The Australian Open has gripped the public’s attention, possibly for the wrong reasons, and there is no sign of that letting up. With the second round well under way people are wanting to get into the sport to beat away the January Blues and gain some more enjoyment out of life.
People are looking at all alternatives to tennis with people playing, watching and using in-play tennis trading to find enjoyment with the sport. Tennis really has a lot of options to enjoy but what would you need if you were to start playing the sport?
Table of Contents
Racket
First things first you need a racket. Rackets can vary in price depending on what racket you need or want. As this will be aimed at beginners you will want to buy a relatively cheap racket. With most sports people need to try it before they enjoy it and tennis is no different. So buy yourself a racket from a sports store that will not cost the earth but is no less than £15.
With the racket you want it to be lightweight otherwise you will feel like you are lugging around an incredibly heavy object when you need speed to move around the court. The recommended weight should be around 250g as this will give you a great feel when playing.
The best starter racket on the market is probably the Babolat Evoke because it is not expensive, the graphite structure is durable and stability of the racket is great for any beginner who is just taking up the sport.
Shoes
The shoes can make all the difference to how you are playing. Shoes control how you grip around the court especially with tennis court surfaces completely different where you might go. You can play on grass, clay, concrete or artificial grass so finding the best all round shoe can be tricky. However, most publically available courts are typically concrete so for beginners this is where you will be playing most of your tennis.
Again like with the racket you will not want to spend a massive amount on specific tennis shoes until you start to play more regularly. So you will want to get shoes that are inexpensive but give you enough confidence to build on your knowledge of tennis shoes.
With hard surfaces the main playing surface you need a good sole to deal the surface below your feet. There can be a lot of wear and tear on the shoes but the best to hold up for a beginner is the Adidas Barricade Club range. There are about £50 but they will have you moving around the court with ease and they do not take long to wear in so you will be playing your best tennis as soon as possible.
Top
Believe it or not the top is an important part for a tennis player. They need to be lightweight and breathable with a player building up a lot of heat during a match. So to keep fresh during games and reach those shots you do not want to top to be restrictive.
For men the best on the market New Balance Tournament Henley Tee and for women Slazenger Slam Tennis top. Both are cheap and lightweight making them the perfect starting top for when you are playing.
Shorts
The bottom half of your body just like your top needs to be lightweight so you can move around the court freely. It would be beneficial to have
Female players may favour to wear shorts over a skirt (or even a dress that includes the top) but the Nike Women’s Winter Flex Shorts are a great hybrid with side pockets, built in compression shorts and the ability to keep you fresh.
In terms of men’s shorts the Nike Dri-FIT Victory Men’s 9 Tennis Shorts also offer similar qualities that the women’s shorts offer.
Socks
You must have the right sports socks when playing tennis especially if you are just wearing in your new shoes. If you chose the wrong ones then you will be exposed to rubbing and blisters may form.
Artengo RS 100 is an ideal place to start as they are cheap, highly rated and are specifically designed to reduce chaffing.
Accessories
Some players may need extra items when they are playing. Accessories such as headbands and sweatbands are synonymous with tennis and can be found at any sporting shops. The best makes for these products are usually Nike and Adidas if you require them for when you play.
You will also want to get some tennis balls so that you can play and the best tennis balls to use are not the ones at the pound store but Wilson ones. Look out for them and it is best to buy more than one ball in case you lose it!