It might be Wimbledon time, but tennis is a game that can be played all year round. Trust me, I play outdoors in the refreshingly (and very cold) winter, as well as dodging through those annoying rain showers us Brits put up with throughout our four glorious seasons.
So, let’s take a closer look at the best tennis gadgets and gizmos out there to help elevate your A-game, whatever the weather!
Sense Arena for Tennis
A very cool VR tennis-training tool app available through the MetaQuest 2 virtual reality headset via a monthly or annual package.
You can practise your service return, groundstrokes, and volleys on a variety of different court surfaces and players in different weather and daylight conditions.
There are also training programmes and a selection of amazing cognitive and reaction drills. By no means does this replace playing tennis for real, but is an excellent immersive supplement to run alongside it.
Buy now £24.85, Sense Arena for Tennis
SwingVision
Use your iPhone to track your shots, stats and scoring on court, review video analysis and even line calling with this popular AI tennis app. Former USA top professionals Andy Roddick and James Blake have invested, as has Tennis Australia.
Sign up for a free SwingVision subscription or upgrade to the full bells-and-whistles pro package (monthly or annual billing).
Setting up and aligning the camera with the court can be a faff, plus it will chew your battery down. However, once that’s all sorted, the stats and highlight playback options you get are incredible.
Professional tennis coaches right through to recreational players are big fans — and that says it all!
Buy now £9.83, SwingVision
Topspin Pro
Want to learn, practise, or fine-tune that heavy topspin, groundstroke, or tricky slice like your fave tennis hero? This practical training aid might just ace it.
Hit hundreds of balls any time, anywhere, and boost your racket control, not to mention confidence.
Representing a good middle-price point-range option, this tennis gizmo provides a fast-track alternative approach to your hitting technical sound strokes. Naturally, we would still recommend coaching sessions and practise/match play to improve your game, but this is an excellent way of staying on top in between sessions.
Buy now £129.99, Topspin Pro
Saber
This literal game changer is used by pros around the world to train and find their true sweet spot. It’s essentially a regular racket with a tiny head, to force you to hit the bullseye if you want to return the ball.
Normally, players use a tennis racket with a 98-100 square-inch head. Saber has a micro 37 square-inch hoop attached to a 300g or lighter 265g frame that provides an unbelievable feel.
Saber is a unique, fun, and quality addition to tennis bags. Rather than replacing your current racket of choice for a full-on competitive game, it is the perfect partner for a pre-match practice.
Buy now £128.30, Functional Tennis
Slinger Bag
A whizzy portable ball-launching machine with multiple settings to keep you on your toes and hit a wide variety of shots from every corner of the court — no coach nor hitting partner required!
The Slinger Bag can hold and fire 144 fuzzy yellow tennis balls, though fetching them all can be a drag. There is a telescopic ball tube to help pick up balls, so you can avoid injuring your back from unnecessary bending, and a camera holder is included.
While this is at the top end of the price spectrum, it is a premium choice and perhaps for more serious tennis fanatics.
Buy now £950.00, Framework Sports
BlazePod
Need to get your match fitness to the next level? Look no further! Test your reflexes and challenge yourself at home or on the court by reacting to light flashes and tracking your progress down to a millisecond.
Basically, BlazePod is like a high-tech and significantly more energetic version of Simon, the Eighties electronic game. Use it right, and it’s pretty much guaranteed to up your fitness and reaction speeds.
Before you ask, yes you can (kind of) replicate this action with those plastic cones, but it doesn’t quite match the heightened lights-out experience, in my humble opinion.
Buy now £299.00, BlazePod
JHT Tennis Ball Rebound Trainer
You might have seen these all over the internet back in lockdown. It’s a very simple tennis training aid, similar to Swingball, but more tailored to honing your groundstrokes.
It’s a ball on an elasticated string connected to a portable plastic base, filled with water or sand to keep it grounded. These things can be quite tricky to get the hang of in terms of getting into a solid rhythm but, once you’re in the groove, you’ll be hitting shots with control and gusto.
Beginners and intermediates should be well-suited. More advanced / hard-hitting players may find it a little unstable when they power up.
Buy now £26.90, Amazon
Joby GripTight ONE GP Stand
If you want to video yourself in action to review your performances and improve your form, you don’t need an all-in-one camera solution. All smartphones can capture video, you just need to keep it steady.
That’s where a solid, inexpensive tripod comes in. The Joby GripTight ONE GP Stand fits the bill: it’s competitively priced, well-made, and portable.
Simply attach it securely to the back fence of the court, set up your smartphone camera, and film yourself in match or practice mode.
This is a superb, functional way of reviewing and self-correcting your technique and shot selection.
Buy now £22.68, Amazon
