all about tennis racquets and balls
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what you need to play tennis
Tennis is a sport that has been around for centuries. It is a very popular and intense sport. The game of tennis requires little equipment to be played. In order to compete in a tennis match, one must only possess tennis balls and a tennis racquet. There are other pieces of equipment that are good too have, like comfortable and flexible apparel and proper tennis shoes, but the racquet and tennis ball are the only two necessities.
Almost all tennis balls are hallow and are made from an inflated rubber bladder, much like a soccer ball, that is covered with a softer fabric that feels like felt. The inside of the tennis ball’s air pressure is 12 psi (pounds per square inch). They are designed for grass courts, which is the type of court tennis was first played on. There are different types of tennis balls. Regular duty balls are for indoor and clay courts, heavy or extra duty balls are for outdoor harder courts or grass courts, and there are also high altitude balls if you are playing 4,000 feet or more above sea level and are also used for non-regular players. There are four sections that tennis balls fall into: type one, which is fast, type two, which is medium, type three, which is slow, and type four, which is high altitude. While the types of tennis balls may vary, their size remains consistent. Tennis balls have a uniform outside surface and usually have stitchless seams. The color of a tennis ball is always yellow or white and the size is between 2 1/2 inches and 2 5/8 inches in diameter. The ball’s weight can range from 2 ounces to 2 1/6 ounces. The word racquet comes from the word raquette, which is derived from the Arabic rakhat, meaning the palm of the hand. The tennis racquet was first introduced in the 11th or 12th century, but the “racquet” was really one’s hand. This proved to be a little too painful, so players began using gloves, and then solid wooden paddles were used. By the 14th century players began using actual racquets that were made of wood and string made of guts. |
Early racquets had long handles and a small, oval head. Over the next 100 years wood racquets continued to improve, but stayed heavy and had smaller heads. Metal heads for racquets showed up in the late 1800s, and have become better through the years, being more light weight, larger, increased flexibility, and easier to maneuver. Today just about all racquets are made of materials like aluminum, graphite, or others that relate because they are stronger and lighter than wood, and handles are generally covered with a grip of leather or rubber. Companies like Penn, Wilson, Dunlop, Inesis, ISOSPEED, Slazenger, and Magnum make the best tennis balls.
Choosing the best tennis racquet depends on one’s personal style and level of play. For beginners it is best to use a power tennis racquet, but for more advanced players it is best to use a racquet that allows for more control. Either way, comfort should be a primary factor in choosing a tennis racquet because the more comfortable you are, then more relaxed you will be in play and the more focused you will be on the match. Comfort is also very important because from playing tennis it is possible to develop tennis elbow and other injuries related to the actions the body goes through in play. Currently there is no uniform design for tennis racquets, so they have varying sizes for the racquet head, such as standard, midsize, and oversize. For a tournament, the maximum length for a racquet is 32 inches. The head cannot be any longer than 15.5 inches and the width of 11.5 inches. There are no restrictions for weight, it is usually up to the player and more often and not they are going to want something fairly light that still offers a lot of power.
When choosing a racquet you want to look for control vs. power, feel vs. comfort, and weight/maneuverability vs. solid shot response and stability. Also, you want to look at the head and shape of the racquet. If you want to increase power and spin, you should go with a larger head (107 square inches or more). For power, an oversized racquet is best because it will be longer, stiffer, and evenly balanced, which is best for players with short or slower swings. If you would rather be able to play more aggressively and swing more freely, you should go with a smaller head (98 square inches or less). This is best for professional and more advanced players because they are heavier in weight, are smaller and thinner, and are more flexible. Some of the most popular and well-known brands of tennis racquets include Dunlop, Head, Karakal, Prince, Pro Kennex, and Wilson. The choice is yours!
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