If you're trying to work out how to regrip a tennis racquet, you've come to the right place.
With our step-by-step instructions, you should be able to remove and reapply a new grip with ease to help you get the most out of your best tennis racquet next time you step onto a court.
This is because a new grip will help replenish some of the tackiness and comfort lost by your old grip once it begins to wear out over time.
So make sure you've got your new grip ready and follow along with our guide right here.
How To Regrip A Tennis Racquet
The following technique is what we believe to be one of the most effective and easiest ways of regripping a tennis racquet.
The method should work for both a replacement grip and an overgrip, like these Wilson Pro Overgrips, which are designed to improve stability and add a little more support, width, and traction to your handle.
What You'll Need:
- A replacement grip
- Scissors
- Wet wipe or cloth
- Your tennis racquet
Step 1: Take off your old grip by removing the rubber collar at the top of your handle, then unwrapping the grip until it's completely removed.
Top Tip: Use scissors to make an incision if you're struggling to start the unwrapping process.
Step 2: Wipe away any left-over residue on your handle with a wet wipe or cloth to ensure your new grip will be fitted to an even surface.
Step 3: Remove your new grip, like this Head Xtreme Grip Tape, from its packaging and unfurl it.
Step 4: Find the tapered side which usually features the sticky backing. Once found, remove the backing.
Step 5: Start your new grip just over the edge of your handle as you'll want to make sure none of the butt of your racquet is exposed.
Step 6: Then begin to wind the grip around the handle of your racquet, making sure you slightly overlap with the previous spiral to ensure you don't leave any gaps. The tighter you wrap, the thinner your grip will be.
Top Tip: Avoid overlapping too much as you'll end up with a grip that's too thick and you'll start to lose the contours which help with traction.
Step 7: Continue this process until you reach the top of the handle, then cut off any excess with a pair of scissors.
Step 8: Use the finishing tape to secure the grip around the handle then re-position the rubber collar at the top of the handle to complete the process.
When Should You Regrip Your Tennis Racquet?
Furi Sport's recommends replacing your overgrip every 6-8 hours of play, and your base grip 1-3 times per year as a general rule to follow.
However, a lot of factors will influence how often you'll need to regrip your tennis racquet. For instance, how regularly you play as well as your intensity, perspiration, and the humidity will all factor into how quickly you'll wear down your grip.
As a result, there's no one set time frame on how often you'll need to regrip your racquet, so we'd suggest regripping once you begin to notice a drop-off in traction and comfort.
With that in mind, a good way to reduce how often you need to regrip is to make sure you air out your racquet after use. Simply leaving it in a bag will stop any moisture in the grip from evaporating which can detriment its tackiness.
Things To Avoid When Regripping Your Tennis Racquet?
There are several things we'd recommend you avoid doing when regripping your racquet in order to achieve the best results, some of which we've already touched on above.
For example, make sure you avoid overlapping your grip too much as you work your way up as we'll end up with a grip that's too thick to hold comfortably and reduce the contours which help with traction.
We'd also suggest you don't leave any of the racquet exposed underneath, particularly around the butt cap, as the lack of cushioning can lead to blisters forming and even cuts opening during play.
Similarly, make sure you don't cut your grip too short at the top. A simple way to prevent this is to mark a line on your grip to align where you need to cut with the top of your handle.
Finally, make sure you reattached the rubber collar (if your racquet has one) in order to secure your new grip in place over the duration of its lifespan.
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