Tennis equipment has changed significantly since the sport, originally known as lawn tennis, was developed in the 1800s. Current United States Tennis Association, or USTA, rules follow all International Tennis Federation rules regarding equipment specifications.
Ball Specifications
ITF rules allow for four types of balls in competition, including a fast ball, medium ball and slow ball as well as a high altitude ball. The faster the ball, the higher its compression and the higher it bounces. These balls range in diameter from 2.5 inches to 2.75 inches, and they range in weight from 1.975 oz. to 2.095 oz. ITF tests balls and approves only those with the proper diameter, pressure and weight. ITF rules dictate that the tennis ball must have a uniform, fabric surface and must be white or yellow.
Racket Specifications
ITF rules dictate that the racket frame must not exceed 28 inches in length or 12.5 inches in width. The racket’s hitting surface must not exceed 15.5 inches in length or 11.5 inches in width. The hitting surface must be flat with a uniform pattern of overlapping strings and it must be the same on both sides. The racket cannot have any protrusions or devices except for a shock absorber placed outside the pattern of crossed strings. The racket cannot have any batteries or devices that can shift the racket’s weight.
Ball History
Royal tennis, a predecessor of modern tennis, used balls made of leather or cloth stuffed with rags. In the 1870s, lawn tennis players began to use balls made with vulcanized India rubber. In the 1900s, tennis players began to use rubber balls with hollow, pressurized cores. Tennis balls were typically black or white until ITF introduced the more visible yellow balls in 1972. Wimbledon did not adopt the yellow ball until 1986.
Racket History
Tennis rackets had simple wooden frames and leather grips until the 1970s. Wooden racket frames typically consisted of ash, maple or sycamore wood. In the 1970s, manufacturers began to make rackets with frames made of aluminum, aluminum allow, steel and graphite. Later, manufacturers introduced composite frames made with metal and plastic. Until the 1970s, most rackets had faces measuring about 65 square inches. In the 1970s and 1980s, however, manufacturers began making rackets with larger faces measuring 85 square inches to 110 square inches. Eventually, ITF rules imposed limits on the size of the racket face.
Court and Net
USTA and ITF rules dictate that the tennis court should measure 78 feet long, 27 feet wide for singles matches and 36 feet wide for doubles matches. A net running parallel to the court’s end lines divides the court into two equal halves. The net should measure 3 feet high at the center of the court, and 3½ feet high where it attaches to the posts at each side of the court.
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