News
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Our Rackets in the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum
June 30, 2026
Wood Tennis Club has been delighted to join with our partner Grays of Cambridge (International) Ltd. to supply rackets from this project to the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum.
For the acquisition by the Museum, eight rackets were presented by Grays CEO-Commercial Richard Gray to Senior Curator Emma Traherne at the All England Lawn Tennis Club on Monday 29 June, Day 1 of The Championships 2026.
On the occasion, Richard Gray, great grandson of founder H.J. Gray, said: “As the oldest racket manufacturer in the world it is a great honour to donate these rackets to the Museum on behalf of Grays and our partner Stephen Murphy at Wood Tennis Club. It’s thanks to Stephen’s passion that we are once again hand-crafting wooden lawn tennis frames, alongside those for Rackets and Real Tennis, in our Cambridge factory where the firm was founded in 1858 by Harry Gray.”
The objects comprise Prototype #03, unstrung frame #100 from the 100-piece 2019 ‘Masterpiece’ launch model, and six examples of current models. It also includes a Grays Wood Tennis racket cover and a companion document prepared by Stephen Murphy summarising the project’s story so far.
Our project has written a small chapter in the game’s vast story, reviving the manufacture and sale of new all-wood rackets to make them part of tennis again.
The rackets will be stored at the Museum and may be displayed from time-to-time.
An original Masterpiece!
June 13, 2026
Wood Tennis Club is extremely pleased to have acquired an original, rare 1908 H.J. Gray & Sons ‘The Masterpiece’ for the Grays Collection.
Well over a century old, it’s pictured here next to an image of a vintage advertising poster for this racket.
Our current ‘The Masterpiece’ is the descendant of this original model.
H.J. Gray & Sons, which became Grays of Cambridge in the 1930’s, began making lawn tennis rackets in the late 1870’s.
Our new “G” stencil
June 11, 2026
Gradually from now on our rackets will be seen with a new Grays “G” string stencil.
The re-worked design (pictured) has been created together by Top Spin Tennis, Grays’ factory and Wood Tennis Club, and approved by Grays management.
New rackets being strung from now feature the new design.
Replacement grips now available
June 9, 2026
Owners of our rackets are now able to refresh their worn grips with a new replacement Fairway by Balmforth grip.
They can be purchased in exactly the same way as a racket. (See our Accessories page.)
Standard length grips (up to 7-inch grip height) as well as extended grips (suitable for our ‘Mystique’ 9-inch grip) are available.
Owners of Grays rackets with earlier style grips, such as the original ‘Masterpiece’, can also refresh and upgrade their grip with a Grays-supplied premium leather Fairway by Balmforth grip.
‘Eco-Blue’ launches today
April 13, 2026
Today, Wood Tennis Club and Grays of Cambridge proudly present our 2026 model, the ‘Eco-Blue’.
This new model, our fifth since 2019, blends the past with the future, with special Grays innovation.
Whilst reviving the company’s century-old tradition of “Cambridge Blue”, it is also innovative in two ways. It’s our first model aimed not just at wood racket enthusiasts but at any environmentally-conscious club player - made with sustainably-grown timbers and with fewer cosmetics. As well, this model is offered in two lengths – standard 27” (Model 270) and a slightly lighter and more manoeuvrable 26 ½” (Model 265).
Of course, the ‘Eco-Blue’ embodies the same timeless craftsmanship and quality that Grays has long been renowned for – the hallmark of our entire range.
New stringer appointed
April 3, 2026
Wood Tennis Club has appointed a new stringer.
All Grays wood rackets will now be strung by Top Spin Tennis.
Founded in 2003, Top Spin Tennis describes itself as one of the largest racket sports specialists and the most highly qualified retail stringing team in the UK.
Top Spin Tennis has a strong presence in the Cambridge area, near our factory. This proximity will improve efficiency and better set up this project for the long-term.
Sincere thanks to our previous stringer Paul Skipp for his wonderful service over the last few years.
Now sponsoring - a coach!
March 29, 2026
If you’re a tennis coach who uses wood rackets as a teaching tool, we are interested in supporting you.
A sponsorship by Wood Tennis Club is available to any accredited coach, anywhere in the world, who regularly uses wood rackets in their on-court coaching program.
Among other things, we will supply a new, free Grays racket!
If this is you, get in touch.
Successful visit to the UK ends
March 14, 2026
It was a highly successful visit by Founder & Director Stephen Murphy to the UK, ending earlier this month.
There were two wonderful outcomes. First, Grays agreed to continue manufacturing lawn tennis frames for Wood Tennis Club indefinitely. Second, the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum expressed a wish to receive rackets from this project for its collection.
Our photo shows the Grays premises in Robertsbridge, East Sussex, where the famous Gray-Nicolls cricket bats are made. The meeting with Grays took place in Robertsbridge.
Founder is visiting Grays in England
January 4, 2026
Wood Tennis Club’s Founder & Director Stephen Murphy is soon to make an exciting short visit to the UK in support of this project.
Among other things, he’ll be undertaking research in Grays’ birthplace, Cambridge, visiting the Grays factory and holding a number of meetings.
Follow Stephen’s visit on the Wood Tennis Club and Grays Wood Tennis accounts on Facebook and Instagram.
Demo rackets now available
November 22, 2025
If you’re in the Cambridge (UK) area, or can get there, and would like to try out our hand-crafted all-wood rackets, we now have these two demo models available.
They’ve already been borrowed once and received a very positive review.
Of course, the rackets are the ‘Mystique’ and ‘The Masterpiece’. They’re both just made.
Contact us to get the ball rolling.
A new bubblegum-colour grip for kids
October 31, 2025
The styling of our new Junior Slam ‘Graduate Trainer’ is now complete with the addition of a Grays bubblegum-coloured cushion grip.
It’s a perfect grip for this 26” racket, that has been created to be part of young players’ tennis development journeys.
We hope kids will love this very special racket. It’s available now.
Our rackets to be play-tested
September 9, 2025
For the first time, our rackets are going to be play-tested for an online tennis forum.
Two new demo rackets are being made right now – a ‘Mystique’ and ‘The Masterpiece’ (pictured).
The forum is “Talk Tennis”. Let’s see what the reaction is!
