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105-469: The racket sport traditionally named lawn tennis, invented in Edgbaston , Warwickshire , England, now commonly known simply as tennis , is the direct descendant of what is now denoted real tennis or royal tennis, which continues to be played today as a separate sport with more complex rules. Most rules of (lawn) tennis derive from this precursor and it is reasonable to see both sports as variations of

210-412: A racket or paddle to hit a ball or other object. Rackets consist of a handled frame with an open hoop that supports a network of tightly stretched strings. Paddles have a solid face rather than a network of strings, but may be perforated with a pattern of holes, or be covered with a textured surface. Real tennis The term real was first used by journalists in the early 20th century as

315-535: A retronym to distinguish the ancient game from modern lawn tennis (even though, at present, the latter sport is seldom contested on lawns outside the few social-club-managed estates such as Wimbledon ). There are just 45 active real tennis courts in the world, located in the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States and France. There are also currently six disused courts, such as the two in

420-533: A basket of them is given to King Henry as a mockery of his youth and playfulness; the incident is also mentioned in some earlier chronicles and ballads . One of the most striking early references appears in a painting by Giambattista Tiepolo entitled The Death of Hyacinth (1752–1753), in which a strung racquet and three tennis balls are depicted. The theme of the painting is the mythological story of Apollo and Hyacinth , written by Ovid . Giovanni Andrea dell'Anguillara translated it into Italian in 1561 and replaced

525-586: A career for the 'maître paumiers' and, establishing three levels of professionals – apprentice, associate, and master. The first codification of the rules of real tennis was written by a professional named Forbet and published in 1599. The game thrived among the 17th-century nobility in France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and the Habsburg Empire , but suffered under English Puritanism , as it

630-531: A game. King Charles IX granted a constitution to the Corporation of Tennis Professionals in 1571, creating the first pro tennis 'tour', establishing three professional levels: apprentice, associate, and master. A professional named Forbet wrote and published the first codification of the rules in 1599. Royal interest in England began with Henry V (1413–22). Henry VIII (1509–47) made the biggest impact as

735-410: A game. A player with receiving odds starts a game requiring less than four points to win the game, while a player with owing odds requires more than four points to win the game. Such odds are counted backwards, so a player requiring five points starts at "owe 15", while a player requiring six points starts at "owe 30". A player with half-odds starts each second game with the nominated score, that is,

840-614: A group of 17 giants in The Turke and Gowin (c. 1500). The Medieval form of tennis is termed as real tennis , a game that evolved over three centuries from an earlier ball game played around the 12th century in France that involved hitting a ball with a bare hand and later with a glove. By the 16th century the glove had become a racquet, the game had moved to an enclosed playing area and the rules had stabilized. Real tennis spread in popularity throughout royalty in Europe, reaching its peak in

945-568: A hand-sewn layer of heavy, woven, woollen cloth, traditionally Melton cloth (not felt , which is unwoven and not strong enough to last as a ball covering). The balls were traditionally white, but around the end of the 20th century "optic yellow" was introduced for improved visibility, as had been done years earlier in lawn tennis. The balls are much less bouncy than lawn tennis balls, and weigh about 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 ounces (71 grams); lawn tennis balls typically weigh 2 ounces (57 g). Despite trials by Dunlop to introduce machine-made balls in

1050-699: A high ceiling. The floor size of a court can vary from 28.3 by 9.1 metres (93 ft × 30 ft) at Oxford to 29.6 by 9.6 metres (97 ft × 31 ft) and can be constructed of dyed concrete or, in some older courts, flagstone . The surrounding walls are usually constructed of brick or cinder block and are plastered smooth. Some courts, notably Prested and Washington feature glass walls down to floor level, though many more have recently installed glass walls higher up to increase viewing capacity without impacting play. Three walls feature sloping wooden roofs, known as penthouses , built 2 to 2.2 metres (6 ft 7 in to 7 ft 3 in) above

1155-409: A hole in the floor underneath the net. A trough under the net allows balls hit into the net to roll into the basket. The entire basket of balls is tipped into a tray in the dedans prior to play to reduce time spent fetching balls. As such, ball boys are not required in real tennis. The 27-inch (690 mm) short, asymmetrical racquets are made of wood and use very tight nylon strings to cope with

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1260-431: A net, which sags in the middle. At the centre of the court, the net is positioned 3 feet (0.91 m) above the playing surface, rising to 5 feet (1.5 m) at the sides of the court. Most courts feature a trough and a sunken basket at the base of the net for collecting balls at the change of ends. The service court is marked on the hazard side by a line called the service line approximately 7 yards (6.4 m) from

1365-418: A player playing "owe half 15" starts the first game at love, and the second game at owe 15. In handicap matches, deuces are never played - a score of 40-all is winner-takes-all. A set is a series of games counted up to a predetermined number, usually 6. The sets are counted in the ordinary manner (ie. 1, 2, 3 etc). There are no tiebreakers or advantage sets played, so at a score of 5-all, the player who wins

1470-416: A second serve, but if it is also a fault, then the server double faults and the receiver wins the point. Under French rules, balls which land between the fault line and the main wall are not considered a fault, and are instead called a pass , with the serve replayed. In doubles play, the two players in the pair alternate serving or receiving at the end of each game. The first player will serve or receive

1575-428: A serve, there are many different styles of serves which are chosen to achieve different tactical advantages. Since the court is asymmetric, different techniques are required for right and left-handed players. Some of the most common serves include: Once the ball has been served, the players have to return it to the opposite side by striking it with the racket. Unlike for lawn tennis, the ball does not have to bounce off

1680-413: A short break at the change of ends for refreshments, but may not leave the court except with the permission of the marker (and usually at the end of the set). The general etiquette is that the player changing from the service end to the hazard end will wait for the other player to come around the net, and place a ball on their racket for them to serve. The score of the match is kept by a marker. The role of

1785-489: A suitable challenger in a manner similar to chess or boxing . Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the incumbent champion dictated the terms, location and times of his challenge, which required any challengers to be backed by sponsors who provided a sufficient prize purse to fund a challenge. The most notable champion of this period was Pierre Etchebaster , who held the title for 24 years between 1928 and 1954 winning 8 challenges. In 1959, responsibility for running

1890-489: A young monarch, playing the game with gusto at Hampton Court on a court he had built in 1530. It is believed that his second wife, Anne Boleyn , was watching a game when she was arrested and that Henry was playing when news of her execution arrived. During the reign of James I (1603–25) London had 14 courts. Real tennis is mentioned in literature by William Shakespeare , who mentions "tennis balles" in Henry V (1599), when

1995-597: Is acknowledged that this stereotype still exists). The word tennis came into use in English in the mid-14th century from French, via the Anglo-Norman term Tenez, which can be translated as 'hold!', 'receive!' or 'take!', a call from the server to his opponent indicating that he is about to serve. The first known appearance of the word in English literature is by poet John Gower in his poem titled 'In Praise of Peace' dedicated to King Henry IV and composed in 1400; "Of

2100-466: Is an older design, and jeu à dedans . Both are doubly asymmetric : each end of the court differs in shape from the other, and the left and right sides of the court are also different. All existing tennis courts in the modern day are of the jeu à dedans variety, except the court at Falkland Palace in Scotland. The jeu à dedans court is a rectangular indoor court with high walls on all four sides and

2205-493: Is commonly believed, mistakenly, that Wingfield obtained a patent on the game he devised to be played on that type of court, but in fact Wingfield never applied for nor received a patent on his game, although he did obtain a copyright — but not a patent — on his rules for playing it. And, after a running series of articles and letters in the British sporting magazine The Field , and a meeting at London's Marylebone Cricket Club ,

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2310-516: Is thought to derive from the French word tenez, which means "take heed" – a warning from the server to the receiver. Real tennis evolved, over three centuries, from an earlier ball game played around the 12th century in France. This had some similarities to palla , fives , Spanish pelota or handball , in that it involved hitting a ball with a bare hand and later with a glove. This game may have been played by monks in monastery cloisters , but

2415-434: Is typically called as " advantage server " or " advantage receiver "" as appropriate. Unlike lawn tennis , where the first score called corresponds to the server, in real tennis the first score called corresponds to the player who has won the most recent point. As chases are resolved at or before game point, no chases carry through to subsequent games. In handicap matches, players may require different numbers of points to win

2520-649: The 2024 World Championship in Chicago . The Ladies World Championship was first held in Melbourne in 1985, being held every second year since. The host venue rotates between the four tennis playing countries in the order Australia - France - United Kingdom - United States . Both singles and doubles competitions are contested at the same event as an unrestricted Open knock-out draw. The most successful players include 6-time champion Penny Lumley and 7-time and incumbent champion Claire Fahey . The most recent championship

2625-532: The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in 1877 to raise money for the club. The first Championships were contested by 22 men and the winner received a Silver Gilt Cup proclaiming the winner to be "The All England Lawn Tennis Club Single Handed Champion of the World". The first Championships culminated a significant debate on how to standardize the rules. The following year, it was recognized as

2730-984: The Austro-Hungarian Empire but suffered under English Puritanism . By the Age of Napoleon the royal families of Europe were besieged and real tennis was largely abandoned. Real tennis played a minor role in the history of the French Revolution , through the Tennis Court Oath , a pledge signed by French deputies on a real tennis court, which formed a decisive early step in starting the revolution. An epitaph in St Michael's Church, Coventry , written circa 1705 read, in part: Here lyes an old toss'd Tennis Ball: Was racketted, from spring to fall, With so much heat and so much hast, Time's arm for shame grew tyred at last. In England, during

2835-643: The International Real Tennis Professionals Association . Qualification to the World Championship eliminators is now via the World Race, where competitors accumulate points for their placings at eligible tournaments, with the top four players competing in a series of eliminators for the right to challenge for the championship. The most dominant player of this period has been Robert Fahey , who held

2940-809: The US Open , was first held in 1881 at Newport, Rhode Island . The U.S. National Women's Singles Championships were first held in 1887 in Philadelphia. The tournament was made officially one of the tennis 'Majors' from 1924 by the International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF). Name change 1881: U.S. National Championship 1968: U.S. Open Surface change 1881: Grass 1975: Clay Har-Tru 1978: Hard DecoTurf Venue change (men's championship) 1881: Newport 1915: Forest Hills 1921: Germantown 1924: Forest Hills 1978: Flushing Meadows Tennis

3045-484: The United States . The pinnacle of the sport is the biennial World Championship . The first champion is known only as Clergé , becoming the champion in approximately 1740. Scores for challenge formats are only known from 1862 onwards. In general the format for the match has been a best of 13 set format, held over three days of play. The event is held as a challenge format, whereby the incumbent champion awaits

3150-482: The 16th century. In 1437 at the Blackfriars, Perth , the playing of tennis indirectly led to the death of King James I of Scotland , when the drain outlet, through which he hoped to escape assassins, had been blocked to prevent the loss of tennis balls. James was trapped and killed. Francis I of France (1515–1547) was an enthusiastic player and promoter of real tennis, building courts and encouraging play among

3255-576: The 18th and early 19th centuries as real tennis declined, three other racquet sports emerged: racquets , squash racquets and lawn tennis (the modern game). The lawyer and memoirist William Hickey recalled that in 1767 "in the summer we had another club, which met at the Red House in Battersea fields, nearly opposite Ranelagh.... The game we played was an invention of our own, and called field tennis, which afforded noble exercise.... The field, which

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3360-543: The 18th century and early 19th century, as real tennis declined, two new racquet sports emerged in England: rackets and squash racquets . There is documented history of courts existing in the German states from the 17th century, though none exist today. In Victorian England, real tennis had a revival, but broad public interest later shifted to the new and much less difficult outdoor game of lawn tennis , which soon became

3465-409: The 1970s, almost all balls are entirely hand made by club professionals. The inner core of a ball can last several years, but the cover must be replaced every two to three weeks, depending on usage. Balls are produced in sets of around 60 and hand-sewn by the professional at each club. They are not available for purchase by the general public. Balls are stored in a wicker or plastic basket placed in

3570-604: The Australian Championships. For most of the 1970s and the early 1980s, the event lacked participation from top ranked tennis professionals. Since its move to Melbourne Park in 1988, the Australian Open has gained the popularity of the other three majors. Name change 1905: Australasian Championships 1927: Australian Championships 1969: Australian Open Racket sport Racket sports (or racquet sports ) are games in which players use

3675-523: The National Opens became a pathway for challenging for the World Championship in 1980, international play has increased. Chris Ronaldson became the first play to win a grand slam in 1984, following the creation of the French Open in 1981. Robert Fahey holds the record for most Open titles won, having won 50 singles title including grand slams in 2000, 2001 and 2008. Camden Riviere became

3780-542: The Republic of Ireland . The sport is supported and governed by various organizations around the world . Unlike latex-based technology underlying the modern lawn tennis ball, the game uses a cork-cored ball which is very close in design to the original balls used in the game. The 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 -inch (64 mm) diameter balls are handmade and consist of a core made of cork with fabric tape tightly wound around it, compacted by outer windings of string, and covered with

3885-651: The U.S. on a grass court set up on the Estate of Col. William Appleton in Nahant, Massachusetts by James Dwight , Richard Dudley Sears and Fred Sears in 1874. In 1881, the desire to play tennis competitively led to the establishment of tennis clubs. The first American National tournament was played in 1880 at the Staten Island Cricket and Baseball Club in New York. An Englishman named Otway Woodhouse won

3990-613: The United States, setting up supposedly the first tennis court in the United States on the grounds of the Staten Island Cricket and Baseball Club, which was near where the Staten Island Ferry Terminal is today. The club was founded on or about 22 March 1872. She is also mistakenly said to have played the first tennis game in the U.S. against her sister Laura in Staten Island, New York on an hourglass-shaped court. However, all this would have been impossible, as

4095-632: The Warneford Hospital, founded the world's first tennis club, the Leamington Tennis Club. In December 1873 Major Walter Clopton Wingfield designed an hourglass-shaped tennis court in order to obtain a patent on his court (as the rectangular court was already in use and was unpatentable). A temporary patent on this hourglass-shaped court was granted to him in February, 1874, which he never renewed when it expired in 1877. It

4200-543: The ancient game of discus in the original text with pallacorda or tennis, which had achieved a high status at the courts in the middle of the 16th century. Tiepolo's painting, displayed at the Museo Thyssen Bornemisza in Madrid , was ordered in 1752 by German count Wilhelm Friedrich Schaumburg Lippe, who was an avid tennis player. The game thrived among the 17th-century nobility in France, Spain, Italy and

4305-403: The back wall are heavily weighted towards the server, and discourages shots such as a smash or a drop shot . There are three so-called winning openings that win the point automatically for the player on the opposite side of the net if the ball lands there. These are: The heavy, solid balls take a great deal of spin, which often causes them to rebound from the walls at unexpected angles. For

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4410-490: The back wall, and a line parallel to the main wall called the fault line . Often, the service court is painted a different colour to the rest of the floor. A series of lines called chase lines measuring distance from the back of the court on the service side and the service line on the hazard side towards the net. Courts in the United Kingdom , United States and Australia mark the distance in intervals yards from

4515-401: The back wall, back penthouse or battery wall. Serves may be volleyed by the receiver, or be played off a single bounce on the floor. To be a valid serve, the ball must land in the rectangle marked by the service line and the fault line. Serves which land between the fault line and the main wall, beyond the service line, or fail to touch the service penthouse are called fault. Players are permitted

4620-511: The back wall. The lines are numbered on the side walls up to 6 on the service side and 2 on the hazard side, with the seventh line corresponding to the last gallery and second gallery respectively. Subsequent lines correspond to the gallery openings up to first gallery . Often, the last gallery and second gallery lines on the service end are a different colour to the remainder of the lines to make them easier to identify. At Prested in Essex ,

4725-407: The chases in the order in which they were laid. To resolve a chase, the point is played with the additional condition that shots hit by the receiver must not become dead (i.e. second bounce or entering a gallery) further from the back wall than the point at which the chase had been set, in which case the receiver would lose the chase (and also the point). In the case of a hazard chase, any winner hit by

4830-593: The construction and appearance of courts more resemble medieval courtyards and streets than religious buildings. By the 16th century, the glove had become a racquet, the game had moved to an enclosed playing area, and the rules had stabilized. Real tennis spread across Europe , with the Papal Legate reporting in 1596 that there were 250 courts in Paris alone, near the peak of its popularity in France. Royal interest in England began with Henry V (reigned 1413–22) but it

4935-400: The court and change ends. Counted from the centre of the court, the openings are known symmetrically as first gallery , the door , second gallery and last gallery , though at the end of the court closet to the grille penthouse the final opening is instead called the winning gallery and contains a bell which rings when a ball enters the opening. Strung across the centre of the court is

5040-408: The courtiers and commoners. His successor, Henry II (1547–59), was also an excellent player and continued the royal French tradition. In 1555 an Italian priest, Antonio Scaino da Salothe, wrote the first known book about tennis, Trattato del Giuoco della Palla . Two French kings died from tennis related episodes— Louis X of a severe chill after playing and Charles VIII after hitting his head during

5145-414: The entirety of the first game, with the second player serving or receiving the entirety of the second game and so on. This means that a player from one team will only serve or receive from one player from the other team for the entire set. The exception is if a serve lands between the center line and the fault line, in which case either receiving player may elect to play the ball. At the start of each new set,

5250-413: The first Lawn Tennis Championship, at Wimbledon in 1877 (the men who devised those rules were members of both clubs). Wingfield does deserve great credit for popularizing the game of lawn tennis, as he marketed, in one boxed set, all the equipment needed to play his or other versions of it, equipment that had been available previously only at several different outlets. Because of this convenience, versions of

5355-672: The first lawn tennis championship, The Championships, Wimbledon in 1877. The Davis Cup , an annual competition between men's national teams, dates to 1900. The analogous competition for women's national teams, the Fed Cup , was founded as the Federation Cup in 1963 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the International Tennis Federation , also known as the ITF. Promoter C. C. Pyle created

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5460-574: The first professional tennis tour in 1926, with a group of American and French tennis players playing exhibition matches to paying audiences. The most notable of these early professionals were the American Vinnie Richards and the Frenchwoman Suzanne Lenglen . Players turning pro could not compete in the major (amateur) tournaments. In 1968 commercial pressures and rumours of some amateurs taking money under

5565-403: The floor and extending to a width of 1.6 to 2.2 metres (5 ft 3 in to 7 ft 3 in). The wall without a penthouse is called the main wall . Protruding from the main wall is the tambour , an angled wall 0.7 to 1.0 metre (2 ft 4 in to 3 ft 3 in) wide at an angle of approximately 53 degrees, though some courts can be up to 59 degrees. Counting clockwise from

5670-473: The floor before it can be returned. It can be played in any direction, as long as its trajectory would bring it to hit the floor on the opposing side first. Because of the asymmetry of the court, play generally favours the player at the service end of the court. The presence of the tambour at the hazard end introduces uncertainty for the receiving player. Unlike lawn tennis , where players alternately serve and receive entire games, in real tennis players must win

5775-473: The floor is painted in alternating green and blue colours in lieu of chase lines. In France , the lines are measured in pied du roi , numbering up to 14 on the service side and 4 on the hazard side. As many courts were built before the introduction of electric lighting , most courts feature clerestory windows above the main and service walls. Typically, these areas are considered out of court , and are demarcated with an out of court line that extends around

5880-522: The four tennis playing countries in the order United Kingdom - Australia - France - United States . Unlike the singles championship, the doubles championship is an Open knock-out format, initially restricted to the top 8 pairs based on world ranking, but restricted to the top 4 pairs since 2022. Matches are played as a best of 9 set format. The most successful players include 6 time champions Tim Chisholm , Robert Fahey and Steve Virgona . The incumbent champions are Tim Chisholm and Camden Riviere who won

5985-543: The game for the amusement of his guests at a weekend garden party on his estate of Nantclwyd, in Llanelidan , Wales in 1874, but research has demonstrated that even his game was not likely played during that country weekend in Wales. He had likely based his game on both the evolving sport of outdoor tennis and on real tennis. Much of modern tennis terminology also derives from this period, for Wingfield and others borrowed both

6090-562: The game spread like wildfire in Britain, and by 1875 lawn tennis had virtually supplanted croquet and badminton as outdoor games for both men and women. Mary Ewing Outerbridge played the game in Bermuda at Clermont, a house with a spacious lawn in Paget parish. Innumerable histories claim that in 1874, Mary returned from Bermuda onboard the ship S.S. Canima and introduced lawn tennis to

6195-458: The game to be faster and more hard hitting. Most of the rackets in the world are produced by Grays of Cambridge , based in Cambridge in the United Kingdom . Companies that have previously produced real tennis rackets include Dunlop , Slazenger and Gold Leaf Athletics. The introduction of graphite rackets in lawn tennis has reduced the demand for wooden rackets of any sport, resulting in

6300-417: The game. Wingfield did patent his hourglass court in 1874, but not his eight-page rule book titled "Sphairistike or Lawn Tennis", but he failed in enforcing his patent. In his version, the game was played on an hourglass-shaped court, and the net was higher (4 feet 8 inches) than it is in official lawn tennis. The service had to be made from a diamond-shaped box in the middle of one side of the court only, and

6405-474: The game. Underneath the dedans penthouse is the dedans , between 5.7 and 6.7 metres (19 and 22 ft) wide positioned centrally along the wall. A net across the opening allows spectators to view the game without fear of injury. Beneath the grille penthouse is the grille , a roughly square opening measuring between 0.9 by 0.9 metres (2 ft 11 in × 2 ft 11 in) and 1.0 by 1.0 metre (3 ft 3 in × 3 ft 3 in) positioned

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6510-632: The heavy balls. The racquet is oval-shaped to make it easier to strike balls close to the floor or in corners, and to facilitate a fast shot with a low trajectory that is difficult for an opponent to return. However, the rackets have a small sweet spot , which discourages a large swing in a shot and emphasises accuracy. Rackets are made of a combination of ash , hickory , vulcanized fibre and willow . Gut strings have now entirely been replaced by nylon , allowing strings to be tighter. Rackets are laminated , with improvements in epoxy resulting in stronger, sturdier rackets which last longer and have changed

6615-495: The larger companies leaving the industry. More recently, Harrow Sports has introduced graphite rackets which are not currently permitted by the rules of the game, but are being trialled at the club level. Due to the small nature of the game, rackets are almost exclusively sold by club professionals who also provide restringing services to club members. Even at the elite level, professionals string their own rackets. There are two basic designs in existence today: jeu quarré, which

6720-434: The latter having inherited the system from the former. A game is won by the first player to have won a total of four points, and to be at least two points more than their opponent. The points are called "love", "15", "30" and "40" respectively. If both players have reached 40 in the game, the score is called as deuce . After a game has reached deuce, the player with one more point than their opponent has advantage . The score

6825-690: The longest running world championship of any sport in the world, dating from 1740. A forgotten master of designing, building and restoring real tennis courts was the British Fulham -based builder, Joseph Bickley (1835–1923). He became a specialist around 1889 and patented a plaster mix to withstand condensation and dampness. Examples of his surviving work include: The Queen's Club , Lord's , Hampton Court Palace , Jesmond Dene , Newmarket , Moreton Hall, Warwickshire and Petworth House . There are also examples of his projects in Scotland and in

6930-408: The main wall, the penthouses are called the dedans penthouse , the service penthouse and the grille penthouse . The side featuring the dedans penthouse is also known as the service end , and the side featuring the grille penthouse is also known as the hazard end . Beneath the penthouses are various openings in the wall, which have various mechanics in the gameplay and allow spectators to view

7035-424: The marker is to mark the position of chases, call service faults, record the score and manage the conduct of the players. Traditionally, the marker stands at the net opening to get a view of the whole court. However, from this position the marker cannot see the service penthouse, so must rely on the sound of the ball or an assistant marker to call service faults. For safety reasons, most clubs and tournaments have moved

7140-408: The marker to a seat in the dedans. In this case, the players call the length of any hazard chases, unless an assistant marker is employed in the grille. As the game is small, most professionals are also trained markers, hence it is not uncommon to see players in a tournament marking other matches in the same draw, even at the elite level. The scoring system of real tennis mirrors that of lawn tennis ,

7245-657: The more popular sport, and was also played by both genders (whereas real tennis players were almost exclusively male). Real tennis courts were built in Hobart , Tasmania (1875) and in the United States, starting in 1876 in Boston , and in New York in 1890, and later at athletic clubs in several other cities. Real tennis greatly influenced the game of stické , which was invented in the 19th century and combined aspects of real tennis, lawn tennis and rackets . Real tennis also has

7350-410: The name and much of the French vocabulary of real tennis, and applied them to their variations of real tennis. In the scholarly work Tennis: A Cultural History , Heiner Gillmeister reveals that on 8 December 1874, Wingfield had written to Harry Gem, commenting that he had been experimenting with his version of lawn tennis for a year and a half. Gem himself had largely credited Perera with the invention of

7455-684: The name and much of the French vocabulary of real tennis: The four majors or Grand Slam tournaments, the four biggest competitions on the tennis circuit, are Wimbledon , the US Open , the French Open , and the Australian Open . Since the mid-1920s they became and have remained the more prestigious events in tennis. Winning these four tournaments in the same year is called the Calendar Grand Slam (a term borrowed from bridge ). The Championships, Wimbledon , were founded by

7560-497: The next game wins the set. Because the service is decided by the chase rule, rather than alternating between the players, there is little residual advantage from serving first by the time the set is nearly over. Depending on the tournament, the number of games required to win a set can be varied by the tournament organisers. 8 is a popular choice, also known as a pro set, though variations include sets to any number between 5 and 10. Some tournaments permit an unlimited number of games in

7665-534: The official British Championships, although it was open to international competitors. In 1884 the Ladies Singles and Gentlemen's Doubles Championships were inaugurated, followed by the Ladies and Mixed Doubles in 1913. Name 1877: The Championships Surface 1877: Grass Venue change 1877: Worple Road, Wimbledon 1922: Church Road, Wimbledon Tennis was first played in

7770-413: The official rules of lawn tennis were promulgated by that Club in 1875, which preserved none of the aspects of the variations that Wingfield had dreamed up and named Sphaeristikè ( Greek : σφαιριστική , that is, "sphere-istic", an ancient Greek adjective meaning "of or pertaining to use of a ball, globe or sphere"), which was soon corrupted to "sticky". Wingfield claimed that he had invented his version of

7875-400: The player may serve from anywhere in the court between the dedans wall and the second gallery line. The serve is played onto the service penthouse, and must touch the service penthouse at least once on the receiver's (hazard) side of the court. It may also touch the service wall above the penthouse or the service penthouse on the server's side. From there, it may touch any other surface including

7980-412: The players may switch who is serving first and second. The pair at the service end must nominate the first server before the pair at the hazard end nominates the first receiver, so players will occasionally play tactically to ensure that they are at the hazard end at the end of each set to ensure they can choose the match-ups for the new set. Because there are numerous surfaces for the ball to touch during

8085-411: The receiver wins the point, but any ball that becomes dead between the point where the chase was marked and the grille wall loses the point. Any shot which is equal to the length of the chase being played is called chase off - no change is made to the score but the chase is not replayed. The presence of chases encourages players to play the ball as deep into the court as possible, as short chases close to

8190-449: The ridge line along the length of the court. As such, each court has local rules as to whether balls hit over the beams are in or out of play. The court at Falkland Palace is the last remaining jeu quarré design which unlike jeu à dedans court lacks a tambour, a dedans and a dedans penthouse. Instead, it features an ais , a piece of wood on what would be the dedans wall adjacent to the service penthouse, and four lunes , openings in

8295-417: The right to serve. To do so, the receiver must lay a chase , though a server can also lose the right to server by laying a hazard chase . There are four ways to lay a chase: Laying a chase or hazard chase does not immediately score points nor trigger a change of ends. Instead, the length of the chase is recorded and play continues until either: When the condition is met, the players change ends and resolve

8400-595: The sake of a good chase (close to the back wall), it is desirable to use a cutting stroke, which imparts backspin to the ball, causing it to come sharply down after hitting the back wall. Players at the hazard end will generally try to hit the ball as deep into the court as possible to lay difficult chases and recover the serve. Players at the service end will use the uncertainty caused by the tambour to deceive their opponents. Different serves and strategies are deployed to prevent players hitting chases, galleries or openings, particularly when playing off chases. Moreover, because of

8505-510: The same game. Most historians believe that tennis originated in the monastic cloisters in northern France in the 12th century, but the ball was then struck with the palm of the hand, hence the name jeu de paume ( lit.   ' game of the palm ' ). It was not until the 16th century that rackets came into use and the game began to be called 'tennis'. It was popular in the Kingdom of France as well as in England, where Henry VIII of England

8610-634: The semi-finals of the Doubles World Championships are played as best of five sets. Matches in the first round of the Singles World Championships are played as best of nine sets, played across two days with four or five sets on the first day, and from zero to four sets on the second day. The Singles World Championships Final Eliminator and Final Challenge are played as best of thirteen sets, played across three days, with rest days inbetween. The term "tennis"

8715-497: The service had to bounce beyond the service line instead of in front of it. He adopted the rackets-based system of scoring where games consisted of 15 points (called 'aces'). None of these quirks survived the Marylebone Cricket Club 's 1875 Rules of Lawn Tennis that have been official, with periodic slight modifications, ever since then. Those rules were adopted by the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club for

8820-572: The set, with the match only concluding if a timer has expired. If the match is to be played across more than one set, the set is only ever to 6 games. A match is a sequence of sets. A match is determined through a best of n sets system. In tournaments with a round robin stage (often as the qualification to a knock-out stage) matches are usually played to one set. Minor tournaments, Ladies Open tournaments and Ladies World Championships are played as best of three sets. Major tournaments, leading amateur tournaments, Open tournaments and matches up to

8925-707: The singles match. There was also a doubles match which was won by a local pair. There were different rules at each club. The ball in Boston was larger than the one normally used in NY. On 21 May 1881, the United States National Lawn Tennis Association (now the United States Tennis Association ) was formed to standardize the rules and organize competitions. The U.S. National Men's Singles Championship, now

9030-526: The table led to the abandonment of this distinction, inaugurating the Open Era, in which all players could compete in all tournaments and top players were able to make their living from tennis. With the beginning of the Open Era, the establishment of an international professional tennis circuit, and revenues from the sale of television rights, tennis's popularity has spread worldwide, and the sport has shed its upper/middle-class English-speaking image (although it

9135-488: The tenetz to winne or lese a chase, Mai no lif wite er that the bal be ronne". (Whether a chase is won or lost at tennis, Nobody can know until the ball is run). Tennis is mentioned in literature as far back as the Middle Ages. In The Second Shepherds' Play (c. 1500) shepherds gave three gifts, including a tennis ball, to the newborn Christ. Sir Gawain , a knight of King Arthur 's round table, plays tennis against

9240-590: The tennis equipment she is said to have brought back from Bermuda was not available in Bermuda until 1875, and her next trip to Bermuda, when it was available there, was in 1877. In fact, lawn tennis was first introduced in the United States on a grass court on Col. William Appleton's Estate in Nahant, Massachusetts by Dr. James Dwight ("the Father of American Lawn Tennis"), Henry Slocum, Richard Dudley Sears and Sears' half-brother Fred Sears, in 1874. Wingfield borrowed both

9345-438: The third player to win a grand slam in 2017 and again in 2019. Women's Open events began in 1978, with Opens contested in all four countries by 1990. Unlike the men's game which is mostly contested by professionals, the women's game remains predominantely amateur , exceptions being Claire Fahey , Kate Leeming and Lesley Ronaldson . Charlotte Cornwallis became the first woman to win a grand slam in 2006. Claire Fahey holds

9450-712: The title for 26 years between 1994 and 2016 and again from 2018 to 2022 , winning the title a record 13 times. The current World Champion is American Camden Riviere , who defended his title against John Lumley in 2023 . The next challenge is expected to be held at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport , Rhode Island in September 2025 . A World Doubles championship was first contested in 2001 at Middlesex University and has been held every second year since. The host venue rotates between

9555-587: The top of the playing area. Often, the out of court area is not plastered like the playing area. Notable exceptions include Hobart , where the wall between the windows is considered in play, and Hyde Bridport , where the two windows at the ends of the court are still in play. Alternatively, some courts feature skylights in the roof of the building. All courts now feature artificial lighting, allowing play at all times of day. Some modern courts, such as Radley and Oratory do not feature windows at all, and are lit entirely artificially. Most courts have gabled roofs , with

9660-403: The upper right hand side as viewed from the court. The grille is generally blocked by a solid wood cover and features a picture or club logo, though American courts generally have netting instead. Beneath the service penthouse is a long opening, divided up into smaller openings by wooden or metal posts. The central such opening, known as the line , extends to the floor and allows players to enter

9765-399: The walls high above what would be the dedans. The court is the only existing, playable court in the world to not have a roof. To begin play, the players spin a racket or toss a coin to decide who serves first. Serves are always made from the service end of the court, that is, the side of the court with the dedans. Unlike lawn tennis , at least one foot must be grounded during the service, but

9870-443: The weight of the balls, the small racquets, and the need to defend the rear of the court, many lawn tennis strategies, such as playing with topspin, and serve-and-volley tactics, are ineffective, except in doubles play. Play must be continuous, so at the conclusion of one point, the server immediately collects a new ball and moves into position to serve the next point. Time wasting is generally not observed. Players may generally take

9975-433: The world championship was handed to the national governing body of the incumbent champion. In 1980, rules for eligibility of challengers were defined as any winner of a national Open title. However, after incumbent champion Robert Fahey won two consecutive grand slams in 2000 and 2001, no suitable challengers were available, so the rules were changed to hand responsibility for the terms, timing and location of challengers to

10080-409: Was Henry VIII (reigned 1509–47) who made the biggest impact as a young monarch, playing the game with gusto at Hampton Court on a court he had built in 1530 and on several other courts in his palaces. His second wife Anne Boleyn was watching a game of real tennis when she was arrested and it is believed that Henry was playing tennis when news was brought to him of her execution . Queen Elizabeth I

10185-499: Was a keen spectator of the game. During the reign of James I (1603–25), there were 14 courts in London. In France, François I (1515–47) was an enthusiastic player and promoter of real tennis, building courts and encouraging play among both courtiers and commoners. His successor, Henry II (1547–59), was also an excellent player and continued the royal French tradition. The first known book about tennis, Trattato del Giuoco della Palla

10290-464: Was a notable enthusiast of the game, which is now referred to as 'real tennis'. Many original tennis courts remain, including courts at Oxford, Cambridge, Falkland Palace in Fife where Mary Queen of Scots regularly played, and Hampton Court Palace . Many of the French courts were decommissioned with the terror that accompanied the French Revolution . The Tennis Court Oath ( Serment du Jeu de Paume )

10395-682: Was a pivotal event during the first days of the French Revolution; it was a pledge signed by 576 of the 577 members from the Third Estate who were locked out of a meeting of the Estates-General on 20 June 1789. Marylebone Cricket Club 's Rules of Lawn Tennis have been official, with periodic slight modifications, ever since 1875. Those rules were adopted by the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club for

10500-459: Was first played in 1905 as The Australasian (Australia and New Zealand) Championships. Because of its geographic remoteness, historically, the event did not gain attendance from the top tennis players. It became one of the major tennis tournaments starting in 1924 (designated by the ILTF). In 1927, because of New Zealand tennis authorities releasing their commitments to the tournament, it became known as

10605-638: Was heavily associated with gambling. By the Age of Napoleon , the royal families of Europe were besieged and real tennis, a court game, was largely abandoned. Real tennis played a role in the history of the French Revolution , through the Tennis Court Oath , a pledge signed by French deputies in a real tennis court, which formed a decisive early step in starting the revolution . An epitaph in St Michael's Church, Coventry , written circa 1705 read, in part: Here lyes an old toss'd Tennis Ball: Was racketted, from spring to fall, With so much heat and so much hast, Time's arm for shame grew tyred at last. During

10710-443: Was held at The Oratory School in 2023 , with Fahey winning the singles, and Fahey and Tara Lumley winning the doubles. All four tennis-playing countries ( Australia , France , United Kingdom and United States ) host a National Open event each year, with categories for men's and women's singles and doubles. In the first half of the 20th century, it was uncommon for players to compete at Opens outside of their home country. After

10815-590: Was of sixteen acres in extent, was kept in as high an order, and smooth as a bowling green ." The modern sport is tied to two separate inventions. Between 1859 and 1865, in Birmingham, England, Major Harry Gem , a solicitor, and his friend Augurio Perera , a Spanish merchant, combined elements of the game of racquets and a ball of wind and played it on a croquet lawn in Edgbaston. In 1872, both men moved to Leamington Spa and in 1874, with two doctors from

10920-1027: Was predominantly a sport of the English-speaking world, dominated by Great Britain and the United States. It was also popular in France, where the French Open dates to 1891 as the Championat de France International de Tennis. This tournament was not recognised as a Major or Grand Slam tournament until it was opened to all nationalities in 1925. Name change 1891: Championnat de France 1925: Championnats Internationaux de France 1928: Tournoi de Roland Garros Surface change 1891: Clay and Sand 1909: Clay Venue change 1891–1908: shared by Tennis Club de Paris/Ile de Puteaux, Paris/Racing Club de France 1909: Societe Athletique de la Villa Primrose, Bordeaux 1910: Racing Club de France, Paris 1925: Stade Français, Paris 1926: Racing Club de France, Paris 1927: Stade Français, Paris 1928: Stade Roland Garros , Paris The Australian Open

11025-409: Was written during his reign, in 1555, by an Italian priest, Antonio Scaino da Salo. Two French kings died from tennis-related episodes – Louis X of a severe chill after playing and Charles VIII after striking his head on the lintel of a door leading to the court in the royal Château at Amboise . King Charles IX granted a constitution to the Corporation of Tennis Professionals in 1571, creating

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