Materials for Tennis Racquets

Wooden tennis racquets were used by nearly everyone involved in racquet sports before the 1970's.

These racquets had natural gut strings and leather strapped handles.

Then along came aluminium and steel frames and other lightweight materials.

In 1965 French player, Rene Lacoste, patented a steel racquet and the first aluminium racquets were marketed in 1968, usually made from one of the alloys.

The strings made from nylon, gut or synthetic gut and leather or synthetic material for the handle grip.

A good many tennis racquets are made from lightweight graphite and graphite composites, combining materials such as titanium, kevlar or fibre glass.

Composites have more pliancy than graphite frames.

Aluminium frames are designed into 3 simple shapes:

A Beam

Bi Hollow

Turbular

These are inclined to vibrate much more than other materials.

Fibreglass - consists of very delicate fibres of glass which are woven into a material.

Kevlar - has adaptability and strength to weight ratio.

Titanium - has low density, lightweight alloys and high tension strength.

Below are some of the best tennis racquet brands:

1. Wilson
2. Prince
3. Head
4. Yonex
5. Babolat
6. Volkl
7. Prokenney
8. Dunlop
9. Boris Becker
10. Fischer
11. Tecnifibre
12. Viking Platform