You are getting started with tennis and are wondering if you can wear gloves while playing. People might want to wear gloves to protect their hands or keep them warm while playing during cold weather. You are curious if gloves are legal in tennis matches and whether or not they are useful. Do gloves hinder or help your performance? We have done the research to ensure that you're informed on tennis regulations.
Tennis players can wear gloves in most leagues, including professional leagues. Some tennis leagues may ban the use of gloves. Most professional tennis players opt to not use gloves because they lose the feeling of the racquet and it negatively impacts their performance during gameplay.
Now you know that gloves are allowed in most tennis leagues, but are they beneficial? We will discuss the pros and cons of wearing gloves while playing tennis. You may be interested in creating more grip between your hand and the racquet. This post will talk about racquet grip, including the best option for sweaty hands. So be sure to keep reading.
Can Tennis Players Wear Gloves?
The professional tennis leagues allow players to wear gloves. Most tennis leagues allow players to wear gloves, although some leagues may ban the use of gloves. There are various reasons why somebody would want to wear gloves or choose not to wear gloves. Here we will talk about the advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages Of Wearing Gloves In A Tennis Match
- Tennis matches that happen outdoors or in cold weather can cause you to have cold hands while playing. Wearing gloves keeps your hands warmer, so you can play longer without losing the feeling of your hands.
- Wearing gloves can protect your hands from painful blisters until your hands build callouses.
- Certain kinds of gloves will absorb sweat on a hotter day.
- The added padding of a glove also provides more comfort to the player.
Disadvantages Of Wearing Gloves In A Tennis Match
- The number one reason tennis players don't use gloves is that they lose grip or they lose the feeling associated with the grip. This can make it more difficult to switch between forehand and backhand grips.
- Certain gloves will cause you to sweat more and will trap the sweat inside of your glove.
- When playing without gloves, players will develop callouses that improve their grip on the racquet. If you play with gloves, you will always need to play with gloves. Otherwise, you will go through a period of painful blisters until you do develop callouses.
What Kind Of Tennis Gloves Should You Buy?
The kind of gloves you purchase depends on your goals and purposes.
Hot Gloves
If you are looking to buy gloves just to keep your hand warm on a cold day, then there is a better option than a typical glove. A hot glove slips over your hand and the racquet, and you are able to grip the racquet directly with your hand. The loss of grip or feeling on the racquet is the number one reason people choose not to wear gloves while playing tennis.
Click here to buy these Tourna hot gloves on Amazon.
Sweat Absorbers
If you are looking for gloves that will absorb sweat, then you need something different than the Tourna hot mitt. Tourna also makes gloves designed to absorb sweat and keep your hands warm. There are a few gloves designed to give you the best grip of the tennis racquet while also keeping your hand warm or absorbing sweat.
Click here to buy these Ladies' Tourna gloves on Amazon.
Click here to buy these men's Tourna gloves on Amazon.
Can You Add Grip To A Tennis Racquet?
You can add an overgrip to a tennis racquet. This will add more thickness, so it may no longer be the ideal size for your hands. The standard overgrip will add 1/16 of an inch to the thickness of the handle. You can use overgrip felt or tape that is applied and tapered over the existing handle. Tennis players usually use overgrips, so it's a good idea to plan for a small amount of extra thickness when you are shopping for a tennis racquet.
Your tennis racquet has a grip, but that will wear away quickly if you play without adding an overgrip. If you wear down the grip of the tennis racquet, it will be difficult to attach an overgrip. Overgrips are much easier to change out and better for keeping the racquet at its peak grip potential.
Click here to see this Wilson tennis racket overgrip on Amazon.
When Should You Replace Tennis Racquet Grip?
The tennis grip on many racquets cannot be replaced, or it is difficult to replace. Instead, tennis players use overgrips that wrap around the racquet handle. You should replace the tennis racquet overgrip every 4-8 hours of gameplay.
The overgrip begins losing its gripping ability immediately after you begin to use it. You may play for as long as 12 hours, but you will noticeably lose your feeling of grip.
While you're considering replacing the tennis racquet grip or adding an overgrip, you should also think about the strings of the racquet. If you play frequently, you may want to replace your tennis strings every 3 months. This is because the tension gets loose during hours of gameplay and exposure to sunlight.
The kind of strings you use and how often you change them can have a big effect on your game. Check out this post for more information: Do Tennis Strings Go Bad Or Expire?
What Is The Best Tennis Racquet Grip For Sweaty Hands?
The best option for sweaty hands is a tennis overgrip that gets tackier as you sweat. The only option that advertises this and is confirmed by users is the Tourna Grip XL. Other overgrips will lose tackiness or grip as you sweat. The Tourna Grip XL has a dry feel and might not feel tacky to start with, but the grip will be better as your hands sweat.
Click here to see this Tourna Grip XL on Amazon.
In Closing
Tennis players are allowed to wear gloves in most leagues, including the professionals. Players usually decide not to wear gloves because they lose the feel you have for the racquet. Players opt to add overgrips while they build callouses that will improve the player's grip on the racquet. You may choose to wear gloves if you are playing outside, want to feel more comfortable, and want to prevent getting painful blisters on your hands.
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