Extended Lunch Break

Throughout my 15 years of playing tennis tournaments I have come up with a pretty good idea of what a serious tennis player should bring to each tennis tournament no matter the magnitude of the tournament or whether it is indoors or outdoors.This list is based on personal knowledge I have gained through USTA junior tennis tournaments, high school tennis matches, collegiate tennis matches and regional tournaments, men’s open tennis tournaments, USTA adult tennis leagues, regionals, and sectional tournaments, as well as being a USPTR certified tennis instructor. Having a consistent packing and preparation ritual is the best way to completely prepare yourself for any situation. This list is geared towards male tennis players, but can be used as a majority guideline for female tennis players as well. 

• Professional tennis bag. Preferably one that will hold 4-8 tennis racquets and most of the other items on this list. I prefer a tennis bag that has straps on the bottom that can be used as a backpack to prevent unnecessary arm strain.
• 2 Tennis Racquets. Bring at least 2 of the exact same tennis racquets incase of string break or a cracked frame.
• Extra grip. Occasionally a grip will become unraveled or too sweaty to hold onto. In this case you could switch racquets, but what if the other racquet has loose strings? That’s right, just change grips during a changeover. 
• Resin bag or lotion. This product applied to your palms will prevent sweat on your hands and give you a great grip during a hot day. 
• Foldable chair. You most likely can’t fit this in your tennis bag but many foldable chairs can be easily carried. Many tennis facilities have chairs or benches on and off the tennis court, but some don’t. If you have a chair and your opponent sits on the ground or better yet does not sit at all you have an advantage over them in comfort and fatigue.
• Small cooler or hot/cold lunch bag. If needed put in ice pack to keep drinks colder.
• 2 bottles of water and 2 bottles of your favorite sports drink. You may need more than this if you are a heavy drinker. I like a variety of flavors because If I drink too much of one I tend to get sick of it and then don’t drink during changeovers. If I have a variety I like to mix up the freshness of water with the sweetness of the sports drink when I am in the mood for either.
• Several snacks. Some prefer bananas, I prefer Powerbars, granola bars, Nutrigrain bars because they are easy on my stomach during a match. With bananas I tend to keep burping banana up throughout the match. Gross right?
• Large towel. Take this towel with you to the back of the curtain on each side you play. This will give you a quick “towel off” between points. Not only is this good for keeping sweat away, but it also gives you an opportunity to take a breath and focus between points. Why do you think the pros always ask for the ball boy holding the towel?
• 2 shirts. Bring at least 2 extra shirts and hopefully more. Depending on how much you sweat during a match you may need to change shirts. In addition, you should always change shirts after a match to freshen yourself up and to recompose yourself for your next match. 
• 2 shorts. You most likely won’t change shorts during the middle of a match, but after your match it is a good idea.
• 2 pairs of underwear. Whether you prefer boxers or briefs it doesn’t matter. For the same reason as shirts and shorts you will want to change in-between and after matches. 
• 1 pair of socks. Most likely you will only change socks after a match. If you have another match coming up you will need new socks. 
• 1 pair of sandals. Before, in-between, and after each set of matches you should ditch your socks and shoes and wear sandals of some sort. This gives your feet a chance to relax and cool down. The inside of your shoe can get very hot and sweaty and cause blisters and other forms of foot damage.
• 1 hat. A hat holds back long hair, helps absorb sweat that could go in your eyes, keeps sun out of your eyes, and prevents sunburn on your face.
• 1 pair of sunglasses. Some people are very uncomfortable playing tennis in sunglasses. I am one of those people. However, if you’ve ever been caught in a blinding spot of sun you will realize how much it not only effects you seeing the ball on your toss, but blinds you with sun spots for the next second or two, you may consider wearing them until you switch sides of the court or the sun moves.
• Sweat proof sunscreen. Some people are concerned about the health risks and some aren’t, but if you’ve ever played a tennis tournament and been torched by the sun, you probably remember how difficult it was to sleep that night let alone play your match the next day with a bad sunburn. 
• Assortment of band-aids. You never know when you are going to get a blister or where it will be. Having an assortment of shapes will help you comfortably fit a band-aid on a thumb, knuckle, ankle, heal, or toe.
• Moleskin. This product is a great help in the case of a bad blister on your foot. Moleskin aids as a padding on one side and an adhesive on the other to stick right to your foot without moving. It has helped me many times.
• Ankle wrap. You never know when you are going to slightly twist an ankle during a match. If you have some wrapping tape you can just use that if a trainer is not available.
• Knee brace. Some people have a lot of knee problems and others don’t. Either way it shouldn’t matter. You don’t know when you will twist a knee a little and need to secure it to continue playing.
• Deodorant. Depending on the type; some of these will leak so be sure to get something that won’t melt and put it in a small ziplock. Deodorant is a good way to prevent some sweat build up in your armpits, as well as not be so offensive smelling after your match.