How to Stop Chafing Playing Tennis
Few things ruin a long match like raw, stinging skin. Chafing in tennis is common — inner thighs, underarms, even feet — but it’s almost entirely preventable once you understand what causes it. Here’s why it happens and exactly how to stop it, from fabric and fit to the small habits that keep you comfortable deep into the third set.
Quick answer: Chafing comes from repeated skin friction made worse by wet fabric. Stop it with fast-drying technical fabric (never wet cotton), a snug-not-tight athletic fit that doesn’t bunch, a compression liner under your shorts to stop thigh rub, and grippy socks to stop your feet sliding. Keep dry, and add an anti-chafe balm on hot days.
What actually causes chafing in tennis?
Chafing is friction injury: skin rubbing repeatedly against skin or fabric until it gets irritated and raw. Three things make it worse on a tennis court — moisture (wet skin and soaked fabric grip and drag instead of gliding), heat, and volume of movement (hundreds of lunges, sprints, and direction changes per match). The usual trouble spots are the inner thighs, underarms, and feet, and for some players the chest. Control friction and moisture in those zones and the problem mostly disappears. You can read more about the mechanics of skin chafing if you want the detail.
How does the right fabric reduce chafing?
Wet fabric is a chafing machine. Cotton soaks up sweat and stays heavy and damp, dragging across your skin with every movement. A fast-drying technical fabric does the opposite — it pulls sweat off your skin and dries quickly, so the surface against you stays light and smooth instead of wet and abrasive. This is the single biggest fabric factor in staying chafe-free, and it’s the same reason technical kit wins in the heat. See our breakdown of moisture-wicking vs cotton for why.
Why does fit matter so much?
Fit is where most chafing is won or lost. Clothing that’s too loose shifts and bunches, creating folds of fabric that rub; clothing that’s too tight adds pressure and seam friction. The sweet spot is a snug athletic fit that moves with you and stays put — close enough not to flap, free enough not to bind. The same goes for seams: the fewer thick seams sitting over high-movement areas, the less there is to rub.
How do compression liners stop thigh chafe?
Inner-thigh chafing is the most common complaint, and a built-in compression liner is the cleanest fix. The liner sits snug against your skin so it’s your thigh against smooth, dry fabric — not thigh against thigh, and not thigh against a loose, sweaty short. The Vexo MatchMove Shorts (€79) include exactly this kind of compression liner for that reason. If you run hot and want minimal fabric, the lighter LightMove Shorts (€39) keep things streamlined.
What about your feet?
Blisters are just chafing on your feet — caused by the foot sliding around inside the shoe. The fix is the same principle: cut the movement and the moisture. Grippy, moisture-managing socks lock the foot in place so it stops rubbing, while wicking the sweat that softens skin and invites blisters. The Vexo CourtGrip Socks (€25, 2-pack) are built for exactly this — and there’s more on stability in our guide to why players slip on court.
Chafe zones and how to fix each one
| Zone | Main cause | Fix |
| Inner thighs | Thigh-on-thigh / wet shorts | Compression liner + balm |
| Underarms | Loose, damp sleeves | Fitted, fast-dry tee |
| Feet | Foot sliding in shoe | Grip socks, snug lacing |
| Chest | Seam rub on wet fabric | Smooth seams + balm |
Quick anti-chafe checklist for match day
- Wear fast-drying technical fabric, never cotton, on hot days.
- Choose a snug athletic fit — no bunching, no binding.
- Use shorts with a compression liner for thigh rub.
- Apply an anti-chafe balm to hot spots before you play.
- Change out of soaked kit at the changeover on brutal days.
- Wear grippy, moisture-managing socks to stop blisters.
Dress for friction and moisture the way you’d dress for the heat, and chafing stops being something you manage and becomes something you’ve already beaten. For the full hot-weather system, see our guide to the best tennis clothing for hot and humid weather.
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