IWTO, what does it mean and what's it all about? Well IWTO, as the logo above says, is International Wood Tennis Organisation. It is an organisation founded by Irish tennis player, Steve O' Sullivan and the goal behind it is to get people playing tennis with wooden rackets again.
If you have grown up as part of the modern game you are probably wondering why you would want to play with wooden rackets. Well let me start by saying, IWTO is not trying to replace or take on modern day tennis, it is offering it as an alternative, maybe a bit of nostalgia. If you haven't played tennis with a wooden racket you should try it, it is an amazing experience. The craftsmanship that went into making these rackets is second to none. Modern day tennis is played with, on average, a 100 sq. inch racket head size, wooden rackets are generally around 68 sq. inches. The sweet spot is tiny, so hitting it in itself is a skill. The touch and feel from wooden rackets will give you an appreciation of the talent of the players of days gone by.
The hope of the IWTO is that players and clubs from around the world will get involved and arrange tournaments like the one that just took place in Cork, Ireland this past weekend. Douglas Lawn Tennis Club held the inaugural tournament for the IWTO, The Irish Open. It was a great success and one which attracted players of the wooden era and some younger players who were keen to test their skills with these masterpieces.
