A tennis backboard is a simple wall usually made from some kind of fiberboard and located at a tennis court. It should have a tennis net either drawn or painted at the proper height of 3 ft 6 in. It is designed to allow a single person to practice by hitting a tennis ball against the wall so the ball is returned, much like a second player would return it.[1] Its invention is credited to tennis player Mary Browne in 1926 during her tenure as a coach at the University of Chicago. The main advantage of the backboard is that it provides a realistic and challenging emulation of regulation tennis, while also being more enjoyable.[2] In 1938 a restraining line was added so that players would not stand unrealistically close to the wall.[3]
Many players are said to have been given their first basic strokes by playing for hours at public courts backboards.[4] Though the backboard's death has been touted more than once, many still believe that it is an important tool to basic skill and stroke development.[5] [6] [7] [8] [9] Including Roger Federer himself, with a "Backboard Challenge".[10]
Original Patent: US . US4093218A . Expired - Lifetime . Modular ball rebound apparatus . 1978-06-06 . 1978-06-06 . 1978-06-06 . 1976-11-26 . Samuel A. Burchers . Most Recent: US . US7677993B2 . Expired - Fee Related . Tennis backboard . 2006-12-14 . 2010-03-16 . 2006-06-03 . 2005-06-08 . Hugh McTavish .