Fiend at Court Unplugged
Tis the season where it seems that every blogger on the planet publishes a list of stocking stuffer recommendations. Some of those lists purport to be targeted directly to tennis players. The vast majority of those lists annoy me for a variety of reasons.
From a tennis perspective, it is clear that some of the sites that claim to have tennis specific stocking stuffer lists have no clue about what tennis players would want or need. Additionally, I frequently discover that the recommendations are… not actually things that I would consider to be a stocking stuffer.
I have criteria. First, in order to qualify for my list, the item has to actually fit in a stocking. Second, a stocking stuffer has to have a nominally inexpensive price. While a diamond encrusted “tennis bracelet” will undoubtedly fit into a stocking, the cost of that item moves it firmly into the “gift” category.
Before I fully launch into the list, now is a great time to discuss the notification that appears on all of my posts that contain amazon affiliate links. In case you have never noticed it before, here is the complete text:
Fiend At Court participates in the amazon associates program and receives a paid commission on any purchases made via the links in this article. Additional details on the disposition of proceeds from this source are available in the “About Fiend at Court” page.
If you do decide to purchase any of these items from amazon, it would be greatly appreciated if you start your shopping from one of the links. It doesn’t cost you anything extra to do that and this site receives a small commission on the purchase. All proceeds received between now and the end of the year will be donated to the USTA Rally to Rebuild campaign. That’s what I would call a win-win.
The Fiend at Court Ultimate Stocking Stuffer Recommendations
Every tennis player needs lip balm. When selecting lip balm for a tennis player it is essential to ensure that it contains sunscreen. I once played in a tournament where the player swag bag contained a lip balm that did not contain sunscreen. Don’t ever do that.
There is nothing worse than trying to locate and retrieve lip balm from a racquet bag during the changeover. I use these neoprene sleeves to hook my lip balm to my bag.
Every player should carry a few tablets of pain reliever in their bag. I am always astonished to encounter a player that does not do so.
Neosporin is the ultimate treatment for scraped knees. If your tennis player ever hustles at all, eventually they are going to need some Neo and a bandage to treat that condition.
Tennis players sometimes have strong brand and style preferences for string dampeners. This novelty set is cute and would be great handouts for a team. This is a case where the brand preference can probably be overridden.
Any tennis player who wears glasses or sunglasses… or has a phone… will eventually need a handy microfiber lens cloth. These pouches are perfect for attaching to the tennis bag.
Every player should have a 36″ tape measure in their possession for the inevitable question of whether the net is at the proper height.
I have a set of these, and I love them. Please keep any comments on whether or not it is working to yourself.
I am a sucker for magnet boards. Anyone why has a magnetized surface in their life should have tennis ball shaped magnets.
A tennis ball themed pen is perfect for those moments when you are writing out a check for a team captain or tennis event that doesn’t take electronic payment. Please try to not exclaim “What year is this?!?!” as you do so.
I know that this is intended as a pencil bag, but I carry a lot of zippered pouches in my bag for organizing my gear. This one is super cute. Any generic small zippered bag is a great idea for a tennis player.
I’m not going to lie… every time someone presents me with an unconventional racquet spin choice I inevitably smile. For anyone who has yet to encounter one of these, the racquet spin choices of up or down are replaced by something clever like… beer or wine? It sets the proper tone at the beginning of the match.
Perfect for anyone who still maintains a paper calendar. Of course… mine would have a sticker on pretty much every day…
Novelty socks are all the rage right now. There are a lot of good choices that make a subtle statement of where you’d rather be on those occasions where non athletic socks are expected.
This is a flexible bar that is good for stretching and warming up those wrist and arm muscles. It is intended for treatment and prevention of tennis elbow.
Muscle knots and aches are inevitable. This is a small trigger point release ball that is great for treating ailments all over the body. I use one regularly on my rotator cuff. This size is also excellent for the soles of the feet.
A serious player is going to go through a lot of sunblock. I always carry an emergency travel size spray bottle on me for those times when my seriously large can of sunblock runs out in the middle of a match.
A first aid kit is just something every player should have in their bag.
Just another very cute accessory for a tennis bag or jacket.
Have you ever hopped into the car with a tennis player and exclaimed that it smells good in there? Me neither. Sneaker balls deodorizers need to be scattered across every players world.
I can explain the utility of this one in one word: Ants. A giant oversized clamp is perfect for hanging the players tennis bag on the fence to keep it safe from those pesky ants.
For after tennis. Works on both wine and margarita glasses.
The hacky sack is great for developing the balance and agility required to play tennis. If you master the hacky sack… I don’t want to hear about it. I have tried and tried and tried…
Nothing is worst than chapped hands or dry skin while playing. It is always good for a player to have a small tube of high quality lotion in their bag.
I had a strong brand preference for another manufacturer’s product until my eye doctor handed me a sample of Systane. It was life changing. I should have tried it much earlier when Serena Williams originally became a paid ambassador for these eye drops.
You need to be somewhat cautious with overgrips because most players will have a preference. That being said, the majority of players in my orbit use Wilson. This is a pretty safe bet.
I received this mousepad as a stocking stuffer last year and it graces my desk at work. I love it.
Dear Santa- There will be chocolate in my stocking. Tennis ball shaped chocolates are a cute form factor. To be fair… I will accept any chocolate.
How do I not have one of these already? (Santa- You still paying attention?) There are tennis ball shaped cookies in my future. Probably there will also be some experimentation on biscuits as well.
Finally, this is the perfect bag tag for a tennis player. I think this one needs to go directly on the racquet bag to remind us all… it’s only a game.
So there you have it. A list of Stocking Stuffers for tennis players that are actually items that could be used as a Stocking Stuffer. A tennis player would be happy to receive any or all of these items this Christmas.
Fiend At Court participates in the amazon associates program and receives a paid commission on any purchases made via the links in this article. Additional details on the disposition of proceeds from this source are available in the “About Fiend at Court” page.
