Since the foundation of the game over a century ago there have been many changes to both the game and the equipment. Fundamental to the game is obviously the tennis racket.
Due to advances in material technology and innovative designs the racket has gradually evolved over the years.
Also the input of advice from top players has given the major manufacturers like Wilson, Head and Dunlap the relative important information they have needed to advance design science.
As history implies, the game was founded in 11th century France by monks by using their hands and not rackets. The first racket was claimed to have been made in London in 1874 and consisted of solid wood.
Lacoste
In 1947 the French sports equipment manufacturer Lacoste used advances in laminated wood technology to create a new racket.
It gave the strength of solid wood but a fraction of the weight. This enabled players to develop new playing techniques and shots. The game thus evolved and this racket was at the forefront of the modern game that is now played and enjoyed across the world.
Wilson
The American manufacturer Wilson entered the tennis world history by releasing a revolutionary steel racket in 1968.
The T2000 was widely accepted by being adopted by the great Jimmy Connors but those that can remember, it certainly had a very strange appearance and look.
Weed
In 1975 an unusual player entered the market when US maker Weed released the first oversized Aluminium racket.
The racket never gained popularity and was decidedly a flop, sales were poor and it was mostly ignored.
However, a year later Prince made a similar oversized racket that became an instant hit. Designed by Howard Head it gave players a bigger surface to strike the ball and an advantage over competitors.
Dunlop
In 1980 wood became a thing of the past and the radical Dunlop Max200G was took the tennis world by storm.
The main two players Dunlop and Prince went away from wood and started making rackets out of graphite. John McEnroe and Steffi Graff dominated the sport in the 80’s using graphite framed rackets.
Wilson Profile
In 1987 Wilson pushed the bar on frame design by releasing the Profile. It was the first wideboy racket nicknamed because of it’s larger beam width.
This allowed for more powerful shots due to the more substantial frame and added weight.
Prince03
In 2005 Prince changed the racket substantially by altering the string size.
Rather than using traditional pin hole style stringing the Prince 03 featured much larger strings which enabled faster speed.
The trend of light, strong composite rackets continues today as brands like Head push the boundaries in design and innovation. Players such as Novak Djokovic who uses the Head Youtek take advantage of new technologies to help them succeed and win Grand Slams.
If you are interested in improving your tennis skills, why not think about private tennis lessons with Tennis World North Sydney.
Our professional coaches will take the time to help you to understand more about the technical aspects of the game and boost your fitness at the same time. You can even participate in one of our many competitions.
To find out more, contact our friendly team today!