WHY doesn't ANY Pro on tour use a Glove

[NLBwell]

I disagree.

Get an overwrap soaked, and good luck holding the grip well.

A glove, on the other hand, (pun intended) will still hold the grip well, even when soaked. At least that's been my experience.

And taking a glove off to replace with a dry one is beyond easy. You could do it between points, and still have time to towel off.

A glove is easier and quicker to change, gives a better grip.
There's no 'equivalence' about it.

Well, you can disagree with what should be done, but the overgrips are still the reason that gloves are so rare these days.

Seriously, in this day and age where pro's look for any edge like a gluten free diet or a pressure chamber do you not think that IF a glove were actually any good at least some of the pros would be using one.

gloves are not good for tennis ... end of story

Not so, they can be very good for tennis. What you and some of the other posters (on both sides of the gloves are good argument) aren't seeing is that there is a learning curve in getting used to playing with a glove and getting the proper feel, ability to change grip, etc. Once you've learned, a glove works great, however it takes quite a bit of playing time for it to be perfectly normal - you really can't use them once in a while and play optimally with them.

 

[TomT]

... they can be very good for tennis. ... there is a learning curve in getting used to playing with a glove and getting the proper feel, ability to change grip, etc. Once you've learned, a glove works great, however it takes quite a bit of playing time for it to be perfectly normal - you really can't use them once in a while and play optimally with them.

These seem like very sensible statements to me. Even though I don't feel that I need a glove, I do sometimes have the annoying problem of my hand getting wet from sweat after playing for a while. Maybe the glove can help with that. It's worth a shot. I need all the help I can get. So, the plan is that during the offseason I'll use it for several matches in a row and see if it becomes comfortable. If so, then an occasionally wet hand is something less to worry about.

Or, maybe I'll just get some bigger wristbands.

 

[thisiscrazy]

Considering most pros seem to towel off between every point, I don't think sweaty hands is really an issue.

 

[gmatheis]

Well, you can disagree with what should be done, but the overgrips are still the reason that gloves are so rare these days.



Not so, they can be very good for tennis. What you and some of the other posters (on both sides of the gloves are good argument) aren't seeing is that there is a learning curve in getting used to playing with a glove and getting the proper feel, ability to change grip, etc. Once you've learned, a glove works great, however it takes quite a bit of playing time for it to be perfectly normal - you really can't use them once in a while and play optimally with them.

I see, the pros don't want to invest the time to "learn" how to use a glove.

Makes sense to me.

 

[tennispodpro]

Using the old wood rackets many light years ago, I experimented with a leather glove and liked it. I felt it gave better tackiness—leather on leather. I would have to soak it a little to soften it up as it would dry up. Other people back then did too and they were tournament players. I would buy golf gloves and cut off the finger tips. However, it would take a tour pro today to use one to start any new trend. There are lots of people(especially women) who use them here and a few men. One guy is a 5.0

I think the bigger issue here is how important the feel is of the grip. I recently gave a lesson to a new student and noticed how dirty the grip was. I changed the overgrip before the lesson and it made all the difference. I personally like the white Wilson overgrips and change them regularly. I can easily re-grip a racket on a changeover and I'm sure other people can too.

Don't get your undies in a bundle arguing over this, just go out and get a glove and use it. It's not a bad idea, but you just need to prove its effectiveness over all the other alternatives, which are many.

 

[xFullCourtTenniSx]

I disagree.

Get an overwrap soaked, and good luck holding the grip well.

A glove, on the other hand, (pun intended) will still hold the grip well, even when soaked. At least that's been my experience.

And taking a glove off to replace with a dry one is beyond easy. You could do it between points, and still have time to towel off.

A glove is easier and quicker to change, gives a better grip.
There's no 'equivalence' about it.

Replacing an overgrip is also easy.

Hell, why replace the overgrip when you can get a brand new racket out of the bag!

And the argument that gloves dampen feel is still a valid argument until you disprove it. All you've done is state "there at least a half-dozen other variables that dampen 'feel'", without listing a single example, let alone analyzing it. Not only that, you have yet to really provide key arguments on why the glove is better. You've only built upon points other people have brought up.

 

[NLBwell]

An overgrip dampens feel also, as does a string dampener. Feel is neither good nor bad, just what you like and are used to.

 

[spaceman_spiff]

I disagree.

Get an overwrap soaked, and good luck holding the grip well.

A glove, on the other hand, (pun intended) will still hold the grip well, even when soaked. At least that's been my experience.

And taking a glove off to replace with a dry one is beyond easy. You could do it between points, and still have time to towel off.

A glove is easier and quicker to change, gives a better grip.
There's no 'equivalence' about it.

All of your arguments address issues that pros don't face.

First of all, pros never get their grips soaked because, as others have mentioned, they towel off after virtually ever point, wear wrist bands, and (most importantly) change rackets every few games. Their grips simply never get used long enough to get worn or soaked.

Secondly, they're used to having calluses and know how to prevent blisters, because they've been playing tennis their entire lives. And, given the availability of medical attention at the changeovers, they can easily get minor, localized taping if and when it's necessary.

And, of course, they never play in truly cold conditions, so they don't need the extra warmth. So in short, they don't use gloves because they just don't need to.

 

[Bobby Jr]

..not so, they can be very good for tennis. What you and some of the other posters (on both sides of the gloves are good argument) aren't seeing is that there is a learning curve in getting used to playing with a glove and getting the proper feel, ability to change grip, etc. Once you've learned, a glove works great, however it takes quite a bit of playing time for it to be perfectly normal - you really can't use them once in a while and play optimally with them.

At the competent level of tennis and above a glove serves no purpose for which the time to try one hasn't long since past.

Players work out their hand-drying/grip buying routine naturally and stick with it. They also generally don't suffer from the abrasions and blisters that hacks do - their hands are way past that.

The people who do tape their fingers do it for a variety of reasons - cracked skin most commonly (esp if you have OCD like Nadal) and the tape is a perfect, practical solution which doesn't reduce feel. Similarly, drying hands on your shirt or a towel is a really quick and practical way to address any slippery grip type issues.

It's not a case of a pro simply needing to learn how to use or get used to a glove - the need for one is what is missing.

 

[Tennisean]

There are several good reasons for using a glove. Especially if one has problems with sweaty hands and/or blisters.

Good observations, of some good reasons to use a glove.

I'm just guessing, but I'd say that the vast majority of players, including pros, don't have those problems. The ones that do opt for changing overgrips more often and wearing tape. Why is that? My guess is that it's because there might be some sort of sissyness unwarrantedly associated with wearing a tennis glove.

I see plenty of players that use various means to deal with 'those problems'.
From using tape, to saw dust, to god knows what Serena keeps putting on her hand. (probably something toxic, which overwraps probably are too)

You know, the ones that using a glove would easily solve, if it weren't for 'some sort of sissyness unwarrantedly associated with wearing a tennis glove. (which is about as good a reason as any offered so far)

Having said that, and having tried playing with a tennis glove once, I currently prefer playing without one. My bare fingers on my Gamma overgrips works really well for me. However, maybe if I used the glove a lot I would find some benefits that I don't now see or seem to need. Maybe I'll try using it for a spell and see if I come to prefer it.

Please do give them a try, since that seems to be the only way the 'blind will see'.


ALSO, someone mentioned previously in this thread that gloves can be hot, making them uncomfortable and leading to more sweating. But you can get them with an open-back design, or with a mesh fabric on top. (like some workout gloves have)

 

[Tennisean]

I see, the pros don't want to invest the time to "learn" how to use a glove.

Makes sense to me.

Not to me.

What's to learn?

It's just, essentially, an overwrap that you wear on your hand.
(but works better, is easier to change, works even wet)

 

[Tennisean]

That might all be true. But the two things you're not considering (and I've used a glove from time to time for practices when I wasn't playing enough and was getting blisters); a) it's tough to change grip from FH to BH; b) you lose feel with the serve and volley.

a) I've never encounter that problem. Exactly how would it?

b) You 'lose fell' (whatever the hell that happens to mean) from rackets that use vibration dampening materials, (like some Prince rackets use) certain types of string, vibration dampeners, even grips and overwraps too.

And what makes a glove somehow magically cause you to 'lose feel', when all the previously mentioned variables, that cause you to 'lose feel' just as much, don't?

 

[Tennisean]

Seriously, in this day and age where pro's look for any edge like a gluten free diet or a pressure chamber do you not think that IF a glove were actually any good at least some of the pros would be using one.

gloves are not good for tennis ... end of story

Ah. The old 'if it worked, it'd be done' non-argument. (a very/B] old 'story')

So, the reason that not a single pro on tour uses one is because they're just not good for tennis.

Instead, they'd rather just tape the hell out of the fingers. (when a glove would wrok better, in more ways than one)

Yeah, that sounds like what most pro tennis players would do.
(a collectively low IQ group if ever there was one)

 

[Tennisean]

Considering most pros seem to towel off between every point, I don't think sweaty hands is really an issue.

Don't tell Serena that, as she blamed her sweaty hands for her not playing as well recently.

And she uses some kind of liquid on her hand, that's probably toxic, to help with her grip.

Using a glove would work better though.

 

[Tennisean]

Using the old wood rackets many light years ago, I experimented with a leather glove and liked it. I felt it gave better tackiness—leather on leather. I would have to soak it a little to soften it up as it would dry up. Other people back then did too and they were tournament players. I would buy golf gloves and cut off the finger tips. However, it would take a tour pro today to use one to start any new trend. There are lots of people(especially women) who use them here and a few men. One guy is a 5.0

Unfortunately, not a single pro uses one!

You'd think an endorsement deal with a Tennis glove maker would be get a pro to use one, at the very least. (of the many endorsement trends)

I think the bigger issue here is how important the feel is of the grip. I recently gave a lesson to a new student and noticed how dirty the grip was. I changed the overgrip before the lesson and it made all the difference. I personally like the white Wilson overgrips and change them regularly. I can easily re-grip a racket on a changeover and I'm sure other people can too.

Again, there are other variables that affect the 'feel of the grip', but using a glove somehow magically trumps them all. :roll:

I guess it's as good a reason as any, when there really are no good reasons not to use a glove.



ALSO, a previous poster complained of losing the feel for the bevels of a grip.
This can be easily countered by building up, or slimming down some areas of the grip, to accentuate the bevels.

Don't get your undies in a bundle arguing over this, just go out and get a glove and use it. It's not a bad idea, but you just need to prove its effectiveness over all the other alternatives, which are many.

Use it, and if you're astute at all, you'll see what I mean.

IT truly is a 'good idea'. (and a good thing)

 

[spaceman_spiff]

I guess it's as good a reason as any, when there really are no good reasons not to use a glove.

I'll give you one: they make your hand warmer no matter how breathable they are. If you don't believe me, go out on a cold winter night with a glove on one hand and nothing on the other. The bare hand will be colder.

In a sport where dealing with heat is a major factor, putting on something that makes you even warmer isn't really all that enticing, especially when the benefits are minimal at best.

And as much as you go on and on about pros taping their fingers up like crazy, I'm not really seeing it. Yes, Nadal tapes his, and I do remember seeing another player (maybe Monfils) getting some tape in a French Open match. But apart from that, I just don't see it. I don't see Federer, Murray, Djokovic, Tsonga, Ferrer and others with tape all over their hands.

 

[tennis_balla]

This thread is still going on?

 

[gmatheis]

This thread is still going on?

And why shouldn't it be? This guy know more than the whole ATP tour ... someone's going to scoop him up as their coach any day. Maybe Sharapova will take up this idea but use a white glove that goes almost up to her elbow.

 

[thisiscrazy]

He should just change his username to Devil's Advocate. Not really much substantiated information to his posts.

 

[thisiscrazy]

Don't tell Serena that, as she blamed her sweaty hands for her not playing as well recently.

And she uses some kind of liquid on her hand, that's probably toxic, to help with her grip.

Using a glove would work better though.

Yes, I'm sure Serena is putting something on her hands that is probably toxic.

Throwing in information with no evidence is a poor way to make an argument.

 

[tennis_balla]

He's a good troll, that's all I'm going to say.

 

[gmatheis]

Yes, I'm sure Serena is putting something on her hands that is probably toxic.

Throwing in information with no evidence is a poor way to make an argument.

I hope this doesn't sound racist, but I think black peoples hands tend to get dried out a little .. it's probably just moisturizer.

 

[Baxter]

When my stick gets hot I use one of these.

 

[tennis_balla]

I love it when noobs come in and try and run the show.

 

[NLBwell]

Maybe Sharapova will take up this idea but use a white glove that goes almost up to her elbow.

I think that might be the next thing she does - of course gloves on both arms. It's a great idea!

 

[Baxter]

And why shouldn't it be? This guy know more than the whole ATP tour ... someone's going to scoop him up as their coach any day. Maybe Sharapova will take up this idea but use a white glove that goes almost up to her elbow.

Black for US Open night matches. Nice!

 

[mbm0912]

I'm still waiting for a list of the so-called benefits of a glove.

You get to look like Michael Jackson..

 

[Venetian]

I once tried out the Nintendo Power Glove. It was a disaster.

 

[Fedinkum]

You get to look like Michael Jackson..

Agreed, unless your footwork involves moon walk, leave the glove thing to MJ.

 

[ProgressoR]

I hope this doesn't sound racist, but I think black peoples hands tend to get dried out a little .. it's probably just moisturizer.

WTH.....?????!!