Playing tennis in winter: Tips on clothing, equipment and winning tactics
Of course you can play tennis in winter - and you can even find it enjoyable. Here’s what to wear, what to use and how to adapt your game to cold weather conditions…
The most wonderful time of the year?
Not for us tennis players. Whilst the rest of the world enjoys log fires, eggnog and Christmas cheer, we’re itching to get back out there and hit some balls!
But tennis is only a summertime sport, right?
Listen carefully my fair-weather friends. Not only can you play tennis over the course of winter, you can enjoy your tennis in that time.
Here are my tips for playing tennis during winter.
Winter tennis: what to wear
My compatriot Billy Connolly once said “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing… so get yourself a sexy raincoat and live a little”.
I couldn’t agree more. I’m sure there are plenty of articles on choosing the right clothing for playing tennis in cold weather. Take it from somebody who coaches in sub-zero temperatures however - quite a few of those articles don’t look as though they’ve been written by the players themselves.
If you actually want to stay warm and be able to play tennis unencumbered, pay attention…
Body
You can’t really go wrong here so long as you’ve got enough layers on. I personally go for an active shirt, a light but insulated sweatshirt and a waterproof jacket.
Emphasis on waterproof as this is where there’s room for error. You must not get wet in winter temperatures, yet you need something that will keep you warm. There are two options.
Pay a bit extra for an insulated, fairly lightweight, waterproof, seamless jacket (this one by Gore-Tex is great). If it’s a bit more expensive, you’ll be guaranteed quality and you can generally rely on it for a long time (and it’ll be good for more than just tennis!).
Wear extra layers underneath and finish with a waterproof top layer. It’s a bit bulkier but you should still be able to play.
Head
You may want to arm yourself with some sunglasses as the low winter sun can be a pain (I bought a decent-quality pair that do the trick from Sportsshoes).
The most important thing for your head however is a beanie (any will do). They’re easy to play in and they keep your poor ears toasty.
Lower half
For my legs, I wear trackies and a pair of joggers. Again, anything’s fine. I’m yet to complain about feeling the cold in my legs in this combo.
I do love to complain about my toes however. The two most important things here?
DO NOT wear shoes with holes in them, intentional or otherwise. If you get wet toes, you’re done for. Sounds obvious… but you’d be surprised.
Wear three pairs of socks. I’d highly recommend hiking socks. Stacking three pairs of socks on top of one another isn’t overbearing and it 100% does the trick.
Hands
Cold hands - the coup de grâce to playing tennis outside. You might be able to keep the rest of yourself unencumbered but most folk will tell you they can’t play tennis with gloves on.
Admittedly, there are no gloves that will give you the exact same level of comfort you get gripping your racket with your bare hands. But there are some that I am more than happy to wear not only coaching but playing competitive matches. Here are two pairs I couldn’t recommend more…
On a budget? They’re not overly cheap but the performance gloves from McLaren and Castore have been my go-to for light protection. You’ll still feel the cold a little but you can absolutely play in them without a hitch.
If you are willing to invest in something that will absolutely do the job, Sealskinz fusion control gloves are superb. I’d wear a copper-infused under-layer (like these) and Sealskinz on top. You won’t feel the cold at all and you’ll still be able to play reliably.
It’s a lot to take in but I guarantee you’ll feel well-prepared for most temperatures if you follow these guidelines.
Winter tennis: choosing the right equipment
So you’re fully kitted out from head to toe. Now make sure you’re using the right equipment…
Strings
As the temperature drops, we often overlook how our strings are affected. The rubber on the tennis ball and the strings themselves become harder resulting in a far blunter impact.
To combat this, I tend to lower my usual string tension (49 lbs) by four pounds (45 lbs). That’s quite a lot. For me, it’s the difference between feeling like you have to MURDER the ball and feeling like the conditions are slightly difficult to hit through.
An added bonus of lower string tension in cold weather is that your strings are less likely to break.
A cheat if you can’t be bothered restringing your racket? Stand on the strings for a few seconds.
Balls
Ball choice can be crucial to how your wintry tennis match plays out.
There’s a bit of personal preference going on here. There are plenty I would universally avoid in cold weather e.g. Head Radical (very low endurance), Wilson Triniti (lasts a while but they play like boulders in the cold), Slazenger Championship (also low endurance).
Avoiding those, I’m not overly fussy. If I’m the one opening a new tin of balls however, they would be Dunlop Fort All Courts or Slazenger Wimbledons. The former plays almost like you’re in normal conditions and is incredibly adaptable to most conditions whilst the Slazengers will retain their bounce for three or four cold-weather games.
And of course - though it should go without saying - for the sake of your sanity - DO NOT use dead balls.
Playing tennis in winter: The right tactics
Okay, so you’re ready to play in the wicked winter.
What’s your strategy in the heat of battle?
It’s important to understand how topspin affects the ball. Ordinarily topspin may be your best friend but not on a cold winter’s night. A bit of spin can help you maintain an aggressive margin even on the frostiest of nights but it won’t have the usual kick it has on a hot summer’s day to push your opponent back.
The key isn’t necessarily to avoid playing shots with topspin. You should be thinking of ways to force your opponent to hit from a low-contact point to exacerbate topspin’s ineffectiveness.
My shots have a fair bit of spin on them. Rather than ditching my technique for an altogether flatter set of groundstrokes, I focus on complementing them with two things:
1. Slice. The slice is an incredibly effective way of keeping the ball low even on a clay-court if the weather is cold enough. The key to the slice is to make sure your racket is travelling forward through the ball. A lack of forward motion will result in a floaty higher-bouncing shot that will be much less effective.
2. Find a way forward. Volleys are an absolute nightmare to deal with on cold night’s as the ball skips through the court like a bullet. Ensure you close down the net as much as you can if you’ve forced a floaty ball - the closer you are to the net, the lower you can keep your volley (a deep slice to the backhand is a great approach shot even on a singles court so number 1 ties into number 2 here).
If you’re hitting with spin, your groundies should be a touch more consistent than usual. Don’t be alarmed if it takes two or three more shots to earn yourself a short ball… You might find yourself in hot water if all you can do is spin shots back to the baseline all day.
Become a slice-and-volley master! Beware however… Your opponents might not want to play you again until summer.
In Summary…
How do you go about playing tennis during the winter?
Get yourself the right outfit. Dress yourself in an insulated, seamless jacket, a sweatshirt, hiking socks, a beanie and Sealskinz gloves and you’ll be ready to rock in subzero.
Take the right equipment with you. Lower your string tension and bring balls that last and/or don’t play like lead.
Play the right shots. Don’t try and blow your opponent off the court from the baseline. Use slices to keep the ball low and finish at the net to mess with your opponent’s contact point.
Cheat Code…
Book an indoor court.
Jack Edward is a tennis analyst and host of the On The Line podcast, which takes regular deep dives into ATP and WTA tour matches. He’s also a qualified LTA coach and on Talking Tennis he brings his unique analytical insights to help club and recreational players to be more effective on the court.
