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This page explains what governing bodies, standards bodies and researchers publish. It is not a substitute for lessons from a qualified coach or for medical advice.
A rule, not a verdict on a racket
This page reports what the ITF rule book says. It cannot say that any racket complies: the rule book and, when asked, the ITF itself decide.
Who rules on a tennis racket
The International Tennis Federation describes itself in the foreword to its 2026 Rules of Tennis as the governing body of tennis and the keeper of the rules. Its member associations voted in October 2025 to trade as "World Tennis", as Sportcal reported, but the 2026 rule book is still issued in the names International Tennis Federation and ITF Limited. Rule changes start with the ITF Rules of Tennis Committee, which recommends them to the ITF Board, which in turn recommends them to the ITF Annual General Meeting, the final authority.
Rule 4 (The Racket) says rackets approved for play must comply with Appendix II. The ITF decides whether a particular racket or prototype complies, either on its own initiative or when a party with a bona fide interest applies, such as a player, a manufacturer or a national association. Those rulings follow the procedures in Appendix XII (Procedures for Review and Hearings).
That is a specification plus a ruling on request. There is no list of approved rackets in the 2026 Rules of Tennis. Balls are handled the opposite way: Rule 3 requires every ball used in a tournament under the Rules to be on the ITF's approved-ball list, which is covered on tennis balls and approval.
Size limits (Appendix II(c))
Appendix II gives each limit in metric and imperial units and says the SI (metric) figure takes precedence.
| Measurement | Maximum, ITF Rules of Tennis 2026, Appendix II(c) |
|---|---|
| Overall length | 73.7 cm (29.0 in) |
| Overall width | 31.7 cm (12.5 in) |
| Hitting surface length, measured parallel to the long axis of the handle | 39.4 cm (15.5 in) |
| Hitting surface width, measured at right angles to that axis | 29.2 cm (11.5 in) |
Appendix II sets maximums only. For 10 and under competition, Appendix VIII of the same rule book pairs each stage ball with a stated racket length band; those bands are not reproduced here.
The frame and the strung face (Appendix II(a) and (b))
Appendix II defines a racket as a frame plus strings. The frame is a handle and a head, and may include a throat: the head is where the strings attach, the handle is the part held in normal play, and the throat, if there is one, joins the two.
The hitting surface must be flat, made of a pattern of crossed strings that are either alternately interlaced or bonded where they cross. The pattern must be generally uniform and must not be less dense in the centre than elsewhere. The racket must be designed and strung so that both faces play the same.
Two of the Rule 4 cases apply this wording. Case 1 says only one set of strings is allowed on the hitting surface, because the rule speaks of a single pattern of crossed strings. Case 2 says a pattern with strings on more than one plane is not generally uniform and flat.
Attachments, devices and energy sources (Appendix II(d))
- No attached object, protrusion or device may make it possible to materially change the racket's shape, its moment of inertia about any principal axis, or any other physical property that affects performance during a point.
- Three kinds of attachment are allowed, each reasonable in size and placement: equipment approved as Player Analysis Technology; attachments used to limit wear and tear or vibration; and, on the frame only, attachments used to distribute weight.
- No energy source that could change or affect the playing characteristics may be built into or attached to the racket. Rule 4 Case 6 applies this to a battery that affects playing characteristics, and to solar cells and similar devices.
- Rule 4 Case 3 allows vibration-damping devices on the strings, but only outside the pattern of crossed strings.
Appendix III defines Player Analysis Technology as equipment that records, stores, transmits, analyses or communicates information about a player's performance. A player may access that information only as Rule 30 allows.
Rackets during play
- Broken strings (Rule 4 Case 4): a player who accidentally breaks strings during a point may keep playing with that racket, unless the event organisers specifically prohibit it.
- One racket at a time (Rule 4 Case 5): a player may not use more than one racket at any time during play.
What changed for 2026
The ITF approved four text amendments for 2026: Rule 18 (foot fault), Rule 27 (correcting errors), Appendix V (advertising), and a change to the Beach Tennis racket rule requiring non-reflective surfaces. Beach tennis is a separate ITF discipline that this site does not cover. None of the four amendments changes Appendix II for tennis rackets or Appendix I for balls.
Strings are covered, as materials only, on strings and grips. Wheelchair tennis chairs have their own rules on wheelchair tennis equipment.