What shoe do the pros wear? Almost unanimously they wear what they’re paid to wear — they have shoe contracts.

Most college-level competitors wear the types of shoes their school purchases for them.
Will you play better with the same shoes Nadal wears? Probably not.

However, you will play better when you’re comfortable and when your shoes support your feet while being violently twisted.

Durability is also an important issue if you play frequently.

Many of the top pros use orthodics.

These are the custom-designed and personally-fitted inserts that cost hundreds of dollars. They don’t last long on the pro tour.

The rest of us should find a quality shoe designed specifically for tennis that fits well. Then buy multiple pairs and store them away because the shoe companies change their models often.

Then you must go out shopping again.

Rotate your shoes between matches and workouts — don’t wear one pair to death. That’s hard on your feet.
That single pair will break down quickly and you’ll sacrifice support as well as comfort and performance.

It doesn’t cost any more to rotate your shoes and you won’t take your poor feet on a torturous roller-coaster ride in the process.

Competitive hard-court tennis is tough on your feet. Buy good shoes.

Next to your racket, it’s your second most-important piece of equipment.

Gary Sherby is tennis director at Racquets and Togs Tennis Center, 115 Bradford St., just off the downtown square. His tennis tips appear Sundays.