History of Tennis

Framing Problem

Tennis play has changed dramatically in the 150 years since it was invented.  Topspin and slice dominate the game professionally as well as in community play.  Tennis rackets have been improved to match the higher level of play, with much larger string area, carbon fiber rackets and stronger polymer strings.

Every tennis player periodically frames the ball during play, including the pros.  This usually results in a mishit and lost point.   While playing in 2021, it occurred to me that the tennis racket is so thick, front to back, the strings could be rearranged to match the edges of the racket in order to "Hit the strings, not the frame."   So, I hired a patent attorney to research "prior art."  There was none!

There is now.  A Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 17/706,841 was filed March 29, 2022. 

Angling the strings to the frame can prevent many mishits, whether it is a tennis ball, squash ball, or racquetball.  There will always be mishits of course, but any reduction in framings is an improvement in players' games.

"People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do." - Steve Jobs 

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A few selected clips from U.S. Open Tennis Tournament, 2023

Second set (Brady won first set)

Kimberly Birrell, Australia, ranked 111 vs. Jennifer Brady, U.S. , ranked 433

Birrell's first framing mishit serving 5 games to 3 and 30-15:

 

 

[Press full screen bottom right]

Birrell in blue and white, Brady in black

Birrell's second framing mishit in this 5-3 game 30-40, leading to her service break:

Birrell had three mishits in two consecutive games before framing 

the ball again:

Very next game receiving at 4-5 and 15 all: 

Probably framed again

Next point, 15-30, probably framed again.

Next game serving 5 games to 5 and 30-40

Hits the ball long, probably framed, then she throws her racket:

Tie break game for the set, receiving at 3-3, Birrell hits long, probably framing, and again at 4-5 and finally losing match at 4-6, all identical mishits.

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U.S. Open, 2023 First set, 0-1, Frances Tiafoe frames Ben Shelton's return:

Next game 1-1, 30-15 Tiafoe serves and Shelton frames:

Ben Shelton frames the ball at 2-4 in second set, losing the game to Francis Tiafoe:

[Press Full Screen bottom right]

Shelton frames ball at third set  0-0, 40-40:

Zverev frames ball at 1-1 against Alcaraz:

Third set, 2-3, Alcaraz frames ball:

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Medvedev serves at 6-6 tiebreak and 1-1 when Alcaraz frames ball:  

Of course this new stringing method can't save all framed mishits, 

but it can save enough mishits by amateur players to improve their games and confidence.

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TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

"The sport of tennis has long been known as being stuck in a 'data dinosaur epoch' in terms of incorporating analytics and innovative technologies, but with time, comes change and evolving ideas that lead to innovation." - LORENA MARTIN, PH.D. | October 04, 2021 (USTA.com)

Experts in their own field have often failed to recognize new technology or development for their product.  For example, IBM was the world leader in computer technology when it hired Bill Gates to develop software.  Unfortunately for IBM, they failed to recognize its potential and did not contract with Gates for exclusive rights to his work product.  As a result, Gates founded Microsoft, which today has a market capitalization of $2.44  trillion. IBM's market capitalization is $134 billion, less than 6% of Microsoft's.

"Heavier than air human flight is impossible." - Lord Kelvin, 1895, President of the Royal Society, the world's oldest science organization

"But it's already been tried"

No, the Prince Vortex and Dunlop Revelation rackets varied only slightly from racket centered stringing.