You should always rule the court wearing the right pair of tennis shoes. A simple game of tennis involves quick stops, short sprints, starts and frequent lateral movement. You need the right tennis shoes to match your game. You need to consider your playing style, personal preferences and court surface when choosing a new pair of tennis shoes.
Tennis Shoes Styles
Before buying a new pair of tennis shoes, you need to know the differences between tennis shoes and other types of sports footwear. Tennis shoes are designed with frequent stops and starts as well as moving around the court in mind. They are usually flat with specific patterns on the sole depending on the type of court surface you will be playing on. See here for more information on where you can buy the best tennis shoes for bunions for both men and women. Find the best womens tennis shoes.
Other types of sportswear often have thicker and softer heels that reduce weight and cushioning to reduce impact. Tennis shoes are sturdier. Note that most sports footwear is designed with the repetitive forward motion of walking or running in mind.
Playing Style
You need to choose the right tennis shoe depending on your playing style. Here are a few things to consider.
Baseline Player – As a baseline player, you will play along the backline of the court. The best tennis shoes for a baseline player should provide a lot of lateral support. You need a highly durable sole because of the constant lateral motion.
Serve And Volley Player – Here, you will frequently charge at the net. During a serve, you will often slide your back foot along the court. Your shoes should have a durable toecap (reinforced toe). They should also have a medial inside the arch.
Court Surface Type
The type of tennis court you play on will determine the type of tennis shoes to buy. Here are different types of tennis courts and how to buy the right shoe for each.
Hard Court – If you are playing on a concrete surface, your shoes should be more durable. Your tennis shoes should have a more supportive upper part and a resilient outsole. Note that, your soles will wear out faster on hard courts so you need to check your pair of shoes to replace them as soon as required. The materials used on the outsole and upper part should be tough, especially vinyl or leather.
Soft Or Clay Court – When playing on a soft court, make sure your tennis shoes have non-damaging traction in mind.
Multi-court – Tennis shoes designed for wearing on multi-courts are designed to be worn on various surfaces. Here, you should be able to play on both hard or soft courts without necessarily changing your shoes.
Foot Type & Shoe Fit
Before choosing any tennis shoes, you need to know your foot type. If you don’t know your exact foot type, you can do a simple wet test to identify it. Make your foot wet then step on a dark piece of construction paper. Your imprint characteristics should determine the type of foot you have. Here are the 3 main foot types to consider.
Overpronation – If you can see a complete foot imprint, you foot type if overpronation. You often roll your foot inward with every stride and your tennis shoes should be stabilizing.
Neutral – If there is moderate space in the arch area, you have neutral feet. You should be comfortable with any type of tennis shoes.
Under Pronation Or Supination – If the foot imprint leaves a large open area, you have under pronation or supination qualities. You often roll your foot outward with every stride. You need a flexible type of shoe to alleviate any shock that comes when you make quick lateral movements.
Use these tips to find the best tennis shoes for your feet!