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History of Racquets

The word racquet comes from the Arabic word rahat which means "palm of the hand".

Tennis is a sport played between two players. Each player uses a strung racquet to strike a rubber ball covered with felt. These  tennis balls are usually yellow.

A type of tennis game has been played all over the world for many centuries using a stick or hand.

At that time the ball was made from hair, wool or cork wrapped in string and cloth or leather.

The ancient Egyptians and Persians played a game where they stroked a ball over the net. The Greeks and the Romans played hard ball.

The earliest games of tennis were played in the courtyards of the monasteries in Europe, where monks hit the ball with the hand.

Progressing on to using webbing between the fingers of the gloves, while others used a wooden paddle.

These gloves were eventually replaced by a small wooden framed racquet with a long handle and small heads, shaped like a teardrop.

The racquet grew in size with the invention of lawn tennis, but changed little over the next 100 years.

It was not until the 19th century that the game of tennis took a critical turn.

Major Walter Wingfield, born in Ruabon, Denbighsgire, Wales, created a game called Sphairistikè (Sphairistikè means playing ball in Greek) that was based on a 12th Century French game called Paume.

In its earliest form, tennis was more like our handball game of today.

And in 1874 Major Wingfield patented the equipment and the rules in which would later develop into the modern day tennis.

Tennis racquets with metal heads and wire strings were invented in 1889.

Although the rules have changed very little since the 1890's, tennis racquets have progressed greatly.

The four Grand Slams are the most important tennis events of the year.

Australian Open - Melbourne, Australia, is the year's first Grand Slam.

French Open - Paris, France.

Wimbledon - Wimbledon, United Kingdom

US Open - New York, US, is the final Grand Slam of the year.