You've seen Serena and Venus Williams, Andy Roddick and other tennis celebs serve, rally and smash their way to healthy victories, and now you'd love to get in shape and give it a go. Although tennis is a simple sport, it requires plenty of concentration, skill and agility to be successful. The good news is you can try it out on a reasonable budget. A game of tennis only requires a few, easy to come by pieces of equipment that can be purchased anywhere from a pro shop to a Walmart or even a secondhand sporting goods store, depending on your budget.
Tennis Ball
Tennis balls are round spheres of hollow rubber filled with pressurized air and covered in white or yellow nylon or wool. The pressure within the core of the ball causes the ball to bounce. To ensure that your ball remains effectively pressurized, switch your balls during a match. BBCSport states: "The ball must be between 2.5 inches (6.25 cms) and 2.63 inches (6.57cms) in diameter and must weigh at least 56 grammes, but no more than 59.4 grammes." It further recommends that when dropped from 100 inches above a concrete surface, the ball returns to a height between 53 and 58 inches.
Tennis Racquet
The racquet combined with your technique is what controls the ball so partner with an appropriate racquet. The lighter the racquet, the easier it is to handle. However, be sure that the racquet you choose is still heavy enough to avoid the irritating and sometimes painful vibrations caused by the ball's contact with the racquet. BBCSports suggests a weight of 10 to 11 ounces for a beginning level player. Make sure that the strings on your racquet are strung tightly if you are looking to improve your spin and control of the ball. Adversely, let the strings out a little bit if you are attempting to work on the power of your hit.
Tennis Shoes
Tennis requires a combination of varied foot movements throughout the game. Prepare yourself by wearing comfortable, supportive shoes. Unlike the average running shoe, a tennis shoe provides added side support for any side to side motions. If your feet have weak arches, make sure your shoe adds extra support to keep your arches strong. Although tennis shoes are not required, they are specifically built to withstand running, jumping and other impacts that occur in a common tennis match and could help the success of your game.
Clothing
A general dress code for tennis players is simplified with a combination of shorts and a T-shirt. Tennis skirts have also become an acceptable fashion for women. Wear something that is light, breathable and comfortable.
Sweatbands
Sweatbands are unnecessary but are convenient when things get hot and sweaty. These bands of towel-like material are worn around your forehead or on your wrists.To avoid any unnecessary delays in the game, a quick wipe of your wrist band can prevent beads of sweat from dripping into your eyes and disrupting your concentration.
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