Saturday, February 16, 2008

Tennis and Technology




Tennis is a game that has remained fundamentally unchanged since its beginnings in 1875. Babolat Racquets are still creating world-class rackets, as they have since they first shook hands with the creator of the game. The major controversy is still clay versus grass, and the game has still been shaken to the core by politics (even though it's now on the forefront of gender politics rather than government).




Tennis shoes are an important part of the tennis player's gear, allowing the player to quickly react to the incoming ball. K Swiss tennis shoes are a refinement of the standard tennis shoe. The first leather tennis shoe (debuting at Wimbledon in 1966), K Swiss is a premium tennis shoe. It is not only worn by athletes on the courts and track, but s also worn as a fashion statement. In fact, wearers sometimes have two pairs of shoes: One for their sports and one for everyday wear. It's a popular shoe not only for its appearance but for how comfortable it is.


The game has been a recipient of the space age in a number of subtle ways. The least subtle way has been in the tennis racquets where graphite strings and metal frames have increased the performance of tennis stars past the original cat gut and wood. With athletes looking for every edge that they can get, the increased power of strikes thanks to the new racquets has vitalized the sports, and made endorsement deal so much sweeter, even in a sport where there are ostensibly limited opportunities for advertising.


Although the rules and courts haven't changed much, the technology has. Tennis is still an exciting sport, where the stakes usually spill past the court. It may not be one of the biggest sports, but people still watch tennis, and probably always will.