Use this guide to help you choose the best tennis shoes for you.

1. What You Need to Know
about Choosing Tennis
Shoes
RACHAEL HESLING

2. What You Need to Know about Choosing
Tennis Shoes
 The right pair of tennis shoes can make all the difference to your performance
on the court. Read on for a helpful guide to choosing the footwear that’s right
for you and your game.

3. Why you need tennis shoes
 Plenty of tennis players, especially at the beginner level, think that it’s no big deal to
play tennis in their regular running or athletic shoes. However, not all athletic shoes
are the same. Tennis shoes may appear similar to the average running shoe, but in
fact, they are specially designed to withstand the unique rigors of the court.
 In order to hold up to the typical challenges of a tennis match—which include quick
stops and starts, lunging, jumping, fast pivots, short sprints, and rapid lateral
movements—tennis shoes are made from heavier and stiffer materials than a
standard running shoe. They also incorporate extra lateral support, more cushioning
and shock absorption, and reinforced soles and toecaps. Playing tennis in shoes
without these features is more likely to lead to knee and ankle injuries due to
improper support. It can also lead to ongoing back pain.

4. What you need to keep in mind when
choosing tennis shoes
 When choosing your tennis shoes, there are a number of important factors you
need to consider. These include the type of foot you have, your playing style,
and the type of court you prefer.

5. Your foot type
 Your foot type has a major impact on the way you walk and stand. Consequently, it plays a big role in the way
your tennis shoes will fit, and how they will feel and perform. There are three main types of feet: pronated,
which means a low arch and the tendency to roll the feet inward (also known as “flat” feet); neutral, which
means a neutral arch and upright foot positioning; and supinated, which means a high arch and the tendency
to roll the feet outward.
 There are two ways you can determine your foot type: One is to observe the wear on your existing shoes. If
the wear is even on both sides, you have a neutral foot type; if there is more wear on the inside of the sole
and around the ball of the foot, you have a pronated foot type; and if you have wear on the outside of the
heel, you have a supinated foot type. Another way to check your foot type is to perform a “wet test,” in which
you dip your bare foot in water and make a footprint on a smooth surface (like sidewalk pavement or a brown
paper bag), and then see how much inner arch appears. A complete imprint of the foot means that you
pronate, while a footprint with a large open area in the middle means that you supinate.
 So how does this impact your choice of tennis shoes? Essentially, pronators will need shoes that provide plenty
of stability and support, with only a moderate level of arch support because the arch is already so low.
Supinators will need highly durable shoes (especially the soles) that have plenty of cushioning and moderate
to high arch support. Those players with a neutral arch will be able to choose from almost all types of shoes.

6. Your playing style
 The purpose of tennis shoes is to support the way you like to move on the court,
and how you move depends on your preferred playing style. Typically, tennis shoes
are designed to suit one of two main styles of play.
 A baseline player spends most of his or her playing time along the back line of the
court, and he or she is almost always moving from side to side. Therefore, this
player’s shoes must have plenty of lateral support, as well as good cushioning and a
durable sole.
 Serve-and-volley players, on the other hand, are completely different from baseline
players in that they frequently approach the net. A lot of net play means a lot of time
spent on the toes, and this type of player often tends to drag the feet during serves.
Consequently, a good shoe for a serve-and-volley player will need well-reinforced
toecaps and soles, as well as additional arch support.

7. Your preferred court surface
 Different shoes will be more or less suitable for different court surfaces. As such, it’s important
to take into account the type of court that you usually play on when choosing your shoes.
 Hard court (concrete)—Not surprisingly, this type of court causes shoes to wear out the fastest.
Shoes designed for play on hard courts are therefore designed with greater durability in mind,
including a more resilient outsole and a more supportive upper, which is usually made from
tougher materials like leather or vinyl.
 Soft court (grass or clay)—On soft courts like grass or clay, players are more likely to slip and
slide around. As a result, soft-court shoes need to be able to provide good traction while
having a non-marking outsole to prevent damage to the court.
 Multicourt—Multicourt tennis shoes are designed for good play on a variety of surfaces. The
big advantage of these shoes is that they allow players to switch between hard and soft courts
without having to change their footwear.