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Glossary
Racquet Sports terms, explained
Short, plain definitions of the words you'll see on product pages and spec sheets. Each one links to a guide when there's more to know.
B
- Balance
- Where a racquet's weight sits, described as head-light, even or head-heavy. Read the guide →
C
- Clay court
- A slow, high-bouncing tennis surface that needs shoes with a herringbone outsole. Read the guide →
- Closed throat
- A teardrop squash racquet head with no bridge, giving a larger string bed and more power. Read the guide →
D
- Diamond padel racket
- A head-heavy padel shape built for power on smashes. Best for advanced players. Read the guide →
- Double yellow dot
- The slowest, lowest-bouncing squash ball, used by advanced and competitive players. Read the guide →
E
- EVA core
- The rubber foam inside a padel racket. Softer EVA gives more ball exit; harder EVA gives control. Read the guide →
G
- Grip size
- The circumference of the handle, from L0 (4 inches) to L5 (4 5/8 inches). Read the guide →
H
- Head size
- The area of a tennis racquet's string bed, in square inches. Larger heads give more power and a bigger sweet spot. Read the guide →
- Hybrid stringing
- Using one string type in the mains and another in the crosses. Read the guide →
L
- Let
- A rally that is replayed, for example in squash when a player's path to the ball is blocked. Read the guide →
M
- Multifilament
- A soft string made of many fibers, comfortable and arm-friendly. Read the guide →
O
- Overgrip
- A thin, replaceable wrap over the handle for tack, sweat absorption or a slightly larger grip. Read the guide →
P
- Polyester string
- A stiff monofilament string that gives control and spin but is harsh on the arm. Read the guide →
R
- RA rating
- A measure of a tennis racquet's frame stiffness. Higher numbers are stiffer. Read the guide →
- Round padel racket
- A padel shape with a low balance and centered sweet spot, best for control and beginners. Read the guide →
S
- Shuttle speed
- A rating on feather shuttlecocks that matches how fast they fly to altitude and temperature. Read the guide →
- String pattern
- The number of main and cross strings, such as 16x19 (open) or 18x20 (dense). Read the guide →
- Sweet spot
- The area of the strings that gives the most power and least vibration on contact. Read the guide →
- Swingweight
- How heavy a racquet feels when swung, combining weight and balance. Read the guide →
T
- Teardrop padel racket
- A padel shape that balances power and control. The usual choice for intermediate players. Read the guide →
- Tennis elbow
- Pain on the outside of the elbow from overuse. Softer strings and flexible frames can reduce shock. Read the guide →
- Tension
- How tightly strings are pulled, in pounds or kilograms. Lower tension adds power; higher adds control. Read the guide →
U
- U rating
- A badminton weight class. On Yonex racquets, 4U is about 80 to 84 g; higher numbers are lighter. Read the guide →