Core-X Starter Set

The shape decides where the sweet spot sits. Round: large and central, forgiving, good for beginners. Hybrid: between round and teardrop, lots of control with a bit more punch. Teardrop: the all-rounder, sweet spot slightly higher. Diamond: sweet spot high up, the most power, needs clean technique.

Lighter rackets (around 350 g) are quicker in the hand and easier on arm and shoulder. Heavier ones (around 370 g) put more mass behind the ball, so more power, but need a bit more strength.

Shows where the centre of mass is. Head-light: agile and easy to handle, ideal at the net. Even: balanced. Slightly head-heavy and head-heavy: more swing and power in smashes, but slower and harder on the arm. Measured in millimetres from the end of the grip; as a rough guide, under 260 mm is head-light, 260 to 270 mm even, above that head-heavy.

The core is the foam under the hitting surface. Soft: the ball stays on the face a moment longer, giving more feel and control and damping vibration. Good for beginners and sensitive elbows. Hard: more direct and faster, returns lots of pace on clean hits, but needs technique and your own swing. Medium sits in between.

What the hitting surface is made of. For carbon, the number before the K means thousands of fibres per strand (12K, 18K, 24K). Higher numbers usually feel stiffer and more direct. Full carbon means the face is all carbon, no fibreglass. According to the manufacturer, titanium in the face adds stability and spin.

Rough or textured faces (3D texture, sand texture, micro grain) grip the ball more, so you can add more spin, for example on a slice or bandeja. Smooth matte faces play more neutrally.

Who we recommend the racket for, by level and playing style.