The History of Big Tennis: From Origins to Modern Times

The history of tennis dates back to ancient times, when such games were common in various cultures around the world. Over time, tennis has undergone many changes and evolved from a simple recreational game to the highly technical and popular sport we know today. In the same way the sport has developed, platforms offering entertainment and gaming experiences, such as Staycasino review, have also evolved, providing reviews and insights into the world of online gaming. Let’s take a look at this fascinating history from its origins to the modern day, keeping in mind how innovation in leisure activities has paralleled the evolution of sports like tennis.

The Origins of Tennis

The first forms of tennis are known to have been played as far back as antiquity. One of the earliest varieties was the “amber ball”, popular in ancient Egypt and Greece. During the Middle Ages, there were various versions of tennis in Europe, but the game became very popular in France in the 15th century.

Basic rules of tennis

The dimensions of a tennis court for singles play are 23.77 metres by 8.23 metres. In doubles and mixed doubles, the dimensions of the court are 23.77 metres by 10.97 metres. Depending on the tournaments, tennis matches are played to two or three game wins. Each game or set is played to six won games, but if the score is 5:5 the tennis players play two extra games. If the score after them remains equal (6:6), the fate of the set is determined by a tie-break to seven points. In the course of the set the players play alternating games on serve and serve-receive. The first point won increases a player’s score to 15, the second to 30, the third to 40, and the fourth point means victory in the game. But only if it is not won in a tie (40:40). In this case the players play until one of them has a two-point advantage. The same rules apply in a tie-break, when the score is tied 6:6 or more, a tennis player needs to gain a two-point advantage to win the game.

A game on one’s own serve starts from the first (right) square of the court. The serve is served diagonally to the opponent’s half of the court. It is necessary to hit the serving zone (6.40×4.115), two attempts are given. In case of failure, a double fault is recorded and the point is given to the opponent. Play continues until someone makes a mistake (fails to hit the ball, hits the ball into the net or misses the opponent’s half-court shot). In addition, after an odd number of games (1, 3, 5 and so on) in a set, the tennis players change sides. In a tie-break, the sides change after every six games.

Development in Europe

In France and England, tennis became a favourite pastime for the aristocracy. In the 16th century, the first tennis courts appeared, and the rules of the game were gradually refined. An important moment was the invention of the racket, which gave players more control over the ball and opened up new possibilities in playing technique.

The emergence of professional tennis

In the 19th century, tennis became an official sport and the first tournaments were held. One of the most famous is the Wimbledon tournament, which was held in 1877 and was the first world tennis championship. Over time, tennis became more and more popular and there was a need for international associations and rules of the game.

The era of open tennis

In 1968, the International Tennis Federation (ATP) was founded and the era of open tennis began. This meant that players could participate in professional tournaments regardless of their status. This fuelled the rise in popularity of tennis around the world and led to the emergence of new stars and legendary matches.

Modernity

Today, big tennis is one of the most popular and exciting sports. There are four major Grand Slam tournaments – Wimbledon, the US Open, the Australian Open and the French Open. Tennis stars such as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Venus and Serena Williams continue to inspire sports fans with their achievements and professionalism.

10 interesting facts about tennis

For everyone who is interested in big tennis, who plays it professionally or at the amateur level, is a fan or a simple fan, I have prepared a selection of interesting facts about the sport.

1. In ancient Greece and Rome, there was a game resembling modern tennis. Of course, no racquets were out of the question at that time: the ball was beaten with hands or sticks. Then, in the 12-13th centuries, this game was revived in Italy and slightly modified: the ball was beaten with a mitten, a small wooden shield or a leather belt. It was called at that time “gidoco”. In the 14th century, tennis was further developed in France.
2. The first tennis ball was carved from wood, then they began to make them from leather. Leather tennis balls were filled with dried animal entrails, wool or sawdust. A blow with such an object was very traumatic, even fatal, and had the ability to bounce only from a hard surface. Therefore, the game was played mainly in stone halls.
3. Historians have found an interesting fact – in ancient Egypt tennis was a religious rite. Then this custom migrated to Spain, where local monks for a long time fought for the game did not go beyond the walls of religious monasteries. The main church even tried to ban the game of tennis, but after 4 centuries it managed to break out of the sacred world.
4. The word “tennis” translates from French as “Here you go! Play!”.
5. The birthplace of tennis, which we are so used to now, can be considered England, where the Wimbledon tournament has been held since 1877. Although the history of tennis is not entirely transparent, and it is believed that the rules of this game were invented by Walter Wingfield, an officer in the British army, in 1873. He patented tennis in the hope of making a profit from it, but all was in vain. Although Wingfield claimed to have used the principles of the ancient Greek ball game in tennis, researchers believe that he simply combined the rules of popular English games such as badminton and squash.
6. As you know, counting in tennis is not quite in the usual way: zero, fifteen, thirty and forty. Why are these numbers used? According to legend, in the early days of the game, the score was kept by the clock, and each point was marked on the dial by moving the hand a quarter of a turn. Over time, forty-five was transformed for convenience into forty. There is another explanation. According to it, in mediaeval France and Germany there already existed betting and playing for money, including in tennis. Laws, for example, in Germany, forbade bets over 60 dinars. So they bet for one game up to 60 allowed dinars, and since the coins that were in use at that time had a value of 15 dinars, it turned out to be just 15 for each point.
7. Polo shirts originally appeared among tennis players, namely the ten-time Grand Slam winner, Frenchman René Lacoste in 1926. A year later, Lacoste placed the image of a crocodile on the chest of his shirts, and after his tennis career ended, he founded his own clothing brand Lacoste under the same emblem. However, the new shirts began to be worn not only by tennis players, but also by other athletes, especially polo players. It was under this name that the new clothes gradually established themselves in the general lexicon.
8. In the history of tennis there is a unique personality – American Renee Richards. She is the only one in the history of sport who was able to take part in official competitions first in the men’s category, and after a sex change operation – in the women’s category.
9. The familiar yellow-green colour of modern balls was first proposed in 1972, before that white and black “shells” were used, depending on the type of court surface. Modern balls are known to be coloured “optical yellow”. It is clearly visible not only on all courts, but also from TV screens. About 300 million tennis balls are produced in the world every year.
10. The world’s first tennis tournament for players at least 95 years old was held at the Palm Springs Tennis Club. It was the first competition for people approaching the centennial mark officially authorised by the United States Tennis Association. At the same time, the Lurie Cup, an international team competition for players at least 90 years old, was played. Team USA faced an international team made up of tennis veterans from Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Korea, Switzerland and England.

Conclusion

The history of big tennis is a story of evolution, passion and competition. From simple games in antiquity to thrilling matches on modern courts, tennis has remained one of the most exciting and popular sports. Its influence on culture and entertainment is undeniable, and it continues to delight fans around the world.