Tennisracketens utveckling: Från träracketar till avancerade kompositmaterial

The evolution of tennis rackets: From wooden rackets to advanced composite materials

September 22, 2025

Introduction

The tennis racket's journey from solid wooden frames to today's high-tech composite rackets is a fascinating story about the interplay of sport and material technology. Over just over a century, the materials and design of the racket have undergone dramatic changes – from heavy wooden clubs with a small hitting surface, via the first metal rackets, to ultra-light graphite and carbon fiber rackets packed with innovations. These changes have fundamentally affected the way tennis is played. Playing style, stroke technique, ball speed, spin and strategy have all been shaped by the equipment players hold in their hands. In this in-depth study for die-hard tennis fans, we will chart the historical development of the racket, compare the characteristics of different generations and explore how both men's and women's tennis have been affected. We mix technical insights with quotes from players, coaches and engineers to provide as complete a picture as possible.

The era of wooden rackets – heavy wood with a small hitting surface

For most of the 20th century, tennis was dominated by wooden rackets. Early rackets were simple structures made of solid wood (often ash or maple) with a relatively small, oval head shape strung with natural gut. Their weight was significant – often 400–500 grams – making them physically demanding to swing. [1] The surface area of the head was very small, typically only about 65–85 square inches , which provided a minimal sweet spot (ideal hitting surface) [2] This meant that the player needed impeccable timing and technique to hit cleanly; the slightest mishit could lead to vibrations and loss of power. [3] . Wooden rackets were also quite flexible (low stiffness), which contributed to good ball feel but limited maximum ball speed. To prevent the wooden frames from warping, they were often stored in presses when not in use.

Despite their limitations, wooden rackets dominated tennis for many decades – they were the standard until the 1960s and 70s [3] . During this era, the playing style was also shaped by the equipment. The heavy weight and small hitting surface favored a classic technique with a more continental grip and flatter strokes. The serve-volley game flourished; with wood it was difficult to generate a lot of topspin from the baseline, so many men's players sought out the net to decide the point with volleys. Even in women's tennis in the 1960s and 1970s, slick underhand and net attacks were common features, as the power from the baseline was more limited.

Several legendary racket models came from this era, such as the Dunlop Maxply Fort and the Wilson Jack Kramer Autograph , which were used by stars such as Rod Laver, Billie Jean King, and Björn Borg. Borg was known for his extreme topspin game for his time, but he also used a wooden racket (the Donay Borg Pro) and compensated for the limited spin with extremely hard natural gut strings. “It feels like a different game out there,” said modern player Robby Ginepri after testing a classic wooden racket in a USA Today survey. “It doesn’t have the pop or spin that today’s graphite rackets have.” [4] . The same experiment had a dozen or so professional players born long after the wooden era try out 1970s racquets, and the reactions were telling. The players noted significantly less power and spin, as well as a smaller sweet spot, compared to modern racquets [5] . “You have to have very good technique to play with one like this,” Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova said of the wooden implements [6] , and young Vania King laughed that it would be “almost impossible” to win a professional match with a wooden racket today [7] . At the same time, others pointed out that the feel and ball control with wood could actually be superb – “for feel and touch it is fantastic,” said Daniela Hantuchová when she felt how the ball hit “goes all the way into the hand through the wood” [8] [9] .

The metal revolution – steel and aluminum take their place

The first major crack in the dominance of wooden rackets came with the advent of metals. As early as the late 1950s, experiments were being made with steel frames. Tennis legend René Lacoste received a patent for the first steel racket in 1957 [10] The steel frame had a narrower profile than wooden rackets and could be made with a slightly larger head, which gave an unexpected increase in power. [10] In the 1960s, the steel version began to reach the market – Wilson bought the rights and launched the Wilson T2000 model in the late 60s, the tennis world's first commercially successful steel racket [11] This iconic racket was used by the likes of Jimmy Connors and Billie Jean King . King actually became the first player to win a Grand Slam title with a metal racket when she took home the 1967 US Championships with a steel T2000. [12] . Jimmy Connors made the steel racket famous on the men's side through his victories in the 1970s with the T2000 in his hand. The steel provided a stiffer and more responsive frame than wood, which increased speed and power in the strokes. But the steel racket was still relatively heavy and difficult to maneuver, and King herself chose to go back to her beloved wooden racket in the 70s as she missed the feel of steel. [13] .

Parallel to steel, aluminum emerged as a racket material. Aluminum frames were already being tested around 1968, when Spalding launched a model called "The Smasher" [14] . Aluminum is lighter than steel and allowed for the construction of larger racket heads without the weight becoming unreasonable. In the mid-1970s , the first “oversize” rackets appeared – the Prince Company (founded by Howard Head) introduced an aluminum racket in 1976 with a dramatically larger hitting surface (~110 sq.in.), which was revolutionary. The larger heads made it much easier to hit the ball cleanly , as the sweet spot grew significantly [2] . Suddenly, even players who were not world elite could get better results in their shots thanks to the increased hitting surface. However, aluminum had a disadvantage: it is more flexible than steel and needed to be made thicker for rigidity, otherwise the frames became too flexible and less precise than wood [14] Many top players therefore remained with wood well into the 1970s despite new materials.

By the late 1970s, however, the metal revolution had taken over. Wooden rackets were actually manufactured until the early 1980s , but after that, metal and composites completely dominated. [15] The last Grand Slam titles won with a wooden racket were in 1983, when Yannick Noah (men's French Open) and Chris Evert (women's) won – since then no major winner has played with a wooden racket [15] The new metal rackets, with their lighter weight and greater durability, gave players immediate benefits: more power and easier swingability, which opened up for higher swing speeds and thus more speed and spin. [16] Yet it was the next step – graphite composites – that would completely revolutionize the racket world.

The advent of graphite and the composite revolution

Around 1980, a technological leap occurred that would come to define modern tennis: graphite and other composite materials gradually replaced metal as the main material in racket frames. Graphite (carbon fiber) is an extremely strong but lightweight material that, when combined with epoxy resins in laminates, can create stiff, lightweight frames. The first graphite rackets began to appear in the late 1970s and early 1980s. [17] . Several manufacturers experimented with blends – often a composite of graphite fiber and other materials such as fiberglass, Kevlar, boron or ceramic fibers – to optimize playing characteristics. A breakthrough came when Dunlop developed the Max 200G , the first tennis racket manufactured by graphite injection molding (a new method in which graphite laminates and foam are molded). This racket was used by John McEnroe and by Steffi Graf – Graf won her famous Golden Slam in 1988 with a Dunlop Max 200G in her hand. [18] At the same time, Prince launched its Original Graphite and other brands followed suit with graphite models. Within just a few years, almost the entire professional tour, both men's and women's, switched to graphite composite.

Why was graphite so groundbreaking? Compared to aluminum and steel, graphite combined lightness, strength, and cushioning in a superior way. The frame could be made very stiff without being very heavy, which provided both power and control during the stroke. [16] . A typical graphite racket in the 1980s weighed around 300–350 grams (significantly less than the ~400 g of a wooden racket) but was nevertheless torsionally stiff and responsive. Players could swing faster and generate more racket-head speed , which significantly increased ball speed. At the same time, the stiffness meant that less energy was lost in bending at ball impact, so shots became “harder” without extra effort. As the International Tennis Hall of Fame later summarized: with space-age materials such as graphite and Kevlar, rackets became larger, lighter and stiffer , allowing players to swing harder, better handle off-center hits and generate more spin [19] The effect on the game was transformative – many believe that the graphite boom of the 1980s changed tennis more than any other single factor.

Graphite composites also paved the way for ever-increasing innovation . Manufacturers realized that by layering different fibers in the frame, they could fine-tune properties such as flex (bending stiffness) and damping . For example, in the mid-1980s, Wilson began using Kevlar fiber along with graphite (famous model: Pro Staff Original 85) to provide extra stability and vibration damping. Other rackets incorporated boron wires or ceramic powder into the matrices. The late 1980s also saw the introduction of “wide-body” rackets (extra wide frame beam) such as the Wilson Profile, which utilized the strength of graphite to make the frame very thick and super stiff – these models provided enormous trampoline effect and power in serves and groundstrokes. At the same time, head sizes grew; oversize heads (~100–110+ sq.in.) became common even on tour, which provided a larger sweet spot and facilitated spin. When Chris Evert switched from her old wooden racket to a graphite composite in the early 1980s, she commented that she could immediately hit harder without losing control. Men’s players such as Mats Wilander and Ivan Lendl, renowned baseline specialists, embraced graphite to maximize their topspin and weight in their shots – something that previous generations of wooden and metal rackets could not match.

Notably, string technology also advanced in parallel with racket materials. As early as the 1980s, players began experimenting with synthetic strings, and in the 1990s, polyester strings were introduced, further increasing the spin potential. Pete Sampras called the new poly strings "Cheatalon" because they gave such a big advantage in spin that it felt like cheating. [20] The rack and string make up a system; but in this post we focus on the frame itself.

Modern materials and technological innovations

From the 1990s to the present day, tennis rackets have continued to evolve, albeit more evolutionary than revolutionary. The base material is still essentially graphite composite (all modern rackets contain carbon fiber), but companies have introduced a number of new material blends and technical features to further improve performance. [21] Here are some key innovations and trends in modern times:

New fibers and hybrids: Manufacturers are incorporating high-tech materials to influence feel and stiffness. For example, Head has used titanium fiber and later Graphene (a form of carbon nanotechnology) in its frames, Prince added texalium (aluminum fiber) to some models, Volkl and Fischer experimented with basalt fiber for vibration damping, and Dunlop has used Infinergy foam (EVA-based material from Adidas Boost) in the frame for increased comfort [22] [23] . The purpose of these blends is to give the racket specific properties – such as more flexibility without losing stability. In 2020, Yonex introduced a new graphite material called M40X with higher elasticity to increase the frame’s flexibility while still maintaining control [24] .
Computer aided design and aerodynamics: Today's racket engineers use CAD modeling and finite element analysis to optimize racket shape [25] . The thickness and profile of the beams are adjusted to reduce drag and control flex. For example, Babolat designs some models with aerodynamic frame sides (the Pure Aero series for topspin). Yonex is known for its isometric (more square) head shape that optimizes the string bed area and sweet spot position. [26] The result is rackets that cut through the air faster and are perceived as easier to handle while maintaining stability.
Vibration damping and comfort: Modern rackets often integrate damping elements to reduce vibrations that occur when hitting the ball. These can be silicone, rubber or foam inserts in the handle or frame. Babolat and Wilson, for example, have developed special neck designs and rubber inserts that filter out high-frequency vibrations for the sake of the arm. Volkl introduced VCell technology with improved carbon fiber that absorbs shocks and HEAD added spiral fibers (Graphene 360+) for a more compliant flex in some models [27] The aim is to increase comfort and reduce the risk of injury (e.g. tennis elbow) without sacrificing the performance of the racket.
Prototyping and testing: 3D printing and robotic testing are enabling companies to develop and test new concepts more quickly. Wilson’s development lab in Chicago creates prototypes using 3D printers and tests them with robotic arms that hit balls, measuring spin and speed against competitor racquets, for example. [25] [28] . “We can get a prototype out and test it as quickly as possible,” says Bob Kapheim, Wilson’s chief innovation officer. “We get to work with advanced aerospace materials,” he adds, referring to the high-tech carbon fibers in today’s rackets. [29] This rapid development cycle has allowed new ideas to be realized and brought to market faster than before.
Customization and customization: Today, racket models come in a variety of weights, balances, and lengths to suit different players. In the 2000s, it became popular to offer “lite” versions of professional rackets for juniors or amateurs (with lower weight and smaller shaft diameters). Technology also allows for fine-tuning – for example, replaceable weights in the frame or smart sensors in the handle that measure swing data. Although sensor technology (such as the Babolat Play or Sony Smart Sensor) is in its infancy, the trend points towards “smart” rackets in the future [30] .

Overall, modern composite rackets offer an incredible range of precision and characteristics. There are rock-hard “power rackets” for maximum speed, more flexible control rackets for feel, and everything in between. But how do they stack up against older generations? Let’s compare key technical factors.

Comparison of racket generations – sweetspot, weight, stiffness and spin

A tennis player's experience with a racket depends on several basic characteristics. Here we roughly compare different racket generations from wood to today:

Racket era	Material & period	Head size	Weight & balance	Stiffness (RA)	Sweetspot & spin	The influence of playing style
Classic wood	Laminated wood (until ~1980)	~65–85 sq.in.<br>(very small) [2]	370–430 g (heavy, usually head light for control)	Very flexible (low RA, ~30–40)	Very small sweetspot; limited spin (dense string patterns & small surface area) [31]	Favored precision play, serve-volley and slice. Difficult to generate high speed from the baseline.
Early metal	Steel & Aluminum (1960s–70s)	~70–85 sq.in.<br>(small to medium)	340–400 g (steel heavy, aluminum slightly lighter)	Steel is stiff, aluminum is slightly more flexible than steel but stiffer than wood	Sweetspot slightly larger than wood; more power than wood, slightly more spin possible due to stiffness, but aluminum could be imprecise [14]	Increased speed on serves and groundstrokes. Baseline play became more powerful but many top players held onto wood for control.
Graphite composite (first gen)	Graphite fiber + possibly Kevlar/glass (1980s–90s)	Mid/Mid-plus: 85–95 sq.in. common (oversize up to 110 available)	300–350 g (significantly lighter; typically head light or even balance)	Significantly stiffer than wood (RA ~50–70)	Sweetspot significantly larger; more forgiving when off-center [32] . Significantly higher spin potential than before (larger head + more open string patterns).	Enabled modern topspin-based baseline play. Power and spin increased, displacing serve-volley to some extent.
Modern composite (present day)	Advanced carbon fiber composite with e.g. kevlar, graphene, etc. (2000s)	Mid-plus/Oversize: 95-115 sq.in. (various forms)	280–320 g (wide variation; many models more head-heavy for extra power)	Ranging from flexible control frames (RA ~60) to rigid power frames (RA 70+). New designs like the Wilson Clash combine low stiffness with stability.	Generally very large sweetspot (some techniques give +30% larger sweetspot than before) [22] . Maximum spin potential thanks to material + poly strings; top players reach ~2700–3000 rpm in topspin [33] (compared to ~1500 rpm in the 90s).	The game is faster, more topspin-intensive and baseline-oriented. The rackets “democratize” tennis – even amateur players can generate speed & spin [34] At the same time, technology has almost eliminated classic serve-volley at the elite level.

Source: Compiled data from several sources, including racquetpoint.com, tennisnerd.net, USA Today and others.

(RA = stiffness index “Racket Analysis”, higher value = stiffer frame.)

The above table is of course a simplification – within each era there was variation. But the clear trend is clear: rackets have become bigger, lighter and stiffer , with ever-larger sweet spots and increased spin and speed potential for players. This has in turn affected the way tennis is played, for both men and women.

How the game has changed with racket development

Technological leaps in racket design have directly impacted the tactical and technical development of the game of tennis. Playing styles on the tour today are markedly different from those of 50 years ago , largely due to the equipment. Here are some of the most noticeable effects:

More power and faster ball speed: Modern rackets allow players to generate significantly higher ball speeds than older rackets. A professional male player in the wooden era of the 1960s might have served at around 180–190 km/h as a top speed; today, +220 km/h is common on the ATP Tour. In fact, many male players now regularly serve in excess of 130 mph (209 km/h) [35] . Even in women's tennis, serve speeds have increased dramatically – Venus Williams, for example, recorded 128 mph (206 km/h) as the WTA serve speed record [35] . Such figures were unthinkable with wood or early metal rackets. The increase is due to the combination of the rackets' lighter weight (faster swing) and their stiffness, which catapults the ball. As John McEnroe sarcastically compared: with today's equipment, tennis pros hit the ball as hard as if baseball players were hitting home runs 700 feet [36] . McEnroe, himself a serve-volley champion from the wood/graphite era, admits that "I serve harder now at 48 than I did when I was 25" thanks to modern racket technology. [37] Increased ball speed naturally affects strategy – rebounds and defense have become more difficult, and dictating the game with hard groundstrokes is key in today's tennis.
More topspin and higher margin of safety: One of the biggest differences with modern rackets (along with polyester strings) is the huge increase in spin on the ball. A top player today can generate 2500–3000 rpm of topspin on the forehand – Rafael Nadal has been measured at around 3200 rpm – which causes the ball to dive steeply down the court [38] . In the 1980s and 1990s, many players' topspin was more around 1500–2000 rpm, and even lower with wooden rackets. The larger, more open string bed and lighter construction allowed for a more aggressive swing arc (low-to-high) without the ball sailing out. "You couldn't generate as much spin with the old-fashioned rackets," noted Vania King after trying a wooden racket. [39] . The consequence is that modern players can hit harder AND with more topspin , which gives a higher margin of safety over the net and still bounce within the baseline. This has revolutionized baseline play – the so-called “heavy topspin” play was rare in the past but is now standard, especially among men. Defenders like Nadal can hit passes from deep at the corner flag with lots of spin and still get the ball down into the opponent’s corner. In the wooden racket era, such a ball would likely have gone far out or into the net due to less spin.
Less serve-volley, more baseline hits: In the past, when rackets were more limited, players had to find other ways to win points – going to the net behind the serve was an effective way because the opponent had a harder time hitting passes with wood (the ball wasn’t going as fast or angled). Today, we’re seeing a dramatic decline in the serve-and-volley strategy on the ATP and WTA tours. One reason is that with current rackets and strings, the returner can hit past a net player much more easily – they can lob topspin or slam a pass at high speed. Better rackets and strings are one of several factors (along with slower courts and balls) that have “killed the serve-volley game,” according to many experts. [40] . Instead, most duels are now fought from the baseline. Men's tennis has become a showdown in groundstrokes where players stand far behind the baseline and hit with enormous topspin (e.g. Medvedev, Alcaraz, Djokovic). Women's tennis has also moved in that direction - in the 70s and 80s there were more net attacks (Navratilova won many points in front of the net), but today's stars like Serena Williams, Iga Świątek or Aryna Sabalenka mainly win their points through heavy baseline play. This does not mean that the volley technique is dead, but it is used more selectively (often to finish points that have already been dominated from the backcourt).
Racket technology has thus benefited baseline specialists more than classic net players.
New techniques and grips: Material developments have also affected how players hit the ball technically. With wood and early rackets, players had to hit with more control – many used an eastern grip and swung through the ball in a relatively flat trajectory. With graphite/composite and larger heads, we have seen the emergence of more extreme grips such as the semi-western and western on the forehand, to make the most of the topspin opportunities. Players can take big swings and create both speed and spin without missing; it was more difficult in the past when the racket punished anything but perfect hits. Several veterans have noted that today's rackets and strings sometimes mask technical flaws . "Technology can hide flaws in your game," says doubles star Bob Bryan – you can get away with worse timing thanks to forgiving rackets [41] . The wooden racket, on the other hand, forced clean ball striking and classic technique, which is one reason why some coaches today let juniors try wood as a training tool to improve precision. At the same time, it should be pointed out that today's top players possess incredible technique, but it looks different than before – more athletic, a lot of topspin, more open stances and use of the whole body in every stroke (partly made possible by lighter rackets).
Increased entertainment and variety: Overall, modern racket technology has made tennis a faster and more dynamic game , which many believe has increased the sport's entertainment value. Players can do things with the ball that were impossible 20–30 years ago. [42] – extremely high-kicked throws, steamy passing shots on the run, spectacular tweener hitting opportunities, etc. Larry Scott, former CEO of the WTA Tour, believes that racket advances have “increased the entertainment value of tennis by enabling players to do things with the ball they couldn’t do 10–20 years ago” [42] . In addition, the threshold for playing decent tennis has been lowered for wide players – the new rackets “have made tennis fun for players of all levels” , according to pioneer Billie Jean King [12] A hobby player now gets more help from the equipment in the form of free power and greater hit points, making the sport more accessible and fun even if you don't hit the center of the ball every time.

At the same time, there are those who believe that development has gone far enough in “dumping” the technology and promoting brute force [43] . John McEnroe has expressed concern that the sport has become too much power and too little finesse due to equipment – “It’s gone way too far,” he says of modern rackets and strings. [44] Martina Navrátilová has criticized that racket manufacturers are chasing more and more power and thereby changing the nature of the game. [45] . The question of whether strict racket regulations (e.g., maximum head size or mandatory wood) should be introduced has been debated, but as former professional Mary Carillo put it: “You can’t stop a technological clock” – development cannot be reversed, it is a matter of adapting. [46] So far, tennis's rule makers have chosen to let the innovations persist, with only minor restrictions (e.g. maximum stringing pattern and racket length).

Men's vs. Women's Tennis: Do the Materials Affect the Game Differently?

An interesting question is whether racket developments have affected men's and women's tennis in different ways, or whether the trends have been similar. In general, it can be said that both men and women have benefited from the advantages of the new materials, albeit with some nuances:

Convergence of playing styles: In the 1970s and 1980s, there was a greater difference between men's and women's playing styles. The men (with the exception of Björn Borg) hit flatter shots more often and served-volleyed more, while the women had a slightly slower pace of play and fewer jump-spin shots. With today's rackets, both tours have moved more homogeneously towards powerful baseline play. Women are now hitting harder than ever before – for example, Aryna Sabalenka had an average forehand of around 124 km/h at the 2023 Australian Open, comparable to many men. [47] . Iga Świątek generates topspin on her forehand that in some cases surpasses the men – she tops the WTA statistics in spin and would also rank high on the ATP list [48] . This would not have been possible without the lightness and spin potential of modern rackets. Thus, women's playing styles have developed in parallel with men's: more topspin, larger racket movements and more aggressive return taking than in previous decades. On both the ATP and WTA tours, we see that almost all players use graphite composite rackets around 100 sq.in. with polyester strings , which provides similar opportunities to hit hard and with spin.
Physical differences are partly balanced out: Men are on average physically stronger and can swing faster, which means that the absolute fastest serves and hardest smashes continue to come from men. But advances in technology have also given women increased speed without needing the same raw strength. A comparison: the sharpest servers of the 1960s and 70s (like Margaret Court) served around 160–170 km/h with wooden rackets, while today's top women easily reach 180–190 km/h and the record is over 200 km/h. The rackets have thus helped women increase their playing tempo relatively more . This is not least visible in doubles - women's doubles today have almost as fast volley duels and serves as mixed doubles/men's doubles thanks to fast rackets. The men's already high speed has of course also increased, but the effect is perhaps most noticeable in the extreme topspin they can produce (as in Nadal's looped forehands or kick serves).
Volleyball and slice: One area where differences can be observed is volley and slice play. On the women's side, fewer players have continued with serve-volley into the modern era; Navratilova was the last great volleyball queen. On the men's side, serve-volley stayed alive a little longer (Sampras in the 90s, Federer in the early 2000s mixed it in). However, as rackets became more powerful, baseline play was favored by both sexes. Today, serve-volley is rarely seen on the WTA tour at all, and on the men's side only as a surprise tactic. On the other hand, slice (underspin) is widely used by both men and women as a way to vary spin – here, in fact, the stiffer rackets can help to get more cut in the slice as well. Both men and women testify that modern rackets still have excellent touch when needed: Mike and Bob Bryan pointed out that their volleys with the wooden racket felt almost the same as with today's rackets, the difference being mostly in the serve and baseline strokes [49] This suggests that for finesse play near the net, the differences between the sexes are less noticeable – it is mostly in the power moments (serve, smash, hard groundstrokes) that you see men's physique utilizing racket technique to the maximum.
Health and durability: Another aspect is injuries and wear and tear. Heavier rackets used to require more strength – something that perhaps benefited men with greater upper body strength. Today's lighter rackets can be swung by anyone, but the stiffer materials and polyester strings can be demanding on the elbows and shoulders of both men and women. We have seen some problems with tennis elbow even in WTA players (e.g. Dinara Safina in her day), which can be linked to stiffer equipment. However, manufacturers are trying to counteract this with better cushioning (as mentioned above), which benefits both sexes equally.

In summary, the development of materials has affected men's and women's tennis in similar ways : more speed, more spin, more baseline play, less net play. Both sexes are taking advantage of today's technology to play a more athletic and aggressive tennis than previous generations could. As Larry Scott put it, tennis reflects the inevitable technological advance of sports, where equipment, fitness, and playing style all evolve together. [50] The fact that women's top game today is sometimes compared to the pace of men's tennis from a decade ago shows that the gap in playing style has partly shrunk thanks to technological progress - but of course physical differences remain that mean that men, on average, serve a little harder and spin a little more.

Conclusion

The evolution of tennis rackets from wood to today’s composite materials is a technological timeline that runs parallel to the evolution of the sport. Each new material – wood, steel, aluminum, graphite, Kevlar, carbon fiber and beyond – has left its mark on the tennis court. The era of wooden rackets demanded finesse, precision and classic technique. The advent of metals provided a first taste of power and greater margins. The graphite revolution lifted the game to new levels of speed and spin, opening up the modern, athletic tennis we see today. Quotes from players and experts attest to this journey: from the “completely different feel” of wood and the need for perfect technique , to the joy of rackets that “made tennis more fun for everyone” [12] but also the fear that "it has gone too far" with explosive equipment [44] .

For us tennis enthusiasts, it is clear that the racket is not just a tool – it is an extension of the player’s arm and a product of the technological know-how of its time. Both men and women have adapted and developed their games as rackets have improved. Today’s stars are pushing the boundaries of what is possible on a tennis court, thanks in large part to their advanced composite rackets and clever strings. At the same time, we can look back with nostalgia at the elegance of the wooden racket and how the game once looked. Perhaps the charm of tennis lies precisely in this combination of technology and skill – “you can’t untangle the clock of technology” , as Mary Carillo said [46]. , but each generation finds new ways to master the game with the tools they have. The evolution of the tennis racket continues, and we can only dream of what innovations the future will bring – they will undoubtedly continue to propel tennis forward, to even greater heights of speed, spin and spectacular sport.

Sources: Information for this article was gathered from interviews with racket developers and players in, among others, USA Today [51] [36] , materials science reviews [16] [19] , historical compilations at tennisnerd.net [52] [18] , Wikipedia [53] [21] , as well as expert opinions in tennis. The quotes in the text are translated into Swedish from the original sources. All facts and quotes presented have been verified with the given references for technical accuracy and credibility. The development of tennis is a history of innovation – from wood to composite – and it is a history that continues to be written.