Wooden Frames

• Before graphite and other composite racket materials, tennis rackets were made from wood. They were made from ash because it was tough and could be bent to the needed shape. Racket makers also used maple, sycamore and hornbeam for their strength and stiffness properties. Eventually, racket makers began layering different types of wood to get the desired characteristics. Hickory was used as the outer layer for its wear resistance, beech and mahogany were used for the handle and obeche was used to fill the shaft. Wooden frames were popular until the early 1980s when metal rackets began to dominate the racket industry.
  
  

Metal Frames

• Unlike wooden frames, metal frames had twin shafts of aluminum-alloy extrusions or carbon-steel construction. Aluminum frames were made in greater numbers because they were simpler to make and cost less to produce. Lacoste was the first to string metal rackets satisfactorily in 1953 by passing the strings around metal wire looped to the frame. In the mid-1970s, racket-maker Prince developed an "oversized" head that allowed the stringing area to be 100 percent larger than the standard wooden racket frame used at the time.
  
  

Composite Frames

• After the success of metal frames, racket makers began experimenting with other materials for frames, including glass fiber and carbon fiber, also referred to as graphite. These frames are known as composite frames. Although more expensive than the glass fiber frames, many preferred graphite for its stiffness and strength. One of the greatest advantages of using composite frames is that specific areas of the frame can be individually strengthened. This allows the racket to have added stiffness at certain parts to increase power while keeping the racket light and easier to handle.
  
  

Natural and Synthetic Gut Strings

• Natural gut strings are made from cow intestines and are still considered the most resilient and playable strings. Although the most expensive, they provide the player with the most control due to low dynamic stiffness and slight texture for enhanced spin. Synthetic gut strings or "performance" nylon strings provide playability and durability. About 98 percent of non-professional players in the modern-day game use nylon strings.
  
  

Polyester and Kevlar Strings

• Strings made from polyester or Kevlar are extremely durable---Kevlar being the most durable string available. It is very stiff and strings up tightly. It is normally used in conjunction with nylon strings to reduce stiffness. Polyester is durable but loses its tension quickly and does not provide much power or feel.