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First tennis racket
It was made in London out of solid wood. With animal gut strings, long handles and small lopsided heads, made it easier for the player to bring the hitting surface close to the ground to hit the typically low bouncing balls of real tennis. -
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tennis
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Lacoste Laminated
Advances in laminating technology resulted in the first tennis racket made of laminated wood. This dramatically increased the performance and durability of rackets. -
First steel racket
It was much stronger and lighter than the legacy wooden rackets, but it offered less damping than wood, meaning the player feels harsher vibrations if they mishit the ball, but the metal frame often damaged the natural gut strings at the point of contact. -
First oversized racket
Though it never seemed to gain popularity, in 1975 American tennis brand Weed made the first oversized racket out of aluminum. -
Graphite frames
Wooden rackets became obsolete. Instead, brands like Dunlop and Prince switched over to graphite frames; rackets were still lightweight but with bigger sweet spots and much stiffer for more powerful shots and better control. The cheaper ones were made out of aluminium. -
First widebody racket
Allowed for more powerful shots thanks to a larger beam width. -
Wilson Hammer
Anyone who was following tennis in the 90's should remember this monster. In 1990 the Wilson Hammer changed the game with a design that featured a heavier head for more solid shots. -
First ultra-light racket
Andy Roddick won the US Open with a Babolat Pure Drive tennis racket, putting the brand on the map. The ultra-light racket helped Roddick develop a monster serve and other great overall skills. -
Larger holes
Instead of having pin-sized string holes, the Prince O3 featured much larger holes for more racket speed. -
Aerodynamic design
Like Roddick, Nadal went with a Babolat racket, the AeroPro Drive, further propelling the brand in the spotlight. Nadal's AeroPro Drive featured an aerodynamic design for smoother and more efficient strokes.