Tennis Rackets Research Articles

TENNIS GEAR

Tennis equipment is one of the most important aspects of the game of tennis. Often, tennis equipment has a massive impact on how a tennis match plays out, or how the style of play evolves, even if it's less visible. Among the essential components of tennis equipment are the tennis balls and rackets. Complementing these elements is the playing surface, a critical determinant in the game of tennis. This paper aims to demonstrate the evolution of tennis equipment in the importance of quality tennis history over time and how advanced technology has or has not influenced the style of play and its speed. The discernible evolution of tennis balls, encompassing variations in size and materials, has significantly shaped the sport. Similarly, the modernization of racket design and strings, incorporating diverse materials–synthetic or natural–has ushered in a new era of heightened intensity in tennis, characterized by increased speed and power. In the same context, another key element is the playing surface, more precisely the four main surfaces, hard (or cement), clay, grass and carpet, which contributed to changing the game of tennis and its speed, stimulated by the importance of the materials used to create, or the way of maintenance of these surfaces. Finally, in this paper, we will see how tennis modernization had a great impact on the production of tennis balls and the evolution of the way rackets are made, to which is added the composition of materials used in the creation or maintenance of playing surfaces, have led to a marked transformation of the tennis game. It will also elucidate how these changes have often elicited both acclaim and discontent among professional tennis players and, in certain instances, contributed to injuries.

A systematic framework for the design and material selection of composite for tennis racket upon impact

The present study explores the comprehensive composite material selection methodology of a tennis racket involving coupled Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) and numerical analysis. Initially all the possible material alternatives from the composite family were shortlisted using CES Selector 2016. A design space was developed incorporating MCDM technique naming VICKOR (VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje), PROMETHEE (Preference Ranking Organisation Method for Enrichment Evaluation) and TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) to rank the most suitable composite material based on critical mechanical properties to identify the most suitable composite materials for applications requiring optimal combinations of rigidity, strength, and structural performance. Using finite element analysis, the structural integrity of each of the materials was evaluated on static and dynamic stress analysis modules of ANSYS. Out of all material alternatives, T300 carbon fiber epoxy was considered as the most suitable for tennis rackets. Further, a comparison between the selected material was also made with conventional materials and were found in good agreement with selected material.

Generating novel tennis racket shape concepts using a theoretical morphospace.

Statistical shape analysis, or morphometrics, is a technique commonly used in evolutionary biology to summarise a population of samples. Theoretical morphometrics extends the current population of samples into a theoretical space. Using the lawn tennis racket as an example, this paper showcases the potential of morphometrics as a tool for inspiring design concepts for novel sporting goods. It showcases how morphometrics can be applied to summarise the shape of a sample of rackets and applies theoretical morphometrics to systematically present new candidate designs that fall outside of the inputted existing, racket population. The input population was 514 tennis rackets dating back to the origins of the game. The shape analysis was performed on "front-on" silhouette images of the rackets using the R Package Momocs. The outline shape of each racket was reconstructed using the elliptical Fourier transform curve fitting technique. A principal component analysis performed on the reconstructed outlines showed that >90% of the variance in the shape of the rackets was captured by the first two principal components. An evenly spaced grid of theoretical racket shape outlines was then created in a principal component 2 vs. principal component 1 "morphospace". The limits of this space were then expanded to give a theoretical morphospace that extended beyond the range of the first two principal components for the 514 samples. We propose that the shapes located within such a theoretical morphospace could inspire designers and help them to systematically identify candidates for novel products. Specifically, we suggest that experimenting with wide-angled throats and heads with angled sides might be an interesting starting point for exploring future tennis racket design concepts. The novel technique presented here could be used by a sporting goods brand during the ideation phase of product development to schematically summarise current designs and identify candidates for new ones.

Influence of addition of Al2O3 and SiC on tensile and flexural characteristics of epoxy/glass fiber hybrid polymer composite

In today's world, hybrid polymer matrix composite is an extremely important component in manufacturing automobiles, aircraft, and sporting goods. This research paper describes the development of epoxy-based hybrid polymer composites (HPC) through a hand-lay technique. Hybrid polymer composite consists of Epoxy resin, E-glass fiber as reinforced materials, and Al2O3/SiC as filler material. The fabrication of a hybrid polymer composite with an equal proportion of Al2O3/SiC during which epoxy resin and hardener are mixed in 10:1 proportion. The tensile and flexural strength were investigated in this study. Experiment findings show that composite with four wt.% of Al2O3/SiC has optimum tensile and flexural behavior. It has an ultimate tensile strength of 170.84 MPa and flexural strength of 162.56 MPa, which is desirable in applications where epoxy-based composites are typically utilized, such as in tennis and badminton rackets.

테니스라켓 브랜드이미지-자아이미지일치성과 기능적일치성, 브랜드신뢰, 브랜드태도 및 재구매의도의 구조적 관계

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of tennis racket brand image and consumer self-image congruence on functional congruity, brand trust, attitude toward brand and repurchase intention.BR Method: In order to accomplish the purpose of the study, we selected a sample population of male and female subjects who were over 20 years old who were tennis club members living in C-city and A-city, South Chungcheong Province. Sampling was conducted from January 19th to February 24th, 2019 for a total of 300 people who had experienced purchasing tennis rackets. As a sampling method, convenience sampling method was used and a self-administration method was used, which is a method for respondents to read and answer questions themselves. A total of 280 copies of the collected data were used as final validity samples, except for 20 copies which were deemed inadequate to be appropriate for the purposes of the data. Data processing was done using SPSSWIN Ver. 23.0 and AMOS Ver. 18.0 and after verifying the fit of the model, individual hypotheses were verified. The results of the study are as follows.BR Results: First, actual self-image congruence, which is one of the subfactors of brand image and self-image congruence in tennis racket, had a positive effect on functional congruity. Second, actual self-image congruence, which is one of the subfactors of brand image and self-image congruence in tennis racket, had a positive effect on brand trust. Third, functional congruity had a positive effect on brand trust. Fourth, functional congruity had a positive effect on attitude toward brand. Fifth, functional congruity had a positive effect on repurchase intention. Sixth, brand trust had a positive effect on attitude toward brand. Seventh, brand trust had a positive effect on repurchase intention. Eighth, attitude toward brand had a positive effect on repurchase intention.BR Conclusion: The result shows that the brand image and consumer self-image congruence in the tennis racket affect the repurchase intention through the structural relationship with functional congruity, brand trust, and attitude toward brand.

Web-Based Communication of Wooden Sport Equipment: An Analysis Based on Six Olympic Sports

Wood has traditionally been used to make sports equipment and playing surfaces. While its use is outdated in several sports, in many others, wood remains well-established or even the material of choice, e.g., to make basketball floors or table tennis rackets. This study aims at evaluating the main drivers of web-based communication of wooden sport equipment. Six Olympic sports in which wood is still used were identified: baseball, skateboarding, skiing, snowboarding, surfboarding, and table tennis. For each sport, five websites of manufacturers were selected based on their page rank. Five evaluators assessed each website, rating the degree to which their discussion of wood intersected with four dimensions (and the related sub-dimensions): environment and ethics, design, wood technology, and communication. Significant differences (p < 0.05) are found among the dimensions, where communication and wood technology scored the higher ratings. Several differences are found among sub-dimensions, for instance in terms of attention given to environmental and social sustainability. Among the various findings, environmental and social sustainability, based on a proper commitment, is a relevant target for the web-based communication of manufacturers of wooden sport equipment. We argue that this is both for ethical reasons, and for market and image purposes.

The Approximate Solution of Nonlinear Vibration of Tennis Based on Nonlinear Vibration Differential Equation

Abstract In this paper, a nonlinear vibration differential equation is established for the moment when a tennis racket hits the ball. At the same time, we deduce the relationship between the tennis racket string tension and the separation time and distance of the hitting speed. Then the article analyzes the vibration equation of the tennis racket damping ball. We use ANSYS finite element analysis software for solid modeling and modal analysis of tennis rackets. The natural frequency of the tennis racket was obtained through the verification results of the experimental modal analysis. A qualitative relationship between the natural frequency of the vibration-absorbing ball system and some parameters was found.

Fiber Nanocomposite Material Used in College Tennis Training and Preparation Method Thereof

With the continuous progress and development of science and technology, nanotechnology has been more and more widely used. In the textile field, people have adopted the technology of electrostatic spinning to prepare fiber nanocomposites, and have produced high-performance and high-performance nanofiber composites. These materials have brought tremendous changes to the field of sports equipment manufacturing. The tradition used in college tennis training the equipment is gradually replaced by fiber nano-composites with superior performance, and it is favored by college tennis players for its superior performance. The purpose of this article is to solve some problems in the current fiber nanocomposite manufacturing process and to discuss some defects in the application of fiber nanocomposite materials. Test its related properties, and discuss the production process of preparing a variety of nanofibers with different compositions, different structures, and different arrangements. The research results show that tennis balls and rackets made of fiber nanocomposites have a huge breakthrough in performance. The physical resistance of tennis balls and rackets has increased by 42%, chemical stability has increased by 30%, and their weight has been reduced by 25% Very high temperature resistance and stability. The experimental results prove the feasibility of applying nanotechnology to manufacturing sports equipment.

INVOLVEMENT OF TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IN SPORTS

INTRODUCTION
 The complexity of the tools used in sports requires constant technological change and improvement. In this paper we will highlight how technological innovations have influenced the development of sports.
 Is it true that technology has intervened in improving results in all sports?
 Many authors (Tidd et al., 1997; Tidd and Bessant, 2009; Hakansson and Snehota, 1995) have attempted to highlight the complex relationships between the innovation process and the incentives that lead to various sport-related inventions.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 In this paper we will use the method of analysis and description to show how technological innovation has influenced the development of sport. The complexity of the tools used in sports constantly requires technological changes and improvements. For example, gymnastics equipment, athletic vaulting poles, tennis rackets, bikes, roller skates and ice skates, etc. are constantly undergoing technological evolution.
 We will analyse how innovations such as: the use of rubber suits in swimming (2008), the increase in cycling speed by the invention of the mechanism that regulates the ratio of wheel speed (1935) or the use of light rubber and very resilient marathon running shoes (2013) have improved results, helping to achieve times at the maximum limits of human ability.
 RESULTS
 Comparing the results drawn from the analysis of scientific works of different authors gives us the opportunity to reach conclusions, which open new avenues of perspective in the sports sector in terms of the design and implementation of technology. The inclusion of technology in sports gives human society greater opportunities to reap its benefits for a more active life.
 DISCUSSION
 Data provided by various authors show that: the use of rubber suits in swimming (2008), increasing the speed in cycling by inventing the mechanism that regulates the ratio of wheel speed (1935) or the use of rubber lightweight and very resilient marathon running shoes (2013) have improved results, helping to achieve times at the maximum limits of human ability.
 In order for innovation to have the greatest impact on sports, cooperation and exchange of experiences is required between sports companies and large manufacturers of sports equipment in improving the technical aspects of the equipment they produce.
 CONCLUSIONS
 The involvement of innovation and technology at different levels have has unquestionably influenced the discovery of high-tech materials as well as the modification and improvement of various techniques. Consequently, these inclusions have made sports performance achieve unimaginable results, pushing the limits of human ability.

The Influence of European Diplomats in Montenegro on the Development of Sport at the end of the XIX Century Until the Beginning of the First World War

Decisions made at the Berlin Congress in 1878. finally resolved the issue of Montenegro’s international status. This created the conditions for European countries to open their diplomatic embassies in Cetinje - the Principality of Montenegro. During this period, diplomatic activities with European countries intensified, which led to the emergence and development of new, hitherto unknown sports in Montenegro. Foreign diplomats contribute to getting to know, accepting and developing modern sports in Montenegro, which they themselves have been involved in. Arriving at the diplomatic embassies of their countries, they brought to Cetinje appropriate sports equipment and their own sports equipment which, after the construction of appropriate sports fields, they used for the first sports and recreational activities, until then mostly unknown in Montenegro. Thus, the first tennis rackets, golf equipment, skis, skates, rollerblades …, arrived in the capital with foreign diplomats, for which the members of the prince’s family and the court entourage showed great interest and soon got involved and mastered new sports and recreational activities. Shortly afterwards, these sports became interesting and accepted by a number of Cetinje residents, which resulted in the opening of several new sports clubs.

Morphometrics for sports mechanics: Showcasing tennis racket shape diversity.

Tennis racket design has changed from its conception in 1874. While we know that modern tennis rackets are lighter and have larger heads than their wooden predecessors, it is unknown how their gross shape has changed specifically. It is also unknown how racket shape is related to factors that influence performance, like the Transverse and Polar moments of inertia. The aim of this study was to quantify how tennis racket shape has changed over time, with a view to furthering our understanding of how such developments have influenced the game. Two-dimensional morphometric analysis was applied to silhouettes extracted from photographs of 514 rackets dating from 1874 to 2017. A principal component analysis was conducted on silhouette outlines, to allow racket shape to be summarised. The rackets were grouped by age and material for further analysis. Principal Component 1 accounted for 87% of the variation in racket shape. A pairwise Pearson’s correlation test indicated that head width and length were both strongly correlated to Principal Component 1 (r = 0.916 & r = 0.801, p-values<0.001). Principal Component 1 was also correlated to the Polar (r = 0.862, p<0.001) and Transverse (r = -0.506, p<0.001) moments of inertia. Racket age and material had a medium (p<0.001, η2p = 0.074) and small (p = 0.015, η2p = 0.017) effect on Principal Component 1, respectively. Mean racket shapes were also generated from the morphometric analyses for the material and age groupings, and we consider how these shape changes may have influenced performance and injury risk. These mean shape groupings could support the development of models, such as finite element analysis, for predicting how historical developments in tennis equipment have affected performance and injury risk.

Determination of different predictors affecting DNA concentration isolated from historical hairs of the Finnhorse

Everyday objects manufactured from raw materials of animal origin, such as skin, hair and bone, are innumerable in cultural historical museums and private collections. Besides their value as memoirs of past techniques, livelihoods and communities, they are a unique source for studying past animal populations by means of molecular analysis.Here, we deal with horse mane and tail hair, a type of predecessor of modern synthetic material utilized, for example, for brushes, strings, tennis rackets, ropes, textiles, dolls’ hair, rocking horses, and filling. By investigating the presence and quality of DNA in horsehair, we have studied the origins of the Finnhorse, the only native horse breed in Finland. Degradation of DNA in old samples is an issue that needs to be considered when selecting material for DNA analysis. For assessing the usability of historical artefacts for DNA-based studies, we study how DNA is preserved in horsehair and how well DNA can be isolated from 50 to 150-year-old artefacts, raw material bundles and archaeological finds. We investigate how the properties of hair and sample storage conditions affect the concentration of DNA extracts and success in Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).Our analysis showed that historical hair shafts, stored in various environments and used for multiple purposes, are of sufficient quantity and quality for amplification by PCR. Therefore, their value for the research of past animal populations should be noticed when curating cultural historical collections. We also provide advice for the storage conditions for hair samples.

Effect of materials and design on the bending stiffness of tennis rackets

Lawn tennis rackets have changed considerably since the origins of the game. Early rackets were wooden, making them heavier and more flexible than modern designs made from fibre-polymer composites. The fundamental frequency of a freely suspended tennis racket is often used as an analogue to stiffness, despite it being dependent on mass. We estimate the bending stiffness of 525 rackets, dating from 1874 to 2017, using a uniform beam model that accounts for mass. The model suggests composite rackets are typically about twice as stiff as their wooden predecessors. Applying typical values of Young’s modulus, density and second moment of area, the model was used to demonstrate the benefits of fibre-polymer composites for making lightweight, stiff rackets. Undergraduate students could make use of our large dataset of tennis rackets to explore these patterns themselves. They could also go on to measure the dimensions, mass and fundamental frequency of tennis rackets and model them as a uniform beam. Students could also apply the theory to other implements, like badminton and squash rackets or baseball and cricket bats.

Detection of illegal treatment of table tennis rackets using gas chromatography coupled to ion mobility spectrometry – A feasibility study

In all professional sports, performance pressure is high at the top level. Therefore, rules are defined and controlled to keep sports fair in accordance e.g. with the Agenda 21 of the International Olympic Committee. However, it’s about money and honour and as a consequence it is obvious that the athletes will go to the limits at all levels or even beyond. This is not only true for performance-enhancing substances to improve the physical capacity but – when sports equipment is involved – also for their optimisation. Thus, rules and related controls are necessary with regard to fairness between competitors but also with regard to their health when chemicals are involved. In table tennis, such chemicals (so-called boosters) are used occasionally – but against the rules – to improve the performance of the rackets. In the present study, several boosters were analysed as well as numerous common racket coverings using ion mobility spectrometry coupled to gas-chromatographic pre-separation. After optimisation of sampling with regard to improving reproducibility, characteristic patterns of volatiles for booster compounds and for racket coverings with different characteristics were developed successfully. In particular, signals related to particular softening agents could be identified and detected even in the untreated coverings. The patterns of volatiles were found to be characteristic for the particular boosters investigated as well as for the particular coverings. Furthermore, those patterns enable a differentiation between booster and covering or – in other words – between rule-consistent racket coverings and rule violation by after treatment of the rubber with a booster. After adaptation of the entire procedure to realistic competition situations, the method could be used for proving an infringement against the prohibition of applying such compounds.

PHYSICAL TRAINING OF BEGINNER TENNIS PLAYERS AT THE AGE OF 8-10

Every day, tennis becomes an increasingly physical sport due to the equipment and the technology used in their construction. The material from which tennis rackets are made, the strings and balls currently used, gives the game a much higher speed. If at first, in tennis, the main skill was coordination I tend to think that nowadays the percentage of other skills, somehow balances the balance. In this paper, I want to observe the difference between classical physics training and the modern method of "tennis 10" physics training in athletes 8-10 years old.

Coming from Nowhere

Coming from Nowhere Robert Lopez (bio) The first time someone called me a spic was during recess or after school in the playground or in the park across the street from my house. I was in shirtsleeves and it was hot or I had on a heavy winter coat with a ski hat and gloves and boots because it had snowed overnight and we could see our breath in the frigid winter cold. I like the thought of the word spic hanging frozen in the air, the vapors of which are exhaled and linger for an unnatural period of time, like in a Saturday morning cartoon, until they disappear. That’s how I’ve experienced most of what’s happened to me, from childhood on, as a series of vapors, exhalations, and disappearances. Back when children wore snowsuits in such weather, the ones that had the mittens tied into the sleeves, the winters were majestic all over New York. There were blizzards every other weekend and the drifts would bury the cars parked in the streets and the trees lining the sidewalks. It seemed as if we would never see the cars again and if school ever did reopen we’d have to use wooden tennis rackets as makeshift snowshoes to get there. We took photographs and when I say we I mean my mother and father took photographs of the cars, of my sister and me, all buried and content and whited out on our lawn outside of our Levitt house in the middle of a particularly conservative and culturally bankrupt part of the country known as Long Island. One wouldn’t think of this as a realistic setting where one person calls another a spic for the first time. One imagines a brilliant sun and blaring heat, people sweating and wearing mirrored sunglasses and sandals instead of ski hats and waterproof boots. My sister and I would go out to the backyard and build snow forts. We did this in matching snowsuits, designed to keep us safe and dry and warm, which were bulky and ridiculous and didn’t allow for any sort of athletic maneuver. You couldn’t fight in them, for instance, but you could build a fort and after the fort was built you could build another fort right next to it. I have no memory of what, if anything, we did inside the forts. [End Page 87] The first time someone called me a spic I was six or nine or eleven years old. The last time someone called me a spic was probably in high school and most likely a term of endearment. I don’t think my sister was ever called a spic, regardless of the weather. I’m sure she was called other things, but none of them ethnically motivated. I remember her friends used to call her Coco for Coco Lopez, which is a Puerto Rican coconut product used in many popular drinks. I don’t think girls were called spics in the 1980s. Maybe they never were. Now when it snows I stay inside. Maybe I look out the window, but I wait for the city to plow the streets and for the superintendents to shovel the sidewalks before I venture out into the world unless it is absolutely necessary, unless I have no choice and it’s about food or the possibility of tennis or sex. I never play in the snow, stopped all that around the age of eight. I hear stories of grown people sledding in the park or cross-country skiing after a blizzard, building snow structures and the like. I remember once a woman I dated expressed consternation when I didn’t throw a snowball at her after she pelted me with one while we were out walking one winter’s day. She accused me of having no fun. Now I like it best when I go on the Pratt or New School or Columbia website and they say that all classes are canceled. I don’t do anything special or especially productive with this unexpected day off and it isn’t as if I don’t like my job, but it still...

Haptic Perception of Physical and Functional Properties of Table Tennis and Badminton Rackets in Children and Elderly

Haptic Perception of Physical and Functional Properties of Table Tennis and Badminton Rackets in Children and Elderly

Experimental modal analysis using laser vibrometer and finite element modeling of milling machine arbor

Experimental modal analysis has received a lot of consideration in recent days for dynamic analysis of complicated engineering structure and machine tools. It is a process which is used to determine the inherent dynamic properties of structure such as damping, mode shapes and natural frequencies. The experimental modal analysis benefits in design of all types of structures including automotive components, aircraft components, spacecraft, computers and tennis rackets and golf clubs etc. The present study deals with the experimental investigation of free vibration of milling machine arbor. Experimental modal analysis of milling machine arbor is carried out by using laser vibrometer for measurement and impact hammer for excitation. The experimental results are compared with the numerical predictions obtained using finite element modeling software ANSYS workbench 14.5. The scope of present work is to understand and investigate the modal parameters of milling machine arbor in the form of natural frequency and mode shape for robust design.

Analysis of impact deformation of tennis rackets on the basis of static beam theory

Tennis rackets are composed of frame and strings. Strings transfer the impact force to the frame during hitting a ball. The impact force applies the momentum to the frame, which deforms elastically. Although the material of the frame, CFRP, is a high strength material, the frame accumulates minor damages after hitting balls for many times, which leads to deteriorate the repulsion capacity of the racket. Then, it is important to estimate the impact force exactly in order to prevent the deterioration in performance. For this purpose, experiments to measure the impact reaction between tennis racket and ball was performed and the data was analyzed by elementary bending theory. This paper shows the impact force subjected to tennis racket agrees well with the result of calculation on the basis of the static beam theory. As a result, the linear relationship between the speed of ball at impact and the impact force acting on the racket was found, and also the relation between the impact spot and the impact force was pointed out.

Acoustics of ping-pong: Vibroacoustic analysis of table tennis rackets and balls

ABSTRACTThe sound resulting from the impact of a table tennis racket and ball can influence a player’s perception of equipment quality in addition to providing clues to personal performance. This study explores the vibrational modes of both racket and ball and how those modes contribute to the impact sound. Experimental modal analysis reveals that the racket exhibits a large number of structural vibration modes typical of elliptical plates. Acoustic analysis reveals that two of those structural modes dominate the sound produced by the ball-paddle impact. The rubber padding provides some damping and a significant mass loading to the racket vibrations. The hollow cellulose nitrate balls exhibit vibrational modes typical of a hollow spherical shell, starting with frequencies around 5920 Hz. Experimental frequencies confirm theoretical and computational models. However, the contact time between racket and ball is long enough that the lowest acoustic modes of the ball do not contribute to the radiated sound. Instead, acoustic analysis suggests that the ball appears to radiate sound at a much higher frequency sound (8.5–12 kHz) most likely due to snap-through after buckling common to spherical shells undergoing deformation while impacting a rigid surface at high speeds.