<P> In real tennis, 27 - inch (686 - mm) long rackets are made of wood and very tight strings to cope with the game's heavy balls . The racket heads are bent slightly to make striking balls close to the floor or in corners easier . </P> <P> Standard squash rackets are governed by the rules of the game . Traditionally they were made of laminated timber (typically Ash), with a small strung area using natural gut strings . After a rule change in the mid-1980s, they are now almost always made of composite materials such as carbon fiber or metals (graphite, Kevlar, titanium, and / or boron) with synthetic strings . Modern rackets are 70 cm long, with a maximum strung area of 500 square centimetres (approximately 75 square inches) and a mass between 90 and 200 grams (4--7 ounces). </P> <P> Table tennis uses a table tennis racket made from laminated wood covered with rubber on one or two sides depending on the grip of the player . Unlike a conventional racket, it does not contain strings strung across an open frame . This is called either a paddle, racket, or a bat, with usage differing by region . In the USA the term "paddle" is common, in Europe the term is "bat", and the official ITTF term is "racket ." </P> <P> Table Tennis racket specs are defined at the ITTF handbook section 2.04 and currently include the following . </P>

What kind of wood were tennis rackets made of