Tennis Technology and Training
Overthinking tennis is the hallmark of this site. Tennis equipment and gear is in my wheelhouse. Consequently, the “Tennis Channel’s Bag Check” promotional clips always command my rapt attention. A well-equipped racquet bag is essential in tournament tennis. Those necessities in the bag might be the difference between winning and losing a match.
One of the earliest Tennis Channel Bag Check clips featured WTA pro Tamira Paszek. Her career-high ranking was #26 in 2013. I was vaguely under the impression that she had retired in 2014, but last year she started kicking around ITF circuit events in Europe.
Spoiler alert! Like every other player who has ever done a bag check video, Paszek carries tennis racquets in her bag. She also carries used tennis balls… a copious amount of them, even by my standards.
Paszek also had a loose apple in her bag. Fresh fruit is always a good idea to have on court, but probably isn’t a good choice for the racquet bag. In the Fiend at Court household, that would end with a messy cleanup of a rotten oozing mess in the bottom of the bag. That is not a hypothetical statement.
The most useful item that emerged from Paszek’s bag is sunblock. It is an essential item for daytime tournament play. I am hoping that the imperative to wear sunblock is widely understood by tennis players. What may be less appreciated is that it needs to be periodically reapplied during matchplay. Sweat and toweling off tends to remove sunblock.
The sunscreen proffered from Paszek’s bag was the “stick” style. I use that type of sunblock for snow skiing, but it isn’t the best choice for tennis play in hot climates. Quite simply stick sunblock melts in the bag and can leak. Eventually, escaped stick sunscreen will meld together the rotten apple remnants at the bottom of the bag. For tennis, products that won’t melt and leak are a strong consideration.
Spray sunscreen is great for tennis because it enables application without touching it. In related news, it can be a challenge to remove lotion based sunscreen from your hands on court which can lead to grip issues.
I have a strong brand preference for Neutrogena Beach Defense spray sunscreen. I started using it after it topped the rankings list produced by Consumer Reports. Other spray screen brands that I previously used didn’t have the longevity that Neutrogena Beach Defense provides. This is one of those areas where I am militantly brand loyal.
While we are on the topic of sunscreen, I also use Neutrogena Sport sunscreen lotion for my face. I apply the facial sunscreen in the morning and in the locker room before each match. On court, I close my eyes and very carefully and sparingly use the spray on my face. I have also recently started using a mineral sunblock finishing powder. I figure that a little extra SPF protection won’t hurt, and I really like the portable format marketed by Supergoop.
If you aren’t carrying sunscreen in your bag… it is seriously time to reconsider your life choices. It might not make a difference in the match you are playing, but can have profound impacts on ability to play the following day. In addition, sunburn is a risk factor for developing skin cancer later in life. Use sunscreen, kids.
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- Tamari Paszek, WTA Biography and Rankings History, viewed 11 June 2021.
