Nowadays, there are so many different smartwatches on the market all giving us a variety of workout modes. But when it comes to training for tennis at any age, we need variety! Considering tennis requires strength, agility, endurance, and a whole list of other capabilities, we need a smartwatch for tennis that can keep up with our serve.
There is a wide variety of great Garmin watches on the market. Some of them are better for tennis than others. That’s why we can look at the top three watches made by Garmin for tennis. Each of them offers something slightly different, so read on to find out which is the best Garmin watch for tennis…for you.
1. Garmin Forerunner 945/955
First on our list is the Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE. While many of the models will do, we like the one that allows us to leave our phones behind and focus on the game. While we know this particular watch puts an emphasis on running, tennis has plenty of that within the sport. Let’s break it down.
If you don’t require LTE than you better opt for the 955 which is a new watch and has some extra features.
Metrics We Love
There are a few key built-in features and metrics that really make the Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE worth the buy. From training suggestions to providing multiple cross-training opportunities, there is a lot to love.
- Multiple Sport Modes: One of the biggest training methods used in tennis is to incorporate other sports training to challenge the anaerobic system. With the Forerunner you can take advantage of swimming, cycling, running, and much more.
- Recovery Time: Gives you the necessary rest needed before you train again. This is important in preventing injuries as tennis is often an overtrained sport.
- Wrist-Based Heart Rate: Knowing how hard we are working for exerted periods is important. Tennis is all about bringing your heart rate down quickly in between points.
Extra Features
While there are so many tennis features we can take advantage of there are some key additions that make the Forerunner more appealing, even if not necessary!
For instance, having Starbucks right on your wrist makes it easy to get your coffee before hitting the court. It also doesn’t hurt to have Amazon Music downloaded so you can bust a tune during cardio tennis.
In all the Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE is priced around $600 USD making it one of the more expensive but worth it options on the market.
2. Garmin VivoActive 4
The Garmin VivoActive 4 is a much more affordable smartwatch that gets the job done right. Currently on sale for $249.00 USD, you can get this watch in a variety of colors, which is a plus compared to the former option.
Read more: Using your Apple Watch for Tennis
Important Features
There are a lot of great features on the Garmin VivoActive 4, but before getting into them it’s important to know that the VivoActive gives you eight days of battery life. This is great because there is nothing worse than getting disconnected during a workout.
- Body Battery Energy Monitoring: Getting burnt out physically is common when you spend hours on the court and in the gym. This feature shows you real-time body level energies throughout the day so you can take a break when needed.
- Hydration Tracking: Getting your water intake in is crucial which is why this convenient feature is fantastic.
- On-Screen Workouts: Being able to work with a fitness instructor virtually by seeing exactly what they are doing on your wrist is the best way to keep up your strength in the gym.
Give Us More
Spotify Music and safety tracking are two features we have to talk about before moving on. Spotify is easily accessible right on your wrist which means you don’t need your phone to enjoy your music.
More importantly, Garmin VivoActive has safety and incident detection features in case you fall or suddenly need emergency assistance. Not only does it call your contacts but it will alert authorities of your location.
3. Garmin Venu 2 Plus
Last but certainly not least is the Garmin Venu 2 Plus. While we look at the 2 Plus, the Venu 2, in general, has a multitude of colors and sizes which makes it great for those who don’t like one-size-fits-all. Not only does the Garmin Venu 2 beat out the VivoActive with 9 days of no-charging battery life, but it also offers an AMOLED screen making it brighter than ever.
What It Offers
While we may see some similar features to the other two, the Venu 2 also has a lot of its own. This watch is the best for those who really care about having smartwatch features as well like texting and calling.
- Health SnapShot: This is one of the coolest features. It creates a snapshot report of your overall health with stats like respiration tracking, heart rate variability, and oxygen levels.
- Fitness Age: This feature calculates how fit you are, producing a number called fitness age. When it comes to tennis people of all ages compete, but remaining agile and ready to move is important. This can help motivate you to get “younger and younger.”
- HIIT Workouts: HIIT workouts are probably among the most important for tennis. This means getting your heart rate up super fast and being able to bring it back down quickly. It mimics the point style the most, making this the best feature for tennis lovers.
What Else?
Intensity minutes are definitely worth a mention here. Intensity minutes score your most intense minutes during the day to let you know when you were working your hardest. This is great for tennis as points are quick, intense moments.
Garmin Venu 2 also happens to be one of the most versatile options in terms of style. Not everyone loves a chunky watch, which is why you can make this your own style, matching it to your tennis outfits.
Garmin Fenix 7 or Epix
If you can afford the top of the range then go for it. Both of these watches have all the sports features the other midrange watches and then some. They are more rugged, touchscreen enabled and both are superb multisport smartwatches.
The difference between the Epix and Fenix 7 range is that Epix models have an AMOLED display while the Fenix range has a transflective display which is great for direct sunlight visibility. Opinions are divided as to which is best so you should probably head out to a store and compare the two. Battery life is also better on the Fenix range which comes in 3 different sizes – the Fenix 7S, 7 and 7X. The 7X has a flashlight led if you want one of those but is a big watch compared to the other models. Fenix also shows us the exact muscles that have been working during our Workout session.
While we get all these features from our Garmin, the Tennis players we have interviewed and asked what features are missing for them that they would like to see in the next version of Fenix 8, said that it would be nice to get feedback on the game itself:
- How many Forehands?
- How many Backhands?
- How Many Smashes?
- Speed of the strikes… maybe?
- Serve speed.
Which Is the Best Garmin Watch for Tennis?
It’s hard to point to a clear winner when it comes to the Garmin watches because they all offer something different for all types of tennis players. Despite being last on our list, the Venu 2 has a lot to offer all-around in each category. If we had to pick one watch, it would be this one.
Next would be the VivoActive, for its affordability and features. Last, but not least, would be the ForeRunner. It’s first on our list because it performs incredibly as a sports watch, but since it is more geared toward running, it has less flexibility when it comes to using it primarily during tennis matches and workouts.
Read more: Best Apple Watch Faces for Tennis
Last Updated on January 22, 2023
Brittany Collens is one of our top sports writers. She is also a professional tennis player which helps her authority on subjects such as health and fitness.
She has a degree in journalism and has previously written for well-established sports magazines in Massachusetts.
Brittany lives in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States.