PARIS—The scoreline reads: Second round – No. 10 Cilic d. Kyrgios, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2. Your brain says, “Move on folks, nothing to see here. Wonder how Tsonga did?” This is understandable.

Historical importance, as it relates to tennis racquets, is measured by a frame’s technological innovation and cultural influence. From the dawn of the Open era in 1968, tennis players and fans ...