Racquet head and strings are certainly important, but don't forget about the grip! Not only will the proper grip improve your game, but it can help prevent injury. We'll give you the all the information you need to make sure yours is right.

One of the least considered yet most important parts of playing a racquet sport is having the right grip on your equipment. Basically, there are no rules about materials but it is extremely important for your equipment to fit your hand (or hands) and it is comfortable to hold for as long as you are playing. Factors such as sweat absorption, tackiness, thickness, softness and shape all influence how the hand feels as it touches a grip.

Typically, the grip is the part between the handle and the hand.

An overgrip is placed over the top of a grip. It is often used to build up the diameter of the handle, and is generally thinner than a regular grip. Overgrips will generally include some highly adhesive tape to wrap around the top to insure it will not unravel from the handle/grip.

A replacement grip is simply a grip that is placed on the handle instead of whatever came from the factory. It will have some sort of adhesive that attaches it to the handle and keeps it stable while you are playing. It is usually thicker, softer, and absorbs more sweat than an overgrip.

See our guide for more differences between replacement and overgrips.

Thinner than an overgrip, it is usually applied to the grip for a specific purpose such as greater tackiness. In theory, tape could be applied over an overgrip which is applied over a grip. Typically however, grip tape is applied directly to a grip. Highly abrasive tape, almost a gauze-like material, is sometimes used by players whose hands sweat profusely. This adds significantly to the diameter of the handle.

Different manufacturers use many different shapes. Most grip tape is flat. Overgrips may be flat, have holes, tread patterns or other perforations. Grips themselves could be any of these and even have ridges or other protruding surfaces.

Two categories of materials: leather vs. synthetic. Each has their strengths and weaknesses. Roger Federer, for instance, uses a leather grip covered by a synthetic overgrip.

Consider these seven factors when you are deciding on your grip construction:

Think about comfort, sweat absorption, or tackiness (stickiness).

Thicker grips produce greater comfort and absorption but may compromise power. Thinner grips may be tackier but hurt control

Some grips may only work for certain racquet lengths, brands or models.

Our guide to Measuring Grip Size will keep you on track. Poor fitting grips can result in injury to the arm and shoulder.

If replacing a grip for equipment other than tennis, all the same principles apply except you must be sure it fits your specific equipment.

While you can’t really reduce your handle’s diameter, you can increase the overall thickness. See our guide to Increasing Your Tennis Racquet Grip Size. Try out a few grips until you find what works best for you. They’re cheap!

Get a cool color and make a bold statement! The color does not impact grip performance.