Do you want to get the answer to the question, do tennis players wear cups? Some do, some don’t. Visit our site for a detailed answer and more information.
One of the worst thing you can experience as a sport player is getting hit with a ball in the most sensitive part of your body (your groin area). Which is why most sport players wears a cup to prevent any type of injury from taking place. Wearing a cup will completely protect the testes and penis of a man.
It’s very common for most cricket, baseball, hockey, football and any other sport that requires you playing with a ball to wear a cup. There are lots of players who voluntarily wear them as a protection and there are many who think it’s uncomfortable to wear.
So before we see why some of the tennis players do not wear cups, let us learn about the cup in a little more detail.
A protective cup is a hard outer shell lined with padding that protects a male tennis players groin area. These cups are often worn along with a support of some sort that will help keep the cup in place, commonly a jockstrap. A jockstrap consists of a supportive front panel held in place by an elastic waistband and two elastic straps that go around the sides of the buttocks.
How to choose a cup:
- Measure your waist and then choose a cup that corresponds to your waist size.
- Choose a shape that is comfortable for you as cups come in a variety of shapes.
- Pick a cup that has a thick gel lining on the edges of the cup as this will prevent chaffing of skin and skin irritation.
How to wear the cup:
- Place the cup in the opening of the jockstrap
Use 2 fingers on your non-dominant hand to open the slot on the front panel of the jockstrap. Slide the cup down through the opening with your dominant hand until it’s fitted well in the bottom of the pocket.
- Now put the jockstrap on
Carefully slide your left leg through the band and the hoop on the left and do the same on the right side. Once the jockstrap is on, reach behind and adjust it near the thighs.
- Adjust the cup well
Adjust the cup so that your genitals are completely covered by the cup and well protected.
- Test it out
Test if the cup is comfortable by doing a few lunges or squats around the room. If you feel the cup is pinching you as you move around then take a larger size.
So, do tennis players wear cups? It tends to vary base on the player. You might find a few player here and there who believes in protecting themselves from the ball, but I can guarantee that there’s only a handful of tennis players who wears a cup, despite the risk. We think it would make perfect sense for doubles players to wear one since they are more likely to face close, hard hit balls that could continuously target their groin area.
Why Tennis Players Resist Wearing Cups
Although there are many people who understand the protection that wearing a cup as to offer, it’s completely different in the world of tennis. With that said, there are many sports that it makes sense to wear a cup all the time when playing for example cricket. But a sport like tennis does not take cup into consideration when playing. So why don’t tennis players wear cups?
Restricted Movement: One of the main reason why most tennis players avoid wearing a cup is because they are always over the place, tennis players are always running all over the court during match and that mean wearing a cup will affect their movement. It’s safe to say that wearing a cup will slow down any player, no matter how good they are and how used to it they become. You should know that there are many tennis players who does everything in their power to cut weight so that they can move around freely. Hitting different types of shots also require lots of twisting and turning and even the most high-quality cup will require constant adjustment throughout the game.
Resistance to Change: Unless a tennis player started out playing with a cup on, it’s very unlikely that they are going to make a change and begins to wear one. One thing for sure is that tennis players are very reluctant to change even with their tennis racquet. Without a lot of consideration, I can guarantee that they won’t change what they wear under their clothes especially if it will affect their performance on the court.
Overheating: Even though the high-quality cups are more breathable, they still contribute more heat to the body. This is something a lot of tennis players will want to stay clear of since tennis is played under extreme conditions, and unlike other sports, there is a lot of movement that take place through the entire match. If the body is a little warmer it can result in cramping and lightheaded and most players don’t want to run that risk, just to protect their groin from being randomly hit by the tennis ball.
They’ve Never Experienced a Hard Hit
The sad truth is that most athletes have never once in their life gotten hit in their genital part before, so they don’t have a clue how bad it hurts. It does seem to happen in tennis from time to time, but for those who only plays singles most of their life may not face the risk of being hit in the genital. If the chance of being hit in the genital is so rare, why would it make sense to wear a cup?
Any tennis player that practice wearing a cup has history if being hit in the ground area. It’s not something that you’ll see a lot of people talking about, even if there chance of getting hit again is low. In this case, a cup is like wearing a protective glass, braces, etc. No one wears it in tennis until they’ve been directly hit.
Why You Should Practice Wearing a Cup in Tennis
Even though there is a low chance of being hit in the genital with a tennis ball it might happen someday. I know that you’ve watched on TV or played in a tennis tournament where a player has been hit in a sensitive area on their body. Even though tennis balls are soft compared to other sports such as golf, it doesn’t take a lot of power to feel the pain.
When playing singles, players rarely comes close to the net so wearing a cup may not be neccessary since you won’t get much benefit. However, when it comes to doubles, it make more sense to wear one. The reason behind this is because doubles players are always near to the net and all it really takes is one hard ball at the net to bounce up in a wrong way and you will definitely feel the pain that a lot of us are scared of.
Unlike other sports around the world, a cup is known to pretty hard which means that you won’t necessarily feel anything if you were to be hit in the area. The cup is considered as a shield for protection and it would not be compromised in anyway since the ball is not hard enough to cause any damage to it.
Can a Tennis Ball Cause Any Serious Damage?
No it’s not and the reason for this is because tennis balls are known to be softer and lighter than a lot of other balls, and getting hit in the genital with one of these balls will not cause any life threatening injuries. Yes of course it is going to hurt, and the pain might linger around for a few minutes. However, even being hit by a hard ball is unlikely to cause any serious harm in the long term. The least you might experience is a few bruises, but players are not at risk of any permanent damage.
Most tennis players also have a good instinct whenever the ball is coming too close to their groin area. Some players will eventually turn their body in the opposite direction before the ball even hit, while others will use the racquet to block the sensitive areas like their face or the genitals. This also reduces the risk of a direct hit, even if the ball is coming fast towards them.
Who Should Wear a Cup?
Any player who want to protect their genital areas while on the court should definitely consider wearing a cup for maximum protection. It may feel a bit weird at first, but a high-quality that’s fitted properly won’t get in the way too much of a player. As a player you will have full range of motion, and although your skin might chafe a bit, most players will get use to it after couple wear.
Wear What Feels Comfortable
It doesn’t matter your experience level, if you’re planning on wearing a protective cup during your tennis match, you should definitely opt for one that is comfortable. That means the size should be correct, it should have a quality jockstrap and the best undergarments to complement the setup.
You should know that it is going to feel weird wearing it at first, but you’ll certainly get used to it and anyone whose serious about protecting their private area should stick to it. If you’re still not a fan of wearing a protection cup, then that’s fine since players rarely gets hit in that area, so it’s all up to you and your personal preference.
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