The Complete Evolution of Tennis Rackets
By
Richard Janvrin
Contributor Updated: 18 November 2024
Richard Janvrin Contributor
Richard has been writing about sports since he was a teenager. Still, his first professional role came in 2015, covering all things NFL and fantasy football-related. From there, in December 2018, he started in the sports betting industry, covering sportsbook reviews before arriving to where he is today.
The History and Evolution of Tennis Rackets
While some trace tennis’s roots back to the 12th century in northern France with the game jeu de paume, the 100th anniversary of the game was established in 1973, meaning the official game dates back to 1873.
Since that time, there have been several iterations of the tennis racket.
Here, we’ll look back at some of the first iterations and examine the various models, including the latest technology, to fully analyze the evolution of the tennis racket.
Let’s check them out.
- Court and Lawn Tennis
- Wooden Rackets
- Metal Rackets
- Graphite and Fiberglass
- The Latest Technology
- The Future of Tennis Rackets
Court and Lawn Tennis
Before we discuss the more recent models, let’s briefly examine the evolution of tennis rackets dating back to Court and Lawn Tennis. These games were established in the 1700s (Court Tennis) and the late 1800s (Lawn Tennis).
The rackets used in Court Tennis are some of the first tennis racket examples we know of. These were made in various ways, including a thick wood frame and small tilted heads. They were also lopsided to help scoop up the balls.
Then, with Lawn Tennis, these rackets were crafted with a long strip of ash wood, preferably. It was steamed, which helped make the head of the racket. Some of these rackets were made with lopsided heads, while others were more flat and oval-ish.
The “throat” of the racket was a separate piece that would be inserted into the frame. The handles were also vastly different from one another, including fishtails, ball tails made with cork, and much more.
Wooden Rackets
While there were other iterations before it, we’ll now look at the evolution of the tennis racket with the wooden rackets from the 19th century to the 1970s. The modern history of tennis rackets can be traced back to these models.
These rackets were made entirely of wood, either ash or maple, and the strings were made from animal gut. Because of these materials, they were a bit heavier and had small oval-like heads.
While these were sturdy and heavy, they required a lot of maintenance to prevent warping. The stringing was also a bit loose to protect them.
The most iconic examples of this type of racket were the Dunlop Maxply Fort and the Wilson Jack Kramer. Rod Laver and John McEnroe frequently used the Maxply, while Arthur Ashe and Billie Jean King used the Kramer.
At the tail end of this period in the 1970s, metal rackets were being demoed, but they were even heavier than the wooden rackets.
Metal Rackets
While wooden rackets were still manufactured until the 1980s, the trend started to move to metal rackets. That said, popular players like King used them even before this period. Eventually, aluminum made rackets lighter and more durable.
The best part of these rackets compared to the wooden ones was the larger heads, which allowed for more power and spin, as it was easier to hit the ball in the racket’s sweet spot.
A popular model and the original tennis racket of this type was the Wilson T2000, which Jimmy Connors used. The grip was about 4.75 inches, and the head was 67 in². Rene Lacoste originally invented this model in the early 1960s.
The T2000 is described as a “chromium-plated tubular steel racquet with clear gut strings.”
These rackets brought more excitement to the game because of the consistent hitting at a higher level.
Graphite and Fiberglass
Continuing in the 1980s, graphite and fiberglass rackets began to become more popular. Carbon fiber was also used, as these materials made rackets stronger and more flexible, and players had better control.
Pete Sampras used one made by Wilson in the 1990s, but some of the first iterations were one used by Ivan Lendl that Adidas manufactured.
The one made by Adidas had a 74 in². From there, the one Sampras used in the 1990s had an 84 in² head. He used the racket when he won the 1998 Wimbledon Men’s Singles Finals. It was made of graphite and Kevlar with clear and black gut strings.
Along with these rackets came some massive technological advancements, including vibration dampening and adjustable string tension. These rackets also had excellent weight distribution with an emphasis on the head being lighter or heavier, depending on the preferences of the player.
A popular model for these types of rackets was the Prince Original Graphite.
The Latest Technology
I mentioned Kevlar with the racket used by Sampras, and today, it is used along with titanium and carbon fiber. The latest rackets you see in tennis tournaments today are stronger, lighter, and way more absorbent than those that came before them.
There’s also a lot of customization, and all of the top players have different preferences, whether it’s tension, balance, the pattern for the strings, or something else. That said, most rackets are designed with open string patterns to assist with a spin on the ball after striking it.
Not to mention, there are rackets with technology embedded in them to assist with player training, including swing speed, spin, impact points, and more. This level of detail and data helps players when training and can train their entire training regimen before a big-time tournament.
Some of the most popular models used today include the Babolat Pure Drive, Wilson Pro Staff, and more. Roger Federer was known to use the Wilson Pro Staff.
There’s no arguing that the latest technology has helped produce the best tennis rackets of all time. These are a massive reason why tennis betting apps have become so popular—these rackets have improved the game immensely and made it that much more exciting to watch.
The Future of Tennis Rackets
With the current iterations of tennis rackets and how optimized they’ve become, it’s almost impossible to know what could come next.
However, some technologies could be used to enhance rackets.
In the future, we could see “Smart Rackets,” be expanded upon. These could allow you to quickly adjust your racket’s tension, stiffness, or vibration. These rackets could also further iterate on sensors to assist with training to help dial in a player’s performance even further.
There’s also speculation for nanotechnology like graphene or carbon nanotubes, which could help with strength-to-weight.
We also can’t forget 3D printing. This technology is being used today, but it could eventually be used as a resource to further customize player’s rackets.
We’ll have to see where technology takes us, but the future and the evolution of tennis rackets still have room to grow.
