Tennis rackets and similar implements with vibration damper

An elongated sports implement comprising a striking portion at one end and a handle portion of lesser breadth than said striking portion at its other end, said implement having a longitudinal axis which passes through said striking portion and said handle, said implement being subject in use to significant vibration extending to said handle portion from impacting contact with a game ball at said striking portion, said vibration being transverse to said longitudinal axis and having an alternating series of two nodes and three antinodes spaced along said axis, one of said antinodes being located at each of said ends of said implement, and

• a cantilevered vibration damper comprising an elongated resilient member having a longitudinal axis, said member having one end attached to said implement at the location of one of said antinodes, with the longitudinal axis of said member generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said implement, the opposite end of said member being free to vibrate, said member being formed of an energy-absorbing material and being so configured and dimensioned that its natural frequency of vibration corresponds to the frequency induced in the implement during said vibration, whereby said vibration is significantly damped.