Tennis is a game of fit people that needs a great amount of agility and coordination. The sport of tennis has a continuous back-and-forth nature. It also requires changing directions from one side to the other in the running mode.
At this rate, the first thing that wears out is a pair of shoes. So choosing the right pair of tennis shoes is very important. As a player, you might have excellent service and also a great backhand, but if you don’t have the proper shoes, you are losing from the very beginning.
But with a good pair of tennis shoes, you can have control of the continuous movement of running from one end to the other or moving forward and backward. It will also help you in jumping and lunging with the quick pivots that come in any tennis match.
Many wish to wear their running shoes for playing tennis. But it should be considered that running shoes are designed only for forward motion that is there while running or walking. Running shoes have a thick and soft heel which helps in increasing the cushioning and reducing the impact that is created while running.
On the other hand, tennis shoes provide greater stability for side movements. For this reason, tennis shoes are specially designed with much stiffer and heavier material. The soles of the tennis shoes are flat to prevent sliding or stumbling, and the toes get strengthened to make a pause and again go back into action.
Several factors should be taken into account while choosing the right pair of tennis shoes:
Fitting with the feet:
The first thing to consider is the type of footwork you have. This means the way you stand, walk, and the shape of the foot. All this has a direct and great effect on how a shoe fits into and performs. There are usually three types of feet, and they are:
- Supinated- In this type, there is considerable wear on the outer side of the heel.
- Ideal- In this type, the wear is seen all around the shoes.
- Pronated- In this type, the wear is seen on the inner side of the sole.
Surface Type of the court
The surface of the court one plays also needs to be considered while choosing the tennis shoes. Three types of court need to be considered. They are:
- Soft or Clay Court- Tennis shoes that are designed for soft courts are made of non-damaging traction.
- Hard Court- Tennis shoes used for hard surface court are designed with hard and durable materials providing supportive upper and resilient outsole. In this type, vinyl and leather are used.
- Multi-Court- In this type, the shoes are designed in such a way that they can use for any type of court surface.
Conclusion
A better pair of tennis shoes will also reduce the stress that you might go through while playing tennis. Tennis shoes are specially designed with extra lateral support. Choosing the right shoes might turn out to be difficult with so many varieties available.
So as a player, one should first consider the style they have taken up. Also, the type of court one is going to play needs to be considered and the foot type. All these points should be kept in mind before choosing the right pair of tennis shoes.
