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Tennis Shoes: Getting the Right Ones Is Crucial to Good Play

People often use the term "tennis shoes" to refer to any casual or athletic footwear--some of which you wouldn't want to play tennis in!

For playing tennis, though, you should avoid running shoes or other footwear not designed for the game. Non-tennis shoes can cause injuries. Some can even damage the court on which you play.

After a good racquet, good tennis shoes are the one piece of "equipment" that will make the most difference to your game. After all, tennis isn't just swatting a ball. It's also footwork--lots of it.

Happily, you needn't spend a fortune for shoes that will carry you through many games while giving you the speed to be at the right place on the court at the right time.

Your feet need proper cushioning, support and protection when playing tennis. Most recognized brands of tennis-specific shoes will provide these. Other things to look for are comfort, durability, and (perhaps) stylishness. (Recommended online sources.)

Most proper tennis playing shoes have flat soles made of rubber and uppers of leather. Canvas uppers are also common, and these are perfectly fine.

Top tennis shoe makers include Reebok, Wilson, Nike, Head, Dunlop, K-Swiss, Fila, Adidas, New Balance, Converse and Prince. There are other quality, all star brands available as well.

Factors to consider in choosing tennis shoes include weight, balance, comfort, durability, and looks.

Weight: The lighter the better, all things considered. Remember, you'll be running almost constantly and jumping quite frequently on the court. Heavy shoes will just slow you down and make you feel sluggish.

So, light is good. But don't sacrifice other things like durability and overall comfort.

Balance: Balance refers to how the weight of the shoe is distributed. Good tennis shoes are fairly evenly balanced between the toe and the heel. If the weight is "tilted" toward one or the other, it's better to have a little more weight in the toe. You don't want shoes that are "heel heavy."

Comfort: This is mostly subjective, unless we define "comfort" to include "support" (or "stability"). Your tennis shoes must provide plenty of support, especially to your ankles. Otherwise a twisted ankle can put a temporary but painful end to your playing fun.

Support, in the form of padding, should also be generous under your toes and arch.

When you get your new pair of tennis shoes, one thing to check for is the shoe's flex point. Ideally, the sole of the shoe will flex at the place where your foot naturally bends--just at the ball of the foot.

Here's how to find a shoe's flex point. Hold it between your palms, one hand at the very front and the other at the back. Press your hands toward each other and watch where the shoe bends. That's its flex point.

If the shoe's sole flexes at the ball (or where your ball would be), that's another bit of reassurance that you have made a wise purchase.

Durability: Tennis shoes take a beating and even the best ones will wear out sooner or later. Still, you should try to get a pair that will see you through many games rather than just a few.

As a rule, any of the well-known brands mentioned above will hold up better and longer than most of the cheap knock-offs you may find.

Don't keep playing in shoes that have become worn, floppy or loose, or no longer provide good support. Replace them.

Fun Box: Tennis celebrities used to endorse tennis shoes and racquets. Now they not only endorse watches and frangrances, they take a hand in the design of these products (allegedly). Read about the "creative" deals that Maria Sharapova and Andy Roddick made.

Style: Although this factor would seem to be entirely a matter of personal taste, with no bearing on how well you play, we disagree. For many of us, knowing we look our best on the court can boost our overall mental outlook, and that can definitely help give an edge to our play.

White is still the usual color of tennis shoes, but don't be afraid to express yourself with something more colorful.

Whatever style you choose, make an effort to keep your shoes clean. Hitting the court with clean shoes and clean, crisp clothes will also have a beneficial psychological effect.

Finally, there is the matter of lace-up tennis shoes vs. ones that close with Velcro. Most players (adults anyway) prefer laces, but if getting in and out of shoes with minimal fuss is important to you, Velcro may be the right choice.

Whichever closure system you go with, it should allow you to tighten the shoe enough to obtain a snug, supportive fit.

Tennis Shoes - Recommended Online Sources

Zappos
Zappos is the Web's most popular shoe store. Their selection of men's, women's and children's brand-name athletic shoes is astounding. Find Fila, Converse, Adidas, New Balance, Reebok, Ecco Receptor, Skechers, Lotto (incredible women's shoes for tournament level play), Penguin, and lots more--hundreds of models. Search on "tennis" at the Zappos site and do some clicking around to see them all.

Paragon Sports
Nice selection of high-quality tennis shoes at very competitive prices, including Puma's California model for women, women's New Balance, men's New Balance, the Air Resolve shoe (built for extra durability and comfort), and more, including a unisex model.