Evolution of Tennis and the Racquet
Chapter IV
From Wood to Composite
1930 - 1982
By the end of the 1920s, tennis faced a significant problem: the sport’s skyrocketing popularity had outpaced the production capacity of manufacturers. Frames crafted from solid wood had been the standard from the 1500s to the 1930s, but this method was labor-intensive. Wood was steamed or immersed in hot water to bend it, often resulting in many rejected frames due to cracks. Even for players, a single hairline crack in the frame could spell the end of the racquet's lifespan. To address this, manufacturers turned to a revolutionary concept from the furniture industry: laminated wood. Instead of using a single solid piece, they layered multiple plies of wood and glued them together to create stronger, more durable frames. Dunlop pioneered this process with the Maxply racquet, the first mass-produced laminated wooden racquet. The name “Maxply” referred to the maximum number of layers (maximum plies) used in its construction. This new method would dominate the market for the next five decades.
Inner Composition of a Maxply
Frame from 1949
Dunlop Maxply
The Legend’s First Edition
1932
Dunlop Maxply
The 50th Anniversary Racquet
1972
After the introduction of the Dunlop Maxply, nearly all manufacturers adopted the principle of laminated construction and transitioned their production to this new method.
Hoppe Dresden Extra
German Perfection
1935
Dunlop Corinthian
The Blueprint for Laminated Innovation
1932
Slazenger Perry Maskell
The Guided Path to Masterclass
1937
Wilson Don Budge
The Racquet of the Champion
1939
During the 29th IOC Session held on 26 May 1931 in Barcelona, the German capital, Berlin, was chosen to host the 1936 Summer Olympics. What had initially been presented as a peaceful and apolitical celebration of sport soon descended into a grandiose propaganda spectacle, meticulously orchestrated by Adolf Hitler to promote his perverted vision of National Socialism.
The Hammer Tauberperle racquet, marked with the Reichsadler and Olympic rings, and featuring a swastika on a part of the frame deliberately excluded from our presentation, is a relic of that era. It stands as a sombre reminder of how sport, once a domain of unity and joy, was tragically co-opted to serve the dark ambitions of a regime determined to manipulate the world stage.
Hammer Tauberperle
The Olympics Edition
1936
The Hazells Streamline Innovation - Tennis, Badminton, and Squash
A far more significant contribution to the history and development of the sport came from a racquet that has become one of the most iconic and coveted in racquet sport history - Hazells Streamline. In 1935, former professional player Frank W. Donisthorpe filed a design for a frame featuring a distinctive triple-shaft structure, with a slim main shaft supported by two diagonal shafts extending from the handle to the head. This innovative configuration was intended to reduce air resistance while enhancing the racquet's balance and strength.
Professional player Henry 'Bunny' Austin was contracted to use this innovative design and remained loyal to it throughout his career, right up to the outbreak of the Second World War. He continued to play with it until his final match, the 1938 Wimbledon final, where he faced Donald Budge and was defeated.
Hazells Streamline
Foundational Piece
1934
Hazells Streamline
United States Patent Form
The four initial releases of the Hazells Streamline tennis racquet:
Hazells Streamline
Blue Star
1935
Hazells Streamline
Green Star
1936
Hazells Streamline
Red Star
1935
Hazells Streamline
White Star
1937
In addition to the tennis program, badminton and squash models were developed. The badminton models included the Mark I, which adhered to the tennis design in terms of the shaft construction, and the Mark II, where the three bars in the shaft were fused at the centre. The squash edition followed the Mark II design.
Hazells Streamline Badminton
Blue Star Mark I
1935
Hazells Streamline Badminton
Red Star Mark I
1935
Hazells Streamline Badminton
Blue Star Mark II
1936
Hazells Streamline Squash
Red Star
1936
Hazells Streamline
Tennis and Badminton Promo
1936
Hazells Streamline Squash
Badminton Mark II Promo
1936
In 1938, Hazells gradually came into the spotlight of Grays of Cambridge. Although the final acquisition was not completed until 1941, a collaboration began early on. As a result, the design concepts of Grays began to influence the Streamline. The design of the Blue Star was subtly modified, and in addition, the introduction of a Lady Blue Star and a Junior Blue Star (same construction as the Lady Blue Star, but with a thinner grip) was aimed at tapping into new markets.
Hazells Streamline
Blue Star Release II
1938
Hazells Streamline
Junior Blue Star
1939
Hazells Streamline
Lady Blue Star
1939
Then as now, manufacturers did not always have the sole authority over the design of a new product. When a contracted player was involved, their preferences had to be taken into consideration to avoid falling out of favour. Bunny Austin, one of the world’s top tennis players at the time, played a key role in influencing the design of the new Streamline model that Grays was set to produce. The concept was already in the works, with a blue frame planned for release, accompanied by a matching set of tennis balls. These products were to be marketed as the All Blue Streamline Tennis Racquet and the Light Blue Tennis Ball. However, Austin, particularly taken with the idea of a paint job, insisted on a white finish. As a result, a mix of Austin's influence and the original concept took shape. Instead of the All Blue Streamline, an All White Streamline was produced, though with one inconsistency – the Blue Star sticker from the first design was retained rather than a White Star sticker.
Grays of Cambridge
All White Star Advertisement
1939
Grays of Cambridge
Hazell´s All White Star
1938
Grays of Cambridge
The Light Blue Tennis Ball
1938
With war looming over Europe, the Hazells Streamline made its final public appearance in the Wimbledon final on 8 July 1939. After Bunny Austin fell to Don Budge, he was forced to retire due to chronic back problems. Less than two months later, WWII broke out. As the fighting initially remained confined to the European mainland, Britain’s economy continued to function. With Austin’s retirement, the path was finally clear for the realization of Grays’ original plan. And so the racquet’s intended blue paintwork was ultimately brought to life.
Grays of Cambridge
Hazell´s Agua Blue Star
1941
We would love to end the glorious story of the Hazells Streamline on a high note. But by 1941, the war had reached the doors of Grays as well. Hazells’ production facilities were located on Mare Street, London E8, adjacent to Liverpool Street Station, an area that suffered heavy damage during the London Blitz. When Hazells’ owner, Mr Skull, was forced to sell the company outright to Grays, a turning point was reached. Grays was appointed a nucleus firm under the Concentration of Industry Act and, under government pressure, had to shift its focus to manufacturing webbing for the army.
After the war, people were left to rebuild their lives and infrastructure from the ground up. In such times, there was little room for innovation in tennis racquets, and the Hazells Streamline quietly disappeared from view.
All the more reason why it is a central mission of the Berlin Tennis Gallery to preserve this remarkable chapter of history.
1940s
The outbreak of World War II in 1939 had far-reaching consequences, not only for global politics but also for sports. Major tennis tournaments were put on hold, and Wimbledon’s Center Court was bombed, forcing the tournament to resume in ruins in 1946. During the war, non-European companies became the main manufacturers of tennis equipment. In 1938, Wilson launched the Strata Bow, an improvement on Dunlop’s multi-layered process. Frames made with the Strata Bow technology, such as the Wilson Jack Kramer Autograph, were hailed by many players as some of the best wooden racquets ever produced.
Hammer Start
The Dawn of a New Chapter
1948
Hammer Spezialmodell Hans Nüsslein
Tribute to True Special
1949
Wilson Jack Kramer Autograph
The Pro Amongst the Pros
1947 - 1985
1950s
The 1950s were still deeply affected by the aftermath of the war, and the sport’s professionalization was far from reality. In Germany, the Marshall Plan helped local manufacturers recover, with Hammer and Becker becoming prominent producers of the time.
Becker Rot-Weiss
Game Red White
1955
Becker Blau-Weiss
The Blue Brother
1956
Gray Russell Blue Seal
Ireland’s Craft, Sealed in Blue
1955
Slazenger Jupiter
Red Orbit
1955
Heinrich Hammer Erbacher Rex
Crowned Control
1959
Hammer Henner Henkel
A Name Remembered
1950
Gebrüder Hammer
Family Picture
1950
Real Tennis continued to be played even after the introduction of Lawn Tennis. Grays of Cambridge, founded in 1855, produced their Real Tennis racquets in almost unchanged design until the 1990s.
Grays of Cambridge
Real Tennis Racquet
1952
A few forward-thinking figures recognized the untapped potential of professional tennis, with Jack Kramer leading the charge. Not only a legendary player but also a visionary, Kramer revolutionized the sport by creating his own professional tennis league long before the Open Era. He offered players substantial financial guarantees, such as $75,000 to Tony Trabert, to join his tour, a stark contrast to the modest rewards available to amateurs. Trabert, who had received only a 10-pound certificate for winning Wimbledon as an amateur, readily embraced the opportunity to play professionally.
1960s
This period also saw the rise of future tennis icons like Maureen Connolly, Ken Rosewall, and Rod Laver, who played pivotal roles in bridging the divide between amateur and professional tennis. Simultaneously, manufacturers leveraged the growing popularity of these players, prominently featuring their images on racquets to promote their brands. This marked the start of a closer relationship between players, equipment, and the burgeoning commercial side of tennis.
Wilson
Stylist Tony Trabert
1965
Wilson
Stylist Maureen Connolly
1966
We will return to the remarkable events of the 1960s in more detail in Chapter VI Iconic Inventions.
1970s/80s
The Open Era began in 1968, opening the Grand Slam tournaments to both amateurs and professionals, revolutionizing tennis. With this shift, manufacturers competed for the best players in the world, designing custom-made autograph racquets. During the 1970s and 1980s, many professional players became synonymous with specific racquets. The Berlin Tennis Gallery displays some of these iconic models.
Wilson
Billie-Jean King Autograph
1971-1977
Head
Vilas
1977
Snauwaert
La Grande Rod Laver
1980
Wilson
Stan Smith Autograph
1973
Bancroft
Billie-Jean King Personal
1978
Wilson
Chris Evert Autograph
1976-1985
Snauwaert
Vitas Autograph
1982
Snauwaert
Jan Kodes De Luxe
1976
Slazenger Challenge No I
(Rosewall, Court, Newcombe)
1974
Garcia
Garcia Harold Solomon
1975
Dunlop
Maxply McEnroe
1982
Le Coq Sportif
Wood Graphite
1980
Le Coq Sportif
Yannick Noah Creciendo
1981
Spalding
Pancho Gonzales
1981
Grays
Light Blue (Bjorn Borg)
1985
Snauwaert
Brian Gottfried
1980
Adidas
Nastase Pro
1983
Adidas
Ilie Nastase
1981
Adidas
Nastase Competition
1983
Le Coq Sportif Concept 3 Oversize
The Last Breath Wood
1983
Le Coq Sportif Concept 3
From Shop Floor to Gallery
1983
Adidas
The Kids Collection
1981
In 1980, the Wimbledon final became the ultimate showdown of the golden era. In what is perhaps the most famous Wimbledon final of all time, Sweden’s Björn Borg faced off against America’s John McEnroe. The match had everything tennis drama could offer – good versus bad, Sweden versus the USA, Donnay versus Wilson. The racquets of these two protagonists now stand as silent witnesses to what many consider the pinnacle of the classic era.
Donnay
Borg Pro
1980
Wilson
Jack Kramer Pro Staff
1980
While Borg and McEnroe were the talk of the town on tennis courts around the world, another athlete was quietly making history in a different arena. Australian real tennis player Wayne Davies dominated the scene, winning the world championship four times between the mid-1980s and the 1990s. His signature racquet is now part of the Berlin Tennis Gallery exhibition.
Grays of Cambridge
Wayne Davis Autograph
1988
For five decades, the classic wooden racquet – crafted from laminated wood layers in its standardized form – defined the international tennis scene. By 1985, it had all but vanished from the game. It all began with the Dunlop Maxply, and it was the Maxply that delivered the final breath of the wood era. In 1989 – the year Steffi Graf and Boris Becker brought the Wimbledon titles to Germany – Dunlop produced a farewell series of 25 Maxply Fort racquets. One of these was entrusted to the Berlin Tennis Gallery for historical preservation and now forms a treasured part of our display.
Dunlop
Maxply Fort
1989
In Chapter V: The Revolution in 1982, we will explore the revolutionary invention that replaced wood as the preferred material for tennis racquets up until then.