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In tennis, there are two sides to the coin. Either you are going to win or lose. There are no middle ground. If you are going to win you have to do your homework very well.
Some of the things that you need to really needle down if you want to win are your mindset, strategies, footwork, etc. One other element that is overlooked but is important to your success is wearing the right tennis shoes.
The reason why this is so important is that if you wear the wrong tennis shoes, you are likely to play poorly on the court and you could get an injury.
This post is to give you a beginner’s guide on how to buy the right tennis shoes so that you have a good chance of playing well in the match. If you are ready let’s start with the surface you would be playing on.
Table of Contents
What Surface Are You Playing On?
If you are going to buy a tennis shoe, the first question that you have to ask yourselves is “what surface I’m going to play on?” This is an important question because in tennis there are three main surfaces that you play on.
Each surface has different characteristics and has a huge impact on the way you play. Therefore knowing what surface you are going to play on is so critical.
To give you a quick summary, playing on grass is very fast and slippery. Having an outsole that is pimples or Omni is the ideal tennis shoe for grass.
Playing on the hard court requires you to have durable outsole because the court is played from medium-fast to fast due to the little energy absorption by the court.
On the other hand, clay courts shoes have full herringbone on the outsole to give you good stability on the court. In short, know the surface that you are going to play on before you make your purchase. I can’t stress this point enough.
Are You A Baseliner Or An Attacker?
Next, what is your style of play? In general, there are two types of players. There are a baseliner or an attacker which sometimes are called “serve and volley”.
A baseline player such as Novak Djokovic plays and moves differently compared to an attacking player like Roger Federer.
Your style of play would have a huge impact on the way you move up and down the courts.
If you are a serve and volley player this would be my recommendation when you buy tennis shoes. Buy toecap shoe so that it gives you good protection and allow you to move quickly.
On the other hand, if you are a baseline player buy shoes that have durable outsole and lateral support. This would give you good cushioning and balance as you move side by side.
Know The Size Of Your Foot?
The third step of how to choose the right tennis shoe is to know your foot size. This seems logical and straight forward but some people may not know how to measure their foot properly.
Generally speaking, there are three types of foot. They are the flat which is low, the pronated which is normal and the supination which is a high arch.
Some of you may be asking why is it so important to know these three types? Here is the answer. Knowing your foot size will determine how much lateral support and cushioning you will need for optimal safety and comfort.
The next question that arises is how then can I measure my foot? Below is a quick step by step.
Step By Step To Measure Your Foot:
- Find a hard, flat surface and place a piece of paper on the floor.
- Next, wear socks that are similar to what you plan to wear when playing tennis. Make sure to stand with one foot on the paper.
- Thirdly, keep your body weight over your foot and then trace a thin line around the outside of your entire foot. It’s important to hold the pen perpendicular to the ground when drawing the line.
- Measure vertically down the length of your foot tracing. This is your foot length.
- And lastly, measure horizontally across the widest part of your foot tracing. This is your foot width.
Last Step: It’s All About Buying!!
The final step is obvious and that is to buy the tennis shoe that you want. You can do it in two ways.
Either physically go to the shop and buy it or order it online.
If you want my recommendation on where to buy your tennis shoes.
I would suggest brands such as Nike, Adidas, Asics etc. In my opinion, these brands produce quality tennis shoes that would last you a long time.
Conclusion
As the post comes to its conclusion, I hope you find it useful to help you purchase the right tennis shoes for you.
The steps are easy to follow and requires less time. A quick reminder is what surface are you playing on? are you a baseliner or an attacker? and know your foot size.
If you follow these steps you would be able to choose the right tennis shoes all the time. If you enjoy this post, please feel free to comment below. And if you have any questions regarding tennis shoes feel free to contact me.
