Have the tennis essentials before you hit the courts.
Starting a new sport can be difficult. To make your initial tennis experience seamless we've put together a tennis essentials guideline. Ensuring you have the right equipment is the first step for success on the court. Use our checklist to help you figure out what kind of equipment you need.
Adult Checklist
Junior Checklist
Tennis Racquets
Adults:
The “best” racquet will be different for each person. Each racquet has a specific purpose, a unique combination of specifications and is for a specific playing level and swing style.
A racquet can be power-oriented, control-oriented or somewhere in the middle. Depending on whether you need more of one or another, will determine which racquet is best for you. For a more in-depth analysis, please read our Choosing The Right Racquet blog post.
The unique combination of specifications determines the purpose of the racquet. The most common specifications are head size, sweet spot, weight, balance, flexibility and string pattern. To learn more about each one, and how their combinations work together, check out our Tennis Racquet Specifications blog post.
The final thing to consider when purchasing a racquet is the correct grip size. Finding your correct grip size is as essential as finding the right racquet. The proper grip size can not only prevent injury, it can also lead to increased performance from your racquet. To find out how to find the right grip size, check out our post about Selecting Your Grip Size.
Juniors:
Children have different racquet needs compared to adults. As children get older their arm strength and hand-eye coordination tends to improve. It is essential to pair them with a junior racquet that matches their strength and coordination. Learn more about Why Junior-Sized Racquets Are Important and be sure that you child is prepared on the tennis court.
Tennis Balls
Adults:
To determine which type of tennis ball you need, you must first figure out what type of surface you will be playing on. The two most common courts that you will find in Canada are a hard court or a clay (or hard tru) court. When playing on hard courts we recommend using Extra Duty tennis balls. If you are playing on clay courts we recommend using Regular Duty tennis balls. To learn more about the difference between the two types of balls check out our Tennis Balls: Regular Duty vs Extra Duty post.
Juniors:
Just like tennis racquets, children should also use tennis balls that are designed for them. Regular tennis balls can be too heavy and small for children, which can be too difficult for them to play with. To find out what kinds of tennis balls you should be using to help your child's progression check out our post about Why Junior-Sized Tennis Balls Are Important.
Tennis Shoes
Adults:
Tennis shoes are an essential piece of equipment for every player. They feature lateral support, outriggers, toe guards and flat, thick out-soles. Those unique elements ensure comfort, support, durability and help prevent injuries. To learn more about why tennis shoes are so important check out our post about Why You Need Tennis Shoes. You need to consider three factors when deciding on the best tennis shoe for your game: foot-type, playing style and court surface. To learn about the different type of shoes that you can reference our post about Which Shoe Is Best For You. If you already have a pair of tennis shoes but are not sure if you can still use them, examine the tread, cushioning and the upper portion of the shoe. For a more in depth explanation check out our post How To Know When You Need New Tennis Shoes. If you're still not sure come into our store or send us a picture on Twitter and we will let you know!
Juniors:
“Why can’t my child use regular running shoes for tennis?” is one of the questions we get very often. Running shoes are designed for forward movement, while tennis shoes are designed for side-to-side (lateral) movement. For your child’s safety we only recommend using proper tennis shoes to give your child the support he or she needs. Check out the other benefits of Why Junior-Sized Tennis Shoes Are Important on our blog.
Apparel
Another essential piece of equipment for new tennis players is apparel. With changes in technology the clothing that tennis players wear has also evolved. Each of the tennis apparel brands come with their own sweat-wicking technology that allows your skin to breath easier, and stay cooler compared to the classic cotton shirt. Tennis fashion has also made its way into the game with each of the brands having distinct styles and cuts that better suit fit your body as you glide across the court.Accessories
One of the most valuable tennis accessories that you can have would be a tennis bag so you can store everything that you need for the tennis court. Some other essentials that you may need are a tennis hat to help protect your head from the sun, a water bottle to stay hydrated and a tennis towel to stay dry. In addition, you should consider an overgrip for comfort and sweat absorption and a shock absorber to minimize the string vibrations and that "ping" sound made at contact. Accessories are not essential, but they are helpful to make sure that you are comfortable and well prepared to be on the tennis court.
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