Be wary of assumptions

Let’s talk weight and sweet spot

Posted Saturday, 9 May 2026

By Stephen Murphy

Some people assume wood rackets are too heavy and their sweets spots too small to be viable rackets. Be wary of popular assumptions!

To begin with, a Grays racket can be crafted to be a similar weight to a heavy standard racket.

The weight issue depends on the individual racket, the player and their playing style.

For a small minority of players any wood racket may be too heavy, but for the overwhelming majority it can be very manageable.

Problems might arise where groundstroke, notably forehand, technique is very wristy. But if a player can adapt their technique so that the wrist is firmer, the combined and coordinated strength of the arm, shoulder and back can easily cope with the racket weight, and the legs can add more power.

Of course, more weight can have advantages, too - greater “weight of shot”, greater swing stability, and so on.

The smaller sweet spot does make a difference, no doubt. However we believe that most good tennis players, including at club level, have very well developed hand-eye coordination – probably better than they realise - which can allow them to adapt relatively easily and quickly.

Of course, more focus on tracking the ball to contact will help. As well, hitting more “through the ball” will help.

Grips that are more Eastern than Western will also help.

Even with an Eastern grip, topspin is possible with a wood racket, just perhaps not consistently heavy or extreme topspin. Eastern grips yes, Continental, no! (But slice with Continental, yes!)

Using a wood racket may even improve your footwork, positioning to the ball and tracking the ball because, it is true, a wood racket is less forgiving of sloppy stroke and movement technique.

For most players, there is little to be afraid of and a lot to be enjoyed and even gained from the wood experience. Final word: be wary of uninformed assumptions.