home

Tennis Racquets Through the Century Tennis racquets changed greatly from the time when the first game like tennis was invented in the eleventh and twelfth century, when the ball was hit with your hand, to the beginning of the twentieth century. The styles of tennis have changed along with the styles of tennis racquets throughout the years. Like many sports, tennis gives an example of how the equipment of the sport changed with time as technology modernizes and competition increases. Since the turn of the century, tennis racquets have gone through many changes, however, the main changes came in the materials used to create the racquet and the actual size and weight of the racquet. In 1874, the creator of the [|outdoor lawn tennis], [|Major Walter C. Wingfield], patented the equipment and rules for first version of the game played today. The [|racquets] patented at this time were completely wooden, with bare wooden grips and often lopsided or uneven and small heads. Over the next century, this racquet went through very small changes. Changes in styles came, including introducing colors as decoration, along with using different paints to give them a shine. A leather grip was also introduced during the early 1900s to provide more comfort than the original wooden grip. As time passed, technology modernized, and so did the wooden racquets. A new [|lamination] process allowed thinner layers of wood to be layered together to add more durability and to make it lighter. The original solid frame now featured an open neck, lessening the wind resistance and allowing for a faster swing. The [|wooden racquets] of the early 1900s were still heavy at thirteen to fourteen ounces, and had a small head size, measuring around sixty-five square inches. Wood racquets led the tennis industry and were used among all of the great players in the world. The wooden tennis racquet frame was not challenged until 1967, when popular tennis company, [|Wilson Sporting Goods], introduced the first popular metal framed racquet. The [|T2000] was stronger and lighter than most wooden racquets, becoming an instant top seller, especially when leading professional tennis player, [|Jimmy Connors], used the racquet throughout most of the 1970s. The new long-necked and metal-framed racquet gave a different view to the game of tennis, a sign of the modernization of technology. Although Connors used this new metal framed racquet, most of the other players stuck to what they were used to and were hesitant to make the switch to metal racquets.

Later, in 1976, [|Howard Head], an employee for [|Prince Tennis], introduced the first racquet with an oversized head, measuring almost fifty percent larger than the previous sixty-five square inch wooden racquet. The aluminum framed [|Prince Classic]was very light, and had a very large “[|sweet spot]”, the place on the racquet where the tennis ball hits and gets the best output. A reason why this change was made was to give the non-advanced tennis players the ability to play tennis with more room for error, making it more fun and satisfying. While the idea of a larger head was good for young, non-advanced players, their power and the variability of the flexibility and power throughout the aluminum frame, resulted in a loss of control. Any powerful shot that was off-centered on this new oversized racquet would momentarily change the shape of the head. This would change the direction that the string bed of the racquet was facing, sending the ball off in a direction that was usually not desired. The advanced players of the world needed a racquet with a stiffer frame so that their power would not distort the frame during play. The new and improved “graphite” material met the call for stiffness for the pros in 1980. This new material was a mixture of carbon fibers and a plastic resin that bound them together, calling it [|graphite]. A graphite racquet was now the sign of a good racquet, however usually an expensive racquet. Tennis racquets at this time could now be classified in two groups, the cheaper racquets made with aluminum or metal heads, or the expensive ones made out of graphite or composite materials. Wooden racquets were now a thing of the past, and could not provide anything more than the new materials could. The wooden racquet was now an antique [|collector’s item]. Graphite frames gave a racquet the stiffness and lightness that the pros needed to perform at the highest level they could. The new frame added strength without sacrificing, actually increasing, the control and accuracy. Not only were these racquets great when they were first bought, but they were very durable and could last a very long time performing at the same level. This was a welcome change to the wooden racquets that could warp, crack and dry out over the years. The most famous of the early graphite racquets was the [|Dunlop Max 200G], with [|John McEnroe]and [|Steffi Graf]holding responsibility for the fame. The graphite racquet had been flawless during the 1980s, however, tennis equipment companies were looking to make changes to their racquets in order to sell make a new profit. Wilson wanted to make their racquets even stiffer, without having to go through the troubles of finding a new material. In order to do this, the company decided to increase the thickness of the frame to resist the impact of the ball, creating more power and control. The [|Wilson Profile] was the first “[|widebody]” racquet had a frame that measured more than twice the width of the original wooden frames. Over time, the extreme widths were no longer used, but the idea of the widebody idea remained popular. Today, racquets are mostly made from [|composite materials], coming in many different weights and sizes, depending on the player’s preference. As in the past, there have been gimmicks in racquet design that have been made to try to lighten the racquet, increase the aerodynamics, or add power to the racquet. As time has passed, the technology of racquets has modernized. There are racquets today aimed specifically towards the [|professional tennis circuit], providing smaller heads and more power and stiffness in the frame to complement their high level game. In retrospect, there are racquets made for [|younger]and [|intermediate players], providing a larger head size, making a large sweet spot, along with a more flexible frame, all aspects giving the less experienced players more room for errors. Tennis racquets have modernized and changed a lot since the turn of the century in the 1900s until today. The largest reason for the changes to the styles of the racquets is the modernization of technology, enabling for new materials and ideas to be put into use. Like in any sport, the competitiveness between companies also adds new gimmicks that become widely used. The different age groups and skill levels also add target markets for sporting retailers to make their equipment for; a beginning teenager should not be using the same racquet as the top players in the world. However, with all of the change that has occured, t here is no telling what will come next in the world of tennis racquets as time modernizes and the materials and styles change.