Tennis Hall of Fame stages new racquet evolution exhibit

A tennis racquet makes for a many-splendored friend to many, especially professional players.

It can be a sounding board on a changeover; a pal one needles between points, straightening its strings while gathering one's own thoughts; and a frenemy one strikes down (yes, smashes) in times of the need for physically releasing tension or anger.

The International Tennis Hall of Fame's newest digital exhibit, Smash Hit, brings the racquet out front and center. What's important to note first about this exhibit is what it's not—not an exhaustive look at the ITHF racquet collection, numbering more than 1,200 "battle axes," not a glamorous take on any specific brand(s) or mint-condition items, and in ITHF's own words, "not an encyclopedic exploration of the history of tennis racquets."

The key word here: evolution.

From the court tennis catalyzed in the 1600s to the late-1800s arrival of lawn tennis, this exhibit captures the early years of what became the modern game. This is presented in pictures of racquets, the equipment used to fashion them, and the makers themselves. The sport itself was humble in those days, though its practitioners were hardly that, with tennis rendered a status-symbol undertaking by those of

Materials ranging from wood to metal, laminate to graphite, ultimately ushered in the current state of racquet technology from which many of us—from beginners to weekly league hitters to touring pros—now benefit. Larger racquet faces. Updated strings. Power and control in spades.

It's an embarrassment of riches, really. And from Tom Pettitt's court-tennis breakthroughs to Bill Tilden's pivotal play the modern-day weaponry of Amelie Mauresmo, Pete Sampras, and more, we have seen—and held in our own fists—decades and centuries of incremental to incredible innovations.

Imagine if the tennis racquet, from the 1600s to the year 2020, were a mobile phone app, one that required periodic updates. We all would likely be on update number 873 by now. Maybe far more.

Think of this exhibit and all its history the next time you wield your own racquet of choice, whether drilling with an instructor, relishing in clinic play, engaging in friendly fire with a chum, or participating in a sanctioned match. Think of it—but click through its delightful historic images and information as well. Truly a smash.