Modern day tennis has grown considerably since its first inception, rules and regulations now differ greatly since the formation of the game.
So has the type of surfaces the sport is played on and the different types of personal equipment and kit you need to compete on them all.
Most modern tennis clubs such as Tennis World Rushcutters Bay have facilities to hire equipment, restring rackets and other essential services a tennis player might need.
Here is a list of some of the most important items you may need to adapt depending on the court surface.
Footwear
For clay courts the most appropriate shoes will be equipped with a softer sole, allowing comfort and freedom of movement. The shoe should also be lightweight to allow you to be quick off the mark and to change direction on the surface. Look for the criss-cross herringbone pattern on the sole.
If playing on grass then a dimpled patterned sole is preferable for maximum traction, it will stop you from slipping on the grass and sliding when you try to stop suddenly. Due to the often slippery surface and the tendency for ball to stay low, the footwear needs to have a strong grip to dig into the court to avoid sliding.
Due to the unforgiving nature of hard surfaces, a durable but rigid all-terrain shoe is needed. Sliding on hard courts is less than clay or grass, but direction change is often difficult and puts stress on the ankles.
Racket Strings
String tension is a matter of personal choice and really does depend on your style of play and physical attributes.
However, clay surfaces often see players slightly reducing their string tension to generate additional power as the slow surface makes you work harder for pace. Reducing the string tension will provide more give, meaning the ball will stay on the racket head for a fraction longer creating more leverage and extra power.
On grass courts natural gut is a popular choice for strings given its aptitude for soft touch play and the ability to kill the ball, take full advantage of this and play many volleys and slice shots
A good rule of thumb is to match your strengths with a string type and tension.
Rackets
The racket never really changes to suit a surface, but your racket should always reflect your style and physical attributes.
The most adaptations you see with rackets will revolve around strings and the weight with additions of tape.
A spin friendly racquet is ideal on clay, whereas on grass a lighter racket is generally used to get underneath a skidding ball. A slightly smaller and thinner head provides less power and more control.
Look for a racket between 95 and 100 square inches that will be ideal for most forms of tennis.
If you arm your tennis bag with the items above then you should be able to play tennis anywhere on any surface.
