Squash Racquet Frame Shapes – What’s Best?

When you’re choosing a squash racquet, there are a few key factors you need to take into consideration. 

Perhaps the first decision you need to make is which frame shape you want for your squash racquet. Should you go for the classic bridged style, or the longer-string teardrop shape?

We’ll help you make an informed decision by explaining the difference between squash racquet frame shapes! 

Bridged Racquet (Closed Throat)

This could also be called the ‘classic’ head shape for squash racquets. 

Popular among more classical styles of players, the closed throat racquet has a rectangular head shape with shorter main strings (the strings running from the throat to the tip of the racquet). 

The bridged racquet offers a lot of control to the player. It has a very precise sweet spot more centrally located in the head that can be very rewarding if you hit the ball with the right accuracy.

There are downsides to this style of squash racquet, however. 

Firstly, its closed shape means that you’ll need to be more precise with your shots. 

Secondly, with a bridged racquet, you’ll have to provide a lot of your own power to the shot. This is because the length of main strings are shorter, which gives you greater control, but also means there’s less trampoline effect and less power. 

For this reason, the classic head shape is best suited for players who hit the ball in the center of the string face and with a fuller swing to help add power. It’s also a good choice for squash players who want more control over the ball.

Some great options for closed throat racquets include the Dunlop Sonic Core and the Head Graphene Touch Radical series.

Teardrop Squash Racquet (Open Throat)

The Teardrop frame shape is the other popular option.

With this ‘open throat’ design, the main strings are longer and run further down into the throat of the racquet. In turn, this provides you with a larger sweet spot and one that also extends more to the tip of the racquet. 

Because of the longer main strings and bigger sweet spot, these racquets tend to be more forgiving. 

The long strings provide more elasticity and more power, giving you that famous ‘trampoline effect’ on shots hit in the sweetspot. 

The downside to open throat squash racquets is that you’ll be sacrificing control. Since the strings are more elastic and the sweetspot is bigger the ball can come off the face at more angles thereby decreasing control.

Overall, a teardrop squash racquet will generally give you more confidence in your shots than a classic racquet would, since the sweetspot is bigger and you won’t have to worry as much about being perfectly precise.

Some popular open throat options include the Tecnifibre Carboflex series, and the Unsquashable Ytec Pro. 

Which Squash Racquet Frame Shape is Best?

In the end, it depends on how you play the sport. 

If you’re a player who likes to control the speed of the ball, drops to the front of the court  a fair amount, and moves your opponent around with well placed shots you’re better off with a closed-throat racquet. This will give you more control over the ball. 

If you’re a player who tends to stay at the back of the court or likes to hit with more power than control, a teardrop squash racquet may be better for you. 

It’s also important to remember that personal preference plays a role, too! Through playing the sport, you’ll learn over time which racquet shape feels best in your hand and gives you the best performance.

Happy playing!

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