Tariffs are serving up challenges to the tennis equipment industry

There could be some pain.

That’s the unfortunate forecast for avid recreational tennis players. As with just about every commercial industry, the sport’s equipment will be significantly impacted by the second Trump administration's tariff plan. With racquet, shoes, balls and strings virtually all made overseas, the costs to buy new gear and play the game are almost certain to rise.

Even before the latest tariff hike announced on April 2 and amended on April 9, a few brands had already taken steps to address higher production costs facing the industry. Both Head and Wilson had raised the prices on their high-performance racquets by $10, so the $269 price tag for the new Head Gravity Tour that debuted in January, for example, is up to $279. But now that tariffs on imports from China—where all major brands other than Yonex make their racquets—currently stand at 125%, that may just be the first pass.

“At the end of the day, my gut feeling is it will have a very negative impact,” says Jeff Bardsley, Head’s vice president of racquet sports. “We’re doing as much as we can to push it off, but when it starts to impact the bottom line, the next question then becomes what are you going to do to reduce that impact.”

Cushioning such a blow generally falls to price increases—which we’re already seeing—or cost-cutting, which brands prefer to use as a last resort. Before the latest round of tariffs, Bardsley estimated that Head was looking at a potential $7 million hit to their 2025. That number could be optimistic.

About half of that shortfall was attributed to their ball business. Head, which makes Penn balls, is the only major manufacturer that still produces balls in China. They have designs on getting a new factory up and running in the Philippines, but a full transition could take around two years. The company is willing to take the hit and keep their ball prices static in order to keep pace with the likes of Wilson and Dunlop who manufacture their balls in other Asian countries. But now that there’s a minimum across-the-board tariff to all imports, ball prices could be fair game as well.

We’re doing as much as we can to push it off, but when it starts to impact the bottom line, the next question then becomes what are you going to do to reduce that impact. Jeff Bardsley, Vice President of Racquet Sports, Head

Part of the challenge is the uncertainty surrounding the tariffs themselves. Tennis equipment had already been subjected to tariffs, which are baked into the prices manufacturers set when gear is put on shelves. Experiencing major hikes in the middle of the year is disruptive. It’s an open question whether current levels will remain in place, experience escalation in the near future, or get repealed altogether.

It puts manufacturers in a precarious position. Several are opting for patience amidst the volatility.

“From our standpoint, we’re taking a wait-and-see approach,” says KT Kim, director of Solinco Sports. “We don’t want to go through the trouble of changing all the prices and then the situation changes overnight. If something changes in China, it could come off. If it doesn’t, we’ll have to react as well.”

Another worry for manufacturers is if and when there is relief from the current tariff rates, will their products be included? The first Trump administration is when the industry experienced the first tariff increase on balls. When the Biden administration took control, it kept them in place and it became the new normal. Similarly, racquet bags were hit hard during this period and prices never recovered. The brands may absorb some of the burden, but much of it will have to be passed on to the consumer.

But as much as manufacturers are concerned with the impact on their equipment sales, their just as fearful of the potential chilling effect the tariffs could have on participation. Buying new gear and playing tennis is something people want, but don’t necessarily need. When consumer purchasing power is spread thinner for essentials, will it curb willingness to shell out for leisure activities? The potential could be detrimental to the long-term health of the sport.

“This is going to be a real test,” Bardsley says. “When people are already paying more for the cost of gas, groceries and TVs, will they pay to play racquet sports?”