Equipment
Tennis racquet
There are many tennis racquets out in the stores. The best way to know what racquet fits you best is to demo the racquet first. Most stores will let you demo the racquet for a week or two. The key thing is to find the one that fits your game and makes you comfortable.
Tennis balls
There are many good brands of tennis balls such as, Wilson, Dunlop and Penn. The key thing is to change the balls on regular basis. Forinstance the Pros change the balls every 6 games. It’s up to you when to change them as long as they still got some life in them.
Tennis Shoes
Shoes are one of the most underrated equipments in tennis. You need to have the right tennis shoes. Quality shoes are needed most importantly because much of the action occurs in lateral movements. Which means running shoes won’t work since they are made specifically for forward motion.
March 30th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
I also recommend having a wrist band to use for practice and play. Tennis elbow isn’t usually something a beginner will have to worry about, however, the wrist is usually the first thing to feel the difference. A wrist band will help cushion your strokes by absorbing shock that would go to the wrist and elbow. Wearing the wrist band half way down the lower arm is common. However, most beginners will wear it just below the wrist, which is also very good. Good luck!
May 7th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
as a beginner, I agree: “no running shoes” I have been cheap and didn’t purchase tennis shoes, rather using an old pair of running shoes… my lateral movements are hampered by this, I can actually feel my ankles tilting trying to maintain side balance because running shoes have almost no side support. I might be better off wearing my hiking shoes!