Selecting a new sport to play can be daunting to many people, especially if you don’t know where to start. Some sports require a significant investment, while others demand an extended time commitment each time you play. With so many options, it can be difficult to choose an activity that is good for the soul, and pocket, these days. The most important thing is to choose a sport you can learn to really love and look forward to playing it summer, spring, winter or fall.

Tennis is one of the few sports that can be enjoyed time and time again without a significant upfront and ongoing financial investment. Playing tennis is also a good source of exercise and can be a great outlet to meet new people. Despite common belief, tennis IS a team sport in many formats and allows one to develop strong relationships with other individuals with like-minded interests. Additionally, the sport is played all over the globe and is represented by an extremely diverse set of players that opens up a whole new world of perspectives and experiences.

It is always a good idea to check with your physician before engaging in any new physical activity. Once you have received your physician’s approval, it’s time to start scouting what core equipment you’ll need – a tennis racquet, shoes, and of course, tennis balls. Yes, that’s about it. Obviously there are other nice-to-haves like a tennis bag and sweatbands, but you can accumulate those things later.
Ideally, you want to invest in a tennis racquet that can be used as you transition from the beginner to intermediate level. Prince and Head are two great brands that have racquets that fit this criterion. You will also want to consider racquet head size (the bigger the racquet head, the easier it is to hit the ball), grip size to fit your hand, and the “power rating” as you shop for your new racquet – the higher the power rating, the more assistance the racquet provides in your tennis strokes.

So you have your racquet. Now it is time to select your shoes. When shopping for tennis shoes, it is important you invest in shoes that are actually made for a tennis court surface. These are usually a flat base sole, without cleats or any type of raised footing on the bottom. K-Swiss is well known for its tennis shoe line. Adidas, Nike and Reebok also manufacture tennis shoes. Just make sure they are in fact tennis shoes and not cross trainers or running shoes.

Lastly, and possibly the easiest consideration, is the selection of tennis balls. Make sure they are in a pressurized can and are appropriate for the court surface on which you intend to play. This is typically indicated on the tennis ball can and will note for clay court or hard court surfaces.