The document traces the history and development of tennis racquets from the 14th century to modern times. Early racquets were simple wooden frames with strings. Major improvements included Wingfield patenting a racquet design in 1874 and the introduction of wire-strung racquets and metal heads in the late 1800s. Lighter and stronger materials like aluminum, graphite, and composites were then incorporated into racquet frames and heads starting in the 1960s and 70s. More recently, racquets have used new technologies like piezoelectric materials to convert vibration into electrical energy for damping and stiffening of the frame.