You can easily get started playing tennis, because you do not need much equipment --- the most essential item being the tennis racket. However, if you want to become a competitor, even at the amateur level, there are several other pieces of equipment you should invest in. These include a good pair of tennis shoes, sweat-absorbing wrist-bands and head-bands, force-dampeners, and several other important things.
The Racket
Tennis rackets come in three basic types: power rackets, player rackets, and tweener rackets. Power rackets have large head sizes that add power to a player's game. These rackets are most suitable for beginning players, who tend not to hit with precision or have well-defined strokes. Player rackets have small head sizes, and are meant for experienced tennis players to use. The small head size allows for greater control, but the player must swing with precision to hit the racket's sweet spot. Tweener rackets combine the designs of power and player rackets. Most casual players use tweener rackets, because they provide a good mix of power and control, and do not require a high level of precision to use with success.
Shoes
Tennis shoes are designed with the nature of the game in mind. Unlike running, biking, or other activities that involve repetitive movements, tennis requires the player to run, stop, turn, and slide unpredictably. Because of that, tennis shoes tend to have flatter, less cushioned soles to reduce the chance of a player rolling her ankle. The pattern on the sole of a tennis shoe causes the shoe to grip the court surface while the player runs and stops, but not while while the player rotates. This design consideration further lessens the incidents of twisted ankles among tennis players.
Accessories
Beyond the all-important racket and shoes, you might want some other accessories that most tennis players have even if they do not necessarily need them. Wrist-bands and a head-band will prevent sweat from ruining your game: the salty liquid can run down your forehead and into your eyes, making it difficult to focus on the ball; sweat from your arm and wrist tends to drip down to your hand, and make your racket's grip slippery. You can buy a force-dampener to put on your tennis racket's string and spare your arm some of the shock of each hit. A ball-hopper full of balls comes in handy when you want to practice your serve by yourself. Lastly, you should have a tennis bag to carry your rackets, balls, wrist-bands, head-bands, and anything else you like to bring to the courts with you, such as a water bottle, or sun-screen.
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