What are the advantages of wearing shoes specifically made for tennis compared to cross trainers, for example?
I’ve read reviews of people saying how the sole of their tennis shoes wore out in a few months. That’s because the sole of tennis shoes are thin. Cross trainers have much thicker tread. And I play tennis in them. How would it improve my playing, if I wore tennis specific shoes? Somebody once claimed that the heel of tennis shoes is lower, thus making for better balance while hitting the ball. Somebody else claimed they have better lateral support.
Well? 
January 22nd, 2010 at 6:01 am
First and foremost, tennis shoes are built for side to side movement and keeping your feet (and therefore body) stable… as opposed to basketball shoes which are more made for running up and down a court (ha unless your crossover requires ankle insurance). Secondly, wear patterns on shoes are more a product of the wearer rather than the shoe. Different people have different wear patterns based on their own nuances (that’s why many runners get their shoes custom made). Finally, tennis shoes made to withstand wear on the forefoot and toes which are target areas where tennis players usually put wear into their shoes, and they have thinner soles to reduce shoe weight in order to improve performance. Ultimately, use what works for you because that’s the right choice… you are as they say, unique as a snowflake ha
January 22nd, 2010 at 10:28 am
Have you ever seen the soles of tennis with curvy patterns. that is built for a better grip in lawn and clay. and yes you can use other suitable shoes on hard court although they lack some specific features that shoes built especially for tennis have like one may experience some problems with side ways running and recovering. Tennis shoes are specially built for instant grip which may not be available in others. And you may even experience some knee pains if you don’t use right kinda shoes for tennis.
Tennis shoes are a little different than other shoes, because of the tremendous need for lateral support. Unlike a running shoe, where the concern is mostly for forward motion, tennis shoes must endure the constant action of sideways starts and stops. Also, tennis shoes will usually have reinforced toe and heel pads because of the fact that tennis players will often drag the toe or heel of the shoe across the court creating a lot of wear and tear in those areas.
For more info:
http://guitarheroblog.it/jerroldsherman/2008/07/22/what-benefits-are-to-come-from-tennis-shoes/
http://ezinearticles.com/?Tennis-Shoes—What-Makes-Them-Different?&id=1238590