Tennis equipment

Tennis equipment has changed a lot over the years.
It used to be that one put on a pair of Dunlops and picked up an old wooden racquet and played.
Not so today. Graphite racquets, with all sorts of different stringing formats and string tensions as well as width, are what all professional players use now.
Even the balls are checked continuously for compression and are different for altitude.
As for the dresses and men's shorts and tops, everything has changed.
Shoes are a minefield when it comes to choosing the best ones for you, but socks are pretty standard.
There is a lot more in the way of equipment you need to know.

You can play tennis in any kind of runners but if you want to preserve your feet, it is best to have shoes especially made for tennis.

They have some special features, which are different from the usual runner.

The shoe should have a herringbone style tread. This pattern wears more slowly and provides more traction than multipurpose shoes. The shoe will also last longer if you get reinforced toe-caps.
If you drag your toe on the serve follow-through, this is especially important.
Proper tennis shoes also allow for side-to-side sliding. They have cushioning in the sole.
Additional side-support is important to keep your foot stable even when hitting shots on the run.
Some players like to have extra ankle support, so mid-cut shoes are a good idea. Breathable mesh insets in the leather will also make the shoes less sweaty. Note too that Lleyton Hewitt wears ankle supports regularly.
Women tend to have higher arches in their feet than men so female players should look for extra support underneath the arch.

Socks
Socks should be cushioned cotton or toweling to give extra protection to the parts of your feet that take all the impact - the ball and the heel.
This cushioning effect also absorbs sweat, making blisters and conditions such as tinea less likely, but some players still wear two pairs of socks to avoid blistering. They can be any colour except at Wimbledon where they must be white. Many female players use the short sock.

Sweat bands
Sweatbands are used to soak up sweat especially on the serving arm wrist. Some players also wear them around their foreheads, like Blake. Federer wears a cloth looking wide band on his forehead. Caps or visors are very useful in the heat. I think Lleyton Hewitt began the habit of players wearing caps back to front. Now I notice that many of them do. Most players are sponsored for their gear so hats are usually by brand.

In professionals bags are also have your drinks, food, extra racquets and an extra shirt or dress. Professional tennis players will have sports drinks usually made by a nutritionist, bananas, warm tracksuit top if play stops for some reason and up to maybe 10 racquets, the reason for which is described here.


Players cannot go off court for reasons connected with getting any other equipment. That's why we see them with such heavy bags.


Towels are provided by the tournament sponsors.

Tennis balls


Tennis balls comprise a hollow rubber core and a wool or nylon shell known as the nap.
It must not have stitched seams.
In tournaments they must be white or yellow, but these days they are mostly yellow. They are kept refrigerated for major tournament play.
The rubber core is usually filled with pressurized air so the ball will bounce.
The rules concerning are described here