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First up, we have France, the birthplace of tennis. Also the land of croissants, wine, and the French Open. Not only is the tournament held in Paris one of the four Grand Slams, but it's also the premier clay court tennis championship event in the world. Let's not forget that the French have a habit of producing top-ranked players with peculiar hairstyles, such as Yannick Noah and his iconic dreadlocks. It's no wonder that France has over 2 million registered tennis players.
Next, we have Great Britain - home of tea, rain, and Wimbledon. The tournament held in London is the oldest tennis tournament in the world and is considered one of the most prestigious events in the sport. It prides itself on tradition and strives to capture the simplistic joy of playing tennis in an English garden. Great Britain has over 1.5 million registered tennis players.
Spain is of course a country where tennis is popular and has a rich tradition. The Madrid Open is one of the biggest tournaments on the ATP Tour, and Spain has produced many top players over the years, including Rafael Nadal, who is considered one of the greatest players of all time (Is he the GOAT?). And let's not forget about the Spanish Armada of doubles players who always seems to dominate the doubles rankings. When it comes to tennis academies, it boasts some of the top facilities in the world, including Mouratoglou Academy and Rafael Nadal Academy. Spain has over 1.2 million registered tennis players.
The United States is another country where tennis is immensely popular, particularly in the warmer regions. The US Open, held annually in New York City, is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments and attracts the top players from around the world. There’s also nothing quite like watching Serena Williams serve an ace at 125mph while wearing a tutu. America is home to a plethora of tennis academies, including IMG, Saddlebrook and the prestigious Nick Bollettieri Junior Tennis Academy. The United States has over 8 million registered tennis players.
Australia, home of one of the Grand Slams, is obviously a country with a huge tennis following. The Aussie's have produced many top players over the years, including Lleyton Hewitt, Patrick Rafter, Ashleigh Barty and the legendary Rod Laver. Australia has over 1 million registered tennis players.
Lastly, South America has a strong tradition in tennis, particularly in Argentina and Brazil. Argentina has produced many top players over the years, including Guillermo Vilas and Gabriela Sabatini. Brazil has also produced many top players, including Guga Kuerten, Gustavo Kuerten, and Thomaz Bellucci. In South America, there are over 1.7 million registered tennis players.
By the numbers, these are some of the most popular regions in the world for tennis, but what about your country? Do you find that tennis has grown in the past 5-10 years or has the interest spread to other sports?
We'd love to hear from you in the comments!
Romantic tennis, anyone?
What could make a romantic getaway for two even better? Well, pristine tennis courts in a beautiful tropical setting is one way to get the attention of the tennis obsessed traveler in love. When our world returns to normal and covid-free vacations are back in full swing, consider taking your significant other to one of these incredible resorts equipped with all the tennis you can handle. Here are five of the best you’ll find in the world, just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Escape to the Coachella Valley at the Omni Rancho Palmas Resort & Spa, and enjoy stunning panoramic views of mountains and palm trees. 444 Spanish Colonial-Inspired rooms treat you to elegance and comfort while experiencing a relaxed desert lifestyle.
Images courtesy of Omni Rancho Palmas
A myriad of activities in the area include golf, premier shopping, rock-climbing, guided hikes and plenty of other options for the adventurous types seeking full days. For a slower paced vacation, the resort hosts a world class pool and spa that is sure to ease the stress of day to day life.
Most intriguing to us, of course, is the spectacular tennis facility where 18 courts sprawl across the beautifully manicured grounds. Blue skies and mountain peaks serve as the backdrop to a casual hit, or a variety of clinics designed for a wide range of skill levels. It also offers a Pro Shop, racquet stringing, private lessons, and 7 lit courts for any lovebirds looking for some late night tennis.
Relax on the white sand of Antigua as you gaze out at the turquoise water and emerald green rainforest, wondering why you spent so much time stressing over your double faults and questionable racquet pronation.
Images courtesy of Carlisle Bay Resort
Carlisle Bay Resort is located on a horseshoe bay on the South Western shore of the island of Antigua, showcasing a haven of tranquility and seclusion in this Caribbean wonderland. With a plethora of activities, you’ll never need to step foot outside of the resort to keep yourself entertained, including Cara Organic Beauty Spa, yoga pavilion, water sports centre, library, and private screening room. This is of course if you can pull yourself away from the beachside relaxation. Tantalize your palate at the wide range of dining options, from casual on-the-beach dinners, to high end fine dining.
In our opinion, however, you really get your money’s worth when taking advantage of the nine dazzling tennis courts just a few steps from the Caribbean seaside.
Take in the beauty with your significant other and enjoy a set or two before treating yourself to a couples massage. Four of the courts are lit for night tennis for those who enjoy a cooler temperature when on the court. Equipment is complementary and various clinics are available for all levels, including private sessions, cardio tennis and group lessons.
Immerse yourself in comfort and luxury at the exquisite Omni La Costa Resort & Spa just north of San Diego in Carlsbad, California. Take advantage of the award-winning resort spa and enjoy two championship golf courses, as well as eight immaculate pools.
Images courtesy of Omni La Costa Resort & Spa
Unwind and pamper yourselves with a host of attentive amenities that you and your partner can enjoy together. If you’re feeling recharged, take in the waves at one of the nearby beaches or delight in some California retail therapy. Seven mouthwatering restaurants give you plenty of options for dining, where you can overlook the hills of La Costa or watch the golfers tackle the back 9.
All of this plays second fiddle to the tennis facility that boasts 17 courts, including hard courts, clay courts, and a 1,000 seat stadium. Seven of the courts are equipped with lights for night tennis, and the club offers ball machine and racquet rentals. Private lessons, group lessons and daily clinics give you the option to work on your strokes, or if you prefer some one on one hitting you’re welcome to occupy one of the many courts. A marvelous getaway for two tennis players in love.
Depart to paradise and board a plane arm in arm to Curtain Bluff in Antigua, West Indies, where this glorious Caribbean resort awaits. An enchanting island utopia tucked away on Antigua’s southside, you will be treated to breathtaking views surrounded by the opulent Caribbean sea.
Images courtesy of Curtain Bluff
A haven for those seeking relaxation, water sports, island beaches, and of course tennis. Treat yourselves to one of their glorious suites that include private plunge pools, sweeping veranda’s, and private sunbathing. Rejuvenate in their 5,000 square foot spa that is only feet from the sea, or unwind in one of their beachside yoga classes. You’ll be hard-pressed to run out of activities, as the resort includes snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming pool, squash courts, waterskiing, shuffleboard and a fitness center, among others. Two world renown restaurants will delight the senses, and nearly 4,000 bottles of wine are featured in one of the finest wine cellars in the Caribbean.
Once you’re through marveling at this exquisite oasis, grab your racquet and head to one of four championship hard courts, all lit for night play. A dedicated pro shop sits just steps from the water, and private lessons are available.
You’ll be forgiven if you lose focus on the ball, as you look to a backdrop of palm trees, turquoise water and lush, green hills.
Grab your partner and your racquets and run off to this otherworldly tropical dreamland. Deep in the heart of Bali, Indonesia, Maya Ubud Resort & Spa transports you to a world of lush landscapes and euphoric river valleys.
Images courtesy of Maya Ubud
Choose between forest views, jacuzzi suites, or heavenly pool villas to catch up on your rest, and once recharged take in one of the many relaxing activities the resort has to offer. Enjoy morning yoga, cooking classes, afternoon tea, and forest trail hikes. Or, take a walk through the jade-coloured foliage to the wellness spa pavilion where invigorating spa treatments are offered within the confines and raw beauty of the rainforest. If that wasn’t enough to convince you, consider one of their dining options, including nourishing spa-inspired dishes, internationally themed dinners, a terrace bar perched above the Ubud valley, and an open-air dining pavilion. There’s also a cake shop if you needed another reason. Choose dining in private tranquility, and have breakfast set afloat in your luxury pool, or savor your dinner prepared by a private chef on your in-villa grill.
While this resort doesn’t offer the multitude of tennis courts that some of the other destinations do, it more than makes up for it in location. The lighted hard court gives you serene forest backdrops and stunning surroundings to play a set or two. Equipment is provided and the locker room includes showers. Play hard, grab a recovery meal from the cafe, and maybe head back to the spa for a post-game massage. After all, you’re on vacation.
Have you been lucky enough to visit any of these resorts? Or did we miss any that we should visit? Let us know in the comments!
We're proud to be featured on Feedspot's Top 100 tennis blogs. Check out their site for lots of other tennis content.
In a perfect world you would have a trainer, a hitting partner, and a coach all helping you prepare for your match, but in the real world, most of us are coming from work and are lucky to grab a sandwich on the way to the club. So how do you make the most out of your time before the first gameplay serve is hit and points are on the line?
As soon as your shoes are tied, get your body moving and get your muscles warm. Avoid static stretching as it can cause muscle fatigue and weaken your performance. Save that for the post-match cool down.
Jumping jacks, a quick jog, knee lifts, do whatever you can to get the blood pumping before the mini tennis warm up.
Don’t skip mini tennis. Mini tennis is great for warming up the wrist, but it’s even better for getting a feel for the ball and developing your touch. And avoid being sloppy and careless. Split step, get your feet moving, feel the ball on your strings and complete every swing. Sure, it’s a good time to chat but do these things with intention and purpose and don’t just go through the motions. A sloppy mini-court rally will usually lead to a sloppy full court rally.
Everybody loves to practice what they’re good at. If you have a killer forehand you want to jump right into it and start hammering some shots. That’s great, but if you have that much confidence in your forehand, you probably can rely on that when the match begins.
Instead, spend the majority of your time warming up the shot you have the least amount of confidence in. If it’s your backhand, try to hit as many as possible so that you’re not feeling vulnerable when points start to count. If it’s your net play, get up there and try to get comfortable with the volleys that work for you.
Your strokes will start to feel better once the match begins, but if you’re tentative right off the start then you’re going to avoid that shot for the rest of the match (and your opponent will know it). At no other point in the match is your opponent going to intentionally give you easy rally balls down the middle, so take advantage of them.
Some weaknesses are easier to spot than others
I don’t know how many times I’ve seen players step up to the baseline to hit their very first warm up serve of the day and blast it as hard as they can. It might go in, it might not, but it accomplishes nothing. You’re trying to warm up your shoulder, not chuck it out of the socket like a javelin.
Hit your first serve at 15%, then 25%, then 50%, and slowly work your way up to a first serve pace. Hitting as hard as you can right out of the gate will achieve nothing but a sore shoulder and inconsistency.
Instead, try to exaggerate everything at a slow speed. Get a feel for your toss, bend your knees, swing through the ball and gradually you’ll start to gain more control and the opportunity to start swinging harder.
We mentioned in another blog how crucial the serve return is. Half of the game is dependent on your return and whether or not you can get the point started when it’s not coming off your racket to begin.
If you simply send them back the typical high, slice lob after they hit their warm up serves, how can you expect to have any sense of timing when the first real serve of the day is coming at you? That’s not how you’re going to return them in the match, so don’t get roped into missing out on this chance. Imagine hitting every forehand back like that, or even worse, catching it and putting it in your pocket until it’s your turn.
Hit these returns back, and you’ll be surprised how much more comfortable you are when the game begins.
Perhaps the most important thing that you want to be taking advantage of during the warm up is watching your opponents game. Yes, you want to focus on yourself and what you need to do, but this is a free chance to identify their weakness, their tendencies and what strategy will be best suited to defeat them.
How are their groundstrokes? How is their net game? Can they hit an overhead? Do they avoid one side? Do they move well? Do they favour certain shots?
They’re giving you a wide open book on their game and you can either go through the motions or you can create a game plan and see it through.
Preferably not from behind a fence, though.
So often a player isn’t thinking through each game or even each point. They’re just swinging with no intention and hope for the best. Just a little bit of planning and preparation can make the difference between a lost match or one that feels like you accomplished something. The warmup is where this begins and can be the reason you go home motivated or with a racquet that you’ve turned into kindling.
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Ace - A serve that lands in the service box and is untouched by the receiver. Also known as a bomb or cannon, and probably the closest thing to feeling like a superhero.
Ad Court - The left side of the court for each player, also known as the Advantage court, and the side of the court a point will begin on when the score is 15-0, 30-15, 40-0, 40-30 or Ad-in/out.
Ad-in - Game point for the server following a deuce point that was also won by the server.
Ad-out - Game point for the receiver following a deuce point that was also won by the receiver.
Approach - hitting a ball with forward movement in order to attack the net.
Bagel - Losing a set 6-0. Do whatever you can to not get bageled.
Break Point - Game point for the receiver. Winning a game off of the opponents serve is called a break.
Breaker - Another term for tie break.
Challenge - When a player requests a review of a line call that they have disagreed with. The review is done electronically and is something that you and I will never have the luxury of using. Otherwise, my serve in 2011 would’ve been called in, Kevin.
Continental grip - way of holding the racket in which the bottom knuckle of the index finger is in contact with the top of the handle and the heel of the hand with the bevel directly clockwise from it. An easier way to think of it is holding the racket like a hammer.
Counterpuncher - A defensive baseline player who is effective at deflecting power.
Dampener - A small rubber device affixed to the bottom row of strings that will absorb vibration from the ball. They are often seen flying off of racquets and have an impressive rolling distance.
Deuce court - The right side of the court for each player, and the side a point will begin on when the score is 15-15, 30-0, 30-30, 40-15, or Deuce (40-40)
Dropper - A drop shot often done by players trying to be sneaky or by recreational players who do it accidentally.
Eastern Grip - Gripping the racket in which both the index knuckle and the heel pad rest against bevel #3.
GOAT - Greatest Of All Time. Almost certainly Serena, and most of us would say Roger or Rafa, but it’s probably Djokovic.
Golden set - Winning a set without losing a single point. Depending on who you are, it may be the best or the worst set of your life.
Golden Slam - Winning the Grand Slam as well as the Olympic gold medal in the same calendar year. Steffi Graff is the only one to achieve this, winning all 5 in 1988.
Grand slam - Winning all four of the major tournaments in a calendar year - the Australian Open, the French Open (Roland Garros), Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. A Grand Slam is also commonly used to refer to any one of these tournaments.
Grinder - A player who will chase down every ball and make you earn every point. Grinders may not always have the best looking strokes, but they use them very effectively.
Grip - A way of holding your racquet in different positions in order to hit various shots in a match. The most commonly used grips are Continental, Western and Eastern. Grip also refers to the handle of the racquet.
Hacker - a player with clumsy looking strokes who usually hits the frame more than the strings. They’ll say they meant to do it.
Pictured above: a hacker
Hawkeye - Camera technology that determines if a ball was in or out.
Hold - To win the game when you are the server. Also known as “holding serve”.
Hooked - when your opponent intentionally makes a bad call to cheat you.
Inside in - Running around the backhand side to hit a forehand down the line.
Inside out - Running around the backhand side and hitting a crosscourt forehand.
Junk ball - An unpredictable ball that tends to be slow and often upsets the rhythm of the point.
Let - A call that is made when a serve hits the net but still lands in the service box, requiring the point to be replayed.
Also called when a distraction occurs, such as a ball rolling onto your court, resulting in the point being replayed as well. Often used by players who claim they lost the point because of this, as well as death stares towards the court that hit the ball onto theirs. Some players take things too seriously.
Sorry.
Mini break - A point that is won from the opponents serve, and most often used when in a tiebreak.
Moonball - A ball that is hit with heavy topspin in a very high-arcing fashion. Usually done by players who have lost hope in their game and are trying to frustrate the opponent off of the court. It works most of the time, too.
No mans land - The area between the service line and the baseline where a player is vulnerable. Stay out of no man’s land.
On serve - when both players have the same number of breaks in the set, and the set will need to be decided by a tiebreak.
Open stance - a stance that lines your feet up almost parallel with the net.
Overgrip - a thin grip that wraps around the original racquet grip, rather than replacing the entire grip.
Poaching - an aggressive doubles move where the net player attacks with a volley at a ball that was intended for their partner.
Pusher - a player that does everything in their power to get the ball back in the court, over and over until you wrap your racquet around the net post. (Check out our blog on how to deal with these players)
A visual representation of what it's like to lose to a pusher
Quallies - cool guy slang for Qualification rounds.
Retriever - A defensive baseliner who rarely hits winners.
Sitter - a ball that is hit with very little spin or pace and has players salivating for a put-away.
Split step - a small hop on both feet when your opponent makes contact with the ball, allowing you to move quickly in either direction. Always remember to split step.
Stroke - striking the ball, and another term for your technique. “They have nice strokes.”
Super tiebreak - A tiebreak variation played to ten points instead of seven; usually used in double to decide a match instead of playing a third set
Swinging volley - a volley hit out of the air, but this time with a full topspin swing.
Tape - the white strip across the top of the net.
Tiebreak - a game held when the score is tied 6-6 to decide the winner of the set. The winner is the first to 7 points by a difference of at least two points.
Tweener - A shot hit between your legs with your back facing your opponent, usually after chasing down a lob. An amazing shot when successful, but often resulting in club players hurting themselves.
Western grip - gripping the racquet with the index knuckle on bevel 5. Used for generating lots of topspin on groundstrokes.
So, are there any that we missed? Let us know if there are any other terms that leave you scratching your head and we'll add them to the ever-growing list.
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Imagine hitting a groundstroke without ever moving your feet. Just standing on the baseline hoping that the ball will come exactly to your strike zone. What a wonderful world that would be. You move your feet and put forth the effort in your footwork to allow yourself the best position possible to hit a forehand or backhand. It takes work and energy, but you know your reward is going to be a better and much easier shot. So why aren't you putting that same effort in on your serve toss?
But there's good news. You don't need a tennis court to practice this element. You don't even need a partner. All you need is a racquet, and to step outside.
The other piece of good news is that, unlike your groundstrokes, this is far less exhausting. You don't need to move your feet an inch to get good at this. In fact, if you're moving your feet, you're probably doing it wrong. Grab a racquet, a ball, and go into your backyard, driveway, sidewalk, wherever, and go through your service motion right up until you would make contact with the ball. You can make contact if you want, but you'll probably upset your neighbours or oncoming traffic.
The most common issue with a players serve is the toss. If your toss is no good, it doesn't matter if you're John Isner, you're not going to hit a good serve (actually, he probably could). Technique, racquet head speed, pronation, they're all deemed irrelevant if your toss is 4 feet to your right.
Work on this. Spend 10 minutes a day just practicing your toss. You don't need a private lesson to improve this. It's an expensive use of money to stand on a baseline for an hour going through this repetition, and I can guarantee that your coach will be thrilled if you come out to your lesson and you've improved your toss dramatically. It opens up so many more possibilities with your serve. You can get to the good stuff without wasting precious court time going over the basics.
So get outside, build some consistency. Find the correct height, bring your toss arm up slowly, leave it there after you've released the ball, and try to have the ball come right back into your hand. If you can master that, you will notice a huge difference going forward. You might look like a lunatic, but you knew that the day you started playing tennis to "relax".
A split step done too early won't do anything for you, and one that's too late will force you to be rushed. Timed exactly right will give you a springboard that I guarantee will help your timing. Without this it's so difficult to time your preparation and get set for your next shot. The great news here is that not only can you practice this without a tennis court, you don't even have to leave your house. Next time you're watching tennis, pretend you're one of the players and split step every time the opponent is about to strike the ball. Do it for every shot they make. Your pets will be confused.
At first this will likely feel strange, but after enough times it becomes natural and will add so much patience and calm to your game. Footwork is vitally important in tennis, and it all begins by split stepping. Do this every time you're out on the court. Hammer it into your muscle memory until you do it on autopilot. Advanced players know that if they aren't split stepping it will have a huge effect on their game play, but they've done it so many times they instinctively do it without thinking.
The reason people don't practice these things is because they're boring. It's not fun to practice what you're not good at. It feels better to crush your forehand a bunch of times. You'll hit thousands upon thousands of ground strokes, volleys and serves, but spend some more time on the smaller details. Master these three elements and it will pay enormous dividends to your tennis.
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]]>Photos courtesy of Allison Maze Vancura
Photo courtesy of Singita Sabora
You've had your point interrupted by a ball rolling on your court, but have you ever had one haulted because a zebra walked across the service line? That's a genuine possibility at Singita Sabora Tented Camp.
Located in Grumeti, Tanzania, this once in a lifetime tennis court tops our list of most amazing tennis court in the world. Where else can you see a wildebeest, giraffe and maybe even an elephant while you're warming up your serves?
Not only is this a bucket list tennis court, this is a bucket list life experience as you camp in a modern and elegant luxury tent in the middle of 350,000 acres of protected African wilderness.
It features a fitness centre, wellness centre, swimming pool, gourmet dining and guided safari tours.
You can be forgiven for not keeping your head in the match on this court.
So if you had to choose one of these courts, which one are you playing? Let us know in the comments and stay tuned for 5 Bucket List Tennis Courts Pt 2!
We're proud to be featured on Feedspot's Top 100 tennis blogs. Check out their site for lots of other tennis content!
]]>The origins of tennis date back to the 16th century (France and England can argue about who started it), and in-between dodging small-pox and whooping cough, the people of Europe began playing the beloved sport we know today. The first theory states that since they were without a scoreboard, they used a clock face to track their points.
1 point brought you to 15 minutes, 2 points to 30 minutes, and since two points were needed to win when tied at deuce, they simply moved 45 down to 40.The next point brought you to 50 (Advantage), and the next point to 60 (Game).And we thought they were bad at adding this whole time.
Seems like a simple answer, right? Well, not quite.
Quite a few historians and experts on the subject dismiss this convenient theory on the notion that medieval clocks didn't have minute hands until 1680, suggesting that it couldn't have been the reason.
It must have been like the debut of the first iPhone when that minute hand was first introduced.
The Clifford & Oak Jeu de Paume collection
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January 28th, 2021
Raise your hand if you’ve ever stood in front of a wall of tennis racquets and had no idea what to do next. Don’t worry, you’re not alone.
Racquet shopping can be a daunting experience. Some racquets look small, some look huge, and some have some really aggressive adjectives written on them. There are different materials, different head sizes, different lengths, different grip sizes, all sorts of numbers, string pattern, string weight, racquet weight and like, 30 of them have Roger Federer’s name written on them. You could end up overpaying for something that’s completely wrong for you, or you might end up buying a junior sized racquet because it told you it was “Ultra-Elite” (I saw it happen once).
So before you run out of the store in tears, let’s simplify this and make it much easier.
Don't get too carried away...
Head Heavy - some racquets will have more weight in the head that will help generate more momentum. These can also be good for baseline players or players that want some additional power.
They are usually combined with a light frame to assist beginner players in generating power while keeping the racquet head on course.
Head Light - a head light and grip heavy racquet will provide the majority of the weight in the grip to allow for increased maneuverability and control. These racquets are usually preferred by net players who like to volley.
They're best suited to advanced players who can generate spin and power from the baseline on their own.
Sometimes you get the weight just right
Racquet length is pretty simple. A standard size for an adult racquet is 27 inches, but they are available between 26.5-29 inches. 29 is the maximum length allowed for a tournament player, but I'm sure your club league won't be getting out the measuring tape.
A longer racquet can provide greater reach on groundstrokes and can generate more power and leverage on serves. First and foremost though, is comfort.
Perhaps the most important factor so far when considering a new racquet is the correct grip size.
The grip size is the circumference of the handle, which includes the grip that the racquet is wrapped in. ("Grip" and "handle" both refer to the handle of the racquet. "Grip" can also refer to the actual grip tape that wraps around the handle. Tennis lingo FTW).
A thin little grip when you have hands like oven mitts is only going to cause injury, and vice versa.
Never fear, there’s an easy way to find the correct size.
Racquets come in a variety of grip sizes. They can be found on the butt cap of the racquet or inside the throat of the frame.
The size range includes:
4
4 1/8
4 1/4
4 3/8
4 1/2
4 5/8
4 3/4
To find the correct size for you, you'll need a ruler or measuring tape.
With your palm open, line your ruler up vertically along your ring finger. Place the bottom of the ruler along the first horizontal line on your palm. Measure to the top of your ring finger to find the correct size.
Make sure your grip feels comfortable but also secure when you swing the racquet. It's recommended to try a size above and below to get the best fit.
A very telling sign that you're holding a higher end racquet (besides the price tag) is that it will be unstrung. Advanced players are usually pretty particular about their string type and string tension, so they'll opt to get this done to their liking instead of relying on the factory choice.
Beginner to intermediate players will be just fine with factory strings, and they'll likely last until you decide to change them (see our blog on when to change your strings).
If you're sure of what you want and are familiar with your sizes and specs, then online can have some terrific deals that will save you some money, but unquestionably the best option is to hold the racquet in your hands and see for yourself how it feels. Better yet, if you have a dedicated racquet shop in your city that allows you to demo racquets, you can try it out and know for sure. Some racquets play much differently than you might think. The staff at a racquet specific store are also going to be much more helpful and educated than a big box sports store where they also sell crossbows and lob wedges.
Lastly, be sure to take note of how the racquet was strung, as this can play a big factor in why you might like it.
Here's where things are a matter of personal preference. A lot of players will be very loyal to particular brands, and some swear up and down they can't play with others. And some people just swear. It's the nature of tennis.
Certainly each brand has a subtle feel and unique difference from the others. Choose whichever you feel suits you best and feels comfortable to play with.
Still with me? I know, it's a lot to take in. Hopefully you haven't left us for pickle ball just yet.
What will make this much easier is identifying what sort of player you are. Beginner? Intermediate? Advanced?
Are you playing regularly? Are you improving rapidly and getting more competitive? Are you a base liner or a net player? Do you play doubles or singles? Don't buy an advanced racquet if you're brand new to the game, and don't cheap out on something too basic if you're starting to really make some improvements.
Consider all of these things with everything mentioned above and you should be able to make a much more informed decision.
If you take nothing else away from this, please, whatever you do, don't buy a racquet because of it's paint job.
What racquets do you like? Tell us in the comments below which racquet really stood out to you and made a difference in your game!
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This whole brand is built on that concept. The sound of a ball bouncing on a hard court, the pristine grass on the first day of Wimbledon, the bright colours of the US Open, the smell of new tennis balls, the feeling of hitting a clean winner, the days when you can't miss your serve, finally making a breakthrough on a shot you've been working on, a new grip on your racquet, playing a point that's so good you don't care if you lose, a freshly swept clay court, new strings and about a thousand others.
Yeah, we get it. We're obsessed too.
So what got you hooked on this game? Let us know in the comments and keep getting out on the court! You just might inspire the next kid who lies about his racquet.
We're proud to be featured on Feedspot's Top 100 tennis blogs. Check out their site for lots of other tennis content!
We’ve all been there. Standing across the net from a player who swings their racquet like a cast iron skillet. They’re holding a continental grip for every shot they make and their ready position involves their racquet dangling by their side like they’re holding a bag of oranges. Yet, they’ve somehow gone up 3-0 before you could even blink.
You try to adapt your game to the the snail-like pace and heavy backspin coming your way, only to sail balls long and hit directly into the bottom half of the net. Perhaps you’ve slowed your pace to match theirs and attempt a conservative strategy, only for them to miraculously start putting away winners and controlling points.
Best case scenario is you learn some exciting new phrasing for your curse words, and worst case you try to create a new doorway in the back fence with your racquet while vowing to never play the sport of tennis again.
Congratulations, you’ve just faced a pusher.
So what’s the best way to combat this sort of player? Here are four of them.
The effort everyone has made to find some semblance and normality is nothing short of exemplary, and everyone should be proud of how our communities have handled something that we’ve simply never prepared for. Though the introverts and germaphobes out there might argue they’ve been preparing for this their whole lives.
While professional sports have given us some great entertainment, they’re admittedly lacking the usual excitement that a stadium full of rabid fans brings. Even recreational sports, with the regulations on numbers and distancing protocols, have reduced the usual enthusiasm we see in team sports and other athletic events that require close contact.
But tennis? Tennis was made for this.
It was as if our sport was created by people who actively wanted to avoid each other. They obviously still wanted some physical activity, but not at the cost of having to touch another person, I guess. Tennis was social distancing before it was cool. Even if you’re playing doubles, you’re still trying to separate as much as possible from your partner in fear of being yelled at for not covering your side of the court.
Tennis is one of the few sports that we can be fully invested in without worry or hesitation that we’re getting too close to another player. Personally, I find it difficult to get my head in a game when there’s reluctance and indecision. It’s a challenging way to play sports.
So celebrate, tennis fans! As we can continue playing this great game that’s equal parts athleticism, skill and infuriating frustration.
Here’s hoping that you and your loved ones stay safe and healthy and that we can get back to normal in the very near future. Until then, your serve.
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