✔️ Court type: When deciding on the best tennis shoe for your playing needs, the first thing to consider is the surface you are mostly likely to play on. The most popular court types are clay, hard or grass. While some shoes are multifunctional, other tennis shoes are specifically designed for certain surfaces. Your shoe will need a different amount of traction to provide the correct amount of grip whether you play on a hard, clay or grass court.
✔️ Support: Tennis involves a fair amount of side-to-side movements, so you want a shoe that will make you feel secure as you play. A shoe that offers extra stability is ideal for beginner players, although this type of shoe may feel too heavy for some. Meanwhile, a lightweight pair is the way to go for more advanced players who want a shoe designed for speed.
✔️ Fit: Lebatique notes the importance of choosing a tennis shoe that feels comfortable and responds well when you make sudden, quick movements on the court. “If either of those do not feel right when play-testing a sneaker, go onto the next one.”
Some shoes are designed for wide feet while others have a standard fit. In general, you’ll want a shoe that isn’t too snug so your toes aren’t squished. Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab Product Analyst Grace Wu at the GH Institute recommends about a finger-width amount of extra space between your toe and the top of the shoe. Make sure that the shoe isn’t too big either, as you don’t want your heel to slip out from the shoe.
✔️ Price: Tennis shoes can definitely be an investment, with some on our list ringing in at over $150, but there are other sneakers that are closer to $100 or even under $80. Our research suggests that the best tennis shoes for men fall somewhere between $110 and $140, and Lebatqiue adds that “You cannot put a price on keeping your feet safe when playing tennis. And when you feet are safe, then the rest of your body can perform at its best on the tennis court.”
✔️ Style: Tennis shoes can range in color, whether it be a more neutral shade like white or black or a brighter hue that will stand out on the court. Of course, you want a shoe that fits well, offers support and makes you feel stable while playing, but you also want a shoe that has an aesthetic which matches your style and you’ll be excited to wear. “I personally also like to look for colors and the look of the sneaker,” says Lebatique.