At my tennis club in Barcelona, I regularly play with players of different levels. Some started the sport recently while others have been playing since their childhood (just like me).
Of course, we all love tennis.
I often experience the phenomenon of players buying the latest Grand Slam outfit/rackets of their favorite player. Then, in a couple of months, I see them changing their rackets. And then again.
My argument is that
“changing tennis equipment frequently is absolutely unnecessary on a recreational level.”
That money can be better invested somewhere else (still in tennis!)
Rackets
I truly believe that it is almost insignificant which rackets you play with if you are a hobby tennis player. Whether you choose Wilson, Babolat, Head, or any well-known brand I’m sure you cannot make a mistake. By the way, I’d stick to one of those big brands, unless you just want to hit some balls on a camping trip (in which case Decathlon’s Artengo will do the job).
If you have a chance, I recommend testing and comparing different rackets before buying them. Thus, you will have a clear idea of which one you prefer. Nowadays many tennis stores offer this testing option before the actual purchase.
What really matters is finding the correct weight of your racket: this way you can avoid injuries. If you are doubtful about the weight questions, it is best to ask a coach’s or shop assistant’s advice at a specialist store.
I play with a 289 g Wilson Six.One Team 95 BLX for nearly 8 years now. And I’m totally satisfied with it. I bought a pair of them second-hand in great condition from my former tennis coach. The only thing I would do differently: I would buy 3 instead of 2 so that I don’t need to worry when one of them has its string broken.
String, grip, and vibration dampeners
The internet is full of articles and videos about the best tennis strings and grips. As I mentioned in my hypothesis, recreational level players don’t need the best equipment to play tennis.
In my case, both the string and the grip that I use are the results of my own experimentation.
Both of them are important parts of your racket so I recommend that you take your time finding which string and grip serve you best. You don’t need to worry or rush - you will not make a mistake by playing with any of the well-known brands.
I tried different ones over the 20+ years. 8 years ago with my second-hand rackets, I got a pack of Babolat strings (they are made for players whose strength is top-spin) and I just kept on buying them for a while. I don’t pay much attention to strings, I usually just ask for one which fits my top-spin-heavy games: Technifiber’s Black Code 4S 16 is an example of that.
I use Head’s Prestige Pro Overgrip (0,6 mm thick) for a couple of years now. It lasts for 1-2 months and works perfectly in normal weather conditions. However, I sometimes struggle when the temperature is over 30°C and my palm is sweaty. I have to mention I did not find a better one yet for hot weather.
I buy strings and grips in bulk at Tennis Warehouse / Tennis Point / Decathlon / Amazon so that I can have a better price.
I honestly haven’t noticed a huge difference between different vibration dampeners. For ages now I’m loyal to my Head ones.
Clothes
Probably the least important one. Although your clothes should be made for exercise purposes, I discourage you from buying the latest models every month. Instead, have less with great quality in which you feel comfortable. Those will last longer too.
I do not have a favorite brand for clothes. I have some outfits from Nike, Sergio Tacchini, Fila, Artengo, Wilson, Adidas, Lotto, and of course the t-shirts I got at different tournaments. Honestly, I love them all because I have great memories of playing in them.
Tennis balls
Similar to rackets, you cannot make a huge mistake if you choose balls from one of the main manufacturers like Dunlop, Slazenger, or Babolat. Since tennis balls preserve their quality for about 2-4 games and you will need at least 2 but rather 4 balls per game, I suggest ordering them in larger quantities. Big suppliers (such as Decathlon, Amazon, Tennis Warehouse) often give special offers for 18 tubes of tennis balls for example.
Shoes
It’s not a coincidence that I left shoes at the very end of the list.
“If there’s anything that is worth investing in is a great pair of shoes.”
In other words: the cost of a bad pair of shoes is huge, such as an unpleasant and long-lasting injury.
When choosing them, pay attention to which surface (e.g. clay, hard court, etc.) they are made for. Also, you want to make sure you wear tennis socks (thicker than normal socks) when trying the shoes on.
I’ve tried different brands (Nike, Adidas, and Wilson) and nothing could compare to the ones from Asics which is my repeating choice for 7 years now. They are extremely long-lasting, compact and I’ve never experienced any damage to them. (Plus, I love how they look!)
As much as a great pair of shoes is essential, the rest of your tennis equipment should not be replaced often. You can easily play many many ages with the same racket (I’ve been playing with mine for 8 years) as well as in the same t-shirt.
Tennis is an expensive sport, therefore you have to think twice about which part to invest your money in (unless you are a millionaire).
Instead of buying Nadal’s latest Roland Garros outfit (which looks amazing by the way) invest in great shoes, sign up for another tournament or just add an extra tennis lesson to your weekly routine!
How about you? Which are your favorite tennis clothes and accessories?
Leave a comment about it!