size increase, consistent feel.
• Yonex Wet Super Grap 3 Pcs — £5.89. Three grips, mixed colours, excellent sweat absorption. The best value way to test whether adding half a size actually suits you.
• Tourna Tac XL Overgrip 3 Pack — £7.99. Extra-long at 99 cm, so it covers the whole handle on longer or two-handed-backhand setups without running short.

Tennis racket grip size FAQ

What does L1, L2, L3 and L4 mean on a tennis racket?
They are grip sizes measured as handle circumference. L1 is 4 1/8", L2 is 4 1/4", L3 is 4 3/8" and L4 is 4 1/2". Each step is one eighth of an inch, or about 3 mm.

How do I know what size grip to get for my tennis racket?
Measure from the middle crease of your palm to the tip of your ring finger. That figure in inches is your grip size. Confirm it with the index finger test on an actual racket before you buy.

What grip size do professional players use?
The majority of the men's tour plays L2 or L3, and many build up from a smaller base with one or two overgrips to fine-tune the shape as well as the size. Very few use anything above L4. It is a reminder that smaller and built-up beats larger and fixed.

Is a 27 inch racket for adults?
Yes. 27" is the standard adult length. Anything shorter — 19" to 26" — is a junior frame sized by the child's height.

Can I change the grip size of a racket I already own?
Upwards, easily: overgrips, a thicker replacement grip, or a heat-shrink sleeve. Downwards is limited to fitting a thinner base grip, which buys you about half a size at most.

Get the size right first

Grip size costs nothing to get right and is expensive to get wrong. Measure your hand, err on the small side, and use overgrips to dial in the last half size. If you are unsure, bring your racket into a Central Sports store and we will check it in a minute.

Ready to buy? Browse all tennis rackets, stock up on grips and overgrips, or explore the rest of the Central Sports range. Playing badminton too? Our badminton racket finder applies the same fitting logic to the shuttle game.