Tennis Technology
Technology continues to change the sport of tennis. At one time courts were made of grass, clay, or concrete. Now they are made of synthetic materials with made-to-order surfaces that affect the pace of play. Slower courts result in longer points. Faster courts equal shorter points.
Rackets were traditionally made of wood, but in the 1970s racket construction evolved to include materials such as aluminum, graphite, boron, fiberglass, Kevlar, and carbon fiber. Today, composite rackets allow players to hit hard from any position on or behind the court, regardless of technique. Serve-and-volley tennis of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s emphasized big serves, getting to the net early in a point, and finishing with a volley or overhead smash. That style has given way to serve-and-stay-back tennis, emphasizing big serves (some clock in at the 140 to 150 mph, or 225 to 241 km/h, range), powerful groundstrokes, and long rallies. Volleys are less important in singles because players don’t want to risk being passed at the net by a technology-aided forehand or backhand.
Technology changed the size of racket heads from 60 to 70 square inches (387 to 451 sq cm) to jumbo-sized models. Racket heads are now between 95 and 118 square inches (613 to 761 sq cm). Racket head thickness changed from narrow to wide and back to narrow again.
Tennis: Steps to Success Jim Brown,Camille Soulier