Can You Demo a Tennis Racket Before Buying It? Yes - Here’s How It Works

Buying a tennis racket online isn’t straightforward.

You can read every review, watch every video and compare every spec - and still not know whether a racket suits your game until you actually hit with it. That gap between what looks good on paper and what feels right on court is where most racket purchases go wrong.

If you live near a specialist retailer, you might be able to walk in and try something. Most players in the UK don’t have that option - and even those who do are often limited to whatever happens to be in stock.

That’s why we created our online demo service. It’s designed to give any player in the UK the chance to properly test a racket before deciding whether to keep it.

Quick Summary

Add the demo upgrade to any adult racket order for £25. Your racket arrives professionally prepared and ready to hit. If you keep it, we refund the £25 demo fee. If it’s not right, return it within 14 days and we’ll refund the racket itself - minus the demo fee and string upgrade cost.

What Is an Online Tennis Racket Demo?

When you order any adult racket from us, you can add the demo upgrade at checkout for £25.

Instead of receiving a standard unstrung frame, your racket arrives ready to play - strung with an upgrade of your choice, fitted with an overgrip and protected with bumper tape.

You take it on court, hit with it and make a proper assessment. If it’s the right racket, keep it and we’ll refund your £25. If it isn’t, send it back and we’ll refund the racket in full.

It’s the closest thing to an in-store demo experience for players anywhere in the country.

Why Demo a Racket?

Specs and reviews are useful context. They’re not a substitute for actually hitting with something.

We see this regularly - a player arrives convinced they want a particular racket because they’ve watched the reviews or seen a pro use it. They hit with it and realise it doesn’t suit their game at all. We also see the opposite: a player reluctantly tries something they hadn’t considered and it turns out to be exactly right.

That’s not a reflection of the reviews being wrong. It’s just that two players at similar levels can have completely different preferences once they’re on court. A racket affects how freely you swing, how confident you feel, how much effort it takes to generate pace or spin. You can read about those things but you can’t know them without hitting.

Rackets like the Yonex Ezone 100, Wilson Blade 100, Babolat Pure Drive and Head Gravity MP all have loyal followings for good reason - but they offer genuinely different playing experiences. The only way to know which one works for you is to test it.

Who Is the Service For?

The demo service is most useful for:

Players upgrading from an older racket and wanting to feel the difference before committing
Players who’ve narrowed it down to two or three options and need to make a final call
Anyone spending £150-£300+ on a frame who wants confidence in the decision
Players who don’t have access to a specialist retailer
Players who’ve been buying on reviews and want to change that habit

One thing we notice consistently is players moving from older, smaller-headed frames into modern 100 square inch rackets and immediately feeling how much more manageable the game becomes. A demo is often the moment that shift becomes obvious.

How the Demo Process Works

Step 1 - Choose your racket

Browse our full adult range and select the racket you want to test. The demo service is available on all adult rackets.

Step 2 - Add the demo upgrade

Select the demo upgrade at checkout. The £25 fee is added at this point.

Step 3 - Choose your strings

Pick a string upgrade or ask us to choose. If you leave it to us, we’ll select something appropriate for the racket and your playing level. String upgrades are charged separately from the demo fee - typically around £20.

Step 4 - Receive your racket

Your racket arrives strung, overgripped and ready to play.

Step 5 - Take it on court

We recommend a light 20-minute hit to get a proper feel for things. Hard courts and grass are ideal. Avoid clay where possible - the surface increases the risk of cosmetic wear that would affect the condition of a returned racket.

The racket needs to come back in the same condition it was sent - unmarked and undamaged.

Step 6 - Make your decision

You have 14 days from your order date to decide.

If you’re keeping it, email us within that window and we’ll refund your £25 demo fee.

If you’re returning it, pack it carefully with your original packing slip and send it back on a tracked service. Once we receive it and check the condition, we’ll process your refund.

What Does It Cost If I Return the Racket?

If the racket isn’t right:

You cover the return postage
We retain the £25 demo fee
We retain the string upgrade cost (typically around £20)
The racket itself is refunded in full

In most cases you’re looking at around £45 plus return postage to properly test a racket. For most players at this price point, that’s a reasonable trade-off against buying the wrong thing and having to replace it.

What If I Want to Try More Than One Racket?

Place separate demo orders for each racket. If you’re genuinely stuck between two options and aren’t sure where to start, get in touch before you order - a quick conversation about what you’re currently playing with and what you’re looking for usually narrows things down quickly.

Why PH Tennis

We’re a specialist racket retailer and coaching provider based in North London. We test equipment constantly, work with players of all ages and standards every week, and spend most of our time helping people find rackets that actually suit their game rather than just selling them whatever’s popular.

The same knowledge that goes into our in-store advice is available to anyone using our online demo service, wherever you are in the UK.

Frequently Asked Questions

**Can I demo a tennis racket before buying it?**

Yes. Our online demo service lets players anywhere in the UK test a racket before committing to keeping it.

**How long do I have to test the racket?**

14 days from your order date.

**Do I get the demo fee back?**

Yes - if you keep the racket, we refund the £25 demo fee in full.

**Can I demo more than one racket?**

Yes. Each racket requires a separate demo upgrade added to its order.

**Do demo rackets come strung?**

Yes. Every racket is professionally strung and fitted with an overgrip before it leaves us.

**Is the service available across the UK?**

Yes. The online demo is available to players nationwide.

**What if I’m not sure which racket to demo?**

Get in touch before ordering. Tell us what you’re currently playing with and what you’re looking for and we’ll point you in the right direction.

Ready to Demo?

Browse our full adult racket range and add the demo upgrade at checkout. If you want to talk through your options first, we’re happy to help.

View demo service page Here