Part of tennis' appeal is the simplicity of the equipment. A beginner player only needs a racket and a ball. Click on the image above for more information.
The main parts of a tennis racket include the handle (known as a grip), the neck (that holds the handle to the frame, the elliptical frame, and the strings. For the first 100 years of the game, rackets were made of wood and the strings were made of animal gut. The racket went through a variety of materials before settling on composites of carbon graphites, ceramics, and lighter metals such as titanium. The strings also developed into being synthetic, with the same feel of guts but much sturdier. The stronger materials led to larger rackets that had more power. There are a variety of companies that manufacture rackets, including Wilson, Head, Prince, and Babolat.
Tennis balls were originally made of cloth strips stitched together and filled with feathers. Now, modern tennis balls are made of vulcanized rubber and a felt coating. While they were originally white, tennis balls gradually changed color to the neon yellow seen today to allow for optimum visibility. To see the inside of a tennis ball, hover over the image below.
More advanced players may improve their performance through various other equipment. One such equipment is vibration dampeners. The dampeners, also called shock absorbers, reduce the vibrations sent to the players arm and thus allows for better comfort and performance.
While the game can be played in various shoes, most players use specialized shoes, with a flat, wide sole and tight ankles to allow for comfort, longer wear, and the prevention of twisted ankles.
