10 Genuinely Useful Gifts For Anyone
Who Loves Tennis
10 Genuinely Useful Gifts For Anyone Who Loves Tennis
If someone in your life loves tennis and you’re looking for the perfect gift idea to show them you care, then you’ve come to the right place.
In this guide, I’ll help you think about the types of gifts that will resonate depending on who you’re buying for and the occasion.
The Perfect Gift
Not all gifts are created equal, and what makes an excellent idea for one tennis player will fall flat with another.
The one common thread that will help any gift land perfectly is the thoughtful consideration of the person who’s on the receiving end.
It doesn’t have to be expensive, flashy, or the latest technology, which may be a turnoff for some. Instead, the key ingredient in giving the perfect tennis gift is a personal touch that shows you care.
With that in mind, it helps to consider the occasion and type of tennis player you’re giving your gift to come up with ideas that they’ll love.
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Enjoy the rest of the article!
What’s The Occasion?
Every occasion arrives with a slightly different vibe, so it’s worth taking some time to flesh out the types of tennis gifts that will resonate.
Birthday
A birthday is a celebration of a person’s life, so it pays huge dividends in your quest for the best gift to consider ideas that reflect their personality.
When you think of the recipient, what character traits come to mind? Here are a few ideas to help get you started:
| Adventurous | Ambitious | Charming |
| Classy | Confident | Easygoing |
| Elegant | Energetic | Fiery |
| Frugal | Fun | Loving |
| Modern | Outgoing | Patriotic |
| Practical | Silly | Stylish |
Do any of these resonate? If so, they can help steer you in the right direction for the perfect gift. Let’s consider a few examples.
Adventurous
For the adventurous tennis player in your life, tickets to an upcoming tennis tournament can make for an exciting gift where the trip is half the fun, and they get to take in the action of some of the world’s top players.
Ambitious
Perhaps you’re buying a gift for a talented and ambitious high school tennis player. If so, one idea would be to buy them a sweatshirt from the college they hope to attend to play tennis – ideally, one that references the school’s mascot or athletics.
Energetic
For the player who has an endless reservoir of energy, you might consider buying a gift card at a local tennis club to hit with the ball machine or maybe purchase some equipment to help them work on their footwork.
Innovative
If you play tennis with someone who always seems to have great ideas either on or off the court, then they might be a great fit for a piece of the latest tennis tech that will help them track or improve their game.
Patriotic
Have a friend or family member that has a deep devotion and love for their country? Perhaps an overgrip, vibration dampener, or courtside towel that features their flag might just be the perfect fit.
Holiday Gifts
Although you don’t have to spend a lot of money to find a perfect tennis gift for a holiday, my favorite times of year to do a bit of splurging is during the holidays such as Christmas, mother’s day or father’s day.
It’s at these times of year that I like to surprise my friends and families with unexpected gifts that have a bit of that wow factor or gifts that I find particularly unique and fun that they wouldn’t splurge on for themselves. A new tennis bag, upgraded tennis racquet, stringer, or ball machine all make wildly generous gifts.
Of course, there are plenty of holiday-themed tennis gifts out there too, which depending on the recipient, might be a good fit, but when it comes to tennis gifts, I tend to skew my focus towards things that they can appreciate year-round.
Thank You & Farewell Gifts
When it’s time to say thank you or goodbye to a close friend, teammate, or coach that you loved, it tends to be a sentimental event.
During times like these, a gift can be the perfect way to show your appreciation. My favorite tennis gifts for thank you and farewells are those that help us remember why I love or appreciate them.
Everything from a thoughtful card filled with memories and thanks to framed photos or a gift that represents an inside joke you might have had with them can serve as priceless mementos of your relationship.
Who’s The Recipient?
Hopefully, you’re starting to get some ideas for tennis gifts that could work well for the occasion at hand.
However, before making a final decision on your gift, it’s worth considering the type of person who’s receiving the gift and their love for the sport.
Enthusiast
Some players might like watching and talking about tennis as much as they love playing – your classic tennis enthusiast.
For a huge fan of the sport, it’s hard to go wrong because they’ll appreciate pretty much anything related to tennis.
However, some ultra-special gift ideas might include tennis memorabilia like an autographed tennis ball, a poster from a tournament they enjoy, a framed photo of their favorite player, or a coffee table book that they can pour over for hours on end.
Other gift ideas that work well are the kind that keeps giving, such as a subscription to TennisTV, Tennis Magazine, or Tennis Trunk.
Student
I like to consider two types of students for gifts. First, if you’re a tennis instructor, you might consider giving a gift to a player you’ve worked with for a few years.
In this scenario, I’m a huge fan of gifts that encourage future development and learning, such as timeless tennis books like The Inner Game of Tennis or Winning Ugly, both of which make great companions for young students who are moving away or heading to college.
Next up, you have your student-athlete. In this case, I love gift ideas that are practical or essential for their success on the court since they may not have the extra cash at their disposal.
Student-athletes will appreciate everything from a few sets of tennis string to a pack of overgrips, or a new pair of shoes, so they’re equipped for success.
Instructor
Frequently, tennis players that love the game become instructors because they can’t get enough of the sport, so many of the ideas I included for tennis enthusiasts make great options.
However, beyond their love for the sport, many instructors enjoy teaching and watching their students progress and excel. Recognizing this, some of the best gifts for tennis instructors let them know how much you appreciate their impact on your development.
From a handwritten card to a photo of the two of you which they can hang on the office wall that reminds them of the positive impact they made on your development as a tennis player is invaluable.
Coach
For many of us, our time with a coach is limited to a few years in high school and then college, so gifts that help remind them of you and your team are terrific to consider.
Everything from a framed team photo or photobook you put together after gathering photos from other teammates to a signed giant tennis ball make great gift ideas for coaches.
Another type of gift that’s a solid option for coaches is training equipment that helps them do their job better.
Typically, coaches are in it for the love of the game and don’t make a ton of money for their time and effort, and in some cases, they’re responsible for providing equipment or provided with a tiny budget.
If your coach is in that type of situation, you might consider pooling some money with other team members to get them something to replace out their existing or older equipment.
Keep an eye out for the equipment that’s on its last leg. Ball hoppers, bulk tennis balls, and agility equipment are worthy of consideration.
Bonus Supplies
Remember, picking a present is half the battle. How you present the gift to the recipient matters, too.
To have the most significant impact, here are some supplies you’ll want to pick up if you don’t already have them lying around the house.
- Box or bag
- Wrapping or tissue paper
- Ribbon or bow
- Tape
- Scissors
Last but not least, be sure to pick out a card and include a note. My favorites are blank on the inside so that you can customize it yourself.
My Top 10 Gift Ideas
At this stage, hopefully, you have a few high-quality gift ideas brewing for the tennis player in your life.
To help make selecting a gift even easier, I’ve hand-picked some of my favorites that make great ideas for a wide range of players.
Classic Tennis Book
Tennis is just as much a mental game as it is physical.
However, more often than not, players spend the majority of technique or practice and little or no time on the important mental aspects that can make or break their success on the court.
The Inner Game of Tennis is a classic guide to the mental side of peak performance by W. Timothy Gallwey, a leading sports psychology expert.
In the book, he provided a blueprint to help players in tennis as well as other sports perform their absolute best and have more fun. Give this book to a player to help set them on the path to success, or give it to a coach so they can make use of it with their other students.
If the tennis player in your life isn’t quite ready for this kind of book, then there are plenty of others from famous players and coaches, so I’d encourage you to check out my best-of list.
Natural Gut Strings
Many players overlook the importance of their tennis strings, and they opt for the least expensive option out there, mainly because restringing a racquet can become costly. It’s also common for players to stick to the same strings without ever exploring their options.
However, finding the right type of tennis strings can help enhance a player’s performance, plus it’s fun to experiment with new kinds.
First, find out what tennis string they currently use. Once you know that, you can pick a new string they can to try out. Here are three of the best tennis strings from the most popular string categories:
- Synthetic gut: Prince Synthetic Gut
- Multifilament: Head Velocity MLT
- Polyester: Luxilon ALU Power
For the ultimate thrill, give natural gut tennis strings as a gift. Due to their higher cost, most recreational players never get the chance to play with them, but every player should experience them at least once.
My pick for the best natural gut that will provide a memorable hitting experience is Babolat VS Touch.
Training Equipment
After your final season with your coach, you and your teammates might notice their equipment getting worn as a result of years of use.
One option for a nice thank you gift to recognize their years of support would be some new equipment, which both them and your remaining teammates will benefit from for years to come.
My favorite is the speed, agility, and quickness training kit from Sport Speed, which includes:
- Jump rope
- Six-sided reaction ball
- Agility ladder
- Resistance harness
- Speed hurdles
- Agility disc cones
- Resistance training parachute
- Lateral resistor
- Carrying bag
It also comes with an instructional DVD to help your coach get the most out of his new equipment.
Beyond coaches, if you have a dedicated tennis player in your life, you might also consider training equipment so they can practice on their footwork and fitness away from the court.
Beach Paddle Ball Set
The sand, water, and moisture of the beach don’t make a great environment for your racket, but luckily there’s still a way to practice your skills while taking in the ocean breeze.
Beach paddle ball sets are a fun gift for any time of the year. You can give them as a birthday present in the summer or a holiday gift to build anticipation for a planned vacation. Any tennis lover will appreciate the opportunity to stay sharp and relax all at the same time.
Smashball from Pacific Sports is a classic beach game that tennis players can enjoy at the beach, park, or even as a fun warm-up on the court.
If you have a little extra cash to spend, be sure to check out the premium paddleball set from Hammer Crown.
String Straightener
At first glance, a string straighten might seem like a silly or kooky gift idea. However, they’re small, inexpensive, and useful for the player that’s obsessed with keeping their strings in place.
The device works by running it vertically across the strings of a racquet, which pushes the strings near-perfectly back into place.
The string straightener from String Thing is best around, and it’s small enough to stash in a player’s bag to use before, during, and after play.
Consider pairing the string thing with a new pack of tennis strings for an excellent tennis gift.
Tennis Ball Saver
Pressurized tennis balls lose their bounce after a handful of uses, which can become costly to purchase new ones regularly.
However, a player can extend the life of their tennis balls with a unique storage device from Gexco, which, when screwed tight, increases the internal pressure of the can to 14 PSI – the original pressure of the balls.
The result is longer last tennis balls, which saves players money over time and makes an excellent gift for frugal tennis players or weekend warriors who don’t want to pop a fresh can every week. The device is compact, portable, and uses high-quality plastic for durability that lasts.
Whether you’ve heard the recipient complain about having to continually spend money on or open a new can of tennis balls or not, the tennis ball saver makes a unique yet practical gift idea.
Cooling Sports Towel
Towels are a standard on-court accessory that players use throughout a match to keep themselves dry, but what about staying cool?
Enter the microfiber sport towel from Grounded Sport, which isn’t your typical sports towel. Although they can be used as a regular towel to help stay dry on the court, they can also be wet, wrung out, and placed around a player’s neck or on their skin to keep cool.
This towel consists of polyester and nylon so that it’s lightweight and quick-drying. It’s also anti-bacterial and machine washable so that a player can use it time and time again. I’m also a big fan of the checkered design and available colors.
Vibration Dampeners
Racket vibration dampeners make for a fun, inexpensive tennis gift.
They’re useful to satisfy the needs of the practical player, and they come in various motivational and novelty designs that you can pick out to match their personality for a personalized touch.
Even if they already have a racket dampener, they might enjoy new ones with a humorous or unique design. If you’ve never searched for them before, you might be surprised at the number of shapes and themes available.
Some of my favorites are the Sorbz novelty racquet dampeners, which are both fun and effective. They’re available in a handful of themed packs that include twelve dampeners that easily swap out for a different vibe.
As a coach or instructor, you might buy a few packs that you allow your players to pick from when they’ve hit a milestone or done a great job.
Tennis Ball Dryer
For the frugal tennis player that lives in a wetter climate, this tennis ball drier from Aspect Sports is a unique gift.
Sometimes as players, we make it out on the court a little premature before a court is fully dry, or we end up having our play interrupted by rain, which can decrease the life of our tennis balls.
However, if you pop your tennis balls into this dryer when you leave the court, it will quickly dry the tennis balls, so they’re ready to use the next time around while also extending their longevity and saving money.
Beyond its main feature that helps dry tennis balls, it also makes transporting tennis balls a breeze, includes a net measure to check the height each time before you play and can help keep drinks cool once you’ve hit the court.
Bundle it with a bag of pressureless tennis balls that last longer than your standard pressurized tennis balls for the perfect gift.
Tennis Hat
Good hats are hard to come by, and once you find one that works, you typically stick with it. In tennis, a hat can help keep the sun and sweat out of your eyes, but you need one that does the job reliably. Enter the Adidas Superlite 2 hat.
The hat comes in a wide assortment of stylish colors and features a lightweight and breathable design to help keep players cool on hot days. It’s also made with a unique sweat-wicking fabric with UVF 50 sun protection to keep sweat out of your face and guard players from the sun.
Plus, it’s one size fits all and unisex, so you can buy it for virtually any player without having to worry whether or not it will fit.
On and off the court, this hat is a go-to option for any tennis player.
Wrapping Up
Finding the perfect gift is no easy task, but with a little extra effort, you can find a gift your recipient will love.
At the very least, I hope this guide has helped you think more creatively about the gifts you can give to the tennis players in your life.
Do you have a gift idea that I didn’t cover? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
5-Point Friday
A brief recap of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about in tennis.
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