Gifts for tennis players, and the coaches who feed them balls

1. Start with the kind of tennis player

Tennis players are easy to buy for in theory and hard in practice. The things they rely on most, a racquet, a string setup and court shoes, are chosen carefully and often with a coach. The better question is how they play and what they would use every session but have not bought for themselves.

• League and club regulars play several times a week, often outdoors in the warmer months. Anything that makes a hot session more comfortable, or the warm-up more enjoyable, gets used.
• Weekend and social players play for fun and company. A gift that adds something new to the routine, such as audio between games or a clip of a good rally to share, tends to land better than a technical upgrade.
• Players working on their game take lessons and drill. They value anything that helps them look back at practice.
• Coaches and instructors spend hours on court every day and have their own needs, covered in section 5.

This guide is written for adults. For children and juniors, stick to gifts from section 7.

2. Ask these before you buy glasses for a tennis player

Glasses are personal in a way a can of balls is not, so a few questions are worth the small loss of surprise. “Do you listen to anything while you warm up?” tells you a lot without giving the gift away.

• Do they wear prescription glasses? No OXIVUE model takes prescription lenses. If they need correction to play and do not wear contact lenses, choose a gift from section 7.
• Do they play indoors or outdoors? The pick here suits outdoor courts. For indoor courts under lights, only the clear lens makes sense, and the case for the gift is weaker.
• Do they already play in sunglasses? A player who has never worn anything on their face in a match may not want to start. Ask what they wear on sunny days.
• Do they play league matches or tournaments? If so, the rules on devices matter. More on that in section 6.

The purchase terms matter more for a gift than for something you buy for yourself. No refunds except transit damage (replaced or refunded); faults are repaired or replaced under the 2-year warranty; change of mind and unmet expectations are not refundable.

3. M02C ($109 at checkout) for outdoor court players

The M02C is the lightest of our frames at about 41 g, and it is rated IP65: dust-tight and protected against water jets, which covers sweat on a hot afternoon and a passing shower. It is not rated for immersion. It has open-ear speakers and microphones over Bluetooth 5.4, rated 7 hours of listening and 4 hours of calls, and magnetic charging. It is listed at $159 and costs $109 at checkout as a single pair.

• Camera. A Sony IMX219 8 MP sensor with dual stabilisation. A touch on the temple starts a photo or a clip, so a player can capture a practice rally from where they stand without reaching for a phone in the bag.
• Lens. Sun, photochromic or clear, chosen when you order. The photochromic lens darkens in UV light outdoors; the clear lens suits evening sessions and indoor courts.
• Audio for the warm-up. Music or a podcast while stretching and hitting up, then a call between sets, with ears left open to the court.
• Hey Cyan.The M02C is the OXIVUE frame with “Hey Cyan” visual AI, which can describe what the wearer is looking at, through the phone app. The same app translates 40+ languages, handy for a player travelling to play abroad.

We left out the M08, our $99 frame, on purpose: it has no published water rating, so it is not one to sweat into through a long set. Our smart glasses for tennis and pickleball guide covers glare, sweat and court etiquette in more detail.

4. What it does on court, and what it does not

A gift only works if it matches what the player expects. The table sets out the honest answer for the jobs a tennis player might have in mind.

Prices checked 2026-10-09; checkout price may change.The clips are a view of the rally from the player’s own head, which moves constantly. For stroke analysis, a phone on a fence mount pointed at the player gives a steadier, fuller view. The glasses suit the moments a phone on the bench would miss: a long rally with a friend, the view from the baseline, a drill from the coach’s side. Files go to the phone app, where they can be saved and shared. The comparison page lists every specification.

5. Gifts for tennis coaches and instructors

A coach’s day is different from a player’s. It is hours of feeding balls, talking a student through a drill, and fitting calls and messages into the minutes between lessons. Gifts that suit that day get used.

• Open-ear audio between lessons. With the M02C, a coach can take a call or listen to audio without putting in earbuds, and still hear the court. Keep the audio off during the lesson itself.
• A drill from the coach’s side.Wearing the glasses while feeding, a coach can start a short clip of the student’s shot from where they stand, then show it on the phone afterwards. Ask the student first, and for a minor, follow the club’s safeguarding policy and have a parent or guardian agree before anything is recorded.
• Long outdoor days. IP65 covers sweat and a sudden shower between sessions. Choose the photochromic or clear lens for a coach who teaches into the evening.

Buying for a coaching team or for a coach and a regular partner works differently. Two or more pairs in one order are 50% off all eyewear, so two M02C come to $159, three come to $238.50 and four come to $318. Shipping is free from $99. The prescription and indoor or outdoor questions apply to each person. For coaches in other sports, our smart glasses for sports guide covers the wider picture.

6. League rules, club rules and consent

Before the glasses go on in a match, the player should check the rules that apply to them. Leagues, clubs and tournaments may restrict cameras, phones or audio devices during play. We do not summarise any organiser’s rules here because they differ and change; read the current rules of the specific league, club or event. Practice sessions and casual hitting are the easier fit, but the club’s own policy still applies.

On the camera: nothing records unless the wearer starts it with a touch on the temple. Recording other people, especially with audio, can require their consent depending on where you are. On a shared court, ask partners and players on the next court before filming. Our recording laws by state guide covers the US. This is general information, not legal advice.

7. Tennis gifts that are not glasses

If the answers to section 2 point away from glasses, these categories suit a wide range of players, and many work for juniors too.

• Consumables they always need. Overgrips, a can or case of balls, or a voucher for a restring at their usual shop.
• Comfort on court. A good towel, a cap or visor, an insulated bottle, or a bag with room for two racquets.
• Getting better. A lesson or a package of sessions with a coach, a clinic, or a fence mount for filming their own strokes on a phone.
• Experiences. Tickets to a professional event, a tennis-focused weekend away, or an entry to a local tournament.
• Personal and funny. A personalised ball, socks or a mug with a club in-joke, or a framed photo from a memorable match.

For more ideas across sports and budgets, see our smart glasses gift guide.

8. Ordering for a gift date

US orders typically arrive in 5–9 business days, and international orders take 9–14 business days after shipment, so leave room before a birthday or the holidays. We ship to 39 countries, including the contiguous US, Canada, the UK, all 27 EU states, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Colombia and Mexico. Outside the US, import VAT and duties are paid by the recipient on delivery, which is worth knowing before you send a gift abroad. Details are on the shipping policy page.

Shipping, refunds and warranty. Free shipping from $99. US orders typically arrive in 5–9 business days; international orders take 9–14 business days. OXIVUE does not offer refunds except for an order damaged in transit, which is replaced or refunded. Faults after delivery are covered by the 2-year warranty through repair or replacement. None of our frames take prescription lenses. See the return policy and warranty for details.

Frequently asked questions