Tennis Equipment

There are very few sports you can play from age 5 to 75. The reason is – excelling at anything physical at 75 takes real work. Yet, two of the most celebrated sports that one can play (and compete with others) anytime in life are golf and tennis. Yes, running and swimming or cycling often gets mentioned, but those are more solitary in nature. Golf and tennis require a partner (for the most part), and that is where the competition lies. The other positive with both, and why a 75-year-old can still excel, is there is relatively little physical contact with the other competitor. You’re running, lunging, hitting, etc., but not crashing into someone as compared to football, for example.

We’re going to talk tennis today, and more specifically, the equipment you need to perform at your peak. First up is the main ingredient – the racquet. You’ll need to consider a range of products and accessories when playing tennis, but none is more important than your racquet. Choosing a racquet can be stressful. We’ve all been in that situation – overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of choices at the sports store, and literally stuck on where to begin.

For beginners, a racquet head that is anywhere between 100 and 115 square inches is recommended. With a smaller head, the player has more control and maneuverability. As the racquet head gets larger, you’ll increase your power, but also your margin for error. On the weight side, a heavy racquet is invariably more stable, while a lighter one is more maneuverable. Again, if you’re a beginner, stick with something in the 9.5 to 11 ounce range. Another tip – you can try out many racquets free of charge. Most sports stores have loaners on hand.

In terms of the frame of the racquet, we’ve moved past the old days and predominantly wood racquets. Some old school fans like to break out a wood racquet to screw around with, but their performance compared to what is available today pales in comparison. Racquets are now made out of graphite or aluminum. Aluminum frames are good if you’re still unsure whether you’ll be playing long-term, or just every now and again. Graphite frame racquets are more expensive and performance oriented. A good graphite racquet will cost $300 plus.

Next up is your racquet grip. An area that gets overlooked, once you have that racquet in hand, being able to manipulate it is the only way to success. In terms of grips, like the frame, there are two main types – leather or synthetic. Leather grips are firmer and allow for quick changes. You can really feel the racquet and its different texture points with a leather grip, and many players liken this to driving a stick-shift car as compared to an automatic. Synthetic grips, however, are also popular because they are softer and less firm. For those who do not want to feel like their hand is digging into the racquet, and would prefer a lighter, more “airy” feel, synthetic is the way to go.

And lastly, your shoes. This is the easiest decision as tennis shoe technology has improved greatly over the years. The choices are not nearly as wide as tennis racquets, but all the major tennis shoe manufacturers receive great reviews so going with a “bad choice” is a hard thing to do. Most important is fit, as with any shoe. Make sure you can move around easily, shifting from side to side. A shoe that yields lots of blisters is certainly no fun.

If you haven’t taken up tennis and are considering it, the sport will be with you for the long run. There aren’t too many sports that accompany us from the cradle to the grave.