One of the best things about tennis is that it can be played by almost anyone at almost any level for a minimum of cost and effort. The rules are not complex and the game is easy to pick up and get started. Securing your racquet, making sure you have a new can of balls, and tying your shoes tight are about all you need. However as you walk out the clubhouse door one of the questions you should ask is, “am I dressed right?” Women’s tennis attire is an important part of playing a healthy and safe game. Although sometimes surrounded in controversy such as the rules of Wimbledon that require women to wear white, most of the time women’s tennis attire comes with a multitude of options that can make you play great and look good.
Show those arms
New fabrics have emerged since the days of the polyester tennis dress. The most popular fabric for women’s tennis tops is a whisking fabric. The synthetically designed fabrics actually draw the sweat away from your body allowing you to play more comfortably and exert a confident range of motion. The best of top for tennis remains a V- neck sleeveless tank top. Although some women are not used to wearing sleeveless shirts, the sleeveless top allows for your arm to have a fuller range of motion and keeps from being a distraction when you need to focus on the ball and not the cuff of your shirt. Another plus in modern sport shirt development is the addition of UV blocking material. This will help you stay safer from the sun’s rays and play a more healthy game in the sun.
Stick with the skirt
One of the many controversies in discussing women’s tennis attire is the battle over shorts or skirts. Younger modern women often assert that women can wear shorts just as the men do and try enforcing the understanding of athletic equality among genders. However tennis skirts, often made with the same whisking material and UV block as the shirts, are simply a better piece of sports equipment. The skirts have flared sides allowing the athlete to run at their full stride and to pivot or change directions quickly. The material is nonbinding and many skirts come with a sewn in liner to guard even the most conservative modesty. Far beyond taking away the athleticism of female players, the skirts show a woman at the top of her game. If men wanted more mobility they would wear skirts too.
Don’t stop at the socks
After putting on the right top, sports bra, skirt and securing your hair in a ponytail it’s easy to slap on the first pair of socks you find and hit the court. Take one more moment and give the socks a good look. Good tennis socks are as important to the game as good shoes and the right racquet. Make sure your socks have a reinforced heel and padded toe because your foot will absorb all the shock of sudden direction changes, stops and jumps. Socks should also be a quarter-inch ankle sock and have firm elastic to keep it from falling inside the shoe. The last thing you need when a killer forehand is sailing across the net is to stop because you’re distracted by your sock. Once your socks lose elasticity, it’s time for a new pair.
Tennis, like any sport, involves connecting your mind to your body. Dressing correctly will help your mind focus on the game while your body does the work.
