A racket or racquet is a sporting equipment used to strike a ball or shuttlecock back-and-forth in games such as tennis, badminton, squash, racquetball and padel. The typical basic structure of a racket consists of a widened distal end known as the head (which presents a flattened firm surface designed to strike the ball or shuttlecock, known as the face), an elongated (and often cushioned) handle known as the grip, and a reinforced connection between the head and handle known as the throat or heart.
In the strictest sense, the word "racket" specifically refers to one with a mesh face made of interlaced, tightly stretched strings fixed on an ovoid frame (known as the rim). Some rackets have a rigid one-piece head with a solid or fenestrated face instead of a meshwork of strings, such as those used in table tennis, and such rackets are called a paddle or bat. Collectively, sporting games using rackets and paddles are all known as racket sports.
Racket design, materials and manufacturing has changed considerably over the centuries. The frame of rackets for all sports was traditionally made of solid wood (later laminated wood) and the strings of animal intestine known as catgut. The traditional racket size was limited by the strength and weight of the wooden frame which had to be strong enough to hold the strings and stiff enough to hit the ball or shuttle. Manufacturers started adding non-wood laminates to wood rackets to improve stiffness. Non-wood rackets were made first of steel, then of aluminum, and then carbon fiber composites. Wood is still used for real tennis, rackets, and xare. Most rackets are now made of composite materials including carbon fiber or fiberglass, metals such as titanium alloys, or ceramics.
Catgut has partially been replaced by synthetic materials including nylon, polyamide, and other polymers. Rackets are restrung when necessary, which may be after every match for a professional. Despite the name, "catgut" has never been made from any part of a cat.
