Raise a racket and learn to play tennis this summer. Check out these tips for buying new tennis gear.

Tennis Gear - Buying A Racquet

When you're just learning to play tennis, there's not much point in spending a ton of cash on your first racquet. Most sports stores will sell a beginner youth tennis racquet for around $25. This racquet will be fine for learning the basics of tennis or just pounding a ball against the side of a wall. A basic, pre-strung racquet is usually a good fit for beginner players and has a large sweet spot, where you can hit the ball well. If you get a bit more serious about tennis and start pounding the ball like Andy Roddick or Maria Sharapova, you may want to upgrade to a racket with a bit more stiffness. Players who play tennis at a competitive level will end up buying specific racquets depending on whether they are a power player or more of a finesse player.

Tennis Gear - Shoes

It's not necessary to go out and buy a pair of shoes specifically for tennis, but make sure you're wearing sneakers that have good ankle support and cushioning. Most running shoes are designed for forward movement in the feet, so you can avoid ankle injuries by wearing something that has good lateral stability.

Tennis Gear - Balls

Most beginning tennis players won't notice a big difference between different brands of tennis balls. Balls that come in a pressurized can are your best bet as they have more bounce and will last longer than a set of cheap balls that come in a bag. Once a ball loses its bounce, it can be unpredictable, difficult to play with and should probably be given to your dog as a chew toy.

Tennis Gear - Did You Know?

The first tennis balls were made of wool or hair wrapped up in leather.

To find racquets, balls, shoes and other tenns gear, head to www.sportsauthority.com.

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