ESSENTIAL GEAR FOR THOSE COMMITTED TO THE COURT
Some of the greatest item to sport, swing and serve when you’re set for some serious slams
Every committed tennis player knows there comes a point in your game when aluminum racquets, canvas sneakers, and those shorts you wear to bed just don’t cut it anymore. This is some of the gear that court regulars lug around in those massive 15-racquet tennis bags.
The polo
Tennis polos of yore were made from cotton that grew heavy with sweat during a heated match. These days, the ideal tennis shirt is made from a breathable, quick-dry synthetic material, such as the 100 per cent polyester Lacoste x Novak Djokovic Exclusive Green Edition Polo. $115, Lacoste.com
The shorts
Though men’s tennis shorts are still associated with those hilariously high ’80s hemlines, the reality is they plummeted in recent years until they were 11 inches, almost as long as a basketball short. Practicality (and sanity) has prevailed — the most popular option is now nine inches, according to Merchant of Tennis owner Pam Horwood, with players such as Roger Federer going as short as seven inches, just like this Lacoste stretch taffeta style, the Men’s Sport Contrast Band Tennis Shorts. $95, Lacoste.com
The tennis dress
A tennis dress makes any woman feel Wimbledon-ready. “People say, ‘I’m not very good, I don’t want to dress to stand out’,” Horwood says. “And I say, ‘Yeah, but if you’re not very good, you got to dress to stand out, because it makes you feel good!” B.C.-based Tonic Active makes a line of tennis dresses in elevar fabrics, an ultra-durable, super soft nylon, including this empire-waist design, appropriately dubbed the Power Tennis Dress. $115, TonicActive.com
The shoes
A tennis shoe is built to withstand a tennis player’s side-to-side movement. While styles such as the Adidas Stan Smith boast tennis name recognition, Horwood says technology has evolved. “You want something that is going to give you some cushioning, you want some lateral support,” she says. “If you play a ton you want it to be durable.” The Adidas Barricade Boost is known as much for comfort as for its shock absorbing cushion, which helps to prevent strain on knees and joints. Novak Djokovic is such a fan, he’s continued wearing them on the court even after signing with Lacoste. $210, Adidas.ca
The tennis balls
Merchant of Tennis carries Penn’s
ATP balls, the official ball of the Men’s World Tour, in the common three packs as well as the four packs that are popular in Europe. $7.60 (four pack), $5.75 (three pack), MerchantOfTennis.com
The racquet
A standard tennis racquet was once 85 square inches, but today, 98 to 100 is more common, as recreational players follow pros such as Roger Federer, who uses a 97-square-inch racquet, and this 98-square-inch Wilson Blade 98 racquet, used by Thornhill’s Milos Raonic. $230, SportChek.ca
The strings
Natural gut made from cow intestines was once king of the court, but advances in technology has made synthetic gut the most popular choice. “The strings can make the racket play beautifully,” says Horwood, whose head stringer at Merchant of Tennis, Tomas Stilwell, strings racquets for the pros at Wimbledon and the Australian Open. “It just makes all the difference in the world.” The most popular type? Wilson Sensation (16 Gauge Tennis Strings), made from a blend of synthetic fibres. $9.99, SportChek.ca