The origins of tennis

A 

The game of tennis has a very long history. It is officially still known as lawn tennis,' partly because it was originally only played on grass, and also to distinguish it from the older game known as 'real tennis,' from which the modern game developed.

B 

Some people believe that the ancient Egyptians, Greeks,and Romans played various versions of tennis. No drawings or descriptions of any tennis-like games have been discovered, but a couple of Arabic words dating from ancient Egyptian times are cited as evidence. The theory goes that the name "tennis' is derived from the Egyptian town of Tennis alongside the Nile, and the word 'racquet' evolved from the Arabic word for the palm of the hand, rahat.

C 

Aside from these two Arabic words, there is no other evidence for any form of tennis prior to the year 1000. Most historians believe the origins of the game date back to 11th- and 12th- century France. It's thought that French monks were the first to play a basic game of handball against their monastery buildings, or over a rope strung across a courtyard. Those who dispute more ancient origins argue that the name 'tennis' is derived from the French tenez, which meant something to the effect of 'take this,' said as one player would serve to the other.

D 

This game took on the name jeu de paume, which means "game of the hand or palm." But as they found playing with bare hands quite uncomfortable, players began using a simple glove,and later either a glove with webbing between the fingers or a solid paddle, similar to the ones used in table tennis today. Wooden racquets were not invented until much later.

E 

The French nobility learned the game from the monks, and some accounts report as many as1,800 tennis courts in France by the 13th century. The game, which remained exclusive to the upper classes, gained more popularity over the 14th and 15th centuries. As it became increasingly fashionable, outdoor courtyards were modified into indoor courts. The game became such a widespread diversion among the aristocracy that both the pope and the French king tried to ban it. By the 16th century, the game had spread to England, where it became known as tennis.' Both kings Henry VII and Henry VIII were avid players who promoted the building of courts, and it also became a very fashionable game among the English upper classes.

F 

An example of one of these early real tennis' courts can be seen at the royal palace of Hampton Court near London. It was built in 1525 and is still used today. Only a handful of such courts remain. It is a tall, narrow indoor court, bearing more resemblance to a squash court than the type of tennis courts we are familiar with today. 'Real tennis' is a remarkably fast and difficult game as the ball can be bounced off any of the surfaces, some of which are slanted at odd angles. The net is just over 1.5 metres high at each end, but drops to just under a metre in the middle.

G 

Until the 19th century, the ball was either constructed from a wad of hair, wool, or cork wrapped in string and cloth or leather. Then a major development took place when Charles Good year invented vulcanisation, a process that allows rubber to withstand heat and cold. This led to the development of rubber tennis balls. During the 1850s, players began to experiment with these new balls, which bounced easily on outdoor grass courts.

H 

In 1874 a Welshman, Major Walter C. Wingfield, known as the father of lawn tennis,' had the idea of devising rules, which he published. He also introduced standardised equipment,including racquets, balls, posts, and a net, which he patented and sold in sets. The game quickly became a very popular and sociable open-air pursuit for the English middle classes.People also started playing tennis in countries such as the United States, Russia, India,Canada, and China.

I 

However, not all of Wingfield's ideas ultimately survived. Inspired by his knowledge of Greek, he called his version of tennis Sphairistike - a name which never caught on. Interestingly, his original court had the shape of an hourglass, with the net across its narrowest section.

J 

A major tennis tournament took place for the first time in Wimbledon, London in 1877, and its organising committee came up with a rectangular court and a modified set of rules that are essentially the same as for the game we know today. The net was still high at the sides, a carryover from the game's indoor ancestor. But by 1882, the specifications for the size of the court, the equipment, and the rules had evolved to their current form.