My grandpa recently gave me some of his old tennis racquets that he used a long time ago. They are wooden and look very cool. Since they aren't all that good to play with (racquets have improved), I thought that it would be fun to mount the racquets around my house. I wanted to use as few materials as possible, and add a tennis ball to the final installation.

With some basic supplies from the hardware store and 10 minutes of your time, you can mount any tennis racquet on your wall. The racquet will not be harmed during this build, and it can easily be removed for cleaning or use.

Step 1: Tools and Materials

Before you begin, collect the following materials:

a tennis racquet
a tennis ball- I used an old ball that had gone flat
1- 1 3/4" nail
1- 1" long sheetrock screw
hammer
screwdriver
sharp knife

Step 2: Mark Your Wall

Start by holding your tennis racquet against the wall. I wanted my racquet to hang at an angle, but any orientation should work. Using a pencil, make a mark under the grip part of the tennis racquet. This is where the small nail will be installed. Also mark a spot within the strings where you want your tennis ball to be located. This is where the screw will be.

If possible, try to mark places that have studs underneath them. This will help make your mount more durable. I tried the project in plain sheetrock, and it held as long as it didn't get disturbed too much.

Step 3: Install the Hardware

Now that you have marked the proper locations, install the small nail and screw. The nail should be hammered into the wall so that about 1" is sticking out. Using a screwdriver, drive the screw into the mark where the tennis ball will go. The screw should stick out about 1/2". Test the fasteners with your finger to make sure that they are secure.

Step 4: Add the Racquet and Ball

Next, realign your racquet how you determined in step 2, and slide it onto the hardware. The nail should be under the grip, and the screw should fit between the racquet's strings.

Finally, use a sharp knife to carefully cut a slit into your tennis ball. The slit should be slightly larger than the screw head. I chose to make the cut on the back so that the logo would show. Now squeeze the tennis ball so the slit expands and maneuver the ball onto the screw. If the ball is loose, thread the screw into the wall a bit more and try again.

And that's it... This easy to make tennis racquet mount will provide a safe and aesthetically pleasing location for your racquet.