Jimmy Connors popularized metal rackets by using the Wilson T-2000. The distinctive steel racket became closely identified with the American champion during the 1970s and 1980s.
The T-2000 was introduced by Wilson in 1967 and was based on a design patented by French tennis star René Lacoste. Its tubular steel frame and unusual wire stringing system were a sharp departure from the wooden rackets then used by most professionals. The compact head provided a small sweet spot, but Connors developed exceptional control and power with it.
Connors used the T-2000 for roughly 18 years and won major titles while playing with the frame, including the 1974 and 1982 U.S. Opens and the 1974 Wimbledon singles championship. His aggressive baseline game and unmistakable silver racket made the model famous far beyond its technical merits.
Billie Jean King also used a T-2000 early on, so Connors was not literally the first player to use the racket. The quiz asks who popularized it, however, and that answer is Jimmy Connors.