Athletic Gear and Equipment: Tennis

Tennis, one the world's most widely played and watched sports, involves either two players ("singles") or two teams of two players each ("doubles") volley / strike a ball with a racquet over the net into the opponent’s court.

Arguably the sport's grandest stage is Wimbledon (formally "The Championships, Wimbledon"). It is one of the four tennis Grand Slam events, the other three being the Australian Open, the French Open, and the US Open.

The game is centered on the tennis ball, and as such it's the most important piece of equipment. Basically, it is a hollow rubber ball covered in felt. Tennis balls seem light in appearance, which is helped by its cloth covering. However, anybody who has missed hitting the ball with a racket and ended up getting smacked on the face will tell you that it's solid hard. Usually, tennis balls come in a light green color, though white balls are also popular. Tennis ball standards dictate that the balls' seams must be stitch-less.

Without the racquet, tennis won't be tennis, so it's the second most important gear. According to Wikipedia, a tennis racquet (or racket) is "a bat with a long handle and a large looped head with a string mesh tautly stretched across it, made of wood, metal or some other synthetic material, used by a tennis player to hit the tennis ball during a game of tennis". Tennis players can choose from a wide variety of racquets in the market today that enhance either power, control, or a balance between both. Some of the more famous racket brands are Prince, Wilson, Yonex, and Dunlop.

Sometimes, the clothes make the athlete. Tennis apparel range from shirts (sleeved and sleeveless) and shorts for men, and shirts (sleeved, sleeveless, spaghetti strapped) and skirts for women. These come in various designs and colors.

Tennis athletes often use accessories to help them in their game, or to simply look good. Examples of these are headbands, wristbands, guard and lead tapes, vibration dampeners, grips, caps, and hats. Socks are essential in keeping the player's feet comfortable and safe from blisters. Sunglasses are also popular with tennis players and spectators alike; some of the more popular brands are Nike, Bolle, and Oakley.

As you've probably seen in TV or the dailies, tennis athletes carry their equipment into and out of the court, with their bags. There are lots of types of bags that can be used in tennis, such as duffel sports bags and backpacks.

Finally, the shoes of tennis players keep them in running, literally, for victory. These shoes are designed to be comfortable, have good ankle support, and durable soles. Some of the more recognizable tennis shoes brands are Adidas, Fila, Nike, Prince, Wilson, Yonex, Reebok, New Balance, and K-Swiss.