It’s strange to think of a tennis towel contributing to your best match, but for many pros, it’s an integral part of the process — and not just to dry sweat. In a YouTube video, PlayYourCourt.com Director of Content and Community Management Nate Bolling breaks down the mental strategy for handling stress that the International Tennis Federation teaches its junior players. After each and every point, the player moves through four “rooms,” or mindsets, to reset and refocus before starting the next point. These take time, and so using a tennis towel, ostensibly to dry sweat, affords a player precious moments to do the mental work. “It’s a legitimate strategy,” says Winston Du, a popular tennis YouTuber out of Orange County, California. “Take your time, and get back into the game.”
While these strategies have remained unchanged for decades, tennis towels themselves have evolved significantly. In tournaments, the pros use the option provided: thick cotton terry designed to wick sweat away from the skin at first touch. But for recreational players packing their own, there are a greater number of options, from synthetic microfiber to hemp blends. Some include a clip from which to hang them, too.
Ultimately, tennis towels aren’t the most expensive piece of equipment you’ll buy, but since they’ll be in contact with your skin, it’s worth making a purchase rather than repurposing a beach or bath towel. But you can breathe a sigh of relief: our favorites are from less than $20 to $60, making them the most affordable critical piece of gear in which you’ll invest — and they last a hell of a lot longer.
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Lululemon The Towel
Comparing Lululemon’s The Towel to traditional cotton terry is like comparing a modern graphite racquet to something pulled from your grandparents’ shed. Its yoga mat-sized footprint and ultra-absorbent polyester fabric gobbles sweat fast, while the cut edges won’t fray, regardless of the number of washes.
We also love the ease of care here. Just throw this towel in the wash with your other synthetic fabrics and, after a quick tumble-dry, you’re ready for the next day’s matches. Because of this, we didn’t mind laying it on the court post-match for a clean place to sit while rehashing some of our favorite points.
Jungmaven Bath Towel
Blending hemp with organic French cotton terry, this towel doesn’t quit. Hemp is a remarkable fiber on its own, with myriad beneficial environmental impacts. But it’s also naturally antimicrobial and ani-fungal. “Antimicrobial properties are important to prevent mildew,” says entrepreneur Lavie Sak of ADV Tennis, which means this a great choice for consistent use.
Lululemon The (Small) Towel
Whether you’re a modest sweater or just tight on space, good things come in small packages — like Lululemon’s mini version of our top pick. With all the performance features of its full-size brother, this one is just over a foot wide and two feet long. “If I’m lugging a bunch of demo racquets to the court, space is really important to me,” says Beckett Chung, a tennis gear reviewer out of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Huckberry Mediterranean Turkish Towel
With its trademark tasseled ends, the Mediterranean Turkish Towel demands a nod from those who know. Its Turkish-grown long-fiber cotton dries quickly, combats mildew, and packs down to the size of a can of balls. Even better, it gets softer with every wash.
Fanatics New York Yankees 30″ x 60″ Personalized Beach Towel
Want to bring a little bit of home with you on the court? Fanatics has licensing deals with every major league and team for towels like this one, often with customizable options. Get your own name or your favorite players, or psych out your opponent by getting his.
Nike Performance Golf Towel
Ignore the Golf Towel’s name. Instead, notice its reinforced carabiner loop, which allows you to hang it from your court’s chain link fence at head height for extra convenience.
Ame & Lulu Sport Tennis Towel
Never lose your tennis towel again with this on-the-nose design. Sure, it’s a miniature tennis court, but it’s also cut from super-absorbent microfiber. Not digging it? There are other non-tennis-related patterns available.
REI Co-op Multi Towel Lite
For those who play often, it’s best to buy several towels to prevent daily laundry trips. For that, we like the affordable REI Co-op Multi Towel Lite. Available in three sizes (“If it keeps you dry, and it’s the right size, it’s great,” says Sak), it’s made in multiple colors, arrives in its own carry sack, and absorbs up to eight times its weight in water. It also has an attachment loop, though you’ll need to buy your own clip.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tennis Towels
Why can’t I just use a beach towel? I’ve already got one of those.
Do you find rubbing sand on your face comfortable? A dedicated tennis towel guarantees it will be free from grit and other contaminants.
I’m already wearing wristbands and a hat. Isn’t a towel just overkill?
Well, besides the previously mentioned mental aspect, a towel will always absorb more than those other two accessories. And when it’s the dog days of summer, you’ll often need all three to work together to keep the sweat out of your eyes. Think of the towel as a transfer station on which you’ll dump the payload dripping from your hat, wristband, and apparel.
I like sweat. Why is it important to be dry in tennis?
There are numerous reasons, including reducing the possibility of blisters and chafing due to excessive moisture, as well as grip security. Do you really want to be the guy whose racquet slips and goes bouncing off the asphalt? Didn’t think so.
Are there other accessories that will help manage sweat, even as I wipe off all I can with a towel?
An overgrip, which wraps over your regular tennis racquet grip and provides both tack and absorption, will help you hold on longer. But keep in mind that they wear out after a few sessions and should be replaced, or you’ll be vulnerable.