Hello! I’m a beginner tennis player looking for a racket and some shoes. I technically played growing but it’s been about a decade since I stopped. I used to use Adidas Barricade (I think) and a Wilson Hammer. I liked the heavy head. But it’s been a very long time, and everything has changed since I last played. Just wondering what’s a good racket for beginners or intermediate.
For shoes, I’m considering On Roger Pro since they feel better on my wide feet than the current Adidas Barricade, but open to suggestions as well.
I have a wide foot and absolutely love the K-Swiss Hypercourt Express 2E shoes. Not sure what to tell you about rackets as I’m not familiar with the Hammer. I use a Pro Staff and love it. Though I am going to check out the middle-weight RF01 soon
Do you know which Pro Staff you have currently? I checked online and they seem to range in price from $150 to $400 (AUD).
As for the K-Swiss Hypercourt, I do notice that it’s recommended for wide feet in a lot of reviews. Unfortunately I can’t seem to find it in a physical store near me to try them on.
I have the v13, but the v14 isn’t very different. I have the regular Pro Staff: https://www.tennis-warehouse.com/Wilson_Pro_Staff_97_v14/descpageRCWILSON-W97V14.html
Barricade is still known as a top tier shoe, but get anything that feels good and stable. Unless you’re going pro, a shoe doesn’t have to do much other than keep your ankles stable while moving side to side and last for a while.
Racquets, my advice is find a shop that lets you try them out free. You’ll have the dual benefit of experiencing the racquet before committing to one and also potentially being able to snag a deal by buying a tester. Got myself an $80 Babolat Pure Strike Team last year, much nicer than strictly necessary for casual play, but cheaper than even a less competitive racquet. Ultimately, I’d say most important is finding a good shop, and then finding good gear should be easy.
Congrats on getting back into it, and enjoy!
Thank you!
Barricade is still known as a top tier shoe
That’s what I thought as well from a quick look online. I went to the store to get them but they also had On shoes that I tried, and they felt more comfortable, but I wasn’t sure about its durability so I haven’t bought them. Looking at reviews online, it seems that durability wise they’re okay or below average maybe. But then again, a mid-30s woman playing beginners tennis probably doesn’t use the shoes nearly as hard as those reviewers so I shouldn’t be too worried about durability.
Thanks for the advice on the racquets as well. Unfortunately the tennis complex near me doesn’t have a shop so I’d have to find one.
Hard to recommend or choose a racquet for a stranger without knowing more, like if you play with a lot of spin, hit with a lot of power, need control for drop shots, etc. You might be able to find specific info on the balance and weight of racquets you’ve liked, which should help!
That’s fair! And honestly, since it’s been so long since I’ve even picked up a racquet, I wouldn’t even know how I hit. It seems that even though the tennis courts don’t have a shop, they have racquets for hire so I might start with that for a few sessions and see how I go. Thank you again!
