Tennis is a sport that is watched widely across the globe for the appeal it holds among the masses. Apart from football, it is perhaps the only sport that is followed widely across the world owing to the excitement it brings to the spectators.
Mostly seen as an individual game, despite doubles and mixed doubles also playing a big part, this sport brings out the innate desire among spectators to see the most worthy player end up on the winning side at the end of the match.
This sport also generates a lot of revenue from broadcasters and advertisers alike, as it is followed by millions across the globe who are willing to spend a lot of money.
Players are usually sponsored by business magnates and industrialists who like to advertise their products. If the players they have sponsored end up doing well in the tennis circuit, their products get a lot of advertising.
Equipment used by the players in this sport is not rustic by any means, and for them to excel in every tournament, these have to be in pristine condition at all times.
They also need to be technologically adept and flexible to allow the players to execute the shots they wish to over the course of a match. In this article, we will take a look at the key equipment used by tennis players.
#1 Tennis Racquet
The racquet is the most important piece of equipment used in tennis. This is also the most basic one needed by players to even participate in the sport. The racquet is used by players to hit balls across the net to their opponents and partake in the joys of tennis.
The racquet is bat-like equipment that has strings on its face across both sides. It is this part of the racquet that is used to hit the ball with one’s opponents. Several big companies manufacture racquets, such as Babolat, Wilson, Head, and Slazenger, among others.
Professional players usually carry about five to six racquets with them to every match, as they are known to come unstrung regularly when facing a lot of impacts.
This usually happens in high-intensity games when the players are facing balls at an extremely high pace. Racquets are designed to take the impact of these balls well and allow players to execute their shots without worrying too much about their longevity.
#2 Tennis Balls
Tennis balls, quite naturally, are another piece of equipment that is essential to the organising of a match. Balls are needed by players to hit in a match, and a racquet will be of no use if there are no balls to hit.
These balls are usually made by a lot of top companies, such as Slazenger and Wilson, and have to be the ideal weight for players to form good connections. If the balls are too light or too heavy, they will not provide the players with enough satisfaction, and there is also the danger of them going either out of the bounds of the court or into the net.
According to the International Tennis Federation (ITF), a tennis ball must weigh between 1.98 and 2.10 ounces (56.0–59.4 grams). The federation also sets guidelines for the diameter of a tennis ball, which should be between 2.57 and 2.70 inches (6.54–6.86 centimetres).
#3 Tennis Shoes
Shoes are another important piece of equipment for tennis players. As the sport is played on several different surfaces, they must wear different shoes for different conditions.
Matches played on grass courts need shoes that have more tread and do not slip, while those played on clay courts need shoes that are sturdy and have a lot of grip to stick in the mud. Matches played on hard courts need good indoor shoes that allow the players to balance and stabilise themselves.
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#4 Sweatbands
Sweatbands are needed by players to absorb all the sweat that they accumulate during a tennis match. These bands are worn by the players on their wrists, which makes them extremely handy and accessible to wipe away the sweat streaming down their forehead and blocking their eyesight.
#5 Caps
Caps are used by players to keep the sun away from their eyes. While men wear normal baseball-style caps, which also absorb the sweat formed on their hair, women wear caps that allow a special provision for their ponytails to go behind their heads.
Caps are essential for tennis players to shield themselves from the heat and sun and gain clarity of thought under relatively cooler climes.
#6 Tennis Kit Bag
A medium-to-big-sized kit bag is needed by players to store all their equipment. This bag has special provisions to carry the racquets as well as all the other gear we have discussed so far in this article. The bag needs to be clean, spacious and big enough for all this equipment to fit snugly.
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