Masters of lawn tennis have written many manuals on how to determine the course for a winning strategy, improve the technique of the game, buy modern equipment for courts and always be in good shape, how to buy the right strings for rackets, equipment for the game. Special attention is paid to psychological preparation for competitions, the specifics of men’s and women’s lawn tennis. 

And indeed, these components are very important – like any other sport, lawn tennis, does not tolerate laziness and lack of coordination. But no less important is the choice of comfortable men’s and women’s clothing, uniforms for lawn tennis. 

Equipment and clothing in lawn tennis: selection criteria

When we watch the game of tennis professionals, we see that there is no tension in their actions, they easily move around the court, quickly gain and gently “extinguish” the speed, without visible effort they hit difficult balls. Such lightness is simply impossible if something squeezes, rubs in clothes. The tennis uniform must meet the following requirements: 

• Manufacture of men’s and women’s clothing from natural and synthetic fabrics that provide air exchange.
• Hygroscopicity of materials is an important property of a sports uniform.
• Loose or semi-fitting cut of clothing.
• Seams on clothes and uniforms – external or without seams to prevent scuffs on the skin.
• Elasticity – the form for lawn tennis should not restrict movement.
• High wear resistance – clothing should retain its original qualities for a long time.

 In addition, it is desirable to have pockets for balls in a tennis uniform. During breaks in the game, you will need a high-quality towel. Men’s and women’s lawn tennis headbands should be made of fabric with good absorbency. In lawn tennis, a naked torso is not allowed on the court – this is bad form.

Men’s and women’s tennis shoes

An important element of the equipment is the right men’s and women’s shoes, as well as for children. It is preferable to choose natural breathable materials that are better than synthetic substitutes in terms of operational and aesthetic parameters. Today in stores there is an opportunity to buy good shoes for lawn tennis – men’s, women’s, children. An important part of the equipment is socks, only of the highest quality. When choosing shoes for lawn tennis, pay attention to the following features:

• endurance;
• grooved sole;
• good cushioning;
• comfortable leg freedom;
• high-quality internal processing.

Adidas, Nike, Asics, Wilson, Babolat brands are the leaders in the production of shoes and clothing for lawn tennis – women’s, men’s sports uniforms, for children.

Tennis etiquette and fashion

Both tennis balls and rackets, as well as tennis players’ clothing, have undergone many transformations over the long history of the game’s development. It is very interesting to trace how the tennis fashion for clothes, shoes, and sports uniforms has changed over the past 100 years. Long women’s dresses with a corset to the floor, strict men’s suits, of course, prevented free movement on the court. Gradually, the length of women’s skirts rose above the knee, but hats remained, not too comfortable with dynamic play.

In the fifties, we observe liberties and coquetry in women’s sports uniforms in the form of flounces, ruffles, pleats. The freedom-loving sixties were marked by the appearance of fur trim on the skirt and transparent clothing elements in the women’s tennis uniform. Men’s uniforms at lawn tennis tournaments have long been long trousers, shirts, and sometimes jumpers. But since the forties, tennis players have chosen men’s shorts with T-shirts, such a form for lawn tennis is still worn today. 

Over the past 20 years, men’s and women’s tennis clothing has been completely formed and differs little from today’s equipment. Athletes value ergonomics and comfort in the form, first of all. Thanks to modern high technologies, manufacturers of sports men’s and women’s clothing manage to fully combine these requirements.

Lawn tennis: clothing and sports uniforms for children

Clothing for children engaged in tennis is created by designers in order to provide complete comfort to young athletes. Tennis uniforms for children are mostly copied from women’s and men’s equipment. The form for lawn tennis for children and teenagers is less strict, various options are acceptable: skirts, T-shirts, T-shirts, tops, leggings, as in women’s clothing of tennis players. For children: shorts, hoodies, polo shirts modeled after men’s sports uniforms for lawn tennis.

Wimbledon: traditions in clothing and sports uniforms

The most elegant lawn tennis tournament in the world is Wimbledon. He is known not only for the high professional level of the players, but also for the strict requirements for the clothing of the guests and the sports uniforms of the tournament participants. Historically, since 1880, it has developed that all participants of the tournament must go to the court in clothes, including sports uniforms, exclusively white. It is forbidden even to conduct lawn tennis training not in a white uniform.

The main reason for the introduction of a strict dress code was the explanation that during a tense game, white sweat spots appear on colored clothes, which is extremely indecent for ladies and gentlemen. However, whitish and yellowish sweat spots are also visible on the white uniform.

The sports uniform is completely white

The harsh rules of the tournament regulate literally every little thing in women’s and men’s sports uniforms. Accessories for lawn tennis, including armbands, wristbands, should also be white. Underwear, sneakers, laces and even the sole of shoes are also only white. Only edging in clothing no more than 10 mm wide along the edge of the collar of T-shirts and shorts or a small brand logo is allowed. And manufacturers must provide samples of men’s and women’s clothing and uniforms for approval 3 months before the tennis tournament. 

Interestingly, in 2014, the dress code was sharply tightened after a number of cases when athletes ignored official instructions prescribing to be dressed “predominantly” or “almost completely white”. The reason was also the alleged advertising of manufacturers of men’s and women’s sports uniforms of their products in different colors with the help of Wimbledon. And advertising at the tournament is categorically not welcome. Only the lawn tennis balls remained the same yellowish-green. 

Athletes have different attitudes to the requirements regarding the form: someone is outraged, someone ignores and receives comments, like R. Federer because of the soles of orange shoes. There are many cases when tennis players were required to change, for example, women’s and men’s underwear, women’s headbands with logos, coral women’s wristbands. And someone does not pay attention to the conventions regarding equipment, puts on a white sports uniform and wins tournament after tournament in lawn tennis.

 Dress code for tennis tournament guests

Do you think the requirements are limited to this? But no. The dress code of the lawn tennis tournament categorically prescribes guests and spectators to attend the competition in business-style clothing, men’s and women’s clothing options are defined. Liberties in clothing in the form of T-shirts, shorts and sports uniforms are not allowed. Sneakers, jeans and even baseball caps are unacceptable. However, in recent years, the requirements for the clothes of the audience have somewhat softened.

However, the closer to the central stands, the more elegant and formal the guests’ clothes should look. In the Royal Box, the dress requirements fully correspond to English primness: elegant women’s dresses and suits, men’s ties. Ex-Formula 1 driver Nico Rosberg was not allowed into the box when they saw that he was without socks, despite the fact that the athlete was in a strict men’s suit with a tie.

Restrictions on white clothing and uniforms also apply to medical personnel. For tennis judges and Wimbledon ballboys, the uniform in official colors is also clearly prescribed, the clothes for them are always sewn individually. Only bags and backpacks for lawn tennis can be of any color.

In any case, the parameters of comfort in clothing are quite subjective, because everyone has their own idea of convenience, so the choice is always up to the player. This applies to equipment, sports uniforms, clothing and shoes, equipment for lawn tennis.