Fitness trackers and sports accessories are more popular than ever and are being widely used by the pros and amateurs alike. Most trackers are generalized and can be used for several different sports, but there are numerous specialized gadgets out there that are dedicated to specific sports, like our fave - tennis.
Below, I've featured some of my fave picks for the best tennis gadgets that you might want to take with you the next time you hit the courts. These tennis tools can not only track your gameplay but also help you improve your mad tennis skillz.
SONY Smart Tennis Sensor
The Sonys Smart Tennis Sensor is a small Bluetooth tennis racket tracking accessory that is attached to the base of your tennis racket that tracks your performance and gameplay. Your performance is recorded on your mobile device through a related tracking app.
The Sony Smart Tennis Sensor has highly sensitive wave and motion detection that can detect various tennis swing types (ie. topspin and slice forehands and backhands, forehand and backhand volleys, etc...) and it's capable of even detecting attack-style serves.
For the development of this accessory, Sony partnered with several big names in the tennis industry, including Wilson and Yonex. Sony took this approach because the company wanted to make sure that the sensor fits securely on their rackets.
A comprehensive list of tennis racquets that are compatible with the Smart Tennis Sensor is available on Sony's website as well.The sensor allows users to be able to see detailed data of their swings, which are accompanied by both statistics as well as heat mapping. The tennis gadget identifies shot metrics, swing types, serve styles, and more. The information data recorded by the accessory can also be shared on social networks via the gadget's app's social features.
The Sony Smart Tennis sensor also features a Live Mode video function. The function records each shot data together with actual video footage of the game. This might be the most impressive and unique feature of the Sony tennis sensor.
Zepp Tennis Swing Analyzer
The Zepp Tennis Swing Analyzer is an advanced motion-sensor training system that helps you analyze and improve your tennis gameplay and swing technique. What we really like about this one is that it connects easily to any tennis racket...no special racket needed.
The swing analyzer captures around 10,00 data points per seconds. It communicates the data and information it collects with your smartphone or tablet wirelessly via Bluetooth.
The tennis gadget is capable of tracking forehands, backhands, serves, and smashes. It can also track the power generated with each stroke or over the course of a whole tennis game. The Zepp Tennis Swing Analyzer also measures topspins, flat shots, and slices and records the amount of time you spent actively on the tennis court.
There is also a measurement system in the app that shows you how often you are hitting the ball in and near the sweet spot of the racket. But, the coolest feature of the Zepp is undoubtedly the 3D serving feature. It is basically a top-down, side-to-side rendering of a tennis player's serve.
Babolat Pop
The Babolat Pop is the very first connected wristband dedicated to tennis. The tennis gadget was developed in collaboration with the Frech tech company, PIQ. The wristband collects data about players' performance, including forehands, backhands, smashes, volleys, spins, and serves. It also records racket speed, shots, activity score, playtime, PIQ score, best rally, and rate. The unique PIQ scoring system combines the swing speed, spin, and style of your tennis gameplay into one number. You can use that number to track your own game performance.
Once you have paired your POP wristband with a smartphone or tablet, you can play connected with any tennis racket. Simply wear the wristband on your dominant wrist and slide in the sensor to start tracking your game. As compared to other tennis gadgets, the Babolat Pop is a wristband thus one of the best tennis gadgets in the wearables category.
Pulse Play
The Pulse Play tracker is a multi-purpose wearable for tennis, table tennis, squash, and badminton. The smartwatch keeps track of the score on both yours and your opponent's bands. You just need to remember to tap the wearable every time you score a point.
The Score is kept with a click of the button on the band. When pressed, it sends the point to the app and the Pulse Play cloud. After recording the point, the score is sent to your opponent's app and wearable, so that the whole game is in sync.
After your match, the companion app (for both Apple and Android) will also be able to display your match history, personal stats and let you compare with players from around the world. The only thing left for you to worry about will be whether or not the chalk flew up.
Bionic Tennis Gloves
OK...these aren't considered to be a "gadget", per se, but they can definitely improve your game. Bionic Gloves are amazing tennis gloves designed to give you a steadier support, grip, and control. The gloves help you keep your hands dry in the summer and warm in winter. There are several pressure pads inside the glove that even out the pressure when you are holding the racket. For a very affordable price, these Bionic Gloves are a must-have and one of the best tennis gadgets as well. And they come in both men's and women's sizes.
Ball Coach Pocket Radar
The Pocket Radar tennis gadget is brilliant for measuring the speed of a tennis ball. By measuring ball speed, you can track hitting power. This Pocket Radar is optimal for both amateurs and professionals who want to record their ball speed data. The radar is capable of tracking speeds between 40 and 209 km/h.
Piq Tennis Sensor
The PIQ Tennis Sensor quickly analyses data relating to your stroke style. This sensor is for those who want to learn and analyze better types of shots. The device fits into a wristband and setting it up is quite easy too. When charged, PIQ Robot will record about two or three games and then syncs with the Babolat pop mobile app which provides an analysis of each of your game in details.
Hit Zone Standard Air Suspension Tee
The Hit Zone Standard Air-Suspension Tee is a great tennis training device for beginners. The Hit Zone launches a tennis ball in mid-air in front of the player. The device comes with custom tennis balls. The gadget allows you to train for tennis outdoor or indoor all year round. The Hit Zone is also very good for children who are interested in tennis. Thus, it is one of the best tennis gadgets for the beginners.
Scoreband Pro
The Scoreband Pro is the perfect wearable to keep track of your match's score. This wearable keeps track of your score so you don't have to. The Scoreband Pro is versatile and it can be used with other sports, too, like golf, volleyball, soccer etc. The tennis mode of the device provides point-by-point scorekeeping with match summary, serve indicator, and also a tie-break scoring option.
The Scoreband Pro can also be used as a standard watch. It comes with a time mode that shows time, date, and seconds with 12 or 24-hour mode option. The wearable also features a backlight and it is water-resistant up to 3ATM. The Scoreband Pro has a replaceable 3 Volt Lithium battery. It features a "hibernate" mode that conserves battery life. There is also a low battery indicator. The watch comes in three different sizes; small, medium, and large.
Qlipp
Qlipp differentiates from sensors that are currently available on the market. The Qlipp tennis sensor is one of the lightest ones available and it can work with any tennis racket. The sensor is simply attached to the racket to track your gameplay. To use it, you need to turn on the Bluetooth on your smartphone or tablet and then launch the companion app after activating the sensor.
Qlipp records your tennis gameplay data in real time. You will have to bring your device and your sensor for the Qlipp to record your data, but your device doesn't need to be very close to you because the sensor has a detection range of up to 40-50 meter.
These are our top picks of the best tennis gadgets currently available on the market. Hopefully, the list will help you pick out a few tennis gadgets of your own. And check this out...Lacoste's vision of the future of tennis: