Welcome to the TennisConnected.com 2023 Tennis Holiday Gift Guide designed to warm the soul and give every tennis fan a much-deserved calming reset.
I’ve applied tactical and strategic thought to this year’s list, given global inflation and the meaningful value that tennis denizens need. If you’re a fan, a player or both, you know tennis is a passion and a calling. It’s not always easy, but your dedication to the sport is worth it.
With that in mind, here’s my list.
2023 Tennis Holiday Gift Guide: Items You Can Physically Touch
When I’m shopping online for tennis racquets, I need details. In my opinion, Tennis Warehouse has the best tools for shopping. For example, I carry Yonex, and the site lets me compare models, specs and prices, among other things. TennisWarehouse.com also features video and written reviews of all the major tennis racquets. Finally, I can contact a racquet specialist by phone (an actual live person! Voice-to-voice!) if I have questions. And I’m always curious about handle-to-head balance.
Technifibre racquets carried by Iga Swiatek and Daniil Medvedev have been the talk of the tennis world for the past couple of years. They are a genuine curiosity. If you want to know more about these or any other racquets, the recommendation page at Tennis Warehouse is a great place to start.
For me, looking neat and put together on match day is a serious part of my preparation. I’m picky about how I look, but I also need to be comfortable. Tennis Warehouse is my go to site for apparel, and the site’s sorting and search could not be easier.
Here’s one of my little tennis fashion secrets. (Just one.) Living in North America, I watch hours upon hours of European tennis. Several times a year, I’ll notice an outfit on a player that looks especially stunning. I make a beeline for the internet to find that outfit. Oftentimes, that player’s outfit (think: Lotto) is not available in North America. I’ve had really god luck finding not-so-common tennis clothing items on Tennis Warehouse Europe. Everyone wants to know where I get my stuff. It’s this site. Shipping is a snap. In truth, I can’t tell much of a difference between the shopping experiences on the two sites. Highly recommend it.
2023 Tennis Holiday Gift Guide: Virtual
Drawing inspiration from professional tennis players is part of any balanced tennis diet. I can’t think of a better gift than to be able to stream tennis. It’s exciting and comforting at the same time. True story: I actually fall asleep to it.
For the ATP Tour, I subscribe to TennisTV. The user interface is intuitive, and the delivery to my screen is smooth and glitch-free. It’s the thinking fan’s choice for all ATP action, including and especially the ATP Finals.
I cannot go without the Grand Slams. I need to be able to track certain players, and I desire everything available on replay. ESPN+ is the best choice top-to-bottom for the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. Everything is available on replay if I can’t see it live. ESPN+ wins my award for thoroughness because they have multiple cameras on every court of these three Grand Slams.
Finally, sometimes I’m on the road (especially in Paris at Roland Garros), and I find that I need to access a VPN in order to see my tennis. Did you know there’s a tennis-specific service especially for this? ExpressVPN has worked like a charm for me when I was in a spot where I needed to access pro tennis viewing. This is a great tennis gift for a friend or loved one who travels internationally. I have literally watched Roland Garros on my phone on the Paris Metro while making my way to the tournament using a VPN, and that’s sweet. ExpressVPN works on any device.
2023 Tennis Holiday Gift Guide: Travel
And speaking of travel! I’ve saved my favorite for last. Our time is limited in today’s fast-paced world. There’s nothing quite like watching tennis in person.
I like the idea of combining objectives when I travel. A special trip involves seeing parts of the world where tennis happens. It’s the perfect excuse to merge your love of tennis with an opportunity to see some of the most iconic locations on the planet. Tennis picks the best spots, doesn’t it? I could spend months in the Grand Slam cities alone and never get enough.
Having traveled both professionally and as a fan, I know that ticket procurement can be a major headache. It doesn’t have to be. Don’t let people tell you that you “can’t” get tickets to Wimbledon. Yes you can. I highly recommend going through a travel service like P1 Travel to smooth out any tennis travel experience.
If you want to do something truly special for a milestone, give tennis travel as a gift this holiday season. But unless you are extremely experienced and fleet on your feet, get help from the experts. Otherwise, you face the possibility of lines, headaches or obstructed views.
Cheers, tennis fans. As you think about the 2023 Tennis Holiday Gift Guide, it’s time to cozy up, do a little online shopping and dream of tennis for next year.
