GETTING THE GEAR
If you had to pick a sport which needed very little equipment, at a low cost, and which could be played nearly everywhere you go, you couldn’t find a better one than tennis. To get started you need a racquet, a few balls, tennis shoes, and some loose comfortable clothes. What could be simpler than that? The only real problem you’re going to have is in choosing a particular brand, model, or style, but there are points to watch for.

CHOOSING A RACQUET
You can’t always go by price. The more expensive racquets are usually designed for more experienced players who are bigger and stronger. If you’re just starting out or haven’t played much before, you won’t be able to get the best out of an expensive racquet.

On the other hand, very cheap racquets are not always well made and tend to break. As a general rule, stick to the major brands and you should be able to play for a few years with the same racquet. Then you can buy a better model as your game improves.

Getting the Right Fit
You may have heard people talking about grip sizes, racquet weights and balance points. These are things that make a racquet “fit” your hand and strength.

Grip Size
Grip size is an important measurement to look at. The grip size is the distance around the handle-you’ll see it marked on the side of the racquet.

All grips are measured in inches. Racquets for players with small hands may be around 4 inches and players with very big hands may need grips over 5 inches. To find out your grip size, look at the palm of your racquet hand (the hand you’ll use to hold the racquet). Now measure the distance from the tip of your ring finger to the second line across your palm.

The nearest 1/8-inch to this distance is your grip size.

Keypoints
It’s important to find the right size-a grip that’s too big will make your arm tired from trying to hold on too tightly and a grip that’s too small will slip around.

Racquet Weight
Again, avoid the extreme-a racquet that’s too heavy will be hard to play with but one that’s too light won’t give you a good feel of the ball hitting the strings. On the side of the racquet where the grip size is marked, you’ll also notice one or two letters-usually SL (super-light), L (light), or LM (light-medium). Sometimes you’ll see an M (medium) but not very often. The letters tell you how heavy the racquet is (in grams). As a beginner or an occasional player you should be using a super-light or light-weight racquet.

Balance Point
The balance point tells you whether the racquet has more weight near the head, or near the handle. To find the balance point, put the racquet on a pencil, which is on a flat surface, like this:

When the racquet is perfectly balanced, measure the distance (in millimeters), from the end of the handle to the pencil. This distance is the balance point. If the distance is less than about 300 mm, the racquet is “head-light”: it will be best for someone who likes to play at the net a lot. At about 300 mm to 320 mm, the racquet is evenly balanced and suits a player with a good all-round game. A balance point of 320 mm or above means the racquet is “head-heavy” and will be better for someone who likes to stay back and hit from the back of the court.

Ask a qualified tennis coach or staff at a specialist tennis shop to help you get the right fit.

What Material to Choose
Some of the materials that racquets are made of sound more like they belong on spaceship-graphite, fibreglass, boron, ceramic, Kevlar, titanium, Twaron, Zytel. A lot of these really are used in spaceships and are now also being used in tennis racquets to make them lighter and stronger. The catch is that they also make the racquets more expensive.

At this stage you’ll probably be using something with a bit of graphite, quite a lot of fibreglass and maybe a sprinkling of ceramic. Stay away from super-stiff racquets for now-they can cause some arm problems and are better suited to more experienced players. Again, ask a qualified racquet specialist for advice.

BALL
This is where price is important. Tennis balls have to measure up to certain standards before they can be approved for play.

They have to be a certain size and weight and they must bounce to a certain height. Balls that aren’t approved are usually much cheaper, but they are seldom as good. The covers on cheap balls are not as tough and the seams (the lines going around the ball) are not as strong, so the bail will often split after a short time. I’ve even seen cheap balls that weren’t completely round! Don’t make life harder for yourself by using bad balls. If you can’t afford new first quality balls, check with a local tennis club. They will often have used balls you can use to practice with, or they may even sell them to you cheaply.

SHOES
(The shoe has to support and cushion your foot because there’s a lot of pounding going on down there (that is, if you run the way you should). The sole of the shoe must be flat so it won’t leave marks on the court. (No cricket shoes please!) You can buy shoes made specially for tennis but at this stage of your game, you re probably better off getting shoes you can use for several sports. They don’t have to cost a fortune either. If you start playing tournaments then you can look at the high-performance models.

COURT CLOTHES
Tennis fashion is definitely changing. Most clubs used to allow only white clothes but colours are now quite acceptable. Check the requirements if you play at a club.

Wear clothes that are loose and comfortable. They should be made of something that can “breathe” like cotton. Try to remember that you’re playing tennis, not going to the beach, so no singlets, okay?

LOOK AFTER YOUR SKIN
There are two other things you should always wear when you’re playing. Sun block (SPF 15+) and a hat. You don’t want to end up with a leathery, wrinkled face, or skin cancer.