The use of tennis rackets for game play has been around for centuries. The games that were originally played were played using one's hands to bat the ball back and forth. However eventually someone decided to try to create a club to use rather than the hand which became painful after a period of time. A wooden frame was fashioned using animal intestine to create the webbing.
From their first appearance to the point of the change in materials for the handle itself, there were very few modifications made. The frame was improved by using lamination techniques but the strings were basically unchanged. The result was a very heavy club that was quite small compared to the racket used currently.
Additionally, because of the smaller head and heavy weight to the clubs, the games played were similar to modern day squash which uses a ball that does not bounce very much and is easily controlled. Unlike the game of squash however the game was usually played over nets rather than against a wall.
While the strings have undergone changes from the gut to the nylon currently used, there appears to be no actual historical record of when this change was made. The body however was improved by using aluminum rather than wood which lightened the weight dramatically.
Various types of materials have been used for the production of the heads. Graphite become a popular material for use as it was proven to be much stronger than aluminum. Aluminum was a good material however hard hits tend to cause bends in the shape which created unpredictable results for the shot.
The early clubs were much smaller than those of today. Additionally they were heavy and lacked power. Compared to today's modern clubs, the original racket more closely resembles still the modern day squash clubs used today.
From their first appearance to the point of the change in materials for the handle itself, there were very few modifications made. The frame was improved by using lamination techniques but the strings were basically unchanged. The result was a very heavy club that was quite small compared to the racket used currently.
Additionally, because of the smaller head and heavy weight to the clubs, the games played were similar to modern day squash which uses a ball that does not bounce very much and is easily controlled. Unlike the game of squash however the game was usually played over nets rather than against a wall.
While the strings have undergone changes from the gut to the nylon currently used, there appears to be no actual historical record of when this change was made. The body however was improved by using aluminum rather than wood which lightened the weight dramatically.
Various types of materials have been used for the production of the heads. Graphite become a popular material for use as it was proven to be much stronger than aluminum. Aluminum was a good material however hard hits tend to cause bends in the shape which created unpredictable results for the shot.
The early clubs were much smaller than those of today. Additionally they were heavy and lacked power. Compared to today's modern clubs, the original racket more closely resembles still the modern day squash clubs used today.
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If you want some advice on modern Tennis Rackets and are thinking about buying one, speak to someone at your local Tennis Shop for some friendly advice.
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