Tecnifibre Junior Tempo Iga 23 (200g) Tennis Racket

The 23 inch Iga Swiatek, the one with a proper string pattern

The Tecnifibre Tempo IGA 23 is aimed at players aged 6 to 8. It is the pivotal size in the girls' junior range: the head grows to 600 cm² and the string pattern moves to 16x19, the layout of an adult racket. Developed with Tecnifibre's coaches and the TecniLab, it weighs 200 g with a 280 mm balance.

What sets it apart

• 16x19 string pattern: this is the biggest change from the 21 inch, which used 16x17. The string bed tightens, trajectories become easier to read, and the ball starts responding the way it does on an adult frame.
• 600 cm² head: generous for this size, forgiving still-imprecise contact while the swing takes shape.
• 200 g: light enough to stay manoeuvrable, substantial enough not to get pushed around by the ball.
• Two-tone grip: the visual cue that lets the player find her grip unaided.
• Slimmer beam section: it contains power as the child moves to faster balls.
• Dampener included, aluminium frame, in the Iga Swiatek line's colours with a glossy finish.

The Extreme Tennis team's take

This is the size at which many children either drop out or properly catch the bug, because rallies start to hold up. The move to 16x19 contributes more than you would expect: the ball leaves the string bed more predictably, so the child corrects more effectively. As on the 21 inch, the Tempo IGA 23 and the Level Up 23 share the same frame, only the cosmetic differs. And above all: do not size up so she can grow into it. A racket that is too long shortens the motion, and that is hard to correct later. Two-year warranty.