By
Paulo Walsh
Badminton, squash, and tennis may share a similar heritage and they may all come from the same basic game originally, but at their core they are all very different, which means that the rackets used in them are different. Tennis rackets were once very similar in size to the original squash and badminton rackets, but are now predominantly bigger.
The reason for this was that hitting a tennis ball across the net was a fairly basic affair. Even through much of the 1960's tennis rackets were made predominantly from wood with a narrow face (or portion of the racket that was strung and made contact with the ball) which limited what a player could do with the ball, such as generating top spin or back spin and powering the ball quickly across the net.
When Prince produced the first over-sized metal frame rackets, the game of tennis began to change significantly, and so would the technology as innovation led to more and more companies developing rackets and competing for a share of a lucrative tennis racket market. Squash and badminton rackets have also adapted through the years and whereas wood was once the only material used in sports racket manufacturer, it is now aluminum, titanium, graphite and other composites that are now more popular and used to shape one piece rackets that are now the norm in these games.
In the case of squash and badminton, there is a limitation of movement as the courts are smaller and this means that the racket head size is not as important as there is less need to manipulate the ball or shuttlecock.
The smaller the court, then the less impact spin will have on the ball, so strategies depend on other factors, such as player position, touch and feel and attempting to exploit another players weaknesses
In tennis, with more court size and a larger ball with a felt surface, players are able to use the strings of the racket to spin the ball a certain way, which allows for more movement. In order to create more movement on the ball, though, a larger racket head also allows for a broader 'sweet spot,' which in turn allows the player more control.
Today, tennis rackets are similar in size to what was used twenty years ago, but the composite structures are continually being modified and improved to create lighter and stronger rackets, which allow for more power, spin, and control.
Badminton, squash, and tennis may share a similar heritage and they may all come from the same basic game originally, but at their core they are all very different, which means that the rackets used in them are different. Tennis rackets were once very similar in size to the original squash and badminton rackets, but are now predominantly bigger.
The reason for this was that hitting a tennis ball across the net was a fairly basic affair. Even through much of the 1960's tennis rackets were made predominantly from wood with a narrow face (or portion of the racket that was strung and made contact with the ball) which limited what a player could do with the ball, such as generating top spin or back spin and powering the ball quickly across the net.
When Prince produced the first over-sized metal frame rackets, the game of tennis began to change significantly, and so would the technology as innovation led to more and more companies developing rackets and competing for a share of a lucrative tennis racket market. Squash and badminton rackets have also adapted through the years and whereas wood was once the only material used in sports racket manufacturer, it is now aluminum, titanium, graphite and other composites that are now more popular and used to shape one piece rackets that are now the norm in these games.
In the case of squash and badminton, there is a limitation of movement as the courts are smaller and this means that the racket head size is not as important as there is less need to manipulate the ball or shuttlecock.
The smaller the court, then the less impact spin will have on the ball, so strategies depend on other factors, such as player position, touch and feel and attempting to exploit another players weaknesses
In tennis, with more court size and a larger ball with a felt surface, players are able to use the strings of the racket to spin the ball a certain way, which allows for more movement. In order to create more movement on the ball, though, a larger racket head also allows for a broader 'sweet spot,' which in turn allows the player more control.
Today, tennis rackets are similar in size to what was used twenty years ago, but the composite structures are continually being modified and improved to create lighter and stronger rackets, which allow for more power, spin, and control.
Racket Reviewer reviews the latest and bestselling tennis rackets [http://www.racketreviewer.co.uk]. The site also has news, articles and loads of information on tennis, squash and badminton with a real focus on tennis and tennis rackets [http://www.racketreviewer.co.uk].
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