History of Tennis Racquets
The game of tennis has been played for centuries. A main component of the game and the sport is the tennis racket. Early on, tennis rackets were crafted individually. As time progressed, new ideas regarding the racket's form, strength, weight and string arrangement evolved. Today, all tennis rackets must meet certain standards to be used in competitive play.
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Wooden Frames
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The first rackets were constructed of wood and then glued into what is referred to as a key-whole shape. Ash, maple, sycamore, beech, mahogany and hornbeam were some of the woods used in rackets. Wooden tennis rackets were used up until early 1980s when metal was introduced and became the favored material.
Metal Frames
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Lacoste patented a means of stringing metal rackets in 1953. The first metal tennis racket was marketed by Wilson. It was called the Wilson T2000 and was used by Jimmy Connors for years. Prince developed a metal racket with an oversized head. This encouraged the International Tennis Federation to impose a limit on tennis racket head size.
Composite Frames
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The success of metal frames gave birth to the use of other materials such as glass fiber and carbon fiber, familiarly called graphite in the sports world. These rackets usually have larger head sizes, are lighter in weight and stiffer. Increased stiffness is important because it reduces energy absorbed by the frame on ball contact.
Standardization
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In 1977, the International Tennis Federation implemented new standards for tennis rackets. The maximum size is 29 1/2 inches in length, and the head frame must not be larger than 15 1/2 by 12 1/2 inches. These guidelines are used today.
Fun Fact
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The "sweet spot" on a tennis racket is a spot where when a person hits a tennis ball, it quite simply feels good. It is a combination of the best power, ease and tension. The ball just flies off the racket effortlessly.
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