Tecnifibre Junior Level Up 21 (185g) Tennis Racket

The 21 inch starter racket, built to unlock swing speed

The Tecnifibre Level Up 21 is a starter racket for children measuring 110 to 125 cm, roughly 5 to 6 years old. Designed with Tecnifibre's coaches and the TecniLab, it has one aim: to support learning the right swing without the equipment getting in the way. Supplied strung, it weighs 185 g with a 543 cm² head.

What sets it apart

• Slim 0000 handle: sized for small hands, so the child can actually hold the racket rather than squeeze it.
• Two-tone grip: the two colours visually guide hand placement on the handle. It is the range's most useful teaching detail, sparing the coach from correcting the grip every rally.
• Slimmer beam section: it limits returned power, which helps keep the ball inside a reduced court and works with transition balls.
• Dampener included: vibration is absorbed from the first off-centre contacts, which are frequent at this age.
• Aluminium frame: it takes the knocks and the rackets dropped a little quickly on the ground.
• Glossy video-game inspired finish: a bright blue and white colourway, which matters more than you would think for wanting to get on court.

The Extreme Tennis team's take

This is the size to take for a child starting tennis school. The reference to go by is height, not age: if your child is under 110 cm, look at the Level Up 19; over 125 cm, go straight to the 23. A racket that is too long is the first brake on learning the swing, well before weight is. Worth knowing: the racket comes strung, ready to play, and Tecnifibre warrants it for 2 years.