Backboard (tennis)

A tennis backboard or hit-up wall is a simple wall sometimes made from fiberboard and located at or near a tennis court or at a playground or park.^[1] 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.^[2] Its invention is credited to tennis player Mary Browne in 1926 during her tenure as a coach at the University of Chicago.^{[citation needed]} The main advantage of the backboard is that it provides a realistic and challenging emulation of regulation tennis, while also being more enjoyable.^[3] In 1938 a restraining line was added so that players would not stand unrealistically close to the wall.^[4]

Many players are said to have been given their first basic strokes by playing for hours at public courts backboards.^[5] 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.^{[6][7][8][9][10]} Including Roger Federer himself, with a "Backboard Challenge".^[11]