Condition
8
10: New
9: Mint
8: Excellent
7: Good
6: Fair
5: Average
4: Below Average
3: Poor
|
Rarity
5
10: Impossibly rare
9: Extremely rare
8: Hard to find
7: Fairly rare
6: Uncommon
5: Common
<4: Big Seller
9: Mint
8: Excellent
7: Good
6: Fair
5: Average
4: Below Average
3: Poor
9: Extremely rare
8: Hard to find
7: Fairly rare
6: Uncommon
5: Common
<4: Big Seller
– – – – – – – – – – –
About This Racket
TAD, founded by T.A.Davis in the 1931, always produced high quality rackets which were often showcases for the natural beauty of the fine woods used. The founder was a medical professional who built the first Davis rackets in his garage. Davis had three patents, the most famous of which was for the cross-grain lamination’ which was used on every TAD racket. TA Davis had no major sponsorships, and they preferred not to pay for player endorsements rather to invest in research and development. They made rare diagonally strung rackets, midsize, metal, graphite in small quantities. This was a nice racket and one of their big sellers perhaps because it was slightly cheaper!
Racket | Decade | Description |
---|---|---|
BLACKSTREAK | 1950s | Later rendition of a TAD model with netting logo. |
CLASSIC | 1970s | First TAD racket with fiberglass around the head. |
CORONET | 1970s | Bottom-of-the-line model with natural wood beauty. |
DUKE | 1970s | Top-of-the-line model with fiberglass and aluminum underlayment. |
HI-POINT | 1970s | Prevalent bottom-of-the-line model. |
HI-POINT MIDSIZE | 1980s | Transition to mid-size in the 1970s/1980s. |
IMPERIAL v1 | 1950s | Early rendition with wood underlayment. |
IMPERIAL v2 | 1970s | Tape wraps, quality wood overlayment, fiberglass underlayment. |
IMPERIAL DELUXE | 1970s | Considered the “best looking racket ever made”. |
IMPERIAL MIDSIZE | 1980s | Attempt to transition from wood to all composites. |
JET | 1950s | Early lower-end racket with straight grip striations. |
LADY ELITE | 1970s | Classic variation with graphics to appeal to women players. |
PROFESSIONAL v1 | 1950s | Early rendition that survived several decades. |
PROFESSIONAL v2 | 1970s | Rendition with modern graphics. |
SUPREME | 1970s | Slight variation on the Classic models. |
TAD | 1970s | A rendition of the TAD namesake racket. |
TOPSPIN | 1980s | Return to diagonally strung rackets innovated by TAD in the 1930s. |
Specifications
Measurements | Value | Performance | Score |
---|---|---|---|
Weight | 370g | Power | 19/100 |
Head Size & Length | 67.5sq in | 27inch | Control | 41/100 |
Balance | 5pt head heavy 219 | Spin | 40/100 |
Grip | Perforated leather | Handling | 78/100 |
Strings | 18 x 20 | synthetic | Comfort | 89/100 |
Flexibility | RA 43 | Consistency | 59/100 |
About TA Davis
Davis Ramus Theo “Ladd” Davis was a pivotal figure in the tennis world due to his contributions to tennis racquet design and manufacturing. He co-founded the T.A. Davis Tennis Racquet Company with his father, Theophilus Anthony Davis, in 1931. The company became renowned for its innovative racquets, which were celebrated for their artistic design and patented cross-grain construction, making them classic wooden racquets still admired today. The Davis racquets were unique because they incorporated cross-grain construction, a technique inspired by their experience with wooden bi-planes. This method enhanced the racquets’ strength and flexibility, preventing strings from cutting into the wood. They also introduced ergonomic grips shaped like human hands and used a combination of heavier exterior woods and lighter interior woods for better balance 1. Under Ladd’s leadership, millions of T.A. Davis racquets were produced and distributed worldwide, The racquets became cultural icons, featured in advertisements for brands like Ralph Lauren and Sony, symbolizing classic elegance in tennis.