I just finished my first series of tennis lessons for the summer (hoping to take some more next month). I’m a long ways from pro status (long, looong ways), but I have decided to spend the money to get a new tennis racket anyway. My old racket was purchased… well, it wasn’t in this decade. So, I’m taking a look at what’s out there. The Prince 0^3 Speedport looks really nice.
The racket uses a bit of new technology: it can be strung in two ways. Inserts change the size of the string holes, so you can choose small openings or wide ports. The wide ports dampen the vibration to create a wider sweet spot. The small openings mimc the responsiveness of a traditional racket.
The Speedport will cost ya $220 if you’re interested.
Are you tired of your dog pouncing on your freshly opened tennis balls and chewing them into a soggy, stringy mess? To keep Fido out of your tennis bag, you might consider getting him some of his own balls.
The Orbee-Tuff “tennis” balls from Planet Dog are more durable than regular tennis balls and designed specifically to withstand repeated chewing sessions from doggy teeth. Non-toxic and recyclable, the balls are designed to travel further when you throw them (or hit them with a racket), and there’s a little hole leading to a hollow core where you can stuff treats inside to give dogs even more reason to prefer these to your tennis balls. Thanks to the hollow center, the ball makes a whistling sound when you throw it, which makes it easier for Fido to keep track of if your throw games last until the sun goes down.
A 3-pack of balls is available from Amazon for $20: Orbee Tennis Balls
Here’s a training aid for my hardcore tennis players, who train all year around. You’ve doubtlessly rented a ball machine from your tennis club before, but what if you could have your own? You could use it on any court, indoors or out, and you wouldn’t have to pay a rental fee (though, of course, you have to pay to buy it originally).
The Elite Battery Ball Machine is battery powered, so it’s easy to use on outdoor courts where there’s no plug in available. It has an optional remote control, and it can be broken down (the lid flips over to cup the machine) so it fits in the trunk of any car. Wheels and a handle make it easy to roll to the court. It oscillates and shifts to send balls all over the court, if you want it to, and you can adjust the speed of the ball from 10-80 mph.
The price? $1500 from Lobster Sports.
Tennis is a fun game, but there’s not much you can do if you don’t have somebody else to play with. At least you can get a little training in if the weather is nice. When I was a kid, this meant hitting the ball against the garage door (the parents weren’t that thrilled with this drill). Today, you can get a special rebound net that might work a little better than the side of the house. The Gamma Rebound Net is basically a big 7 foot circle on a stand that you use for target practice. It’s designed to send the ball back to you, so as long as you have good aim (I’m still working on that myself), you could get a decent workout playing on your own. The net is $99 from GolfSmith.
Man, here’s a tennis training aid that I need: the Pro Performance Hit A Way. I just started taking tennis lessons this year, so I haven’t joined a club or anything yet. That means I’m stuck playing when 1) I can find somebody free and 2) it’s sunny out and the courts are dry (keep in mind I live in Seattle). I could get a lot more practice time in on my backhand if I had something like this. The training aid is less than $20 over at Amazon, so maybe I’ll order it. The reviews are a bit mixed though (it sounds like it doesn’t come with all the equipment shown in the picture). Hey, what do people expect for $20? A ball machine and a club membership? 
Whether you’re a tennis pro or you just hit a few balls over the net here and there, you’ve got to admit that a freshly opened can of balls is a lot more fun to play with than older ones. But alas, it seems like as soon as you pop the lid on the can, those balls start to lose their bounciness. Ah, but here’s a gadget that might be the answer.
The Tennis Ball Saver is a pressurizer that you store your balls in, and it’s supposed to keep them fresh much longer than if you just put them back in the can. The price? $11.99. If it works as claimed, that wouldn’t be a bad investment, considering the price of buying new balls every week or two.
If you’re a woman, and you’ve been playing tennis for a while, you’ve probably noticed that most of the so-called women’s rackets are just lighter versions of the men’s rackets. Oh, and they’re prettier colors. Today, racket makers are finally realizing that women aren’t built the same as men (duh) and they need different rackets to maximize their potential. They need equipment that utilizes their more-flexible joints and acknowledges their lesser upper body strength. The Head Airflow racket, which is endorsed by Steffi Graf, offers an even weight distribution, as opposed to normal rackets, which are usually weighted more heavily at the head–-though that can improve power, it makes them more difficult for smaller or less-experienced players to wield). Currently, three lightweight titanium Airflow rackets are available, and they will cost you between $159 and $199.