It’s not uncommon in today’s world to see the pros do something that might seem a little strange on the court. They slide on the court. While this might sound painful, there are actually a few strange upsides to it. Should you, too, learn to slide on the court? Or is it best left to the experts?

The Dangers of Sliding

Unsurprisingly, sliding can come with a few dangers. On hard courts, sliding to reach a ball makes it easier to wear down your shoes. It can also cause you to trip or fall, resulting in injuries like sprained or broken ankles. Many professionals have had to train a long time to be able to slide correctly, and it’s still dangerous even when they do it. A bad bone break could ruin your entire tennis career- so be careful before you start anything you might regret.

The Perks of Sliding

Somehow, despite all of its danger, there are still perks to using a slide on the court. In today’s world, everyone is striving to make the ball hit faster, and with more spin. Sliding allows you to reach the ball faster, before it goes out of range- and it also allows you to stop sooner, so that you can redirect yourself to the next ball. Sliding can easily help you in making shots and stopping yourself, but there are still dangers- and it might not be the best idea to try recreationally.

Verdict on Sliding

Overall, sliding probably isn’t the best thing to do on the court. While the pros seem to have it down, you’re still an amateur- and if you want to be able to slide on the court safely, you’ve got to put in a lot of practice to do so. Even as a professional, sliding carries a lot of danger with it, and can cause career-ending injuries. While you might see it being done in Wimbledon this year, that doesn’t mean sliding is the best choice for amateur players- and that’s a fact.