Tennis racquet

Abstract

A tennis racquet having a bipolar weighting system, comprising a headweight and a tailweight, is shown to outperform all racquets known to prior art. The racquet is very head-light (15 points) and has a high swingweight (350), while it weighs under 400 grams. A series of high-bounce plastic string pads serves to improve stringbed life and bounce.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A safe and efficient tennis racquet having a bipolar weighting system, the racquet comprising the combination of: 
 a length less than 73.7 cm;    a mass less than 400 grams; and    a mass distribution such that 
 the balance of the racquet is at least 15 points head-light, and  
 the swingweight of the racquet about an axis 10 cm from its handle end is at least 350 kg.cm 2 .  
   
     
     
         2 . The tennis racquet of  claim 1 , comprising a headweight and a tailweight.  
     
     
         3 . The tennis racquet of  claim 2 , wherein the headweight comprises a slick grommet strip.  
     
     
         4 . The tennis racquet of  claim 2 , wherein the headweight comprises a series of string pads.  
     
     
         5 . The tennis racquet of  claim 4 , wherein the string pads are of high-bounce plastic.  
     
     
         6 . The tennis racquet of  claim 4 , wherein the string pads are of low-bounce plastic.  
     
     
         7 . The tennis racquet of  claim 2 , wherein the tailweight is a slug within a matrix of low-bounce material, the tailweight being disposed within the handle of the racquet.  
     
     
         7 . An improved tennis racquet, wherein the improvement comprises a series of string pads, the string pads being disposed between the racquet head and the strings and firmly engaging the strings.  
     
     
         8 . The improved tennis racquet of  claim 7 , wherein the string pads are of high-bounce plastic material.  
     
     
         9 . The improved tennis racquet of  claim 7 , wherein the string pads are of low-bounce plastic material.  
     
     
         10 . An improved tennis racquet, the improvement comprising a headweight and a tailweight which serve to clamp the free ends of the racquet and thus reduce its resonant frequency.  
     
     
         11 . The improved tennis racquet of  claim 10 , the racquet comprising the combination of: 
 a length less than 73.7 cm;    a mass less than 400 grams; and    a mass distribution such that 
 the balance of the racquet is at least 15 points head-light, and the swingweight of the racquet about an axis 10 cm from its handle end is at least 350 kg.cm 2 .  
   
     
     
         12 . The tennis racquet of  claim 10 , wherein the headweight comprises a slick grommet strip.  
     
     
         13 . The tennis racquet of  claim 10 , wherein the headweight comprises a series of string pads.  
     
     
         14 . The tennis racquet of  claim 13 , wherein the string pads are of high-bounce plastic.  
     
     
         15 . The tennis racquet of  claim 13 , wherein the string pads are of low-bounce plastic.  
     
     
         16 . The tennis racquet of  claim 10 , wherein the tailweight is a slug within a matrix of low-bounce material, the tailweight being disposed within the handle of the racquet.