In-Depth Tennis Gear Guides
& Product Reviews

In-Depth Tennis Gear Guides & Product Reviews

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Tennis Gear

Whether you’re just starting with tennis or an experienced player, having the right tennis gear can make all the difference. From selecting your tennis racquet and strings to having the right pair of shoes, your equipment is one of the few things you have complete control over. As such, it’s essential to take the time to learn about your gear so you’re appropriately equipped to perform at your best.

Racquets

A tennis racquet is undoubtedly one of the most critical pieces of tennis gear you can purchase as a player. Beyond simply enabling your participation in the sport, it can tremendously impact your overall success and enjoyment, especially when you’re first getting started.

One of the great parts about tennis racquets is that there is a wide array of racquets to help players of all ages, levels, and styles get the most out of their time on the court. The most common types of tennis racquets include power, control, and tweener (or in-between). Each type of racquet exhibits a fairly common set of characteristics designed to appeal to different players at different stages.

For example, power racquets are typically designed to be lighter, with more power and larger head sizes. This feature set can be great for beginners because it makes the racquet more maneuverable and easier to hit. As one’s level of play progresses and their style evolves, it’s common for players to upgrade their racquet to ensure it complements their game.

So, suppose you’re just getting started, and your father dusts off his old Wilson Pro Staff 85 (a heavy, relatively flexible frame that provides excellent control yet very little power), which Pete Sampras used to dominate the field in the 90s. In that case, you may want to politely decline and ask for his help finding a racquet that will better suit your level of play.

Strings

For many, it is very common for strings to be an afterthought rather than considered an integral part of a player’s tennis gear. As players, we’ll search high and low to find the perfect racquet, but when stringing our racquets, very little thought or emphasis is placed on the strings, even though the surface makes contact with the tennis ball.

Instead, most players will choose the cheapest set of tennis strings or whatever their local club or tennis shop has. However, strings are equally important to the racquet and can tremendously impact its overall performance.

If you think about it, a racquet strung with a fishing line at an extremely loose tension, say 30 lbs, rather than the recommended 50-60 lbs for a particular racquet, will be borderline useless. You’d have almost no control and very little power, the feel would be terrible, and it may only take a few hits to break the strings.

As a result, tennis strings come in various materials, construction, and gauges (the thickness of the string). They can be strung at different tensions to produce a drastically different hitting experience. And just like finding the right tennis racquet is critical, it pays to recognize that not all strings are created equal and to learn as much as possible about strings to get the most out of your tennis racquet.

Shoes

Another critical component of a tennis player’s gear is their tennis shoes. While most new players tend to use whatever they have in their closet, tennis shoes have been specifically designed to provide players with stability, comfort, traction, and the durability needed to last.

Undoubtedly, one of the most critical aspects of a good tennis shoe is its stability, which helps prevent injuries. Generally speaking, tennis shoes are more rigid than your average shoe, supporting your feet and ankles during the vigorous back-and-forth and side-to-side movements your body will experience while playing tennis.

Compare this to a running shoe that aims to be light and breathable while exclusively helping facilitate forward movement as you run. If you’re running, that’s perfect, but if you’ve ever tried to do fancy footwork in a pair of running shoes, you’ll quickly recognize how little support they provide with sharp, lateral, or side-to-side movement.

A tennis shoe will also provide you with a level of comfort to help support your body while you’re playing. Tennis, which is most commonly played on hard courts, can be harsh on a player’s body, and tennis shoes are also designed to help absorb impact to keep you comfortable and injury-free.

Furthermore, tennis shoe soles are designed to provide players with solid traction during rigorous stop-and-go movements. The soles are also extra durable to withstand the pounding they’ll receive while scrapping or dragging across tennis courts.

Helpful Tip
Tennis shoes are also designed to be non-marking. If a shoe is not labeled as a tennis shoe or non-marking, it will almost certainly produce black or white scuff marks as you scurry across a tennis court. Most public courts will put up signs saying non-marking soles must be worn, but you can consider it a hard requirement at any club or private set of courts.

Closing Notes

While your tennis gear can tremendously impact your overall success, it’s important to note that no amount of gear can compensate for a lack of practice and regular match play. Rafael Nadal could step out on a court barefoot with a toy racquet and still beat 99% of players because he’s developed the skill and technique to the point where his racquet, strings, and shoes only enhance his level of play. They’re not what makes him great.

So, take the time to find the right equipment. It will save you a lot of frustration on the court, but remember: it’s only part of the equation for becoming a great tennis player.

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